IT is the saying of the divine Psalmist and many other excellent Authors doe avouch it, That no Power, Potentate, nor Councell, who are elected as Representatives of the people, for the Government of a Nation, can rule or go­vern rightly, that loveth not to judge which and that they betray their trust and usurpe a power, which pealeth partially: For we must remember, that they mea­sured Salomons worthinesse to reign, by his well swaying of the Scepter; the which, Salomon could not have handled [Page 2]so well as he did, if he had not been carryed away with an earnest desire to deal indiferently, and to judge impartially, as appeareth in the most excellent demonstration and prayer, which transcended from him, unto the Almighty Jehovah of Heaven, when he saith, Give vnto thy servant, O Lord an understanding and a wise heart, to judge thy peo­ple, that I may discern betwixt good and evill, 2 King. 3. And when he had prayed for wisdome and understanding, hee sheweth whereunto he would apply those good guifts of God, even unto the glory of him that gave them, To judge the people, that I may discern betwixt good and evill saith he) Prov. 8.15. for by him Kings reign, and by him Magistrates decree Justice; which, that it may be duly executed within the Territories of our English Nation, let the people make choise of such faithfull patriots, as are here prescribed and set down in this ensuing parable of Jethro, viz.

When Jethro the Father in law of Moses came out of the Land Midian to see him, being at the Mount of God, which was Mount Sinai, and beheld how the people cryed to Mo­ses (their Governour) for Judgment and Justice by due con­sideration thereof, Jethro found these three inconveniencies, viz.

First, That Moses wearied himself with (sitting in judge­ment from morning to night.

Secondly, That he was too tedious unto the people, which attended upon him in all that time.

And thirdly, that notwithstanding his carefulnesse in judg­ment, and their earnest expectation of Justice, he was not able to dispatch so many matters as were brought before him, but with a slight hearing, and little regarding of many mens causes.

Wherefore, Jethro being a man very desirous that Justice might proceed, that no mens matters might be slightly slipt [Page 3]over, counselled Moses to make more Magistrates and Ru­lers in Israel; and to the end, that this might with more fa­cile be prosecuted, Jethro prescribes a way, and points at the disposition of those men which should bear Rule: For (saith he) Thou shalt chuse out amongst all the people, men of courage, dealing truly, serving God, and hating covetousnesse, and them shalt thou make Governours over the people, Exod. 18 21.

Even such Magistrates and Rulers doth the Common-wealth of England stand in need of, whose Government de­sireth men of courage, faithfulnesse, and impartiality; and seeing that her Governours are nominated and appointed, and a Rule is set down for the people to walke by, God grant, that they may follow the example of Jethro, to deale truly, act justly, execute impartially, and redresse the grie­vances of the people, and not to rule as the Councel of Ma­cedonia did, who upon the humble addresse and representa­tion of a poor Widow, purporting her sad and deplorable condition, they rejected her, and cast her off with this slen­der answer, Go thy way, for we have no leisure to heare thee now.

The woman being much grieved thereat, replyed thus; Thus why have you liesure to be Rulers and Magistrates.

And therefore, if the Councel of England, proceed and continue in their wayes of impartiallity, acting justly, and detesting all by ends, and self-interests, this Nation wil have cause to rejoyce; if they desist from so doing, her joy and tranquility will be frustrated and eclipsed.

O remember what God said unto Israel, You shall not doe what seemeth good in your own eyes, but what I command you to do, saith the Lord.

Then know, that you do not that which he hath comman­ded, if you deal not with mercy and truth, by judging every [Page 4]mans cause aright. It was a worthy commendation, that Da­vid uttered in the praise of Ierusalem, when he said, There is the Seat for judgment, the which appointing of that Seat for Judgment, was an argument, that they loved the true execu­ting of Justice.

And first, the place where it was set assureth us hereof, for it was set in the Gate, where through men might have passage to and from the Judgment Seat.

Secondly, the manner of framing the Seat in the Gate; namely, that the Judges and Councell might sit with their faces towards the rising of the Sun, in token that their judg­ment should be as pure from corruption, as the Sun was cleer in his chiefest brightnesse and splendor.

O happy Common wealth of England, art thou, who can say with Jerusalem, that thy Justice Seat is not putrified with corruption.

And whereas God standeth in the Parliaments of Princes, so is he a Judge amongst Gods, to give all Magistrates a Memento, that God is present in all their assemblies, and judgeth them that judge under him, whereof they had need to be put in mind: for oftentimes Micheas proveth too true a prophet, in saying that the great man will seek what his heart desireth, and the people must allow it well: of the which sort of men, the very best is but a thistle, which a man can hardly touch unpricked, and the most just like a bramble, whereunto the silly sheep seeking to be shrowded from sharp showers, is often forced to leave his fleece be­hind: whose unworthy coming to their places, Jon ham hath well described in the person of Abimelich, when hee said, The trees of the wood went to annoint a King over them, and said unto the Olive tree, raign thou over Us: but the Olive tree answered, shall I leave my fatnesse, which both God and Men praise in me, and go to be promoted o­ver [Page 5]the trees? Then they came to the Fig tree, and said, Come thou and reign over us: the fig tree answered, shall I leave my sweetnesse and good fruit, and go to be promo­ted over the trees? They said unto the Vane, reigne thou o­ver us: but the Vine answered, should I leave the Wine wherewith I chear the Sons of men, to be promoted over the trees? Then they said unto the Bramble, wilt thou reign over us? Then said the Bramble, if it be true indeed that you will submit your selves to my authority, and put your trust under my shadow; or else, fire proceed from the Bram­ble and consume you.

By this Parable we are taught generally, that every man is to be content with that estate wherein God hath placed him, and that for the most part the very best-worthy do re­fuse proffered promotion, and on their part well deserved: whereas on the contrary, the most unfitly furnished with Justice and true Judgment, and the least deserving in a com­mon-wealth, are of all other most ambitions.

And it is to be feared, that many will rise through their wicked practises, and subtil stratagems, both in this Nation, and parts adjacent, to disturbe the peace of our Israell; But God grant that they prove not like to those, whom Zepha­niah, feared not to liken to Lyons and Wolves, who finding their proy in the evening, chop up all, not leaving so much as the bones untill the morning.

Another Memento is, That the civill Magistrate who bea­reth the sword is called the Minister of God, as well as the spirituall Magistrate that teacheth the Word: and that no doubt, to the intent he might take care to maintain true Re­ligion as to minister deserved Discipline. For it standeth with all divine and humane reason, that if all masters and [Page 6]fathers ought to have a more then ordinary care to instruct and help forward their families in Christian Religion, so much as in them lieth: much more ought the Magistrate to mediate by all meanes prossible to perform his duty therein, who is a father over all families. I cannot set this forth in any plainer demonstration, than David hath done in this short saying, Embrace the son, least he be angry, and so you pe­rish from the right way. By which speech the Prophet tea­cheth, that God cannot be honoured by any other meanes, than by that which Christ his Son hath taught, and that if you worship not the Son as he hath commanded, then you dishonour him; if you dishonour him, then you anger him; if you anger him, he casteth you off; if he casteth you off, then you are from the right way; and if you are from the right way, then you perish. For the avoiding whereof, all Godly Magitrates have had a speciall care to meditate in the Law of the Lord: such were Moses Iosua, David, Salo­mon, and others. Of whose good example, God grant, that the Magistrates of England may make use thereof.

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