There is one textual difficulty to be removed , e're I go farther : Why doth his coming to the Throne go under the phrase of God's coming to him ? we must remember , he had God's promise of the Kingdom ; and in Scripture , God is said to come unto Men , when he accomplisheth his promise , & bestows any singular blessing on them . But more particularly to persons invested with civil power , God's word of commission comes Ps. 82.6 . I have said , ye are Gods , but the Lord doth really make some Men Gods , he speaks to them , & with this creating word , confers upon them Power : The Serpent flattered us with a Promise that we should be Gods The word of God mentioned Joh . 10.34 according to the best Interpreters , is the divine warrand & commission to be Magistrats ; For the office and power is from GOD though handed down and conveyed by men , and upon that score called by the Apostle Peter an humane Ordinance . Farther as soon as Men are cloathed with Authority , God comes to them and gives them another Heart and a large measure of necessary and sutable gifts , by a plentiful effusion of his Spirit , breaths into them noble Dispositions ; which , together with a Call from Men , are Heaven's credential Letters , that prepare their Reception , and command obedience and submission from the people . And in fine by phrasing it thus , the Psalmist , condemns all unjust practifing to get into power , for though having been anointed by the Lords express Command , he had an undoubted Title to the Succession , he has not the Ambition to shuffle his Anointed Head under the Crown , till God by the voice of such as had right to give it , comes and puts it on , which he knows , will make it to sit the surer , and shine the brighter .

The proposition that lyes before us , and is the scope of the words , is , Persons in Authority sbould manage their Government with an equal mixture of Mercy and Justice . A Government well temper'd with them two , should be the Magistrates delight Job 29 from 14 to ●8 , I put on Righteousness , and it cloathed me : my Judgement was a Rob and a Diadem I was eyes to the Blind , and feet was I to the Lame . I was a Father to the poor : and the cause which I knew not I searched out . And I brake the Jaws of the wicked , and pluckt the spoil out of his teeth . It appears from the History , Job was not only a Good Man , and a Good Citizen , but a good Magistrat , and he answers this Character , by his sincere Love to Justice and Mercy , like a Good Ruler , he makes the Impartial Administration of Justice his chief Business and delight , his Ornament and Glory , 't is better in his account , than a Diadem and Robes , and indeed , one single Act of Justice , is of far greater value than those ; which without it , are meer pageantry : A good Ruler put on Righteousness in the Morning , wears it all the day , & on the bench wraps it so closely about him , that no Temptation can blow it aside . From the forcited place , 't is evident , that Job has no less regard to the Exercise of Mercy , I was eyes to the blind &c. Micah 6. God reckons the Exercise of Justice and Mercy , the whole of our obedience , and prefers it before Ten thousand Rivers of Oyl , and Rom. 13.4 . the two very different setts of Men , There , make the Exercise of Mercy and Justice equally necessary . For he is the Minister of God to thee for good : But if thou do that which is evil , be afraid , for he beareth not the Sword in vain : For he is the Minister of GOD , a Revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil .

I shall follow forth this Head , First by taking a separate view of Mercy and Justice , the two essential parts of a well manag'd Goverment . 2. Consider them in Conjunction , as giving mutual help and support one to another . 3. Demonstrat , that in all publick Administrations , Magistrats should have a particular regard to them . 4. Bring home all to practice .

As to the first , I shall begin with Mercy , not only because our Psalmist does so , but because this sweer and gentle method , all Magistrates should observe : Drawing the Sword is the last remedy , and never to be used , save in Extremity , when all other ways prove unffectual , and nothing else can serve the turn . God himself Reckons Justice his Strange Work , a forreign part of his Providence , and which he never works till constrained , and ev'n then with some aversion : Mercy is God's Darling and triumphant Attribute , the immediat offspring of his nature , but for this divine affection , the World long since had fallen about our ears : Mercy challengeth the present scene as its own ; And the conclusion of time is almost All that is reserved for Justice ?

The Mercy of Rulers ought to be a copy of that wondrous Compassion God shewed to a destroyed World , and as far as Possible , an exact Transcript of that Grand exemplar , and consisteth . 1. In , their protecting and defending the Innocent from all unjust violence and oppression . They are by sacred Writters stiled Gods , and by both sacred and prophane Fathers , for the great tenderness they should Exercise towards their people that are their Children and creatures ; A Cruel Father , is an Unnatural , and a Cruel God is a Monstrous thing . Magistrats are appointed to be Cities of Refuge , where the oppressed may take Sanctuary , and therefore should be all Eye to spy out the peoples Burdens , all Ear to hear their Complaints , and all Hands to relieve them ; and avenge them of their Adversaries . The Unjust Judge in the Gospel , is not branded with any wrongful Sentence , or Act of Unjustice , but with want of a Merciful Disposition , he had not Bowels enough towards the injured widow , who makes many a vain Journey to his Lodgings .

This mercy , in the second place , is much concerned in regulating the Execution of the Laws on Offenders ; Magistrates may not go to the utmost rigour against them , some consideration would be had of the disadvantageous circumstances mankind labours under : Humane Frailties and Infirmities , Surprises and ignorance , plead strong for some abatement and moderation ; else the best and wisest Law-givers can't so frame their Laws , as that a strict and rigourous Execution of them , shall not be an unsupportable severity : for the highest act of Justice , is a kind of unjustice ; and it were hard to urge the letter of the Law too farre , when neither the intention of the Law-giver , nor common Equity ( the standard of all Laws ) are violated : and where the cause is doubtfull they should incline to mercy as the safer side ; for better spare ten Guilty , then destroy one Innocent : of the injury done the latter , no reparation can be made , the fault cannot be mended ; but though the other may for some time flie from the hand of justice , Vengeance will not suffer them always to escape . 'T is some what strange what is storied of a sentence of the Areopagi , the great court of Athens , before whom a Lady was arraign'd , and accused for killing her Husband and Son , because they had kill'd a Son of hers by another Husband : the Judges ordered her and her Accuser to appear before them , some hundred of years after , declaring thereby , they would not absolve , and could not condemn her , but leave the determination of the cause to the gods .

I come now to the Second , the exercise of justice , the Magistrats weareth not God's Sword in vain , but to manage and and weild it as God himself Would , were he on the Earth .

A Godly Ruler proposeth to himself the best and most excellent Laws , by which he is to Govern , and takes up a fixt resolution , never to swerve from , nor do any thing that 's contrary or disagreeable to them ; Yea , in the smallest-circumstances , and on all occasions to exercise Justice , without being diverted from the same , by any temptation , of promises or threats , or nearness of Relation ; Justice is blind , and has no regard to these forreigne considerations , but only to the merit of the cause .

Rulers are under the greatest obligations to this , whither we consider their relation to God , or to the Law , or to the People : As to the first , They are the Ministers of a righteous God who loveth , and delighteth in Righteousness : to do Judgement , is more to him , than all Sacrifices and whole Burnt — Offerings : These without That are unprofitable , unacceptable and an abomination , Isa . 1.11 , 12 , 13.17 . These Solemn and August Ordinances , tho' commanded and rewarded by the Lord , yet when divorced and separated from Justice , are but bright Sins in his account : He puts upon them a Slight , as Solemn as their Institution , Who required those things at your hands ? The practice of Rulers should have a conformity to the eternal Law of Righteousness : For the Power , the Bench , the Judgement , are the Lord's , and must not be made Tools and Weapons of Unrighteousness , this were to profane the most sacred Things .

They are likewise appointed to be the Guardians of the Laws , trusted with the keeping and execution of them : They should be a living Law : The best Laws without Execution are a dead Letter , they want edge : The Law must take special hold of Persons guilty of gross Immoralities and Disorders , unsupportable to any Government , such Disturbers of humane Society , have need to be mortified ; For they are a Scandal to Christianity , a Reproach of Mankind , and draw down Judgements on themselves and others : Compassion to the Innocent makes the Punishment of others sometimes necessary ; and the Perverseness of some Men accents the Song of Judgement against them .

Lastly , Their relation to the People ( who have lodged in them all exercise of Power ) is a strong Bond : They have trusted them with all their most precious Things , their Estates , their Liberties , their Lives , and , which is to them dearest of all , their Religion : Now , to betray under Trust , those unvaluable Priviledges , were an unpardonable Treachery .

We come now to the Second Thing proposed , the consideration of the Two , in conjunction , and First , They make the Magistrat the lively Image of God , who is both Mercifull and Just , those Two Divine Attributes have their different Actings on their proper Objects , without doing prejudice one to another , and in the Proclamation GOD makes of himself to Moses , Mercy is the first , and Justice the last part of his Name . Besides , his two eternal Decrees concerning Man's final state , are commonly thought Acts of the highest Mercy and Justice , Rom. 9.18 . And farther his glorious Providences , shine bright with a wise mixture of them : In every Dispensation , Mercy , and Justice kiss each one other . Such an Administration , is also an Emblem of the Great and General Judgement , which God has design'd for the manifestation of his Mercy and Justice . Secondly , The double Title of Father and Ruler , of God and Judge , the Magistrate wears , is to be considered ; The one Designation , is as full of Pity , as the other is of Terrour . Thirdly , That they are a counterpart of , and fitly answer the two essential Peeces of Sanctification , Love to God , and hatred of Evil . Fourthly , By a Government so qualified , God doth in a manner , make streight that which seem'd crooked : What is wanting in immediat Providence , with respect to the Evil and the Good , is here supplied : so that the Atheist has no reason to talk so much of prosperous Wickedness , and oppressed Innocence .

In the Third place , I come to shew , That 't is very necessary and reasonable , that Persons in Authority should in all their publick Administrations , mingle Mercy and Justice together , and here I shal confine my self to one main Topick , as most proper for the Day , namely , The mighty and universal Influence such a Government has on the publick Happiness and Prosperity of humane Society , Prov. 14.34 . Righteousness exalteth a Nation : Two things prove this , 1. The Justice of the Divine Providence . Indeed as to particular Persons , place = " margin " Dr. Tillit . Serm . the Providences of God are many times promiscuously administred in this World ; so that no Man can certainly conclude God's Love or Hatred to any person , by any thing that befalls him in this Life . But God do 's not deal thus with Nations ; because publick Bodies and Communities of Men , as such , can only be rewarded and punished in this World : For in the next , all those publick Societies and Combinations , wherein Men are now link'd together , under several Governments , shal be dissolved . God will not then reward or punish Nations , as Nations . And a little after , In the usual Course of his Providence , he recompenseth Religious and Vertuous Nations , with temporal Blessings and Prosperity , For which Reason Austin tells us , That the mighty Success and long Prosperity of the Romans , was a Reward given them by God for their eminent Justice — This the Scripture declares to be the setled Course of God's Providence ; That a Righteous Nation shal be Happy , They work of Righteousness shal be Peace , and the effects of Righteousness , Quietness and Assurance for every . Thus far the Learned Primate .

2. Their joynt exercise doth in its own nature conduce to the publick interest . When Rulers do checker their Administrations with Mercy and Justice , this tends to make men live together in Peace ; and like a Cement to the Common Wealth , unites and holds all fast together , There cannot be a more certain presage of a declining State , than dissolution of manners , through the neglect of Mercy and Justice .

But to come a little nearer , an equal mixture of Mercy & Justice , does by ballancing the procedure of Rulers , prevent all the evil consequences of bad Administration , For , as on the one hand , an effeminat Pity and undiscreet Compassion makes both the Laws and Authority to be trampled on ; so , on the other hand , unmix'd wrath turns men desperate , and we can't tell what men driven to extremitie may do .

But let us yet take a nearer view & prospect of the matter , and we shall observe how admirably the two are adjusted to the two great governing passions of man , Hope and fear , that are as the helme of Societies ; a well temper'd Goverment , by taking hold of Them , constrains men to Good , and restrains from evil . Some Persons are of a Good and Generous disposition ; such are a proper province for Mercy to gain ; they must be drawn with Cords of a man , and bands of Love ; Others have a more ackward temper , and tempt the Ruler to instruct them , as Gideon did the men of Succoth with Briets & Thorns , in fine , the great variety of Peoples conditions and manners , and their different circumstances , call for different treatment to some , the Melancholy tune of Justice must be Sung Others must be comforted with the calm and still voice of Mercy .

I come now in the last place , to make some improvement of what is said , by bringing it home to the business of the Day . And I beg liberty to address my self to those Honourable Persons , who had the Goverment of the City this last year , and are now to lay down the Staff , and commit their power to Others . I trust that ye with respect to your publick management , have the approbation of Heaven and the Testimony of your own Consciences , and honour from men , and to use our Psalmists phrase , since God came to you , he has been ever with you , and ye have walk'd with him , and been Just ruling in the fear of God , and as the light of the Morning , when the Sun riseth , as a morning without Clouds , as the tender Grass springing out of the Earth , by clear shining after Ram , ye are under the deepest Obligations , to preserve the power in its proper subject , by handing it down to Faithful men ; for ye are the Image of God , as ye are men , as Christians , as Magistrates , and as Ministers of Mercy and Justice to the People , look therefore that the Persons ye Elect this day , have the Qualifications required in a Good Ruler . Exod . 18 , 21. Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the People , able men , such as fear God , men of Truth hating Covetousness , and place such over them to be Rulers , &c. Let this Text serve as an Authentick Directory to your present Work , for , without a due observance of it in your Election , there will be an utter neglect of Mercy and Justice . Ye are to chuse Men of great abilities of mind , Persons of good Judgment and prudence . Magistrates should be wise as an Angel of God , of a discerning Spirit , and vast comprehension ; they are likewise to be such as fear God ; Religion in a Magistrate , ( as one well sayeth ) strengthens his Authority , because it procures veneration , and gains reputation to it and in all the Affairs of the World , so much reputation is really , so much power . The Magistrat must have the Greatness of God , and the deformity of vice , and the condition of the People full in his Eye , which he cannot have , If his heart be not possessed with awful impressions , and a lively sense of Divine Majesty . This Holy and Religious fear , serves as a powerful restraint on mens Natures , and makes them invincible , though assaulted with the great temptations that accompany their Office . They are also to countenance and encourage Religion by their good example , The lowd practice of a Ruler ( as one sayeth ) is very infectious , makes a thousand fall at his side , and ten thousand at his right hand . The best of men are in danger to turn a little worse by promotion and how much Religion soevet they carry to the bench it will be found little enough when it comes there . Ye must likewise look out for men that are lovers of truth , Judges ought to make a Critical Search , an exact and diligent inquiry after Truth , The Cause I knew not , says Job , I searched out ; They should copy after our Lord , who judged not by the appearance of the eye . They must not be imposed upon , nor abus'd by an artful representation and cunning disguise of matters , and guilding of falshood with a fair shew of Truth , And to compleat the Character of men fit to be chosen , they must be haters of Covetousness . i . e . Not only innocent of , but full of aversion to that base Vice ; it was the Emperour Hadrian's common proverb , I am to inrich the People , not my self and a saying of Ptolmeus , the Riches of my subjects are my plenty , It s fit that Magistrats have a flourishing and plentiful fortune , that in dispensing of justice , they may have a single regard to the publick interest , and no mercenary respect to their own . And above all , they are to have a perfect indignation at that gross perverter of all Justice , Bribery . Judges were wont to be pictur'd without hands , To shut up this exhortation , see ye manage your Election with all possible sincerity , consider ye are a Congregation of Gods , and the supreme God is among you , observing and recording all your ways , and weighing your Designs , and penetrating into the most in ward and hidden Springs of your Actions ; In the mid'st of you , diffusing his influences as the Centre of your happiness .

In the second place , I have a word to you , to whom God shall come this day , Take on David's vows , to sing of Mercy and Judgement ; This hath been God's way with you , let it be vour way with the people . Know , that though you be Gods on Earth , ye are Subjects of heaven , and accountable to Him that is Higher than the Highest . Suffer me to give you a few Directions 1. Exercise Mercy and Justice with Christian Courage , In the Lords cause be bold as a Lyon ; let difficulties only serve to whett your Resolutions ; kindle your Zeal , and be a Spur to your endeavours . Solomons Throne of Judgement was supported by Lyons , an emblem of Courage . The Cowardice of sorry Peasants is altogether unworthy of your Character . He deserves not to wear God's Sword that has not a Heart to draw it , put an in tire confidence in the divine protection , and fear nothing . Know , that Providence Exerciseth a peculiar care over Magistrates in the practise and obedience of their Duty ? He is with you in Judgement : Ye are fenc'd and rail'd about with his Infinit Wisdom , Almighty power , and unchangeable Faithfulness ; Trust God for once , and be Jealous for him , Breath Life into the laguishing Laws , by Executing them on Notorious Offenders : say to the mighty , lift not up the Horn , rise up for God against evil doers . Many Disorders abound in the City , make it your business , to drain that Deluge of Impiety , that has over-run it ; Sin unpunish'd , blows up a Government ; 't is therefore your Wisdom , Interest and Duty , by the due Execution of Justice to prevent it . 2. Ye must do it speedily , this seems to be the Dictat of Nature , Ezra 7.26 . Slow pac'd Justice , is the next degree to Unjustice : And unnecessary Delay in giving of Judgement is a great Grievance . 3. Yet ye would act with great deliberation , which serves as a Check upon the the former . Hasty and rash Judgement is a most dangerous thing . An Omniscient God will not punish a Sodom , though their Wickedness was notoriously known , till he first bring them to a Trial . The Ruler is to have two Ears to hear both Parties . It was an ingenious Check Machetas gave Philip of Macedon , for giving rash Judgement against him , the King having slumbred all the while the Case was a pleading 1 Machetas , at the giving of the Sentence , with a loud Voice , call'd out , I Appeal , at which Philip being surprized , demanded , To whom , To your self Sir , said he , when you are well awake .

I conclude all with a serious Advice to the Magistrates and the People , to Read , and Consider well that 13 Romans , where we have the true Measures of the People Submission , and the Rulers Power .