I Shall suppose that you begin with God , in Publike hearing his word for your Direction , and by fasting and prayer to beg his blessing on your Endeavours , and I must suppose that you are Resolved to do Gods will when you know it . Yet be very jealous of your own heart , lest there be any latent Reserves ; for in this is your greatest danger , Read Jer . 42.1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5. with Jer . 43.1 , 2 , 3 , 4.

DIR. I. Remember the Original and nature of Authority : It is a beam from the Soveraign Authority of God ; it can have no lower spring : as there can be no Being but from Gods Being , Rom. 13.1 , 2 , 4 , 6. You are all Gods Officers . The sense of this will teach you , 1. Whose work you have to do , and to abhor the Doctrine that would make you so humane , as to have nothing to do in matters of Religion , or of soul-concernment . 2. And whose will you must consult . 3. And to take heed of abusing so Divine a thing , by Negligence or mis-imployment . 4. And to use your Authority Reverently and Religiously , and not carelesly as a common thing . As Ministers must speak with Reverence , because they are Gods Messengers , so must you rule with Pious Reverence , as being Gods Officers . 5. Nor must others be suffered to despise your Authority , because it is of God , and necessary to the common Good . 6. And this will teach you to look to God , for protection , approbation , encouragement and reward .

DIR. II . Be sure that it be not self but God , that is your Vltimate End , and next to that , the Publike Good . Let the pleasing and honoring God , and the benefit of men , be the very thing that you intend and seek : and not any carnal content in your own exaltation or power , or honor . If you do the best works for self , and not for God , you debase them and lose them ; and make them sins , and serve your selves , and not God in them ; and your Reward will be accordingly . Be exceeding jealous of your hearts in this : for selfishness is deep rooted , and it s the common cause of mens perdition , and the sin that overturneth the Governments of the earth , and destroyeth the Governors . Look not at sin only as a troubler of the Nation , and wrong to men , but as an offence to God , and a cause of Damnation . Do all your work with respect to God and everlasting Life . It is the Popes device to make men believe , that Magistrates have nothing to do but for mens bodies , and temporal affairs , except as Executioners of his Decrees ; If that were generally believed , how base would the Magistracy seem in comparison of the Ministry to all men that believe a Life to come ? They that count all dung for Christ , would be tempted to count the Magistrate no better , if his Office no more respected Christ and Salvation , then some imagine , 2 Chron . 19.6 . Prov. 8.15 , 16. Matth . 28.18 . John 19.11 . Rom. 13.6 , 4. & 11.36 1 Cor . 10.31 .

DIR. III . That your Ends and actions may be right , Remember the Labor , the Difficulties , and Danger of your place , and that the Honor is but the cloathing of your office , and as Sugar to tice down that Labor and suffering , which is bitter to your flesh . Look upon Greatness and Government , as that which in Patience you must submit to undergo when it is for God and the common good : but not as a thing that a wise man should be ambitious of . He 's unlikely to rule for God , that proudly seeks the Power for himself , 2 Sam . 15.4 .

DIR. IV . Forget not the two great Summaries of your work : To encourage the Good , and be a Terror and Avenger to the evil , Rom. 13. And therefore be not the same to persons that are not the same ; but be a Lamb to the Lambs , and a Lyon to the Wolves , Psal . 18.25 , 26. God that is no respecter of persons , is yet the greatest Distinguisher of persons . Many actions and accusations may come before you , which are indited by meer Malignant enmity against the fear of God : And if the enemies of a Holy Life can find but Magistrates that will fit their turns , they will make your Power but an Engine to do the Devils work ; and will never want pretences and covers for their malice . See Dan . 6.5 . The Godly and sober you must put in your bosome , and honour them that fear the Lord , or else you are no Christians , Psalm 15.4 . 1 John 3.14 . But a vile person you must contemn , and the wicked you must cast out as Dross , Psalm 15.4 . Prov 25.4 . Psalm 119.119 . A Ruler that is himself ungodly and distasteth Holiness , will make but a churlish Nursing Father to the Church , Isa . 49.23 .

DIR. V. Never make the Law an Instrument of evil : Set not the Letter against the sense : Interpret not the sense to be against the End. As the sense is the Law , so the end informs the means , and is above it . The Law of the Land may restrain you from doing some good , that the Law of God commandeth to the Soveraign Rulers : but it cannot warrant you to do any evil . There is no Power but from God , and God gives none against himself , Rom. 13.4 .

DIR. VI . See that you be such your selves as you would have others be . Be Examples of Holiness , Temperance , and Righteousness to all the People . 1. Let your practice commend a Holy Life , and all Gods Ordinances , publike and private , to them . Order your Families , as they should do theirs . As Ministers must Preach by their Lives , so you must Govern by your Lives . If you neglect holy Worship , despise Discipline , or have prophane and Prayerless Families , the people take it for a license to be prophane . 2. Avoid the sins which you would have them avoid ; especially be as little as may be in Alehouses , or unlawful sports . Honor Godliness , and disgrace all sin , by your daily speeches and examples . If you will disobey God and the Laws , how can you expect obedience your selves ?

DIR. VII . Set your selves to Do Good with all your skill , and care , and industry . Have no restriction but disability . Study it , and make it your daily work to do all the good you can : You have an Office to discharge , and not a work on the by to do . Abhor the Principles and Spirit , that intice Magistrates to shift off all the displeasing and troublesome work , and to do no more then is thrust upon them , and they know not how with honor to avoid . If you know of unlicensed or abusive Alehouses , or other wickedness that calls for redress ; stay not till you are urged , and Conviction is offered you ; but make enquiry , and procure them Convicted , and think it not below you , or too much to seek after vice , and do all that you are able to suppress it . If the Law of the Land oblige you not to this , Gods Law doth , by which you shall be judged . 1. Is not sin Gods enemy ? 2. Have you not taken up Arms against it by a double Engagement , as Christians , and as Magistrates ? 3. Doth it not bring down Judgements , and is it not the fire in our thatch , and the plague of the Common-wealth ? 4. Did it not kill the Lord Jesus ? 5. Doth it not damn men to the everlasting misery ? 6. Is it not fearfull to draw on your own heads , the guilt of a thousand Oaths , and of the Drunkenness and other abominations which you connive at ? 7. Your Power is one of Gods Talents , of which he will require the improvement . 8. If your Offices be good and necessary to the Common-wealth , then make the best of them . If you do little in them , you teach men to esteem them little worth . 9. Every man is bound to do all the good he can in his place , and therefore so are you . 10. If negligent and scandalous Ministers must be cast out , what must be done with negligent and scandalous Magistrates ? If you make your Office more consistent with sin then ours , you so far vilifie it . If Magistrates were but dealt with , as Ministers be , by the sequestring Act , what work would be made ? 11. Can a man do too much for such a God , such a Reward , such an End , and in such a Cause ? You have more from God then others , in honor and greatness , and therefore you should be more diligent then others , Luke 12.48 . 12. When you have done your best , you shall find that sin will be too hard for you , and the Devil too cunning for you . Sin is so strong , its friends so many and violent : its enemies so few , despised , discouraged and weak ; and their Impediments so very many and great , that when you have all done your best , it will be too little . Never were there stricter Laws and Endeavours , and yet Drunkenness and wickedness rageth in our streets , as if it were to scorn or dare the Magistrate ; and many honest people are so tired in the costly and fruitless prosecution , that they are tempted to sit down , and meddle no more , and to entertain unworthy thoughts of Magistracy , Deut. 13.14 . If there were but a fame of a seducing Idolater , they were to enquire and make search , and ask diligently whether it were true or not . See what work Nehemiah made with the Sabbath-breakers , Neh . 13. Job saith , ( 29.16 . ) I was a father to the poor : and the cause which I knew not I searched out . And if in wrongs against men you must search , much more when against God . And if Magistrates be not bound to search after sin , no body is : for why should poor private men do it more then you ? Read Psalm 101.

DIR. VIII . Think not of a Conscionable discharge of your duty , without many Temptations to take you off : See therefore that you be fortified with self-denial and Resolution : Those that smart by you will complain , scarce a sinner but will have a friend to solicite you for his impunity : your own selfishness will be tempting you to be partial to your friends , to Gentlemen , and such as may do you a pleasure , or a displeasure . If you cannot deny both self and all for Christ , you cannot be true to him . Luke 14.26 , 33. Be at a point with all the world , as one that is resolved that God must be pleased , if all be displeased . You are Captains in Christs Army against Sin and Sathan , and therefore must excel in courage , Iosh . 1.7 . 1 Chron . 22.13 . & 28.10 , 20. & 2 Chron . 15.7 . & 19.6 , 7. He that cannot deny his friend , or self , will deny God . See 1 Sam . 2.29 , 30 Pitty more the Nation and mens souls , then the body of a sinner . See Prov. 19.18 . & 23.13 , 14. If punishment will do the sinner no good , it will restrain many others , and so is a due to the Common-wealth .

DIR. IX . Remember still that your opportunity will be short : both of Office and Life : and therefore be up and doing , lest you give a dreadfull account of your stewardship ; as an unprofitable servant that hath born the sword in vain , and only rub'd out the time in sitting in the seat , and wearing the cloathes of a Magistrate : Keep you a daily reckoning with your self ; and call your self to an account : What good have you done this day , this week , with your Power ? And lament it if any opportunity hath been lost , Rom. 13.6 , 4.

DIR. X. Be specially carefull to suppress unnecessary abusive Alehouses : for there is the Devils shop ; where Drunkenness , Dissention , Ribaldry , Whoredom , Swearing , Cursing , mocking at Godliness , and a world of wickedness is committed . Oh , how much is God abused in Alehouses in one day ! And hitherto they have stood as in despight of all that we can do . If Constables be not driven on , and Clerks be not watcht , and Prophane Gentlemen that uphold sin well checkt ; and if honest men be not much encouraged against the malice of the ungodly , that count them but busie troublesome fellows , for seeking to suppress this and other sins ; ( Gen. 19.9 . ) wickedness will still raign , and the Laws be as Cyphers to the ruine of souls and Families , the guilt and shame of negligent Magistrates , the grief of the upright , and the reproach and danger of the Common-wealth .

DIR. XI . Defraud not the poor of any thing that the Law hath made their Due . If the mulets of unlicenced and abusive Ale-sellers , and of Swearers , Drunkards , &c. be their Due , how dare you deprive them of it ? I doubt at Judgement , abundance of Magistrates will have so many pounds to answer for , of which the poor have been defrauded , that the summs charged on High-way Robbers , will come far short of theirs . Usurp not a Power that is not given you , to dispense with the Laws , which you are bound to obey and execute .

DIR. XII . Let Zeal and Prudence go together . Hearken not to the impious that would destroy your zeal , and plunge you into mortal Guilt , on pretence of Prudence and moderation : Nor yet to any that would draw you to rash imprudent actions , on Pretences of Piety or Zeal . In cases where your Duty lies plain before you , go through with it , whatever it cost you : But in cases that are too hard for you , if it be a Law-difficulty , consult with the skilful in the Law ( lest the malicious take advantage of your mistakes : ) and if it be a doubt about the Laws of God , advise with some judicious Ministers of Christ , whose Office it is to teach you , and Rule by Gods Word , as it is yours to command and Rule them by the sword . Its never well , but where Magistrates and Ministers go together , each knowing his proper place and work , Mal . 2.6 , 7. Deut . 17.8 , 9 , 12. 1 Cor . 4.1 . 1 Thess. 5.12 . Heb . 13.7 , 17 , 24.