set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city. And said to the judges, Take heed what you do: for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment. Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you ; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of person, nor taking of gifts/ God is exact in all his ways, and he is exact in all his works ; he is exact in all his promises, and he is exact in all his threatenings ; he is exact in all his rewards, and he is exact in all his punishments ; he is exact in the exercise of his mercy, and he is exact in the exercise of his justice.! And therefore you that are called gods, should in this be like God. 0 sirs, some by force, others by flattery, some by large presents to your relations, and others by promising great rewards to yourselves, may endeavour to corrupt you, and blind you, and induce you to judge rashly, inconsiderately, irregularly, &c. ; and therefore you have the more cause to be exact in transacting all your judicial affairs. Oh, remember that the most sharp and piercing eye of God is still upon you ! Oh, remember that the severe eye of Jesus Christ, who is the judge of judges, is never off of you ; and the angels, those princes of glory, are very strict observers of you. When the Ethiopian judges were set in their seats of judicature, certain empty chairs were placed about them, into which they con- jectured the holy angels came and were spectators of all their transac- tions, and this they thought would work such an awe, such a dread, such a care, such a fear, and such a resolution in them, that they could not but manage all their judicial proceedings with much exact- ness and heedfulness.2 And as the angels have their eyes upon you, so Satan hath always his eyes upon you ; he hath always a watchful eye, an envious eye, a malicious eye, a crafty eye, and a revengeful eye upon you. Witness his dissuading you sometimes from your duty, and witness his distracting and disturbing of you whilst you are in your duty, and witness his accusing of you for the neglect of your duty, and witness his endeavours to pride you and jDuff you up upon the discharge of your duty. And as the eye of Satan is upon you, so the eyes of good men are always upon you, and the eyes of bad men are upon you. And if all this doth not bespeak you to be very exact and accurate in all your judicial transactions, I know nothing. My Lords and Gentlemen, if all this will not do, then remember that the lives, liberties, consciences, rights, privileges, estates, and interests of persons, next to God and Christ and grace, are the most choice and precious, the most desirable and delectable jewels that men have in all the world, and therefore you had need be very exact and accurate in all your judicial transactions. Yea, once more, remember that God will one day bring you to an exact account concerning all your judicial proceedings. That same mouth that tells you that you are gods, tells you also that you must die like men ; and after death comes judgment, Ps. Ixxxii. 6, 7 ; Heb. ix. 27. You that
^ Exod. xxiii. 6, 7, 13, The Egyptians had a notable practice : when their judges were set, they caused the image of a divine Numen, by them called truth, to be hung about his neck who sat next unto the judges, to make them the more exact and heedful in judgment,
2 Cave, spectat Cato, was a watchword among the Eomans. Oh, how much more should Cave, special Dominus, be a watchword amongst you !
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY. 17
now call others to judgment, shall shortly be called to judgment your- selves : you that now sit in judgment upon others, shall ere long be judged by him that will judge the world in righteousness. Acts xvii. 31. My Lords and Gentlemen, give me leave to tell you that that judge to whom you must be responsible is no ignorant judge, nor no covetous judge, nor no partial judge, nor no fearful judge, nor no doting judge, nor no trifling judge, though such there may be in the world ; but he is an omniscient judge, an omnipotent judge, an impartial judge, a holy judge, a courageous judge, a serious judge, a severe judge, an unbiassed judge, a righteous judge, and a resolute judge. 1 Alas, sirs, it is not your scarlet gowns, nor your titles of honour, nor your great estates, nor your interest in princes, nor your noble relations, nor your applause among men, that will stand you in stead, when you shall stand before that judge that is a consuming fire, Heb. xii. 29. Well, Gentlemen, remember this, there is never a professing judge nor justice in the world that will be able at last to give up their accounts with joy, and to stand in judgment when the Lamb Bhall sit upon his throne, but such as have made it their great business to take the Spirit of the Lord for their guide, and to set up the glory of the Lord as their great end, and to make the word of the Lord their principal rule, and to eye the example of the Lord as their choicest and chiefest pattern ; and therefore it is much to be feared that the num- ber of such judges and justices, that will be able to stand before the judge of all the world, will be but few. But,
7. Seventhly, As you must do justice and judgment exactly, so you must do justice to others as you would have others do justice to you. For judges and justices to do as they would be done by, is the royal law, the golden rule, and the standard of equity. Judges and justices should think of others, as they would have others think of them ; and speak of others, as they would have others speak of them ; and do to others, as they would have others do to them. 2 Whatever by the light of nature, or by the light of conscience, or by the light of scripture, a judge, a justice, would have another do to him, the same must he do to another. In all just things — for so this law of Christ is only to be understood — we must do to others, as we would have others do to us. As we would have others carry it equally, justly, and righteously towards us, so we must carry it equally, justly, and righteously towards others : and as we would not have others to wrong us in our names, estates, rights, liberties, lives, so we must not wrong others in their names, estates, rights, liberties, lives, &c. This law of Christ is the sum of all righteousness. It is the foundation of all justice and equity. Self-love doth so commonly blind the sons of men, that to judge righteously, they must change the person, they must put themselves in others' room. All princes, judges, justices, parents,