Graphautarkeia, or, The Scriptures sufficiency practically demonstrated wherein whatsoever is contain'd in Scripture, respecting doctrine, worship or manners is reduced to its proper head, weighty cases resolved, truths confirmed, difficult texts illustrated and explained by others more plain.

CHAP. XXIV. Of Magistrates and Magistracy. (Book 24)

First, That Magistracy is an Ordinance of God: That by him are Magistrates advanced to Offices, &c. The Titles given them.

THE kingdom is the Lords, and he is the governour among the nations, Psal. 22. 28. Dan. 4. 17.

Against all the gods (or, Princes) of Egypt, I will execute judgment, &c. Exod. 12. 12.

And the Lord said to Moses, Gather unto me seventy of the Elders of Is∣rael, &c. and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it up∣on them: and they shall bear the burthen of the people with thee, &c. Numb. 11. 16, 17, 25.

Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee throughout all thy tribes: and they shall judg the people, Deut. 16. 18.

He raiseth up the poor out of the dust: lifteth the beggar from the dung∣hil, to sit among Princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory, 1 Sam. 2. 8.

When the people asked a king, the Lord said to Samuel, &c. For they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them, 1 Sam. 8. 5, 6, 7.

The Kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins: also they have do∣minion over our bodies, &c. our cattel, &c. Nehem. 9. 37.

Promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, &c. but God is the judg: he putteth down one, and setteth up another, Psal. 75. 5, 6, 7.

God, &c. judgeth among the gods, &c. I have said, Ye are gods, &c. Psal. 82. 1, 6.

By me kings reign, and princes decree justice: by me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth, Prov. 8. 15, 16.

For the transgression of a land, many are the Princes thereof, Prov. 28. 2.

And that day shall the Lord of Hosts be, &c. for a spirit of judgment unto him who sitteth in judgment, Isa. 28. 5, 6.

I have made the earth, &c. and have given it unto whom it seemeth meet unto me. And now have I given, &c. to Nebuchadnezzar, Jer. 27. 5, 6, 7.

Blessed be the name of God, &c. he changeth the times and seasons: he remo∣veth kings, and setteth up kings, &c. he is a God of gods, and Lord of kings, Dan. 2. 20, 21, 47.

To the intent that the living may know, that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will: and setteth up over it the basest of men, &c. And they shall drive thee from men, &c. until thou know, that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whom he will, Dan. 4. 17, 32.

O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour, and for the majesty he gave him, all, &c. trembled, &c. Dan. 5. 18, 19.

There is no power but of God, the powers which be, are ordained (or, order∣ed) of God: whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God. Rulers are not a terror, &c. for he is the minister of God to thee for good, Rom. 13. 1, 2, 3, 4.

2dly, What they are in the sight of God, and considered as men.

Against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord, Exod. 12. 12.

He leadeth away counsellors spoiled, and maketh the Judges fools: he looseth the bonds of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle: he lead∣eth Princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty, &c. he poureth con∣tempt upon Princes, and weakneth the strength, &c. Job 12. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21.

Accepteth not the person of Princes, nor regardeth the rich, &c. for they all are the work of his hands: in a moment shall they dye, Job 34. 18, 19, 20.

Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed ye Judges of the eath: serve the Lord with fear, and rejoyce with trembling: kiss the son lest he be an∣gry, and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled, Psal. 2. 2, 10, 11, 12.

I have said, Ye are gods, &c. but ye shall dye like men, and fall like one of the Princes, Psal. 82. 6, 7.

The kings heart is in the hand of the Lord: as the rivers of water, he turneth it whither he will, Prov. 21. 1.

If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice, &c. he who is higher than the highest, regardeth; and there is a higher than they, Eccles. 5. 8.

Ye scornful men, who rule this people, &c. because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, &c. thus saith the Lord, &c. Your covenant with death shall be disanulled, &c. when the overflowing scourge shall pass thorow, then ye shall be trodden down by it, Isa. 28. 14, 15, 16, 18.

He who sitteth upon the circle of the earth, &c. who bringeth the Princes of the earth to nothing: he maketh the Judges of the earth as vanity, Isa. 40. 22, 3.

Say to the Prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord God; because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a god, I sit in the seat of God, &c. yet

thou art a man, and not God: though thou set thine heart as the heart of God, &c. therefore, thus saith the Lord God, &c. I will bring strangers upon thee, &c. and they shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the death of them, &c. but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him who slayeth thee, Ezek. 28. 2, 6, 7, 8, 9.

Nebuchadnezzar the king in the height of his pride, driven out among the beasts, Dan. 4. 30, 31, 32, 33.

There is no respect of persons with God, Rom. 2. 11.

3dly, What are the Duties of Magistrates: and what they should be, negatively and affirmatively.

Thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God: men of truth, hating covetousness, and place over them to be rulers, Exod. 18. 16, 20, 21.

Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of the poor in his cause, &c. and thou shalt take no gift: for gifts blindeth the wise, &c. Exod. 23. 6, 8. Deut. 16. 19.

Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the per∣son of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: in righteousness thou shalt judg thy neghbour, Levit. 19. 15.

Moses, when the people had sinned, prayed earnestly for them, &c. Numb. 14. 13, &c. Deut. 9. 25, 26, &c. Joshua 7. 7, 8, &c.

Take ye wise men and understanding, and known among your tribes, and I will make them rulers over you, &c. And I charged your Judges at that time, saying, Hear between your brethren, and judg righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger with him: ye shall not respect persons in judgment: you shall hear the small as well as the great: you shall not be a∣fraid of the face of a man, for the judgment is Gods: and the cause which is too hard for you, bring it unto me, &c. Deut. 1. 13, 15, 16, 17.

The Lord your God is a God of gods, &c. who regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: he doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, Deut. 10. 17, 18.

Judges and officers, &c. and they shall judg the people with just judgment: thou shalt not wrest judgment: thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind, &c. that which is altogether just shalt thou follow, Deut. 16. 18, 19, 20.

Thou shalt in any wise set a king over thee whom the Lord thy God shall chuse: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou maist not set a stranger over thee who is not thy brother: but he shall not multiply horses to himself, &c. And it shall be, that when he shall sit upon the throne of the kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book, &c. and it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law, &c. that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren: and that he turn not aside

from the Commandment, Deut. 17. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20.

If there be a controversie between men, and they shall come unto judgment, that the Judges may judg them: then they shall justifie the righteous, and con∣demn the wicked, Deut. 25. 1.

Samuel, his sons walked not in his ways: but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment, 1 Sam. 8. 1, 3.

And David executed judgment and justice unto all his people, 2 Sam. 8. 15.

He who ruleth over men, must be (or, be thou ruler over men) just, ruling in the fear of God, 2 Sam. 23. 3.

When the plague was upon Israel for Davids sins, he said, Lo, I have sinned and done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? Let thine hand be against me, and against my fathers house, &c. 2 Sam. 24. 17.

Solomon said, Give therefore thy servant an understanding-heart to judg thy people, that I may discern between good and bad, &c. And the speech pleased the Lord, 1 Kings 3. 7, 8, 9, 10.

Rehoboam took the counsel of the young men, and rejected the old mens ad∣vice: and answered the people roughly, and said, He would add to their bur∣dens, and not ease them: whereupon many of the tribes revolt, and chuse them a King, 2 Chron. 10.

He was going to fight against Israel, but God forbid him, 2 Chron. 11. 1, 4.

Jehoshaphat, &c. sent to his Princes, to Benhail, and to Obadiah, &c. to teach in the Cities of Judah: and with them Levites, even Shemajah, &c. and they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the Lord with them: and went about throughout all the Cities of Judah, and taught the people, 2 Chron. 17. 7, 8, 9.

Jehoshaphat said to the Judges, Take heed what you do: for ye judg 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 persons, nor taking of gifts, 2 Chron. 19. 6, 7.

Jehoshaphat in a time of danger, stood in the congregation in the house of the Lord, and prayed himself with them, and for them there, 2 Chron. 20. 2, 3, to the 13.

Nehemiah saith, From the time that I was appointed to be their gover∣nour, &c. I and my brethren have eaten the bread of the governour: but the former governours, &c. were chargeable unto the people, &c. yea, even their servants bear rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God, &c. Nehem. 5. 14, 15, 16, 18.

I gave my brother Hanani and Hanania, &c. charge over Jerusalem: for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many, Nehem. 7. 2.

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, Job 29. 16, 17.

Be wise now therefore, O ye kings, be instructed ye Judges of the earth: serve the Lord with fear, and rejoyce with trembling, Psal. 2. 10, 11.

The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men (or, the vilest of the sons of men) are exalted, Psal. 12. 10.

Man in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beast who perisheth, Psal. 49. 20.

God standeth in the congregation of the mighty, he judgeth among the gods: How long will ye judg unjustly, and accept the persons of the wick∣ed? Selah. Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy; deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hands of the wicked, Psal. 82. 1, 2, 3, 4.

David said, I will not know a wicked person: whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him who hath a high look and a proud heart, him will I not suffer: mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land that they may dwell with me: he who walketh in a perfect way, shall serve me, &c. I will early destroy all the wicked of the land, &c. Psal. 101. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is establish∣ed by righteousness: righteous lips are the delight of kings, and they love him who speaketh right, Prov. 16. 12, 13.

It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment, Prov. 18. 5.

A king who sitteth in the throne of judgment, scattereth away all evil with his eyes, &c. A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them, &c. Mercy and truth preserve the king, and his throne is upholden by mercy, Prov. 20. 8, 26, 28.

To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord, than sacrifice, Prov. 21. 3.

Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be esta∣blished in righteousness, Prov. 25. 5.

As a roaring lion, &c. so is a wicked ruler over the poor people: a Prince who wanteth understanding, &c. Prov. 28. 15, 16.

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoyce: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn, &c. The king by judgment stablish∣eth the land: but he who receiveth gifts, overthroweth it, &c. The king who faithfully judgeth the poor, his throne shall be established for ever, &c. Many seek the rulers favour, but every mans judgment is from the Lord, Prov. 29. 2, 3, 14, 26.

It is not for kings to drink wine: nor for Princes strong drink, lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted, Prov. 31. 4, 5.

Better is a poor and wise child, than an old and foolish king who will no more be admonished, Eccles. 4. 13.

If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice, &c. he who is higher than the highest regardeth, Eccles. 5. 8.

Wo to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy Princes eat in a morning; blessed thou, O land, when thy king is the son of Nobles, and

thy Princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness, Eccles. 10. 16, 17.

The Princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judg not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them, &c. Ah, I will ease me, &c. Isa. 1. 22, 24.

I will give children to be their Princes, and babes shall rule over them: and the people shall be oppressed every one by another, Isa. 3. 4.

Wo unto them who decree unrighteous decrees, &c. to turn aside the needy from judgment, &c. what will ye do in the day of visitation, &c? Isa. 10. 1, 2, 3.

In that day shall the Lord of Hosts, &c. for a spirit of judgment to him who sits in judgment, Isa. 28. 5, 6.

He who despiseth the gain of oppressions, who shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, &c. he shall dwell on high, Isa. 33. 15, 16.

Is not this the fast that I have chosen, To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Isa. 58. 6.

Judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth it is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter, Isa. 59. 14.

Hear the word of the Lord, O king of Judah, &c. Thus saith the Lord, Execute ye judgment, and righteousness, and deliver ye the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, &c. nei∣ther shed innocent blood in this place, &c. Shalt thou reign, because thou closest thy self in Cedar? Did not thy father eat, and drink, and do judgment and ju∣stice, and it was well with him? he judged the cause of the poor, then it was well with him, &c. but thine eyes, and thine heart are not but for thy cove∣tousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for vio∣lence, &c. Jer. 22. 1, 2, 3, 15, 16, 17. Ezek. 22. 27.

O Princes of Israel, remove violence and spoil, and execuue judgment and ju∣stice: Take away your exactions from my people, saith the Lord God, Ezek. 45. 9.

King Nebuchadnezzar for his great pride, was driven from men to eat grass as an ox, Dan. 4. 30, 31, 32, 33.

I hate, I despise your feasts, &c. let judgment run down as waters, &c. Amos 5. 21, 24.

Hear this, ye Princes, &c. who abhor judgment, &c. the heads thereof judg for reward, Micah 3. 9, 11. chap. 7. 3.

Judg not according to the appearance, but judg righteous judgment, John 7. 24.

Refrain your selves from these men, &c. for if this counsel, or this work be of men, it will come to nought: but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it, Acts 5. 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39.

Ye ought to, &c. do nothing rashly, &c. the law is open, let them implead one another, Acts 19. 36, 38.

It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any to die, before he who is ac∣cused, have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself, &c. It

seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and withal not to signifie the crime laid against him, Act. 25. 16, 27.

Rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil, &c. for he is the minister of God to thee for good, &c. a revenger, to execute wrath upon him who doth evil, &c. Theyare Gods ministers attending continually upon this very thing, Rom. 13. 3, 4, 16.

Governours, &c. for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them who do well, 1 Pet. 2. 14.

The duties of subjects to their magistrates, in respect both to their persons and decrees.

1st, What they may not do: when and wherein they may not obey them.

Render to Cesar the things which are Cesars, and to God the things which are Gods, Mat. 22. 21.

The king of Egypt commanded the midwives to kill the men-children of the Hebrews. But they feared God, and obeyed not the king: And God took it well of them, Exod. 1. 15, 16, 17, 20, 21.

Saul said, Jonathan should surely die, &c. And the people said, &c. As the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall, &c. So the people rescued Jonathan that he died not, 1 Sam. 14. 43, 44, 45.

Hezekiah, the Lord was with him, &c. and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, 2 Kings 18. 7.

When king Nebuchadnezzar had commanded the worshiping of an Image, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to obey, &c. and said, Be it known unto thee, O King, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the Image, &c. Dan. 3. 15, 16, 17, 18.

When Darius had established a decree, that none should ask any petition of any God or man, for thirty days: Daniel went into his house, after his wonted manner, and prayed three times a day, Dan. 6. 7, 8, 9, 10.

When the Apostles were forbid to preach in the name of Christ, they answered, &c. Whether it be right in the sight of God, to hearken unto you more than unto God, judg you, Act. 41. 18, 19, 20.

Then the council charged them with preaching contrary to their commands, &c. Peter, &c. said, We ought to obey God rather than men, Act. 5. 27, 28, 29.

Moses was hid by his parents, &c. and they feared not the kings edict, &c. He feared not the wrath of the king, Heb. 11. 23, 27.

2dly, What they ought to do, or wherein they should acknowledg and obey them.

Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses, and God smote Miriam with a leprosie, Numb. 12. 1, 9, 10, 11.

The Lord destroyed Korah and his company, for their rebellion against Moses, &c. Numb. 16. 1, &c.

God threatned the Jews, for revolting from the king of Babylon, and breaking their oath and covenant with him, Ezek. 17, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20.

Though there was no tribute due from Christ, yet he said to Peter, Lest we should offend them, go thou, &c. give unto them for me and thee, Mat. 17. 24, 25, 26, 27.

Render therefore unto Cesar the things which are Cesars, Mat. 22. 21.

Let every soul be subject to the higher power, &c. Whosoever therefore resisteth the powers, resisteth the ordinance of God, &c. shall receive to them∣selves damnation, &c. wilt thou then not be afraid of the powers? do that which is good, &c. Ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake, &c. For this cause pay you tribute, &c. render therefore to all their dues, tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour, Rom. 13. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.

Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey ma∣gistrates, &c. Tit. 3. 1.

Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake, whether it be to the king, as supream, or unto governours, as unto them who are sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers, &c. For so is the will of God, that with well-doing ye should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, 1 Pet. 2. 13, 14, 15.

3dly, Give them due honour and respect: not contemn their persons, or speak evil of them.

Thou shalt not revile the Gods (or, Judges), nor curse the ruler of thy people, Exod. 22. 28.

David said to Saul, My Lord the King: and when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself, &c. He said, I will not put forth my hand against the Lords anointed, 1 Sam. 24. 8, 10.

Nathan the prophet, when he was come in before the king, he bowed him∣self before the king, with his face to the ground, &c. and said, My Lord, O king, &c. 1 Kings 1. 23, 24.

Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked? to princes, Ye are ungodly? Job 34. 18.

The kings wroth is as the roaring of a Lion, &c. Prov. 19. 12.

The fear of a king is as the roaring of a Lion: whoso provoketh him to anger, sinneth against his own soul, Prov. 20. 2.

Put not forth thy self in the presence of a king, &c. Prov. 25. 6, 7.

Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou? Eccles. 8. 4.

Curse not the king, no not in thy thoughts, Eccles. 10. 20.

Daniel said to Darius the king, O king, live for ever, Dan. 6. 21.

When the Apostle had spoken sharply unto the High-priest, and some who stood by had said, Revilest thou Gods High-priest? Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the High-priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of my people, Act. 23. 2, 3, 4, 5.

Paul said, I think my self happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for my self this day before thee, &c. Festus said, &c. Paul, thou art beside thy self, much learning doth make thee mad. But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak forth the words of truth and soberness, &c. Act. 26. 1, 2, 3, 24, 25. ch. 24. 10.

Render therefore to all their dues, &c. fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour, Rom. 13. 7.

Honour the king, 1 Pet. 2. 17.

But chiefly them who walk in the lust of uncleanness, and despise govern∣ment, &c. or dominion, &c. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignities: whereas Angels, who are greater in power and might, bring not railing accu∣sation against them, before the Lord, 2 Pet. 2. 10, 11. Jude vers. 8, 9.

4thly, To pray for them.

Exhort therefore, that first of all supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men: for kings, and for all who are in au∣thority (or, eminent place), that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, 1 Tim. 2. 1, 2, 3.

5thly, To endeavour to get good Magistrates.

When Adonijah exalted himself, saying, I will be king, and preparation was made for it: Then Bathsheba the Queen, and Nathan the prophet, made application to David, to set up Solomon to be king; and accordingly prevailed, 1 Kings 1.

6thly, To be content with such Magistrates which God hath set over us, although they be not such as they should be.

When Samuel was old, he made his sons Judges over Israel, &c. and his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves to∣gether, and came to Samuel, &c. and said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways. Now make us a king to judg us, like

all the nations, &c. This greatly displeased God, and he said to Samuel, They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them, &c. The people said, Nay, but there shall be a king over us, 1 Sam. 8. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 19, 20.

Samuel afterwards tells them, their wickedness was great in the sight of the Lord, in asking a king. Which sin the people acknowledged, when God had sent thunder and rain in harvest, 1 Sam. 12. 16, 17, 18, 19.

They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not, Hosea 8. 3, 4.

And thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king, and princes? I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath, Hosea 13. 10, 11.

See the kings of Israel, &c. Chap. 44.