A guide to godliness or a Treatise of a Christian life showing the dutiesA guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties

§. Sect. 3 The duties of superiors in authority in general, and of inferiors towards them.

§. Sect. 3 The duties of superiours in authority in generall, and of inferious towards them.

Superiors in authority are such, as have not only a place of excellency above us, but also of power and jurisdiction as our governors. Whose duty in general is to use all good discipline, both in respect of rule and government, and also due correction and punishment. They ought to govern them in the Lord as his deputies and in his stead, and therefore to do the acts of justice, as if God himself were present, or did but use their bodies, tongues and parts to perform his own will. In which respect their chief care must be, as to do Justice themselves, and administer righteous judgement; so to contain their inferiors in the duties of ¹piety and justice, therein seeking not themselves or their own gain, by ⟨p. 147⟩corruption, bribery, extortion, or any kind of wrong and oppression, but ²the glory of God chiefly, and next unto it, the good of their societies, and of every particular person under their government. In respect of correction and punishment, their duty is, to administer Justice, according to the quality of their inferiors offence, wherein they are to use discretion, rightly judging both of the cause and the disposition of the offender, and correcting lighter faults and infirmities, with rebukes and threatenings, and greater faults committed wilfully, with real punishments, proceeding herein with wisdom, judgement, love and patience, seeking either the amendment of the parties if they be corrigible, or of the societies in which they live, by taking away sin and evil, averting Gods more fearful and general judgements, and causing others to fear, and