The crown & glory of Christianity, or, Holiness, the only way to happiness discovered…The crovvn & glory of Christianity, or, Holiness, the only way to happiness discovered…

Fifthly, As you must do Justice deliberately, so you §5must do Justice resolutely, courageously, valiantly. As soon as Joshua came into the office of Magistracy, God charges him no less then three times (in a breath as it were) to be very courageous, in Joshua 1.6, 7, 9. A Judge that is timorous, will quickly be treacherous: A Judge that is fearful, can never be faithful. Solomons Throne was supported with Lyons, to show that Magistrates should be men of courage and metal. The Athenian Judges sate in Mars street,¹ to show that they had Martial hearts, and that they were men of courage and metal. Job was a Judge of rare courage and magnanimity; nothing could fear him, nothing could daunt him, nothing could terrify him, nothing could discourage him from doing Justice and Judgement. The Graecians placed Justice betwixt Leo and Libra to signify that as there must be indifferency in determining, so there ⟨image 13⟩ought to be courage in executing. Where there is courage without knowledge, there the eye of Justice is blind; and where there is knowledge without courage, there the sword of Justice is blunt. Judges and Justices should be men of courage for God and godliness: Why should not the standard be of steel, and the chief posts in the house be heart of Oak? I have read of Agesilaus how that he was by all concluded fit to be made their King, but that he halted. Men of the best & choicest accomplishments, if they are not courageous and magnanimous, but lame and halting, they are no ways fit for Magistrates. Judges and Justices should have Martial Spirits, high Spirits for Justice and Righteousness. Every Judge, every Justice should have a Lyons heart, an Eagles eye, and a Giants arm. Such men whose hearts are faint, whose heads are dull, whose ears are heavy, whose eyes are dim, whose hands are weak, and whose feet are lame, are more fit to sit in a Chimney corner, then to sit Judges and Justices upon the Bench. It hath been long since said of Cato, Fabritius, and Aristides, that it was as easy to remove the Sun out of the Firmament, as to remove them from Justice and Equity, they were men of such courageous and magnanimous Spirits for Justice and Righteousness, No scarlet Robe doth so well become a Judge, as holy courage and stoutness doth.