Men are gods, or, The dignity of magistracy, and the duty of the magistrate…

I say, Execute Justice impartially, that is,¹ without fear or favour; Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgement; thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty, Lev. 19.15. as if he had said, ye cannot deal righteously, if ye spare any, because he is poor, or because he is rich. It is a principle in Moral Policy, That an ill executor of the laws is worse in a State then a great breaker of them. And the Egyptian Kings presented the Oath to their Judges, not to swerve from their consciences, though they received a command from themselves to the contrary. Neither fear of greatness (It is a mercy to have Judges, saith Cicero, modo audeant quae sentiunt) nor favour of nearness should make Magistrates deviate from the Rule. ⟨p. 246⟩When Caricles the son in law of Phocion was accused for taking bribes, he desired his Father to defend his cause; but he answered him, I took thee for my son in law in all honest matters only. A Magistrate should be an heart without affection; an eye without lust; a mind without passion; or otherwise his hand will do unrighteous actions. He that goeth to the Seat of Judicature, must leave his affections (as Abram his servants when he went to the Mount) behind him. A Justice must like the earth, cherish and nourish the low Violet as well as the tall Cedar. The Graecians placed Justice betwixt Leo and Libra, thereby signifying, that there ought to be both magnanimity in executing, and indifferency in determining. But the impartiality of a Ruler is notably set out by the Throne of the house of David, ²which was placed in the gate of the City, towards the Sun rising, as some observe. In the gate, to tell us that all who went in and came out at the gate, might indifferently be heard, and have free access to the Judgement Seat; but towards the rising of the Sun, to show that their judgement should be as clear from corruption, as the Sun is clear in his chiefest brightness.

I say, Execute Justice impartially, that is,¹ without fear or favour; Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgement; thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty,