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

It is a question in Politics, Whether a wicked man may be a good Magistrate? It is I suppose possible for a wicked man when he is in authority to do some good; but I conceive he will hardly do the good he ought; or like Caleb, stand for God when the times are against God, when the people talked of stoning ⟨p. 260⟩him; but like the king of Navarre, he will launch no further into the Ocean then he can be sure to get back safe. Such a man is like an Horse with a thorn in his foot, which may go fairly on in good ways, but if he come to hard ways, he will halt, and discover himself. He that hath not gone through the pangs of the new birth, and heartily taken God in Christ for his All, and thereby secured his eternal estate, will scarce hazard his name or estate, much less his limbs or life for God, as he must do that will be faithful unto the death: For with what heart can he look that danger in the face, which for ought he knoweth may kill both body and soul?

It is a question in Politicks, Whether a wicked man may be a good Magistrate? It is I suppose possible for a wicked man when he is in authority to do some good; but I conceive he will hardly do the good he ought; or like Caleb, stand for God when the times are against God, when the people talked of stoning ⟨p. 260⟩him; but like the king of Navarre, he will launch no further into the Ocean then he can be sure to get back safe. Such a man is like an Horse with a thorn in his foot, which may go fairly on in good wayes, but if he come to hard wayes, he will halt, and discover himself. He that hath not gone through the pangs of the new birth, and heartily taken God in Christ for his All, and thereby secured his eternal estate, will scarce hazard his name or estate, much less his limbs or life for God, as he must do that will be faithful unto the death: For with what heart can he look that danger in the face, which for ought he knoweth may kill both body and soul?

Or if he be very bold and venturous for God, yet being an evil man, he can never do good (by all his activeness as a Ruler) to his own soul. God may give him parts, and gifts, and courage, (as a Noble man giveth dainty fare to his Nurse) not out of love to him, but for his children's sake. He may like a ship, be instrumental to land others at some happy Port whereon it never entereth it self; He may be very helpful to others temporal, nay and eternal salvation, and yet miss himself: Jehu by acting for God, got a lease of an earthly Kingdom for three or four lives, but he lost the heavenly one for ever. The most that I know, that a civil yet unsanctified Magistrate gets by his forwardness and heat for God, is only a cooler hell; though your names are divine, yet if ye be not partakers of the divine nature, ye are lost for ever. Now what advantage will it be to you, like Noah's Carpenters, to build an Ark for the saving of others, and to perish your selves!