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

How diligently shouldst thou keep thy heart, knowing that God will judge the secrets of thy heart! Rom. 2.16. How carefully shouldst thou keep the door of thy lips, considering that of every (not only swearing or cursing, but) idle word which thou shalt speak, thou shalt give an account at the day of Christ! Matth. 12.35. How wary shouldst thou be in all thy deeds, believing that thou shalt appear at the Judgement Seat of Christ to give an account of every thing done in the body of flesh, whether it be good, or whether it be evil! 2 Cor. 5.10. So think, so speak, so act, as one that must be judged for all at the great day of Christ.

This may likewise incite you to work as Gods amongst men, because at that day Christ will come, and his reward will be with him to give to every one according to his works, Rev. 22.12. Your actions now are seed; if ye would reap liberally on that great harvest day, ye must sow liberally in this seed-time. Christ will then demand, how ye improved the many advantages, and opportunities which he put into your hands for the magnifying his Name, countenancing his people, propagating his Gospel, punishing his enemies, and discouraging the workers of iniquity. He will ask you why at such a time, when you knew his Name was blasphemed, his Day was profaned, his Ministers and Ordinances were trampled ⟨p. 279⟩upon; you never stirred, or were zealous for their vindication; you thought it was good sleeping in a whole skin; you were loth to offend your neighbours, or you were unwilling to get the ill will of great ones, that under pretence of love to all the people of God, would have his blasphemous adversaries spared, nay encouraged. See whether that Jesuitical tenet, That Magistrates must only be second-table men, that they have nothing do in matters of Religion, will hold water at that day. O how exceedingly will such be ashamed of it then, who now own it in their principles and practices! possibly thou art one of that Heathen Gallio's Disciples, that would meddle in matters of wrong, but sit still in matters of Religion,