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

This truth will be useful, First by way of Information. If the God of heaven hath appointed Magistrates to be Gods on earth: it informeth us that Magistracy is of divine Authority: Government is not an invention of some men, who desire to Lord it over others; but it it the Institution of God. I have said ye are Gods. ¹The Scholars of Pythagoras counted his Ipse dixit to be sufficient. Surely then Gods saying it must be an establishing it to us. If where the word of a King is, there be power, Eccl. 8.4. ⟨p. 205⟩then questionless where the word of a God is, there is warrant enough for any Office.² Now this is the Word of God which cometh to the Magistrate, as Christ saith, John 10.35. authorizing him and appointing him to that Ordinance. The Magistrate is therefore called the Minister of God, Rom. 13.4. As Justices are called the Kings Justices, because they act by Commission from him: so Magistrates are called the Lords Ministers, because they rule by authority derived from the Lord. Coin is carried to the Mint, and there stamped with the Superscription and Image of the chief Magistrate, and then called his Coin, because currant by his authority.

This truth will be usefull, First by way of Information. If the God of heaven hath appointed Magistrates to be Gods on earth: it informeth us that Magistracy is of divine Authority: Government is not an invention of some men, who desire to Lord it over others; but it it the Institution of God. I have said ye are Gods. ¹The Schollars of Pythagoras counted his Ipse dixit to be sufficient. Surely then Gods saying it must be an establishing it to us. If where the word of a King is, there be power, Eccl. 8.4. ⟨p. 205⟩