The magistrates commission from heaven. Declared in a sermon preached in Laurence Jury, London, the…The magistrates commission from heaven. Declared in a sermon preached in Laurencejury, London, the…

In the next place, You are to consider the end, for which they are: and that is laid down here in the text; For thy good, for the Common-wealth. And this is mainly to be considered, that the Common-wealth is not for Governors, but Governors are for the Common-wealth: they are the great servants of the Commonwealth: like the sun that hath not light for it self but for the world: and therefore the Hebrew word for the same [Greek or Hebrew] comes from a root that signifies to be a servant: the Sun it is the great servant of the world, it hath a light for the world and not for it self: and so likewise Governors they have wisdom, not for themselves but for the Common-wealth: they have parts, they have power, they have strength; all these things not for themselves but for the Commonwealth: That was a good Emblem of a Governor, that had a Torch burning with this Motto: Alijs inserviens meipsum consumo, While I serve others I spend my self; the propriety is in the Common-wealth, the administration, that is in Governors, so that this is mainly to be considered by Governors. And, oh! that this were planted in all their hearts, we are not here in this place to set up our selves, we are not for our own honours, for our own wealth, for our own riches, but we are for the Common-wealth. Ideo haec feci (saies he) ut conscientia & respublica mibi gratias agerent, therefore have I done these things, that the Common-wealth might thank me, and my own conscience. Among the Grecians there was an action called [Greek or Hebrew] against those Officers that did not administer for the public good: so by this you may see, that Officers, Magistrates, Governors, they are not to say, this is the glory I will have in such a place, and this is the pomp that I will have; but only, they are to consider the end, and that the people may know of them and say of them, that they are, tam pro se, quam super se, that they are as well for them, as above them, and if this were laid in the hearts of men, how would they be willing with Saul, to hide themselves among the stuff, rather then to be taken into public places; considering that as long, as they are there, they are not their own, but for the Common-wealth: this is the end of Government.

In the nexe place, You are to consider the end, for which they are: and that is laid downe here in the text; For thy good, for the Common-wealth. And this is mainly to be considered, that the Common-wealth is not for Governours, but Governours are for the Common-wealth: they are the great servants of the Commonwealth: like the sun that hath not light for it self but for the world: and therefore the Hebrew word for the same 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 comes from a roote that signifies to be a servant: the Sunne it is the great servant of the world, it hath a light for the world and not for it selfe: and so likewise Governours they have wisedome, not for themselves but for the Common-wealth: they have parts, they have power, they have strength; all these things not for themselves but for the Commonwealth: That was a good Embleme of a Governour, that had a Torch burning with this Motto: Alijs inserviens meipsum consumo, While I serve others I spend my selfe; the propriety is in the Common-wealth, the administration, that is in Governours, so that this is mainly to be considered by Governours. And, oh! that this were planted in all their hearts, we are not here in this place to set up our selves, we are not for our own honours, for our own wealth, for our own riches, but we are for the Common-wealth. Ideo haec feci (saies he) ut conscientia & respublica mibi gratias agerent, therefore have I done these things, that the Common-wealth might thank me, and my own conscience. Among the Grecians there was an action called against those Officers that did not administer for the publike good: so by this you may see, that Officers, Magistrates, Governours, they are not to say, this is the glory I will have in such a place, and this is the pompe that I will have; but only, they are to consider the end, and that the people may know of them and say of them, that they are, tam pro se, quam super se, that they are as well for them, as above them, and if this were laid in the hearts of men, how would they be willing with Saul, to hide themselves among the stuffe, rather then to be taken into publike places; considering that as long, as they are there, they are not their own, but for the Common-wealth: this is the end of Government.