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…

Further,there is requisite a great deal of Clemency and Moderation too; it is true indeed, lukewarmness, or pusillanimity, those are cursed, and they ought not to be in a Magistrate: Nothing spoils Government more then when languor justitiae does come sub nomine pietatis, when a faint-kind of Justice comes under the name of piety: but yet notwithstanding when we are bent for, and set wholly for God, then the Administration of Government with a great deal of moderation and meekness is very excellent: it is true, Arduum est misereri simul & sapere, it is a hard thing to be pitiful, and to be wise too; to have ones affections up, and to be wise too; yet notwithstanding we ought to do it: and a man is to have command over his passions; especially a man that is in authority: it is more then to win, or overcome a great City; there is a great deal of difference between a moderate man, and a middle man; a middle man that lies down in a cursed indifferent neutrality (as the Covenant well calls it) He is not for the Cause of God, or the public good; but the moderate man is fully for God, wholly for the Cause of God; only the Administration of his power it is with a great deal of wisdom and mildness: here's a world of difference between these two; and therefore you ought mightily to distinguish them. It was noted as a wicked thing of Tiberius, ⟨p. 17⟩that he medios viros optimos judicare, he did judge the middle men to be the best men: but what did he mean by middle men? Men that could not abide eminent virtues, nor great vices: He did hate eminent virtues, because from them he did metuere periculum sibi, he was afraid of danger by them. And then he did hate vice too, because by them he did metuere publicum dedecus, he was afraid of public disgrace: There are many of that temper: But now a moderate man, he is a man whose heart is faithfully set for God, and who is bent for the public, and all his soul is in it, and he is immovable in it; yet notwithstanding the administration of this is with a great deal of meekness.

Further,there is requisite a great deale of Clemencie and Moderation too; it is true indeed, lukewarmnesse, or pusilanimity, those are cursed, and they ought not to be in a Magistrate: Nothing spoiles Government more then when languor justitiae does come sub nomine pietatis, when a faint-kind of Justice comes under the name of piety: but yet notwithstanding when we are bent for, and set wholly for God, then the Administration of Government with a great deale of moderation and meeknesse is very excellent: it is true, Arduum est misereri simul & sapere, it is a hard thing to be pittifull, and to be wise too; to have ones affections up, and to be wise too; yet notwithstanding we ought to do it: and a man is to have command over his passions; especially a man that is in authoritie: it is more then to winne, or overcome a great Citie; there is a great deale of difference between a moderate man, and a middle man; a middle man that lies downe in a cursed indifferent neutralitie (as the Covenant well cals it) He is not for the Cause of God, or the publike good; but the moderate man is fully for God, wholly for the Cause of God; only the Administration of his power it is with a great deale of wisedome and mildnesse: here's a world of difference between these two; and therefore you ought mightily to distinguish them. It was noted as a wicked thing of Tiberius,