The magistrates portraiture drawn from the Word, and preached in a sermon at Stowe-Market…The magistrates pourtraiture drawn from the Word, and preached in a sermon at Stowe-Market…

Seventhly, men of interest in your Country, by place and estate. I pray, take me, as I mean; I desire not ⟨p. 36⟩you should choose by this single character, but take it in conjunction with the rest; to choose merely for estate, is too like the Israelites folly, who set up a golden calf in Moses room. But let not parts and grace, receive any prejudice through envy, because they are enamelled with riches, and dwell in a great house. It is noted as a sign of a declining State, when the money, and coin of a Nation is embased, or less then was wont; when the metal is not so pure, nor the piece so weighty, when for gold, and silver, there is brass, leaden, or leathern, as sometime it hath been. The Spirit of God compares Magistrates to one of the purest of metals, as silver; And surely, it shows a people are going down the hill of honour, when the places of Magistracy that use to be filled with the chief heads of the Country, come to be of the ignoble floor; indeed, when either Magistrate or Minister are of the lowest of the people, to use the Scripture phrase; that Church and State, their day is in the afternoon; and thanks be to God, there is not such a dearth of Gentry, but some may be found, able to do God, and their Country service.

Seventhly, men of interest in your Countrey, by place and estate. I pray, take me, as I meane; I desire not ⟨p. 36⟩you should chuse by this single character, but take it in conjunction with the rest; to chuse meerly for estate, is too like the Israelites folly, who set up a golden calf in Moses roome. But let not parts and grace, receive any prejudice through envy, because they are inamelled with riches, and dwell in a great house. It is noted as a signe of a declining State, when the money, and coyne of a Nation is embased, or lesse then was wont; when the mettal is not so pure, nor the piece so weighty, when for gold, and silver, there is brasse, leaden, or leathern, as sometime it hath been. The Spirit of God compates Magistrates to one of the purest of mettals, as silver; And surely, it shews a people are going down the hill of honour, when the places of Magistracy that use to be filled with the chief heads of the Country, come to be of the ignoble floore; indeed, when either Magistrate or Minister are of the lowest of the people, to use the Scripture phrase; that Church and State, their day is in the afternoone; and thanks be to God, there is not such a dearth of Gentry, but some may be found, able to do God, and their Country service.