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ments of the body will at length center in him, who appears fincerely to aim at the common benefit. fpecially if in this be added,

An impartial diftribution of justice, without refpect of perfons, interefts, or opinions. When right is to be done, the good magiftrate will make no diftinction of fmall or great, friend or enemy, citizen or ftranger, for the judgment is God's; Deut. i. 17. and he will look upon him. felf as pronouncing it in his ftead, and as accountable at his bar for the equity of it. The Scripture forbids even the countenancing a poor man in his caufe Exod. xxii. 3. which is a popular way of perverting juftice, that fome men have dealt in; though without that fuccefs, which they propofed to themselves in it. But the truly upright judge will always countenance right, and discountenance wrong, whoever be the injurer, or the fufferer. And he who fteers his courfe invariably by this rule, takes the fureft, as well as the honestest, way to make all men to praife him.

Courtefy and condefcenfion is another happy quality, which never fails to make its way into the good opinion, and into the very hearts, of thofe who are under the good magiftrate's infper-tion: When he doth, as it were, leffen the diftance which there is between him and other men, and by that means allay the envy which always attends an high ftation; when he is eafy of accefs, affable, patient to hear, and "to fearch out the "caufe that he knew not;" when, as a Roman

writer

writer speaks *, not only his door, but his very countenance is open to all that have any occafion to approach him.

Bounty alfo, and a generous contempt of that in which too many men place their happiness, must come in to heighten his character. There is fcarce any quality more truly popular than this, or more fuitable to the public station, in which he fhines. It includes hofpitality to the better fort, and charity to the poor; two virtues, that are never exercised fo gracefully and well, as when they accompany each other. Hospitality fometimes degenerates into profufenefs, and ends in madness and folly. When it doth fo, it ill deferves the name of a virtue : Even parfimony itself, which fits but ill upon perfons of a public figure, is the more pardonable excefs of the two. It is as little the fign of a wife, as of a good man, to fuffer the bounds of temperance to be tranfgreffed, in order to purchase the falfe (tho'

pute of a generous entertainer, fashionable) re

But, in the

of charity there is no danger of excess; the exercise of them is always well-pleafing to God and ho-, ourable among men. "He hath difperfed," faith the pfalmift "he hath given to the poor; his horn thall be exalted with honour,' Pfal. cx. 9.

But of all good qualities, That which recommends and adorns the magiftrate moft, is his care of religion; which, as it is the most valuable thing

Cur ut adittus ad Te Diurni atque Naturni pateant, neque Foribus folum Edium tuarum, fed etiam Vultu at Fronte. qua eft Anim Fapua; quæ fi fignificant Voluntatem abditam esse aeretrujam, parvi refert patere Oftium. Quint. Cic, de Petit, Conf. ad M. Tull. Fratr.

in the world, fo it gives the trueft value to them, who promote the esteem and practice of it, by their example, authority, influence, and encouragement: For," them that honour me," fays God, "will I honour;" as, on the other hand, "they that de fpife me fhall be lightly esteemed," 1 Sam ii. 30. This is the magiftrate's peculiar province, his moft glorious employment; to give countenance to piety and virtue, and to rebuke vice and prophanenefs; to put the laws of men in execution against fuch as trample on the laws of God; and to protect religion, and all that belongs to it, from the daring infults of those who "fit in the "fear of the fcorner." And give me leave to fay, that there never was a time, when the interpofition of the magiftrate was more neceffary to fecure the the honour of religion, and uphold the authority of thofe great principles of it, by which his own authority is beft upheld. For we live in evil days, when the most important and confeffed truths, fuch as by the wifeft and beft men in all ages have been revered, are by licentious tongues queftionéd, argued against, derided; and these things not only whispered in corners, but proclaimed upon the house-tops; owned and published, in defiance of the common perfuafion, the common reason, and the common intereft of mankind, and of all authority, both facred and civil. Libertinism hath erected its standard, hath declared war against religion, and openly lifted men of its fide and party: a general loofenefs of principles and manners hath feized on us like a peftilence; "a peftilence that waketh not in darkness, but wasteth at noon-day:" Pfal. xci. 6. The contagion of

which hath fpread itself through all ranks and degrees of men; hath infected both the camp and the congregation: Who knows what the zeal and courage of a good magiftrate might do towards flopping it? "Let Phines ftand up and execute judgment, that fo this plague may be ftayed," Pfal. cvi. 30.

God hath indeed bleffed the arms of the best of queens, taken up in defence of the best of caufes, with unparalleled fucceffes abroad: may fhe be alike victorious at home, over lewdness and infidelity! over fuch as reverence not the altars of God, and fcorn those who minister at them! That fo the felicities of her wonderful reign may be complete, and we may have nothing left to with for on earth, but the continuance of it; nor have any thing more to fear from the ill influence of our vices, than we have now (God be thanked) from the attempts of our enemies!

Now to God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spi rit, he all praife and glory afcribed, from henceforth for evermore. Amen.

A SER

A

SERMON

Preached at St. PAUL'S,

Before the Right Honourable

The LORD MAYOR,

AND

The Court of Aldermen,

On Wednesday, April 9, 1707.

Being a DAY of

PUBLIC HUMILIATION,

Appointed by Authority.

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