most natural and just exemption (where the offence of his not paying the tribute of the half-shekel unto the sanctuary would have been scandalum acceptum,' and notdatum') he yet chose rather to do that whereunto he was not bound, than, by standing upon the dignity and liberty of his person, (being the son of God) to draw an envy and calumny upon the doctrine he taught: notwithstanding such envy and imputation would have risen from a scandal unduly taken, without any just reason or occasion given by him. (Matth. xvii. 24, 27)

And you the reverend judges and magistrates, who are the shields which our Solomon hath made, and the lions about his throne, since you all belong to God, above all judge for God. Your commission is from him: your power is for him; your support by him; your account unto him. The bench you sit on, is his tribunal; the sentence you pronounce, is his judgement; the master you serve, is his anointed; the land you protect, is Immanuel's land. He is with you, to observe your proceedings, to secure your persons, to back his ordinance with his own power; to be scutorum scutum,' a shield of protection to the shields of the earth.' Since then you have so high a commission, so impartial a master, so strict a charge, so great a trust, so strong a fence, so severe a reckoning, so sure a reward; above all things, let the causes of God, to whom you belong, be dearest in your eyes: those that most nearly concern the honour, safety, and service of his anointed; the succour and dignity of his church, the purity and support of his worship, the frequenting of his temple, the punishing of his enemies, the encouraging of his ministers. As God shall have the glory, and his church the

e De ista enim semisicli pensitatione locum hunc intelligunt viri docti, Baron. Annal. Ann. 33. sect. 30, 32.-Casaubon. Exercit. An. 33. num. 31.-Marquards Freherus apud Scultetum observat. in Matth. cap. 60.—Camero. Tractat. de Didrachmis, Tom. 2. p. 160.—Schindler. Lexic. in vocab. pp quamvis non rite ipsam, Judea jam subversa, à Romanis statim in tributum annuum mutatam dicat: non enim interversum fuit à Romanis hoc tributum, nisi post deletam urbem à Tito, teste Josepho de bello Judaico, lib. 7. cap. 26.-Villalpandus in Ezek. Tom. 3. lib. 2. de ponderibus et mensuris, cap. 31.-Lucas Brugens. in Matth. xvii. 24. quibus ex veteribus suffragatur Hilarius. Quicquid autem de tributi genere statuatur (aliter enim, viz. de censu civili locum hunc explicat doctiss. noster Montacutius in Antidiatrib. ad Ann. 33. p. 317, 318.) patet Christum, quamvis personali et hæreditaria dignitate, Heb. i. 2. immunem (docente Augustino Quæst. Evangelicarum, lib. 1. quæst. 23) noluisse tamen in doctrinæ præjudicium jus suum et libertatem asserere.

benefit; so your consciences shall have the comfort, your souls the reward, and your names the honour of thus belonging to God. And so much of their first relation, their relation upward; they are Scuta Deo,' they belong to God. Next, they are Scuta Terræ' too, the shields and protectors of the earth. I shall not need tell you, that it notes their dignity above others. No military instrument more honourable than a shield. When Solomon would set forth the glory and magnificence of his kingdom, this is the way: "two hundred targets, and three hundred shields of beatengold." (1 Kings x. 16, 17) Power it is indeed to be able to hurt but above all, protection and mercy are the works of honour. And therefore princes commit their power of punishing, and works of justice, to their instruments and ministers: but works of clemency and power of pardoning, as a more sacred impress, and more immediate character of royalty, they reserve to themselves. God himself, who is glorious in all his attributes, yet singleth out his goodness and protection to shew himself glorious by: for justice and power make majesty terrible, but goodness and mercy make it amiable too. "I beseech thee," (saith Moses) "shew me thy glory:" The answer, "I will make all my goodness pass before thee." Who is a God like unto thee? Who so glorious, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by transgression? (Mic. vii. 18) Great dignity then it is to be shields of the earth. It is so to God, and therefore so to man too.

d

But it is safer for mortal men to hear of their duty, than of their honour. Let us, chiefly, therefore, consider it in that sense: Not your honour only, but your office too, it is to be the shields of the earth. "Non tantum potestas judici concessa, sed fides," saith the orator. Judges have not only honour and power, but a trust reposed in them for dispensation of a duty; and that so great a duty, as that even offices of religion do but stink without it. "I will not smell in your solemn assemblies, except judgement run down as waters." (Amos v. 21, 24) To do justice and judgement, is more acceptable to God than sacrifice. (Prov. xxi. 3) "When you make many prayers, I will not hear: go, seek judgement, relieve the oppressed: be shields of the earth,

d Cicero pro Cluentio.

and then come and reason with me, or pray unto me.” (Isai. i. 15) What makest thou on thy face, Joshua, before the ark? get thee up, take away the accursed thing, or I will be with you no more." (Josh. vii. 10) A great duty then sure it is to be Shields of the Earth; for the which God himself is contented, in some cases, to have his sacrifices intermitted.

Shields then you must be. And indeed most of the titles of magistrates in the Scripture run into this. They are called "the arms" of the people to bear them up, and to lead them; (Job xxii. 8) "Binders, healers, chirurgeons," to cure their wounds and breaches; (Isai. iii. 7) Foundations of the earth," (Psalm lxxxii. 6) to support it from ruin and sinking: (hence the Hebrews derive their word for Lord, and the Greeks their word for king, from roots, which signify a foundation.) "Coverings," Ezek. xxviii. 16. The word (as the learned have observed) signifies that engine, under which soldiers were wont to be protected, in assaulting the walls of an enemy, against the stones and darts which were cast down upon them. So Hezekiah, as a type of Christ, is called Latibulum,' an hiding-place. (Isai. xxxii. 2) They are called Vectes,' the bars of a house, to preserve it from breaking open, as the learned have observed on Hosea xi. 6. The "coignes" or corners of a state, which is the strength and stay of a building: (Isai. xix. 13) "Nails," on which vessels were hanged for safety. (Isai. xxii. 24) In one word, they are called "pastors," to feed the people": "angels of God," which, you know, are all for protection: "Fathers," which is a name of piety, as well as of power. So all your titles bend to this, that you should be Scuta terræ,' the shields and protectors of the Earth. A shield is a kind of partition-wall between a man and something which would hurt him. And in two cases chiefly it concerns you: 1. To be shields inter Reum et Terram,'

i Nahum ii. 5.

f Psalm lxxvii. 20.

8 Job

• Ezek. xxxi. 17. Jer. xlviii. 25. xxxiv. 17. h Prov. x. 25. "TA ab HTN. Basileis, quasi Báo is too rao, TouTéotiv ëôpa kal σтhρiyμa. Etymolog. Magn. et Rupert. in cap. 6. Mic. k Veget. de Re Militari, lib. 4. cap. 15. 1 Paraphrast. m Judges xx. 2. Jer. li. 26. Pineda in Job n Isai. xliv. 28. p 2 Sam. xiv. 15. q Psalm xci. 11, 12. Heb. i. 14. r Job xxix. 15. • Nomen pietatis et potesta

Chaldeus. Schindler, Tarnovius.

xxxvi. 6. sect. 8.

tis. Tertul. in Orat-Dominic. cap. 2. Notat potestatem salutarem et temperatissimam. Senec. de Clem. lib. 1. cap. 14.

between injury and the land. 2. To be shields inter Deum et Terram,' between judgements and the land.

of

And here, since "the earth is the Lord's," leave not him out in your protection: see that the Lord of the soil suffer no injury from his tenants or cottagers. Surely God hath many things amongst us, which must not be violated; his temple, oratories, and oracles; his word, worship, and sacraments. How many are there which rob him of their attendance! How many Goliaths, which defy the armies and congregations of this our Israel !-His name, a dreadful and glorious name. How many are there which rob him of their reverence! How many Rabshakehs, which shoot out blasphemies against heaven, and tear in pieces this holy name with oaths and execrations !-His day, consecrated for his more solemn and peculiar service. How many are they which rob him of their due offices in his church upon it! How many presumptuous repiners are there, who say God's worship (whose service is perfect freedom) "Behold what a weariness it is!" (Mal. i. 13) who forsake the assemblies of the Saints, to gather sticks, (Numb. xv. 32) and had rather be selling of corn, than serving of God! (Amos viii. 5)-His portion, to encourage the Levites in the law of the Lord (2 Chron. xxxi. 4) how many are there which rob him of his dues! (Mal. iii. 8) How many Zebahs and Zalmunnas are there, who 66 say, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession." (Psalm lxxxiii. 12) "Facta imitantur, nec exitum perhorrescunt."--His ambassadors, b whose feet are beautiful with the tiding of peace, who are sent in Christ's stead, as angels; d nay, as Saviours to the church, as friends of the bridegroom, and the glory of Christ; how many are there, who in them rob God of his honour! How many Hanuns are there that shave and curtail them even unto shame; who make more use of a wicked proverb, than of all their ten commandments, to be sure to pinch God on the church's side! How many who will not be taught by God himself not to forsake the Levite all their days; (Deut. xii. 19) nor by Hezekiah, a godly King, to speak comfortably unto them! (2 Chron. xxx. 22)-His

a 2 Cor. v. 10. 1 Tim. iv. 6. James v. 20.

с

f

b Rom. x. 15.

21.

church, the beauty of holiness, and praise of the whole earth : how many are there who therein rob him of their communion and obedience, of his truth and worship! How many Tobiahs and Sanballats, who malign the peace and prosperity of Sion !-In one word, his servants and "jewels," as he calls them; (Mal. iii. 17) how many are there, who in them rob him of their love! How many swine and drunkards that trample on these pearls, and make songs upon them! (Psalm Ixix. 12. Job xxx. 8, 9) In these cases, you that are shields of the earth, must rise up to help the Lord; either, as Phineas, by lifting up the sword to punish; or as Moses, by lifting up the hand to pray. There is a double curse, and a bitter one too, against those which did not. "Curse ye Meroz," and again "curse," and do it "bitterly;" for he went not out to help the Lord. (Judges v. 23) Thus then, in the first place, you are 'Scuta inter sacrilegos et Dominum terræ ;' between sacrilege and the Lord of the earth.

Secondly, you are Scuta inter Reum et Terram,' between injury and innocence, to protect the oppressed, and to punish the offender. Such a shield Job was; an eye to the blind; a foot to the lame; a father to the poor, whose cause he diligently searched out, when haply the poor man had more sense to feel the wrong he suffered, than skill to open it. (Job xxix. 15) Such a shield was Constantine the Great: witness that golden edict of his, worthy to be inscribed upon all the shields of the earth: "If any of my friends, courtiers, or servants, have wronged any man, let him without fear come unto me myself; let him make his plaint, and produce his proofs: I will not only right him, but reward him too." It was one of the miseries which Solomon observed under the sun, that "such as were oppressed, had none to comfort them." (Eccles. iv. 1) Here then you shall have much use of your shield:

First, Inter Innocentem et Accusatorem,' between innocence and the accuser, who, many times, out of malice, or obsequiousness, or a desire to squeeze money out of simple men's purses, or some other purse-end, doth not inform, but sycophantize and calumniate; either forging crimes where there is no ground at all, as in the case of Naboth and Me

■ Brisson, de formulis, lib. 3. Baron. Annal. Ann. 325. Sect. 203.