This title of Angels why may it not also be extended to Magistrates, as well as that higher stile, of Gods; Sure I am, that the scarlet robe of zeale would exceeding well become them. _Jethro_ maketh it their prime and essentiall character; God and _Moses_, their onely and sole, in the charge and commission to _Jehoshuah_ so oft repeated; _Onely be of good courage_. And if _David_ were now to re-pen his Psalme; I thinke hee might alter the forme of his counsell, and say, _Bee zealous yee Rulers and Judges of the world_, and not wise and politique: or rather under the tearmes of wisdome, hee comprehends indeede the zeale wee call for, the most now adayes being _Gallio's_, wise onely for the matters of the Commonwealth; not having a sparke of that spirit which was in _Phineas, Daniel_, and _Nehemias_, &c. for the Lord of hosts, or to his Lawes and Commandements; as if God had made Magistrates keepers onely of the second Table, governours of men, and not of Christians; guardians onely of civill societies, and not of his Church, and shepheards also of his flocke. Are Idolatries, blasphemies, prophaning of Saboths, no sinns? Why then either have not the lawes force and strength enough in them (as sometime wee are answered when wee complaine) or why are they not executed for the suppressing of these raging sins? are not all they punished with death in the Scriptures, as well as breaches of the second table? Blood I leave to the malignant Church, and admire clemency in Rulers, as much as any; but yet I know the prophane dissolutenesse of the times, requires a three stringed whipp of severity to purge our _Augean_ stable of the soule abuses, whipt often with penns and tongues, but spared by them that beare the sword (a man may say of many Governours) altogether in vaine for matters of religion. Are not kings of the earth charg'd to render double to the bloody strumpet of Rome? Why then doth the hurtfull pitty of our times imbolden and increase their numbers? _Laodicea_ it selfe, I doubt not, for matters of mine and thine, had (as their name imports) good civill justice and justicers; but what was God the neerer for it? doth hee not threaten for all that to spue them out of his mouth? shall hee not curse those that doe his worke negligently, fearfully & partially? Our times complaine of two speciall canker wormes of justice, which eat up zeale in Magistrates. The first is _Covetousnesse_, which makes men of place to transgresse for a morsell of bread; the zeale of their owne houses consumes the zeale of Gods house: The building of great houses, keeping of great houses, and matching with great houses, raising and leaving of great houses behinde them, makes them so ravenous, that they devoure so much, as choakes all their zeale; which would teach them to shake their laps of bribes, and scorne to accept gifts, though men would augment them for the perverting of judgement. The other is _Cowardice_ and _Fearfulnes_: which how unfit, and base a quality did _Nehemiah_ thinke it for a man of his place? no better then shynesse in a fore-horse, whose eyes men fence on both sides, that they may lead the way, and goe without starting; unto which, zeale is answerable in Magistrates, causing them onely to see him that is invisible, without casting a squint eye at men; to sing to God onely of judgement and mercy, without tuning their songs to mans eare; to walke in the perfect way, without turning, either to the right or left hand for feare of favour. Oh that there were such an heart in our leaders; how easily would our people follow! what a spring tide of zeale should wee have, if the Sunne and Moone would cast out a benigne aspect upon them! Doth it not flourish in all those shires and townes, where the Word and Sword doe joyntly cherish it? In others which are the greatest number, how doth it languish and wane away, and hang downe the head? where is it in diverse places of the land to bee seene? I had almost sayd in my haste and heat, there is none that hath zeale, no not one, there is no courage for the truth; but that I remember that _Eliah_ was checked for over-shooting himselfe in his too short and quicke computation. I hope the Lord hath his fifties amongst us, though but thinn sowne in comparison of the swarmes of professed Recusants, and Church-Papists, of prophane Atheists, key-cold worldlings, and lukewarme professors.