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Show . ~_H~w-.wi--.F'l-A%mwu-.zi..__‘.H._ 7...,1. [4-5] that Jethro gave to Notes to provide. able men 5 men of truth, that feared Gob, and that hated covetoufnelis, and to appoint tllCX‘fi lor rulers over the people. For it certainly liIYIMiCS a very grofs ablurdity to fuppofe, that tuoCa who are ordain'd of Goo for the public}: good, {hould have no regard to the laws of Goo ; or that the miniliers of GOD lhould be deipiters or the divine con mantis. David the man after GOD'S own heart, makes piety a neeeflary qualificatia on in a ruler ; be that ruler/5 over mm (/9er he) ring/Z lyejzyi', ruling in t/Jefmr ofGOD : it is; ne- [47 Ill We have already feen, that magiltratcs who rule in the fear of Goo, ought not only to be obey'd as the minilters of Goo ; but that they ought alto to be handfomely fupported, that they may chearfully and freely attend upon the duties of their Ration ; for it is a great fliame and dit'grace to lociety, to fee men that ferve the pubiick, labouring under indigent and nee(ly circumftanccs ; and belides, it is a maxim of eternal truth, that the labourer is worthy of his reward. ccllary it fhould be to, for the welfare and hap- pinels of the llate; for to fay nothing or the vcnality and coriuption, of the tyrahny and oppreflion, that will take place under uniuft rulers ; barely their vicious and irregular lives will have a molt pernicious cfle€t upon thelives and manners of their lulajecis; their authority ,becomes dcipicable in the opinion ofdifecrning men: And belides, with what face can the make, or cxecutelaws againlt vices, which they pra‘eliee with greedinels EA people that have a right of Ichooling their magiilrates, are cri- ruinally gmlty in the light ofhcaven when they are govern'd by caprice and humor, or are influenced .by bribery to choofe rnagillrates, that areirrchgious men,wlio are devoid of fcntiment, are ‘ol'_bad morals and hate lives. Men cannot Uziillilltlcntly fenfiblc, what :1 cu as they may hung upon tilCInlClVCS, and their poilcrity, by fumilhly and wickedlv choolimr men ot aban» domed characters and pi‘oflie‘ath livcsfor their inazgiilratcs and rultrs. Q 7r IT is alto a great duty incumbent on people to treat thofe in authority with all becoming honour and rei'pect, to be very careful of cafting any alperlion upon their characters. To defpile government and to {peak evil of dignities is i‘cpi‘elentetl in {cripture as one of the worll: of. characters -, and it was an injunétion of Mo~ fes, [bow/halt nut/71cm? cvi/ of [/13 rig/er qf My .peop/e. Great milbhief may enfue upon revi- ling the character of good rulers -, for the un~ thinking herd of mankind are very apt to give ear to {caudal : And when it falls upon men in power, it brings their authority into contempt, lelhms their influence, and diiheartens them from doing: that lervicc to the community of which they are capable : Whereas, when they are properly honoured, and treated with that; retpsf‘r which is due to their ltation ; it inlpires them with courage and a noble ardor to terve the publick; their influence among the people is ltrengthened, and their authority become»: firmly el‘tablillred. We ought to remember, r- .3 that |