first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God."
The Jews had a rule, that if a rich man and a poor man had a controversy, they must both of them stand or sit, to avoid partiality.
Virtue would hardly be distinguished from a kind of sensuality, if there were no labour—no opposition—no difficulty in doing our duty. Dulce est periculum sequi Deum.
The duty of a judge may oblige him to punish according to the law; but it is the part of a Christian injured to forgive according to the charity of the Gospel.
A judge is not the master but the minister of the law—for the public good, not for his own interest, passion, or will.
A good judge will never desire to make himself feared by his power; but will rather be afraid of abusing it.
The civil magistrate is liable to be excluded from Church communion for such reasons as the spiritual governors shall judge necessary;—they are to determine for him, and not he for them, in matters merely spiritual.
Give me, O Lord, the spirit of judgment, (Isaiah xxviii. 6.) that I may govern this Church with wisdom.
Eccles. iv. 9. "Be not faint-hearted when thou sittest in judgment."
A lover of the law will always have an eye to the intent of the law. Matt. xii. 3.
Oxford,
The Feast of St. Philip and St. James.
These Tracts are published Monthly, and sold at the price of 2d. for each sheet, or 7s. for 50 copies.
LONDON: PRINTED FOR J. G. & F. RIVINGTON,
ST. PAUL'S CHURCH YARD, AND WATERLOO PLACE.
1835.
Gilbert & Rivington, Printers, St. John's Square, London.
