with his eyes, &c. A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them, &c. Mercy and truth preserve the king, and his throne is upholden by mercy.-Prov. xx. 8. 26. 28.

To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. Prov. xxi. 3. Isa. i. 17, 18. It is the honour of kings to search out a matter, &c. Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.-Prov. xxv. 2. 5.

As a roaring lion, &c. so is a wicked ruler over the poor people: a prince that wanteth understanding, &c.— Prov. xxviii. 15, 16.

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn, &c. The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it, &c. If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked. The king that faithfully judgeth the poor, his throne shall be established for ever, &c. Many seek the ruler's favour, but every man's judgment cometh from the Lord. Prov. xxix. 2—4. 12. 14.26.

It is not for kings to drink wine : nor for princes strong drink: lest they drink and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.-Prov. xxxi. 4, 5.

I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there, &c. God shall judge the righteous.

Eccles. iii. 16, 17.

Better is a poor and a wise child, than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.-Eccles. iv. 13.

If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice, &c. he that is higher than the highest regardeth.— Eccles. v. 8.

Oppression maketh a wise man mad, and a gift destroyeth the heart. -Eccles. vii. 7.

Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning; blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness. -Eccles. x. 16, 17.

:

Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them, &c. Ah! I will ease me of mine adversaries, &c. -Isa. i. 23, 24. Jer. v. 28.

I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them and the people shall be oppressed every one by another. What mean ye, that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor? &c.-Isa. iii. 4, 5. 15.

Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, &c. to turn aside the needy from judgment, &c. what will ye do in the day of visitation? &c.İsa. x. 1-3.

In that day shall the Lord of hosts, &c. for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment. Hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, that rule this people, &c. because ye have said, &c.—Īsa. xxviii. 5, 6. 14,

15. 18.

He that despiseth the gain of oppressions, who shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, &c. he shall dwell on high.-Isa. xxxiii. 15, 16.

Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?-Isa. Iviii. 6-8. Zech. vii. 5, &c.

Judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.-Isa. lix. 14.

no wrong, do no violence to the stran ger, &c. neither shed innocent blood in this place, &c. Shalt thou reign, because thou closest thyself in cedar? Did not thy father eat, and drink, and do judgment and justice, and then it was well with him? he judged the cause of the poor and needy, then it was well with him, &c. but thine eyes, and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence to do it.-Jer. xxii. 1-3. 15-17. Ezek. xxii. 27.

Hear the word of the Lord, O king of Judah, &c. Thus saith the Lord, Execute ye judgment, and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do

Keep the king's commandment; and that in regard of the oath of God. Eccles. viii. 2-4.

If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences. Eccles. x. 4.

God threatened the Jews for revolting from the king of Babylon, and breaking their oath and covenant with him.-Ezek. xvii. 12-20.

Though there was no tribute due from Christ, yet he said to Peter, Lest we should offend them, go thou, &c. give unto them for me and thee. Matt. xvii. 24-27.

Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's.-Matt. xxii. 21.

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers, &c. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God; and they that resist, shall receive to themselves damnation, &c. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, &c. Ye must needs be subject; not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake: for, for this cause pay you tribute, &c. Render therefore to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour.-Rom. xiii. 1-7.

Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, &c.-Titus iii. 1.

Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man, for the Lord's sake; whether it be to the king, as supreme, or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him, for the punishment of evildoers, &c. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.-1 Pet. ii. 13-15.

II. To give them Honour and Respect: not contemn their Persons, or speak evil of them.

David said to Saul, My Lord the king! and when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself, &c. He said, I will not put forth my hand against the Lord's anointed.—I Sam. xxiv. 6. 8. 10. xxvi. 9. 11.

Thou shalt not revile the gods (or judges), nor curse the ruler of thy people.-Exod. xxii. 28.

Nathan the prophet, when he was come in before the king, bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground, and said, My lord, O king! &c.-1 Kings i. 23, 24.

Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked? and to princes, Ye are un-godly?-Job xxxiv. 18.

The king's wrath is as the roaring of a lion, &c.-Prov. xix. 12.

:

The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul. -Prov. xx. 2. xvi. 14, 15.

Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, &c.—Prov. xxv. 6, 7.

Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?- Eccles. viii. 4.

Curse not the king; no not in thy thoughts.-Eccles. x. 20.

Daniel said to Darius the king, O king, live for ever!-Dan. vi. 21.

When the apostle had spoken sharply to the high priest, and some who stood by had said, Revilest thou God's high priest? Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.-Acts xxiii. 2-5.

Paul said, I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee, &c. Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, Thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad. But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness, &c.-Acts xxvi. 1-3. 24, 25. xxiv. 10.

Render therefore to all their dues; &c. fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour.-Rom. xiii. 7.