the little Ones; and in his great Mercy only punish their Principals, to make them repent of their Plotting: but juftly pardon all the reft of the rebellious Rabble, as a mobbish Crew of poor deluded Creatures, and Objects of his Royal Clemency.

IN fine, any young Prince or King, not yet in Poffeffion of his Crown, through tender Age, Trouble or Misfortune, would do well to make this his Royal Leffon or LookingGlafs. The Scripture cannot be difaffected to his Government. Let him read over the XIV Chap. of Proverbs; which fets forth the whole Summary of his best Juvenile Inftruction, from the Beginning to the End of his Duty. Let him perufe the XIV of Job; For there is Hope of a Tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender Branch thereof will not ceafe. Though the Root thereof wax Old in the Earth, and the Stock thereof die in the Ground: Yet through the Scent of Water it will bud, and bring forth Boughs like a Plant; Ver. 7, 8, 9. Let him learn the XL Pfalm; Be pleafed, O Lord, to deliver me O Lord, make hafte to help me. Let them be ashamed and confounded together, that feek after my Soul to deftroy it let them be driven backward and put to shame fuddenly that with me Evil. Let them be defolate for a Reward of their Shame, that fay unto me, Aha, Aha! Let all thofe that feek thee, rejoyce and be glad in thee: let fuch as Love thy Salvation, fay continually, the Lord be magnify'd. But I am poor and needy, yet the Lord thinketh upon me : Thou art my Help and Deliverer, make no long tarrying, O my God! Ver. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. Let him fee the curfed Character of the wicked Hypocrite and Oppreffor in Job 27, to the End

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End of the Chapter; when Men hall clap their Hands at him, and fhall hifs him out of his Place. Let him be well acquainted with the XLV Pfalm; Gird thy Sword upon thy Thigh, &c. In thy Majesty ride profperously, because of Truth, and Meekness, and Righteoufnefs: and thy right Hand fhall teach thee terrible Things. Thine Arrows are sharp in the Heart of the King's Enemies, whereby the People fall under thee. Thy Throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the Sceptre of thy Kingdom is a right Sceptre Thou loveft Righteousness, and hateft Wickedness: Therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the Oyl of Gladness above thy Fellows; Ver. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Let him often revolve, at laft, for the Reward of all his Labour and Affliction, the XXII Chap. of Proverbs; and remember Ver. 4. That, By Humility and the Fear of the Lord, are Riches, and Honour, and Life. These are Lectures worthy of a King, worthy of Majefty in the greatest Mifery! By this Means, young Solomon's Troubles, like his Father David's, how innumerable foever, will only inflame his Prayer the more for the Converfion of his Enemies. He will hold his Integrity the fafter by his Misfortunes, and grow ftronger in Devotion and Obedience, which is the best Sacrifice, by his Calamities. He will redouble his Fervency, Vigour and Confidence in God, by his undeferv'd Diftreffes This, this will direct his Way to Heaven for Protection, if he should have no other Country left to live in upon Earth! Neither Law, Juftice, nor Conscience can deny this Truth; that, A divine Sentence is in the Lips of the King: his Mouth tranfgreffeth not in Judgment, Prov. xvi. 10. However, his Pofterity will affuredly never perish, or

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be extinct among all future Generations: except fuch as thofe Four wicked Ones in Prov. Chap. XXX. now reigning and lording it over the World.

VERSE IX.

OPEN thy Mouth, judge righteously, and plead the Caufe of the Poor and Needy.

A

PARAPHRASE.

S if the gracious hearted Queen had exprefs'd her felf to this tender Effect of her Affection. Well, Son Solomon! Open your Mouth wide with righteous Judgment. Declare your Mind freely in Matters of Juftice. You muft fpeak for the Pcor and Needy upon all Occafions of Oppreffion or Injuftice done them at Law, and either in a private or a publick Capacity. You must not only pity them, but plead likewife for their Relief, and the Recovery of their Right. It will be the greatest Honour of your Life for you to justify their Caufe, or preferve their Lives; who are not in a Condition to cope with a more potent Adverfary; being indigent, friend lefs, and unable to defend themselves against the powerful Infults and Injuries of their imperious Enemies. For, as Might often overcomes he justeft Right, according to the common Frovere; 10 you cught, in good Confcience as well as Generolity,

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nerofity, to fee Right done to thofe that fuffer Wrong; even to the uttermost of your Power, Privilege or Supremacy. There's an Obligation incumbent upon you from the Law of Nature and right Reafon; to rectify all falfe Judgments, to reverfe any unjust Sentences, and to take Care that the Poor and Needy may have the most impartial Justice done them, upon their laft Appeal to your Majefty, in their fad Diftreffes or helpless Grievances. Do not think it below your Dignity, to look upon fuch wrong'd Indigents with Compaffion; but grant them a favourable Eye and a merciful Ear, from your Authority, to their just Complaints. Take my Advice, I carneftly befeech you, and follow the Example of your righteous Father. Hearken to that Royal Pfalmift's Counfel! Make it your conitant Business to help the Fatherless and Poor unto their Right; that the Man of the Earth may be no more exalted against them, in Triumph and Exultation. Govern your felf according to the Golden Rule of doing to others, as you would be done by in your own Perfon; as if it was your own Cafe, either under Affli&tion and Exile, or any other grievous Calamity, instead of Banishment, and being betray'd out of your Native Country into Foreign Parts of the World. This is the Way to act the King, as well as to live like a Philofopher, or a true Lover of Peace and Justice in earnest: not a mock-Prince, or a false Protector of the Poor. Upon this Confideration, when you have done pleading their Cause effectually, and clear'd-up the Righteoufnefs of it from all Clouds of Prejudice, Perplexity or Obftrnction; be not afraid to give fpeedy Judgment for

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the Relief, either of the Complainants, or Defendants at Variance, on which side foever the Right happens to be fairly adjudged between. the contending Parties: and pronounce the Sentence in Favour of the Injur'd, as the Laws fhall require, with the greatest Dispatch as well as Boldness. Be not over-perfwaded by evil Counfellors to fuffer any Delays in Law, or Procraftinations of doing juftice. Let the Caufe of the Righteous hang no longer upon the Tenters; but command the Bufinefs to be brought to the fpeedieft Iffue poffible, without any farther Sufpence or pecuniary Put-Offs. Admit of no tedious Prevarications, mercenary Corruptions or partial Perversions in the Proceedings on either Side of the Difpute: that the Pooreft, the Needieft, and the meerest Beggars may not be opprefs'd, either by actually doing them Injustice on the one Hand, or by deferring to do them Right out of Hand on the other; as to their lawful Claims, Demands and Pretentions. But let them always have the most favourable Hearing under the Umbrage of your Majesty's Countenance, Patronage or Commiferation. They will be well pleas'd at your auguft Prefence, and over-joy'd in your Royal Protection.

REMARK S.

EHOLD this beautiful Anaphora, and preffing Repetition of opening a King's Mouth in Vindication of fuch honeft, necellitous or oppreffed People: how majestically it couches under it a greater Charge ftill upon National Magiftrates, of acting confcientioully in their Caufe, and judging righteously between