10 History of Hingham. 



persons concerned therein. Only I bless God, that I see an issue of 

 this troublesome business. I also acknowledge the justice of the court, 

 and, for mine own part, I am well satisfied, I was publickly charged, 

 and I am publickly and legally acquitted, which is all I did expect or 

 desire. And though this be sufficient for my justification before men, 

 yet not so before the God, who hath seen so much amiss in my dis- 

 pensations (and even in this affair) as calls me to be humble. For to be 

 publickly and criminally charged in this court, is matter of humiliation, 

 (and I desire to make a right use of it), notwithstanding I be thus 

 acquitted. If her father had spit in her face, (saith the Lord concerning 

 Miriam), should she not have been ashamed seven days ? Shame had 

 lien upon her. whatever the occasion had been. I am unwilling to stay 

 you from your urgent affairs, yet give me leave (upon this special occa- 

 sion) to speak a little more to this assembly. It may be of some good 

 use, to inform and rectify the judgments of some of the people, and may 

 prevent such distempers as have arisen amongst us. The great ques- 

 tions that have troubled the country, are about the authority of the 

 magistrates and the liberty of the people. It is yourselves who have 

 called us to this office, and being called by you. we have our authority 

 from God, in way of an ordinance, such as hath the image of God emi- 

 nently stamped upon it, the contempt and violation whereof hath been 

 vindicated with examples of divine vengeance. I entreat you to consider, 

 that when you choose magistrates, you take them from among your- 

 selves, men subject to like passions as you are. Therefore when you see 

 infirmities in us, you should reflect upon your own, and that would make 

 you bear more with us, and not be severe censurers of the failings of 

 your magistrates, when you have continual experience of the like infirmi- 

 ties in yourselves and others. We account him a good servant, who 

 breaks not his covenant. The covenant between you and us is the oath 

 you have taken of us, which is to this purpose, that we shall govern you 

 and judge your causes by the rules of God's laws and our own, according 

 to our best skill. When you agree with a workman to build you a ship 

 or house &c. he undertakes as well for his skill as for his faithfulness, 

 for it is his profession, and you pay him for both. But when you call 

 one to be a magistrate, he doth not profess nor undertake to have suffi- 

 cient skill for that office, nor can you furnish him with gifts &c. therefore 

 you must run the hazard of his skill and ability. But if he fail in faith- 

 fulness, which by his oath he is bound unto, that he must answer for. If 

 it fall out that the case be clear to common apprehension, and the rule 

 clear also, if he transgresses here, the errour is not in the skill, but in the 

 evil of the will : it must be required of him. But if the cause be doubt- 

 ful, or the rule doubtful, to men of such understanding and parts as your 

 magistrates are, if your magistrates should err here, yourselves must 

 bear it. 



" ' For the other point concerning liberty, I observe a great mistake in 

 the country about that. There is a twofold liberty, natural (I mean as 

 our nature is now corrupt) and civil or federal. The first is common to 

 men with beasts and other creatures. By this, man, as he stands in rela- 

 tion to man simply, hath liberty to do what he lists ; it is a liberty to evil 

 as well as to good. This liberty is incompatible and inconsistent with 

 authority, and cannot endure the least restraint of the most just authority. 

 The exercise and maintaining of this liberty makes men grow more evil, 

 and in time to be worse than brute beasts ; omnes sumus licentia deteri- 



