of justice will exceedingly encourage wicked persons in ways of impiety,
Saul did not do justice, therefore he shall die basely, and perish miserably upon his own sword: as he did, in 1 Sam. 31:4.
5. Fifthly and lastly, Right Honourable, consider this, that your neglect of justice will exceedingly encourage wicked persons in ways of impiety, Eccles. 8:11; and discourage the godly of the nation from doing their duty. Your neglect of justice will encourage wicked persons in the ways of impiety, and hinder the saints from a cheerful and sweet discharge of their duty.
Right Honourable, if you would sit down and study which way you might most encourage the worst of men, and discourage the best, you could not fall upon such another way, as to neglect what God and the nation calls for at your hands. Right Honourable, it is cruelty to the good to spare the bad: it is cruelty to the sheep and lambs to spare the wolves and lions. You were better a thousand times to set some of those grand malefactors a-mourning, that have caused the kingdom to mourn so many years in garments rolled in blood, by the execution of justice, than by the neglect of justice to keep a kingdom still mourning in garments of blood. I shall say no more as to that particular.
But now I shall endeavour to apply the point more generally, both to your Honours and all that hears me at this time, knowing that it is a useful point for us all, especially in these times and seasons wherein God doth exercise us with afflictions and discouragements, while we are in his own ways. The exhortation that I shall press upon you all is, that you will hold on in the ways of well-doing, notwithstanding all the afflictions, troubles, and discouragements that may befall you.
Now that you may, I shall endeavour to do these two things:—
First, To lay down some motives to encourage you.