there was killed in one day the numbre of fourtene thousand and seuen hundred for rebellion against them whom god had appointed to be in authoritie Absalon also â—â—â—e â—ii rebelling againste his father Kinge Dauid was punished with a straunge and notable death The thyrde parte of the Sermon of Obedience YE haue heard before in this sermoÌ„ of good ordre obedience manifestly proued bothe by scriptures examples that al subiectes are boundeÌ„ to obey their magistrates and for no cause to resiste or withstand rebel or make any sedicion againste them yea although thei be wicked men And let no man thinke that he can escape vnpunished that coÌ„mitteth treasoÌ„ conspiracie or rebellioÌ„ against his souereigne Lord the King though he coÌ„mit the same neuer so secretly either in thought word or dede neuer so preuelye in his prieuye chambre by himselfe or openly communicating and consultyng with other For treason wil not be hid treason wil oute at the length God will haue the most detestable vyce bothe opened punished for that it is so directly against his ordeynaunce and against his high principal iudge anointed in earth The violence imury that is committed against authoritie is commited againste God the coÌ„mon weale thee whole realme whiche god wil haue knowen condingly or woorthelye punished one waye or other For it is notably written of the Wise maÌ„ in Scripture in the booke called Ecclesiastes Eccle. x. wishe the Kinge no euyll in thy thought nor speake no hurt of him in thy priuy chaÌ„bre for a byrde of the ayre shal betraye thy voice and with her fethers shall bewraye thy woordes These lessons and exaumples are written for our learning Therfore let vs al feare the moste detestable vice of rebellion euer knowing and remembring that he that resisteth or with standeth coÌ„mon authoritie resisteth or with staÌ„deth god his ordinaunce as it may be proued by many other mo places of holye Scripture And here let vs take here that we vnderstaÌ„d not these or such other like places which so streightly coÌ„mauÌ„de Obedience to superiours and so streightly punisheth rebellion and disobedience to the same to be meant in any coÌ„ditioÌ„ of the pretensed or coloured power of the Bishop of Rome For truly the scripture of god alloweth no such vsurped power ful of enormitties abusioÌ„s blasphemies But the true meaning of these and suche places be to extoll and sette forth goddes true ordinauÌ„ce the authoritie of gods annointed kinges of their officers appointed vnder theÌ„ And concerning the vsurped power of the Bishop of Rome whiche he most wrongfully challeÌ„geth as the successor of Christ Peter we may cafily perceiue how fals semed forged it is not onely in that it hath no sufficieÌ„t grouÌ„d in holy scripture but also by the fruites doctrine thereof For our sauior Christ S. Peter teacheth moste earnestly agreably obedinece to kinges as to the chiefe supreme rulers in this worlde nexte vnder god but the bishop of Râ—me teacheth that thei that are vnder him â—r fre froÌ„ al burdeÌ„s charges of the coÌ„moÌ„ wealth obedieÌ„ce towardes their prince most clearly against Christes doctrine an d. s Peters He ought there fore rather to be called Antichrist the successour of the Scribes Pharysies then Christes vicar or s Peters successour seing that not only in this poynte but also in other weighty matters of ChristiaÌ„ religioÌ„ in matters of remissioÌ„ forgeuenes of sinnes of saluation he teacheth so directli against both s Peter against our sauiour Christ who not onely taught obedience to kinges but also practised obedience in theyr coÌ„uersacioÌ„ liuing â—ath â—i For we reade that they both paied tribute to the king And also we read that the holy virgin Mary mother to our sauiour Christe Ioseph who was taken for his father at the Emperours coÌ„maundement went to the citie of Dauid named Bethleem â—â—â—e ii to be taxed emoÌ„g other to declare their obedience to the magistrates for gods ordinaunces sake And here let vs not forgette the blessed virgin Maries obedience for although she was highlye in gods fauour and Christes naturall mother was also great with childe that same time so nighe her trauaile that she was deliuered in her iourneye yet she gladly without any excuse or grudging for conscience sake did take that cold foule winter iourney being in the meane seasoÌ„ so pore that she lay in the stable there she was deliuered of Christe And according to the same Peter 〈◊〉 lo how s Peter agreeth writig by expresse words in his first Epistle submit your selues or be subiect saieth he vnto kinges as vnto the chiefe heades or vnto rulers as vnto them that are sente of him for the punishmente of euill doers and for the praise of them that do well for so is the wil of God I nede not to expouÌ„d these wordes they be so plaine of them selfes S. Peter doth not say submit your selfes vnto me as supreme head of the Church neither he saieth submit your selues froÌ„ time to time to my successors in Rome but he saieth submit your selfes vnto your kinge your supreme head vnto those that he appoynteth in authoritte vnder him For that ye shall so shewe your obedience it is the wyll of God God will that you be in subiection to your head and king That is gods ordinaunce gods commaundement gods holy wil that the whole body of euery realme and al the membres and partes of the same shal be subiect to their heade their king and that as S. Peter writeth for the lordes sake i. Peterâ— ii Rom. xiâ— and as S. Paule writeth for conscience sake and not for feare onely Thus we learne by the worde of god to yelde to oure kyng that is dewe to our king that is honor obedience paimentes of dewe taxes customes tributes subsidies loue and feare Ma. xxiâ—â— Rom. xii Thus we knowe partly our bounden dueties to commen authoritie nowe let vs learne to accomplishe the same And let vs most instauntly and heartilye praye to God the onely authour of all authoritie for all them that be in authoritie according as S. Paule willeth writing thus to Timothie in his first epistle I exhorte therfore that aboue all thinges prayers i. Timo. ii supplicacions intercessions and geuing of thankes be done for all men for kinges and for al that he in authoritie that we maye liue a quiete and a peaceable life with all godlines honestie for that is good accepted or alowable in the sight of god our sauioure Here S. Paule maketh an earnest and an especiall exhortacion concerning geuyng of thankes and prayer for kinges and rulers saying aboue all thinges as hee might say in any wise principally chiefely let praier bee made for kynges Let vs heartely thanke god for his great and excellent benefite and prouidence concerning the state of kinges Let vs praye for
also teacheth vs a good lesson I this behalf who was many times most cruelly and wrong fullye persecuted of Kynge Saule and manye times also put in ieoperdie and daunger of his life by kinge Saule his people yet he neuer withstode neither vsed any force or violeÌ„ce against king Saule his mortal or deadly enemy but did euer to his liege lorde and master kinge Saule most true most diligent and most faithful seruice In so much that wheÌ„ the lord god had geuen kinge Saule into Dauids handes in his owne caue he would not hurte him when he might without al bodely peril easely haue slain hiÌ„ no he would not suffer any of his seruauntes once to lay their handes vpoÌ„ king Saul but praied to god in this wise lord kepe me from doing that thing vnto my maister the lordes anointed keepe me that I laie not my hande vpoÌ„ him seing he is the anoiÌ„ted of the lord for as truely as the lorde liueth except the lorde smite him or except his day come or that he go down to warre in battaile perishe the lorde be mercifull vnto me that I lay not my hande vpon the lordes anointed And that Dauid might haue killed his enemy king Saule it is euideÌ„tly proued in the firste boke of the kinges both by the cutting of the lappe of Saules garment and also by the playne confession of kinge Saule Also an other time as it is meÌ„cioned in the same booke when the most vnmercifull and moste vnkind king Saule did persecute poore Dauid god didde againe geue king Saule into Dauides handes by castinge of kinge Saule and his whole armye into a deade sleepe so that Dauid and one Abisai with him came in the nighte into Saules hoste where Saule laye sleepinge and his speare stacke in the ground at his head Then saâ—de Abisai vnto Dauid god hath deliuered thine enemye into thy handes at this time now therfore let me smite him once with my speare to the earth I will not smite him again the second time meaning therby to haue killed him with one stroke and to haue made him sure foreuer And Dauid aunswered and said to Abisai destroy him not for who can laye his handes on the lordes anointed and be giltles And Dauid said furthermore as sure as the lorde liueth the lorde shall smite him or his daye shall come to dy or he shal descende or go doune into bataill there perishe The lord kepe me froÌ„ laying my haÌ„des vpon the Lordes anointed But take thou nowe the speare that is at his head the cruse of water let vs go so he did Here is euidently proued that we may not wtstand nor in any wayes hurt an anoynted king which is gods liuetenaunt vice gerent and highest minister in that countrey where he is kinge Obieccion But per aduenture some here would say that Dauid in his owne defence might haue killed king Saule lawfullie with a safe conscience Aunswere But holy Dauid did knowe that he might in no wise wtstande hurt or kil his souereigne lord king he did knowe that he was but king Saules subiecth though he wer iÌ„ great fauor with god his enemy kinge Saule out of gods fauor Therfore though he wer neuer so much prouoked yet he refused vtterly to hurt the lordes anoynted He durste not for offending god his own conscience although he had occasion and oportunitie once lay his handes vpon gods high officer the king whoÌ„ he did know to be a person reserued kept for his office sake only to gods punishmeÌ„t iudgemeÌ„t Therfore he praieth so oft so eanestlye that he lay not his handes vpon the lordes annointed â—sal .lxxx. â—â—d â—â—â— And by these .ii. exaÌ„ples s Dauid being named in scripture a man after gods own heart geueth a generall rule lesson to al subiectes in the world not to withstand their liege lord king not to take a sweord by their priuate authoritie against their king gods anoynted who only beareth the sworde by gods auctoritie for the maintenance of the good and for the punishment of the euill who onely by gods lawe hath the vse of the sweord at his commauÌ„dement also hath al power iurisdiccioÌ„ regimeÌ„t coercioÌ„ punishemeÌ„t as supreme gouernour of all his realmes dominioÌ„s that euen by the aucâ—oritie of God and by gods ordinaunces Yet an other notable story doctrine is in the secund boke of the kinges that maketh also for this purpose WheÌ„ an AmaleÌ„chite by kinge Saules own consent coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t had killed kinge Saul he went to Dauid supposing to haue hadde great thaÌ„ke for his message 〈…〉 that he had killed Dauids deadli enemye and therefore he made great haste to tell to Dauid the chauÌ„ce bringing with him kinge Saules Croun that was vpon his head and his bracelet that was vpon his arme to perswade his tidinges to be true But godly Dauid was so far froÌ„ reioising at these newes that immediatly forthw t he reÌ„t his clothes of his backe he mourned wept said to the messenger how is it that thou wast not afraid to lay thy handes on the lordes anointed to destroy him And by by Dauid made one of his seruauÌ„tes to kil the messeÌ„ger saying thy bloude be on thine own head for thy own mouth hath testified wittenessed agaiÌ„st the grauÌ„ting that thou hast slaine the lordes anointed These examples being so manyfest and euident it is an intolerable ignoraunce madnes wickednes for subiectes to make any murmuring rebellion resistence or wtstaÌ„ding coÌ„mocioÌ„ or insurrectioÌ„ againste their moste dere and most dreade souereinge Lorde king ordeyned and appoynted of Goddes goodnes for their commoditie peace and quietnes Yet let vs beleue vndoubtedli good christiaÌ„ people that we maye not obey Kinges Magistrates or any other though they be our owne fathers if they woulde commaunde vs to do any thing contrary to gods coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes In such a case we oughte to say with the Apostles Actes we must rather obey God then man But neuertheles in that case wee may not in any wise withstande violeÌ„tly or rebel against rulers or make any insurreccioÌ„ sedicioÌ„ or tumultes either by force of armes or other waies against the annointed of the lord or any of his appointed officers But we muste in such case paciently suffer al wronges iniuries referring the iudgemeÌ„t of oure cause onely to god Let vs feare the terrible punishmeÌ„t of almightie God against traitors or rebellious persons by the exaÌ„ple of Chore Dathan Abiron which repugned grudged against gods Magistrates and officers and therfore the earthe opened and swallowed theÌ„ vp alyue Other for their wicked murmuring and rebellion were by a sodaine fire sente of god vtterly consumed Other for their frowarde behauioure to their rulers and gouerners Gods ministers were sodainely strycken with a foule leprosy Other were stinged to death with wonderfull strange firie serpentes Other were sore plagued so that
eaxe ye that rule the multitudes for the power is geueÌ„ you of the lord the streÌ„gth from the highest Let vs learne also here by the iÌ„fallible vndeceauable word of god that kiÌ„ges other supreme higher officers are ordeined of god who is most highest therfore thei are here diligeÌ„tly taught to apply geue theÌ„selfes to knowledg wisedome necessary for the ordringe of gods people to their gouernaunce committed or whom to gouerne thei are charged of god And thei be here also taught by almighty god that they should reknowledge theÌ„selues to haue all their power strength not from Rome but imediatly of god most highest We reade iÌ„ the boke of Deuteronomi Deu. xxxii that al punishment perteineth to god by this sentence VeÌ„geauÌ„ce is mine I wil reward But this sentence we must vnderstaÌ„d to perteine also vnto the magistrates which doe exercise goddes roume in iudgement and punishing by good godly lawes here in earth And the places of scripture which seme to remoue froÌ„ emoÌ„g al christiaÌ„ men iudgemeÌ„t punishment or killing ought to bee vnderstande that no maÌ„ of his own priuate aucihoritie may be iudge ouer other may punishe or maye kil But we must refer al iudgement to god to kiÌ„ges and rulers iudges vnder theÌ„ whiche be gods officers to execute iustice by plaine woordes of scripture haue their auctoritie vse of the sweord graunted from god as we are taught by S. Paule the dere choisen ApostleÌ„ of our fauior Christ whoÌ„ we ought diligensly to obey euen as we would obey our sauiour Christ if he wer present Rom. xiii Thus. s Paule writeth to the Roma Let euery soule submit himselfe vnto the auctoritie of the higher powers for there is no power but of god the powers that be be ordeined of god whosoeuer therfore whithstandeth the power whithstaÌ„deth the ordinauÌ„ce of god but they that resist or are agaist shal receiue to theÌ„selues daÌ„nacioÌ„ for rulers are not feareful to theÌ„ that do good but to theÌ„ that do euil Wilt thou be without feare of the power Doe well then and so shalt thou be praised of the same for he is the minister of God for thy welthe But and if thou doe that whiche is euil then feare for he beareth not the sweorde for naughte for he is the minister of God to take vengeaunce on him that doeth euil Wherfore ye must nedes obey not onelye for feare of vengeaunce but also because of conscience and euen for this cause pay ye tribute for they are Gods ministers seruing for the same purpose Heare lett vs all learne of S. Paule the chosen vessell of god that al persons hauing soules he excepteth none nor exeÌ„pteth none neither prieste Apostle nor prophet saith s Chriso do owe of bouÌ„den duety and euen in conscience obedieÌ„ce submission and subieccion too the high powers whiche be sett in auctoritie by god for asmuch as they be gods liuetenauntes Gods presidentes Gods officers gods commissioners gods iudges ordeined of god himself of whom onely they haue al their power and al their auctoritie And the same s Paule threatneth no lesse pain theÌ„ euelasting damnacion to al disobedieÌ„t persons to al resisters against this general and coÌ„mon auctoritie forasmuche as they resist not manne but god not mans deuise and inuencion but gods wisedom gods ordre power and authoritie ¶ The second parte of the Sermon of Obedience FOrasmuche as god hath created and disposed all thinges in a comelie ordre we haue bene taught in the first part of this sermon coÌ„cerning good ordre obedieÌ„ce that we also ought in all common welthes to obserue and kepe a dewe ordre and to be obedient to the powers their ordinaunces and lawes and that all rulers are appointed of god for a godly ordre to bee kept in the worlde And also howe the Magistrates oughte to learne howe to rule and gouerne according to gods lawes And that al subiectes are bounden to obey them as gods ministers yea although they be euil not only for feare but also for conscieÌ„ce sake And here good people let al marke diligently that it is not lawful for inferiours subiectes iÌ„ any case to resist or staÌ„de against the superior powers for s Paules wordes be plain that whosoeuer withstaÌ„deth shal get to theÌ„selfes daÌ„nacioÌ„ for whosoeuer withstaÌ„deth wtstaÌ„deth the ordinaÌ„ce of god Our sauiour Christ himselfe his Apostles receiued many and diuerse iniuries of the vnfaithefull and wicked menne in aucthoritie yet we neuer reade that they â—ranye of them caused any sedicion or rebellion against authoritie We reade oft that they paciently suffered all troubles veracions slauÌ„ders pangues and paines and death it selfe obedientlye without tumulte or resistence They committed their cause to him that iudgeth righteouslye and praied for their enemies heartely and earnestly They knewe that the auctoritie of the powers was gods ordinaunce and therfore both iÌ„ their wordes and dedes they taught euer obedience to it and neuer taught nor did the contrary Iohn .xix. The wicked iudge Pilate saide to Christe knowest thou not that I haue power to crucifie the and haue power also to loce the Iesus aunswered Thou couldest haue no power at all against me except it wer geuen the from aboue Wherby Christe taught vs plainly that euen the wicked rulers haue their power and authoritie from god And therfore it is not lawfull for their subiectes by force to wtstaÌ„de theÌ„ although they abuse their power much lesse then it is lawful for subiectes to wtstande their godly christian princes whiche do not abuse their aucthoritie but vse the same to gods glory and to the profite and commoditie of Gods people i. Peter .ii. The holy Apostle s Peter coÌ„maundeth seruauntes to be obedient to their maisters not only if they be good and gentle but also if they be euil and frowarde affirming that the vocacion and callinge of gods people is to be pacient and of the suffering side And there he bringeth in the pacieÌ„ce of our sauior Christ to perswade obedience to gouernors yea although they be wicked and wrong doers i. Peter .ii. But let vs nowe heare s Peter himselfe speake for his owne wordes certifie best our conscience Thus he vttereth them in his firste Epistle Seruauntes obey your Maistres with feare not onely if they be good and ientle but also if they be frowarde For it is thankewoorthy if a manne for conscience toward god suffereth griefe and suffereth wrong vndeserued i. Peter .ii. for what praise is it when ye be beaten for your faultes if ye take it pacieÌ„tly â–ª but when ye do well if you then suffer wrong take it paciently i. Re xviâ—â— xix and .xx. then is there cause to haue thanke of god for herunto verely were ye called For so did Christ suffer for vs leauing vs an example that we should folow his steppes Al these bee the very wordes of s Peter S. Dauid