Dauid some infidels and so are either such as persecute Religion as Herod Iulian or tolerate it as Traiane Thirdly in respect of Obiects some are Togati Gouernours some are Armati Marshall men Fourthly in respect of Businesse some are Councellors some Senators some Iudges c. Fiftly in respect of Office some are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Law-giuers some are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Law-keepers as Iustices and the like Sixtly in respect of Adiuncts some are lawfull and iust and good Magistrates who come by their power by lawfull election or succession and doe exercise it well others are vnlawfull or bad Magistrates as hauing in respect of the manner attained their places by vnlawfull meanes or doe exercise their authoritie with cruelty or partiality or the like Seuenthly in respect of Dignity some haue dignity and not authority as such as enioy the titles of Dukes Earles Lords Knights Esquires or Gentlemen Some haue Dignity and Authority also as such of any of the former kinde or the like as are likewise called to any office of rule and gouernment or seruice Now we must be subiect not alone to the King or superior but to gouernours vnder them as the Text shewes We must be subiect to Princes that are infidels as well as to Christian Princes for such were the Magistrates for the most part when the Apostles writ So wee must bee subiect to vnworthy or vicious or tyrannous Princes as well as to godly and vertuous and louing Princes which the word here translated Ordinance imports for it signifies creation and so Magistracy is a creation in diuers respects First because God was the author of it as hee was of the world Secondly because Magistrates are raised beyond expectation Thirdly because many times God as a righteous Iudge suffers many men to get into high places of honour and authority that haue no worthinesse or fitnes or stuffe in them more then hee would haue to rule or furnish it selfe euen to such Magistrates also must wee submit Onely for the last distinction there is a difference for such as excell onely for titles of dignity and haue not authority we must reuerence and shew as ciuill respect vnto them as belongs to their places but wee are not bound to submit our selues to them by way of obedience for that is due onely to such as haue authority as well as dignity Thus of subiection to Magistrates subiection to the Lawes of Magistrates followes Concerning the lawes and ordinances of Magistrates two things may hence be gathered First that wee must subiect our selues to such lawes and ordinances as men that are in authority doo make we are bound to this subiection euen to mens lawes that we are bound the very words of the Text proue howsoeuer or in what respect we are bound is to be distinctly considered For mans lawes doo not binde as God's Lawes doo for God's Lawes do binde not onely the outward man but the inward man also euen the very consciences more distinctly and particularly The lawes of men binde onely the outward man properly for God reserueth the conscience of man onely to his owne command Now whereas the Apostle saith Rom. 13.5 We must obey Magistrates not onely for feare but for conscience it is thus to be vnderstood First that men are not onely driuen to obedience of Magistrates for feare of punishment but euen by their owne conscience euer testifying that they ought to obey them Secondly that the conscience is bound to obey Magistrates by the vertue of God's Commandement that requires this obedience of men not simply in respect of the lawes of men Secondly that we are bound to obey euery ordinance of man that is all sorts of lawes made by men This needs explication for it is euident by diuers examples in Scripture of godly men that haue refused to obey in some cases and the Apostles haue left a rule Acts 5 that in some cases it is better to obey God than man And therefore I would consider of it distinctly in what things they haue no authority to command and in what things they haue authority For the first In some cases Magistrates haue not authority and if they doo command wee are not bound to obey For euery Magistrate stands bound himself to look to it that he transgress not in these cases He is bound to the law of nature as he is a man and to the Law of God as he is a Christian and to the fundamentall Lawes of the Kingdome as he is a Prince or Magistrate so that hee must make no lawes or ordinances against any of these Lawes especially he may command nothing forbidden in God's Word nor forbid any thing that is commanded in God's Word some instances will be giuen afterwards For the second In what things they may make lawes there is no question in these cases I now maintain as If they make lawes in meere ciuill things for the good of the Common wealth there is no doubt but we must obey the expresse words of the Text require our submission and so if they make lawes to enioyne their subiection to do such things as are commanded by God in Scripture or to forbid the dooing of such things as are expresly condemned in God's Word There are other cases that haue been by men of diseased mindes doubted of but yet submission is by the Word of God required in them as well as in other cases For instance Men ought to submit themselues in these cases following as first in ciuill things if mens lawes bee in some sort iniurious as in matter of mens goods A Prince makes lawes to lay too heauy taxations vpon the subiect yet the Subiect must submit and therfore the ten Tribes did sinfully to refuse Rehoboam and rebell against him for that reason If any obiect that Naboth did not yeeld to Ahab when hee desired his Vineyard I answer first that some difference must be put between the occasions of Princes I meane their desires and their lawes the inordinate desires of Princes are not alwaies necessary to bee fulfilled Secondly Naboth was tied by the Law of God to keep his inheritance for God had tied euery man to keep his antient inheritance and to marry within his Tribe that so it might be cleerly manifest of what stock the Messias should come Leu. 25.23 Num. 36.7 9. But this was an ordinance peculiar to the Iewish gouernment Secondly in Church-matters the Magistrate may command and the Subiects must obey Now because many questions are moued about the Magistrates authority in Church-affairs and about Church-men therefore I will heer proceed distinctly and shew first what they cannot do about Religion and then what they may doo These things they cannot do that is they haue no power nor authority to meddle in them as First the ciuill Magistrate hath no power nor authority to execute the office of the Church-Minister he may not preach in the Church or administer the Sacraments or execute the
hould themselues tied to follow the example of Christ neither in diuers circumstances about the Sacrament as that it was receiued at night in a chamber after supper in vnleauened bread onely by Ministers not by women c. nor in the matter of gesture in other things as that hee sate and praied and yet none of them pleades that it is necessary for our imitation And further it may cleerely bee shewed that the commandement of God about circumstantiall ceremoniall things might in some cases be transgressed without sin which shewes that those precepts did neuer in Gods intendement bind the coÌ„science absolutely as moral precepts in things substantiall did As that euery man should bee circumcised the eightth day was Gods commandement yet the children of Israel were not circumcised for forty yeers in the wildernesse Iosuah 5.5 6 7 9. The law was that None should eat of the shew-bread but the Priests yet Dauid did eat and was blamelesse Mat. 12.3 The Priests in the Temple did work or profane the Sabbath as it is translated Mat. 12.5 and yet were innocent It was the law that None must sacrifice any where but on the one and onely Altar of the Lord yet Salomon sacrificed on another altar for the reason mentioned in that Text 2. Chron. 7.7 1. Kings 8.64 In Hezechias his time they kept the Passeouer neither at the time nor in the ceremoniall manner as was required in the Law and yet they sinned not 2. Chron. 30.2 3 17 18 19 20 23 27. To abstaine from meats sacrificed to idols was enioyned by the Apostles Acts 15. and yet that did restraine Christian liberty beeing a thing indifferent and afterward to eat meat sacrificed to idols swarued from the patern of that ordinance For the third It is also manifest that things that were abused to superstition and idolatry had notwithstanding a lawfull vse when their abuse was remoued from them As for instance The Iewish ceremonies especially Circumcision were notoriously abused by the peruerse Iewes who held very corrupt opinions about them and yet the Apostle Paul did not make any doubt to vse them Again the meat sacrificed to idols when it comes out of the idols temple is pronounced to be clean and not polluted by the Apostle Paul Beâ—ides it is manifest our Temples Bells Chalices and such like haue been abused by idolaters and yet there is not any question made of the lawful vse of them by Diuines on either side That this point may be a little more vnderstood we must confesse that in the time of Moses Law whatsoeuer thing had been vpon or about the idoll it was infected and made vnclean by the idol but withall we must vnderstand that the idoll euen in those times did neuer pollute all things that were of that sort which were before it it did pollute that very thing in indiuiduo not all in specie of the same sort And further wee must now knowe that the idoll is nothing and can infect nothing of it self out of the idolaters vse and so that those lawes about pollution of idols are ceased for the Apostle Paul shewes that the very meat that was sacrificed to idols or diuels out of the idols temple was not polluted but was lawfull to bee vsed it was not neer an execrable thing as was the Babylonish garment in the time of the Law in Achan's possession Iacob erected a Pillar as a monument that concerned the true God and yet it is manifest that the Gentiles haue most idolatrously abused themselues in that course of erecting Pillars Leu. 26.1 For the fourth point Such ceremonies as had signification put vpon them were notwithstanding lawfull as is manifest by the consideration of most of those ceremonies mentioned before the Altar by Iordan the Cup vsed at the Passeouer the Couer on the heads of women and the loue-feasts with the holy kisse and so had all the Iewish ceremonies Now for the last thing which makes things indifferent with vs scandalous we are not left without witnesse from the Scriptures in such cases but that ceremonies knowne to bee scandalous were notwithstanding vsed for it is manifest concerning the Iewish ceremonies that they were scandalous in the vsage to the Gentiles and in the omitting to the Iewes Acts 21.21 22 27 28. Gal. 2.3 9 12. But that this point of scandall may bee distinctly vnderstood diuers rules are to be considered of First that the angring or bare displeasing of other men is not the offense or scandall condemned in Scripture as not onely the words in the Originall shew but all sound Diuines grant A scandall is a stumbling block that occasions a man to fall from grace in the profession of it into sin or error Secondly that to giue offense by dooing any thing which is simply euill in it self as Dauid did by his adultery and murder this is out of all question abominable Thirdly that the offense of Alients is to bee regarded that is we must not do any thing by which men that are not yet conuerted may bee hardned from the liking of Religion and so offense must not be giuen either to the Iew or to the Grecian 1. Cor. 10.31 Fourthly that when the authority of the Magistrate or Church hath determined concerning the vse of things indifferent we are not now left free nor are bound to look at the scandall of particular persons but must make conscience of it that wee offend not the Church by working a greater hurt or losse to the Church than the particular hurt of priuate persons can extend vnto In such cases as this the Apostle's rule holds If any man seem to be contentious we haue no such custome nor the Church of God 1. Cor. 11.16 And wee are bound in this Text of the Apostle Peter to obey the humane ordinances of men in authority from which obligation other mens offense cannot free vs. And the Apostle chargeth vs to look to it that wee offend not the Church in prescribed ordinances and that wee bee carefull not to offend priuate men in free ceremonies Fiftly that where ceremonies are left free and indifferent and haue no commandement to restrain their vse or enioyne it there are men to redeem the offense of their brethren with no other price than the losse of liberty in things indifferent The Apostle Paul saith Rather than he will offend his brother he will neuer eat flesh while he liueth 1. Cor. 10.8 13. Hee doth not say He will neuer preach the Gospell while hee liueth or neuer receiue the Sacraments while he liueth a necessity lay vpon him to preach the Gospell and to yeeld to the vse of all lawfull things to get his libertie whosoeuer be offended Sixtly that where the person that takes offense is wilfully ignorant and by all meanes auoids instruction and will not haue the patience to bee taught such offense is not to bee regarded Thus our Sauiour Christ teacheth confidently his doctrine of eating his flesh though the
obtaine any particular suite from him nor can the King prouide for them in particular yet may they goe to God and Iesus Christ who is King of righteousnes and peace they may get great suites in heauen and shall bee prouided for in all needfull things Psalme 23.1 and 5.3 and 48.15 and 74.12 and 80.2 Esay 49.10 Mat. 2.6 Reuel 7.17 Lastly though they bee subiects now in respect of earthly Princes yet in respect of God they are anointed to bee Kings themselues and shall receiue a Kingdome better then all the Kingdomes of the earth The Princes of this world are but mortall Kings but euery godly man is a King immortall hee partakes the title of God himselfe God is a King immortal by nature and he is a King immortall by adoption and grace and besides the poorest subiect that is a true Christian intertaineth the King of glory euery day Psal. 24.7 9. As superior 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word signifieth one that hath aboue the hauings of other men and so the King hath more then all his subiects not onely in matter of maintenance but also in matter of authority and supremacy this his hauing in supremacy is heere meant That the King is supreme is so manifest by this text as it needs no proofe Princes are called therfore in the Old Testament Heads of the Tribes or of the people to signifie that they were not onely higher in place but had soueraigne and supreme authority ouer all the people This supremacy of Kings giues them authority in all causes both ecclesiasticall and ciuill and ouer all persons Churchm-en as well as Lay-men as hath beene proued at large before in the former parts of this verse The vse is therefore to confute the damnable pleadings of the Popes of Rome their adherents that claime to haue the right of supremacy aboue the Kings and Princes of the world There are diuers manifest arguments to ouerthrowe the supremacy of the Pope First this expresse text that acknowledgeth the King to bee superior this was the Doctrine in the Apostles times Secondly it is more to be noted that Peter himselfe who by the opinion of the Papists had the height of place in the church that euen Peter I say is so far from clayming this to himselfe that hee directs christians to acknowledge supremacy only as the right of Kings yea and flatly forbids dominion in the Clergy 1. Pet. 5.5 Thirdly our Sauiour Christ at large beates downe this primacy or supremacy in his Apostles and all churchmen shewing that they had not authority as the Kings of the earth had It must not bee so with them and much lesse had they authority ouer the Kings of the earth Mathew 20.25 Luke 22 25. Fourthly euery soule must bee subiect to the higher powers If euery soule then Churchmen if they haue soules must bee subiect and therefore may not rule Rom. 13.1 Fiftly Christ and the Apostles neuer claymed any such supremacy but shewed the contrary by their Doctrine and practice Sixtly it is made the expresse mark of that Man of sinne that he lifts vp himselfe aboue all that is called God that is aboue Magistrates 2. Thes. 2. This hath beene the constant Doctrine of the ancient Fathers Origen Homil. 7. in Isaiah saith Hee that is called to a Bishoprick is not called to principality but to the seruice of the Church Tertullian lib. ad Scapul saith We reuerence the Emperor as a man second to God and the onely one that is lesse then God and also Tertullian de Ido Capite 18. Nazianzen orat ad subdit et Imperat. All men must bee subiect to higher powers The expresse testimonies of Chrysostome and Bernard vpon Rom. 13. haue beene quoted before read Bernard de consid lib. 2. Capite 4. Hilar. ad Anx. Chrysost. homil 42. in Ioan Ambrose in 2. Tim. 2.4 Secondly this should confirme euery good subiect to acknowledge and maintaine the Kings supremacy and willingly to bind himselfe therevnto by oath For the oath of supremacy is the bond of this subiection and this oath men must take without equiuocation mentall euasion or secret reseruation yea it should bind in them the same resolution was in Saint Barnard who saith thus If all the world would conspire against mee to make mee complot any thing against the Kings Maiesty yet I would feare God and not dare to offend the King ordained of God Or vnto gouernours By gouernours he either meanes all other sorts of magistracy besides a Monarchy or else such Magistrates as in a Kingdome haue commission from the King to heare and determine causes or any way to rule and exercise any Lawes of the King and it is the Apostles meaning that Christians should bee subiect to all sorts of Magistrates of what forme or dignity soeuer from the highest to the lowest so as it should bee no more lawfull for them to disobey an inferior Magistrate then to disobey the King so far foorth as the inferior Magistrate hath authority and doth proceed according to his commission in lawfull things This point needes not to bee further handled hauing beene intreated of in the generall doctrine in submission to all Magistrates before And thus of the exposition the confirmation followes Verse 14. Or vnto gouernours as vnto them that are sent by him for the punishment of euill doers and for the praise of them that doe well THe Apostle in this verse and the next confirmeth the exhortation partly by reasons and partly by answering an Obiection the reasons are in this verse and the next and the prolepsis verse 16. The reasons may bee referred to two heads the one taken from the calling of Magistrates verse 14. and the other from the will of God verse 15. The calling of Magistrates is considered two waies First either in the author of it and so they are sent of God Secondly or in respect of the end of it which is partly the punishment of the wicked and partly the praise of them that doe well As they that are sent of him Of him either may be referred to the King or to the Lord If it bee referred to the King then it shewes that all inferior Magistrates receiue all their authority from the King they haue no more authority then other subiects but as it is bestowed vpon them by the King and withall it shewes a secret in all well gouerned Monarchies which is that the King reserues the giuing of honours and offices to himselfe which more obligeth the Vnder-officers and Magistrates to him and he is therby the better acquainted with the State of the Kingdome but I am rather of the minde of those Interpreters that refer it to the Lord. And so the sense and doctrine is that both the Kings and the gouernours are sent of God It is God that prefers them whatsoeuer the second causes bee Though election or succession seeme to make a King and Kings make gouernours yet haue wee beene taught that none of
of seruants is subiection seruants must bee subiect It is not enough to weare their master's Cloth and to hire themselues to their masters they must make conscience of it to perform constant humble subiection to their masters And so they must bee subiect to their masters three waies First to their commandements and so they must obey them and yeeld themselues to them to be ruled and directed by them in all things Eph. 6.5 Col. 3.22 Secondly to their rebukes and corrections for if children need rebukes and corrections then doo seruants also Pro. 13.1 and 15.5 Seruants will not alwaies be corrected by words and therefore need blowes Pro. 29.19 Gen. 16.6 yea they must patiently suffer correction though it be inflicted vniustly as appears in the verses following this Text. Thirdly to their restraints Seruants must bee subiect to the appointment of their masters euen in the things wherein they restrain them as for instance in their diet It is a sinfull humour in them Not to be content with such diet as their masters appoint them though it be worse than the diet of their masters or the diet of the children of the family So likewise in their company they must auoid all company that may bee any way offensiue to their masters and so likewise in their apparell in such cases where seruants are to bee apparelled by their masters as also in respect of their going out of the house in the day-time when they haue not leaue but much more abominable it is To be out of their masters houses in the night without their leaue And as their subiection must bee performed in all these cases so the indefinite maner of propounding it shewes both that they must bee subiect in all things and in all the waies of shewing subiection for the manner of it they must be subiect in all things so as to beare with their masters for it is a sinnefull rebellion to crosse or disobey or leaue vndone any thing that is required of them to doo And besides it shewes that they must bee subiect in their very hearts and in their words and in their countenance and gesture as well as in the work to be done by them Vse The vse may concern both seruants and the parents of such seruants and the masters that rule them Seruants should hence from their hearts learn to yeeld themselues ouer to their masters with all good conscience to perform the subiection required yea such seruants as heare this doctrine may try their hearts whether they be indeed good seruants or no for a good seruant that makes conscience of his duty when hee heares the doctrine doth from his heart consent to it and will striue to fashion himself according to it Now the seruants that desire to bee such as is required may attain to it if they obserue these rules First they must carefully study the doctrine of seruants duties Seruants oftentimes fail through meer ignorance because they doo not lay before their mindes what God requires of them Secondly they must often iudge themselues for their faults wherin they haue displeased their masters or neglected their duties therefore many seruants mend not because either they will not see their faults or doo not humble themselues in secret for it Thirdly they must often meditate on the motiues that may perswade them to subiection And so there are fiue things that might bow their harts and breed in them a conscience of their duties First the Commandement of God it is GOD's will they should beare themselues thus humbly and obediently toward their masters Secondly the promise annexed to God's Commandement should moue them God will reward their work Eph 6.8 Col. 3.24 And in particular inasmuch as their seruice is required in the fift Commandement therefore if they be good seruants God will blesse them with long life Thirdly the threatning if they be not good seruants but bear themselues naughtily and stubbornly they shall not only receiue shame and punishment from men but God will plague them for the wrongs they doo to their masters euen for all the grief wherwith they haue vexed them and for all the losses they haue brought to their masters Col. 3. vlt. Fourthly the examples of such as haue born themselues full wel in Scripture should much moue them the piety of Abraham's seruant Gen. 24. and the painfulnesse and faithfulnesse of Iacob Gen. 31.38 c. and the readinesse of the Centurion's seruant Mat. 8. Yea it should much moue them that Christ Iesus himself was in the form of a seruant Phil. 2. Fiftly the care of the Religion they professe should much moue them if they bee carelesse and proud and stubborn the Name of God and the doctrine of Religion may be blasphemed 1. Tim. 6.1 And if they bee humble and carefull and faithfull they may adorn the doctrine of the Gospell as the Apostle shewes Tit. 2.9 10. Vse 2. Such parents as put their children foorth to seruice must take heed that they spoil them not by giuing care to the complaints of their masters or by allowing them any way in stubborn and disobedient courses Thirdly if masters would haue their seruants to please them by their subiection they then must learn how to rule and gouern them not onely by teaching and charging them what to doo but also by ouer-seeing them whereby many faults may bee preuented and accordingly by seasonable reprouing them and correcting of them betimes for the more wilfull offenses so studying to carry themselues gently towards them or that they lose not their authority by too much loue of their own ease and quietnes else it is iust that their seruants should prooue a continuall vexation to them Pro. 30.22 and 29.19 To your masters The parties to whom they owe subiection are their masters where three things may bee obserued First that though seruants are vnder subiection yet it is not to all men or to other men but onely to their masters which may warne men to take heed that they abuse not other mens seruants or speak basely of them for though in respect of their masters they are seruants yet in respect of them they are as free as themselues And in particular it should teach diuers to meddle lesse with other mens seruants by way of complaint to their masters It was Salomon's Rule Accuse not a seruant to his master lest he curse thee and thou bee found guilty Pro. 3.10 Hee giues two reasons of his aduice The one is that his complaining may so vex the seruants ouer whom he hath no iurisdiction that it may cause them in their impatience to vex him with their reproaches of him which an ingenuous minde should striue to auoid The other is that in such complaints most an end there is much mis-taking when men meddle with such things as belong to other mens families and then it is a foule shame to be found faulty To conclude this point wee should remember that of the Apostle
submission and to that end they should bee at the paines to studie this Doctrine and withall pray to God to direct them and keepe them in his feare and obedience herein and besides they should be sure that they meddle not with the changers or with the seditious Pro. 24.22 Yourselues These words may note either the manner of our submission or the matter the manner thus Submit your selues that is yeeld obedience vncompelled doe it of your selues stay not till you be forced to doe it and so the Apostle should therby import that our submission euen to men should be performed willingly and so wee should willingly and cheerefully obey their laws honor and defend their persons pray for them to God yeeld them tribute yea wee should without murmuring submit our selues to their punishments yea cheerfully beare their iniuries and so it remoues grudging and force from our submission But I rather vnderstand the words to note the matter to bee submitted that is our selues not our goods only for tribute or custom but our persons also must be at the Princes seruice our very bodies must be submitted both to doe the labour that belongs to the bearing of any office for the publike good and to the enduring of any punishment by the lawes to bee inflicted vpon the bodie and to the imploying of the body and life in defence of the true Religion and of the Kings person law and desire in warre or otherwise This is manifest by the frequent warres in the old Testament both required and performed nor may any say that Christians in the new Testament are not charged in the businesse of warre for First it was Christ's main intendment to forme a spirituall Kingdome to God hee left the state of earthly kingdomes to the condition they were in before Secondly when the Apostles doo in the generall require the submission of Christians to their Magistrates without exception of their obedience in war or otherwise it is manifest that they leaue them to the lawes of nature and the Laws of God before Thirdly euen in the new Testament this is implied by Baptist's answer to the souldiers Luke 3.14 and the praises of those worthy warriours Heb. 11.33 34. In which place also is a manifest proof for subiection euen in our bodies to the Sentences of Magistrates whether iust or vniust And the Magistrate's sword Rom. 13.4 is not onely a sword of iustice vpon malefactors in his owne Land but of reuenge on the enemies of God or the Church or Common-wealth abroad And for that Saying of our Sauiour to Peter Hee that taketh the sword shal perish with the sword Ma. 26.52 it is spoken of him to whom of the Lord it is not deliuered that is of him that hath not authority from God as Magistrates haue to command others to take the sword and it was spoken to Peter a Pastor of soules Put vp again thy sword into his place That materiall sword was not for him to vse Thirdly note that it is indefinitely propounded Your selues that all of all sorts no man can be exempted from subiection to Princes Christians must obey as well as Pagans strangers as well as home-born while they are within their gates All the doubt is whether Church-men are to bee subiect to secular Princes The Papists deny it but we affirm it and haue reason so to doo First because the precept is general without exception Secondly because the Apostle saith Rom. 13.1 that Euery soule must be subiect and therefore if Church-men haue soules they must be subiect to the higher Powers Thirdly because Princes haue executed their authority ouer Church-men whereof wee haue manifest examples in the Word as Dauid appointed the orders and offices of the Leuites Salomon put down Abiathar from the Priest-hood Iosiah burned the very bones of the Priests vpon their Altars and also purged the Temple and restored the Passeouer Christ himself was subiect to the authority of Princes he gaue tribute and appeared at their Tribunall Paul was subiect and appeared before the Magistrates and vsed their power when he appeald to Caesar 2. Thes. 2. â—ourthly there is manifest reason for it for if Church-men bee citizens or members of the Common-wealth then they must be subiect to the Rulers Lawes of the Common-wealth Fiftly the doctrine of the purest times since the Apostles is agreeable heerunto for Chrysostome vpon the 13 to the Romans auouches it that Priests Monks yea Apostles Euangelists and Prophets must be subiect to secular Powers And Bernard reasons out of that place thus If euery soule must be subiect then yours also that are Church-men who hath excepted you from this All If any man go about to except you hee goes about to deceiue you And Pope Gregory acknowledgeth the Emperour Maurice as Lord of him and the Clergy They obiect that the ecclesiasticall gouernment is greater than the secular iure diuino and therefore Church-men ought not to be subiect because the Superiour ought not to be subiect to the Inferiour Ans. The ecclesiasticall gouernment is superiour to the secular gouernment and it is inferiour to it it is superiour in respect of the rule ouer themselues in the things of the Kingdome of heauen by means appointed of Christ viz. the Word and Sacraments c but it is inferiour in respect of ciuill subiection in the obedience or submission that concerns body and goods The Prince must bee subiect to the Church in matters of faith and godlinesse and the Church subiect to the Prince in matters of this life and ciuill subiection How far Princes haue power in cases ecclesiasticall will be shewed afterwards They obiect that diuers Councels doo except the Clergy from the Barre and Tribunall of Princes and diuers Popes haue discharged the Clergy of such subiection Ans. Councels Popes cannot decree against the Word of God besides they iudge and determine in their owne case for what were the Popes or Councels but Clergy-men Moreouer the Popes assumed a power to themselues which was neuer giuen them for they were so farre off from hauing power to free their Clergy that they had no power to free themselues 2. Thes. 2.7 They obiect again and say that it is absurd the sheep should rule and iudge the shepheard Princes are but sheep and Priests are the shepheards Answer Magistrates are not sheep in all things but in spirituall things in matters of faith and so Ministers are shepheards to feed their soules but in ciuill things the Magistrate is the shepheard and the Clergy-men sheep because citizens or subiects But they say that Clergy-men are freed by priuiledge from the Emperors and by the Lawes of the Empire Ans. If that be so then their priuiledge is Iure humano not diuino Secondly they plead a false priuiledge for in things in question they were neuer priuiledged that is in matter of obedience to the Law or in matter of punishment in things criminall Thirdly if it were so then they are
God will certainly bee a reuenger of this disobedience it being his owne cause as well as the Magistrates Besides it serues to informe vs concerning the admirable power and wisdome of God in effecting the subiection of man to authority of Magistrates all men naturally affect to excell and like not superiority in other men and besides it is needfull that one man should gouerne and keepe in order millions of men disposed as before Now this well points at the cause of this order and subiection which is the respect of God God naturally hath planted in the hearts of men a feare to rebell or disobey euen for fear of God himself more then Princes and besides God hath made man to see by experience that hee doth defend the persons and rights of Kings by reuenging the disobedience of men this naturall conscience keepes vnder naturall men Now though the Apostle would haue godly men to obey for the same reason yet it is vpon a higher ground for godly men are instructed by the Word of God to obey Princes yea herein differs the obedience of the godly from the wicked that the godly man obeyes for the meere loue hee beares to God and the wicked onely for feare of vengeance from God so both obey for a higher reason then the respect of Princes themselues euen for the Lords sake the one for the loue of God and the care of his glory the other for feare of his punishments and iudgements Lastly it shewes men must so acknowledge the glory of Princes as that especially we haue respect vnto the glory of God who is King of Kings we must obey Kings in the land so as God be not disobeyed Thus of the Proposition the Exposition followes The Apostle labours to cleare this doctrine from diuers scruples might be conceiued by Christians whether they arise from the diuersitie of the sorts of Magistrates or from their soueraignety For the sorts he shews they must obey Magistrates of all sorts both superior and inferior the highest and those which are subordinate to them both Kings and Gouernors also for their soueraignety Hee teacheth them to obserue the supremacy of Kings and Monarchs In generall wee may learne from the Apostles care to preuent mistaking herein that he accounts it a pernicious thing to erre about the authority of Princes and their Gouernours and experience shewes it to bee pernicious sometimes to the persons of Kings who are often by treason murthered vpon wicked and erroneous grounds and sometimes to the subiects who drawe vpon themselues not onely fearefull sinnes but miserable punishment also by erring herein somtimes it is pernicious to religion it selfe and religious causes giuing not onely scandall but procuring desolation in the Churches through errors somtimes on the left hand and sometimes on the right hand Whether to the King It may be questioned whom the Apostle meanes by the word King Such as vnderstand the Epistle to be written to the Iewes may perhaps conceiue that the Kings that ruled by deputation in Iudea should be meant such as were Herod and Agrippa But in as much as the Iewes were scattred through the Prouinces and those prouinciall Iewes were most in quiet and in as much as for the reasons afore giuen it is likely that the Epistle was written to all Christians both Iewes and Gentiles therefore by the King hee meant Caesar. And then a more scruple ariseth for the Romans hated the name of a King and Caesar was an Emperour to which diuers things may bee answered First that though the present gouernour was an Emperour yet the Apostle knowing that the most monarchies in the world would rest in the title of King in all ages therefore hee vseth that title that may concerne the most of the Elect in all ages Secondly that though amongst the Romans the title of King was not vsed yet the Grecians in whose language hee writ did familiarly vse the word which wee translate King Thirdly the Apostle might haue respect vnto the signification of the word as vnto a word which was most effectuall to note the highest dignity among men For it notes him that is the stay or foundation of the people or the common-wealth and though ambitious men sought new titles as higher yet the Apostle knew that this was most maiesticall and honourable for the tearm of Emperour in the signification of it may agree to any subordinate rule who gouernes or commands other men Fourthly it may bee that the Apostle knowing the hypocrisie of those Emperours who onely disclaimed the name of Kings to auoid the hatred of the people and yet sought the full right of Kings and so to destroy the liberty of the people giueth the name they sought in substance though not in tearme Where by the way wee may note how hatefull hypocrisie is to God and how vaine it is God will vnmaske euen Kings if they dissemble with him He that tryeth the hearts reines iudgeth according to truth and will not bee deceiued with pretences Though men durst not charge Caesar to affect the kingdom yet God dares and will require at his hands the ambition of his heart And if God will not beare with dissimulation in Kings much lesse will he beare it in meaner men hee hates hypocrisie and fained pretences and painted showes wheresoeuer hee findes it which should teach vs all to labour for a plain and vpright heart in all things to direct our words and carriage according to the true intent of our hearts For besides that God will plague men for their dissimulation which cannot be hid from him it fals out vsually that such as vse dissembling are perpetually suspected all their faire pretences notwithstanding as those Caesars were Lastly the Apostle may name Kings to preuent rebellion in the subiects which either should feare such as affected the title or liue vnder such as professed themselues to bee Kings and so the meaning is that hee would haue them obey euen Kings how hatefull soeuer naturally that kinde of gouernment did seeme vnto them It may bee that the Apostle mentioneth Kings as the last kinde of gouernment a Monarchy being in many respects the most excellent forme of gouernment as being such a form of gouernment as comes neerest to the similitude of God who is not onely one in nature but in gouernment also and is most agreeable to nature which doth affect vnity as well in the body politicke as in the body naturall But I let this passe as a question belonging rather to the Politickes then to Diuinity to be discussed at large Thus coniecturally of the reason why the Apostle vseth this tearm Concerning Kings I propound these things to be considered of First the Originall of Kings Secondly the excellency of Kings both these tend to work in man the care of obedience to them and their Lawes Thirdly the indefinite manner of propounding the tearm shewing that this submission belongs to all Kings Fourthly the vses of all
What hast thou to do to iudge another man's seruant he standeth or falleth to his owne master Rom. 14. Secondly that all masters haue authority ouer their seruants though the master be a poor man or an ignorant man or a cruell man or a froward man or a hard man yet the seruant must bee subiect to him and bear himself as reuerently and obediently as if he were the richest or wisest or worthiest master in the world and the reason is because the subiection is due not to the masters riches or gifts or greatnes but to the authority which God hath giuen him as a master and therefore seruants must look to this point and the rather because it will be the greater triall of their subiection and singlenesse of heart when neither feare nor reward nor any outward respect doth compell or constrain them but simply the conscience of God's Commandement and the masters authority Thirdly wee may heer inquire how masters come by this authority ouer seruants by nature they haue it not and therefore must haue it by law The lawes of men cannot make one man a seruant and another a master therefore it is by the Law of God Since it is by the Law of God if wee haue recourse to the tenne Commandements wee shall finde that it is the fift Commandement which giueth masters this authority and honor the exhortations of the Apostle being but interpretations of that Law And that this point may bee cleered two things must be searched into First what sorts of men are called fathers and mothers there and secondly why they are so called in the Commandement seeing the most sorts of them in the vsuall life of man haue other titles For the first This tearm Father wee shall finde in Scripture to be giuen first to such as begat vs Heb. 12.9 Secondly to Ancestors Ioh. 6.18 Thirdly to Tutors so Students are called Children of the Prophets Fourthly to such as beget vs in respect of grace as to our Ministers 1. Cor. 4.15 Gal. 4.19 Fiftly to Magistrates Gen. 41.43 1. Kings 24.12 Ezra 1.5 Sixtly to Elders in age 1. Tim. 5.1 Seuenthly to the Inuentors or Authors of any science art or trade Gen. 4.20 Lastly it is giuen to masters so Naaman's seruants called him Father 2. Kings 5.13 And from hence masters were wont to be called Patres familias as Magistrates were called Patres patriae For the second Magistrates Tutors Ministers Masters and all Superiours are called Fathers first because the father was the first degree of superiority and the fountain and seminary of all society Secondly God of purpose preserues this title in all superiority thereby to sweeten subiection to Inferiors and to make them think the seuerall dangers burdens labours and subiections in each condition to be not onely tolerable but meet to be born because they endure them vnder parents as it were and so such superiority for that reason should not bee resisted or enuied Thirdly that thereby Superiours may bee put in minde of their dutie to auoid insolency cruelty oppression and the too much respect of themselues God charging them by this title to remember that their Inferiors are to them by God's Ordinance as their children Thus of the proposition of the duties of seruants The exposition followes and so first he sheweth the manner how they must be subiect viz. With all feare Seruants must subiect themselues to their masters in all feare which being put downe indefinitely must be vnderstood both in respect of God and in respect of their masters Seruants must shew their feare of God in their places diuers waies First by auoiding such sinnes as are contrary to the will and commandement of God in their generall life such as are swearing lying slandering hatred of the godly drunkennesse whoredome and the like Psalm 101.3 4 5. Secondly by carefulnesse to doo God seruice as well as their masters not onely by spending the Sabbath in the duties of Religion but in redeeming the time in the week-daies as may be without hindrance of their work or offense to their masters to imploy themselues in praier reading conference c. and the reason is because as seruants must doo their masters work as they are seruants so they stand bound in the common obligation to do God's seruice as they are men and no man but is subiect to the Law of God who hath giuen all his Commandements to seruants as well as to masters Thirdly by dooing their masters work out of conscience respecting the will and commandements of God and therefore seruing their masters with all faithfulnesse as if the seruice were to bee done to God himself or to Iesus Christ Eph. 6.5 Col. 3.23 Fourthly by praying for their masters and for the good successe of their labours for their masters commodity thus Abraham's seruant is commended for his practice of the feare of God and left for an example to all seruants to doo likewise Genes 24. Fiftly by dooing their masters work without eye-seruice being as carefull and as diligent when their masters are absent as when they are present as remembring that the Lord sees them though their masters doo not Col. 3.22 The feare then toward their masters they may shew diuers waies First by auoiding what might displease their Masters such as is answering again Tit. 2.10 contention with their fellowes and all vnquietnesse Phil. 2.4 sullennesse Prou. 29.19 and all vnfaithfulnes shewed either by purloining in the least things Tit. 2.10 or carelesness in disappointing the trust committed to them as also masterfulnesse pride and haughtie behauiour when they will not abide it to be told or directed or doing what they list not what they be appointed Secondly by reuerent behauiour to be shewed by lowlynesse of countenance by giuing titles of honor and respect Iohn 13.13 by standing before them when they sit Luke 17. by auoiding rude behauiour or sawcy familiarity as accounting them in heart worthy of all honor 1. Tim. 6.1 one point of which reuerence is that seruants should not presume to deliuer their opinions easily in their Masters presence vnlesse it be required or may bee gathered by argument from the lesse Iob 32.6 7. Thirdly by their secrecy in all the affayres of their Masters especially they should take heede of discouering their Masters infirmities to others abroad out of the family Fourthly by auoyding inquisitiuenesse to meddle only with their owne businesse the seruant knoweth not what his Master doth Iohn 15.15 Fiftly by doing their work with all faithfulnesse and diligence in absence as well as presence that when the Master comes he may finde them so doing Math. 24. Thus of the manner of the duty â—he persons to whom they must thus submit themselues follow And so they must be subiect with all fear not onely to the good but also to the froward To the good and gentle For the sense we must enquire who are good Masters and who gentle Good Masters are discerned by diuers signes