strength treason sedition commotion assemblance and gathering togeather of such as he is him selfe against Gods lawes Gods ordinances Magistrates and superiour powers take away and vsurpe euery mans goods he careth not how Not remembring the iudgment and terrible damnation of God for his so doing and that it is his bounden duty to suffer and beare such needes and necessities as God layeth vppon vs for our sinnes And that vpon paine of hell fire no man shoulde reuenge his ovvne wronges but commend him selfe to God who can and vvill heare the prayers of the poore in their troubles and needes And that they should offer their supplications to the kinges maiestie and to such other as be appointed for the redresse of such oppression and wronges and not to take weapons armour and force against God and his ordinances In case the Kings maiestie and the rest apointed to see poore mens causes redressed will not hearken to their clamour doubtlesse the ire and vengeance of God will punish them and so much the rather if the people quietly and obediently commend their causes vnto him the which it they do not they perish eternally For there is no traitour nor seditious man can be saued but obedieÌ„t and quiet men shall inherite the kingdome of heauen and such as suffer wrong and not such as do wrong or intend to reuenge by strength their owne wrongs Therefore to keepe the people of this Diocesse from the displeasure of God and their King and my selfe from euerlasting damnation I require you most diligently to teach them this chapter euery weeke one part of it the Saterday at euensong the other the Sunday at the morning prayer and the third part the Sonday at euensong Thus fare ye all wel and God giue vs grace al well to discharge our offices commended vnto vs. Yours with all my heart Brother and fellow-preacher Iohn Gloucester To the Christian Reader _â—He office duty of a christian man is contained in two parts The firste that be vse himselfe aright and reuerently with God The seconde that hee vse him comely and honestly with man In the Epistle to the Romans from the beginning S. Paul hath fully and sufficiently declared the duty and office of man towards God towardes the end he declareth how we may honestly do our duties towards men Both these offices must diligently be knowne and exercised And because a ciuil outward life seeme it neuer so honest is meere and very hipocrisie and can not please God except the mind and soule inwardly bee well affected towards him I thinke it conuenient briefly to declare wherein S Paul in this epistle doth put the religion of the heart of man towardes God and then we shall the better descende vnto such dueties and offices as appertaineth to all maner of persons as well publique as priuate First S. Paule perceiueth that the grace and promises of God cannot be knowne of man vntil such time as he be brought to acknowledge and displeasure of his sinnes The Phisition Phisicke be vnprofitable vnto such as know not that they be sicke as Christ sayd Math. 9. I came not to cal the iâ—st but sinners to repentaunce Therefore we must know the wound of our soules and the sickenesse of sinne before we can get any profit by the grace of God We must confesse that all men and women except Christ are borne the children of yre and of Gods displeasure and that we beare about in vs synne that alwayes repugneth the spirit wherby we are acertayned that we be always subiect vnto synn as S. Rom. 11. Paul sayth be concludeth al men vnder synne because he might haue mercy vpon al. Seing we are all synners and the rewarde of synne Rom. 6. Ephe. 2. S. Paules conclusion where be sayth we are borne all the children of Gods displeasure is true How then may we be deliuered from this great yre and displeasure 1. Ioh. 4. Rom. 5. By the mercye of God the father towards vs that first loued vs or we loued him whiles we were yet his enemies But what is that wherewith all we may be annexed and reconciled vnto God by his mercy when there is no good thing in 〈◊〉 but all filthy sinful It is Iesus Christ the son of God most dere beloued in whom the father is conteÌ„ted by whoÌ„ he is recoÌ„ ciled vnto al sinners that repent beleue his promises Mat. 3.17 Ephe. 12. Col. 1.2 Rom. 8. Phil. 2. for the merites sheding of Christs bloud his dere beloued sonne After that we see and perceiue so great a mercy pitty of our heauenly father that wold not fauour nor spare his only sonne to dye for our redempio but gaue him to the most cruel vile death of the crosse forvs how should not we trust to so merciful a father in al our troubles aduersityes whether they be of body or soul Why should we not cal onely vpon so merciful a God Mat 11. If we do thus amend our liues beleeue his promises and study a better lyfe Luk. â— we shall not onelie be saued by his mercy but also glad to serue him and walke before him in innocency purenes of life also obediently quietly in the world giue reuerence and loue to all persons accordingly to whom honor honor to whom loue loue to whom iustice iustce to whom mercy mercy Vnto this christian â—uietnes reuerence loue and feare doth at the scripture exhort vs cheefly this present 13. chap. to the Ro. For the vnderstanding wherof the better I note at the beginning a certaine diuersitie and difference of persons There be and euer hath bene some publique persons and some priuate persons Publique persons be those that beare any office rule re giment or dominion in a common wealth as a king with all his iustices Maiors Sheriffes Baliffes Constables and other Priuate persons be such as be subiectes vnder these officers These two persons must be diuersly vsed the duety that is due vnto the one is not due vnto the other in ciuill respectes And seeing we must liue with both these persons and states apointed to be in the world by almighty God S. Paul in this Chapiter is very diligent to teach instruct vs how we should liue accordingly in truth and honesty towards them both The diuision of the Chapter Partes 1 VVhy the superiour powers should be obeyed Partes 2 How we be debters of loue to the publique person and Magistrate and to the priuate person that is a subiect indifferently Partes 3 Containeth an exhortation to innocencie and honestie of life that the truth being once knowne and receiued euery man should abstaine and kepe him selfe from filthinesse and vncleane life The first part concerning the obedience of the Magistrates The Text. Let euery soul submit himselfe vnto the aucthority of the higher powers SAint Paul pronounceth generally that euery soule that is to saye euerye man shoulde
subiectes duety to obey them so is it their duety to watch and be circumspect that they trouble nor vnquiet any thing in their offices contrary to the word of God whose officers they be In case they doe although the subiects may not nor vpon paine of eternal damnation oughtnot by force nor violence to resist the officer in his high power yet he should and is bound to thinke him selfe that God can and will as wel reuenge the abuse of his office in him as punish the subiect for the disobedience of his ordinaunces towards the higher power If it be true that S. Paul saith the higher power to be the ordinance of God it is very damnable iniquitie that for any priuate affection or other vniust oppressions for any man to depose the Magistrats from their places and honor appointed by God or els priuily or openly craftely or violently to goe about to change or alter the state and ordinance of God and there withall God is sore offended as it doth apear by the grudging and murmuring of the people against Moses in the desart Sam. 8. the which thoughts and conspiracies of the people against their Magistrate and gouernour the Lorde punished with Death Num. 14. and kylled them all before they came to the land of Canaan For euen as Kinges and Magistrates be appointed and ordayned of God euen so be they also defended by him as it appeareth by Dauid Iosaphat 2. Sam. 17.18 and other And the sedition and treason redounded alwaies to the destruction of the people at length as is to be seene in Absolon Architophell Catlime Brutus Casius and other that destroyed not onely them selues but also the people by such treason and disobedience against the ordinaunce and appointment of God as yee may see here by the text of S. Paul that followeth which is his second cause why the higher powers should be obeyed And as he sayd first they should be obeyed because their place and authoritie is the ordinaunce of God so now in his second cause he sheweth what great daunger and perill it is to resist and disobey Gods ordinaunces The text And they that resist shall receiue to them selues damnation A◠though hee had sayde least yee shoulde thinke it a light thinge but a trifling matter to withstand and disobey the Magistrates vnderstand ye that in your so doing ye withstand and fight against God and therefore yee prouoke iudgement and vengeaunce against your selues and be culpable and gyltie of Gods euerlasting displeasure if yee repent not and giue ouer your obstinate and disobedient rebellion Here Saint Paule hath set foorth the ende and successe of sedicion Treason conspiracie and rebellion to say destruction both of body and soule Who is able to contend and fight with God and ouercome him Is not he onely almighty and onely strength Absolon with a thousand traitours against one true subiect preuailed not against his father Dauid but dyed the death of a traitour Euen so did those whom before I named And as saint Paule speaketh here Mat. 26. so speaketh Christe to Peter Hee that stryketh with the swoorde shall perishe by the swoorde if Gods worde bee true as it can not be fals al such as do by thought word or deed intend to trouble vnquiet change aulter moue or resist the ordinauce of God which is the Magistrates and higher powers must needes of necessitie perishe as well in this world as in the world to come except they repent and cease from doing of euil Now goeth S. Paul fourth with the text The Text. For rulers be not to be feared of such as doe well but of such as do euill BY these wordes S. Paule declareth two things First he warneth the Magistrate of his office least when he shal perceiue it to be the ordinance of God and that no man should more resist and contrarye it then to resist and contrary God should waxe arrogant and proude and beginne to fauour and flatter himselfe to much vnder the tittle and pretence of Gods power But God forbid sayth saint Paule that the Magistrate shoulde thinke any such thing he shoulde remember rather that hee is appointed to his place to defēd helpe preserue such as be good and punish such as be nought euill This commandement did God command to the higher powers in the commō wealth of the Israelites and that they shoulde not lift vp their hearts aboue their brothers Exod. 18. Num. 27. Deu. 1.16 and 17. 2. Par. 39. Psal 72.82.101 but to vse indifferencie iustice with all indifferently without exception of persōs as ye may read in the holy scripture The second part of S. Paules words commendeth the Magistrats for their vtilitie and commoditie in the common wealth because that by their authoritie euill doers among the people are punished and corrected that honest and true men maye liue in rest and quietnesse And for this commoditie and necessary vse we bee bound to obey them For through their diligence labour and paynes vnder God we eate heare the worde of God labour bring vp youth househouldes be in quietnesse the goods thereof with Cities Townes and Villages of the realme These commodities be great and worthy of thankes especially to God and then to the higher power Saint Paule followeth his purpose with these wordes The Text. Wilt thou be without feare of the higher power Do well then and so shalt thou be praysed of them WHere as before he sayd the high power was a feare to euill doers in these wordes hee sheweth how men may be without feare of the Magistrates to say if men do wel for wel doing pleaseth Gods order and Gods order beeing pleased feareth not nor punisheth the wel doer And whereas Saint Paule speaketh of feare to the higher power we muste vnderstand that feare is of two sortes one is if loue and good will anexed and knit with reuerence and loue and this feare is onely in godly and vertuous men that delight to be ordred and ruled after the order and appoyntment of God The other feare is annexed w e spite hatred enuy disdain the wisheth ther were no order law nor Magistrates and those that bee to destroy them o◠to bring them out of credite and estimation among the people This feare is wicked and damnable and a testimonie of an euill and cursed conscience and forbidden here in this place by S. Paule Saint Paule continueth in the commendation of the Magistrates saying The Text. For he is the Minister of God for thy wealth HEre Saint Paule addeth an other commendation of the higher power the which consisteth in two members wherefore he shoulde be obeyed The firste is because he is the Minister of God The second because hee was instituted and appointed by God for the wealth and commoditie of the subiect In this that Saint Paule calleth him the Minister of God he putteth the subiect in minde againe that who so euer contemne or disobey the
higher power Lu. c. 10. contemneth and disobeyeth God And so sayth Christ who so contemneth such as I appoint and send contemneth me And the same saide God vnto Moses They haue not cast of thee but mee Also the magistrate there is warned to take heede he doe nothing but as the minister of God to rule and gouerne after his word Deu 17. â— Cor. 4. For this God requireth of him that he be a faithfull minister And whensoeuer hee begin to waxe lofty hauty arrogant and proude let him remember S. Pauls wordes that he is but a minister And where as S. Paul saith the magistrate is ordeined for the wealth of the people he must take heede of the end wher vnto he is appointed be in need as God wold him to be a wealth and saluation of the people to defend iust causes and to condemne such as be vniust to remoue false and supersticious religion and to plant true and godly religion to maintaine such as profite the Churche and flocke of Christ and to remoue such as hinder and deceiue them S. Paule now prosecutetd his matter and sheweth who should feare the higher powers with these wordes The Text. If thou do euill then feare for he beareth not a sworde for nought but hee is the minister of God to take punishment of them that do euill EUen as S. Paul saith here that the cause of feare to an euill man is that the Magistrate beareth a sword Euen so doth he declare that it is not inough for the Magistrate to beare a sword but to vse execute the sword as the sinnes of the people require to punish and kil them if the law so find them gyltie and for feare of the vse of the sword which is not in vaine they should keepe euill doers in obedience and feare and so much the more because hee is the minister of God and his punishment is the very hand and will of God when he punisheth euill doers And it is not he that killeth but God whose place he occupieth beeing a Magistrate and higher power For God commandeth him to punish Exod. 23.22 Liuit 19.20 Deu. 19. and not to fauour such euill and naughty persons It is very diuilishnes to accuse the Magistrates of euill doinges when they punish or put to death euil doers seing in their thie doing they be none other but Gods Ministers And where as the scripture forbiddeth punishement and reuenging it meaneth that no priuate man shoulde reuenge his owne cause nor fight at his pleasure but rather suffer wronges if the law will not redresse it And if the iudge and Magistrate in a cause of the law for lucre feare loue friendship or any other respect kill any man that is not worthy by the law to die the iudg and Magistrate is a very murtherer And so he is if hee saue any man that the lawe condemneth For hee is as saint Paule saith a Minister of God who neuer saueth one and condemneth the other in like causes Saint Paule when he hath sufficiently deelared the dignitie and honour of the higher power gathereth by two necessary causes more that the Magistrate is to be obeyed with these wordes The Text. Wherefore yee must needes obey not for feare of vengeaunce onely but also because of conscience THe one cause wherfore we must obey is the feare of paine punishment the which the Magistrate must minister by the commaandement of God vnto all such as disobey and contemne the ordinance of God The other is conscience for although the magistrat do not sée nor know how thou doest disobey breake the order of God or els if thou couldest by power and strength ouercome the magistrates yet thy conscience is bound to obey that for many causes First because the magistrate is the ordinaunce of God then because disobedience breaking of Gods law troubleth the publique comon peace giueth other stomack incouraging to disobey Al these euils followeth disobedience the which of conscieÌ„ce we are bound to eschew auoid Ther be some so indurates past grace the think themselues not bound to obey this order and higher power appointed commanded of God but doubtles those shal perish with their captains as Aâ—chiâ—â—phel did with his Absolon If the higher power commaund any thing contrary vnto Gods word they shoulde not be obeied Notwithstanding there shoulde be such modestie sobernesse vsed as should be without all violence force and rebellion As Peter and Iohn vsed saying God is more to be obeyed then man And so in saying of truth they continued in the truth without mouing of sedition and suffred death for the truth as Fabian and Ciprian holy martyrs and recordes of God suffered in Affrica vnder Decius the Emperor of Rome How we are bound in conscience to obey them S. Paul declareth further saying The Text. And euen for this cause pay yee tribute for they are Gods ministers appoynted to the same purpose IF we were not bound in conscience to obey them we should not need to pay tribute vnto them but seeing we ought to pay tribute Taxes and subsidies we know they doe defend vs against al force violence and wronges of our ennemies Therfore tribute is a note and knowledge of our obedience which we must pay willingly 〈◊〉 gladly of duety as Christ sayth giue vnto God the which is Gods and to the emperor that which is the emperors S. Paule sheweth the cause why tribute ought to be payed vnto the higher powers because saith he they be ordeyned of God to preserue and defend the common wealth in peace and quietnes to punish the euil and to defend the good And without the magistrates helpe this can not be done as yee may read in the booke of the Iudges how the people fel into al mischiefe when they wanted a lawful Magistrate and superiour power and euery man did as it séemed best in his owne eyes And in the Prophet Esay Esay 3. the Lord threatneth the wicked Hierusalem because there was none in it worthy to beare rule EueÌ„ as subiectes be bound to obey this higher power so must the higher power alway take heed that vertue good men be coÌ„mended and euil men with sin and disobedience punished Now followeth the second part of the Chapter The text Giue to euery man therfore his duety tribute to whom tribute belongeth Custome to whom custome is due feare to whom feare belongeth honour to whom honour pertayneth WHen S. Paule hath sufficiently told vs our dueties to the higher power he descendeth from that particularity and one sort of persons to a generallitie how we should do our duties to al maner of persons First generally he saith we shoulde giue euerie man his due Then numbreth he certaine kinds and particulers of duties Tribute we owe to kings and Magistrats that must we faithfully pay or els the with holders commit theft therfore Christ payed tribute Custome is the reuenewes or profites