vs besides the saying of the Painim that through concord amitie little things become great the great doo perish It is most certeine true that the assuraunce of a kingdome consisteth not onely in an armie or number of people no more then-the force of a king in his royal scepter But in the amitie and obedience that his subiectes doe owe vnto him And verie well the historiographer saith when he did write that sport or pleasure is not durable wherein one is established and set in by swoord According to that another doth teach that those doe abuse themselues greatlie which doe thincke better to assure the realme by force then by amitie Euen so Theopompus béeing asked how a king may easelie kéepe a kingdome aunswered if he doe suffer his friendes to speake fréelie of laweful things And that he doe right and iustice vnto those which are wicked and euill For he which is much feared cannot choose but that he haue many enimies For as it is conteined in a common prouerbe men doe hate willingly those whom they doe feare and they doe desire gladlie the death of him whom they hate We must conclude that the most rediest meanes for to kéepe a realme is to kéepe the people vnder his obedience by gentlenesse and amitie According as Salomon doth write That mercie and faithfulnesse preserue the king and with louing kindnesse his seate is holden vp Furthermore I will not occupie my minde to search the examples of prophane histories All men doe knowe very well howe the kingdomes of Dauyd and Salomon his sonne haue prospered in respect of those of Pharao Saul and Nabuchodonosor As the Lord doth witnesse vnto vs of Saul that he hath giuen him in his wrath and in his displeasure will take him awaye agayne But as that is not mercy to desire one so great gentlenes bicause that mercy ought to gouerne hir selfe with all righteousnesse equitie and iustice Forasmuch as with true iudgement the king setteth vp the lande and the Lorde doth establish the seate of him which doth iudge the poore in vertue To conclude that the scepter of the kingdome of GOD is a right scepter To bee shorte as he which sitteth in the iudgement seate ought not to bee much enflamed and moued against these which are wicked or to weepe with the people that are gréeued or afflicted But to iudge with all vprightnesse without béeing affectioned through too much clemencie or rigorousnesse Also a vertuous and stout prince ought not indiscretly to repute for his friendes all those which do offer themselues sodeinly to his friendship But to consider diligently vnder what condition they do bear him fauoure That is the cause wherefore Isocrates Amonge other precepts that he did write vnto a Prince did commende vnto him three thinges aboue all others First that he would not repute for faithfull all those which do praise or allowe al that that he sayth or doth But those which doe rebuke him when he hath fayled Secondly that he would seperate those which doe flatter him by some kinde of deceipt from amonge them which doe honoure him by amitie Least that the condition of the wicked should be better then that of the good people Finally that he doe permitte and suffer the prudent and sage people to speake vnto him fréely to the ende that he may haue people which may aunswere to the purpose and satisfie him And truely that great orator of the Latines hath very well sayd that wée must first iudge before that we loue For that there are some men which doe loue a great deale better the body then the soule and doe not seeke but to fulfill their desire For the true friende as sayth Plutarch doth not followe all things but the thinges good and honest That is the cause wherfore a vertuous prince ought to be prudent euen to discerne and iudge of men to the ende not to beléeue too lightly all those which doe cal euill good and good euill which make darkenesse light and light darkenesse that make sower swéete swéete sower which doe sow pillowes vnder al arme holes and bolsters vnder the heades both of younge and olde to catch soules withall For as Quintus Curtius sayth That flattery is a pernitious thing and an ordinarie euill of kings by which their riches are sooner wasted then by the enimie I will content my selfe at this time with the example of Ieroboam who refusing to comfort his people according as hee was taught of the elders was the cause of the diuision and ruine of his kingdome And I will not make mencion of king Achab who for that he beléeued more the voice of the false prophets then the holesome admonitions and warnings of Micheah doth let all christian Princes vnderstand what it is to beléeue the counsaile of the good As often times it chaunceth bicause we receiued not the loue of the truth that we might be saued God shall send vs strong delusion for to beleeue lyes euen as Iob doth wryte that the Lorde chaungeth the heart of the princes and kings of the earth and disapointeth them So that they goe wandering out of the way and grope in the darke without ltght staggering to and fro lyke dronken men And Dauyd doth declare that the same Lord doth make the princes hatefull and doth let them wander out of the way in the wildernesse The which ought to serue for the christian princes chiefly for to kéepe their subiectes in their obedience rather by gentlenesse and amitie then by seueritie and cruelnesse The example is manifest of Denys the tyraunt of whom Cicero speaking off sayth that he was shutte into a merueilous prison fearing very much his subiectes for the crueltie that he vsed towardes them I will not rehearse the common saying of the Emperour Anthonius Pius that is to say that he loued rather to keepe one of his Citizens then to kil a thousand of his enimies I doe leaue willingly the sentence of Silla surnamed the happie which aboue all his prowesses did aduaunce him selfe of two thinges I doe meane of the amitie of Pius Metellus and for that hee did not destroye the Citie of Athens but did spare it As also Salust speking of the aūcient wals of the Citie of Rome doth write that the Romaines were become great puissant bicause they pardoned their enimies I wil ende this matter by the sentence of Agesilaus king of the Lacedemonians warning oftētimes his souldiers not to wrong and hurt those that they dyd take as people vniust But to kéepe them and acknowledge them as men If then the Painims and heathen men haue vsed such gentlenesse and humanitie towardes their enimies shall the christian princes vse crueltie towardes their subiectes If that one ought to kéepe faith among the straungers as we doe reade of Marius Regulus who loued
which as the bodie without the soule a common wealth can not long endure and continue as béeing destitute of her partes and her sinewes yea without them the kingdomes are none other thing but the very harbour of théeues runnagates and robbâ—rs As it is written of Lycurgus that he could finde no greater meanes to make the Citie of Sparta to florish then to accustome the inhabitauntes thereof to obey lawes Finally it is welknowen that in quietnesse and hope our strength doth lye stayinge our strengthes haue patiently attended euen vntil the bloode of the true christians shed out euery where and in the best townes of the realme doth commaund vs to repulse and stand against such cruelties forces and tiraÌ„nies and we haue not taken that vpon vs for any ambition desire of glorie priuate profite or desire of vengeaunce But for the zeale of the Lordes house of the which those godly persons Moses Hely Iehu Mattathias and Iesus Christ our sauiour béeing godly moued could not suffer that of the Lordes house they should make a house of marchandise and a denne of théeues On the other side al men do know that our enimies haue taken those weapons of their own proper priuate authoritie willing to force and constraine against their owne consciences the diuine and humaine lawes to defile the name of the Lord and to oppresse the iust To conclude what other thing hath moued them to inuade striue against vs but a desire to hurt a gréedinesse and ardency of vengeaunce a courage and desire against vs and an vnreconciled hatred and enmitie an vnlawfull affection to speake against the edictes and statutes of the king a desire to reigne and beare rule things most damnable in matters of warre as sainct Augustine doth write Whereby our enimies doe sufficiently declare their slaunderous and wicked faith When they doe accuse vs to bée rebelles against the kinge our naturall and soueraigne Prynce and of that onely pointe they themselues doe vncouer and shewe sufficiently a rebellion which haue dispised the Edictes and statutes of the king they doe exercise still dayly their cruelties and tyrannies towardes the faithfull Which thing if the great men especially those which are in degrée dignitie of a maiestrate and gouernoure doe vaunce and bragge themselues to bée so obedient and faythfull seruauntes of the king howe doe they dissemble and cloke such cruelties without prouiding by the rigoure of iustice and seueritie of their lawes And wherefore doe they beare the word If it be not to take vengeaunce on them that doe euill If they do saye that they can not resist the force and strength of a people so furious and madde I would demaunde of them willingly who hath moued them to put weapon in the handes of a people so foolysh and rash except it bée to giue them libertie to doe all kinde of euill Or wherefore doe they nowe make any doubt to forsake the weapons especially in thys time so quiet and full of tranquilitie but for bicause that their consciences doth accuse them of so many murthers and robberies For it is an heauie thing when a man 's own conscience beareth recorde of hys wickednesse condemneth himselfe And why a vexed wounded conscience taketh ouer cruell thinges in hande Fearefulnesse is nothing els but a declaring that man séeketh helpe and defence to aunswere for himselfe If they doe replye that some of our owne countrey men haue had sithens the Edictes and statutes of the kinge the weapons readie in their handes I doe aunswere that that was not to abuse it to thinges vnlawfull or to let or hinder the office of a magistrate as our aduersaryes doe dayly shedding of their owne head and aucthoritie the innocent bloode and doe put them by force and violence to the punishment of the seditious and rebels But to the contrarie that by that meanes the ordinaunces and statutes of the king which should be kept and the good defended from iniuries oppressions of the wicked leding a quiet peaceable life in al godlines and honestie Finally to the end that wée should liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope and notable appearing of the glorie of the mightie God which is of our sauiour Iesus Christ vnto whom bée glorie for euer Amen Psalme 33. c. The Lord bringeth the counsell of the heathen to naught and maketh the deuises of the people to be of none effect But the counsaile of the Lord shall endure for euer and the thoughtes of his heart from generation to generation Esaie 8. b. Go together ye people and gather you harken too ye all of farre countries Muster you and gather you Take your counsaile together Yet must your counsaile come to naught Goe in hand with all yet shall it not prosper except that God be with vs. A Prayer O Lord which art wonderfull in counsell and excellent in all thy woorkes tourne thee againe I pray thée looke down from heauen and beholde and visite thy â—â—ne and the place of the vineyarde that thy right hâ—â—de hath planted and the braunch that â—hou madest so strong for thy selfe Beholde the wéeping and crying of that poore Rachel and of those which are killed and put to death for thy name Shew foorth thy puissaunce and might amonge the middest of that mad and furious people breake their counsell by the force and strength of thy right hand as thou diddest break the enterprises of these which would builde the tower of Babel as I say thou hast abated the pride of Pharao pursuing and following after thy people To conclude of one Nabuchodonosor which dyd rise vp against thee that euery one should know that the worke which thou hast begun in vs in this meane exercise of reliligion is not a worke or counsell of men which may incontinent come to naught but a worke which thou hast prepared for thy glorie for to endure for euer Ouerthorow the apointments and deceipts of those which of a set purpose doe goe about and enforce themselues by all meanes to hinder the frée passage of thy word as thou hast broken the counsaile of Achitophel and brought to naught the bolde and vnshamelesse pride and ambition of Haman conspyring the death of Mardocheus and of the Iewes Cause that the enimies of the truth séeing thy wonderfull woorkes may acknowledge howe precious the death of the righteous are in thy sight yea may confesse with heart and mouth that the blood of them is the true séede increasinge of the kingdome of thy sonne And that they may worshippe him as the first borne amonge the dead and prince of the kinges of the earth our Lorde Iesus Christ to whom bée glorie for euer Amen ¶ A BRIEFE ADVERTISMENT wherein is declared that the true Christians ought to auoid parcialities contentions and to keepe the vnitie of the spirit through the band of
the estates doe destroy the Iudges and in the meane time it must néeds be that the Iudges doe liue by stelth and doe get againe through dishonest gaine that that they haue vnlawfully disboursed Furthermore I wil not muse or studie to marke and discouer the faultes of ours it is inough for me that euery one doe knowe that the puissance and greatnesse of the cities and common wealthes doe not lye and consist in an excessiue and madde number of magistrates â—endinge and seruing rather to the ruine and destructioÌ„ of the people then to the comforting of them No morâ— then the iustice and true rule to liue well to so many newe Edictes and statutes But to the wisdome of the magistrates and true vsage and exercise of the religion and iustice And I will not bee abashed if an Emperour of Rome called Licinius Cesar did call sometime a heape and companie of officers mothes and rattes As also one may daylie sée that they do despise so many waies the edictes and statutes of the Prince and of the superiors Bicause that the number of magistrates serueth nothing to the common wealth no more then so many edictes and statutes of the magistrates to the helping and comforting of the subiectes I will ende this matter by the prayer which king Salomon made aswell for his owne regarde as for the regard of all his people O Lord forasmuch as thou hast caused a younge Ladde to reigne ouer thy people giue vnto him a heart full of knowledge to iudge thy people and to knowe the good from the euill that he may walke in thy waies in truth and righteousnesse and kéepe thy statutes and commaundements Giue vnto him grace that he may duely and rightly rule his subiectes vnder the obedience of thy lawes and ordinaunces teaching them the way by the which they shall walke in the worke that they shall doe Finally O Lord cause that the same Prince doe prouide among the people vertuous men and fearing God men louing truth and hating couetousnesse and which doe iudge thy people at all seasons in all right equitie iustice In the fauour of him which iudgeth the poore with righteousnesse and with holynesse reformeth the simple of the worlde Our Lorde Iesus Christ vnto whom be glorie for euer Amen Prouerbes 29.14 The seate of the king that faithfully iudgeth the poore shall continue sure for euermore Prouerbes 28. Bicause of sinne the lande doth oft chaunge hir prince But through men of vnderstanding and wisedome a Realme endureth long A Prayer O Lord which by thy mightie and puissant hand hast made the world of nothing and which doest dispose all thinges with a meruailous order and counsell Which settest vp againe righteousnesse in the ballaunce and iudgement in the weights yea by whom the kings reigne and the Princes make iust lawes Direct so by thy grace the young age of our king vnder thy feare that he reigning ouer vs in all equitie and righteousnesse he doe mainteine his people in the kéeping of the lawes which do concerne the aduauncement of thy glorie and the libertie of thine O Lorde make him to vnderstand that as al puissance and power is from thée So the Prince is the minister of God for all mens wealth To the ende that the may employ bestowe the giftes which thou hast giuen vnto him to thy glorie to the aduauncement of the kingdome of thy sonne and to the comfort of his people Assist through thy fatherly goodnesse all those which are of his counsell That they may acknowledge that thy feare is the beginning of wisdome and that they doe not séeke onely their priuate commodities but also those of other mens or that they séeke not their owne but those of Iesus Christ vnto whom bée glorie for euer Amen A BRIEFE DEMONSTRATION vnto those which doe make it no conscience to shed the innocent bloode vnder preteÌ„ce I know not of what foolish zeale Wherein is shewed by examples of the scripture how odious before God such cruelties are Cap. 11. Genes 9. a. ¶ He which sheddeth mannes blould shal haue his bloude shed by man againe For God made man after his owne likenesse 1. Samuel 15. g. ¶ Samuel said vnto king Agag as thy swoord hath made women childlesse so shall thy mother be childlesse among other women SAlomon doth witnesse in his prouerbes that ther be sixe things which the Lord hateth and the seuenth he vtterly abhorreth A proud loke a dissembling tongue handes that shed innocent bloud an heart that goeth about with wicked immaginations féete that be swift in running to doe mischiefe a false witnes that bringeth vp lies and such one as soweth discord amonge bretheren That is the cause wherefore Dauyd prayed the Lord that he will not destroy his soule with the sinners nor his lyfe with the bloude thirstie Where that good Prophet speaking vnto GOD doth crie thou O God shalt cast them downe into the pitte of destruction For the bloud thirstie and deceiptfull man shal not liue out halfe their daies The Lord trieth the righteous but his heart hateth the wicked and him that loueth violence The which is sufficiently declared vnto vs by examples of the scripture yea who will begin from the creation of the world For froÌ„ the lawe of nature Cain killed his brother Abel for that cause the Lord said vnto Cain What hast thou done The voice of thy brothers bloud cried vnto me out of the earth And nowe cursed be thou as perteining to the earth for when thou tillest the ground she shall hence foorth not giue hir power vnto thée a vagabund and a runnagate shalt thou be vpon the earth In the lawe that is written Pharao king of Aegypt went about by all meanes to afflyct the people of GOD vntill that he caused to be killed al the men children of the Hebrewes But in a little while after all the first borne in the lande of Aegypt were killed Pharao and all the Aegiptians were drowned in the seas In the time of the Iudges Abimelech desiring to reigne ouer Israel caused to bée killed all the children of Gedeon except Ioatham insomuch that Abimelech was made king in Sichem But within a little while after this vengeaunce happened vnto him For Abimelech hauing besiged the Citie of Thebes and taken it and going to take a tower wherein the people were gotten together a woman did caste a peace of a milstone from the wall vppon his head and all to brake his brayne panne â–ª So as sayth the Scripture all the wickednesse of Abimelech which hée did vnto his father in sleying his thre score and ten bretheren God did bring vpon his head The Quéene Iezabel caused Naboth to bée killed for to haue his vineyard But the Scripture doth teach vs that the Lord spake against Iezabel saying that the dogges shal eate Iezabel vnder the walles of Iezrael the which came to passe For Iehu
is assistaunt daily or alwaies vnto his and vnto his church in what aduersitie so euer it bée according as hée hath promised in Esaie where hée sayeth I will make this couenant with thē saith the Lord my spirite that is come vpon thée and the wordes which I haue put in thy mouth shall neuer go out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy childrens childrē frō this time foorth for euer more According vnto that which Iesus Christ hath promised vnto his saying I am with you alway euen vntil the ende of the world and in an other place Iesus saith I will not leaue you comfortlesse Furthermore it is openly knowen though that the Lord do tarie yet neuerthelesse he doth put and fasten certeine markes and lymits vnto the wicked tyrantes that which they cannot passe The which this scripture doth teach vnto vs which did appeare vnto Balthazar béeing set in his bancket with the princes of his people and his concubines by the which Daniel did declare vnto Balthazar that GOD hath numbred his kingdome and brought it to an ende that he hath waied in the balance his dooings and those of Nabuchodonosor his father Where we shal note in the first palce that the lord doth permitte and suffer often times that the wicked shoulde fulfill the measure of their Fathers deferring their punishment vnto the thirde and fourth generation Secondly that the Lorde is not slacke to fulfill his promise as some men count slacknesse but is patient to vs warde and woulde haue no man lost but woulde receiue all men to repentance Thirdly that we must not limit and appoint the time of the mercy of the Lord nor to binde the counsailes of our God As the quéene Iudith doth very well declare vnto the inhabitauntes of Bethulia but to submit our selues vnder the mightie hande of GOD that he may exalte vs when the time is come and to cast all our care vppon him for he careth for vs Finally that wée must beléeue that God woulde be exalted in the patience of his and knowen to bée the onely soueraigne Lord aboue all in the destruction of the wicked according as the scripture saith that GOD standeth wayting that hée may haue mercy vppon vs and lifteth himselfe vp that hée may receiue vs to grace For the Lorde GOD is righteous happie are all they that waite for him And in the booke of Exodus the Lorde sayde vnto Pharao for this cause I haue constituted thee for to make thee knowe my power and strength and to declare my name throughout all the worlde I doe speake vnto those who by our exile banishment and losse of our goods haue thought euen hitherto to constraine vs vnto an extréeme indigence and pouertie and do not consider howe the Lorde hath led his people in the wildernesse fortie yeres their clothes did not wax old vpon them nor their shooes are waxed old vpon their féet Besids this they do imbraide and reproue vnto vs our exile and banishment as if the paine did note the persons of infamie and not the cause Vnto the which we may aunswere with that great Oratour of the latines that the townes and Cities are those which are ruled by all right equitie and iustice which are the true sinowes and cordes of all common wealthes and without which the kingdomes and cities can no more endure then the bodie without life consequently that we haue not bene driuen from towns and cities in asmuch as in them as saith Salust of the citie of Rome there was no difference of the good from the euill but ambition and couetuousnesse did possesse all the rewards of vertue the which doth approch nigh vnto the sentence of Sainct Augustine where hée doth declare that the kingdomes without iustice are the verie dennes and retraytes of theues robbers I do report me vnto the cruelties more then barbarous and Scythian which haue béene executed euen here in the best towns of this realme within thrée yeare past in the meane time they do aunswere vs that they wil not endure suffer two religions To the first place I woulde demaunde of them willingly if it doth apperteine vnto them to make the lawe vnto the king and if they may doe it without charge of conscience and faulte of rebellion Secondly if the religion that they do obserue and kéepe be not a double religion Finally if our doctrine and the foundation of the same be any other then the same of the prophets and Apostles if I say we doe acknowledge any other head in our Church then Iesus Christe and him crucified As touching the first it is most certeine that it belongeth vnto the higher powers to giue the lawe vnto their subiectes not the subiects to giue vnto them the law for they do beare the sworde as the seruants of God for to do iustice in the wrath of him which doth euill vnto such doth apperteine to discerne iustice for they are sent of God for the punishment of euill doers and vnto the laude and praise of them that do well Which if the lawes haue so surely prouided against those which haue marred and defaced the edict or statute of a magistrate or a gouernour which doth not regarde but a thing altogether ciuile and politicke what punishment doe they deserue to haue which by assembles bands and companie of people and by feate of armes haue broken in this time all deuine and humaine lawes if the ciuile law doo punish gréeuouslie him which doth not obey the magistrate what paine cruell ynough can one ordeine for the magistrate which not onely hath wincked and dissembled at the wickednesse and faults of the people But for to do that without authoritie of the prince hath constituted made vnlawfull ordinances and lawes deuised thinges which be to hard to kéepe thorowe the which the poore are oppressed on euerie side and the innocentes of my people are therwith robbed in iudgement I will not here alledge the arest giuen against the vniust iudge which was slain and his skinne was hanged vppe ouer the iudgment seate for to be an example vnto others and for to learne his sonne to exercise iustice in all equitie and right it shall suffise me to conclude with the wise man which saith that an hard iudgment shall they haue that bere rule Mercie is graunted vnto the simple but they that be in authoritie shal be sore puninished and the mightie shall haue the sorer punishment As to the seconde matter there is no man that is wise which doubteth but that their religion is double not onely forasmuch as it is painted and set out with the vaile and false apperaunce of true religion but also forasmuch as it is builded and grounded partely vppon the commaundemēts of God partly vpon the traditions of men Insomuch that the vice is greater among them to leaue the traditions of men
is as the sinne of witches and stubburnnesse is wickednesse and idolatrie It is most true that more greater goodnesse cannot happen vnto kingdomes common wealthes and cities well dispensed and gouerned then to make them to obey the lawes Inasmuch chiefely as they doe teach none other thing but the obedience due vnto the superiours As Xenophon doth witnesse that Lycurgus could finde no better meanes to make the citie of Sparta to florishe then to accustome the inhabiters of the same to obey vnto the lawes As more amplie Cicero doth declare that the spirite and the counsaile and the sentence of the coÌ„mon welth doe consist in the lawes and as the bodie without the soule so the common welth without the lawe cannot stand the which ought to be vnderstanded not onely for the regarde of the subiectes but also of the Magistrates princes and other superious and verie well Cyrus the king of the Persians did declare vnto his sonne that he must be â—elie iust and a greate obseruator and kéeper of the lawes As also the lawes of the Emperour do witnesse that it is a kingly voice and worthie for a vertuous and he royeoll prince to confesse him selfe to be subiect bound vnto the lawe That is the cause wherefore the Egyptians did adiure their Iudges and Magistrates to iudge nothing vniustly and wrongfully although that they had expresse coÌ„maundement Euen so Anthonius the third of the name did signifie sometime by letters vnto his officers that when he did coÌ„maund any thing coÌ„trarie vnto the lawes that they should not obey him And verie wel the ciuil law hath prouided in that matter which would that the Magistrate should not execute so sodeinly the will of a prince who being moued with anger or with some vnlawfull desire of vengeance should commaund a thing contrarie or repugnaunt vnto the lawe But as Solon did complaine in his time that the lawes were like vnto the spiders webbes the which doe suppresse easely take the little beastes but are broken destroyed by the great beastes Do demonstrate declare that the simple people of a base poore conditioÌ„ were constrained to obey that laws that the ritch puissaÌ„t of this world do transgresse them with all licence without punishment Also it is to be feared that not onely the like shall happen in our time what say I the like but also that the lawes be not violated of the poore of the ritch And it doth greue me verie much to confesse plainly that there are so many Magistrates in the realme of Fraunce that they do beare so little obedience vnto the princes lawes I do no lesse meruaile that there are so fewe Magistrates in other countries and great obedience of the subiectes So many lawiers there are I say in this Realme and yet neuerthelesse they doe regarde neither the lawe nor yet the right of the subiectes On the contrarie parte among other nations a fewe people which doe professe the lawe and yet neuerthelesse Iustice duely administred and executed insomuch that it séemed as saith Cicero a in certeine oration that we doe not holde any thing of that which is of right and of true Iustice but that we doe vse onely the shadows and images of things in the meane time we doe knowe verie well to recite with the same Orator that there is nothing that we ought better to kéepe and reteine in a citie then the ciuill righte without the whiche saith that authour that no man should be master of his owne or he should not knowe which is his owne or which is an other mannes and there is nothing which may be ruled or gouerned among men with right equalitie and iustice But some will demaunde of me where is the faulte I will aunswere with Plato the lawes although they are good are deade without the Magistrates But that the Magistrates without the lawes are liuely lawes and because that the Magistrates of this realme haue more regard to their priuate profit then vnto the commoÌ„ welth and doe traficke in administring their estates as they haue bought them to haue them the lawes do abide as deade and buried because that no man can bée founde that doth obserue and kéepe them The Iewes Turkes and other barbarous and rude nations doe kéepe their edictes and statutes and shall the Christians despise the lawefull ordinaunces of their prince The Christians wil obserue and kéepe diligently the which is established in their fauour shall they not be careful to kéepe and mainteine the edictes and statutes which do concerne the common welth If they doe take it vpon them although it be litle vpon their persons or landes they doe complaine by and by alledging the custome of the countrie and the ordinaunce of the prince if it be not of force or effect they haue the reason And in the meane season shall they not haue care and respect to mainteine the right of the innocent afflicted of the people of God Things truely which doth make me to say that there is verie little loue or charitie among the Christians For loue seketh not her owne things but the commodities of other That little Daniel did returne in iudgement for to saue the innocie of that chast Susanna and did put him selfe for her notwithstanding the credite and aucthoritie of the iudges And shall the Christian princes sée before their eyes the iust to be oppressed and shall holde their peace That worthie king Salomon did sit in iudgement for to doe right béetwéene two harlots and shall the christian princes sée in all places the bloud of their subiectes vniustly shedde yea in dispising and contemning of their edictes statutes and will suffer it patiently if the voice of the bloude of Abel hath cried vengeaunce after the Lord shal the bloud of so many christians so vngently intreated and killed holde their peace if Iesus Christ did rebuke the Scribes and Pharises for the bloud of the prophet Zacharie which was killed betwéene the temple the aulter shall not the lord iudge auenge the bloude of so many good christians shed in the middes of his seconde temple and christian Church for the word of Iesus Christ and for the witnesse of his name Finally if it be written that the homicide or murtherer shall die the death howe shall those scape vnpunished which are an occasion of infinite murthers thinking thereby to pull downe and suppresse all diuine and humaine lawes against their owne consciences for to get vnto themselues fame and renowne and to deface the memorie of the true faithful christians I wil vse no long discourse I do beléeue that they will confesse vnto me willingly that the edicts and statutes of a Prince are either laweful or vnlawful if theâ— are lawful as we ought to presume of the edicts and statutes made with good deliberation aduice of counsaile truely
because they haue not sought after the which was lost but churlishly cruelly haue they ruled ouer theÌ„ And al you which are strong ought to beare the frailnes of the weake him that is weake in the faith take vnto you but not to enter into doutfull disputacions of controuersies againe if any man be falne by occasion into any faulte yée which are spirituall helpe to amende him in the spirite of méekenes considering thy selfe least thou be also tempted Beare ye one an others burthen so fulfill the law of Christ Which if any man obeye not the lawe of Christ send vs word of him by a letter and haue no company with him that he may be ashamed Yet count him not as an enemie but warne him as a brother desiring no other thing then the helth of euery man Euen as Sainct Paul did deliuer the man who committed fornication with his fathers wife vnto Sathan for the destruction of the fleshe that the spirite maye be saued in the daye of the Lorde Iesus In lyke maner Hymmenaeus and Alexander that they do learne no more to blaspheme For I aduise you or let you knowe that he which conuerted the sinner from going astraye out of his way shall saue a soule from death and shall hyde the multitude of sinnes To no purpose some menne héere doe alleadge that Iesus Christ and the Apostles haue not alwaies vsed suche modestie and gentlenesse As when Iesus Christ said wo be vnto thée Chorasin wo be vnto thée Bethsaida For if the miracles which were shewed in you had bene done in Tyre and Sydon They had repenâ—ed long agone in sackcloth and asshes Such are the words of S. Iohn towardes the Scribes and Pharises crying against â—hem O generation of vipers who hath taught you to flée from the vengeance to come Bringe foorth therefore the fruites belonging to repentaunce Euen so said S. Paule writing to the Galathians O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that ye should not beléeue the truth To whoÌ„ Iesus Christ was described before your eies among you crucified Now we will aunswere briefly that wheÌ„ Iesus Christ or his Disciples or Apostles do rebuke chide and exhort by any seueritie or rigorousnesse of wordes That is not that they do not teach in all gentlenesse of spirite and of doctrine applying themselues to the simpliâ—itie rudenesse or malice of the hearers Wherin is to much manifested the impudencie of those who without any discretion doe laye the heauie burthens and which are not able to be borne vpon mens shoulders and regard not that the Lorde hath regard or respect to him which is of an humble spirite and a broken a contrite heart And that he dwelleth hie aboue and in the sanctuarie and with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirite that hée may heale a troubled minde and a contrite heart these are they which doe let passe the commaundement of God by their ordinaunces and consider not that the commaundements of God are easie and gentle for the righteousnesse which coÌ„meth of faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thy heart who shall ascende into heauen that is nothing els then to fetch Christ downe Either who shall descende into the déepe that is nothing els but to fetch vp Christ from death But what saith the scripture the worde is nigh thée euen in thy mouth and in thine heart This worde is the worde of faith which we preach For if thou shalt knowledge with thy mouth that Iesus is the Lord and shalt beléeue with thine heart that GOD raised him vp from death thou shalt be safe Wherefore let vs lift vp our heartes with our handes vnto the Lord that is in heauen and confesse boldly that we haue bene rebelles and let vs séeke him and let vs retourne vnto â—he Lorde and he will not cast vs awaye â—or euer which if he doe giue vnto vs anguish then he will haue compassion of vs according to his great goodnesse for he doth â—ot punish and afflict willingly the sonnes â—f men Let vs not be ashamed to entreat â—im in fastings praiers sackloth ashes â—ea in the open assemblie of the Sainctes to confesse that vnto him belongeth iustice and to vs vtter confusion inasmuch as we haue sinned against him Finally let â—s walke worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called in all humilitie of minde and meaknesse and long suffering forbearing one an other through loue So be it 1. Thessa. 5. c. ¶ We beseech you that ye knowe them which laboure amonge you and haue the ouersight of you in the Lorde and giue you exhortation that ye haue them the more in loue for their workes sake A prayer O Lorde God most mightie and heaueÌ„ly father thou I say which desirest not the death of a sinner But wilt haue all men saued and come vnto the knowledge of the truth Giue vs grace in the middest of these troubles and enimies that we despise not the meanes which thou hast ordeined for vs to obtaine eternall life but that we emploie and endeuoure our selues with such feare trembling to our saluation that when we shall be iudged wée may acknowledge that we bée taught by thée that we be not iudged with the world and that willingly we may receaue the correction of the ministers dispensers of thy lawe confessing both with heart mouth that power is giuen vnto them to edification and not to destruction to ouerthrowe all such presumption as exalteth it self against thée to subdue all misdéedes to the obedience of thy sonne Christ so the by that means doing althings without murmuring and reasoning our obedience may appeare to all men and that we may be faultlesse and pure and the sonnes of GOD without rebuke in the middest of a croked and peruerse nation And finally that we may be fellowheairs with our Lorde Iesus Christ which through his obedience hath bene exalted aboue the heauens vnto whom be glorie for euer and euer So be it ¶ A BRIEFE ADVERTISment vpon the commaundement to loue god Cap. 16. Deuterono 6. b. ¶ Heare Israel the Lord thy God is Lòrd onely and thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with all thy might THe Lorde saide in Sainct Iohn he that hath my commaundements and kéepeth them the same is he that loueth mée and he that loueth mée shall be loued of my father and I will loue him and will shewe mine owne selfe to him manifestly If a man loue me he will kéepe my sayings and my father will loue him we will come vnto him and will dwell with him Where Iesus Christ doth testifie vnto vs that the loue which we do owe vnto the lord consisteth in the obseruing of his preceptes and commaundents And herein is to be noted the some obey the coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts of the lord as seruaunts