¶ To my very louynge and dere beloued felowlabourers in the worde of God and brethreÌ„ in Christ William Ienyns Deane of the Cathedrall church in Gloucestre Ihon Williams doctour of the lawe and Chauncelour and to the rest of all the churche appoynted there to serue the lyuinge God with al other Archedeacons Officiales Deanes Perâ—ons â—yâ—ars and Curates wythin this the Kyngs Maiesties diocese of Gloucestre grace and mercy from y â— lord euer lyuyng in the bloud of Iesus Christe our onely Sauyoure IF the daungers and perylles of Sayncte Paules tyme derebe loued â–ª mynistred and gaue occasion vnto hym for too â—eare of the loste of suche people as then were conuerted vnto y â— knowledge and vnderstanding of goddes holye worde least by neglygence or corrupt doctrine of the bisshops pastours they might be seduced and broughte into erroure doutles the daungers of thys oure tyme that be not onely to be feared least such as knowe the truthe be by errour seduced and brought from y â— truthe or â—ls by continuaunce in vngodly lyfe continue in the truth in vaine â–ª but also that the most part of people be yet ignorant and not conuerted vnto y â— truthe shuld minyster and yeue occasyon vnto vs a great deale more to be vigilant and circum spect not onely to kepe those in truth to whome god hath reue led it but also to winne and conâ—ert with all prayer diligence preachyng and other instruction such as yet be ignoraunte out of the way vnto the truthe and knowledge of gods worde And so muche y â— rather because we se by experience and also fele it in our selues that the iust god is offended angrye wyth our synnes and wyll not be contentyd w t these troubles miseryes and crosses that alredye he layeth vpon vs but doeth doutles prepare and make readie many more and more greuouse Our office therfore is to be dilygent and circumspecte for the people of God and nowe the hande of god beynge stretched furthe to admonysh the flocke committed vnto our charges in tyme least they die their bloud required at our handes Certeyn I am y â— our sinnes be y e only cause wher fore this moste iust god is offended and certeyn we be that the only way and meanes to please and quiet him again is to leaue and wasshe away oure synnes What the synnes of y e people be where with all god is thus offeÌ„ded you that haue y â— ouersyght of theym knowe or ye oughte to knowe I meane not too descende particularly to any sinne leaste paraduenture I myghte seme too be temerous and ouer hardye too iudge more then I perfitly know or els in naming suche sinnes as many good simple people haue notte heard of might rather lerne to augment the euyll they knowe then too lerne the good they know not It is the duety of euerye good pastoure and curate dilygently to searche and knowe what vertue is most mete to be commended what vyce most to be reprehended in y â— church y t he serueth I wyl leaue therefore the vnknowen euils vnto me to the shepeherd of euery parish requiryng hym to marke the synnes of the people after-and by the estimation of gods word therby too pondre the condytyon of his people lest that he cause theÌ„ and do the same hym selfe swalowe a Camel and be choked w t a flee leape ouer a blocke and stomble at a strawe Before all things se that the people know theyr commaundementes and the workes thereof appertayning vnto god in the fyrst table that they honour no wrong nor false god nor yet the true god a wrong waye but as he hath coÌ„maunded hym selfe in the olde Testamente and the newe And alsoo that they auoyde all suche synnes faultes and dysobedyence as be contrary to the commaundementes of God in the second table And for a help vnto you and also to the people in this behalfe I haue set furth here the. xiii Chapyter of S. Paule to the Romaynes whyche intreateth of all the seconde table and dewtye of a chrystian manne howe he should vse hym selfe with and towardes al sortes of people Most hartily praiing you and also in gods name and the kinges maiesties name commaunde you that as many as serueth any cure w tin this diocese y â— can not for lacke of learning or excercise teche nor preache hym selfe too the people the lyke doctryne that they doo euerye Saterdaye and Sonnedaye reade vntoo the people thys xiij Chapyter as I haue here set it furth that the people may learne to knowe loue and fear the better the kinges Maiestie and other suche magistrates as be by hym appoynted ouer the people And all suche as God hath yeuen grace of preachynge vnto in theyr sermons shall oftentymes inculcate and perswade thys argumente and rule of obedience vnto the people And the cause why I haue written in this Chapiter more then an other and thinke it very expedyent to be now taught vntoo the people is the greate and daungerous offences and synnes of the rycher sort of people and alsoo of the poore both â—n thys shiere and other the kinâ—es Maiestyes in this realme And certayne I am that bothe of theym shall dye eternallye yf they amende not Wherfore to delyuer my soule I geue suche as be commended by god and y â— kings Maiestie vnto my charge warning of the iudgement and dampnatioÌ„ to come before The ryche man so incrochith gathereth together and obteyneth so muche into hys owne handes that he alone possesseth y â— earth lyueth therebye and hys poore neyghboure readye too dye for lacke so that he is brought into Cantalus paine meat drinke catel and corne inough of euery syde of hym yet shall rather dye for lacke then y â— vnsatiable and neuer contented couetouse persons wyll price theyr goodes sâ—â—s poore men theyr wiues and theyr Chyldren maye be habâ— to by resonable peniworthes oâ— Goddes aboundaunte plentye and riches that he bringeth out of the earth These men excepte they repente can not be saued nor be partakers of the merites of Christes passyon For God would the riche to geue vnto y â— poore But oure men that care neyther for god nor the kynges lawes wil neyther yeue nor sell what so euer necessite do require If thei wold not care for goddes word yet should they haue respect to Nature and to there countreye thoughe the poore man be not a ryche man yet is he a Christian and thy countrey man of whom nature and countreyshyp requireth the to haue compassion The poore manne partlye prouoked by necessetye and nede and partelye of vnchrystyan hatred and dysdayne he hathe at hys neyghboures wealthe and prosperitye conspyryth worketh prouoketh desyreth by al meanes to oppresse and robbe his richer neighbour and wyll by force strengthe treason sedytion commotyon assemblaunce and gatheryng together of suche as he is him self agaynst goddes lawes goddes ordinaunces Magistrates and superioure
powers take awaye and vsurpe euery mans goods he careth not howe Not remeÌ„bryng the iudgemente and terrible dampnation of god for his so doing and that it is his bounden duetie too suffer and beare suche neades and necessities as god layeth vpon vs for our synnes And that vpon payne of hell fyre noo manne shoulde reuenge hys owne wronges but commend him selfe to god who can and wyll heare the prayers of the poore in theyr troubles and neades And that they shoulde offer theyr supplycatyons to the Kynges Maiestye and to suche other as be appointed for the redresse of suche oppressyon and wronges and not too take weapons armoure and force agaynste GOD and hys ordynaunces In case the Kynges Maiestye and the rest appoynted too see poore mennes causes redressyd wyll not hearken too theyr clamoure doutles the Ire vengeaunce of god wyll punysshe them and so much the rather if the people quietly and obediently coÌ„mend their causes vnto him y â— whych yf they do not they perishe eternally For there is no traytoure nor sedityous man can be saued but obediente quiet men shall inherit the kingdom of heauen and suche as suffer wrong and not such as do wrong or intend to reuenge by strengthe theyâ— own wrongs Therfore to kepâ— the people of thys diocese from the displeasure of god and theiâ— kyng and my selfe from euerlasting dampnatioÌ„ I require yoâ— most dilygently to teache them this Chapiter euerie weke oâ— part of it the Saterday at E 〈…〉 song the other the Sonday 〈…〉 the morning praier and y â— thirâ— part the sonday at Euensong Thus fare ye al wel god yeâ— vs grace all well too dyscharg our offices coÌ„mended vnto v◠¶ Yours wyth all my heart brother and felowpreacher Ihon Gloucestr◠¶ Annotations in y e .xiij. Chapiter to y â— Romaines ¶ The Prologe THE office and duetye of a christian man is conteined in twoo partes The firste that he use himselfe aryght and reuerently with God The second that he vse hym comely and honestly w t man In the Epistle to y e Romaines from y e beginning Sainct Paul hath fullye and sufficyently declared the vnty and offyce of man towards god towards the end he declareth how we may honestly do our duetyes towardes men â—othe these offices must dilygentlye be knowen and exercised And because a Ciuyle and outwarde lyfe seme it neuer so honest is mere and verye hipocrisie and can not please god except the mynd and soule inwardly be well affected towards hym I thinke it conuenyent brieuely to declare wherin Sainct Paule in this Epystle doth put the religyon of the heart of man towardes GOD and then we hall the better descend vnto suche dutys and offices as appertaineth to al maner of persons as well publyque as pryuate Fyrste Sainte Paule perceyueth that in grace and promises of God can noâ— be knowen of man vntyll suche tyme a 〈…〉 he be brought to acknowledge and dyspleasure of his sinnes The phisition an 〈…〉 phisicke be vnprofytable vntoo suche a 〈…〉 knowe not that they be sicke as Christâ— sayd I came not to call the iust but synnâ—â—s to repentaunce Therfore we must know the wounde of our soules and thâ— syckenes of synne before we can get any profyt by the grace of God We must confesse that all men and women except Christ are borne the chylderne of ire anâ— of goddes dyspleasure and that we beaâ— aboute in vs synne that alwayes repuâ—neth the spiryt whereby we are acertayned that we be alwayes subiect vnto sy as Sainte Paule sayth he concluded â— men vndersinne because he might ha 〈…〉 mercy vpon al. Seing we be al sinners the reward of sinne is death Saint Paules conclusyon where he saythe we arâ— borne al the chylderne of Gods dysplesure is true Nowe then may we be deâ—â—uered from thys great Ire and dyspleâ—sure By the mercy of god the father rewardes vs that fyrste loued vs we loued hym whiles we were yet his enemyes But what is that where with all we may be annexed and reconciled vnto god by hys mercye when there is noo good thyng in vs but all fylthy and sinnefull It is Iesus Christ y â— sonne of god moste â—erebeloued in whome the father is conâ—ented and by whom he is reconciled vn to all synners that repent and beleue his â—romyses for the merites and shedynge of Christes blud his derebeloued sonne After that we se and perceyue so great a mercy and pitie of our heauenly father y â— would not fanoure nor spare hys onelye sonne to die for our redemptioÌ„ but gaue hym to the most cruell and vyle death of â—e crosse for vs how shuld not we trust 〈◊〉 so mercyfull a father in all oure troubles and aduersityes whether they be of â—â—die or soule Whye should we not call onely vpon so mercifull a god If we do 〈…〉 us amend our liues beleue his promyâ—â—â— study a better life we shal not oneâ—â— ve saued by his mercy but also glad to â—â—â—ue hym and walke before him in inno â—â—â—cie and purenes of life and also obediâ—â—tly and quyetly in the world yeue reâ—â—rence loue to all persons accordingly to whom honoure honoure to whome loue loue to whoÌ„ iustyce iustice to whoÌ„ mercy mercy Vntoo this christian quyetnes reuerence loue and feare doth all the scripture exhorte vs and chiefly thys presente xiii chapiter to the Romaynes For the vnderstanding wherof the better I note at the beginning a certain dyuersitie and difference of persons There be and euer hath bene some publike persons some pryuate persons Publyke persons be those that beare ony offyce rule regiment or Dominion in a coÌ„mon wealth as a kyng with all his iustyces Maires Sheriffes Baylynes Constables and other Priuate persons be such as be subiectes and vnder these officers These two persons must be diuersely vsed and the duety that is due vnto y â— one is not due vnto the other in ciuell respectes And seing we must lyue with bothe these persons and states appointed to be in the world by almighty God Saincte Paul in this chapiter is very diligent to teache and instructe vs howe we shoulde lyue accordingly in trueth and honestye towardes them bothe ¶ The diuision of the chapiter Partes 1 ¶ Why the superyoure powers should be obeyed 2 How we be debtors of loue to the publyke person Magistrate to the pryuate person that is a subiecte indyfferentlye 3 Conteyneth an exhortatyon to innocencie and honestie of life that the truth being once knowen and receiued euery man shuld abstayn and kepe him self froÌ„ filthynes and vncleane lyfe ☞ The first part concerning the obedyence of y e Magystrates LEt euery soule submit him selfe vnto y e autoritie of the higher powers SAint Paul pronounceth generallye that euerye soule that is too say euery man shuld be obedyent vnto the hygher power In a kyngdom and monarchie where one is appoynted to rule all the
subiects of y â— same realm are bound to obey the one kyng appointed by god of what conditioÌ„ state or degre so euer they be as the king him self is bound to be obedient vnto the lawe vnto God where as the lawes be not contrary to y e law of god and y â— lawe of nature And here is no exception to be made No man in a kyngdom is or ought to be priuileged or exempt from y â— obedience of the kynge which is the hygher power And the ecclesiasticall lawes that do exempt and priuelege ony spirituall as they be called or temporal person froÌ„ this general rule Euery man be obediente to the higher power is damnable and hereticall manifestlie condemned by the worde of God For Christ his apostles paied tribute and other dutyes vnto y e higher powers of the earthe And the powers that here Saint Paul speaketh of be not onely kynges and Emperours but all such as be appoynted to ony publike office and common regymente eyther for a kynge where as is a kyngedome or in the place of a kynge where as y â— state of the commune wealth is noo monarchye but a rule and dominion commended to many To all these Saint Paule commaundeth obedience honour reuerence and loue too be borne And this is specialli to be noted in Saint Paule y t he sayth symple and playnly we should obey the hyhher powers to confute argue reprehende those that cloke and excuse their inobedyence eyther for y e age of the rulers or els for condytyons and maners of the rulers And that â—ige dischargeth no man for inobedience the worde of god declareth howe that he was present to helpe yonge kinges and to defende them in theyr vnder age as it is to be sene by kynge Iosias Also God punyssheth yonge kynges as often as they walke not after hys word as it is to be sene by Iehoiacim that was crowned in y e eight yere of his age and w t in thre monethes and tenne dayes for the synnes he coÌ„mytted before god he was takeÌ„ prisoner by Nabucadnozor Euen so was Manasses beyng of xii yeres of aige Neyther doth the maners condition of y e magistrates excuse our inobedience though they be nought For Paule byddeth vs loke vpon the power and autoritie of y e hygher powers and not vpon theyr manners And S. Peter commaundeth the seruauntes to obeye their maisters though they be euil So Ioseph obeied Pharao Christe our sauyour Pilate Saint Paul the Emperours of Rome Caligula Nero And wheÌ„ S. Paule coÌ„maundith vs to be obedyent he meaneth not only we should speake reuerentlye and honorably of y e higher power or make curtesye vnto him but to obey the lawes set furth by the powers except they commaund things against gods lawes then must we obey more god then meÌ„ yet not to striue and fight w t the magistrates but suffer pacientlye death rather then to offende God or els oure obedience is nothinge but hipocrisie and dissimulation Who wold accept his own childes making of curtesy when all his factes be contrary to his coÌ„maundemente What Maister would be content or thinke his seruant did his duty in putting of his cappe and in his doing coÌ„temneth all his maisters lawes and commaundementes The lawes of a magistrate be of two condytyons and sortes eyther they concerne God or man If they concerne or appertayne to god either they be according to the word of god or contrary to y e word of god If they be according to y e word of god of necessitie and bondage vpon payne of dampnatyon they muste be obeyed Yf they be repugnaunt to the worde of god they shulde not be obeied Yet rather shuld a man suffer deathe then to defende hym selfe by force and violente resystinge of the superyour powers as Christ his Apostles and the prophetes dyd If the lawes concerne and appertayne vnto man and vntoo thinges Ciuil they must simple wythout exceptyon be obeyed except they repugne and be contrary to the lawe of nature As Pharaos lawes commaundemente was to the midwyffes y e shuld haue killed all y e men chyldren that the women of Israelites broughte furthe Seynge Saincte Paule commaundeth vs to gyue obedyence vnto the higher powers howe muche be these men worthy hell fyre that resyste theym both wyth hand hearte and tonge In the boke of Exod. the people is coÌ„maunded not too speake yuell of the hygher powers rede the place and lerne to detest and abhorrâ— those renneagats that in euer tauerne and tappe house spewoute theyr blasphemous trayterous talkes agaynst the magistrates when they should rather loke vpon their owne faultes and studie to amende theâ— And also praye God to doo the same in the magistrates that 〈◊〉 myght please him of his great mercye to amende and redresse all thyuges that be amysse After that Sainte Paule hath generally commaundid all me too be obedyente to the hyghe powers he shewyth the cause wherfore they shuld be obeied For there is noo power saith he but of god The powers that be are ordeyned of God Whosoeuer therfore resysteth power resistyth the ordinaunces of GOD. Because that naturally there 〈◊〉 in euerye man a certayne deâ—â—â—r of libertie and to lyue wythout subiection and all maner of lawes excepte souche as please him selfe Saynte Paule is not contente generally too exhorte and commaunde all men too obedience of the hygher powers but yeuyth manye greate and waighty causes wherfore men shuld be obedyente and in subiectyon vnto them The first is because the office of a magistrate is y e ordinaunceâ— of god and seing al the ordinaunces and powers of God are to be obeyed necessarely it foloweth that with out all tergiuersation hipocrisye and collusyon y t the Magistrate must be obeied except we wil say in some respectes god is not to be obeyed Of this reason of Saint Paule we must note fyrst the dignitie and honour of a publike persoÌ„ that hys office and place is the ordinaunce and appointment of god And therfore the Magystrates be called goddes in y e holy scripture For no man can come too the offcie of a magistrate but by the permission and sufferaunce of God Many tymes some persons come vntoo the place of a ruler by false and preposterous â—eanes as those do that for a â—riuate lucre or priuate hatred 〈◊〉 other put vp theÌ„selues and pull doune those that god hath appointed But suche vngodly â—ummyng to honour god suffereth and appointeth for the synnes of the people such euell and disceÌ„blyng hipocrites to reigne But let the king Magistrate be as wicked as can be deuysed and thought yet is his offyce place the ordinaunce appointment of god and therfore to be obeyed And as it is the subiectes duety to obey them so is it their dutye too watche and be circumspecte that they trouble nor vnquiet any thyng in theyr offyces contrarie
to the worde of God whose officers they be In case they doo although the Subiectes maye not nor vpon payne of eternall dampnatyon ought not by force nor violence to resyst the offycer in hys high power yet he shuld and is bond to thyncke hym selfe that God can and wil as wel reuenge the abuse of his office in him as punysshe the subiecte for the dysobedyence of his ordinaunces towardes the hygher power If it be true that Sainte Paul sayeth the hygher power to be the ordinauÌ„nce of god it is verye damnable iniquitie that for any priuate affection or other iniust oppressyons for ony man to depose the magistrates from their places and honoure appoynted by god or els priuilie or openly craftely or violentli to go about to chaunge or alter y â— state and ordynaunce of God and there wythall God is soore offended â—s it doth appere by the grudynge and murmurynge of the People agaynste Moses in the deserte the whyche thoughtes and conspiryces of the people agaynste their Magistrate and gouernoure the Lorde punysshed wyth deathe and kylled theym all before they came too the lande of Canaan For euen as Kynges and Magystrates be appoynted and ordeyned of God â–ª euen soo be they alsoo defended by hym as it appeared by Dauid Iosaphat and other And the sedition and treason redounded alwaies too the destruction of y e people at lengthe as it is to be seene in AbsoloÌ„ Architophel Catilme Brutus Cassius and other that destroyed not onely the selues but also people by suche treason and disobedience against y â— ordynauÌ„ce â–ª and appoyntment of god as ye maye see here by the texte of Sayncte Paule that folowyth which is his seconde cause why the higher powers shulde be obeyed And as he sayd first they shulde be obeyed because theyr place and autoritye is the ordynaunce of god so now in hys seconde cause he sheweth what great daunger perill it is too resyste and dysobaye Goddes ordyaunces And they that resyst shal receiue to theÌ„ selfes damnation As thoughe he hadde sayde lest ye shulde thynke it a lyghte thyng and but a trisfelyng matter to wythstand and dysobeye the magistrates vnderst and ye y â— in your so doing ye withstand and fight against god and therfore ye prouoke iudgement and vengeauÌ„ce agaynst your selfes be culpable and gylty of gods euerlastynge dyspleasure yf ye repent not and yeue ouer your obstinate disobedyent rebelly on Here Saynte Paule hath set furth the end and successe of sedytion treason conspyracie rebellyon too saye destructyon both of bodye and soule Whoo is hable to contende and fighte wyth God and ouercome him Is not he onely almightye and onely strength Absolon with a thousand traitours against one true subiecte preuailed not against his father Dauyd but dyed the death of a traytoure Euen so dyd those whom before I named And as S. Paule speketh heâ—e so speaketh Christ to Peter He y â— striketh with the swerd shal perish by the swerde if gods word be trewe as it can not be false all such as do by thought word or dede intend to trouble vnquiet chaunge aulter moue or resyste the ordinaunce of god which is the Magystrates and hygher powers must nedes of necessite perysshe as well in this worlde as in the world to come excepte they repente and ceasse from doynge of yuell Nowe goyth Saynt Paule fourth wyth the terte For rulers be not to be feared of such as do well but of suche as do cuyll By these wordes Saynt Paul declareth two thynges Fyrste he warneth the Magystrate of hys offyce leaste when he shall perceyue it to be y â— ordynaunce of god and that no man should more resiste and contrary it theÌ„ to resyste and contrarye God shuld ware arrogante proude and beginne to fauour and flatter hym selfe to mouche vnder the title and pretence of Gods power But God forbyd sayeth Saynte Paule that the magystrate shoulde thynke ony suche thynge he shoulde remember rather that he is appoynted to hys place to defende helpe and preserue souche as be good and punysshe souche as be noughte and euyll Thys commaundemente dyd GOD commaunde to the hygher powers in the commune wealthe of the Israelites and that they should not lyfte vp theyr hertes aboue their brothers but to vse indyfferencie and iustice wyth all indifferently wythout exceptyon of persons as ye maye reade in the holy scripture The second parte of Sainte Paules wordes commendith y e magistrates for their vtilitye coÌ„moditye in y â— coÌ„mune wealth bycause that by their autoritye yuel doers amonge the people are punyshed corrected that honeste true men may lyue in rest and quietnes And for thys commodytie and necessarie vse we be bound to obey them For through their diligence labour paynes vnder God we eate heare the word of god laboure brynge vp youth householdes be in quietnes the goodes ther of with Cities townes and villages of the realme These commodities be great and worthy of thankes specially to god and then to the hygher power Saint Paule foloweth his purpose with these wordes Wylte thou be Wyth out feare of y e hygher power do well then and so shalt thou be praysed of them Where as before he said y e high power was a fear to euil doers in these words he sheweth how meÌ„ may be w tout fear of the magistrates to saye if men do wel for well doing pleaseth goddes order and goddes order beyng pleased feareth not nor punyssheth y e weldoer And where as Saint Paule speaketh of feare to the hygher power we muste vnderstand that fear is of two sortes One is yf loue and good wyll anexed and knyt wyth reuerence and loue and this fear is onely in godly and vertuous men that delyte too be ordered and ruled after the order appoyntment of God The other feare is annexed wyth spyte hatred enuye and dysdayne that wyssheth there were no order lawe nor Magistrates and those that be to destroy them or to brynge theym out of credyte and estymatyon amonge the people This feare is wicked and dampnable and a testymonye of an yuel and cursed conscyence and forbydden here in thys Place by Saincte Paule Sainte Paule contynueth in the coÌ„mendatyon of the magistrates saying For he is the mynyster of God for thy wealth Here Sainte Paule addeth an other commendatyon of the hygher power the whych consysteth in twoo members wherfore he shoulde be obeyed The fyrste is because he is the Mynyster of God The seconde because he was instytuted and appoynted by God for the wealth and commodyte of the subiecte In thys that Saint Paule calleth hym the mynister of God he putteth the subiecte in mynd agayne that whoo so euer contempne or dysobeye the hygher power contempnyth and dysobeyeth GOD. And so sayeth Christe who soo contempnyth suche as I appointe and sende contemnyth me And the same saide God vnto Moses They
haue not cast of the but me Also the magistrate there is warned too take hede he doo nothynge but as the minister of god too rule gouerne after his word For this god requyreth of hym that he be a faythfull mynister And when so euer he begyn to wax laughty haulty arrogant and proud â–ª let hym remember Sainte Paules wordes that he is but a minister And where as Sainte Paule sayeth the Magystrate is ordeyned for the wealthe of the people â–ª he must take hede of the ende where vnto he is appoynted and be in dede as god wold hym to be a wealth saluatyon of y e people to defend iust causes to condemne suche as be vniust to remoue false supersticious religion and to plant true and godly religioÌ„ to maintaine suche as profyt the church and â—â—ocke of Christ and to remoue such as hinder and deceiue theÌ„ Saint Paul nowe prosecuteth â—ys matter and sheweth whoo shuld feare the hygher powers with these wordes If thou do euyl then fear for he bearith not aswerd for noughte but he is the minister of god to take punishment of them that do euyll Euen as Sainte Paul saith here that the cause of feare too an euyll man is that the Magistrate beareth a swearde Euen so doth he declare that it is not ynoughe for the Magystrate to beare a swerd but to vse and execute the sweard as the synnes of the people requyre too punysshe and kyll them yf the lawe so fynde them gyltye and for feare of the vse of y â— swearde whyche is not in vayne they should kepe euyll doers in obedyence and feare and so muche the more because he is the mynyster of God and hys punyshmente is the verye hande and wyll of god when he punissheth yuell doers And it is not he y â— kylleth but god whose place he occupieth being a magistrate higher power For god coÌ„maundyth him to punysh not to fauoure suche yuel and naughtye persons It is very diuillishnes to accuse the magistrates of yuel doinges when they punysh or put too death yuell doers seyng in their this doing thei be none other but gods Ministers And where as the scrypture forbyddeth punishment reuengyng it meaneth that no priuate man should reuenge his owne cause nor fight at his pleasure but rather suffer wronges if the lawe wil not redres it And if y â— iudge and magistrate in a cause of the lawe for lucre feare loue frendship or ony other respect kil ani man that is not worthye by the lawe to die the iudge and Magystrate is a verye murtherer And so he is yf he saue ony man that the lawe condemnyth For he is as S. Paul saith a mynyster of God whoo neuer saueth one condeÌ„nith y â— other in lyke causes S. Paule when he hath sufficiently declared y â— dignity of the higher power gathereth by two necessary causes more y â— the Magistrate is to be obeyed with these wordes Wherfore ye muste nedes obey not for feare of vengeaunce onely but also because of conscience The one cause wherfore we must obey is the feare of payn punishment the which the Magistrate must minister by y e commaundemente of God vnto all suche as disobey and contemne the ordinaunce of God The other is conscience for although the magistrate do not se 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 and that for many causes First because the magistrate is the ordinauÌ„ce of god then because dysobedyence and breaking of goddes lawes troubleth the publike and commune peace yeueth other stomake and incouraging to dysobey Al these euyls folowith dysobedyence the which of conscience we are bound to exchew auoide There be some so indurate past grace that thinke them selues not bound to obey thys order and higher power appoynted and commaunded of God but doubtles those shall perysh with their capitaines as Architophel did with his Absolon If y â— hygher power coÌ„maund ony thyng contrary vnto gods worde they should not be obeyed Notwythstandynge there should be suche modestie and so bernes vsyd as shuld be w toute al violence force and rebellion As Peter Ihon vsyd saying God is more to be obeyed then man And so in saying of truththey continued in y â— truth w tout mouing of sedityon and suffred death for y â— truth as Fabiane Cipriane holy martirs recordes of god suffred in Affrica vnder Decius the Emperoure of Rome How we are bound in coÌ„science to obey theÌ„ S. Paul declareth farther saying And euen for thys cause paye ye tribute for they are goddes ministers appointed to y e same purpose If we were not bound in conscyence to obey them we shuld not nede to pai tribute vnto theÌ„ but seing we ought to pay trybute taxes and subsidies we knowe they do defende vs agaynst all force violence wrongs of our enemyes Therfore tribute is a note and knowledge of our obedience which we must pay wyllyngly and gladlye of dutye as Christ sayth geue vnto God y â— which is gods to y e Emporour that which is the Emperours Sainte Paule sheweth the cause why tribute oughte to be payed vnto the hygher powers because sayth he they be ordeyned of God to preserue and defend the coÌ„mon welth in peace quietnes to punyshe the yuel and to defend the good And without the magistrates helpe thys can not bee doone as ye maye read In the booke of the iudges howe the people fell in to all myschiefe when they wanted a lawful Magistrate superior power and euery man did as it semed best in his owne eyes And in the Prophet Esai the lord threateneth y e wycked Hierusalem because there was none in it worthy to beare rule Euen as subiectes be bound to obey this higher power so must the higher power alwaye take hede that vertue and good meÌ„ be commended and euyll men with sinne and disobedience punisshed Nowe foloweth the second part of the Chapiter GIue to euery maÌ„ therfore his duty tribute to whoÌ„ tribute belongeth Custome to whoÌ„ custom is due fear to whom fear belongeth honoure too whom honor perteineth When Saint Paule hath sufficiently tolde vs our duties to y e higher power he descendeth from that particularitye one sorte of persons to a generalitie howe we should do our dutyes to all maner of persons Fyrste generally he sayeth we should yeue euery man hys due Then numbreth he certeyne kindes particulers of dutyes Tribute we owe to kynges and Magistrates that must we faithfully paye or els the wythhoulders commytte thefte and therfore Christ payed tribute Custome is the reuenewes or proffytes that commeth by land or trade of merchaundyse and in thys point fayth must be kepte to all men accordynge to the lawes appointed by y e hygher