Prince neither knowing whō wherin nor how farre haue in like maner as men disguised vpon a stage turned their nobilite to open shame amongest all nations whiche now beholde their follie and wōder ther at seinge they are made instrumētes of impietie and destroyers of their natiue countrie which firste were ordayned in Realmes to stande in defence of trewe religion lawes and welth of their nation and to be a shylde to their power agaynst their enimies in tyme of warre and a brydel at home to their Princes in tyme of peace neither to suffer them in this sorte to rage agaynst God and vtterlie to conteme the holsome lawes of the Realme to satisfie their filthie luste and vayne glorie nor so cruelie to murther and agaynst nature to deuoure the people of God their subiects whom they are charged by their office to succoure and defende and haue therfore a feareful compt to make for donige the contrarie The Iustices likewise in Townes and Cities as Maieres Shryffs Baylyfes Constables Iealers and all suche inferior officers folowing the same exsample of vnlawful obedience whose office and charge it is to minister iustice whithout respecte of persōs to defende the symple and innocēt and to punishe all transgressors and malefactors blasphemours of Goddes holie Name violent oppressers of innocentes as be the bloudthurstie papistes are nowe become ministers of iniustice and tyranny made tormentours of their owne naturall Countrye men most blouddie butchers of their brethren and mercilesse murtherers of the childrē of God and that in suche cruel sorte as neuer was hearde of before since the deathe of Christe where anie profession of his Name hathe bene In so muche that they are made a spectacle and gasinge-stock to all countries and nations amongest whom is anie feare of God or ciuile policie whiche woulde not haue beleued it to be possible if their eares and eyes were not this day sufficient wittnesses For to vnderstand that the papistes were cruell butchers and vnsatiable bloudsuckers had bene no newes at all they haue bene such from the beginninge But when they bothe heare and see those that professe the Gospel and woulde be counted Christes shepe turned for feare of displeasure or losinge of their office in to the nature of bloudthurstie woulues to execute agaynst God and their conscience the vngodlie commandements of the papistes to be at commandement not onlie to their vnlawful Quene but also to euery shauen Sir Iohn to imbrue their handes with them in innocent bloude this makethe all men to wonder and be astonished To conclude the residue of the comon people seing their superiours of all degrees ād estates by whom they shulde be gouerned with godlie lawes and to whom they ought obedience in the feare of God onelie thus couardly to forsake their obedience to God and vtterlie contemne the office wherwith he had charged them to satisfie the vnlawful commandements of their wilful Gouernesse thinke it in no case their parte to deny to her like obedience but with bodies and goodes at home ād abrode to fulfill and mayntayne her will ād tyranny not withstandinge their owne conscience doth condemne thē and the worde of God dothe playnelie testifie that it is euell and vngodlie which they are commanded to do Being deceaued by misunderstanding this place of Paule and such like It behoueth euery soule to be subiecte to superior powers because there is no power but of God For the powers that are be ordinances of God ād therfore he that resisteth the power resisteth the ordinaunce of God But how litle this and other like obiectiōs make for their purpose we shall God willinge vnderstande after that we haue better examined this present answere of Peter and Iohn who are not cōtrarie to Paul nor Paul to them rightly cōsidered ▪ For thoghe this answere was made of Peter ād Iohn in their owne cause to the Magiestrates ād Rulers of Ierusalem yet is it no lesse generall then the saynge of S. Paule and partayneth to al conditions of men as wel Magiestrates and Rulers as inferior persons and subiectes teaching them bothe their office moste rightlie the one what to commande and how to rule the other whom to obeye and wherin to be subiecte as in their places folowinge shall euidentlie appeare CHAP. IIII. The trueth of this answere was so sensible that the verie aduersaries coulde not withstand it ANd firste to returne to the answere we may be assured that it is certayne ād an vndouted true the that in all things and of all men ād in all places God is to be obeyed before mē In so muche as the Apostels were not afrayed to cōmite the iudgement therof vnto their extreame enemies whom they knewe right well would haue geuen contrarie sentence if their answere had not bene withe out all controuersie As thoghe they would haue sayed After that we haue bene charged with this office to preache to all people and nations ād that by God him selffe to whom all powers are subiecte and all men are bownd to obeye whose iudgementes none can escape and whose wrathe no fleshe is able to abyde whiche with the breathe of his mouthe moueth the heauens and makethe the mightie mountaynes to shake and tremble and dryueth all powers be they neuer so stronge to dust ād powder We are contēted to make you iudges which charge vs to the contrarie whither this dreadful God may approue our doings in obeyēge you beīg men and his creatures yea earthe verie dust and asshes in comparison of his Maiestie Whither man of what auctoritie so euer he be is able to discharge vs in the presence of oure God if in holding our peace at your commandement we transgresse the expresse commandemēt of God That is not to preache Iesus Christ crucified who hathe chosē vs to the same ēd indued vs with knowledge reuealed vnto vs his secret counsels the mysterie of our redemption and armed vs with all giftes of the holie Gost necessarie for the accomplishement of so waightie an entreprise We nede not herein to vse many wordes or reasons nor to desier anie arbiters to define this matter be you your selues iudges Which kinde of speaking men commonlie vse when the matter is euident and out of doubte knowen to all men be they of neuer so slender iudgement and nede no further reasons or Scriptures to proue it The like kinde of reasoninge the Apostle vseth agaynst the Corinthians who permitted their wemē to praye bareheaded in the Congregation which he condemned as an vndecent custome not becommyng the Sayncts of God For amongest other reasons he likewise makethe them selues iudges in the matter sayeng Iudge ye amonge your selues whither it be cumlie for a womā to praye bareheaded in the Congregation Cōcludinge that verie nature dothe teache the contrarye In like maner this answere is so true and sensible that rather God is to be obeyed then man that there cā be none so
Which fearefull iudgment of God loke neuer to escape except suddaynlie ye repent and change your vngodlie purpose If you be at a couenant with deathe as you thinke you shall not auoyde it if you thinke to escape the comon destructiō making dissimulation and lyes your refuge yet shall you be reuealed for the Lord him self will destroye all your counsels because they are not of him Yt is not your going to the Masse your praysing of the Pope your flattring of your Quene and shauen Priests of Baal that can defende you in that day nether yet your licences whiche some of you purchasse of an infidel to departe out of your countrie some lyinge in idolatrous places differing no thinge from them in ther dissolute liuinge some passinge in to Italie to please their Quene and to get an opinion of men that they approue her procedings rather coueting to haue the name of a blasphemouse papiste then of Christe our Sauiour Thikinge by suche vnlawfull meanes to worke miracles but their gaines at length will be confusion as now their frute whiche they haue brohgt thence do witnesse that is the want of Gods feare and open dissimulation This is not the way ô vaine men to winne Gods fauour and to escape his fearfull iudgmentes but to increase his wrathe and hastē his vengeance who will not be mocked nether suffer his holye Name lōge to be blasphemed Cōsider with your selues and returne to the right way and walke in it while ye haue tyme and I will shewe it vnto you You haue synned moste greuouslie agaynst the Lorde knowe your transgressions and with teares confesse thē euery man vnfaynedlie vnto the Lorde who is redie to mercie and slowe to anger You haue despised and abused the worde of his dearely beloued Sonne Iesus Christ the Author of saluatiō in the dayes of our Godlie kinge Edwarde which is the cause why God hath thus plaged vs with a tyrant seke after the worde agayne and receaue it with all reuerence By geuing auctoritie to an idolatres woman ye haue banished Christe and his Gospell and in his place restored Antichriste with all his infections wherin your owne consciences condemne you of euil Then in takinge agayne the same auctoritie from her you shall restore Christe and his worde and do well In obeyinge her ye haue disobeyed God Then in disobeying her ye shall please God Because you haue geuen place to her and her counsells you are all become idolatrous hypocryts and also traytors to your owne Countrie then by resisting her selues damnation for their transgressiō and her wicked decrees you must be made true worshippers of God ād faithfull Englishe men Other meās there are not but to turne to God by repentāce to banishe falsehode by receauīg the trueth to ouerthrowe Antichriste and all kinde of idolatry by honoring Christe and his Gospell to suppresse tyranny by iustice to withstande oppression and murther by defending the iuste and innocent and punishing the workers of iniquitie of what estate or condicion so euer they be as after God willing shall be proued at large For as by this means onely Gods honor must be restored and you escape his vengeance to obeye thē that obeye God and resiste them that resiste his Maiestie rēdringe vnto all accordinge to his Lawes euenso when they shulde vnderstand that their subiectes be no more as it were brute beastes with out sense or iudgment but that they knowe wherein ād how farre they owe obediēce ād would no more be led by their deuilishe and vngodlie lustes as they haue bene and yet are presentlie Then woulde their Princes and Rulers also geue them selues with all diligence to studie and applie the same Lawe of God then woulde they do nothinge them selues nor commande others where in they where not assured to please him Then woulde they learne to obeye God which now rebel agaynst him and to folow the examples of the Godlie kings and Rulers hauing the boke of the Lorde euer with them neuer suffring it to departe from them But as worthie Iosua Iosias and Iosaphat to reade and studie in it day and night Not to declyne from it them selues nor yet to suffer their subiects therin to be ignorāt which is the onlie wisedome of God and comforte of all mens consciences Then shulde the Rulers loue and preserue their subiectes And the subiects likewise reuerentlie obeye their superiours To conclude then shuld all be blessed of God feared of their enimies sure from all daūgers voyde of all idolatrie and false religiō and estemed of all nations the wysest and mightieste people vpon the earthe as God promissed to Israel so longe as they shulde lyue CHAP. IX Answers to the contrarie obiections of such as teache all maner of obedience to Magistrats to be lawful taken forthe of the New Testament BVt for as muche as there is nothing so manifest and true which is not either obscured vtterlie by contrary reasons of mans brayne or ells discredited by other places of Scripture wrōgfully vnderstāde and applyed by many I haue here thoght expedient before I proceade anie further for the better establishing of the trueth to answer and satisfie so far as shal please God to geue vnto me all suche reasons auctorities and Scriptures as are aleadged to the contrarie to the intent that we may not onlye see the trueth and so be styrred to imbrace it but also may espie the falsehod ād learne to auoyde it And because amongest all other auctorities ād reasōs there is none of greater force thē that which is wryten in the Epistle of S. Paul to the Romains we will firste of all others begin with it Let euerie soule saith he submitt him self to the auctoritie of the higher powers for there is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordeyned of God Who soeuer therfore resisteth power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shal receaue vnto them selues damnation Here say they is a general doctrine affirmed by the Apostle that euery man none excepted must be subiecte to superiour powers and if euery man muste be subiect none oght to disobey Besides this beholde the Apostle doth not barely affirme this propositiō sayīg Euery person for that he meanethe by euery soule must be subiecte to the Magistrates and Rulers of what condition so euer he be but proueth the same with a moste sure argument gathered of the ordinance of God ▪ because there is no power but of God And therfore to resiste powers is to resiste God him self whose ordinance it is And not contented with one reason he confirmeth the same with a nother depending of Gods punishments which he hath appoynted for all them that resiste which is to receaue to them selues damnation for their transgressiō so that they cōclude that it is not onely Paules auctoritie that maketh all men subiecte to their superiours which notwithstanding were sufficient being
as the people traÌ„sgressing agaynste the Lawe For with God ther is no respecte of persones as here after folowith more largely Thus we see that althoghe Dauid thoght it not lawful in his priuate cause to touche Gods anoynted yet are no people or nation therby coÌ„strayned either ot obeye their anoynted in vnlawful demandes or els forbidden to withstand the open transgression of Gods Lawes and mans For in that case Saules seruauntes would not obeye him commandinge them to murther Ahimelech and the rest of the Leuites aÌ„d Priestes so that not to withstand such rages of Princes in tyme according as the Lawe requireth which commandeth that the euill be taken forth from amoÌ„gest you is to geue them the bridle to all kynde of mischiffe to subuerte all Lawes of God and man to let will rule for reason and therby to inflame Gods wrathe agaynst you wholy as your selues in Englande are this day an example to all natioÌ„s and people that beare the Name of Christe These are the obiections for the moste parte or at the least the chiefest which are comonly alleadged agaynst this veritie moste playne and euidente that is that there is no obedience to be alowed agaynst God which is not in his sight disobedience Also that it is lawfull for all men according to their vocatioÌ„ to resiste to the vttermost of their power all such as are open enimies of God and labour to make them slaues to Satan These obiections as you playnly see make nothing to the coÌ„trarie but if they shall be depely considered do rather strongly confirme the same Therfore deare brethern let no man feare to shewe him self Gods seruante openly and to forsake in tyme the shamefull boÌ„dage of Satan to call back the trueth of Gods worde agayne wherby ye were once in freedome both of conscieÌ„ce and bodie and vtterly to abolishe all vile papistrie the doctrine of deuils and onely cause of all your calamitie both of bodie and soule CHAP. XI It apperteyneth not onely to the Magistrates and al othâ—r inferior officers to see that their Princes be subiect to Gods Lawes but to the comon people also wherby the tyrannie of the Princes and rebellion of the subiects may be auoyded TO resiste euill and to mayntayne goodnesse to honor God truely and to expel idolatrie euery man will confesse to be a good and godly acte aÌ„d cannot but highlie commende the workers therof as men acceptable to God and worthie members of a comon welthe but when men coÌ„sider the daungers and displeasures which commonly happen to such then is there great curtesie made who first shall take the enterprise in hand and longe disputations made whither it be their duetie or no and to what sortes of men it doth belong as thogh any were exempted out of that nomber which do professe the Name of God If the superior power be an idolatâ—er or a cruel tyrant suppressing true religion and murthering the Sainctes of God as Iesabel of England doth with all her rable of papistical Bishopps and shauelinges who is so ignorant of God or destitute of all humanitie or natural iudgment that wil not aknowledge such a one to be vnworthie the societie of the godly and honest muche lesse to haue the auctoritie and rule ouer great nations and whole kingdoms And not with out cause For by the Ciuile Lawes a foole or idiot borne and so proued shall lose his landes and inheritance wherunto he is borne because he is not able to vse them a right but especially oght in no case to be suffered to haue the regiment of a whole nation or kingdome And it is moste certeyne that there is no such euil can come to any comon welth by fooles and idiots as dothe by the rage and furie of vngodly Rulers maynteyners of idolatrie aÌ„d tyrannie For follie hath comonly ioyned with it simplicitie voyde of malice and easie to be ordered but idolatrie and tyraÌ„nie reseÌ„bleth more the nature of wilde beastes cruell beares aÌ„d ragiÌ„g lyoÌ„s theÌ„ the coÌ„dicion of maÌ„ For simplicitie they are replenished with craftines â–ª for loue they shew malice and for patience furious rage aÌ„d madnesse and beinge borne as it were a comoÌ„ plague to all men cannot once studie for the preseruation of a fewe This besides reason experience teacheth all men to be moste true that it were better to haue anie foole theÌ„ such an vntamed beaste to be ouer theÌ„ And that suche being altogether with out God oght to haue no auctoritie ouer the people of God who by his worde requireth the contrarie as is moste manifeste And yet to punishe and depose such a one according to the commandemeÌ„t of God there is none that thinketh it Lawfull or at the least will confesse it to appertayne vnto them either to do it them selues or to see it done by others As for the wicked counsellers they are playne Gnatos and flatterers thinking their office to be applyed vnto their kiÌ„ges and Quenes will as thogh they had no charge of the whole Realme And therfore will labour to coÌ„passe nothiÌ„ge but that which their Princes lust after or may at the least please them not passing if the whole Realme do perishe so they maye obtayne their fauours Suche Achitophels deserue to haue Achitophels rewarde for their deuilishe couÌ„selle with out mercie And as it is with them so is it with the reste of all estates as before hath bene touched Neuerthelesse the matter is so euident vpon their partes that all will coÌ„fesse that it chiefly beloÌ„geth to inferior Magistrats to see a redresse in such disordres and they theÌ„ selues can not well deny it But as touching the comon and symple people they thinke them selues vtterly discharged whither their Prince be godlie or vngodlye wise or foolishe a preseruer of the comon welthe or ells a distroyer all is one to them they muste be obedient because they are ignorant and muste be led them selues not meete to leade others And because their doinges are counted tumultes and rebellion except they be agreable to the commandmentes decrees and proceadinges of their superior powers and Magistrates and shal in doing the contrary be as rebells punished therfore of all others say they we haue least to do yea nothing at all withe the doinges of our Rulers Yf they rule well we shall fare the better if they be vngodly they haue the more to answere for their vngodlynesse What haue we to do with their matters Thus do all sortes of men from the highest to the louest slyppe their heades out of the coller and as careles persones not passing which end goeth forwarde geueth the brydle wholie to their Rulers till destruction remediles ouerflowe all To the intent therfore that this simplicitie ignoraÌ„ce and subiection of the inferior people do not altogether blynde them and cause them as hitherto it hath bene proued almost in all places and countries to suffer them selues like brute beastes rather then reasonable