pertaineth to manie yea to the vvhole bodie of the people And admit that this reason vvas effectual yet the glose vpon the place saith very notably That the princes pleasure may be held for a law so far forth as that which pleaseth him be iust and honest giuing vs to know thus much therby that euerie vvill and pleasure of a Prince may not indifferentlie be allowed for a law if it be in an vniust and dishonest action contrarie to the rule of good maners Moreouer it appeareth by the customes of many ancient people and realmes that Princes had neuer this license giuen them to doe vvhat they listed for let them be neuer so mightie yea as mighty as Darius vnder vvhose raign the Persian monarchie was abolished yet he must bee content according to the law of the Medes and Persians not to bee able to infringe that law vvhich vvas by the aduise of his Peeres and priuie counsell enacted and by his owne consent and authoritie established no though for Daniels deliuerance sake vvhom he loued Dan. 6.8 he greatly desired and tooke paines either to disannull or at least to giue a fauourable interpretation of it Such in old time was the custome of the Kings of Aegypt not to follow their owne affections in any actions they vvent about Diod. lib. 2. cap. 2. but to be directed by the aduise of their laws for they had not so much authoritie as to iudge betwixt man and man or to leuie subsidies and such like by their owne powers neither to punish any man through choler or any ouerweening conceit but were alwaies tied to obserue iustice and equitie in all causes neither did it grieue them so to doe being persuaded that whilest they obeied their lawes nothing could better betide them but good Thucyd. lib 1. The Lacedemonian Kings were in such bondage to the lawes of their countrie that the Ephori which were set vp to none other end but to be a bridle to hold them backe from doing vvhat they listed had absolure authority to correct them vvhen they had committed any fault which subiection nothing displeased king Theopompus as it is apparent by the answere he made his wife that reproued him once in anger saying by his cowardlinesse he would leaue a lesse kingdome to his children then he had receiued of his ancestors nay saith he a greater for so much as more durable and parmanent Plutarch praising the vprightnesse of King Alcamenes who for feare to breake the law refused diuerse presents that were sent him bursteth into this speech O heart worthie of a King that hath preferred the authoritie of the law before his owne profite Where are those fellowes now that crie Kings pleasures ought to be obserued for lawes and that a Prince may make a law but is not subiect to it himselfe and this is that which Plutarch saith as concerning that matter who liued vnder Traian the Emperour Cornelius Tacitus discouering the beginning and originall of the Romane ciuill law Lib. 3. Annal. saith that Seruius the third King of Rome after Romulus and Numa was the only man that most established those lawes wherevnto kings themselues ought to yeeld and be obedient And admit that the Emperors swaied with great power and authoritie almost all the world yet for all their fiercenesse and haughtinesse of mind Pliny durst tell Traian verie roundlie In Paneger that an Emperour ought to vse to carrie himselfe with such good gouernment in his Empire as if he were sure to giue vp an account of all his actions thou must not saith he desire more libertie to follow thine owne lust then any one of vs doe a Prince is not set ouer the law but the law placed in authority aboue the Prince this was the admonition of that Heathen man Likewise Antonius and Seuerus two mighty Emperours although by reason of an opinion of their owne greatnesse and haultinesse wherwith they flattered themselues bragged that they were not subiect to anie law yet they added this clause withall That notwithstanding they would liue according to the direction of the law Lib. 4. tit 17. This saith Theodosius and Valentinian two no lesse mighty Emperours is a voice becomming the roial Maiestie and greatnesse of a king To confesse himselfe to liue vnder a law and in truth it is a thing of greater importance then the imperiall dignity it selfe Lib. 1 â—od to put soueraignty vnder the authority of law Amongst many other good lessons and exhortations which Lewis that good King gaue vnto his son on his death bed Nicol. Gil vol. 1. Chronicl franc this was one worthy the remembring how he commanded him to loue and feare God with all his strength and to take heed of doing any thing that should be contrarie to his law whatsoeuer should befall him and to prouide that the good lawes and statutes of his kingdome might bee obserued and the priuiledges of his subiects maintained to forbid iudges to fauour him more then others when any cause of his owne came in triall Thereby giuing vs thus much to vnderstand that euery good King ought to submit himselfe in obedience vnder the hand of God and vnder the rule of iustice and equitie Wherefore there is neither king nor Keisar that can or ought to exempt himselfe from the obseruance of sacred and vpright lawes which if they resist or disanull doubtlesse they are culpable of a most hainous crime and especially of rebellion against the king of kings CHAP. VII Of the punishment that seased vpon Pharoa king of Aegypt for resisting God and transgressing the sixt commandement of the law WE haue sufficiently declared in the premisses that the mightiest potentates of this world are bound to range themselues vnder the obedience of Gods law it remaineth now that wee produce examples of those punishments that haue fallen vpon the heads of the transgressors of the same according to the manner of their transgression of what sort soeuer which that wee may the better describe it behoueth vs to follow the order of the Commandements as the examples we bring may be fitly referred to any of them And first we are to vnderstand that when God said Thou shalt haue none other Gods before me he condemneth vnder these words the vanitie of men that haue forged to themselues a multitude of gods he forbiddeth all false religioÌ„ declareth that he wold be acknowledged to be the sole true God that we shold serue worship loue fear obey him in and aboue al things And whoseuer it bee that doth otherwise either by hindering his worship or afflicting those that worship him the same man prouoketh his heauie wrath to be throwne vpon him to his vtter ruine and destruction This is the indignation that lighted vpon Pharoa king of Aegypt as we read in the booke of God Exod. 3. who being one of the most puissant Kings of the earth in his age God chose him for an
vpon the hunters speare The gentle puissant lamb their champion bold So helpes to conquer al that hurts his fold That quickly they and all their progenie Confounded is and brought to miserie This is of Iuda the couragious Lion The conquering captaine and the rock of Sion Whose fauour is as great to Iacobs line As is his fearfull frwone to Philistine CHAP. XVII Of Apostataes and Backsliders that through infirmitie and feare haue fallen away IT is a kind of Apostasie and Backsliding condemned by this first commandement of the law when as hee that hath beene once enlightned by the word of God in the knowledge of saluation and nourished instructed therin from his cradle doth afterward cast behind his backe the grace of Gods spirit or disallow thereof exempt himselfe from the seruice of God to serue idols or make any outward shew to doe it which kind of sinne may be committed after two sorts either through infirmitie and feare or willingly and with deliberation when not being pressed or constrained thereto by any outward meanes a man dooth clearely and of himselfe abandon and forsake the true Religion to march vnder the banner of â—â—than and Antichrist and this also of two sorts either when a man dooth simply forsake the profession of the truth to follow superstition and idolatrie without attempting any thing beside the meere deniall of his faith or when after his reuolt he professeth not onely the contrarie religion but also endeuoureth himselfe by all meanes possible to aduance it and to oppresse and lay siege to the doctrine of Gods truth in those that maintaine the same By this it appeareth that there are three kinds of apostasie one as it were enforced and compelled the second voluntarie the last both voluntary and malicious which though they be all very hainous and offensiue in the sight of God yet the second and third sort are most dangerous of them also one more hurtfull and pernicious then the other as wee shall perceiue by that which followeth Now as all these kinds are different one from another so I wil referre the examples of each sort to his seuerall place that the efficacy therof may be the better perceiued And first of those which haue fallen away through feare and infirmitie and afterward in order of the rest Although that they who by the conceit and feare of tortures presented before their eies or of speedy and cruell death threatned against them do decline and slide backe from the profession of the Gospell may pretend for excuse the weakenesse and feeblenes of the flesh yet doubtlesse they are found guiltie before the throne of God for presetting the loue of this transitorie and temporarie life before the zeale of his glorie and the honor which is due to his only begotten sonne especially at that time when they are called out of purpose by their Martyrdome to witnesse his sacred truth before man and he desireth most to bee glorified by their free and constant perseuerance therin to the which perseuerance they are exhorted by many faire promises of eternall life and happinesse and from the contrarie terrefied by threats of death and confusion and vpon paine to bee discarded froÌ„ the presence of Christ before God because they haue denied him here before men which is the miserie of al miseries the greatest that can happen to any man for what shall become of that man whome the sonne of God dooth not acknowledge Now to prooue that God is indeed highly offended at this fainthearted cowardlinesse hee himselfe hath made knowne vnto vs by the punishments vvhich diuerse times hee hath sent vpon the heades of such offenders As in the time of the Emperour Valerian the eighth persecutor of the church vnder whose persecution albeit that many champions bestirred themselues most valiantly in that combate of faith yet there wanted not some whose hearts failing them and who in steed of maintaining and standing for their cause to the death as they ought haue done retired and gaue vp theÌ„selues to the enemie at first assault Amongst the number of which doubtie souldiors there was one that went vp into the Capitall at Rome in that place where Iupiters temple in old time stood Ciprian in his sermons de lapsu multorum to abiure and recant Christ and his profession which he had no sooner done but he was presently strooke dumbe and so was iustly punished in that very member wherewith he had offended A woman likewise hauing renounced her profession Ciprian and feeling in her selfe no remorse of conscience for her fal went as she was wont to doe in the time of her rest and prosperitie to the bathes and whot houses to refresh her selfe as if al had gone well with her but shee was so seased vpon and possessed by an euill spirit that in stead of pleasure which shee sought for she fell to lamenting and tormenting her owne flesh and chopt in peeces with her dainty teeth her rebellious tongue wherewith she had spoken wicked wordes and dishonoured God and tasted meates offered to idols and so this poore wretch whereas she should haue washed her selfe in teares of true repentance and in the true bath of grace and mercie because she had more care of clensing her body from filth theÌ„ her soule from sin became corrupt and filthy both body and soule by the meanes of that vncleane spirit which God had giuen power to afflict her and armed her own mouth which had tasted chewed and swallowed that cursed food furiously to rise against her selfe to destroy her so that shee became her owne murtherer for she suruiued not long by reason that her bowels and entrails were choked vp to the throat with paine Ciprian Another woman well stricken in yeares that in like manner had reuolted from the truth thrust her selfe notwithstanding into the assembly of the faithfull as they were receiuing the holy sacrament but that holy food which nourished the soules of them that beleeue turned to her bane Contempt of word and sacrament lib. 1. cap. 34. for she found there in steed of peace a sword in steed of nourishment deadly and mortall poyson in such sort that immediatly after the receit of that holy supper she began to bee meruelously troubled and vexed in soule and felt the hand of God so heauie vpon her for her offence committed in denying her sauiour to shun persecution that trembling and stamping she fell downe dead Cyprian There was also in like manner a certaine man that hauing renounced his faith did notwithstanding present himself at the celebration of the holy supper presuming to come eat at his table whom hee had a little before denied and receiued into his hand part of the sacrament aswell as the rest but thinking to put it into his mouth it was turned into ashes wherevpon hee stood amased Contempt of sacraments Lib. 1. cap. 34. and confounded in himselfe God manifesting in him that hee that reuoked
was far greater and more outragious then was Salomons yet his true repentance found the grace to be raised vp from that wofull downfall for God hath mercie on whome hee will haue mercie Rom. 9.15 Rom. 11.33 and compassion on whome he will haue compassion O the profound riches of the wisdome and knowledge of God! How vnspeakeable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out 2. Chron. 33. Amon the wicked sonne of this repentant father committed also the like offence in seruing strange gods but recanted not by like repentance Idolatry Lib. 1. cap. 26 and therefore God gaue his owne seruants both will to conspire and power to execute his destruction after he had swaied the kingdome but two yeeres CHAP. XX. Of the third and worst sort of Apostataes BY how much the more God hath in these latter daies poured forth more plentifully his graces vpon the sonnes of men by the manifestations of his sonne Christ Iesus in the flesh and sent forth a more cleare light by the preaching of his Gospell into the world then was before times by so much the more culpable before God and guilty of eternall damnation are they who being once enlightned and made partakers of those excellent graces come afterwards either to despise or make light account of them or go about to suppresse the truth and quench the spirit which instructed them therein This is the sinne against the Holy Ghost which is mentioned in the sixt and tenth chapter to the Hebrews and in the 12 of Luke and in another place it is called a sinne vnto death because it is impardonable by reason that no excuse of ignorance can be pleaded nor any plaister of true repentance applied vnto it The Apostataes of the old Testament vnder the law were not guilty of this sin for although there were many that willingly and maliciously reuolted and set themselues against the Prophets of God making warre as it were with the holy ghost yet seeing they had no such cleare testimonies of Christ Iesus declaratioÌ„ of Gods spirit as we haue their sin can not be properly said directly to be against the H. ghost so neuer to be remitted according to the description of this sin in those passages of Scripture which were before recited as it may manifestly appeare by the former example of king Manasses The Apostle himselfe likewise doth auerre the truth hereof when he saith If wee sinne wâ—llingly after that wee haue receiued the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes Heb. 10.26 27 28 29. but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and violent fire which shall deuoure the aduersaries If any man despised Moses law he died without mercie vnder two or three witnesses of how much sorer punishment suppose yee shall he be worthy which treadeth vnder foot the son of God and counteth the blood of the Testament as a prophane thing whereby hee was sanctified and doth despight the spirit of grace Here we may see that this sinne is proper to those only that liued vnder the Gospell and haue tasted of the comfort and knowledge of Christ Iudas Iscariot that wicked accursed varlet committed the deed and feeles the scourge of this great sinne for he being a disciple nay an Apostle of Christ Iesus mooued with couetousnes after he had deuised and concluded of the manner and complot of his treason with the enemies sold his Lord and master the Sauiour of the world for thirty peeces of siluer and betraied him into the hands of theeues and murderers who sought nothing but his destruction After this vile traitour had perfourmed this execrable purpose by reason whereof hee is called the sonne of perdition hee could find no rest nor repose in his guilty conscience but was horribly troubled and tormented with remorse of his wickednesse iudging himselfe worthy of a thousand deaths for betraying that innocent and guiltlesse blood If he looked vp hee saw the vengeance of God ready to fall vpon him and ensnare him if hee looked downe hee saw nothing but hell gaping to swallow him vp the light of this world was odious to him and his owne life displeased him so that being plunged into the bottomles pit of despaire he at last strangled himselfe Matth. 27. Acts. 1. and burst in twaine in the midst and all his bowels gushed out Suid. There is a notable example of Lucian who hauing professed Christianity for a season vnder the Emperour Traian fell away afterwards and became so profane and impious as to make a mocke at religion and diuinity whereupon his sirname was called Atheist This wretch as hee barked out like a foule mouthed dog bitter taunts against the religion of Christ seeking to rent and abolish it so he was himselfe in Gods vengeance torne in pieces and deuoured of dogs Porphyrie also a whelpe of the same litter after hee had receiued the knowledge of the truth for despite and anger that he was reprooued of his faults by the Christians set himselfe against them and published bookes full of horrible blasphemies to discredit and ouerthtow the Christian faith But when he perceiued how fully and sufficiently hee was confuted and that he was reputed an accursed and confounded wretch for his labour in terrible despaire and anguish of soule he died Iulian the Emperour sirnamed the Apostate cast himselfe headlong into the same gulfe for hauing beene brought vp and instructed from his childhood in the Christian faith and afterward a while a profest reader thereof to others in the Church assoone as he had obtained the Empire malitiously reuolted from his profession and resisted with all his power Socrat. Theod. Sozom. the saith and Church of Christ endeauouring by all meanes possible either by force to ruinate and destroy it or by fine sleights and subtilties to vndermine it And because his purpose was to doe what hurt he could to Christians therefore he studied by all he could to please content and vphold the contrary party I meane the Painyms hee caused their temples first to be opened which Constantine his predecessour had shut vp hee tooke from the Christian Churches their ministers those priuiledges liberties and commodities which the said Constantine had bestowed vpon them and not content with this hee confiscated the Church reuenewes Atheisme Lib. 1. cap. 25. and imposed great taxes and tributes vpon all that professed the name of Christians and forbad them to haue any schooles of learning for their children And yet more to vexe and grieue them he translated many ordes of the Church discipline and pollicie into Paganisme After he had thus by all meanes striuen to beate downe the scepter of Christs kingdome it turned quite contrary to his expectation for in stead thereof the scepter of his owne kingdome was broken and brought to nought at that time when making warre vpon the Persians he was wounded with an arrow which pierced his armour and diued so deepe into his side
on their iourney they came riding ouer a great bridge vpon which this gentleman swearer spurred his horse in such sort that he sprang cleane ouer with the man on his backe who as he was going cried Horse and man and al to the deuill This terrible storie bishop Ridley preached and vttered at Paules crosse and one Haines a minister of Cornwall the reprehender of this man was the reporter of it to Maister Fox out of whom I haue drawne it Refraine then wretches that you are your diuellish tongues leaue off to prouoke the wrath of God any longer against you forbeare all wicked and cursed speeches and acquaint your selues as well in word as deed to praise and glorifie God CHAP. XXXIIII Punishments for the contempt of the word and the Sacraments and abuse of holy things NOw it is another kind of taking the name of God in vain to despise his words and sacraments for like as among earthly princes it is accounted a crime no lesse then treason either to abuse their pictures to counterfeit or depraue their seales to rent pollute or corrupt their letter patents or to vse vnreuerently their messengers or any thing that cōmeth frō them So with the prince of heauen it is a sin of high degree either to abuse his word prophanely which is the letter patents of our saluation or handle the sacraments vnreuerētly which are the seales of his mercy or to despise his ministers which are his messēgers vnto vs. And this he maketh known vnto vs not only by edicts cōmandemēts but also by examples of his vēgeance on the heads of the offēders in this case for the former look what Paul saith That for the vnworthy receiuing of the Sacraments many were weake and sicke among the Corinthians many slept how much more then for the abusing contemning the Sacraments 1. Cor. 11.29.30 And the prophet Dauid That for casting the word of God behind them Psal 50.16.17 they should haue nothing to doe with his couenāt how much more then for prophaning deriding his word Exod. 16.8 And Moses when the people murmured against him and Aaron saith that their murmurings were not against them which were but ministers but against the Lord how much more then is the Lord engaged when they are scoffed at derided set at naught hence it is that the Lord denounceth a woe to him that addeth or taketh away frō the word and calleth them dogs that abuse such precious pearles Deut. 4.2 12.22 Apoc. 22.18 Prouerb 30.6 Vide lib. 1. cap. 14. example of the Iews But let vs come to the examples wherin the grieuousnesse of this sin will lie more open then by any words can bee expressed Denterius an Arrian bishop being at Bezantium as he was about to baptise one Barbas after his blasphemous maner saying I baptise thee in the name of the father through the son in the Holy-ghost Which forme of words is contrary to the prescript rule of Christ that bad his disciples to baptize al nations In the name of the father the son and the Holy-ghost the water sodenly vanished so that he could not then bee baptised wherefore Barbas all amased fled from thence to a church of purer religion and there was entertained into the church by baptisme Socrat. lib 7. cap. 17. Socrates in his Ecclesiasticall hystorie reporteth the like accident to haue happened to a Iew who had beene oftentimes baptised and came to Paulus a Nouatian bishop to receiue the sacrament againe but the water as before vanished and his villany being detected hee was banished the church Opiat Meltuit lib. 2. contr Parenianum Cent. 4. cap. 6. Vrbanus Farmensis and Foelix Iducensis two Donatists by profession rushing into Thipasa a Citty of Mauritania commaunded the Eucharist to bee throwne amongst the dogges but the dogges growing mad thereby set vpon their owne maisters and rent them with their teeth as being guiltie of despising the body of Christ certainely a noble iudgement to condemne the wicked behauiour of those miscreants who were so profane as not onely to refuse the sacrament themselues Vide lib. 1 ca. 17. but also to cast it to their dogs as if it were the vilest and contemptablest thing in the world Theopompus a Philosopher being about to insert certaine things out of the writings of Moses into his prophane workes and so to abuse the sacred word of God was stroken with a frensie and being warned of the cause therof in a dreame Ioseph antiq lib. 12. cap. 2. by praiers made vnto God recouered his senses againe this story is recorded by Iosephus as also another of Theodectes a Poet that mingled his Tragedies with the holy Scripture and was therefore stroken with blindnesse vntill hee had recanted his impiety In a towne of Germany called Itzsith there dwelt a certaine husbandman that was a monstrous despiser and prophaner of the word of God and his sacraments Luther in coloquijs he vpon a time amidst his cups railed with most bitter tearmes vpon a minister of Gods word after which going presently into the fields to ouerlooke his sheep he neuer returned aliue but was found there dead with his body all scorched and burnt as black as a coale the Lord hauing giuen him ouer into the hands of the deuill to be thus vsed for his vile prophanesse and abusing his holy things This D. Iustus Ionas in Luthers conferences reporteth to be most true In the yeare of our Lord 1553 a certaine coblers seruant being brought vp among the professors of the reformed religion and hauing receiued the sacrament in both kinds Philip Melanc after liuing vnder Poperie receiued it after their fashion in one kind but when hee returned to his old maister and was admonished by him to goe againe to the communion as he was wont then his sleepie conscience awaked and hee fell into most horrible despaire crying that hee was the deuils bondslaue and therewithall threw himselfe headlong out of the window so that with the fall his bowels gushed out of his mouth and he died most miserably When the great persecution of the Christians was in Persia vnder king Sapor in the yeare of our Lord 347 Sozomen lib. 2. cap. 31. there was one Miles an holy bishop and constant Martyr who preaching Vide lib. r. ca. 16. exhorting suffering all manner of torments for the truth of the gospel could not conuert one soule of the whole citie whereof he was bishop to the faith wherfore in hatred and detestation of it he forewent it cleane but after his departure the Lord made them worthily rue their contempt of his word for he sent the spirit of deuision betwixt king Sapor and thē so that he came with an army of men three hundred Eliphants against it and quickly subuerted it that the very appearence memorial of a city was quite defaced and rooted out for certainely this is a sure position
he knoweth hee shall rather run into further charge than recouer any of his old losse Beside this it happeneth that poore small theeues are often drawne to the whip or driuen to banishment or sent to the gallows when rich grand theeues lie at their ease and escape vncontrouled albeit the qualitie of their crime bee far vnequal according to the Poet The simple doue by law is censured Dat veniam coruis vexat censura columbas When rauenous crowes escape vnpunished The world was euer yet full of such rauenous rauens so nimble in pilling others goods and so greedy of their owne gaine that the poore people in steed of being maintained and preserued in the peaceable enioying of their portions are gnawne to the very bones amongst them for which cause Homer in the person of Agamemnon calleth them deuourers of men likewise also the Prophet Dauid in the sixteenth Psalme calleth them eaters of his people and yet want they not flatterers and trencher-friends Canckerwoms of a Cōmonwealth that vrge thē forwards deuise daily new kind of exactions like horseleaches to sucke out the very blood of mens purses shewing so much the more wit deceit therein by how much the more they hope to gaine a great part therof vnto their selues being like hungerstarued Harpeis that will neuer bee satisfied but still snatch and catch al that commeth neare their clouches and these are they that doe good to no man but hurt to all of whom the Marchant findeth himselfe agreeued the Artificer troden vnder foot the poore laborer oppressed and generally all men endamaged CHAP. XXXVI Of the excessiue burdenings of the Comminaltie AS it is a iust approued thing before God to doe honor and reuerence to kings and Princes and to bee subiect vnder them in all obedience so it is a reasonable and allowable duty to pay such tributes and subsidies whereby their great charges honourable estate may bee maintained as by right of equitie are due vnto thē and this is also commanded by our Sauior Christ in expresse words when hee saith Mat. 22.21 Giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars And by the Apostle Paule more expressely Rom. 31.7 pay tributes render vnto all men their due tribute to whome tribute belongeth and custome to whom custome Marke how hee saith Giue vnto all men their due and therein obserue that kings and princes ought of their good and iust disposition bee content with their due and not seeke to load and ouercharge their subiects with vnnecessary exactions but to desire to see them rather rich and wealthie than poore and needy for thereby commeth no profite vnto themselues further it is most vnlawfull for them to exact that aboue measure vpon their commons which being in mediocrity is not condemned I say it is vnlawfull both by the law of God and man the law of God and man is termed all that which both God and man allow and agree vpon and which a man with a safe conscience may put in practise for the former we can haue no other schoolmaster nor instruction saue the holy scripture wherein God hath manifested his will vnto vs concerning this very matter as in Deuteronom 18 speaking of the office and duty of a king he forbiddeth them to be horders vp of gold and siluer and espousers of many wiues and louers of pride signifying thereby that they ought to containe themselues within the bounds of modestie and temperance and not giue the raines to their owne affections nor heape vp great treasures to their peoples detriment nor to delight in warre nor to be too much subiect to their owne pleasures all which things are meanes of vnmeasurable expense so that if it be not allowable to muster togither multitudes of goods for the danger and mischiefe that ensueth thereof as it appeareth out of this place then surely is it much lesse lawfull to leuy excessiue taxes of the people for the one of these can not be without the other and thus for the law of God it is cleare that by it authority is not committed vnto them to surcharge and as it were trample downe their poore subiects by vnmeasurable and vnsupportable imposition As for that which the Prophet Samuel in the name of God giueth notice to the Israelites of touching the right of a king wherein he seemeth to allow him the disposition of the goods and persons of his subiects I answer first that God being an immooueable truth cannot contradict himselfe by commanding and forbidding the same thing and secondly that the word of the text in the originall signifieth nothing else but a custome or fashion as it appeareth in the 1. Sam. 11.13 besides the speech that the Prophet vseth importeth not a commandement but an aduertisement of the subiection whereunto the people were about to thrust themselues by desiring a king after the manner of other nations whose customes amongst them was to exercise authority and dominion as well ouer their goods as their persons for which cause God would haue them forewarned that they might know how vile a yoke they put their owne neches vnder and what grieuous and troublesome seruitude they vndertooke from the which they could no waies be deliuered no though they desired it with teares Furthermore that a king in Israel had no power in right and equity to take away the possessions of any of his subiects and appropriate it to himselfe it appeareth by Nabaoths refusal to king Achab 1. King 12. to giue him his vineyard though he requested it as in may seeme vpon very reasonable conditions 1 King 12. either for his money or for exchange so that a man would thinke hee ought not to haue denied him howbeit his desire being thus crossed he could not mend himselfe by his authority but fell to vexe and grieue himselfe and to champe vpon his owne bit vntill by the wicked and detestable complot of Iezabel poore Nabaoth was falsly accused vniustly condemned and cruelly murdered and then hee put in possession of his vineyard which murder doubtlesse shee would neuer haue attempted nor yet Nabaoth euer haue refused to yeeld his vineyard if by any pretence of law they would haue laid claime vnto it but Nabaoth knowing that it was contrary to Gods ordinance Num 36.9 for him to part with his patrimonie which he ought most carefully to preserue would not consent to sell ouer his vineyard neither for loue nor money nor other recompence and herein hee did but his duty approoued by the holy scripture Now how odious a thing before God the oppression of poore people is it is manifest by his owne words in the prophesie of Ezechiel where hee saith Chap. 15.9 Let it suffice O princes of Israel leaue off crueltie and oppression and execute iudgement and iustice take away your exactions from my people and cease to thrust them from their goods and heritages Now concerning the law of man which all men agree vnto because