How Superior Powers Ought to be Obeyed of their Subjects, Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
How it is not inough to denye wicked commandemēts of all kinde of Rulers, except we withſtand them alſo, eueryevery man accordinge to his vocation, in doing the contrary.
AS by this anſwere afore mentioned, we hauehave bene taught not to geue place to the vnlawfull commandemētes of Magiſtrates, in what auctoritie ſo euer they be, becauſe it is nothing but rebellion in the iudgement of God: euen ſo may we learne by the ſame anſwere and example of the Apoſtles, how God requiereth more at our handes, that is, to withſtande their preceptes, in doing the contrary: eueryevery man accordinge to his office and eſtate wherin God hathe placed him. For as man thinketh him ſelf not fullie obeyed,It is not inoughe not to do the wiked commaundement of a kynge, but alſo to do the contrarie. when we abſtayne from thoſe thinges which he forbiddeth, except moreouer we do the contrary, which he commandeth: euenſo may we muche more thinke, that God is not fullie obeyed, when we will not do the vngodlie commandements of men, except alſo we applye our ſelues with all diligence to do the contrary. So did Peter and Iohn make anſwere, denying to do as they were comaunded by the Magiſtrates. And as they denyed in wordes, ſo did they, ād the reſt of the Apoſtles in effecte, as the courſe of the hiſtorie doth witneſſe.Act. 5. Who went all to gether to the Temple after they were dimiſſed, and preached openlie in the face of all the people Ieſus Chriſte crucified, not with ſtanding all the afore named threatnynges and menacinges, yea afterwarde, when they had bene impriſoned and then by the Angel of God deliuered, and whipped moſte vilely, as if they had bene ſlaues: yet were they nothing therby diſcouraged, but continued in one mynde and anſwere, ſayng as they did before with one voyce and conſent: God muſte be obeyed before man, and boldlie preached their maiſter Chriſt, contemning all diſpleaſures which they for his Names ſake ſuſtened,Act. 5. remembring well his ſure and confortable promeſſes who ſaid: Bleſſed are you when men reuile you and ſklander you,Matth. 5. and ſpeake all euill againſte you, lying, for my ſake: be glad and reioce, for greate is your rewarde in the kingdome of heauen. For ſo did they perſecute the prophetes before you.
Thus ſee we thē, how the trueth of this doctrine is not proued onelyonly by the firſte examination of Peter and Iohn:Al the apoſtels to gether ſhewed the like conſtancie. but alſo confirmed the ſecond tyme by the reſt of all the Apoſtels agreeinge therin, and ſuffringe vile ſcourginge for the ſame: not onelyonly boldlie affirminge it in the preſence of all the Magiſtrates at Ieruſalem, but as conſtantly approuinge it in their doinges: when contrarie to their commandemētes, they ceaſed not more diligentlye to publiſhe the doctrine of ſaluation: reioyſinge and prayſinge God, who had made them worthie to ſuffer for his Sōnes ſake, their Lorde and maiſter. O worthy and manful ſouldiars, O moſte truſtie and payneful ſeruantes: neither feringe the prowde lokes and malitious threatninges of the whole Senate and power of Ieruſalem:No power can preuail againſt the faithfull. nor ſhrinking in their office, for all their cruel puniſhments. But the more they were forbidden, and the oftener they were puniſhed: the ſtouter, ſtronger, and mightier were they to fight againſt their enemes with the ſpiritual ſworde, wherwith they were charged in their maiſters quarel: beinge aſſured allwayes of this, that he who gaue thē auctoritie to preach, woulde geue thē ſtrengh alſo for the performance therof, as he had promeſed▪ ſayinge:Mar 28. I will be with you to the end of the worlde. And he beinge with thē, (as the Apoſtle ſaithe) what ſhould they care who were againſt them?Rom. 8· A worthie example ād mirour for all ſuch to beholde as are called of God to be his meſſengers and diſpoſers of his holie myſteries, how faithful they oght to be in the diſtribution of the ſame,1. Cor. 4. omitting no maner of occaſions, obeying no contrarie commandements, nor fearing the cruel threatninges of men.
God hath geuen them the charge of moſte pretious iewels, and ineſtimable riches: not to be hid in a corner, or retayned with them ſelues:Ephe. 3. but rather (as the Apoſtle exhorteth) to ſtyrre vp the gyfte of God, which is in them, and not to neglect it,1. Tim. 4. to preache the worde of God, and to be inſtant in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, to conuince,2. Tim. 4. reproue, and exhorte with all ſoftneſſe and learning.Ephe. 6. For this is that ſharpe and two edged ſworde wherewith God hath not onelyonly armed them agaynſte their enimies:Heb. 4. but to fight alſo manfullie for others agaynſt all powers worldly and ſpiritual, with this mightie and ſpiritual ſworde the worde of God.
For otherwiſe, if Chriſte him ſelf had ceaſed to preache his Fathers will, for which cauſe partly he was ſent in to the worlde, for feare of threatninges, conſpiracies, commandements, and puniſhments of men: where had bene this comfortable doctrine of ſaluation? When ſhulde he hauehave ſuffred death, for our redemption and delyuerance?
How ſhuld the Apoſtles and all other faithfull martyrs, which by their deathes in all ages, hauehave geuen glorie to Chriſt,Chriſt diſobeyed wicked magiſtrates and ſo ſaued vsus: but we obey vniuſt magiſtrates and deſtroy our ſelues. hauehave left behinde them ſo worthie monumentes, and comfortable writinges, beſides the notable examples of conſtancie in ſealinge vp their doctrine with the ſheading of their bloud, if they had yealded or ſhronke in executinge their office for feare of anie power. And in oure miſerable Countrie, where Antichriſt this day is againe for oure ſynnes exalted, if commandemēts of tyrantes ſhuld hauehave taken place in all men, as it did with many hirelinge preachers, ſome moſte ſhamefullie denying their Maiſter Chriſte, taking vponupon them the marke of the beaſte, miniſtring poyſon for foode to their flocke, ſome in makinge a ſpoyle and praye of their flocke, and as cowardes takeyng them to their feete, leauing the poore lambes of God with out all comforte, to be deuoured of the wilde rauenous beaſtes▪ ſome alſo in playng on both partes with the halting Iſraelites,1. kin. 18. 2. Cor. 6. thinke to ſerue God and Baal: if in all others (I ſaie) as in theſe, the vngodlie decrees of men ſhulde hauehave taken place: how coulde we hauehave had theſe worthie examples of ſo many hundreth martyrs, who hauehave glorified Chriſte moſte conſtantlie,Obedience to death. in offringe vp their liues as a moſte ſwete ſauour to the Lorde? And that of all ſortes of men and women, young and olde, riche and poore, learned and vnlearned, all being herein perſuaded (not able perchaunce to do anie more for the comfort of others, in ſo generall a defection from God) hauehave choſē rather with the loſſe of this corporall lyfe, to obeye God, then otherwiſe to lyue in welthe and obeye man. For the which, the Name of God be prayſed for euer, who ſtyrre vp our hartes by their examples, and prepare vsus with the grace of his holie Spirite to the like conſtancie and obedience.
Beſides this we learne by the cōmandements of God, that ſo oft as he forbiddeth any thing which he wolde not to be done, in the ſelf ſame,When God forbiddeth one thinge he commā deth the contrarie. he commandeth vsus the contrarie, as for example: Thow ſhalt not murther, Steale, Commit adultrie, or Beare falſe wittnes. It is not ynough to abſtaine frome theſe thinges, neither is God therin fullie obeyed, except we do the contrarie, ſo oft as occaſion is miniſtred, that is, to ſaue, preſerue, and defende, as well the goodes as the perſones of our brethren and neghbours. And this is a certayne and general rule, not onelyonly in theſe examples here named: but in all other preceptes whither they be of the Ten commandments, or anie other beſides conteyned in the Scriptures: that what ſo euer God forbiddeth anie man, in the ſame he is charged to do the contrarie according to his power, thogh all the worlde would ſtande agaynſt him. In confirmation wherof, let vsus onelie conſider the notable example of the Godlie Prophet Daniel,Dani. 6. who when he was commanded in the name of kinge Darius (by whome he had bene promoted to great honor,Daniel was no Engliſhe courtier: for he coulde not flatter. and of all other was in beſt fauor, and hieſt reputation with him) to aſke nothing of his God, or anie other for the ſpace of thirtie dayes, but onelyonly of Darius his kinge, according to the decree made at the requeſte of his vngodlie counſel, purpoſlie agaynſt Daniel, would not obeye the commandement, being not ignorant that it was a publike decree, which all (he onelyonly excepte) obeyed. And alſo how death (and that moſte terrible, to be caſt among the hungry lyons) was appoynted for a puniſhment to the tranſgreſſors.Note this al ye Gentelmen ād Nobles of Inglande But Daniel not contented to do as he was commanded, did as he was accuſtomed, the contrary▪ not once, but thriſe eueryevery day, tranſgreſsinge the kinges commā dement, prayinge to the liuinge Lorde his God. And to the intent it might be knowen abrode to al men, that he contemned this vngodly commandement,Daniel burned with the zeal of Gods glory and wolde not hide it he ſet open his windowes more then cuſtome, to the ītēt that all whiche wolde, might beholde his doing: ſo glad was he to be knowen to ſerue the true and mightie God. Here wolde our worldly wiſe men, no dout, condemne Daniel of raſhnes and follye in doing, more then was expedient. What nede he thus to prouoke the indignation of a Prince, who had power with a worde of his mouth to diſtroye him? Yf he wolde not aſke anie thinge in the Name of Darius as others did,The coūſel of the wordlye diſſemblers yet might he hauehave abſtayned from praying to God for that ſpace. Was thirtie dayes ſo great a matter, that he might not abſtayne from praying to God, to gratifie therby his Prince to whome he was ſo muche bounde? And if he wolde nedes praye to God, could he not hauehave done it preuely and ſecretly? What nede he to ſet open his window in the ſight of al men? This was an open contempte of the kinges Maieſtie: this was a greater offence,Carnal Goſpelers are halters ō both ſides then the facte it ſelf. Thus wolde the politike ād worldlinges reaſon, as our carnall Goſpellers do daylie, to mayntayne their ſhameles halting vponupon both partes, to cloke their owne impietie, and to intice others to do the like. But faythful Daniel had learned an other leſſon, and of a more faithfull ſcholemaiſter: euen the verie ſame that inſtructed here the Apoſtles, the Spirite of God, the auctor of wiſedome,Ioh. 16. and trueth: that he oght not onelie to contemne the kinges vnlawfull commandement, but to do the plaine contrarie.Daniel was not ſo wyſe as our glauering Goſpellers. Nether thoght he it ſufficient to do this ſecretly, except openly he ſhewed to all the worlde whoſe ſeruante he was, and what God he honored. Otherwiſe, how colde he hauehave declared to the people, that he loued his God with all his harte, ſoule and power, as was commanded?