How Superior Powers Ought to be Obeyed of their Subjects, Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
The concluſion of theſe two parts with a farther declaration of the ſame, that it is both Lawful and neceſſarie ſome tymes to diſobeye and alſo to reſiſte Vngodly magiſtrats and wherin.
VVherfore (deare brethern in the Lorde) to returne to our pourpoſe, you may well vnderſtāde of theſe thīgs which hauehave bene hitherto mentioned, not only the cauſe of all our miſerie in England this day, to hauehave bene for that we nether taught, knewe, nor vſed true obedience: but alſo what obediēce God requireth of all mē,Obedience ād what he cō demnethe for diſobedience. Obedience is to heare God rather then man, and to reſiſte man rather then God, as by the anſwere and doinges of the Apoſtles, and examples of others ye hauehave bene inſtructed. Whereī you may ſee how litle the commandments, threatnynges, power, auctoritie, or puniſhments of anie kinge, Prince or Emperour, oght to preuayle with vsus agaynſt the commandement of God, where with we are charged.
Can we then pretende ignoraunce any more? Beholde,Ignorance can not excuſe you much leſſe when the trueth is ſo plainlye taught. verie nature doth teache all men, which be not deſtitute of their comō ſenſe ād reaſon, that God oght rather to be obeyed then man: in ſo muche as the Apoſtles therin feared not the iudgment of their enimies.
Shall auctoritie of man, or power of Princes bleare our eyes anie lōger:We muſt not yelde to autoritie and power. ſeing there is none ſo ignorant whoſe conſciēce doth not beare him witneſſe, that God is moſte worthie of all honor, and onelyonly to be feared for his power: who made the heauens and the earthe, and man ruler therof, by whoſe power and wiſdome, as all thinges were created, ſo by his wonderful prouidence are all thinges preſerued and gouerned?
Shall the threatnings of man or puniſhment of Princes moue vsus to leaue vndone that which he commandeth,Threaninges oght not to fear vsus. ād our vocation requireth? Shulde we honour thē for their offices and great titles, becauſe they are called kīges, Princes, or Emperours? This muſte we do ſo longe as they will be ſubiectes to God, and promoters of his glorie,This doctrine of obediēce, is dayly ſealed with the bloude of Sainctes of whome they hauehave their auctoritie, as the examples of the Godlie Patriarkes, and Prophets, of Chriſte him ſelf, and his Apoſtles, and of all martyrs in all ages vntil this day do witneſſ. Which with their bloude hauehave ſealed vp this doctrine for an vndouted veritie: that there is no obedience agaynſt God, which in his iudgment is not manifeſte rebellion.
Doeſt thou then vnfaynedly beleue in God, and haſte geuen thy ſelf to ſerue him, and after art commanded of thy Prince or Ruler, what name ſo euer he beare, to committ idolatrie in worſhippīg a piece of bread for thy Sauiour (as do the Papiſtes) which is open blaſphemie agaynſt the Sonne of God?
1. Cor. 10Arte thou willed to be preſent at the idole ſeruice, which the Apoſtle S. Paul forbiddeth: or ells to make, or erect images in Churches or tēples, to heare Maſſes, to trot on pilgremage, to purcheſſe pardōs, to cōfeſſe the Popes auctoritie, to eſteme Gods worde for hereſie▪
Art thou charged to be a tormentour of the Saincts of God, to lay holde vpō thē as did the Scribes ād Phariſies, the chief Biſhopp and Prieſts whith their officiers vponupon Chriſte and his Apoſtles: to bringe them before the Concile to caſte then in priſon, to flatter them to reuile thē opēly, to famiſhe them ſecreatly, and hange them in their gayles, to racke them,The Shirefs …ealers and other inferior officers condemned to bringe them to the galows, to the ſtake, and cōſumyng fier: to ſee execution done vponupon then, as vponupon theues, murtherers, villains, whoremongers, adulterours, traytors, idolaters, & blaſphemers: when inwardlye thy conſcience cryeth vntounto thee, Take heede ād beware what thou doeſt to theſe men, for they are the verie ſeruantes of God,Mat 27. EueryEvery mās anſwere to vnlawfull diſſobedience. as Pilate was admoniſhed by his wiffe? Art thou (I ſaye) cōmanded to do anie of theſe thīges, and feareſt God? Beholde, here art thou taught what anſwere it behoueth thee to make, and that by the Apoſtles of Chriſte: which is, Iudge you whither it be lawfull in Godds ſight to obey you rather then God. And agayne, God muſt be obeyed before man.
Loſſe of lininges is not a ſufficiēt excuſe to indāger thy ſoule.If thou wilt alleadge the daunger of loſinge thy lyuing and office, wherby thou and thy familie are founde: conſider it is a greater matter to loſe thy ſoule, and to bring the curſſe of God vponupon thy whole houſholde, to whome it were farre better to begg in the feare of God,God is the reuenger of inocentes bloude. Pſal. 9. thē to be gyltie of innocēt bloud, which the Lorde muſt nedes reuēge according to his promeſſe. Yf thy innocēt brother, which is broght to thee, becauſe he is the ſeruant of God, be ready for Chriſtes ſake to offre vp his life in ſacrifice: what great thing is it for thee to offre vp thy vile liuing for the ſame cauſe of rightouſneſſe?Mat. 16. For as he in loſinge his life hath aſſurance to finde it euerlaſtingly: euen ſo mayſt thou be aſſured in forgoing thy office, becauſe thou wilt be no tormentour of Goddes children, agaynſt thy duetie and conſcience,To looſe in the world, is to gayne in the heavens. Mat. 10. Pſal. 105, to hauehave the rewarde of rightouſneſſe at the hands of God, who eſtemeth all thinges done to anie of theſe litle ones, as done to him ſelf: and forbideth thee to touche them, ſayng, Touche not myne anoynted ones.
Therfore, as there is no power or puniſhment that ſhuld cauſe thee to do euil: ſo is there no office or promotion, which thou ſhuldeſt not willingly forgoe, rather then in reteyninge it to be an inſtrument of iniurious oppreſsion, hauinge this rule of our Sauiour Chriſte alwayes before thine eyes:Mat. 7. What ſo euer ye would that men ſhulde do to you, that do you to them alſo.
Neither is this ynough, rather to ſuffer iniurie and loſſe, then that thou wouldeſt be a worker of iniurie to others by any means: but more ouer it is thy parte to be a withſtander of euil,withſtand the euil, ād ſupporte the Godly and a ſupporter of the Godly to the vttermoſte of thy power, as thou haſt partly harde all ready, ād partly ſhalt heare now folowing. For as God hath not created vsus for our ſelues,Gen. 2. 1. Cor. 10. Gala. 6. but to ſeke his honor and glorie, and the profit of our neighbour, eſpecially of ſuch as be of the houſholde of faithe: euen ſo are we īdetted to God, to beſtowe all thoſe gyftes, be they ſpiritual or corporal,Our detts to God. wherewith God hath bleſſed vsus to the ſelf ſame end, ſtryuing agaynſt all impediments, helping, defending, comforting, and deliuering to the vttermoſte of our power all ſuch as we are aſſured do feare God,Defend, helpe, conforte, and deliuer the godly oppreſſed, and deleuer your owne ſoules. Exod 23. and ſtande in nede of our ayde and ſupporte. Otherwiſe we ſhewe our ſelues to hauehave more compaſsion vponupon brute beaſtes, as our neighbours oxe, aſſe, or ſhepe, which Gods Lawe dothe charge vsus to helpe, ſaue, or drawe forthe of the diche, althoghe it were the beaſte of our enemie.
Shall we helpe our neighbours beaſt and not him ſelfe?Are we then bound to do this to vnreaſonable and brute beaſtes, yea to any thing belonging to our neighbour, and ſhall we be afrayde to do the like to him ſelf, what tyme he is in neceſsitie? Yf his ſhepe or other of his cattel were readie to be deuoured in our preſence of wolues, or ſuche wilde beaſtes: are we not bounde as wel in conſcience as by the Lawe of God, to driue the wilde beaſte awaye and ſaue his cattel, who can deny this to be our duetie? Can we be excuſed then in ſuffringe the ſoules and bodies of the children of God our brethern, to be moſte pitifully diſtroyed of Gods enemies, by falſe doctrine and cruel murthering, and put not to our handes and power to deliuer them?
The verie Gentils with out God were taught ſo muche of nature,Not to wi…thſtande euill, the very Gentils codē ned as iniurie. that to do wronge to a nother is not onelyonly iniurie, but alſo they condemne him as an iniurious perſone, which can, and will not withſtande wrōge done to a nother. Wo be to thee thē (ô miſerable Englande) amonge other nations and peoples,wo to England and her vngodly Magiſtrates. which haſt a longe tyme delited in iniuſtice and cruel oppreſsion. Wo be vntounto you moſte vngodlye and careles counſellers. Wo be to you Rulers and Magiſtrats, from the hieſte to the loweſte: for that you ruling with out the feare of God,The wolu…ſhe papiſts. ſee your owne fleſhe ād bloude, the very lābes of God dayly to fall by flockes, not in to the diche or pit, but in to the vnſaciable mouthes of the wolueſhe papiſtes:your horrible plagues are at hāde yf ye amēd not. not onelyonly to be hurte and iniuried, but cruelly to be deuoured both bodie and goodes, and their poore wiues, children, and families deſtroyed, ād go a begginge. And yet neither the ſorouful ſobbes, ād cōtinual teares of the lamētable mothers, nor the pitiful crye of the ſpoyled infātes, nor the extreame neceſsitie of their diſperſed ſeruāts, beſides the ſhamefull betrayinge ād ſubuertiō of the whole Realme daylie approchinge,Ye hauehave your honours to defē de and helpe the godly, yea ād all others from oppreſſion and in iurie. can once moue your harde ād ſtonie hartes with pitie to defende their cauſe, and delyuer them frō tyranny: beinge promoted to your honours and offices to that end. Can you, eſcape the condemnation of the Lawe, whiche prefer the preſeruation of your beaſtes and cattell to the pretious lyues of your owne brethern,Eſai. 1. the Image of the liuinge Lorde,The Gentiles ſhall condemne you in the workes of the lawe. Rom. 2. whom you are bounde to louelove as your ſelues? Shall not the Gentils, whiche lyue beſides the Lawe, ſtand in iudgment agaynſte you whiche profeſſe the Lawe, when they are more preſte to defende their people from iniuries, then you yours? Your owne offices, auctoritie, and power, ſhall in that daye put you to ſilence, and confounde you.
Was there euer the like contempt of Gods worde in Capernaum? The like idolatrie amonge the heathen? Or like tyranny and cruell murthering at Ieruſalem?Luk. 10. And yet to Capernaum Chriſt hathe threatned that it ſhall be eaſier for Tyre and Sidon in the laſt day, then for it.Nomb. 33. Exod. 23. and. 34. The Gentiles he commanded to be diſtroyed as his extreame enimies. And as for Ieruſalem that worthie Citie of the Lorde, eſcaped not his ſeuere iudgement:Mat. 24. not leauinge one ſtone vponupon another, as oure Sauiour himſelf afore prophecied, ād as their miſerable ſtate and diſpertion this daye doth teſtifie.Englande ſhall not eſcape. Will God then ſpare Englande alone, and puniſhe all other nations for leſſe impietie?
Can he of his iuſtice ſpare you counſellers, you Nobles and inferior officers: Whiche ſpare not to ſpoyle, oppreſſe, accuſe, condemne, and murther the people of God, to deface his glory, and to diſtroye the whole Engliſhe Natiō from the earthe, ſo moche as in you lieth?
Repent, repent you miſerable mē: for your ſynnes be at the higheſt,Repent ſhortly: for Goddes heauy wrath is at hande Eſai. 29. your cupp of iniquitie is full, and the houre of your heuy viſitation is come: when it will be to late for you to flee from the great wrath of Gods indignation, whiche ſhortlye is like to be powred vponupon you. Then ſhall you well perceaue that there is no ſaluation but vnderunder Gods protection, no comforte with out Chriſte,The cauſe of all theſe miſeries. no obedience agaynſt God, no power that can diſpence with the charge of the Almightie and his commandements: eſpeciallie when all your counſels agaynſt him and his poore ſeruants ſhall fall vponupon your owne heades: your wiſedome turned to follie, your nobleneſſe to vileneſſe, your rule and dominion taken from you, and you made ſlaues to others:Write this vponupon your dore poſtes ād in your wel decked chābers. For it will ſuerly come yf ye repēt not. your fayre howſes and gorgeous buildinges deſtroyed, your great poſſeſsions geuen to your enimies, your wiues to be rauiſhed, your mayds deflowred, and children murthered with out mercy, your pride and hie lokes abated, your welthe turned to miſerie, your delicate faare and coſtlie aparell to extreame hunger and beggerye, your ioye and paſtance to weepinge and continuall ſorrowe, and in the end ſhamefull deathe as you hauehave deſerued. And why? Bycauſe you hauehave choſen to obeye man rather then G…, and ſought rather to mayntayne … owne pride and dignitie, then his honor and glory.
And therfore beholde ô prowde man,Ierre. 50. I am come to thee (ſaithe the Lorde of hoſtes) becauſe thy daye is come, and the tyme when i will viſite thee. For the prowde ſhall fall and be diſtroyed, and there ſhall be noman to lift him vp. I will kindle a fire in his Cities, that ſhall conſume all thinges aboute them, &c.
And iuſtly maye the Lorde do all this to you, ſeinge he gaue you not this dignitie, makinge you Coūſellers, Noble men, Rulers, Iuſtices, Mayers, Shireffs, Bayliffs, Counſtables, or Gaylers to exalt your ſelues agaynſt his Maieſtie,The end of all offices and to fight agaynſt Chriſte and his members: but to humble your ſelues in his preſence, to promote his glorie, and to defende all thoſe whom he committed to your charge. How commeth it then to paſſe, that ye hauehave thus betrayde him and his people, in baniſhinge his truthe to receaue falſehod, and hauehave changed Religion in to ſuperſtition, true honoringe of God, in to blaſphemous idolatrie, and now (to finiſhe your procedinges) are readye to to ſell your ſubiects for ſlaues to the prowde Spaniards,The Spaniardes are godles a people with out God.
That wicked woman, whom you vntruely make your Quene, hath (ſaye ye) ſo cōmanded. O vayne & miſerable men.Maries vnlauful gouernement. To what vileneſſe are you broght, and yet as men blynd, ſee not? Becauſe you would not hauehave God to raigne ouer you, and his worde to be a light vntounto your footeſtepps, beholde, he hath not geuen an hypocrite onelyonly to raigne ouer you (as he promiſed) but an Idolatreſſe alſo:Iob. 34. God forbiddeth women to raigne, and nature abhorreth the ſame.not a man accordinge to his appoyntment, but a woman, whiche his Lawe forbiddeth, and nature abhorreth: whoſe reigne was neuer counted lawfull by the worde of God, but an expreſſe ſigne of Gods wrathe, and notable plague for the ſynnes of the people. As was the raygne of cruell Ieſabel, and vngodlie Athalia, eſpeciall inſtrumentes of Satan, and whipps to his people of Iſrael.
This you ſee not, blynded with ignorance: yea, whiche is more ſhame, where as the worde of God freethe you from the obedience of anie Prince, be he neuer ſo mightie, wiſe, or politike, commanding anye thinge whiche God forbiddeth, and herein geuethe you auctoritie to withſtand the ſame, as you hauehave harde: Yet are you willingly become as it were,Marie a baſtard. bondemen to the luſtes of a moſt impotent and vnbrydled woman: a woman begotten in adultrie a baſtard by birthe, contrarie to the worde of God ād your owne lawes.Reade H…lles Cronicle in the 24. of the reinge of kinge Henry. 8. Oxforde. Cambridge. Orliance. Paris. Angiers. Burges. Bononie. Padua. Tholoſa. Leu. 10 Deu. 19 Eph. 2. Gala. 3. And therfore cōdemned as a baſtarde by the iudgement of all Vniuerſities in Englā de, France, and Italie: as well of the Ciuilians, as Diuines. For now are we freede from that Ieweſhe yoke to rayſe vp ſeede to our brethern departing with out iſſue, by the comyng of our Sauiour Ieſus Chriſte, who hathe deſtroyed the walle and diſtāce betwixt the Iewes and Gentiles, and hathe no more reſpecte to anie Tribes (for conſeruation wherof this was permitted) but all are made one in him with out diſtinction, which acknowledge him vnfaynedlie to be the Sonne of God and Sauiour of the worlde. For in Chriſte Ieſus there is nether Iewe nor Gentile, Grecian or Barbarous, bonde nor free, &c. And therfore it muſte nedes followe, that kinge Henrie the eight, in marying with his brothers wife, did vtterly contemne the free grace of our Sauiour Ieſus Chriſte, which longe before had deliuered vsus from the ſeruitude of that lawe:kinge Henry cō mitted inceſt in begettinge Marie. and alſo committed adulterous inceſt contrary to the worde of God, when he begate this vngodlie ſerpent Marie, the chief inſtrument of all this preſent miſerie in Englande.
And if any would ſaie, it was of a zele to fulfyll the lawe which then was abrogated, he muſt confeſſe alſo that the kinge did not marie of carnall luſte, but to rayſe vp ſeede to his brother: when the contrarie is well knowne to all men. Let no man therfore be offended, that I call her by her propre name, a baſtarde, and vnlawfully begotton: ſeing the worde of God, which cānot lye, dothe geue wittneſſe vponupon my parte. And moreouer, that ſuche as are baſtardes ſhulde be depriued of all honor:Deu. 23. in ſo muche as by the Lawe of Moyſes they were prohibited to hauehave entrance in to the Cōgregatiō or aſſembly of the Lorde to the tenth generation. Conſider thē your vngodlie proceadinges in defrawding your cōtrie of a lawfull kinge: and preferringe a baſtarde to the lawful begotten dawghter, and exaltinge her whiche is, and will be a comon plague ād euerſion of altogether: for as muche as ſhe is a traytor to God,The Goſp…ll…rs holpe her to the crown and ſhe burneth thē. & promis breaker to her deareſt frindes, who helpinge her to their power to her vnlawfull reigne, were promiſed to inioye that religion which was preached vnderunder kinge Edwarde: which not withſtanding in a ſhorte ſpace after, ſhe moſte falſely ouerthrewe and aboliſhed. So that now both by Gods Lawes and mās, ſhe oght to be puniſhed with death, as an opē idolatres in the ſight of God, ād a cruel murtherer of his Saīts before mē, ād merciles traytoreſſe to her owne natiue coūtrie.
For Gods worde ſhe abhorreth, Antichriſte hathe ſhe reſtored, her fathers Lawes contemned, her promeſſe brokē, and her brother Godly kinge Edwarde as an heretique condemned▪ M. Bucer Paulus Phagius, maistris Martyr, &c.not thinkinge it ynoughe to expreſſe her tyranny vponupon thē that liued, except ſhe ſhewed crueltie, or rather a raging madneſſe on the bodies of Gods ſeruāts lōge before buried, drawīg thē forth of their graues to burne thē as heretikes. And in fine vtterly abhorring the Engliſhe nation, hath ioyned her ſelf to adulterous Philip, the Spaniſhe kinge:who is more blind then they that can and will not ſee? Here vntounto the lawes of the real me, the will and prophecie of her father doth prouok thē to whome ſhe hathe, and dothe continually labor to betray the whole kingdome. And yet ye cannot, or will not ſee it, nether yet for all this be ſtirred vp to bridell her affections, and withſtand her vngodly doinges, to promote the glorie of God, and to preſerue your brethren, and your ſelues: but thinking to reteyne your promotions by flattery, do haſtelie drawe Gods vengeance vponupon your ſelues and others.
For do you thinke that Philip will be crowned kinge of Englande, and reteyne in honor Engliſhe counſellers? Will he credite them withe the gouernement of his eſtate, who hauehave betrayed their owne? Shall his nobilitie be Spaniardes, with out your landes and poſſeſsions? And ſhall they poſſeſſe your promotiōs and lyuinges, and your heads vpō your ſhulders? Come they to make a ſpoyle of the whole Realme, and leaue you ād yours vntouched? Where is your great wiſdome become? Your ſubtile counſels and policies, where of you bragge ſo muche, to whome theſe thinges be hid, that euerie childe eſpieth?
If Eſai the Prophet had not foreſpoken theſe ſecret iudgments of God,Eſa. 3.4 29. in blynding the eyes of the prowde contemners, I coulde not ceaſe to wonder at your groſſe ignorance, as now I conſider with greife of harte, the miſerie which is like ſhortly to come vponupon you in full meaſure, for this calamitie, alreadie powred vponupon others, through your procurements and ſtudies. Which fearefull iudgment of God loke neuer to eſcape, except ſuddaynlie ye repent and change your vngodlie purpoſe.Eſai· 28. 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,Licences purchaſed of infidels and lyinge in idolatrous places, is thought good inough of carnall goſpelers. 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 hauehave 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,Their dea… proue what they be. as now their frute whiche they hauehave 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. Cō ſider with your ſelues, and returne to the right way, and walke in it while ye hauehave tyme, and I will ſhewe it vntounto you.
You hauehave ſynned moſte greuouſlie agaynſt the Lorde:The onelyonly means to eſcape miſerie. Pſal. 103. knowe your tranſgreſsions, and with teares confeſſe thē, eueryevery man vnfaynedlie vntounto the Lorde, who is redie to merciemercy and ſlowe to anger. You hauehave 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 vsus with a tyrant) ſeke after the worde agayne and receaue it with all reuerence. By geuing auctoritie to an idolatres woman ye hauehave baniſhed Chriſte and his Goſpell,Folowe wyſe counſel, leaſt ye and al your land periſhe. 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 hauehave diſobeyed God. Then in diſobeying her, ye ſhall pleaſe God. Becauſe you hauehave 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 onelyonly Gods honor muſt be reſtored,Reſtore goddes honour and eſcape Gods vengeance and you eſcape his vengeance, to obeye thē that obeye God, and reſiſte them that reſiſte his Maieſtie, rēdringe vntounto 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 hauehave bene and yet are preſentlie.
Then woulde their Princes and Rulers alſo geue them ſelues with all diligence,yf they knewe rightly how to obey and wherin, thē ſhulde theſe thinges here mentioned come to paſse. Deu. 17. 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.Gods boke teache the true obedience. 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 louelove 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,Deu. 4. and eſtemed of all nations the wyſeſt and mightieſte people vponupon the earthe, as God promiſſed to Iſrael, ſo longe as they ſhulde lyue.