How Superior Powers Ought to be Obeyed of their Subjects, Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
Obiections out of the olde Teſtament, and Anſwers to the ſame.
THis muche being ſpokē to ſatiſfie ſuch obiections as are comonlye alledged forthe of the New Teſtament: let vsus ſee alſo what may be ſayed agaynſt vsus in the old, and after what ſorte they may be truely anſwered.The firſte obiection out of Ier. 29. Ieremie they alleadge in his letter ſent from Ieruſalem to the captaynes in Babylon, to the Prieſts and Prophetts, and to all the people of Iſraell that then were in Babylon, counſelling them how to behaue them ſelues, and to eſcape danger. The effect wherof was this: not to rebell, that they might eſcape, but to remayne ſtill and abide the appoynted tyme of the Lorde: yea, to ſeke the peace of the Citie wherinto God had broght them, and to praye to God for it. For (ſaithe he) with the peace of that Citie, ſhall your peace be alſo.
Baruch. 1.And the like is wryten in Baruch the Prophet tending to the ſame end, that they ſhulde pray for the longe liffe of Nabuchadnezer ād Balthazer his ſone, that vnderunder their ſhaddow (that is protection) they might lyue and ſerue them a longe tyme. Wheerin (ſaye they) two things are to be noted agaynſt our opinion. The firſte, that he forbiddeth them to rebell, and exhorteth them paciently to abide the tyme appoynted of their delyuerance. The ſeconde, that they are bownd to pray for their enimies, and welthe of their Cities, and therin alſo are bounde to obey them.
This Epiſtle or letter of Ieremie ſent to the Iewes at Babylon then captiues,Anſwere. we maye not deny to be his: thoghe of the Prophecie of Baruch ſome do doute, and eſteme it not as Canonicall. Neuertheles becauſe they tend bothe to one effecte in this matter,The cauſe why Ieremie and Baruch thus coū ſelled. we will admitte bothe. Firſte, granting that their counſelle to quietnes and to abſtayne frō rebellion was good and neceſſary becauſe it proceaded from the Spirite of God and of knowledge, which ſpake or wrote nothing that God had not reueled vntounto them: and wherof they alſo ſhuld not admoniſhe others, to the intēt they might geue no credit to falſe Prophetes, which woulde ſtirre them vp to ſedition, perſwading them that they ſhulde not longe continewe in Babylon, when as the Lorde had other wiſe appoynted. Wherof when God aſſured them by his Prophet, it muſt nedes be counted extreame madneſſe and rebellion agaynſt God, if they ſhulde hauehave done the contrarie, As we reade of wicked Achab,1. Kinges 22. who crediting the flatterīg coūſelle of the falſe Prophetes, diſobeyed God in contēning the trueth tolde hī by Micheas: but to his owne deſtructiō.
Therfore this matter is ſone āſwered, where we hauehave the ſecrete counſelle of God reueled vntounto vsus, admoniſhing vsus to abide in any place, ād not to departe til he call vsus: we are more then rebells to do the contrarie, ād muſte ſuſtayne the daunger worthelye. But this is not our queſtiō, whether we oght to remayne in any place ſo longe as God hathe commāded vsus:The ſtate of the queſtion. but whither we oght to do euill at the commandement of Prince or power, whereſoeuer we be, or in what eſtate, be it neuer ſo miſerable. For thogh Ieremie coūſelled thē with pacience to remayne in Babylon, yet nether he, nor Baruch would permit thē to followe the exaple of the Gētills there, in idolatrie or euell doīg: as the Epiſtle of Ieremie ſēt alſo to the Iewes captiues in Babylō ād wrytten in the prophecie of Baruch,Baruch. 6 doth abundantlie witneſſe. And as the exāples of Daniel alſo, Sidrach,Dani. 3. Miſach, ād Abdenago do teache vsus: which not wihſtāding their Captiuitie, woulde not obey the kīges cōmandemēt to do euill.
Alſo in that they are willed to pray for the good eſtate of the Citie wherin they dwelled, that is Babylō, and for the lōge liffe of Nabuchadnezer ād his ſōne the cauſe is alſo alleadged, to the ītēt that the peace of that Citie ſhuld alſo be their peace:why the Iewes were willed to pray for Nabuchadnezars longe life. ād for that Nabuchadnezer ād his ſōne ſhuld be their ſhadow ād protectiō, God ſo mouīg their hartes. Which cauſes are ſufficient why the people of God ſhulde be thākfull, that is, to wiſhe well to the places and perſons where, ād of whom they receaue any benefit, eſpecially peace and protection, as was promiſed to the Iewes in Babylon.
But what is this to the purpoſe? The Iewes were cōmāded of God by the Prophetes eſpeciallie to tarry in Babylō, where thē for their ſyns they were captiues, becauſe their owne Citie Ieruſalē, ād all their coūtrie was deſtroyed ād ſubiecte to Nabuchadnezer and there remayned no other place where they might hauehave peace, but in Babylon and vnderunder his iuriſdiction. Is this then a ſufficient excuſe for you that inioye your countrie and are charged with the defence therof, to ſuffer your ſelues willingly to be ſpoyled of Gods glory, and peace of your conſciences, that is, true religion: and you for the ſame cauſe to be oppreſſed, remoued and murthered, to geue place not onelyonly to them that hate you, but to the greateſt enemies of Chriſt, the papiſtes, and idolatrous Spaniards?
Wherfore the Iewes ſhulde be quiet in Babylon.The Iewes were willed to be quiete in Babylon, becauſe that they and their brethren alſo diſperced ſhuld therby finde more fauour and comforte: ſhall you therfore forſake God and betraye your countrie to bringe the vengeance of God ād his horrible plagues vpō your ſelues and your brethern, wherof you hauehave alreadie felt ſome portion? The Iewes were willed to praye for Nabuchadnezer and his ſonne, for that by them they ſhulde paſſe ouer a great part of their captiuitie with peace, and be alſo by them defended from other enemies. Are you therfore excuſed, that permit your ſelues to be made a pray to Satan, Antichriſte, and to all ſortes of Gods enimies, at the commandement of an vngodlie woman? Who ſeeketh but to conſume the Engliſhe nation, and in the end to cut your throtes that nowe are in auctoritie, whom ſhe vſeth as inſtruments, to bring her wicked purpoſes to paſſe.
Is your condition now all one with the Iewes?The miſerable eſtat of Englād In dede brethren it is like to be muche worſe, and that ſhortly without Gods vnſpeakable mercy: but as yet their is ſome difference. They were captiues ād priſoners vnderunder their enimies, in a ſtrange countrie, but you are yet in your owne countrie and howſes (thogh moſte vnnaturally you hauehave dryuen out many by tyranny). You hauehave yet your owne lawes amongeſt you, that is, the Lawe of God ād of your Realme, if you woulde vſe them: by the which you hauehave had all peace ād quietnes. And in cō temning theſe, ye ſee in to what caſe ye are broght, and in to what miſerie, readie to fall. You may yet with Gods helpe, and your endeuor promote his glory, vnderprop that Realme and comon welth, which by your falſehod is fallīg in to vtter ruine. The fall wherof, you ād yours chiefly, which hauehave greateſt charge ſhall hauehave greateſte cauſe to bewayle.
If your Ieſabell, thoghe ſhe be an vnlawfull Gouerneſſe, and oght not by Gods word and your owne lawes to rule, would ſeke your peace and protectiō as did Nabuchadnezer to his captiues the Iewes: then might you hauehave ſome pretence to follow Ieremies counſelle: that is,Nabuchadnezer is to be p…f…rred to your Ieſab…l in the z…ale of God Nabuchadn…zers decree. Daniel. 3. to be quiete, and praye for her liſſe, if ſhe would cōfeſſe the onelie God of the Chriſtians, and not compell you to idolatrie no more then did Nabuchadnezer: who acknowledged the God of the Iewes to be the true and euerlaſting God, and gaue the ſame commādement throughout all his dominiōs, That what ſoeuer people or nation ſpake euill of the God of Iſraell ſhuld be rent in pieces,Ieſabel worſhi…p…th Maozin ād cauſ…th others to do the like. and his howſe counted deteſtable. For (ſaith he) Ther is no other true God that ſo coulde deliuer his ſeruātes, as he did Sidrach Miſach ad Abdenago.
But becauſe her doīges tēd all to the contrarie, that is to blaſpheme God, ād alſo compell all others to do the like, what cloke hauehave you here to permitte this wickedneſſe?
To be ſhorte, if ſhe at the burninge of three hundreth Martyrs at the leſte, coulde hauehave bene ſatisfied ād vnfaynedly moued to confeſſe the true Chriſte and Meſsias, and repented her former rebellion in geuing contrarie commandement to all her dominions, charging thē to receaue agayne the true religion and to expell all blaſphemous idolatrie of the peſtilent papiſtes: and that none ſhulde ſpeake any euill agaynſt Chriſte and his Religiō (as did Nabuchadnezer by the exāple of three perſōs onelyonly, whō the fire by the power of God coulde not touche) then were ſhe more to be borne with, and reuerenced as a Ruler (if it were lawfull for a woman to rule at all) then were there alſo ſome probabilitie in the reaſons of the aduerſaries of this doctrīe. Otherwiſe as you now ſee, it maketh nothing at all for their purpoſe.
Another Argumēt is gathered of the words written in the ſame Prophet Ieremie:The ſecond obiection out of Ieremie. 27. ſpeaking of the dominion which God was purpoſed to geue vntounto Nabuchadnezer kīge of Babylō on this wiſe: I hauehave made the earthe ād mē (ſaithe the Lorde) ād the beaſtes vpō the earthe in my ſtrēgth and ſtretched out hand, and it do I geue to him that pleaſeth me. And therfore hauehave I geuē all this lande in to the hands of Nabuchadnezer my ſeruant. And all natiōs and mightie kinges ſhall ſerue him, and till the tyme of his lande do come, that is, till I viſite him, and his countrie alſo. And it ſhall come to paſſe, that I will viſite the nation or kingdome which will not ſerue the kinge of Babell with ſworde, famine, and peſtilēce. Wherfore ſerue ye the kinge of Babell and lyue. Beholde, ſaye they, (who thinke it in no caſe lawfull to withſtande vngodlie Rulers) This wicked kinge is cōſtitute of God, and made his ſeruante. And moreouer thoſe that ſhulde withſtand him, are curſed and threatned with ſword, famine, and peſtilence. And therfore to diſobey ſuche,Anſwere. Ieremie. 5. wherfore Tyrantes are called Gods inſtrumentes. muſte nedes be vnlawfull.
Nabuchadnezer as it is wrytten in Ieremie, is called the maule of the Lorde, and his inſtrumēt of warre, by the which he was determyned to beate doune all Nations and kingdoms, puniſhing them for their ſynnes and idolatrie. And therfore the Lorde calleth him his ſeruāte, for that he had choſē him to that office. Nether oght we to maruell that God will vſe the labours of vngodlye perſones, ſeing all being his creatures are at his commandement, as is Satan with all his infernall ſpirites. Then God, hauing appoynted Nabuchadnezer to this office to be his tormentor, as well in ſkourginge ād correcting his owne people, as in deſtroyinge his open enimies: it was requiſite that God ſhuld miniſter vntounto him ſufficient power, for the accompliſhment of his determinat counſelle, which the Lorde did in ſuch abundance, as no Nation was able to reſiſte him, that ſhuld not periſhe either with the ſworde of Nabuchadnezer, or famine, either els in that the Lorde hī ſelf would from heauen fight on his parte withe the plague of peſtilence.
And of this what thing els gather we, but firſte the purpoſe of Ieremie: that was to drawe the Iewes frō their follie, which after they had once forſaken the Lorde by rebellion, did thinke alſo by their policie to eſcape Gods appoynted puniſhmēt. No no, woulde Ieremie ſay: it is to late,The meaning of the Prophet. and ye are to weake to fight againſte the Lorde whoſe worke this is. When ye were Lordes within your ſelues, and had full libertie to honor your Lorde God, accordīge to the Lawes whiche he gaue vntounto you, and whereby ye were aſſured to lyue without feare of all natiōs, you wolde not. And therfore ſhall you ſerue a ſtrange kinge, ſtrange lawes, and a ſtrāge nation til you be wel corrected ād humbled: till you hauehave felt by experience what an ineſtimable cō fort it is to hauehave the liuinge Lorde to be your kinge ād gouernour. And therfor woulde Ierē. ſay, Serue Nabuchadnezer.
Seinge thē this is the appoynted plague of God for diſobeyinge him and his Lawes, to ſerue ſtrange kinges, and to be captiues▪ you are hereby warned ād taught, rather to turne with all ſpede to the liuinge Lorde, and to ſet vp his true religiō againe, that he may defend you: thē in proceadinge in your blaſphemye for the cōmandement and feare of any creature, to haſten Gods wrath and Iudgements. The Iſraelites becauſe they woulde not receaue the oft admonitiōs of Gods P…ophetes to feare the Lord, cooulde not afterwarde eſcape his plagues, nor the feare of men: no more ſhal you (ô inhabiters of Englāde) without ſpeedie repētance eſcape the Spayniſhe plague of adoulterous Philippe whom the Lorde will make his ſworde and maul to beate downe your townes and Cities, ād to deuoure the people therof.Mans yoke is vnſupportable. For ſeinge you hauehave with the Iſraelites forſakē the ſwete ād pleſant yoke of God and Chriſte his Sonne: you ſhal indure the importable yoke of this cruell and beaſtly nation.
But what, ſhall we obey then ſay you? Yes verely: but againſt your wills in captiuite and thraldom, as did the Iſraelites in Egypt and Babylon, to ſerue them with your bodyes and goodes. Seinge ye woulde departe with nothinge to ſerue our Maiſter and Sauiour Chriſt, thinke you to eſcape this by obeyinge your wicked Rulers? By what other means hauehave you fallen into the handes of your enemies, but by this kinde of obedience onelyonly? Whiche as you hauehave harde ſufficiently proued, is in Gods ſight plaine diſobedience and rebellion. But you will ſay: Ieremie willed the Iewes to ſerue Nabuchadnezer which was a wicked Prince, and then with out the feare of God, and therfore are we bownd to ſerue our Quene, thoghe ſhe be an vngodly idolatres?what obedience and ſeruice Ieremie requireth. Ieremie ſpeaketh but of bodely ſeruice, and ſuch as ſubiectes owe to their ſuperiours in Ciuile ordinaunces, and outwarde doinges, and not to defile their conſciences in committing euill. For in ſuche thīges, both God and his Prophetes, and the examples of all the godly do forbid all obediēce. They were made ſubiectes to the kinge of Babylon to ſerue him with their bodies and goodes, as were his owne people: and alſo to paye tribute to him as did ſtrangers, which he had likewiſe ſubdued. The which thing was for their puniſhment. And therfore of duetie they muſt patientlie beare them.
Thē in fewe wordes I anſwere, that althoghe it be moſte lawfull with patience to beare the puniſhment of the Lorde for our ſynne, and not to repine or rebell agaynſt it: yet is it our parte neuertheleſſe, and bownden duety, to defende and mayntayne the cauſe of God with all our might: and to whithſtand all maner of aduerſaries, euen to the loſſe of our goods and liues: being euer aſſured of this promeſſe of our Sauiour and Maiſter, That he that loſeth his liffe for his ſake, ſhall finde it:Mat. 19. and he that loſeth father or mother, frindes or goodes in his cauſe, ſhall be rewarded an hundreth folde in this worlde, and in the worlde to come with liffe euerlaſting.
It is not then wiſedome to repine at the rodde when it is layde vponupon vsus to beate vsus, but to returne backe to our mercifull Father with vnfayned repentance,Godes plagues oght to moue vsus to repentance and not to harden vsus in euill. calling for mercy before hande whiles he doth but menace vsus. And therfore the threatning or counſelle of Ieremie, is but an admonition for vsus to obeye God in true religion whan we hauehave tyme: that therby we may eſcape the like plagues: ād no defēce at all for our vngodlie behauiour in yelding to the deuiliſhe decrees of anie vngodly Magiſtrates, what names or titles ſoeuer they beare. For this anſwere of the Apoſtles muſt euer more preuaile: God muſt be obeyed rather then man. And there is no obedience in euil that can pleaſe the almightie.
Laſte of all we hauehave to conſider the ſainge and doinge of the worthie ſeruante of God the kinge and Prophet Dauid,The thirde obiection. 1. Sā. 24 and .49.who woulde not lift vp his hand againſte kinge Saule, notwithſtanding he ſought to hauehave murthered Dauid, ſaīge: God forbid that I ſhoulde touche the anoynted of the Lorde: and why? Becauſe he is the anoynted of the Lorde. If it be not lawfull thē to touche the kinge becauſe he is the Lordes anoynted: it is likewiſe vnlawfull to diſobey or reſiſte, for that he is the Lords anoynted.
AnſwereTo whiche I anſwere, that to conſider the bare wordes, it woulde ſeeme true as they ſay: but wayīge the cauſe, the matter is eaſie to anſwere.The cauſe why Dauid was hated of Saule. The occaſion wherfore Saul, hated Dauid, was for that he knewe he ſhould ſucceade him in his kingdome. As Saule him ſelfe doth confeſſe in the ſame Chapter, ſaynge: I knowe of a ſuertie that thou ſhalt reigne, and that the kingdom of Iſraell ſhal be eſtabliſſhed in thy hande.1. Sa. 24 Swere to me therfore by the Lorde, that thou wilte not cut of my ſeed after me, nor deſtroye my name frome my fathers howſe. This beinge thē Dauids owne priuate cauſe,None oght to reuenge his owne priuate cauſe. it was not lawfull for him in that caſe to ſeke his owne reuengemēt: eſpecially in murtheringe violently his anoynted kinge, and the anoynted of the Lorde. For it is not written of Saule, that he was an idolatrer or conſtrayned his people to worſhippe ſtrange Godes, nor yet was aboute to ſel thē to the enemies of God the Philiſtines, againſt whom he foghte manfully and many tymes. Nether that he was an open oppreſſor and cōtemner of the Lawes of God, as are this day all the rulers in miſerable England. And therfore Dauid beinge but a priuate man, coulde hauehave done no violence to his kinge without Godes eſpecial inſpiratiō,Rulers cō temninge Gods lawes are as well ſubiect to the puniſhement of the ſame as priuat perſōs. except in reuēginge his priuat cauſe he had vſurped Gods office and ſoght to hauehave eſtabliſhed him ſelf in his kingdome, not taryīge the Lords appoītmēt.
But where as the kinges or Rulers are become altogether blaſphemers of God, and oppreſſors and murtherers of their ſubiectes, then oght they to be accōpted no more for kinges or lawfull Magiſtrats, but as priuate mē: and to be examined, accuſed, condemned and puniſhed by the Lawe of God, wherunto they are and oght to be ſubiect, and being conuicted and puniſhed by that Lawe, it is not mās, but Gods doing: who as he dothe appoynte ſuch Magiſtrates ouer his people by his Lawe, ſo doth he condemne aſwel them as the people trāſgreſsing 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 cōſtrayned 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,1. Sam. 22 commandinge them to murther Ahimelech and the reſt of the Leuites ād Prieſtes:Deu. 17. 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 amōgeſt 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 natiōs and people that beare the Name of Chriſte.
Theſe are the obiections for the moſte parte, or at the leaſt the chiefeſt,The obiections do cleare this doctrine and nothinge darken it. 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 vocatiō 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 cōtrarie: 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 bōdage of Satan, to call back the trueth of Gods worde agayne, wherby ye were once in freedome both of conſciēce and bodie: and vtterly to aboliſhe all vile papiſtrie the doctrine of deuils, and onelyonly cauſe of all your calamitie, both of bodie and ſoule.