How Superior Powers Ought to be Obeyed of their Subjects, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
¶How muche the comon people owe to God for his benefits receaued, what obedience he requirethe, how farre they are charged, what thinges they hauehave promiſed, and how ignoraunce maye not excuſe them.
ALL theſe thinges being well conſidered, it is an eaſie matter for all maner of ſubiectes to knowe what libertie belongeth vntounto them, by the worde of God, whiche they maye lawfullie clayme, as their owne poſseſsiō, and are likewiſe bounde at all tymes to practiſe: wherin alſo appeareth what thinges are prohibited vntounto them, whiche they maye in no caſe exerciſe. Yf you therfore be Gods ſubiectes and people, and he your Lorde God and louinge Father, who is aboue all powers ād Princes, ād hath made no Lawes, but ſuch as are for your preſeruation, and ſinguler comforte: then without all controuerſie there maye be nothinge lawfull for you by anie commandment of man, whiche your Lorde God in anie caſe forbiddeth: and nothinge vnlawfull or forbidden to you whiche he commandeth, whither it appartayne to the firſte Table or the Seconde.A rule for all to obſerue. Which rule if ye obſerue, you maye be aſſured to pleaſe God: like as by doinge the contrarie, ye ſhall purchaſe his heauie wrathe and indignation. For no mā can ſerue two Maiſters at once: but he ſhall hate the one, ād louelove the other.Mat. 6. And in hatinge your firſte and chief Lorde to obeye and pleaſe man, beholde your impietie is intolerable, prefarringe vile mā his creature, to the Almightie God and creator of all.
How muche we are bownde to his Maieſtie, our owne conſcience doth beare vsus witneſſe: whiche can not deny but that we hauehave receauid of him alone our liffe mouing and being, our wiſedome ſtrēgthe, bewtie, riches, childrē, ād all thī ges that are good ād profitable, in whoſe power we may do all thīges,Pſ. 1.7.17 ād with out hī all fleſhe is turned to duſt ād powder.
Moyſes charged hys with nothinge that God had not commanded.Remember the example of the worthie Captayne and Prince Moyſes, whō God choſe to delyuer his people from Egypt, who woulde not charge thē with anie thinge at any tyme whiche the Lorde his God had not commanded, euermore ſpeakinge on this wiſe, Theſe are the ſtatutes and preceptes of the Lorde: Thus ſayth the Lorde:Exod. 19. Deu. 4.20 and, Heare ô Iſrael the voyce of the Lord, &c. In ſo muche, as he had this for his onlie ſhilde agaynſte the murmuring people: It is not agaynſt Aaron and me that ye murmure but againſt the Lorde: which beīg choſen and appoynted of the Lorde, did onelyonly execute his will and commandementes. Yea, as for them ſelues they cō feſſed that they were nothinge. As for vsus (ſayde Moyſes) what are we? meaninge but earth ād aſſhes, the creaturs of God, nothinge differinge from others, ſauing for that auctoritie, wherunto they were called, ād the obediēce which they ſhewed in executīge not their owne willes, but the will and pleaſure of God.Deut. 10 And why? but becauſe they knew they were the people of God with whō they were charged, and beinge his people,Godes people muſt be gouerned onelyonly by Gods Lawes. Exod. 19. how it behoueth them to be ruled by no other Lawes and ordinances, then by ſuch as God had geuen them.
Wherfore if Moyſes and Aaron, Gods electe and choſen ſeruants had no more power ouer the people then his expreſſe comandement permit, and that the people ſo far and no farther were bownd to obeye them: how can we aſſure our ſelues that we offende not Gods Maieſtie, whoſe people we woulde be called, whē witheout his worde, yea cōtrary to his expreſſe cōmandemēt we ſatisfie the requeſtes and ſtatutes of vngodly rulers?
For as Moyſes coulde cōmande nothī ge but frō the mouthe of the Lorde: ſo coulde the people obey nothing but that whiche proceaded from his mouthe alſo: aſwell becauſe they were his people, as for that they had (opromiſed with one voyce and conſent before God ād Moyſes, whē the Lorde commanded him to ſay on this wiſe to the people. You hauehave ſeene what I hauehave done to the Egyptians, and how I hauehave caried you vponupon the winges of Egels, and led you forthe to me. Yf therfore ye will diligētlye heare my voice, and obſerue my cō mandement, you ſhalbe my propre people before all nations: For myne is the earthe. And you ſhalbe vntounto me a kyngely Prieſthod, and an holy people. Whiche wordes when Moſes had pronounced before the whole people, they all to gether with one accord,The people promiſs to God and Moſes. āſwered: Whatſoeuer the Lorde ſhall ſpeake, that will we do. And Moyſes praiſed them (or God rather by moyſes) ſainge, They did well in ſo anſwering.Deu. 18. And therfore promiſed to rayſe them vp a Prophet like to him, &c. And this was the couenant onlye that God made with them before he gaue them the Lawe in wrytinge, and the promes that they made to obſerue the ſame Lawe, that they might therby be his deare and choſen people.
This example ought neuer to departe from the eyes of all ſuch as are, or woulde be Gods people. Wherin as in a moſt clere glaſſe it dothe appeare how they are bownd to God, what God requireth of them, and what they hauehave promiſed to him. For as the Lorde God required nothinge of the Iſraelits, but that whiche was their duetie to do, and he by his exceadinge benefits in delyueringe them from their enimies had well deſerued: euen ſo he byndeth thē to nothinge, but to obeye him. Nether did they promiſſe anie farther, ſaynge: We will do all thinges (not what Moyſes or Aaron or anie other after them ſhall of them ſelues commande) but whatſoeuer our Lorde God ſhall ſpeake, that will we do. More then this God required not, nether were they bownde any farther but to the Lawes of God onelyonly, whiche they promiſed for them and their poſteritie to obſerue.All chriſtians are no leſſe bonde to ob…y God and his Lawes, then were the Iſraelits. And God for that cauſe bleſſed them aboue all nations, with his vnſpeakable benefits.
So are we no leſſe bownde to obeye the ſelf ſame God of Iſrael, whom we alſo profeſſe in Chriſte Ieſu our Moyſes and Captayne, by whom we are not onelyonly delyuered from bodely ſeruitude, but from the moſte vile and dangerous bondage of Satan through ſynne our ſpirituall enemie. To this worthieſt delyuerer alſo hauehave we in Baptiſme promiſed no leſe, yea, muche more obedience: becauſe of the more abundance of graces, which by him we hauehave receaued. And beſides this are moſte ſtraightly charged ſo to do. Not by the voyce of anie earthly creature, but by the mouth of God the Father ſpeakinge frō the heauens: This is my dearely beloued Sonne,Mat. 4.17 in whom I am delited, heare him: whoſe fidelitie alſo no leſſe paſſed the faithfullneſſe of Moyſes, then did his honor and dignitie being the Sonne of God, and promyſed Sauiour, doing nothing at all, nor teaching any thing which his heuenly Father had not appoynted him to do and to teache.
Wherfore, as the Iewes had the Lawe of God and his commandementes for a ſufficient diſcharge agaynſt all contrarie commandementes, of what auctoritie ſo euer they were, being no farther bownde to any creature thē the ſelf ſame Lawes of God approued: euenſo, all ſuch as beare the Name of Chriſt and woulde be taken for the people of God, thoghe they be of the baſeſt ād loweſte ſtate of ſubiectes,The cōmā dement of Princes cā not bynd vsus contrary to Gods worde. are no farther bownd to any Prince or ſuperior power, nor to their commandementes, then the cō mandement of the chief kinge ād Lorde doth approue ād permitte, nor then their promeſſe agayne to him doth require.
Nether may it be a ſufficiēt diſcharge for thee to alleadge ignorāce, becauſe thou art a ſubiecte, and therfore haſt nothing to do, to inquire of the doinges or to examyne the commandementes of thy ſuperiors or Rulers,The vngodly opinion of the cōmō people. but wilt ſay with the multitude, If they commāde well thou art obedient, if otherwiſe thou art excuſed in doing as thou art cōmanded, and they onelyonly hauehave to anſwer to God by whō thou art thus charged. Deſceaue not thy ſelf (deare brother) For aswell art thou charged by Gods worde to knowe what they commande thee, and not to do it except it be lawfull,As wel the obeyer of wickednes as the commāder ſhal be puniſhed. as they are charged by their office to will nothīg of thee, which Gods worde approueth not. For as they in commanding ād doing euill, ſhall not eſcape Gods heauy wrathe and iudgmētes: no more ſhalt thou, being made an inſtrument of their impietie and vngodlyneſſe. Therfore to be ignorant in theſe thinges, althogh thou be a ſubiecte, is to contemne the commandement of God, and to neglecte thine owne ſaluation: for as muche as God hath charged thee beinge one of his people, with the ſame Lawes (the Ceremonies except) wherwithe he charged his people Iſrael before, and willith thee no leſſe to knowe his preceptes, and to obeye them, then he willed the Iſralites.Deu. 6.11 Of them he required to hauehave his Lawes wrytē vponupon their dores and poſtes, to inſtructe their children in the ſame, to talke of them ſitting at home, and when they walked in the waye, when they went to bed, and whē they ſhuld riſe.why the Chriſtiās oght greater obedience to Gods worde thē did the Iewes. Ioh 1. But to thee beſides all this, God hath ſent a more ſhining light, our Sauiour Ieſus Chriſte: which eueryevery man may clerely beholde, excepte he be wilfully blynde with the ſtubberne Iewes. He is the light that ſhinethe in darkneſſe, and lightneth eueryevery man that commeth in to this worlde. He hathe taken away the ſhaddoues ād Ceremōies of the Lawe, that thou mayſt clerely beholde the will of his Father. He hath vncouered Moyſes face,Exod 34. 2. Cor. 3. to the-intent thou mayſt fully conſider the ſecrets of God. For theſe are the dayes wherof the Prophet Ioel ſpake,Io…l. 2. Eſai▪ 44. Act. 2. when all ſhulde be Prophets, and ſee viſiōs. And it ſhal come to paſſe in the latter dayes (ſaith God) that I wil powre furth my Spirite vpō all fleſhe, ād your ſonnes ād daughters ſhall prophecie, your younge men ſhall ſee viſions, and your auntients ſhall dreame dreames. And moreouer vponupon my ſeruauntes and handemaydes in thoſe dayes, will I powre my Spirite, and they ſhall prophecie.Act. 2. Which prophecie. S. Peter affirmeth to be fulfilled in the kingdome of Chriſte, where all thinges are as playne and euident to all ſortes of men and women, which profeſſe Chriſte vnfaynedly, as before his tyme they were to the Prophets them ſelues, or to ſuch as God appeared vntounto in dreames or viſions.
And therfore, if ignorance of Gods Lawes coulde not excuſe the Iewes before Chriſtes commyng, which were contynualy ſubiecte to the puniſhment of God for their tranſgreſsions (thoghe many thinges were obſcure as in ſhadowes and figures: how muche leſſe cā it excuſe any mā now in ſo great lyght of the Goſpel? Seing then thou knoweſt thy ſelf bownd to obeye thy Lorde God aboue all others, becauſe of the ineſtimable benefits thou haſt receaued of him in Chriſte Ieſus, and becauſe he requireth the ſame of thee, and thou haſt alſo promiſed no leſſe to him in thy baptiſme and profeſsion: and laſt of all in that thou caneſt not pretende ignorance in ſuch knowledge▪ and ſhyninge brightneſſe, nor yet eſcape Gods vengeance, which he with out reſpecte of perſones wil powre indifferently vponupon all tranſgreſſors, be they ſuperior powers, or inferior ſubiectes. It is thy parte then, beīg a ſubiecte, to learne this leſſon of the Apoſtles (whē ſo euer thou ſhuldeſt be conſtrayned,Both hie ād lowe muſt learn this leſſon of the Apoſtels. by commandement or force of tyrantes to do euill) That God muſt be obeyed before man. Which vntounto thee will be as ſufficiēt a defence and buckler in all aſſaultes and daungers, as it is to all other ſortes of men in auctoritie and office: as was before declared.
Art thow then, being a ſubiecte commaūded to worſhipp ſtockes and ſtones which this day to our ſhame are erected agayne in Englande?Idols for the true God. Beholde thou haſt Gods commandement for thy defence: Thou ſhalt commit no idolatrie, nor make to thy ſelf any grauen image &c.Exod. 2…. Deu. 5. Art thou charged to be at the idolatrous Maſſe, wherin Chriſte thy Lorde is blaſphemed? Beholde,The abominable maſſe for the holy Supper of the Lords. he hath geuen thee an other charge: that is, to celebrate his Supper, according as he left in example, ſayng: Do you this, that is, which ye ſe me do, ād not which the powers of the worlde, or the peſtilēt papiſtes commande. Alſo do it (ſaith Chriſte) in remembrance of me,Mat. 26 Cōpariſon betwixt the maſſe and the Lordes Supper. 1. Cor. 11 and not of your frindes alyue or departed, as teache the Papiſtes. For none of thē died for you. More ouer do it to ſhewe forth the deathe of Chriſte, til his coming, as witneſſeth the Apoſtle: and not to make a new ſacrifice for ſynne, as the Papiſts blaſphemouſly both teache and preache.How the Sabbath is abuſed. Art thou commanded by men to diſhonour the Sabbathe day in worſhipping of Sainctes and abſtayning vponupon their dayes and euens from thy lawfull buſines? Beholde, God thy Lorde chargeth thee no further then onelyonly with his daye of reſte, ſaying: See thou keepe holie the Sabbath of the Lorde thy God: and not of Peter, Paule, Marie,To ſwear by Saincts is contrarie to Gods worde. Deut. 6.10 Ioſua. 23. Eſai 45. Iames or Iohn. Art thou commā ded to ſweare in the name of Marie and all the Saincts in heauen? (which is the papiſtical othe) Beholde, the Lorde ſaithe, Thow ſhalt onelyonly ſweare in the Name of thy Lorde and God. Art thou commanded not onelyonly to take the Name of the Lorde in vayne, but alſo to forſwere thy ſelf moſte ſhamefully agaynſt Gods glorious Maieſtie, and the honor of our Sauiour Chriſte? (as all they hauehave done which lately hauehave ſworne to acknowledge Antichriſte the bloudy butcher of Rome to be their head and gouernour) Beholde, The Lorde will not ſuffer his houſe vnpuniſhed that taketh his Name in vayne: muche leſſe ſuch periured and forſworen wretches. Art thou commanded to perſecute thy parentes and frendes, charged not to ſuccour them in their neceſsitie, becauſe they profeſſe the doctrine of ſaluation? Art thow forbidden lawfull mariage, becauſe thou art a miniſter of Gods worde, and permitted to lyue in all kinde of filthie vnclenneſſe, as do the Sodomiticall Prieſtes, Mōkes, Freers, Nōnes, Cardinales, Deanes, Archdeacons, and all other other orders of Satan:Leu. 20. beholde ſuch dothe the Lorde God as moſt abominable of all other, cōmāde to be put to death.
To be ſhorte, when they contrarie to their othe and profeſsion, commande thee to receue Antichriſte, the beaſtlie Biſhoppe of Rome, with all his filthie dregges of damnation:The ſume of Antichriſts doctrine to burne the worde of God and the faithfull interpreters and profeſſers of the ſame: to forgo the comfortable preaching of the Goſpel, and reading of the Scriptures: to perſecute Chriſte in his mēbers: to ayde the enimies with thy goods and bodie agaynſt the deare childrē of God: to fight in other countries with out any iuſte cauſe or occaſion, and to ſuffer thy wiffe, children, kinſfolkes and countryemen to be moſte cruelly ſpoyled,Vnlawful warres. oppreſſed and murthered for want of thy defence at home (as they moſt ſhamfully hauehave done of late, which at the cō mandement of that cruell tyrāt,Oh lamē table miſerie. prepared them ſelues to fight agaynſt the Frēche kinge, and their owne brethern the Skottes, whiles the Spaniards put them ſelues in a redineſſe to entre the Realme and make a generall ſpoyle and pray of all.
Theſe thinges and many ſuch like are playnly forbidden you by the manifeſt worde of God: and therfore to do them for feare or pleaſure of anie Prince or power, is playne diſobedience and rebellion agaynſt the Almightie. And contrarie wiſe, to anſwere in this caſe, and to do as the Apoſtles hauehave taught, that is, to obeye God rather then man, is the onelyonly waye to diſcharge your cōſciences, to do your dueties, and to pleaſe God: no more to be made by ignorance the inſtrumentes of his ſworen enimies (what title ſo euer they beare) to ſubuerte Gods glorie, oppreſſe your brethern, and diſtroye your countrie: but repenting your former ignorance and impietie, to be made inſtrumentes of the contrarie to the vttermoſt of your power, leaſt you be taken in your ſynne, and preuented with the bitter cup of Gods indignatiō, alreadie prepared for the workers of iniquitie, and all ſuch, as are ayeders, and partakers with them, when nether power can defend the ſuperiors, nor their commandmentes, excuſe the ſubiectes.