Propositions and Principles of Divinity Disputed, Section 34
PRINCIPLES VPONUPON THE FIFTH COMMANDEMENT OF GODS LAVVE. XXXIIII.
1 HAuing alreadie expounded the commandemēts of the firſt Table, which do properlie and peculiarlie appertaine vntounto the true and lawfull worſhip of God: it is meete that wee lay open the commandements of the ſecond, which do containe our dutie towardes our neighbor, & firſt we will deale with the firſt precept therof.
2 This commandement therefore may bee verie aptlie deuided into two heads that is, into the commandement it ſelf, properly ſo called, and the promiſe.
3 In the commandement, are diſtinguiſhed (by ſetting down one ſort for the whole) the diuers degrees of the callings appointed by God, to the behoofe of mans ſocietie: namlie, to the end that eueryevery man ſhould walke with great care in his owne calling, neuer turning his eies from the bounds therof.
4 Therefore children (which is the firſt degree of mans ſocietie) are commanded to honor their father & mother, which thing alſo nature it ſelf doth teach. By this name are comprehended both theſe from whence we are come, and alſo thoſe that iſſue from vsus, together with our kinsfolke, both by father and by mother, our allies, and our countrie it ſelf: and in like ſort, thoſe are heere comprehended vntounto whom we are bound to performe anie obedience, either by reaſon of their high place and authoritie, as kings Magiſtrates, Lords, Maiſters: or by reaſon of their age, as olde men, or thoſe vntounto whom we are bound for ſome benefite, or by any other knot of dutie.
3 The word (HONOR) containeth three things, reuerence, obedience, and thankfulnes.
6 Reuerence is the acknowledgement & regard, which is yeelded by the inferiours, vntounto the ſuperiors, not only in bodie, but alſo in mind. So the ſonne is bound to honor & reuerence both his parents, the ſubject his gouernor, the yonger honor his elder in years, & to be ſhort, one man to an other.
7 Obedience is the execution of the commādemēt giuen by the ſuperiour, performed cheerfully and reddily by the inferiour, as far as lieth in him: therefore ſonnes are boūd willingly to ſubmit thēſelues vntounto their parents, and ſubjects vntounto their gouernors: and to obey their commā dements with all their might.
The Anabaptiſts then, do withſtād both God & nature, who think, that there ought to be no vſe of magiſtrats amongſt chriſtians, but that they are to be aboliſhed.
8 We are yet to take heed, that we yeeld not to our parents, Magiſtrats, or yet to anie man, more than is meete: that is, that we hauehave them not in Gods ſteed.
And therefore they do greeuouſlie ſinne, who hold, that whatſoeuer pleaſeth the Prince, ought to hauehave the force of a law.
9 Thankfulnes doth then, manifeſt it ſelf, when as we do freelie acknowledge, that we owe a dutie, vntounto al thoſe of whome we hauehave receaued anie benefite, and are readie to repay them againe, and that in fuller meaſure if we bee able. Neither is it anie thing againſt this point, that fathers doe lay vp for their children, and not contrariwiſe: for it commeth often to paſſe, that parentes doe ſtand in neede of the helpe and ſupport of their children.
10 Euen as honor is to be yeelded vntounto ſuperiours: ſo on the other ſide, thoſe that are aboue others in degree, ar bound to performe their duty towards their inferiours.
11 Parents therefore muſt take the care of their children, but ſo as they do not ſuffer them to hauehave too much of their owne will: that is, that they doe not louelove thoſe whome they hauehave begotten, either more, or otherwiſe thē is meet. Of which ſort was the louelove of ELIE towardes his ſonnes, HOPHNIE and PHINEAS: whereas it is their dutie fatherlie to chaſtiſe their offences.
12 It is the dutie alſo of Magiſtrats to regard the welth of their ſubjects, to appoint, and by wiſe counſell to enact and ordaine thoſe things, which belong to their quiet and peaceable eſtate in this life. But as for thoſe things which appertaine vntounto the ſaluation of our ſoules, and doe belong to the cauſes, preceptes, and meanes to obtaine the ſame, it belongeth not vntounto Magiſtrats to preſcribe them: but it is an eſpeciall part of their dutie, both to ſee, according vntounto the authority graunted vntounto them, that the true worſhip of God bee lawfullie eſtabliſhed according to his word, in the countries that are vnderunder their gouernement: and alſo to defend the ſame being once eſtabliſhed, againſt the violaters thereof, euen by puniſhing them with death, if the caſe ſo require.
13 In this commandement alſo, the flockes are bound to obey their Paſtors, and ouerſeers; and alſo cheerefullie to honour them, and prouide for their maintenance: as they on the other ſide, are bound with great conſcience & care to feede their flocks committed vntounto them.
14 Yet can neither the ſubjects with a good conſcience obey their Magiſtrats, when they command them thinges that are manifeſtlie impious and vnjuſt, nor the flockes yeelde obedience vntounto their falſe Paſtors, who goe aſtraie from the will of God.
15 Yet it is not lawfull for priuate men, to riſe or oppoſe themſelues violentlie againſt the Magiſtrates, that deale tyranniouſlie with them: but it is their dutie, when anie ſuch thing commeth to paſſe, either to betake themſelues to praiers and pacience, (which notwithſtanding muſte not carie vsus away from that which God requireth of vsus,) or to flie vntounto them vntounto whome the Lawe hath giuen authoritie to bridle and to reſtraine ſuch tyrants.
16 The particuler actions of ſome, which ſeemeth to giuegive leaue to priuate men to take armour againſt a tyrant, are not raſhly to be drawne into example.
17 Briefly we affirme, that within this commandement our neighbour alſo is comprehended: that is, euerye man (our enemies and all) vntounto whome wee may doe good in the Lord: becauſe the lawes of nature it ſelfe, do bind man vntounto man.
18 Hitherto concerning the commandement. The promiſe adjoined vntounto the obſeruation therof, is anexed vntounto it, firſt to the end that men might bee more and more ſtirred vp to yeeld the ſaid honour. Secondly, that it ſhoulde be as it were, an earneſt-pennie of the diuine couenaunt. Wherein alſo, mention is made of that land, which the Lorde had appoynted, as it were, a pledge of his couenaunt.
19 This promiſe belongeth vntounto vsus, not as far as wee conſider the ſame, as it was ſometimes made vntounto the people of the Iewes, concerning that holie land: but in regard that whereſoeuer wee bee, the earth is the Lords, and in what countrie ſoeuer we dwell, the ſame is graunted vntounto vsus by the gift of God.
20 Now this promiſe is meruelouſlie agreeable vntounto the commandement it ſelfe, whereby the prolonging continuance of this life, is promiſed vntounto him that honoureth thoſe, that were the inſtruments of the life which he enjoyeth.
21 And euen as a long and a proſperous life is promiſed vntounto obedient Sonnes; ſo on the other ſide, all diſobedient, vnthankful, and obſtinat Children, are aſſured of the puniſhment of infamie, joyned with diuers and great calamities and torments.
22 Neither are we therfore to conclude, that this promiſe is vaine, becauſe neither thoſe are alwaies long liued, who performe this dutie, neither yet al the breakers of this commaundement doe die in their youth. For the Lorde doth ſo diſpoſe the blesſings of this life, as he thinketh expedient; and the ſooner hee calleth hence thoſe that are obedient vntounto their Parents, by ſo much the ſooner he bleſſeth them: now the long life of the rebellious, do ſo commend the pacience of God, as notwithſtanding, it becommeth a curſe vntounto them.
Defended by IOHN GIGORDVS Baeterrenſis Occitanus.