GOd spede Simon, y^u comest betyme, I se that thou art desirous of the truth, wherfore I haue a good hope, y^t thou shalt obteyne & come by that thynge, whiche thou desireste so greately. Touching y^e magistrate, where vpon, we were determined to haue rea­soned, I doute not, but that I shall satis­fye the in al thinges. But tell fyrst what thy iudgement is.

Thyne opy­nion is that a christian maye execute the offyce of a Maiestrate, but I do thynke that both the word & example of Christe repugneth to thys opynyon. For when they wold at a certeyn tyme choose him to be a kyng, he did runne awaye. Ihon vi. Which thing he wold not haue done yf it had not bene against all godlynesse. And in the .xxii. cha of Luke. Christ with [Page] expressed wordes speketh to his disciples after this maner: The princes of gentiles do beare rule, and they that haue power are called benefyciall, ye shall not so, but he that is greatest emonge you, shal be y^e least, and he that is chyfest, shall be as he that mynistreth. By these wordes it is manifeste and playne, that it becommeth not chrystyans to execute the offyce of a maiestrate. It is lawfull for the heathen and infidels, for Christ saith. The princes of the gentiles.Christe came to redeme the world w^t hys bloud.

Christ came not to take awaye the publyke magistrates, much lesse to execute their office, but to redeme y^e world, w^t hys bloud. Wherfore he doth runne away, not consenting to the affections of y^e people, for he could not haue taken vpon hym the offyce of a king, without commotion, the Romains not permitting it, which were thē rulers But who euer so gathered his argument Christ was neuer a baker, ergo, no Christyan,The folysh argumente of the Libertins or Anabaptis­tes. canne be a baker? Why then do ye make this argument: Christ neuer executed y^e office of a maiestrate, ergo, it is not lawfull for a christyan, to be a maiestrate or beare rule. In the .xxii. of Luke Christ doth warne the apostles of their dutye & [Page] forbyddeth that they should not be busye in other mens matters, for they had stryued by the waye, who should be greatest emonge them after the death of Christe. For they dyd ymagin, that there shoulde be such a power and rule emong them, as the bisshop of Rome hath vsurped in the latter daies in the church. He doth plucke from the minds of his disciples this soure disease of ambitiō, & desire of honor, knowinge wel that this should be the chief dis­truction of Ecclesiasticall prelates. Therfore he vsethe these wordes: The princes of nations, &c. As if he shoulde say: The princes & gouernours of nations, are appoynted to rule & to gouerne, as for you, ye haue an other offyce gyuen you. Yet notwithstandyng, the offyce of a magi­strate is not abolysshed by these words, but it may very wel stand by the apostleshyp, as it is most manifest by the words of Christ. But this doth begyle & deceue the, y^t thou doest take this word, Gentium for the heathen & infideles. For they are here, by a maner of speaking, called prin­ces, and kynges of nations, whyche do gouerne and bear rule in y^e world, which power (as the apostles do testifye) is or­deyned [Page] of god, whych thing Christ doth expresse by these words.Why princes and rulers are called euerge­tae, y^t is to say, beneficiall. They are called Euergetae, that is to saye, beneficyall, be­cause that they are ordeyned to do good to them that are good & vertuous.

By this reason and meane, I maye cast of whatsoeuer can be layde agaynst me, oute of the scriptures, saying: This was said to the apostles, it perteineth nothing to vs: But Christe teacheth vs an other thinge in the .xiii. chap, of Marke: These thynges (sayth he) that I tell you, I do tel to al. This word then, where he sayth (But ye shal not do so) perteyneth vnto al them y^t are godly, and not onely to the apostles.How y^e place of the .xiij. cha of Marke, oughte too be vnderstanded.

Thou dost passe thy boundes, my Simō, and dost not abide in the matter that was propouned, our communication is of the magistrate. In the .xiij. chap. of Marke, which thou dost aledge, Christ doth exhort his apostles to sober­nes and watchinge, & we do gladly con­fesse y^t thys was sayd to al them that are godly. For sith y^t the day of y^e lorde shall come as a thief, being vnknowen vnto al men, and y^t the same dredeful iudgement of Christ, before whose iudiciall seate, all men must apere, doth indifferently hang [Page] ouer al men, he doth well in the apostles warne, monish,The libertins & anabaptists do alege y^e textes of the scriptures, by hal­fes. & exhort al men to watch Thou dost bring the text of y^e euangelyst vnperfit & mutilate. For these be the wordes. Watche ye therefore, for ye can not tel when y^e lord of y^t house wil come, whether it wil be in y^e euening, or at midnight or when y^e corkes crow, or in y^e morning lest if he come sodenly, he doth fynd you sleping, That which I say to you, I doo say it to al mē. Thou canst not deny, but y^e certain things are so set furth by Christ y^e in a maner, they perteine to al men, but not w^tout a dyfference,An apte and meet deuision of all thinges y^e are commaū ded vs in the scriptures and word of god. as when Christe saith: Ye are the salt of the earth. Ye are y^e light of the world. For these things do so pertain to all them y^t professe y^e religiō of Christ, that in y^e meane season they do chiefly belong to the bisshops, and theyr successours: yea, & to the magistrates. A­gayn, certayn thyngs are equally & generally cōmaunded to al men: as he al y^e precepts of mutual charitie & loue, & of forgiuing our brethrē their offences. Finally, certayne thynges are soo spoken, that they doo pertaine onely to the apostles, and to theyr successours, the bysshoppes and Pastours, as: Goo ye throughoute [Page] al the world, and preache the gospel to al creatures.We ought not to make the perticuler precepts, vni­uersall com­maundemen­tes. Therfore, it is not lawfull too make the singulare preceptes, generall & vniuersall commaundementes. For he y^t reasoneth on this maner: What soeuer is sayd to the apostles, is sayed to al men, it is sayde to the apostlles, go intoo all the world, and preache: ergo, the same is said to all men, doth reason foolyshlye. For Paule sayeth, y^t al be not apostles. Ther­fore, that, where he sayeth. But ye shall not do so, is a perticulare or singular precepte, & perteyneth onely to the apostles and their successours. Thou haste not yet proued then, that a Christian may not ex­ecute the offyce of a magistrate.

By what argumentes, canste thou thy selfe proue, that a Christyan maye lawe­fully execute the offyce of a magistrate?

Of the election of the magistrates we fynde wrytten in the .xviii.Wold god al maiestrates & rulers, had alwaies this place of the scripture be­fore their eien chap. of Exodus, after this maner: Prouide or choose out of al people, wyse men, which fear god, in whome the truth is, & whych hate couetousnesse, and make of them, heades ouer the people &c. I do suppose and thynke them, to be ryghtly chosen, which are chosen & elected by them, whō [Page] it belongeth too,How maies­trates and of­ficers be wel & trewly chosen What shal we saie by them y^t by their office so dere, y^t they be of necessitie compelled too spoile the kynges subiectes for to make vp theyr monye agayne. or whose parte it is to choose, electe, and make offycers, not, which do get offyces by fauor, by bribes or other deuylish waies and meanes; thē (I saye) do I thinke to be lawfully cal­led, which either are such as Iethro doth describe here, or elles do studye & labour to be suche. I do suppose nowe, that it is sufficiently proued, & that by the wordes afore aleged, that suche godly men, may execute the office of a maiestrate in god, for the words do signifie the same. They that are made rulers, must be iust, righteous, faythfull, trewe, fearing god, not couetouse. But who can do these thynges better then a christiā? It foloweth agayn in the same chapiter. Yf thou doest these thinges, thou shalt fulfyl the commaun­dement of god, & shalt be able to susteine or beare the commaundementes, or bur­dens of the lord. Sith then that a christiā ought to execute and do the commaundement of god, which thynge is done by y^e magestrate, it foloweth y^t a christian may execute the office of a maiestrate. Dothe not Paule saye that the magestrate, is y^e minister of god? Romaines .xiii. chapter. Wherfore I do make mine argumente [Page] after this fasshyon.Marke and waie this ar­gumente y^u re­bell Libertin. All thynges wherby god is serued, are lawfull for a christyan: but god is serued by a magistrate, ergo, it is not forbidden, that a Christian shuld execute y^e offyce of a magystrate. Of this thing we haue innumerable examples of most holy men, which were magistrates as Abraham, Ioseph, Iudas, Moises, Iosue, Gedeon, Samuel, Dauid, Ezechias, Iosias, and other.

What is y^t to vs, y^t they did in the olde testament? If we may so gather oure argumente, it shal be proued by the same reason, y^t we must sacrifice, & offer vp bulles and goates.

Doth Paul pertain nothing to y^e? That, which y^u bringest of y^e sacryfices hath no place here:All sacrifices are abolished by Christe Dost thou not know y^t they are abolisshed by Christe? But y^u canst not proue y^t the magystrate is abo­lisshed. Tel me now, I pray the, wer not Abraham, Moises, Samuel, & the other, whome I haue recited, faithfull, and the frendes of god?

But they were not christians.

What is a christian?

What a chry­stian is.Which beleueth in Christ Iesus & hath y^e spirit of Christ.

Very well Tell me, had the apostles an other spirit then y^e prophetes?

The spirite of [Page] the apostles, and y^e spirit of the prophets was al one.The holy fa­thers of y^e old Testamente were christi­ans and also maiestrates.

The holy men of y^e old testament, beleued in Christ, and had the spirit of Christe: ergo, they were christy­ans, and they were not onely christyans but also magistrates, rulers, and officers then a christian maye be a Magistrate. That the holy men of the old testament, had y^e spirit of Christe, it is manifest by y^e first chap. of the .i. Epistle of Peter. For he speaketh after this maner. Of y^e whi­che saluation. y^e prophetes haue enquired & sought, which did prophecie of y^e grace y^t shuld come vpon you, seking to whom or to what time, y^e spirit of Christ, whych was in them, did signifie. And that they did beleue in Christ, Christ him self doth testifie in the .viii. chap. of Ihon, & Paul in y^t .i. to y^e Corin. & .x. chap. They dyd all (speaking of y^e fathers of y^e old testamēt) eat one spirituall meat wyth vs, & all did drinke one spiritual drinke. And they did drinke of y^e spiritual rocke,What diffe­rence there is betwene the congregation of the Patri­arkes & our congregacion y^t folowed thē & the rocke was Christ. The congregatyon thē, of them y^t did beleue in those dayes, and of them that do beleue now, is al one, whiche congregation is gathered in one spirit. This difference onely there is y^t they did beleue in Christ, being promi­sed, [Page] and which was yet to come, & we do be­leue in him, y^t is alredy come & exhibyted How they dyd esteme, regarde, and vn­derstand the ceremonies, it is easye to be sene in the prophets.

Then whē we do iudge, we must vse the lawes of y^e Iewes.

That doth ⟨not⟩ folowe, syth y^t they were no more bounde to the law, then we are. The marke that the christian maiestrate dothe shote at, is that peace & iustice maye florishe, that men maye lyue righteously, godly, innocently, & honest­lye: on the contrarie syde, that vyces and wickednes maie be roted out and punis­shed, that sedition, tumult, and rebellion and al such other thinges, may be eyther taken hede of, or elles banished awaie vtterly. It scilleth not by what lawes these thynges be done, so y^e they be done. We do not reade that the apostles dyd euer preache agaynst the lawes of the genty­les. And why? because that the fasshions lawes, and customes, of countreyes and natyons, were dyuerse and sundry, nor it could be possyble, that all thynges shuld be conuenyent for all menne. But what nede we to speake of y^e auncyent fathers? We wyll come to the newe testamente. [Page] Nicodemus, and Ioseph dyd beare rule. He was the steward of Quene Candace that was baptized by Philip, & receiued into the flocke of Christ Cornelius was a christian, which dyd sende for Peter, and was baptized by hym. Surgius Paulus and Erastus were receyued by Paule. Thou canste not denye but that all these were common offycers.

They were officers, whē they came to the faith but it is not expressedlye set forthe, y^t they dyd remayne in theyr offyce, after y^t they dyd receiue the fayth.

Therfore I wyl heare by what reasons thou canst proue, y^t faythe dyd put them from theyr office.

What neadeth any probation, syth that it is not written, that they dyd abyde in theyr office?

Shewe then, that they dyd not continew in their office.

I can not.

Then y^u hast proued nothing, & myne arguments that I do bringe, are as stronge as thine. Trewly these questions do engender in­finit contentions, & bringe a mans mynd into perplexitie. Herken to me then.The christian fayth, doth put no man frō hys office. The christian faith, doth put no man from his empire, dominion, rule, or office: For Ioseph and y^e other whiche we haue named [Page] before, were christyans, & were alsoo pu­blike magistrats & officers. Likewise, Ihō doth not commaund y^e souldiers to put a waie & forsake warfare, inioyning thē only, y^t they shuld hurte or accuse falsely no man, and that they shoulde be contente wyth theyr wages. Luke .iii. chapter. If faith, & the name of a Christian shuld constrayne any man to goo from his power & authority, truely it shuld compel him to go from the seruyce of god. For y^e Magistrate or officer, is y^e minister or seruant of god. The Euangeliste, when he maketh mentiō of Ioseph of Arimathia, doth say y^t he was a senator or alder man. Agayne he sayth, y^t he was an honest & iuste man, but w^tout faith there can be no righteousnes. (For by faith y^e righteous doth liue) He is righteous, he is faithfull, he is a se­natour, ergo, a faythfull may be an alder man or senatour. Paul. Ro. xv. sayth: E­rastus y^t receyuer of y^e towne, doth salute you. He was then in office, he was notte gone frō his office of a receiuer. For in y^e ii. to Tim. iiii. He did say y^t he did dwel in Corinthus. Thou dost not read y^t Philip did forbid y^e Eununchus his stewardship But now I wil hear whether thou canst [Page] bring anye other thinge.

I haue no expressed wordes, touchyng the same But this doth seme vnto me most dete­stable, & most vnsemely for a christyan, y^t he should syt there, where many thinges are done against the law, & against right as it is often times done in iudgementes and in the senate or parliamente house.

I haue proued y^t a christan may execute the office of a Magistrate. What shall I say to thyne obiections? Nicode­mus & Ioseph were in y^e bloudy councel, where Christ was condemned, & yet not w^tstanding, they were not polluted with y^t bloudy iudgement. For thei did not cō sent to y^e counsails of y^e vngodly. Lu. xxiii Wherfore a christian, is nothing harmed though y^t he sate in y^e councel of y^e vngodly, so y^t he doth not consent to their filthy dedes & actes, but defende & counsayle, y^e which is ryght, as much as lieth in him. Psalme .i. But now loke vpon y^e thinge more narowly, & ponder it more diligently, whether it is better y^t godly men and christyans, should be rulers and Magy­strates, or vngodlye persons? For if the Magystrate be an infydell, what good­nesse can wee looke too haue of hym?

For he can do no maner of good him self beinge not good, as be all they, y^t neyther know, nor worship god, which thinge ye do not deny your selues. Syth then that ye do say, that a christian neither can, nor ought to beare rule or be a Magystrate, what other thynge do ye say, but y^t there ought to be no goodnesse at al in y^e magystrate?If y^e doctryne of y^e Libertins & anabaptists shuld stand, al right & iustice shuld be per­uerted. Which doctrine if it should stand shuld not all ryght and iustice be peruer­ted? They that ay y^t a Christian can not be a Magistrate, and graunt that the vn­godly may, they seke nothing els, but to destroy al religyon and common weale. Can any man gouerne & rule better then he that worshpipeth god,As kingdoms dyd alwayes florishe vnder godly & vertuous princes, so they haue ben ouerwhelmed w^t al kindes of calamites whē vngodly men did beare rule and liueth innocently before him? We do learne out of y^e bokes of iudges, of Samuel, of Kynges, and of y^e Chronicles, that the Realmes & kingdoms were neuer in a better & more prosperous state, then when godlye iud­ges and kinges dyd beare rule. Againe, y^t there were neuer so troublous tymes, so muche wyckednes, famine, hunger, war­res, tumultes, and calamytyes, as haue bene vnder vngodlye tyrauntes, as was Hieroboam, Achab, Manasses. &c. Therfore we do now conclude, not onely that a christian may execute the office of a magistrate, [Page] but also that suche an offyce can not be prosperously and wel administred but by christians.

BVt what dost thou say to this y^t Christ answereth to Pilate: My kyngdome is not of thys world? Sith then that christyans are na­med after Christ, surely (for soo it semeth to me) they ought to haue nothing to do with suche a kingdom, nor I thinke it to be necessary to the chyldren of god. For he y^t is a true christian, doth wronge and violence to no man, he doth not contend he doth not striue, he hurteth no man, he smiteth no body, but liueth accordyng to the commaundemente of god. Math. v. chap.

Christe was accused of high treason, agaynste the imperiall Maiesty, wherby the Iues thought soone to haue condempned him. For they sayd, he ma­keth him selfe kynge of the Iewes Our lorde woulde be semed (as he oughte by ryght) to be so farre from the affectation [Page] and coueting of any earthly kingdome, that it shuld be agaynst all reason, to sus­pect any suche thing of him. Therfore he did answere: My kingdom is not of this world, els I should haue seruauntes and ministers, which wolde endeuoure them selues, to defend me. So that Christ byd both confesse that he was king of heauē and also did signifie vnto Pilate, that he had no cause to be afraid of the kingdom that he did minister vnto, as thoughe he should go about to chalenge it vnto him whereof the Iues did accuse hym before Pilate.The kingdom of Christe is not of thys world, but in spirit & truthe As though he should say, I am a king, yet notwithstanding, my kingdom is not of this world, but in spirit & truthe

This is my meaning. Then y^e kingedom of Christe, is not of thys world, y^t is to say, it doth not consist in outward do­minion & power, wherby it foloweth y^t it is destituted or spoiled of glory, pomp, riches, & outward puissaunce and myghte Wherfore we ought to be here y^e outcast of y^e worlde, we shal at length reygne w^t Christ in y^e regeneration.

I do saye nothing against y^e, but that y^u dost gather therby, y^e christians haue no nede of a magistrate, y^t I do deny. The reason, why? [Page] Because that Christe speaketh so of hys kingdom, that in y^e mean season,Christ doth so speake of hys kingdom, y^t in y^e mean seasō, he dothe not take awaye y^e politike magistrate. he doth not condempne nor take away the magistrate. Besides that, the christians are not bare spirites, but they dwel yet in y^e flesh which they do cary about. As touchyng the spirit, by the whych man is renued & made a christian, he hath no nede of a magistrate. For the inwarde manne can be preserued with no outward things. But as touching the flesh, whiche he beareth about, & his outward conuersation, man hath as muche nede of a Magistrate, as of meat, and other outward things. For it is a lyke reason to say:The Magy­strate is as necessary to christians in this worlde, as meat & drinke The kingdome of the christians is not of this world, ergo they haue no nede of a magistrate, and to say: The kingdom of y^e Christians, is not of this world: ergo, they nede no meate. For meat is eaten in this world.

If y^e spirit of a christian man, is a true spiryt he hurteth no man. If he hurteth no bo­dy, what nedeth he a magystrate.

Paul answereth y^e. Princes are not fearful vnto them y^t do wel, but to them y^t do euil. Wilt thou not feare the power? Do y^e thing y^t is good. and y^u shalt haue praise of it: for he is the minister of god, for thy good. [Page] Yf thou doest that thinge, which is euyll, feare, for he bereth not the swerd in vaine But he is the minister of god, to take punishment & vengeaunce of hym, y^t doth y^e thinge which is euill. Wherfore we must be subiects or obedient, not onely for fear of punyshment, but also for cōscience sake

There shal be no nede of al these thinges: for the christian knoweth, what Christ hath saied: Do not resist or w^tstand y^e euil.

It is trew, a christian ought not to reuenge him selfe rashly, sith y^t the same doth perteine to y^e magistrate. But this doth beguile you,The libertins and Anabap­tistes do dreame that Christians do not synne nor commyt any fa [...]te. that ye do ymagin & dream, y^t the christian people is such, as it is not, nor euer was, nor euer shall be, yea such, as it can not be: ye wyl, I say, y^e christians to be of such a perfection, y^t no man shal fall, or syn emong thē. In thys ye are deceyued. For, although there be many good mē, yet notw^tstandyng there be many mo hipocrites. And y^e old & auncient partiarks, had y^e same cōmaundemē tes y^t they shuld hurte no man, they that were good in dede, & godly, did wrong to no bodye, yet for the wycked sake y^t were emong them, there were, yea, them selfes were magistrates.

Yf wee [Page] were trewe christians, we shuld haue no nede of Magistrates.

The old pa­triarkes were very godly men, & yet not w^tstanding they had nede of a magistrate not for them selues, but for y^e wicked sake We do not speake of y^t, yf we were such,If we had y^e, that we haue not, we wold do that, which we do not. but of y^t, y^t we are. Syth thē, y^t we be not as we ought to be, it is necessary, that we haue y^t, w^t out y^t which, it is impossible for vs to liue. Yf we had great riches, truely we shuld be rich, if we had great lerning we should w^tout doubt, be great clearkes But we may not so gather, ergo, we nede not to labor, we nede not to study. Yf we had winges we shuld flee, sith then y^t we haue no winges, we haue nede of fete to go.

We are al together vndone & loste. we are cleane cast awaie, for we are no trew christians.

Why so?

Because that we are yet soo vnperfite y^t we haue nede of a magistrate.

Dost y^u not yet vnderstande, y^t the magistrate is for the wicked sake, y^e honesty and vertue may be safe emong y^e euyl persons,Why the Magistrate is ordeyned of God. and y^e god hath ordeyned it?

I do not vnderstand, howe it hath bene ordeyned of god, syth that Christ sayth: Do not ye resist or withstand euyll.

He doth [Page] forbid that no priuate person,No priuate person oughte to reuenge his wrong, for y^e belongeth to y^e magistrate. shuld of affection, reuenge his wronge, he doth not forbid, y^t a magistrate shuld not punisshe the euyl doers. For the power is the mynister of god, to punish & take vengeance of them y^t do committe euyl. Also, where Christ saith, when any man goeth about to take away thy cloke, giue him also thy rote, if thou dost conferre it with y^e place of Paul. i. Cor. vi. cha, thou shalt fynd y^e same saying, to be somewhat mollifyed, when he doth permit y^t there shuld be iudgementes emong christians, for thinges perteinyng to y^e life.

If y^u dost discusse diligently y^e words of Paul, y^u shalt fynd y^e Paul permitteth no such thing to y^e christians.

These be y^e words of Paul: Can any of you abide, hauing bu­sines, or to do w^t an other, too be iudged vnder vnryghtfull iudges, & not rather vnder y^e sainctes? Do ye not know y^t the saints shal iudge y^e world? And if y^e world be iudged by you, are ye vnworthye of smal iugements? Do ye not know y^t we shal iudge angels, & not only those thin­ges y^t pertain to y^e liuing? Therfore yf ye haue iudgements, touching those things y^e pertain to y^e vse of life, make thē iudges y^t are vilest in y^e congregatiō, I do speake to your shame. [Page] Is there not emong you a wyse man? not as muche as one? whych can geue iudgement betwene brother and brother? But one brother striueth with an other, and y^e vnder infidels. Therfore nowe there is a great fault in you, y^e ye haue strife emong you.The place of Paul is dis­cussed. Why do not ye rather suffer wrong Whye do ye not receiue harme? yea, but rather ye do iniury and wronge, and y^t to your brethren. These, I say, be the wor­des of Paul, wherbye we do learne, that we ought rather to suffer wrong, and to receiue paciently harme, then to stryue & contende emong our selues, wheruntoo Christ, in the .vi. of Mathewe, hath a re­specte. But if thys, for the imbecyllytye, weakenes, and corruption of our flesshe, can not be done, there be Magystrates, courtes, and iudges, before whom, suche matters, if any do chaunce, may be discussed and pacifyed, too the intents, that he, which suffreth wrong, may be reuenged and he that doth the wrong, may be pu­nisshed and holden in.Wherefore courtes and iudges serue, looke vpon thys, O ye iudges. Now they that so contend before a iudge, for thynges that pertayne to the vse of lyfe, are christians for Paul saith: One brother doth wrong to an other, whom he commaundeth (yf [Page] nede do so require) to sue for their righte before christian iudges. For brothe [...] and christian, are al one. Finally, by the fore­sayd wordes, it may be manifestly gathered, that a christian may execute y^e offyce of a magistrate.Saynctes are euerye where in the scriptur taken for the faythfull. For he apointed the saintes to be iudges, and here the sainctes be put for the faithfull whom he wil rather to be chosen of the vilest sorte in the con­gregation, then that they should repayre to vnfaithfull iudges.

Of all these thinges we do gather and conclude that the faithfull haue nede of a magistrate, sith that the congregation is gathered of good and euyll, the faithfull them selues being in the flesh, as long as they liue. And again, sith that the Patri­arkes and elect of god, had nede of a magistrate: We haue no lesse nede then thei had. Therfore the magistrate is not onely profitable, but also most necessary to a christian common weale.

THose thyngs that thou hast brought oute of Paule, doo [Page] please me very wel, but I do not se, that we are bound to obey thys Magistrate.

What is this? Doste thou thinke that we are not bounde to obey y^e power which is of god?

I would not be greatly against it, if al power wer of god if they did al rule wel, if they dyd defend right & equitie. What if this power doth fighte against god, doth breake & violate lawes and statutes, doth oppresse y^e poor wylt thou say y^t it is of god? or dost thou thinke that we are bound to obey it? As farre as I can iudge, a tyrannical power is not of God, yea, rather it is no power ergo, we oughte not to obey it.The tiranous poweris geuē of god, as a rod to punysh and try the people.

A tyrannouse power is also of god, gyuen of god, as a rodde wherewith the people is bothe tryed and punysshed.

Whych thyng is made most playne and manyfest in Pharao, in Saule, and Bal­thasar. Paule also doth saye, that all po­wer is of God.

Paule spea­keth of that power, which is benefycyall to the good, and punyssheth the wycked But contrarye to that, a tyraunte dothe wronge to them that are good and ver­tuous, he oppresseth them, and dothe en­haunce and set vp the wycked. Sith then [Page] that suche power is not beneficyall to y^e good,God doth or­deine y^e which semeth euyll to vs, for the good of the electes. but rather do them wronge, howe can it be of god?

That thing whych semeth euyl vnto vs, god doth ordeyn it to the good of his elect. Did not y^e crosse & death of so many martyrs, which were slaine and put to death by tyrauntes and cruel persecutours, serue to the glorye of god, and to the increase of their own felycitie and beatitude?That officers and rulers do sometymes waxe tyrants it cometh ey­ther of the vyces of them y^t are in offyce or els, of the Ire & wrath of God. God vseth Nabugo­donosor as a rodde, wherwith he punys­sheth his people. Besides y^t, if any chaunges and alterations do happen, so that he which was a good magystrate, a godlye ruler & officer, is cleane chaunged, & doth become most wicked, y^e procedeth not of y^e nature of the magistrate, or office, but it commeth of the vices of most peruerse & wicked men, y^t are in office, & execute the office of a magistrate, yea, many and sundry times it commeth of y^e plain yre and wrath of god. Are not many times y^t water & ayre, yea, y^e meat it selfe pestiferous which notw^tstanding by them selues, are most wholsom. But so god doth punish our sinnes. Vnderstand y^e same of y^e tirannous magistrates.

What if he com­maundeth that, whyche is vniuste and vnryghtfull? Shall I obey?

What yf the tyraunt be both vnryghte­ous and vngodly, shall I obey neuertheles? No. For thou hast sayd before, that no man can better execute the office of a magistrate, then a christian. Again, Paul doth with a certaine stomacke, speake a­gainst them that suffered them selues to be iudged vnder vnryghtuous iudges. Finally, the apostles them selues, wold not obey the commaundementes of the vngodlye magistrates, saying: It beho­ueth rather to obey god, then men.

I haue made a comparison betwixte the godly magistrate, and the vngodly, whē I said these wordes: No man can better nor more godly execute y^e office of a ma­gistrate, then a godly man,Thoughe the vngodlye magistrate is not to be compa­rid w^t the godlye, yet notw^tstandynge in externe & outward thyngs hee is not to be disobeyed. and yet in the meane season, I did not say, that an vn­godly and tirannous magystrate, is not a magistrate. I did preferre the rule that the christian doth beare, before the rule y^t the vngodly doth beare, & yet notwyth­standing, I did not condempne the laste although it were no power, or rule, or as though we were not bounde to obey it. The commō weales neuer florisshed better, then when godly men did Raygne. That we may se in Ezechias, & other holy [Page] Kinges. Wherunto same Paul had also a respecte when he did bid y^e Corinthi­ans to chose & make iudges of y^e saints, y^t is to say, of y^e faithfull. The apostles dyd wel, y^t in certain things they did not obey y^e vngodly edictes & cōmaundements of y^e senate. When y^u dost then aske and de­maund a questiō, touchyng obedience, I do aunswere after thys maner: When y^u saiest these wordes:Too obey an vngodly magistrate, & to o­bey vngodlye lawes & statu­tes, is not all one. Shall I obey an vn­godly magistrate? Shal I obey vngodly lawes, statutes and commaundementes? Thou dost not aske all one thynge. Thy question & demaund is not al one. For to the first question, I do answere y^t we are bound to obey, to y^e second again I say, y^t we ought not to obey. The magistrate bereth no rule ouer y^e soules, but ouer y^e bodies & outward substance, & whatsoeuer doth perteyn to y^e outward conuersation of mē. Now if he cōmaundeth any thing against god, against conscyence & health of y^e soule, we ought rather to obey god, then y^e vngodly cōmaundementes of the tirant. Now hath place y^t the apostes do say: It behoueth rather to obey god, thē men. But if he cōmaundeth only y^t, whi­che perteineth to outward thinges, or to [Page] thy body, which thing, cā,We owgh o­bedience to a tyrant, and a­gain, we owe no obedience, that is to saie, in outwarde thynges we owe to obey, but in matter of conscience yf he com­maundeth any thynge a­gaynste god we are not bound to obey Why the magistrate doth medle in matters of relygyon. What profyt doth come of the statutes and ordynaū ces of godly magistrates. or may be perfourmed & done by the, w^tout the losse of y^e truth & righteousnes, w^tout paril of saluation (though it semeth neuer so hurtful to thy body and substaunce, though it se­meth neuer so vncomely for y^e) thou arte bound to obey. Therfore we owe obedyence to the tirant, & againe, we owe hym not obedience.

Now an other question doth rise, Yf y^e publike magistrate beareth no rule ouer y^e soule, why doth then y^e magistrat now a daies, vsurpe so much power, in matters of faith?

He doth y^t, not as a magistrate only, but as a chri­stian magistrate, nor he doth it, w^tout cō ­maundement & example. In Deutero. y^e kyng is commaunded to haue y^e boke of y^e law by him, & to read it diligētly which boke also is delyuered to Iosue by Mo­ses. Let vs loke vpon y^e example of Iosa­phat, I [...]ada, Iosias, Ezechias, Nabugodonozer & Darius in Daniel.

Haue they any power ouer the soule & spirit of man, or can they print faith by their statutes & cōmaundements, in the heartes of men?

No forsothe: But their statu­tes & ordinaunces do profit in this thing y^t the vngodly do lesse harme, do commit [Page] lesse offence, lesse ydolatry & blasphemy being fraied, cohibited & brideled by such godly edictes & proclamatyons. Els the weake, by such licencious doings of y^e vngodly, eyther are letted to come to Christ or elles too take occasyon, too swerne a waie from Christ, & his worde. Therfore y^e administratiō, which is done by y^e laws of y^e Magistrats, doth bring this to passe y^t there is lesse euil & harme emong mor­tall men, that men do lyue godly, honestly, & quietly, and although, y^e vngodly do hide their vngodlynes, malice and wic­kednes within in their heartes, yet not w^t standing they dare not suffer it to breake forth, to trouble disquiet, & offend them, y^t will liue godly. God onely doth loke in y^e hearte, & iudgeth it. Wherefore I thinke this proposition, to be sufficiently proued y^t we are bound to obey the Magistrate For, if y^e magistrate be a christiā, so much more ought we to obey hym. Againe, yf he be an heathen and vngodly, y^e art al­so bound to obey him though he dothe oppresse the, in thy body and substaunce so y^t he doth not call y^e frō god & the truth But let vs make it stronger w^t the scrip­turs, In y^e .xx. of Luk, Christ cōmaundeth [Page] to giue to Cesar, y^e whych belongeth too Cesar, & to god,What by Ce­sar we owe to vnderstand in the scriptures that which belongeth to god. By Cesar he vnderstandeth generally al y^e maiestrats of y^e world, to whō our bodies & goodes are subiects .i. of y^e kyn­ges, viii. Our mynd doth only belong to god, & therfore touchyng it, we are more bound to obey god, then man. Peter teacheth vs after this maner: Be ye subiect to al humain ordynaunce for y^e lord sake, whether it be to a king, as to y^e most excellent, or to his deputes, which are sence of him, to y^e punishment of the euil doers, & to the praise of them y^t do wel, for so is y^e wil of god, y^t by wel doing, ye stop y^e mouthes of ignorant persons. &c.

Ye haue alwaies taught out of Esaias, & wordes of Christ, y^t god is worshipped in vain, by y^e precepts & cōmaundements of men, & now ye affirme y^e plain contrary oute of Peter, y^t is to say, y^t we are bound to obei al humain ordinaunces.Ther be two kyndes of humain traditi­ons.

Humayne traditions or constitutions, are taken .ii. waies. Some are set furth too this ende, that they shuld be a worshipping of god which men do prescribe vntoo other, as necessarye to saluation, whych yf a man shoulde omytte and neglecte, he shoulde [Page] greuously sinne & offend: again, if he ke­peth them, they thinke them selues, & al­so make other too beleue, y^t he deserueth much of god. With these preceptes & cō ­maundements, which are mere inuenty­ous of men, god is worshipped in vayn. There are again certain constitutions of magistrats, touching heritaūces, proprieties, selling and bying, letting furth tou­ching publike contractes & suche lyke, of y^t which things, princes & magistrats do make lawes & constitutyons, for a peace & cōmon quietnes & tranquilitie. Al men generally are bound to obey al suche cō ­stitutions & lawes. And of suche Peter doth speake, as it appereth manifestly by his words. Besides y^t, Peter writeth not to the heathē, but to the christians, which were dispersed here & there .i. Pet. ii. cha To Titus .iii. chap. it is writen after this maner. Warne thē (sayth saint Paule) y^t they be subiect to Princes & potestates, y^e they be obedient too magistrates & ru­lers, y^t they be ready to al good works, & that they speake euyl of no man. To the Roma. xiii. he sayth. Euery soule (y^t is to say, all men & women) be subiects to the higher powers, for ther is no power but [Page] of god: & al the powers y^t are, be ordened of god. Therfore, whosoeuer doth resyst y^e power, doth resist the ordinaūce of god But they y^t resist, shal receiue to them selues dampnation.

Tel Ioiada, if there were a magistrat (as ther be to mani) which shuld do nothing wel, nothing soberly, nothing iustly, & according to right, which being rebellyous to god, & his lawes, shuld w^t infynit wrō ges, oppresse y^e good, & not reuenge them y^t suffer wrong, nor yet delyuer them frō the handes of their enemyes, were it not lawful to resist him? Doth not Esaias cal the wicked maiestrats theues & robbers? Esai. i. Doth not Christ cal them the po­wer of darkenes? Paul doth reuile Ana­nias to his face. Actes. xxiii. calling hym a whited or painted wall.

To an vn­godly & wicked magistrate, his faultes & wicked dedes are to be shewed, y^t he may turne from them, to a better life, and that [Page] ought to be done now in time, now out of time. The fact of Paul hath some occasyon. Be thou lyke to Paul, and then imi­tate and folow Paules dede.

What auaileth if the wicked dedes of magistrates and prynces be rebuked, sythe that they be wicked stil, and amand not? It were farre better that they should be roted out of the earth, euen as Iehu, and other did.

Why, and wherfore dost thou say so my Symon? How farre hast thou ouer shoot thy self? do not ye Catabaptistes datest and abhorre warrely tu­multes? But I se what it would be, if al thinges should happen and chaunce too you,All y^e doyngs of y^e Anabap­tists do breath and sauour tumult & confu­sion of all thynges. accordyng to your owne desires, I feare me, lest all your doings do breathe and sauour tumulte and confusyon of all thynges, Not so, my Simon. Paul saith i. Cor. vii. chapter. Let euery man abyde in that vocation that he is called in. Arte thou called, being a seruaunt? Care thou not therfore, but also, if y^u canste be made free, vse rather the same.

Thou dost heare then, that he doth preferre fre­dom and libertie, to seruitude & bondage and warneth that (if it may be done) we do seke it.

I heare that fredom and [Page] libertie is to be wisshed for, and also (yf it may be done conueniently) to be embraced, but I do not heare,Liberti ought not to be sought by sedition and bloud sheding If all thinges were done, as we would, e­uery houre tumultes shoulde ryse. y^t it oughte to be desired & sought, by seditions, by tumul­tes, by euyl waies, by violence, bloude, & warres. Nor y^e apostles did euer vse such meanes, for to be made free, or to get thē selues to libertie, therefore we muste ab­stayne also from them. If al things were done by our councell, euery houre tumultes and seditions, should be styrred vp a­gainst the magistrate, for euerye man (as soone as any thing should not come too passe, according to his luste, & inordynate desire) shuld begin an vprore & tumulte, & wold say: The magistrate is vngodly, he hath handled me agenst al right & equity Shoulde not thus y^e christyan name be a cloke of tumults, inordinate affections,The Liber­tins go about to make the Chrstian name, a cloke of tumultes & confusion. & of al confusion?

Truly thys thynge must be tried & proued by hands, and by strength, for wordes do not auaile wyth those tirauntes. By and by, as soone as anye manne doth rebuke their tirannye, and wycked factes,O brayneles Anabaptiste they waxe hote and angrye, they threaten, they take, they caste intoo pryson, they spoyle menne of their goodes, they banishe, they kyll and [Page] murther thē y^t are godly. This waie neyther godlynes, nor iustice, nor good men are sene to. Therfore this sore sickenes & disease of y^e cōmon weale, can not be hol­pen, but by tumult & the swerd, y^t the vn­godly may be vtterly destroyed, & roted out of y^e earth.

That thing which to men semeth impossible, before god is possible. Therfore, this high & waighty vn­sines, & matter, ought to be committed to god, w^t most ernest & burning praiers, for he saith:God dothe neuer forsake hys electe. Put or remyt y^e vēgaunce to me & I wil reueng or require. It is most sure y^t god doth neuer forsake, his electe, and y^t he doth neuer deny hys helpe vnto them that with a sincere heart, and trew faith do call vpon him.To them that are godly, all thyngs y^e god doth, seme well done. Luk. xviii.

But he doth helpe manye to late.

To them y^t are godly in dede, nothinge doth seme to soone, nothinge to late, that the lorde god doth worke. They do receyue with a thankful heart, what so euer their merciful father doth geue, whether it be weale or woo, they knowe that they are alwaies in the handes of their most boū teous father from the whiche, nothynge can take them awaie. They do commyt them selues altogether, to this most mercifull [Page] father, yelding them selues whollye to his will. For, they do remember y^e saying of Peter, which saith. The lord kno­weth how to deliuer y^e godly from temptation, & how to kepe the vnrighteous to be punished in the day of iudgement.Marke these goldē sayings and prynte them in thy mynd, who souer thou be, y^e art opressed and so com­mitting thy self holly into the mercy of thyne heauē ly father, be­ware of deuylyshe tumult & insurrection Al­so that saying of Dauid stycked in theyr mindes: I neuer sawe the righteous for­sakē. Finally y^t golden sentence of Paul is neuer from their memory: God suffe­reth not vs to be tempted aboue y^t we be able, to beare, & maketh a ioyful & prosperous ende wyth the temptation. Wyth out doubt god doth alwaies deliuer hys trew seruauntes, for eyther he doth illu­minate and lighten the heartes of the tyraunts & princes, that they shall fauoure his electe, as he dyd to Pharao, towarde Ioseph, too Cirus, toward y^e Iewes, to Xerxes, toward Eseras, to Artaxerxes, towarde Rehemiah, to Ahasuerus, toward Mardorche, to Nabugodonozer, toward Daniel, that y^e faithful and godly might haue some respit. Or yf he be determined to vtterly destroye the tyrantes and vn­godly rulers, he begynneth that matter with so great, and so notable signes and tokens, that no man canne doubt of the [Page] good wyll of God, and alsoo he doth al­wayes atcheue and fynysh the thynge y^t he hath begon, wyth a prosperous ende Now yf any man doth go about any de­lyueraunce,Note thys dreadful ex­ample of Is­mael, whyche killing Godoly as, y^e Babylonians de­pute, dyd bring y^e remenaunt of the Israelites to vtter confu­syon. All ye y^t are oppressed let neuer thys goodly hystory be from your hert, and then I truste that ye shall neuer haue mynd to in­surrection & tumult, but rather to call ernestley vpō god for dely­uerance. wythoute, or agaynste thys order, as thoughe he had begonne or en­terprysed that thyng, by the wyll and cō maundemente of God, he shall auayl no more then Ismael dyd agaynst the Ba­biloniens, in kyllyng Godolias .iiii. of y^e Kynges .xxv. chapter. and Hieremye .xl. chapter. But go to, we wyl bryng furth out of the armorye and storehouse of the scryptures, weyghtye exaumples, where by it shall be made manyfeste and plaine bothe by what meanes, god delyuereth hys electe, and alsoo howe vnfortunate­lye and vnluckelye, they dyd spede, whi­che dyd go aboute to delyuer theym sel­ues by boldenes ond tumulte agaynste the wyll of God. The people of Israel dydde serue in Egipte, certayne hundred yeares, beynge oppressed wyth sundrye and dyuers labours, and greuouslye af­flycted, besydes that, they were compel­led too se howe theyr chyldren and infantes, as soone as they were borne, were drowned in the ryuer of Nilus. By and [Page] by, as soone as they beganne too call to the Lorde wyth a trewe heart, they were hearde of the Lorde. For he dydde sende Moises, whyche shoulde be a captayne and a delyuerer of the people. He dydde carye theym drye shoed thoroughe the redde Sea, and dydde drowne Pharao, wyth all hys hoste and armye, in the bo­tome of the deepe. Exodus the fourtene Chapter. Saule, kynge of the Israelites, dyd kyll and murther the Prophetes of God, and persecuted the innocente and ryghtuouse Dauid.Oh most godly Dauid, y^t we might haue grace in our troubles and affections and when we are most op­pressed, to en­sue & folowe thy steppes, god graunte, we maye. Dauid dothe notte reuenge hym selfe, nor put hym from hys kyngdome, but rather he flyeth him selfe, and when he had fallen twyse in­too hys handes, he spare hym, and dyd suffer hym too goo awaye vnhurte, or wythoute harme, sayinge: The Lorde be mercyfull vntoo mee, that I doo not that thynge too my Lorde, the anoynted of the Lord, that I should lay mine hand vpon him, for he is the anointed of y^e lord The Lorde lyueth, that excepte, the lorde doth smyte hym, or hys daye become that he dye, or he, goyng downe too battayle, do perysshe, the lorde be mercyfull [Page] vnto me, y^t I do not lay mine hand vpon y^e anointed of y^e lord .i. of the kings xxiiij. At an other tyme, when Abisai did saye. The lord hath shutte vp to day thine enemy into thine hands, now therfore wil I thrust him thorow w^t a spear to y^e ground once, & it shall be no nede of the seconde time. Dauid sayde vnto Abisai: Doo not sley him. For who shal lay his hands vp on y^e anointed of the lord, & shall be vngiltie? .i. of the kinges .xxvi. cha. These wordes, my Simon, being wel weighed and pondered, do teach vs, y^t we must not fo­low y^e blynd affection of our flesshe. For when the time was come y^t the lorde had appointed, not Dauid, but y^e lord him self did take Saul away frō the world, w^t the swerd y^t he him self had sent, & dyd set vp Dauid in y^e roial & kingly seat. The chyldren of Israel, haue bene many times afflicted vnder tirants & vngodly kynges, as we haue in the history of y^e iudges, no man did go about of his own head, or of his owne industry, to deliuer them. But y^e lord him self did deliuer them by Gedeon, Samson, Iephte, & other like, whō he him selfe had chosen to suche businesses. Who doth by sedition & tumult, inuade [Page] or come vpon the vngodly king Achab. when he doth set vp ydols, & commaun­deth y^t innocent & good man, Naboth, to be stoned to death, keping neither ryght nor equitie, slaying the prophetes, perse­cuting Helias (tyl y^t the lord doth styrre vp Eliseus, which at y^e commaundement of god doth anoint Iehu king, y^t he shuld take vengeaunce for y^e lord, of the vngodly .iiii. of the kinges .ix.x. So Io [...]ada did vnto Athalia, so the king of the Assirians did to Manasses. How long time did y^e Emperours of Rome, shede the christian bloud, yet notw^tstandyng no man goeth about to better it by tumult, til Constantinus Magnus did come. I could reherse vnto the Thrasibulus, a tirant of y^e Athe­nienses, & William Tell, & Stouffaker, tirants of the Heluetians, but we wyll be content w^t the examples of the scripture.

Shalt it then be alwaies lawful to tirants to be vngodly, & that w^tout punishment? which of the words of Paul. Ro. xiii. Do take a cloke, a buckeler & shielde of their own malice, vnder y^e which they fraude & deceiue, they steale, they robbe, they slaye, they murther, & confounde all things, they euery foote slea y^e poor commons [Page] to the very bones, w^t new exacty­ons, taxes, & subsidies, being in the mean season, giuen to riot, and outragyous ex­cesse, to drunkennes, to vnlawful gaining to whordome, and most vniuste warres, and therwith committing moste detesta­ble dedes, and wycked factes agaynste god, and the common weale. But I wil shewe to the out of Hieremy .xv. chap, y^t the people is punisshed of god, because y^t they thus suffer tyrauntes and vngodly prynces, to kyll and flea, without any punishment. For after the .iiij. plagues y^t he doth rehearse there, he addeth by and by y^e cause, saying: And I wil deliuer thē vp into the fury of al y^e kingdō of the earthe y^t is to say: I wil styrre vp againste them the fury & rage of al the kingdoms of the earth, for Manasses sake, y^e sonne of Ezechias, the kyng of Iuda, for all the wyc­kednes y^t he hath done at Ierusalem. Se in the .vii. of the kynges .xxi. chapt, what wyckednes he did commit, if the Iewes had not suffered their kynge, thus w^tout punishment, to be so wycked, they shuld not haue bene so greuouslye plagued of god. It behoueth to pull oute the offen­ding eie, & to cast it away, likewise of the [Page] hand and of the fote,

Here be .ij. questions. The firste is: whether the ty­raunte must be remoued from his roume or not? The seconde: howe, and by whō Therfore I do not deny, but that a wyc­ked magystrate, must be put downe, but not the same way that thou wylte. Noo man ought to kyll hym, nor to styrre vp warre and sedition against him, we must go to worke, an other maner of way, the matter muste be attempted and assayed by lawful meanes, for god hath called vs in peace .i. Corinthians the seuenth chap the tyraunt must be taken away (that do I not denye) for Samuel dothe depose Saule from hys offyce, and doth anoynt Dauid, kynge ouer the people of Israel. Ioiada putteth furthe Athalia from the ruledome and maketh Ioas a kynge. If then a kynge be made by the common assente of all the people, and begynneth too be wycked, let hym agayne be put downe wyth common assente of the people, excepte they wyll all be punysshed wyth hym. And yf he be chosen by y^e cō ­sent & election of fewe princes, let y^e peo­ple signifie & shew unto them, y^e wycked [Page] and vngodly lyfe of thys kinge, & that it ought to be borne or suffered no longer, let them be cōmaunded, that haue chosen him, to put him doune agayn. Now here shall be all the labour,What the ty­raunt wyll do to them, that dare speake a­gainst his wicked tirannye. for against them y^e do thys thyng, the tyraunt shall exercyse all kynde of crudelytye, handlyng them accordynge to hys inordynate luste, and whome it shall please hym, he wyll sleye and murther. But it is a gloryous thing to dye for ryghtuousnes, and the truth of God. And better it is too be slayne, for the defence of iustyce and ryghtuousnes then assentyng vnto vnryghtuousnes,It is far bet­ter to be put to death for defence of righteousnes, then afterwardes to be kylled, wyth the vngodly and wycked. What we owe to do yf he be come to y^e kyngdome by y^e swerde, or by enhery­taunce. or dyssembling, to be afterwardes kylled to the vngodly and wicked. They that can not awaye wyth thys thynge, let theym suffer and beare a vycyous and proude tirannie, and wyth hym, let theym loke too receyue an extreame punysshemente Yet notwythstandyng, the hande of the lorde is stretched furthe, and threateneth a plague. Finally, yf he hath inuaded or come into the kyngdome, by anye other chaunce, as by strengthe, or by enhery­taunce, we muste beare hym, till the lord vouchsafe to delyuer the oppressed, leste any commotyon and tumulte be styrred [Page] vp by vs, for the kingdom of god is rightuousnes, peace, and gladnes in the holy ghost. Romay .xiiii. There be then many waies, wherby tiraunts may be taken a­way and put downe, but we do wante a feruent study of rightuousnes, and of the truth, we do wante the feare of god, and deuilish wickednes reigneth eueri where For it could not be possible that a tirant durst do so muche, except there were mo wycked, by whom he should mainteyne and vphold his tyrannye. But fyrst and formest, the prophetes, that is to say, the ministers of gods word, must be bold to rebuke the synnes and wycked factes of Prynces & rulers:Which is the most commo­dious way, to ouercome ty­rauntes. none other way more commodious to ouercome tirauntes can be, then if the preachers of the truthe, do once determyne too dye, they muste put their bodies & lyues to ieopardy. Yf Ne­ro, Dominitanus, Maximianus, wyth o­ther, could not by murtheringe and she­ding of bloud, roote out and vtterly de­stroye the doctrine of Christ, muche lesse shall these braynlesse and madde princes (yf we do stand vp boldly) oppresse y^e gospel and the truth.This is not spoken in de­rogation of a­nye godlye prince, [...] Therfore this is y^e first and chiefest way, that y^e ouerseers be not [Page] blynde, that the dogges be not dombe, y^t they put them selues a wall betwixte the synnes of the people, and god, that they amend vp the broken hedge. The second that we do always,The lawfull wayes and meanes to get our selues out of myserable oppressyon. and without ceassing praye vnto god, whych in his wrath and indignation, maketh the hypocrytes too reigne, for our sinnes. Finally, and last of all, that we thyrst for ryghteousnes, that we amend our liues, and chaunge our cō dytyons. For yf we be godly, and righ­teous, it is impossible, that a tyraunte do reigne longe.

All Israel, after y^e death of Salomon, did swarue awaye, & forsake Roboam, because he oppressed them to muche, & that of their own head iii. of the kynges, and .xiii. chapter.

Why, doest thou not reade, that, whiche foloweth:Why Gobo­am dyd not graunt y^e peti­tyon of y^e peo­ple, wherfore he was vtter­ly forsaken of ten trybes. And the kinge did not graunt the people their petytyon, because y^t god hath forsaken hym, y^t he might, or should perfourme hys word, that he had spoken in the handes of Achias the Silonite, to Hieroboam, the sonne of Nabate. Thou canst not proue by this, that it is lawfull for any man to make insurrection of hys own head, agaynst tyrants, or euil rulers

I feare, least thys doctrine wyll [Page] make men sluggish, negligent, & dastards that if at any time, the lorde doth sende a deliuerer, they wyl be in doubt, of the wil of the lord.

Care for other thyngs when y^e lord doth begin and go about so hygh things, he calleth not sluggyshe dastards, and negligent persons:Whē god wil put doune ty­rauntes, he doth alwayes styrre vp men meete for the purpose. he geueth wisdom, confidence & boldnes, he giueth lustynes of courage, and strength, & bringeth all thinges to the appoynted ende. Which thing we may se in Moises, Gedeon, and other. The godly man, doth directe al thynges to peace, vnitie, and concord. Again, he knoweth that the people is punished, if prynces do rule & gouerne wickedly.The solicitud and care of a godly man. These things do make a godly and faithful man, heauy, & ful of thought and kyndell him with a certain studye of godlynes, these thinges do make him to beware, and circumspect, not temerouse rash, and ouer bold, these thinges do constraine him to pray earnestly to god, and to thinke both day and nighte, vpon the amendement and redresse of those things that are done and cōmitted against god. Then god doth open the waies, wherby the desyres of the godly may be fulfilled nor doth forsake thē, that put their truste [Page] and confidence in hym, nor yet dothe re­pulse or put them backe, that cry and cal vpon him.

When the tyraunt seeth, that he maye do al thinges, without punishment, he euery day waxeth worse, and more hygh minded.

What so euer he seeth, let hym be sure, that an vt­ter destruction doth hang ouer him,Who soeuer doth misuse the longe suffraunce of god, shall not escape punishment. if he wyl continue s [...]yl in his wickednes. For no mā did euer escape w^tout punishment that dyd misuse y^e long suffraunce of god

Why doo ye then euery where de­predicate and say, that they are like vnto Iudas the Gaulonite, and not christians that wil not obey the magistrates and rulers?No godly man doth re­siste the ma­gistrate.

Because that no godly man doth resist the magistrate. For sith y^t the apostles do warne & byd vs to obey heathenysh magystrates, who doth not se, y^t it is an vnfittely thyng for a christian, to shew him selfe disobedient to a christyan magistrate?

That were wel sayd yf we had a christyan Magistrate.Who is to be called a Chri­styan magy­strate.

I do cal him a christian magistrate, whi­che is baptyzed in Christe Iesus, which beleueth in Christ, doth confesse him, and heareth hys gospell, which he dothe also suffer to be preached emong his subiects [Page] nor doth persecute it, withstandynge (as muche as in him lyeth) wickednesse and iniquitie, or vnryghteousnes and punys­shing the euil doers, that do offend openly, which doth bend al his care and study to this, that y^e glory of god may increase, may be promoted and set forth, that men maye lyue godly, honestly, and quyetly in the common weale. And (thankes be giuen to god) we do not want such now a daies, emong the magistrates and high powers, which thynge, no man can per­swade to you.The Lyber­tines & Ana­baptystes, do thynke no man to be a Christyan, except he recey­ueth theyr doctryne and be baptized agayne. For ye thinke no man to be a christyan, excepte he doth cleaue too you, and receyue youre doctryne, and at length be baptized again by you, though all these things be altogether repugnant to christyan statutes, and publyke lawes No tongue can expresse how bytter and venymouse, or poysoned railyngs, ye do here vomite and spue out against the magistrate.

These thynges neuer plea­sed me.

But yet they are done of them. They do pycke and gather certain bytter and greuous sayinges oute of the psalmes and prophetes, which afterwardes being learned without boke, they do vomite againste the magystrates. These [Page] thinges do please to stubburne & disobe­dient persons,The scripture doth call the iudges and magystrates gods, because that they be here in the roume & stede of god, who soeuer then doth ryse or rayle agaynst them, God shall punyshe him extremly where as gods word doth forbyd vs to raile against the gods (for y^e holy scripture doth so cal the magistrats and iudges) Peter doth liuely set theym furth, vnder the name of false prophetes, in his latter epistle, and .iii. chap. O Citi­zins (say they) the magistrate is no chrystian, but yet be obedient vnto him. And thei their own selues wil not be obedient vnto him, in the leste thing of the world. What should I say? They go aboute to abolish and put downe all magistrates & high powers, that so they may do, what soeuer they list. Paul saith: If thou wilt not feare the hygh power, do that which is iuste, but they do fear the hygh power (for they go about to abolysh and put it downe) ergo, they wyll do that which is euyll. They are then the felowes of Iu­das, the Gaulonite, and of Siba, the son of Bocheri, whych both for their hygh treason, were worthely put to death. Of Iudas the Galonit, se Iesephus, in the xviii. boke of antiquityes, and first chap. Actes .v. chapter. He dyd styrre sedition emonge the people, which he seducynge with hope of liberty, did perish at length [Page] wyth many. Of Siba thou shalt read, in the seconde of kynges, and .xx. Chapter. Suche sedytyous personnes, are in the scriptures, called the chyldren of Be­lial. Therfore, my Symon, if thou wylt folow my councel, thou shalt leaue this false opinion, and afterwardes stycke to the truth, and be obedient to the Magistrates, and rulers.

Thou hast well satisfyed my mynd, therfore I wyll folowe thy councell.