Take away kings, princes, rulers, magiftrates, judges, and fuch eftates of God's order, no man fhall ride or go by the high-way unrobbed, no man fhall fleep in his own houfe or bed unkilled, no man fhall keep his wife, children, and poffeffions in quietnefs, all things fhall be common; and there muft needs follow all mifchief and utter deftruction both for tous, bodies, goods, and commonwealths. But bleffebibe God that we in this realm of England feel not the horrible calamities, miferies, and wretchedness, which all they undoubtedly feel and fuffer, that lack this godly order: and praised be God that we know the great excellent benefit of God fhewed towards us in this behalf. God hath fent us his high gift, our most dear fovereign King Edward the Sixth, with a godly, wife, and honourable council, with other fuperiors and inferiors, in a beautiful order, and goodly. Wherefore, let us fubjects do our bounden duties, giving hearty thanks to God, and praying for the prefervation of this godly order. Let us all obey, even from the bottom of our hearts, all their godly proceedings, laws, ftatutes, proclamations, and injunctions, with all other godly orders. Let us confider the Scriptures of the Holy Ghoft, which perfuade and command us all obediently to be fubject, firft and chiefly to the King's majefty, fupreme governor over all, and next to his honourable council, and to all other noblemen, magiftrates and officers, which by God's goodnefs be placed and ordered. For Almighty God is the only author and provider of this forenamed ftate and order, as it is written of God in the Book of the Proverbs, Prov. vil Through me kings do reign, through me counsellors make juft laws, through me do princes bear rule, and all judges of the earth execute judgment: I am loving to them that love me. Here let us mark well, and remember, that the high power and authority of kings, with their making of laws, judgments, and offices, are the ordinances, not of man, but of God; and therefore is this word (through me) fo many times repeated. Here is alfo well to be confidered and remembered, that this good order is appointed by God's wisdom, favour, and love, fpecially for them that love God; and therefore he faith, I love them that love me. Alfo in the Book of Wisdom we may evidently learn, that a king's power, authority, and ftrength, is a great benefit of God; given of his great mercy, to the comfort of our great Wild. vi. mifery. For thus we read there fpoken to kings, Hear, O ye kings, and underfland; learn ye that be judges of the ends of the earth; give ear ye that rule the multi

tudes;

tudes; for the power is given you of the Lord, and the Strength from the Highest Let us learn alfo here by the infallible and undeceivable Word of God, that kings, and other fupreme and higher officers, are ordained of God, who is most high: and therefore they are here taught diligently to apply and give themselves to knowledge and wisdom, neceffary for the ordering of God's people to their governance committed, or schémto govern they are charged of God. And they beherealfo taught by Almighty God, that they should acknowledge themselves to have all their power and ftrength, not from Rome, but immediately of God moft higheft. We read in the Book of Deuteronomy, that all punishment pertaineth to God, by this fentence, Vengeance is mine, and I will reward. Deut. But this fentence we must understand to pertainialso unto xxxii. the magiftrates which do exercife God's roomiin judgment, and punishing by good and godly laws there on earth. And the places of Scripture which feem to remove from among all Chriftian men judgment, punishment, or killing, ought to be understood, that no man (of his own private authority) may be judge over others, may punish, or may kill. But we muft refer all judgment to God, to kings and rulers, and judges under them, which be God's officers to execute juftice; and by plain words of Scripture have their authority and ufe of the fword granted from God; as we are taught by St. Paul, that dear and chofen Apoftle of our Saviour Chrift, whom we ought diligently to obey, even as we would obey our Saviour Chrift, if he were prefent. Thus St. Paul writeth to the Romans, Let every foul fubmit himself unto the au-Ham. xiii. thority of the higher powers, for there is no power but of God. The powers that be, be ordained of God. Whosoever therefore withftandeth the power, withstandeth the ordinance of God: but they that refift, or are against it, fhall receive to themfelves damnation. For rulers are not fearful to them that do good, but to them that do evil. Wilt thou be without fear of the power? Do well then, and fo fhalt thou be praifed of the fame; for he is the minifter of God for thy wealth. But and if thou do that which is evil, then fear; for he beareth not the fword for nought, for he is the minifter of God, to take vengeance on him that doth evil. Wherefore ye muft needs obey, not only for fear of vengeance, but also because of confcience; and even for this caufe pay ye tribute, for they are God's minifters, ferving for the fame purpose.

Here let us all learn of St. Paul, the chofen veffel of God,

that

that all perfons having fouls (he excepteth none, nor exempteth none, neither Prieft, Apoftle, nor Prophet, faith St. Chryfoftom) do owe of bounden duty, and even in confcience, obedience, fubmiffion, and fubjection to the higher powers which be fet in authority by God; forasmuch as they be God's lieutenants, God's prefidents, God's officers, God's commiffioners, God's judges, ordained of God himself, of whom only they have all their power, and all their authority. And the fame St. Paul threateneth no lefs pain than everlasting damnation to all disobedient perfons, to all refifters against this general and common authority, forafmuch as they refift not man, but God; not man's device and invention, but God's wifdom, God's order, power, and authority.

The Second Part of the Sermon of Obedience. FORASMUCH as God hath created and difpofed all things in a comely order, we have been taught in the first Part of the Sermon, concerning good Order and Obedience; that we ought alfo in all commonweals to obferve and keep a due order, and to be obedient to the powers, their ordinances and laws; and that all rulers are appointed of God, for a goodly order to be kept in the world: and also how the magiftrates ought to learn how to rule and govern according to God's laws; and that all fubjects are bound to obey them as God's minifters, yea, although they be evil, not only for fear, but also for conscience fake. And here, good people, let us all mark diligently, that it is not lawful for inferiors and fubjects, in any cafe, to refift or stand against the superior powers: for St. Paul's words be plain, that whofoever withstandeth, fhall get to themselves damnation; for whofoever withftandeth, withftandeth the ordinance of God. Our Saviour Chrift himself, and his Apoftles, received many and divers injuries of the unfaithful and wicked men in authority: yet we never read that they, or any of them, caufed any fedition or rebellion against authority. We read oft, that they patiently suffered all troubles, vexations, flanders, pangs, and pains, and death itself, obediently, without tumult or refiftance. They committed their caufe to him that judgeth righteoufly, and prayed for their enemies heartily and earnestly. They knew that the authority of the powers was God's ordinance; and therefore, both in their words and deeds, they taught ever obedience to it, and never taught nor

did the contrary. The wicked judge Pilate faid to Chrift, Knoweft thou not, that I have power to crucify thee, and have John xix. power alfo to loofe thee? Jefus anfwered, Thou couldeft have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above. Whereby Chrift taught us plainly, that even the wicked rulers have their power and authority from God; and therefore it is not lawful for their fubjects by force to withstand them, although they abufe their power: much less then is it lawful for fubjects to withstand their godly and Chriftian princes, which do not abuse their authority, but use the same to God's glory, and to the profit and commodity of God's people. The holy Apoftle St. Peter commandeth fervants to be obedient to their mafters, not only if 1 Pet. ii. they be good and gentle, but also if they be evil and froward: affirming, that the vocation and calling of God's people is to be patient, and of the fuffering fide. And there he bringeth in the patience of our Saviour Chrift, to perfuade obedience to governors, yea, although they be wicked and wrong-doers. But let us now hear St. Peter himself fpeak, for his words certify beft our confcience: thus he uttereth them in his firft Epiftle; Servants, obey your mafters 1 Pet. ii. with fear, not only if they be good and gentle, but also if they be froward. For it is thank-worthy, if a man for confcience toward God endureth grief, and fuffereth wrong undeferved: for what praife is it, when ye be beaten for your faults, if ye take it patiently? But when ye do well, if you then fuffer wrong, and take it patiently, then is there caufe to have thank of God; for hereunto verily were ye called: for fo did Chrift fuffer for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow his fieps. All these be the very words of St. Peter. Holy David alfo teacheth us a good leffon in this behalf, who was many i Kings times most cruelly and wrongfully perfecuted of king Saul, and many times alfo put in jeopardy and danger of his life by king Saul and his people: yet he neither withftood, neither used any force or violence against king Saul, his mortal and deadly enemy; but did ever to his liege lord and mafter king Saul, moft true, moft diligent, and moft faithful fervice. Infomuch, that when the Lord God had given king Saul into David's hands in his own cave, he would not hurt him, when he might, without all bodily peril, easily have flain him: no, he would not suffer any of his fervants once to lay their hands upon king Saul, but prayed to God in this wife: Lord, keep me from doing that thing unto my mafter the Lord's anointed; keep me that I lay not my hand upon him, feeing he is the anointed of the Lord: for as truly as the Lord liveth, (except the

Lord

xviii. xix.

XX.

Lord fmite him, or except his day come, or that he go down to war, and perifh in battle,) the Lord be merciful unto me, that I lay not my hand upon the Lord's anointed. And that David might have killed his enemy king Saul, it is evidently proved in the first Book of the Kings, both by the cutting off the lap of Saul's garment, and alfo by plain confeffion of king Saul. Also another time, as is mentioned in the fame book, when the most unmerciful and moft unkind king Saul did perfecute poor David; God did again give king Saul into David's hands, by cafting of king Saul and his whole army into a dead fleep; so that David and one Abifai with him came in the night into Saul's hoft, where Saul lay fleeping, and his fpear stuck in the ground at his head. Then faid Abifai unto David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hands at this time: now therefore let me fmite him once with my fpear to the earth, and I will not fmite him again the fecond time; meaning thereby to have killed him with one stroke, and to have made him fure for ever. And David answered and faid to Abifai, Deftroy him not; for who can lay his hands on the Lord's anointed, and be guiltless? And David faid furthermore, As fure as the Lord liveth, the Lord fhall fmite him, or his day hall come to die, or he shall defcend, or go down into battle, and there perish: the Lord keep me from laying my hands upon the Lord's anointed. But take thou now the Spear that is at his head, and the cruife of water, and let us go: and fo he did. Here is evidently proved, that we may not withstand nor in any wife hurt an anointed king, which is God's lieutenant, vicegerent, and highest miAn objec- nifter in that country where he is king. But peradventure fome here would fay, that David in his own defence might have killed king Saul lawfully, and with a fafe conscience. An anfwer. But holy David did know that he might in no wife withftand, hurt, or kill his fovereign lord and king: he did know that he was but king Saul's fubject, though he were in great favour with God, and his enemy king Saul out of God's favour. Therefore though he were never fo much provoked, yet he refused utterly to hurt the Lord's anointed. He durft not, for offending God and his own confcience, (although he had occafion and opportunity,) once lay his hands upon God's high officer the king, whom he did know to be a perfon referved and kept (for his office fake) only to God's punishment and judgment: therefore he prayeth fo oft and fo earnestly, that he lay not his hands upon the Lord's anointed. And by these two examples, holy David (being named in Scripture a man

tion.

after