Phil. i.

things, and believeth them affuredly, as they are to be believed, even from the bottom of his heart, being established in God in this true faith, having a quiet confcience in Chrift, a firm hope and affured truft in God's mercy, through the merits of Jefus Chrift to obtain this quietnefs, reft, and everlasting joy, fhall not only be without fear of bodily death, when it cometh, but certainly, as St. Paul did, fo fhall he gladly (according to God's will, and when it pleaseth God to call him out of this life) greatly defire in his heart, that he may be rid from all these occafions of evil, and live ever to God's pleasure, in perfect obedience of his will, with our Saviour Jefus Chrift; to whofe gracious prefence the Lord of his infinite mercy and grace bring us, to reign with him in life everlasting to whom, with our heavenly Father, and the Holy Ghoft, be glory in worlds without end. Amen.

AN

AN

EXHORTATION

CONCERNING

Good Order, and Obedience to Rulers and Ma

giftrates.

in heaven, earth, and waters, in a most excellent and perfect order. In heaven he hath appointed diftinct and feveral orders and ftates of archangels and angels. In earth he hath affigned and appointed kings, princes, with other governors under them, in all good and neceffary order. The water above is kept, and raineth down in due time and feafon. The fun, moon, ftars, rainbow, thunder, lightning, clouds, and all birds of the air, do keep their order. The earth, trees, feeds, plants, herbs, corn, grafs, and all manner of beafts, keep themselves in order: all the parts of the whole year, as winter, fummer, months, nights, and days, continue in their order: all kinds of fishes in the fea, rivers, and waters, with all fountains, fprings, yea, the feas themselves, keep their comely courfe and order: and man himself alfo hath all his parts both within and without, as foul, heart, mind, memory, understanding, reafon, fpeech, with all and fingular corporal members of his body, in a profitable, neceffary, and pleafant order: every degree of people in their vocation, calling, and office, hath appointed to them their duty and order: fome are in high degree, fome in low, fome kings and princes, fome inferiors and fubjects, priests and laymen, mafters and fervants, fathers and children, husbands and wives, rich and poor; and every one hath need of other; fo that in all things is to be lauded and praised the goodly order of God, without the which no house, no city, no commonwealth can continue and endure, or laft. For where there is no right order, there reigneth all abufe, carnal liberty, enormity, fin, and Babylonical confufion.

G 4

Take

Take away kings, princes, rulers, magiftrates, judges, and fuch eftates of God's order, no man fhall ride or go by the 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 of fouls, bodies, goods, and commonwealths. But bleffed be God that we in this realm of England feel not the horrible calamities, miferies, and wretchednefs, which all they undoubtedly feel and suffer, that lack this godly order: and praifed 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, with a godly, wife, and honourable council, with other fuperiors and inferiors, in a beautiful order, and godly. 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 injunétions, with all other godly orders. Let us confider the Scriptures of the Holy Ghoft, which perfuade and command us all obediently to be fubject, first 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 for this forenamed ftate and order, as it is written of God in the Book of the Proverbs, Prov. viii. Through me kings do reign, through me counfellors 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) so many times repeated. Here is alfo well to be confidered and remembered, that this good order is appointed by God's wifdom, favour, and love, efpecially for them that love God; and therefore he faith, I love them' that love me. Wifd. vi. Alfo in the Book of Wifdom we may evidently learn, that a king's power, authority, and firength, is a great benefit of God; given of his great mercy, to the comfort of our great mifery. For this we read there fpoken to Kings, Hear, Oye kings, and understand; learn ye that be judges of the ends of the carth; give ear ye that rule the multi

tudes :

tades; for the power is given you of the Lord, and the ftrength from the Higheft. 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 moft high: and therefore they are here taught diligently to apply and give themfelves to knowledge and wifdom, neceffary for the ordering of God's people to their governance committed, or whom to govern they are charged of God. And they be here alfo taught by Almighty God, that they fhould acknowledge themfelves to have all their power and ftrength, not from Rome, but immediately of God moft high. 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 muft understand to pertain alfo unto xxxiii. the magiftrates which do exercife God's room in judgment, and punishing by good and godly laws here 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 punith, or may kill. But we must refer all judgment to God, to kings and rulers, 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 Apostle 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 bimfelf unto the au- Rom. xiii. thority of the higher powers, for there is no power but of Gud. The powers that be, be ordained of God. Whosoever therefore withstandeth the power, withstandeth the ordinance of God: but they that refift, or are against it, fhall receive to themselves 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 Jame; for he is the minifter of God for thy wealth. But, and if thou do that which is evil, then fear; for be beareth not the fword for nought, for he is the minifter of God, to take vengeance on him that doth evil. Wherefore ye must 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 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 bigher powers which be fet in authority by God; forafmuch 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 difobedient perJons, to all refifiers 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.

F

The Second Part of the Sermon of Obedience.

Orafmuch 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 alfo 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 alfo for confcience fake. And here, good people, let us all mark diligently, that it is not lawful for inferiors and fubjects, in any cafe, to refift and ftand against the fuperior powers: for St. Paul's words be plain, that whosoever withstandeth, shall get to themfelves damnation; for whofoever withflandeth, withStandeth 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 fuffered all troubles, vexations, flanders, pangs, and pains, and death itfelf, 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