AN EXHORTATION CONCERNING GOOD ORDER, AND OBEDIENCE TO RULERS AND MAGISTRATES.

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ALMIGHTY GOD hath created and appointed all things in heaven, earth, and waters, in a most excellent and perfect order. In heaven he hath appointed distinct and several orders and states of archangels and angels. In earth he hath assigned and appointed kings, princes, with other governors under them, in all good and necessary order. The water above is kept, and raineth down in due time and season. The sun, moon, stars, rainbow, thunder, lightning, clouds, and all birds of the air, do keep their order. The earth, trees, seeds, plants, herbs, corn, grass, and all manner of beasts, keep themselves in order; all the parts of the whole year, as winter, summer, months, nights and days, continue in their order: all kinds of fishes in the sea, rivers and waters, with all fountains, springs, yea, the seas themselves, keep their comely course and order and man himself also hath all his parts both within and without, as soul, heart, mind, memory, understanding, reason, speech, with all and singular corporal members of his body, in a profitable, necessary, and pleasant order: every degree of people in their vocation, calling and office, hath appointed to them their duty and order some are in high degree, some in low, some kings and princes, some inferiors and subjects, priests and laymen, masters and servants, fathers and children, husbands and wives, rich and poor, and every one hath need of other; so 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 last. For where there is no right order, there reigneth all abuse, carnal liberty, enormity, sin, and Babylonical confusion. Take away kings, princes, rulers, magistrates, judges, and such estates of God's order, no man shall ride or go by the highway unrobbed, no man shall sleep in his own house or bed unkilled, no man shall keep his wife, children, and possessions in quietness, all things shall be common, and there must needs follow all mischief and

utter destruction both of souls, bodies, goods, and commonwealths. But blessed be God, that we in this realm of England feel not the horrible calamities, miseries, and wretchedness, which all they undoubtedly feel and suffer, that lack this godly order: and praised be God that we know the great excellent benefit of God shewed towards us in this behalf. God hath sent us his high gift, our most dear sovereign Lady Queen [Victoria,] with a godly, wise, and honourable council, with other superiors and inferiors, in a beautiful order, and godly. Wherefore, let us subjects do our bounden duties, giving hearty thanks to God, and praying for the preservation of this g godly order. Let us all obey, even from the bottom of our hearts, all their godly proceedings, laws, statutes, proclamations, and injunctions, with all other godly orders. Let us consider the Scriptures of the Holy Ghost, which persuade and command us all obediently to be subject, first and chiefly to the queen's majesty, supreme governor over all, and next to her honourable council, and to all other noblemen, magistrates, and officers, which by God's goodness be placed and ordered. For Almighty God is the only author and provider for this forenamed state and order, as it is written of God in the book of the Proverbs, Through me kings do reign, through me counsellors make just laws, through me do princes bear rule, and all judges of the earth execute judgment; I am loving to them that love me (Prov. viii. 15-17). 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 also well to be considered and remembered, that this good order is appointed by God's wisdom, favour, and love, especially for them that love God; and therefore he saith, I love them that love me. Also in the book of Wisdom we may evidently learn, that a king's power, authority, and strength, is a great benefit of God, given of his great mercy, to the comfort of our great misery. For thus we read there spoken to kings, "Hear, O ye kings, and understand; learn ye that be judges of the ends of the earth; give ear ye that rule the multitudes; for the power [is] given you of the Lord, and the strength from the Highest" (Wisd. vi). Let us learn also here by the infalli

ble and undeceivable word of God, that kings, and other supreme and higher officers, are ordained of God, who is most highest and therefore they are here taught diligently to apply and give themselves to knowledge and wisdom, necessary for the ordering of God's people to their governance committed, or whom to govern they are charged of God. And they be here also taught by Almighty God, that they should acknowledge themselves to have all their power and strength, not from Rome, but immediately of God most highest. We read in the book of Deuteronomy, that all punishment pertaineth to God, by this sentence, Vengeance is mine, and I will reward (Deut. xxxii. 35). But this sentence we must understand to pertain also unto the magistrates, which do exercise God's room in judgment, and punishing by good and godly laws, here in earth. And the places of Scripture, which seem to remove from among all Christian men, judgment, punishment, or killing, ought to be understood, that no man (of his own private authority) may be judge over other, may punish, or may kill. But we must refer all judgment to God, to kings and rulers, and judges under them, which be God's officers to execute justice, and by plain words of Scripture have their authority and use of the sword granted from God; as we are taught by St. Paul, that dear and chosen apostle of our Saviour Christ, whom we ought diligently to obey, even as we would obey our Saviour Christ, if he were present. Thus St. Paul writeth to the Romans, Let every soul submit himself unto the authority of the higher powers, for there is no power but of God. The powers that be, be ordained of God. Whosoever therefore withstandeth the power, withstandeth the ordinance of God: but they that resist, or are against it, shall 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 so shalt thou be praised of the same; for he is the minister of God for thy wealth. But and if thou do that which is evil, then fear, for he beareth not the sword for naught, for he is the minister of God, to take vengeance on him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs obey, not only for fear of vengeance, but also because of conscience; and even for this cause pay ye tribute, for they are God's ministers, serving for the same purpose (Rom. xiii. 1—6).

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Here let us all learn of St. Paul, the chosen vessel of God, that all persons having souls ("he excepteth none, nor exempteth none, neither priest, apostle, nor prophet,' saith St. Chrysostom) do owe of bounden duty, and even in conscience, obedience, submission, and subjection to the high powers which be set in authority by God; forasmuch as they be God's lieutenants, God's presidents, God's officers, God's commissioners, God's judges, ordained of God himself, of whom only they have all their power, and all their authority. And the same St. Paul threateneth no less pain than everlasting damnation to all disobedient persons, to all resisters against this general and common authority, forasmuch as they resist not man, but God; not man's device and invention, but God's wisdom, God's order, power, and authority,

THE SECOND PART OF THE SERMON OF OBEDIENCE.

FORASMUCH as God hath created and disposed all things in a comely order, we have been taught, in the first part of the sermon concerning good order and obedience, that we also ought in all commonwealths to observe 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 magistrates ought to learn how to rule and govern according to God's laws: and that all subjects are bound to obey them as God's ministers, yea, although they be evil, not only for fear, but also for conscience sake. And here, good people, let us mark diligently, that it is not lawful for inferiors and subjects, in any case, to resist and stand against the superior powers: for St. Paul's words be plain, that whosoever withstandeth shall get to themselves damnation; for whosoever withstandeth, withstandeth the ordinance of God. Our Saviour Christ himself, and his apostles, received many and divers injuries of the unfaithful and wicked men in authority: yet we never read that they, or any of them, caused any sedition or rebellion against authority. We read oft, that they patiently suffered all troubles, vexations, slanders, pangs, and pains, and death itself, obediently, without tumult or resistance. They committed their cause to Him

that judgeth righteously, 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 said to Christ, Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power also to loose thee? Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above [John xix. 10, 11]. Whereby Christ taught us plainly, that even the wicked rulers have their power and authority from God, and therefore it is not lawful for their subjects to withstand them, although they abuse their power: much less then is it lawful for subjects to withstand their godly and Christian 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 apostle Peter commandeth servants to be obedient to their masters, not only if 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 suffering side. And there he bringeth in the patience of our Saviour Christ, to persuade obedience to governors, yea, although they be wicked and wrong-doers. But let us now hear St. Peter himself speak, for his words certify best our conscience. Thus he uttered them in his first epistle, Servants, obey your masters with fear, not only if they be good and gentle, but also if they be froward. For it is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endureth grief, and suffer wrong undeserved: for what praise is it, when ye be beaten for your faults, if ye take it patiently? But when ye do well, if you then suffer wrong, and take it patiently, then is there cause to have thank of God; for hereunto verily were ye called: for so did Christ suffer for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow his steps (1 Pet. ii. 18-21). All these be the very words of St. Peter. Holy David also teacheth us a good lesson in this behalf, who was many times most cruelly and wrongfully persecuted of king Saul, and many times also put in jeopardy and danger of his life by king Saul and his people; yet he neither withstood, neither used any force or violence against king Saul, his mortal and deadly enemy; but did ever to his liege lord and master, king