The works of the reverend and faithful servant of Jesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…

12 There is a great reason of honesty, that we will not obey God, if he requireth our¹ obedience, we have other callings calling us away; we have a good liking of this, that Caesar commandeth us to wait upon him in the house of exchange. Doth Christ not want a Christian, as well as Caesar doth want a custom? Surely, we must needs have leave of Caesar to serve Christ. Caesar is not greater than Christ, and therefore even by demonstration, Christ must be first waited on. As for those that think, that the worshipping of Baal and of God will stand together, & that we may serve Christ and Caesar, profit and religion: the error for the grossness is not worthy confutation, for it is a manifest halting. The very commandment showeth us, that we must be knit to God, as a man is to his wife: It is a possession in private and not in common; if we do not so, jealousy will arise. But may not God and Caesar be served together? It may be so, if they both command one thing: but I would wish a mans eye in the obedience be still upon God. For surely if God and Caesar be followed in one thing; it is hard to say, how we stand affected, whether we follow God or Caesar. And for this cause the Lord is fain often to pull off the visor of hypocrisy herein, that when God and Caesar have parted companies, it may be seen how many thousands go after Caesar, and how scarce seven follow the Lord. And if when God needeth, his glory needeth; when his glory needeth, his Church needeth: it is sure, that rather than the Church should need, Caesar must tarry and give place. It is better that Caesar should want an auditor, than Christ an inheritor: if Church and common-wealth want at once, it is better the Common-wealth should want, than Christ should be left destitute of servants. Let us therefore wait on Christ, not only a mile or two out of the town, but even to the rivers of Babel:

12 There is a great reason of honestie, that we will not obey God, if hee requireth our¹ obedience, wee haue other callings calling vs away; we haue a good liking of this, that Caesar commandeth vs to waite vpon him in the house of exchange. Doth Christ not want a Christian, as well as Caesar doth want a custome? Surely, wee must needes haue leaue of Caesar to serue Christ. Caesar is not greater than Christ, and therefore euen by demonstration, Christ must be first waited on. As for those that thinke, that the worshipping of Baal and of God wil stand together, & that we may serue Christ and Caesar, profit and religion: the errour for the grossenes is not worthie confutation, for it is a manifest halting. The very cō mandement sheweth vs, that we must be knit to God, as a man is to his wife: It is a possession in priuate and not in common; if we do not so, iealousie will arise. But may not God and Caesar be serued together? It may be so, if they both command one thing: but I would wish a mans eye in the obedience bee still vpon God. For surely if God and Caesar bee followed in one thing; it is hard to say, how wee stand affected, whether wee followe God or Caesar. And for this cause the Lord is faine often to pull off the vizrd of hypocrisie herein, that when God and Caesar haue parted companies, it may bee seene how many thousands goe after Caesar, and how scarce seuen follow the Lord. And if when God needeth, his glorie needeth; when his glorie needeth, his Church needeth: it is sure, that rather than the Church should need, Caesar must tarrie and giue place. It is beter that Caesar should want an auditor, than Christ an inheritour: if Church and common-wealth want at once, it is better the Common-wealth should want, than Christ should be left destitute of seruants. Let vs therefore wait on Christ, not onely a mile or two out of the towne, but euen to the riuers of Babel: