Phil. Well said. Although neighbours I do not doubt, but that in your conscience, ye are assuredly persuaded, that the christen magistrates and high powers do reign, rule, & have dominion, every one in their kingdom, not of their own tyranny, cruel violence and extort power, butte of the authority of Gods word, & the just appointment of the high celestial king for the great consolation and comfort of his people, and for the innumerable commodities of the Christen public weal, which of their no less virtuous than righteous regiment & governance do ensue, yet forasmuch as in these our days there have risen up wicked & ungodly spirits which deny the office of the magistrates & high powers to be the ordinance of God,1 and affirm that it can by no means stand ⟨image 54⟩with the Gospel of Christ. I will first declare unto you & prove by the holy scriptures, that the high powers are ordained of GOD,2 and that their office agree and in all points consent with the most holy word of God, yea and that it is so necessary that without this regiment and governance of the high powers, no public weal can remain in safe estate, no friendship can be maintained,3 no faith can be regarded, no order can be kept, no propriety of goods can be saved, no virtue can reign, no tranquillity can consist, nor any goodness continue, but all must needs grow out of order, and, as they say, go to havoc, unto the great disquietness and utter destruction of so many as dwell in such wild, rustical, brutal & beast like realm, where no civility of public order in mundane things is observed. This once done, I will ⟨image 54⟩declare, what your duty is toward our most sovereign LORD the king, and all the other rulers that govern under his dominion, that ye may live in this most flourishing Realm like true and faithful subjects with obedient hearts and that not only for fear but for conscience sake, that by this means ye may both acquire & get to your selves quietness & rest, leading an honest and peaceable life without any disturbance, and also be an exam ple to other, that they with like obedience may be subject & serve our most christen Prince according to the will of God.
To show that the authority of the magistrates & common officers is the ordinance of God, whereof may I rather take a beginning, than of the public weal of the Israelites?
Phil. Wel sayd. Althogh neighbours I do not doubte, but that in your conscience, ye are assuredly perswaded, that the christen magistrates and hyghe powers do reygne, rule, & haue dominion, euery one in theyr kyngedome, not of theyr owne tyrannye, cruell violence and extorte power, butte of the authorite of Gods worde, & the iust appoyntment of the hygh celestiall kyng for the great consolacion and cōforte of his people, and for the innumerable cōmodities of the Christen publique weale, which of theyr no lesse vertuous than ryghteous regiment & gouernaunce do ensue, yet for asmuch as in these our dayes there haue rysen vp wicked & vngodly spirites which deny the office of the magistrates & hyghe powers to be the ordinance of God,1 and affirme yt it can by no meanes stonde ⟨image 54⟩with the Gospell of Christe. I wyll fyrst declare vnto you & proue by ye holy scriptures, that the hygh powers are ordined of GOD,2 and that theyr office agre and in all poyntes consent with the moost holy worde of God, yea and that it is so necessary that withoute this regimēt and gouernaunce of the hyghe powers, no publique weale can remayne in safe estate, no frendshyppe canne be mayntayned,3 no fayth can be regarded, no order cā be kepte, no propriete of goodes can be saued, no vertu can reigne, no tranquilite cā cō sist, nor ony goodnes continue, but all must nedes growe out of order, and, as they saye, go to hauocke, vnto the great disquietnes and vtter destruccion of so many as dwell in suche wyld, rustical, brutall & beast lyke realme, wher no ciuilite of publique order in mundayne thynges is obserued. This once done, I wyll ⟨image 54⟩declare, what your duty is toward oure moost soueraygne LORDE the kyng, and all the other rulers that gouerne vnder his dominion, that ye maye lyue in thys mooste florysshynge Realme lyke true and faythfull subiectes with obedient hertes and that not onlye for feare but for cōsciēce sake, that by this meanes ye maye both acquyre & get to your selues quietnes & rest, leadynge an honeste and peasable lyfe withoute ony disturbance, and also be an exā ple to other, that they wt lyke obedience maye be subiecte & serue our moost christen Prince accordyng to the wyll of God.
To shewe that the authorite of ye magistrates & common officers is the ordinaūce of God, wherof maye I rather take a begynnynge, than of the publique weale of the Israelites?
- 1The Anabaptists.The Anabaptistes.
- 2The contents of this flour.The contentes of thys floure.
- 3Mark well.
