A pleasant new nosegay full of many godly and sweet flowers, lately gatheredA pleasaunt newe nosegaye full of many godly and swete floures, lately gathered

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?