Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

But here it is requisite that we make a difference betwixt the office which is the good ordinance of God, & the evil person that doth not rightly execute that good office. If therefore in the magistrate evil be found, and not the good for which he was ordained, that cometh of other causes, and the fault thereof is in the men and persons which neglect God, and corrupt the ordinance of God, & not in God, nor in his ordinance: for either the evil Prince seduced by the devil corrupteth the ways of God, and by his own fault and naughtiness transgresseth Gods ordinance, so far, that he doth worthily deserve the name of devilish power, and not divine authority. We have an example hereof in the magistrate of Jerusalem. For although he were able to refer the beginning of his power by degrees unto Moses, and so unto God himself who did ordain it, yet for because he taketh the Saviour in the Garden and bindeth him, to his servants it is said, Ye are come out as it were to a thief with swords and staves, When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched not forth your hands against me. But this is even your hour and the power of darkness. Lo here he calleth the ordinary magistrate the power of the devil when he abuseth his power. What could ⟨p. 173⟩be more evidently spoken? But here ye must mark, that the reproach was in the person, and not in the office. Likewise also the Roman Empire was ordained by God, as by the visions of Daniel it is clearly evident. And yet when Nero not without Gods ordinance bare the sway in the Empire, whatsoever he did as king and Emperor, contrary to the office of a good king, that did he not of God, but of the devil. For whereas he hung up & beheaded the Apostles of Christ, moving a bloody persecution against the Church, that sprang not from elsewhere, than from the devil the father of murder. So then verily we ought not at any time to defend the tyrannical power, and say that it is of God. For tyranny is not a divine, but a devilish kind of government, and tyrants themselves are properly the servants of the devil, and not of God. Or else otherwise some people do deserve by their wicked deeds to have, not a king, but a tyrant. So then the peoples sin is an other cause that evil magistrates are found in common weals.

But héere it is requisite that wée make a difference betwixt the office which is the good ordinaunce of God, & the euill person that doth not rightly execute that good •ffice. If therfore in the magistrate euill be founde, and not ye good for which he was ordeyned, that commeth of other causes, and the fault thereof is in the men and persons which neglecte God, and corrupt the ordinaunce of God, & not in God, nor in his ordinaunce: for either the euill Prince seduced by the diuell corrupteth the wayes of God, and by his owne fault and naughtinesse transgresseth Gods ordinaunce, so farre, yt hée doth worthily deserue the name of diuelish power, and not diuine authoritie. Wée haue an example hereof in ye magistrate of Ierusalem. For although he were able to referre the beginning of his power by degrées vnto Moses, and so vnto God himselfe who did ordeyne it, yet for because hée taketh the Sauiour in the Gardeyne and byndeth him, to his seruaunts it is sayd, Ye are come out as it were to a theefe with swords and staues, Whē I was daylie with you in the temple, ye stretched not forth your hands against mee. But this is euen your houre and the power of darcknesse. Loe héere he calleth the ordinarie magistrate the power of the diuell when hée abusth his power. What could