Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

There is no cause why the king or magistrate should suppose that power ¹is given to him to make new laws touching God, the worship of God, or his holy mysteries: or to appoint a new kind of true justice and goodness. For as every magistrate is ordained of God, and is Gods minister, so must he be ruled by God, and be obedient to Gods holy word and commandment, having evermore an eye unto that, and depending still upon that alone. The scripture which is y• word of God, doth abundantly enough set down all that which is proper to true religion: yea the Lord doth flatly forbid to add too, or take any thing from his holy word? The magistrate therefore maketh no new laws touching God, and the honour to be given to God, but doth religiously receive and keep, doth put in ure and publish those ancient laws in that kingdom which God hath allotted him unto. For hereunto appertaineth the giving of the book of Gods law unto the kings of Israel, that they might learn thereby the way to do the things which they of duty ought to see done. To Joshua the Lord doth say: See that thou doest observe & do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded thee. Thou shalt not turn from it, either to the right hand or to the left. Neither shall the book of this law depart out of thy mouth, but occupy thy mind therein day and night, that thou mayest observe and do according to all that is written therein. For then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt do wisely. Devout and holy Princes therefore did do their faithful & diligent endeavour to cause the word of God to be preached to the people, to retain and preserve among the people the laws, ceremonies and statutes of god, yea they did their best to spread it to all men as far as they could, and as place and time required, to apply it holily to the states & persons: on the other side they were not slack to banish & drive away false doctrine, profane worshippings of God, & blasphemies of his name, but settled themselves utterly to overthrow and root it out for ever. In this sort (I say) godly magistrates, did make and ordain devout laws for the maintenance of religion. In this sort they bore a godly and devout care for matters of religion.

There is no cause whie the king or magistrate should suppose that power ¹is giuen to him to make newe lawes touching God, the worship of God, or his holie mysteries: or to appoint a new kind of true iustice and goodnesse. For as euery magistrate is ordeyned of God, and is Gods minister, so must hée be ruled by God, and be obedient to Gods holie word and commaundement, hauing euermore an eye vnto that, and depending stil vppon that alone. The scripture which is y word of God, doth abundauntly enough set downe al that which is proper to true religion: yea the Lord doth flatly forbidde to adde too, or take any thing from his holy word? The magistrate therefore maketh no newe lawes touching God, and the honour to be giuen to God, but doth religiously receiue and kéepe, doth put in vre and publish those auncient lawes in that kingdome which God hath allotted him vnto. For hereunto apperteineth the giuing of the booke of Gods law vnto the kinges of Israell, that they might learn therby the way to do the things which they of duetie ought to sée done. To Iosue the Lord doth say: See that thou doest obserue & doe according to all the law that Moses my seruaunt commaunded thee. Thou shalt not tourne from it, either to the righte hand or to the left. Neither shall the booke of this lawe depart out of thy mouth, but occupie thy minde therein day and night, that thou maist obserue and doe according to all that is written therein. For then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt do wiselie. Deuout and holie Princes therefore did doe their faithfull & diligent indeuour to cause the word of God to be preached to the people, to reteine and preserue among the people the lawes, ceremonies and statutes of god, yea they did their best to spread it to al men as farre as they could, and as place and time required, to applie it holilie to the states & persons: on the other side they were not slack to banish & driue away false doctrine, prophane worshipings of God, & blasphemies of his name, but settled themselues vtterlie to ouerthrow and roote it out for euer. In this sort (I say) godly magistrates, did make and ordeine deuoute lawes for the maintenaunce of religion. In this sort they bore a godlie and deuout care for matters of religion.