A17223:13
A treatise or sermon of Henry Bullynger
A treatise or sermon of Henry Bullynger: much fruitful and necessary for this time, concerning magistrates and obedience of subjects Also concerning the affairs of war, and what scriptures make mention thereof. whether christen powers may war against their enemies. And whither it be lawful for a christian to bear the office of a magistrate, and of the duty of soldiers with many other wholesome instructions for captains [and] soldiers both. Made in the year of our lord. M. D. xlix.A treatise or sermon of Henry Bullynger: much fruitfull and necessarye for this tyme, concernynge magistrates and obedience of subiectes Also concernyng the affayres of warre, and what scryptures make mension thereof. whether christen powers may war against their ennemies. And whither it be laufull for a christyan to beare the office of a magistrate, and of the duety of souldiers with many other holsom instructions for captaynes [and] souldiers both. Made in the yeare of our lorde. M. D. xlix.
printed for Gwalter Lynne dwelling upon Summers Kaye by Billings gate, 1549printed for Gwalter Lynne dwellynge vpon Somers Kaye by Byllynges gate, 1549
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The pleasure in hurting, outrageous in revenging, an unplacable stomach, wild rebelling greediness to get dominion, and such like, these be they which be worthily ⟨image 7⟩reproved in war, and not only reproved, but also punished. Against the violence of our adversaries, good men may rightfully war, other by gods law, or by any commandment of superior powers, being in such vocation where their powers other commandeth any such thing, or bindeth them to obedience, Or else Saint John Baptiste,1 when the soldiers came to him to be baptised, asking what they should do: he might have answered them again. Cast away your harness, renounce your warfare, strike no man, wound no man, overthrow no body: but because he did see them in doing these things in warfare to be no murderers but ministers of the law, neither revengers of their own injuries, ⟨image 8⟩but defenders of public wealth, he said to them, strike no body, wrangle with no man, be content with your own stipend. But because the Manichees be wont to despise and blaspheme John, let them hear our lord Jesus christ him self, commanding the same stipend to be given to Caesar, which John aduersited the soldiers to be content with all: Give unto Caesar saith christ,2 the things which are Caesars, & unto god, those things that are gods. For therefore be tributes paid, whereby wars may be waged, & soldiers maintained for necessity of war. So he doth worthily also commend the faith of the centurion saying. And I am a man set here under powers,3 having under me soldiers, and I say to him go, and he goeth, and to another ⟨image 8⟩come & he cometh. And to my servant do this & he doth it, we see he commendeth his faith therefore, but he biddeth him not to forsake the wars. Hitherto also pertaineth the chapt. following .lxxv. & .lxxvi. &c. But here I am content to spare you, & not to over burden you with to prolix reciting of sentences. Thus much have I spoken hitherto for that, that it is lawful for magistrates to war. And upon this we gather that subjects