A97377:86
A most necessary & fruitful dialogue, between [the] seditious libertine or rebel Anabaptist, &…A most necessary & frutefull dialogue, betwene [the] seditious libertin or rebel Anabaptist, &…
A most necessary & fruitful dialogue, between [the] seditious libertine or rebel Anabaptist, & the true obedient christia[n] wherein, as in a mirror or glass ye shall see [the] excellence and worthiness of a christia[n] magistrate: & again what obedience is due unto public rulers of all th[os]e [that] profess Christ yea, though [the] rulers, in extern & outward things, to their utter damnation, do otherwise then well: translated out of Latin into English, by Iho[n] Veron Senonoys.A most necessary & frutefull dialogue, betwene [the] seditious libertin or rebel Anabaptist, & the true obedient christia[n] wherin, as in a mirrour or glasse ye shal se [the] excellencte and worthynesse of a christia[n] magistrate: & again what obedience is due vnto publique rulers of all th[os]e [that] professe Christ yea, though [the] rulers, in externe & outward thinges, to their vtter dampnatyon, do otherwyse then well: translated out of Latyn into Englishe, by Iho[n] Veron Senonoys.
Worcester : Imprinted the third day of April. Anno. Do. 1551. At Worcester in the high street, by John Oswen. They be also to sell at Shrewesbury. Cum priuligio ad imprimendum solum, 1551Worcester : Imprynted the third daye of Aprill. Anno. Do. 1551. At Worceter in ye hygh strete, by Ihon Oswen. They be also to sell at Shrewesbury. Cum priuligio ad imprimendum solum, 1551
Dialogue 3: ¶ The third Dialogue. That we are bound to obey the Magistrate.
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.
SI. Have they any power over the soul & spirit of man, or can they print faith by their statutes & commandments, in the hearts of men?
SI. Haue they any power ouer the soule & spirit of man, or can they print faith by their statutes & cōmaundements, in the heartes of men?
JO No forsooth: But their statutes & ordinances do profit in this thing that the ungodly do less harm, do commit ⟨image 46⟩less offence, less idolatry & blasphemy being frayed, cohibited & bridled by such godly edicts & proclamations. Else the weak, by such licentious doings of the ungodly, either are letted to come to Christ or else too take occasion, too swerve a way from Christ, & his word. Therefore the administration, which is done by the laws of the Magistrates, doth bring this to pass that there is less evil & harm among mortal men, that men do live godly, honestly, & quietly, and although, the ungodly do hide their ungodliness, malice and wickedness within in their hearts, yet not with standing they dare not suffer it to break forth, to trouble disquiet, & offend them, that will live godly. God only doth look in the heart, & judgeth it. Wherefore I think this proposition, to be sufficiently proved that we are bound to obey the Magistrate For, if the magistrate be a christian, so much more ought we to obey him. Again, if he be an heathen and ungodly, ye art also bound to obey him though he doth oppress thee, in thy body and substance so that he doth not call thee from god & the truth But let us make it stronger with the scriptures, In the .xx. of Luk, Christ commandeth ⟨image 46⟩to give to Cesar, the which belongeth too Cesar, & to god,1 that which belongeth to god. By Cesar he understandeth generally all the magistrates of the world, to whom our bodies & goods are subjects .i. of the kings, viii. Our mind doth only belong to god, & therefore touching it, we are more bound to obey god, then man. Peter teacheth us after this manner: Be ye subject to all human ordinance for the lord sake, whether it be to a king, as to the most excellent, or to his deputes, which are sense of him, to the punishment of the evil doers, & to the praise of them that do well, for so is the will of god, that by well doing, ye stop the mouths of ignorant persons. &c.