THE OBEDIENCE OF SERVANTS UNTO THEIR SERVANTS, obey your carnal masters with fear and trembling, in singleness of your hearts as unto Christ; not with service in the eye-sight as men pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with good will, even as though ye served the Lord and not men. (Eph. vi.) And (1 Pet. ii.) Servants obey your masters with all fear, not only if they be good and courteous, but also though they be froward. For it cometh of grace, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what praise is it, if when ye be buffetted for your faults, ye take it patiently? But, and if ye do well, ye suffer wrong and take it patiently, then is there thanks with God. Hereunto, verily, were ye called. For Christ also suffered for our sakes, leaving us an ensample to follow his steps. In whatsoever kind, therefore, thou art a servant, during the time of thy covenants, thy master is unto thee in the stead and room of God; and God, through him, feedeth thee, clotheth thee, ruleth thee, and learneth thee. His commandments are God's commandments, and thou oughtest to obey him as God, and in all things to seek his pleasure and profit. For thou art his good and possession, as his ox or his horse; insomuch that whosoever doth but desire thee in his heart from him, without his love and license, is condemned of God, which saith, (Exod. xx.) See thou once covet not thy neighbours' servants. Paul the apostle sent home Onesimus unto his master (as thou readest in the Epistle of Paul to Philemon.) Insomuch that though the said Philemon with his servant also was converted by Paul, and owed to Paul, and to the word that Paul preached, not his servant only, but also himself: yea, and though that Paul was in necessity, and lacked ministers to minister unto him in the bonds In suffer ing wrongs patiently, we follow the steps of Christ. The master is unto the God's stead. servant in Our spiritain men's tualty reservants not to ho hour God, but their traditions and cere monies only. Christ's doctrine and the Pope's differ. ter please thee not, shave thyself a monk, which he suffered for the gospel's sake; yet would he not retain the servant necessary unto the furtherance of the gospel, without the consent of the master. O how sore differeth the doctrine of Christ and his apostles, from the doctrine of the Pope and of his apostles! For if any man will obey neither father nor If thy mas mother, neither lord nor master, neither king nor prince, the same needeth but only to take the mark of the beast, that is, to shave himself a monk, a friar or a priest, and is then immediately free and exempted from all service and obedience due to man. He that will obey no man (as they will not) is most acceptable unto them. The more disobedient that thou art unto God's ordinances, the more apt and meet art thou for their's. Neither is the professing, vowing and swearing obedience unto their ordinances, any other thing than the defying, denying, and foreswearing obedience to the ordinances of God. a friar, or a THE OBEDIENCE OF SUBJECTS UNTO KINGS, PRINCES, AND RULERS. Rom xiii. Kings are LET every soul submit himself unto the authority of chosen to good works, but for evil. Wilt thou be without fear of Do well then, and so shalt thou be praised suppress the wicked the power? of the same and sup port the good. for he is the minister of God for thy wealth. But, and if thou do evil, then fear; for he beareth not a sword for nought: for he is the minister of God, to take vengeance on them that do evil. Wherefore ye must needs obey; not for fear of vengeance only, but also because of conscience. Even for this cause pay ye tribute for they are God's ministers serving for the same purpose. : Give to every man therefore his duty tribute to whom tribute belongeth; custom to whom custom is due; fear to whom fear belongeth; honour to whom honour pertaineth. Owe nothing to any man; but to love one another: for he that loveth another fulfilleth the law. For these commandments, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not desire, and so forth; if there be any other commandment, are all comprehended in this saying, Love thine neighbour as thyself. Love hurteth not his neighbour: therefore is love the fulfilling of the law. As a father over his children is both Lord and judge, forbidding one brother to avenge himself on another, but (if any cause of strife be between them) will have it brought unto himself, or his assigns, to be judged and correct; so God forbiddeth all men to avenge themselves, and taketh the authority and office of avenging unto himself; saying, Vengeance is mine, and I will reward. (Deut. xxxii.) Which text Paul allegeth, (Rom. xii.) For it is imposible that a man should be a righteous, an egal, or an indifferent judge in his own cause—lusts and appetites so blind us. Moreover when thou avengest thyself, thou makest not peace, but stirrest up more debate. God therefore hath given laws unto all nations, and in all lands hath put kings, governors, and rulers in his own stead, to rule the world through them. And hath commanded all causes to be brought before them, as thou readest (Exod. xxii.) In all causes (saith he) of injury or wrong, An apt si militude. Judges are called gods Blessing. Curse. God re wardeth all obedience though no man else do. whether it be ox, ass, sheep or vesture, or any lost thing which another challengeth, let the cause of both parties be brought unto the gods, whom the gods condemn, the same shall pay double unto his neighbour. Mark, the judges are called gods in the Scriptures, because they are in God's room, and execute the commandments of God. And in another place of the said chapter, Moses chargeth saying; See that thou rail not on the gods, neither speak evil of the ruler of thy people. Whosoever therefore resisteth them, resisteth God (for they are in the room of God) and they that resist shall receive the damnation. Such obedience unto father and mother, master, husband, emperor, king, lords and rulers, requireth God of all nations, yea of the very Turks and infidels. The blessing and reward of them that keep them, is the life of this world, as thou readest (Lev. xviii.) Keep my ordinances and laws; which if a man keep, he shall live therein. Which text Paul rehearseth Rom x. proving thereby that the righteousness of the law is but worldly, and the reward thereof is the life of this world. And the curse of them that breaketh them, is the loss of this life, as thou seest by their punishment appointed for them. And whosoever keepeth the law (whether it be for fear, for vain glory or profit) though no man reward him, yet shall God bless him abundantly, and send him worldly prosperity, as thou readest Deut xxviii. What good blessings accompany the keeping of the law, and as we see the Turks far exceed us Christian men in worldly prosperity for their just keeping of their temporal laws. Likeeth all dis- wise though no man punish the breakers of the law, yet shall God send his curses upon them till they be utterly brought to nought, as thou readest most terribly even in the said place. God aveng obedience though no man else do. Neither may the inferior person avenge himself upon the superior, or violently resist him for whatsoever wrong it be. If he do, he is condemned in the deed doing: inasmuch as he taketh upon him that which belongeth to God only, which saith, Vengeance is mine, and I will re- Vengeance ward. (Deut xxxii.) And Christ saith (Mat. xxvi.) All is God's. they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Takest thou a sword to avenge thyself? so givest thou not room unto God to avenge thee, but robbest him of his most high honour, in that thou wilt not let him be judge over thee. If any man might have avenged himself upon his superior, that might David most righteously have done upon David. king Saul which so wrongfully persecuted David; even for no other cause, than that God had anointed him king, and promised him the kingdom. Yet when God had delivered Saul into the hands of David, that he might have done what he would with him as thou seest in the first book of Kings the xxivth chapter, how Saul came into the camp where David was. And David came to him secretly, and cut off a piece of his garment. And as soon as he had done it his heart smote him, because he had done so much unto his lord. And when his men couraged him to slay him, he answered, The Lord forbid it me that I should lay mine hand on him. Neither suffered he his men to hurt him. When Saul was gone out, David followed and shewed him the piece of his garment, and said, Why believest thou the words of men that say, David goeth about to do thee harm? perceive and see that there is neither evil nor wickedness in my hand, and that I have not trespassed against thee, and yet thou layest await for my life, God judge between thee and me, and avenge me of thee, but mine hand be not upon thee. As the old proverb saith (said David) Out of the wicked shall wickedness proceed, but mine hand be not upon thee, meaning that God ever punisheth one wicked by another. And again (said David,) God be judge, and judge between thee and me, and behold and plead my cause, and give me judgment or right of thee. And in the xxvith chapter of the same book, when Saul persecuted David again, David came to Saul by night, God deone wicked stroyeth by another. |