May Bear the Office of a Magistrate. And of the Duty of Subjects. The Ninth Sermon
To the right of the sword, which God hath given to the magistrate, doth war belong: for in my last sermon I taught you, that the use of the sword in the magistrate’s hand is twofold, or of two sorts. For either he punisheth offenders therewith; or else repelleth the enemy that spoileth or would spoil his people, or cutteth off the rebellious purposes of his own seditious citizens. it But many make a doubt whether it be lawful for a magistrate to make war or no’. And it is marvel to see them as blind as beetles in a matter of itself as plain as may be. For if the magistrate doth by God’s law punish offenders, thieves, and harmful persons; and that it maketh no matter whether they be few or many in number, as I declared in my yesterday’s sermon; even by the same law may he persecute, repel, and kill rebellious people, seditious citizens, and barbarous soldiers, who, under the pretence of war, do attempt that openly which thieves and robbers are wont to do privily. The prophet, I confess, did among other things prophesy of us Christians, and say: “They shall turn their swords into spades, and their javelins into scythes?:” for Christians have peace with all men, and do altogether abstain from armour; for every one doth that to another which he would wish to have done to himself. But, for because all are not so minded, but that many unruly persons, wicked thieves, and oppressors of the poor, do live and dwell among honest and good-meaning men, as wild beasts among harmless creatures; therefore God from heaven hath given the sword into the magistrate’s hand, to be a defence for harmless people against unruly
[1 Of these doctrines of the Anabaptists, Latimer also makes men-]
[tion, Parker Soc. ed. Vol. 1. pp. 495, 6. See also Bullinger. adv. Ana-]
[baptist. Lib. v. cap. 10.] [2 Tsai. ii. 4.)]
cut-throats. But we read not in any place that we are forbidden to suppress and kill wolves, wild boars, bears, and such other beasts that do annoy and prey upon men or cattle. What let then should there be why we should not, by lawful war begun in a good quarrel, repel the unjust injury of violent robbers, since thieves, robbers, barbarous soldiers, and seditious citizens, do differ little or nothing from wild beasts? The scripture, verily, doth not vouchsafe to call them by any other names than by the names of beasts. Hereunto consenteth the common sense of nature; and herewithal agreeth the doctrine of faith and religion. “If it be possible,” saith the apostle, “as much as lieth in you, live quietly with all men; not revenging yourselves.” See here, “as much as lieth in you,” saith he, and, “if it be possible:” otherwise, he addeth immediately after: The magistrate beareth not the sword in vain,” He meaneth, for them that trouble all things, and do annoy the men which do desire to live at peace. And this is confirmed by the examples of the most, holy and excellent men that have been in the world, which have taken war in hand for the defence of their country and harmless countrymen; as 1 have already declared out of St Paul’s Epistle to the Hebrews, when as in the exposition of the fifth precept I shewed what honour every man doth owe to his country.
I will add to these some reasons of St Augustine, uttered contra, Faustum Manichewm, Lib. xxi, cap. 74. Neither let him,” saith he, “marvel or be astonied at the wars made by Moses; for because even in them too he followed God’s commandment, not like a tyrant, but like an obedient servant. Neither did God rage with cruelty, when he commanded those wars; but justly paid home them that deserved it, and terrified those that were worthy of it. For what is blameworthy in war? Is it to be blamed that they do die which once must die, that they which live may rule in peace? To find fault with that is rather a cowardly touch, than the part of a religious Christian. Desire to hurt, cruelty in revenging, an unappeased stomach, bruteness in rebelling, greediness to rule, and whatsoever else is like to these, are the things that in war are worthy to be blamed, and by right of law to be sharply punished. Against the violence of injurious enemies, at the commandment either of God himself or any other lawful [3 Rom. xii. 18; xiii. 4.] [6 See before, p. 277.]
24—2
power, even good men are wont to take war in hand; since their state in the world is such, that politic order doth justly bind the magistrate in such a case to command it, and the subjects to obey it. Otherwise John, when the soldiers came to him to be baptized, saying, And what shall we do?’ would have answered them, and said: Cast off your armour, forsake your soldier’s life, strike, wound, or kill nobody. But, because he knew that while they did so, as soldiers in the war, they were not man-quellers, but ministers of the law, not revengers of their own injuries, bnt defenders of the commonweal, he said unto them, Strike no man, do no man injury; be content with your wages.” But because the Manichees have of use blasphemed or spoken against John, let them hear the Lord Jesus Christ himself commanding to give to Caesar that stipend which John did say the soldier should be content withal. “Give,” saith he, to Caesar that which 15 Casar’s, and to God the things that do belong to God.’ For to this end is tribute paid, that the soldier in the war may have his pay out of hand for his pain. Very well, therefore, when the centurion said, And I am a man set under power, having soldiers under me; and I say to one, Go, and he goeth, and to another, Come, and he cometh, and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth i1t,’—did the Lord commend his faith, and not command him to forsake his soldiership!.” Hitherto also apper-
[1 Nec bella per Moysen gesta miretur aut horreat, quia et in illis]
[divina secutus imperia, non swviens, sed obediens fuit: nec Deus, cum]
[jubebat ista, seeviebat, sed digna dignis retribuebat, dignosque terrebat.]
[Quid enim culpatur in bello? An quia moriuntur quandoque morituri,]
[ut dominentur in pace victuri? Hoc reprehendere timidorum est, non]
[religiosorum. Nocendi cupiditas, ulciscendi crudelitas, impacatus atque]
[implacabilis animus, feritas rebellandi, libido dominandi, et si qua]
[similia, heec sunt quee in bellis jure culpantur, que plerumque ita cul-]
[pantur ut etiam jure puniantur. Adversus violentiam resistentium,]
[sive Deo sive aliquo legitimo imperio jubente, gerenda ipsa bella]
[suscipiuntur a bonis, cum in eo rerum humanarum ordine inveniuntur,]
[ubi eos vel jubere tale aliquid, vel in talibus obedire juste ordo ipse]
[constringit. Alioquin Joannes, cum ad eum baptizandi milites venirent,]
[dicentes, Et nos quid faciemus? responderet eis, Arma abjicite, mili-]
[tiam istam deserite, neminem percutite, vulnerate, prosternite neminem.]
[Sed quia sciebat eos, cum hezec militando facerent, non esse homicidas]
[sed ministros legis, et non ultores injuriarum suarum sed salutis pub-]
[licze defensores, respondit eis, Neminem concusseritis, nulli calumniam]
[feceritis, sufficiat vobis stipendium vestrum. Sed quia Manichzei]
taineth that which followeth in the same 75th chapter and 76th next after. But I do of purpose willingly bear somewhat with you, not meaning by overlong rehearsing of too many sentences to be tedious unto you.
Thus hitherto I have shewed you that it is lawful for the ple magistrate for to make war. Where, by the way, also we gather, that the subjects do lawfully, without any offence to God, take armour to battle, when they take it in hand at the magistrate’s bidding. But if the magistrate’s purpose be to kill the guiltless, I declared in my former sermons that then his people ought not to obey his wicked commandments.
Let the magistrate therefore have an eye to himself, that he abuse not his lawful authority. And although the magistrate be licensed to make war for just and necessary causes; yet, notwithstanding, war is a thing most full of peril, and draweth with itself an endless troop of mischievous evils, By war the just judgment of God doth plague the men whom his fatherly warning could never move; but among them many times, too, the guiltless feel the whip. In war, for the most part, soldiers misuse themselves, and thereby incur God’s heavy displeasure: there is no evil in all the world that war upholdeth not. By war both scarcity of every thing and dearth do arise: for highways are stopped, corn upon the ground is trodden down and marred, whole villages burnt, provision goeth to wrack, handicrafts are unoccupied, merchandise do cease, and all do perish, both rich and poor. The valiant strong men are slain in the battle; the cowardly sort run away for their lives to hide their heads, reserving themselves to be tormented with more exquisite and terrible kinds of cruel punishments: for wicked knaves are promoted to dignity, and bear the sway, which abuse mankind like savage beasts. Hands are wrung on every side; widows and children
[Joannem aperte blasphemare consueverunt, ipsum Dominum Jesum]
[Christum audiant, hoe stipendium jubentem reddi Caesari, quod Joannes]
[dicit debere sufficere militi. Reddite, inquit, Ceesari quze Ceesaris sunt,]
[et Deo quae Dei sunt. Ad hoc enim tributa preestantur, ut propter]
[bella necessario militi stipendium prazebeatur. Merito et illius cent-]
[rionis dicentis, Et ego homo sum sub potestate constitutus, habens sub]
[me milites, et dico huiec, Vade, et vadit; et alii, Veni, et venit; et servo]
[meo, Fac hoe, et facit; fidem laudavit, non illius militiee desertionem]
[imperavit.—Opp. Par. 1531, Tom. vi. fol. 89. P.]]
cry out and lament; the wealth, that hath been carefully gathered to help in want to come, is spoiled and stolen away; cities are rased, virgins and unmarriageable maidens are shamefully deflowered, all honesty is utterly violated, old men are handled unreverently, laws are not exercised, religion and learning are nothing set by, godless knaves and cut-throats have the dominion: and therefore in the scriptures war is called the scourge of God. For with war he plagueth incurable idolaters, and those which stubbornly contemn his word; for that was the cause why the city of Jerusalem with the whole nation of the Jews was utterly destroyed; because they knew not the day of their visitation” (as the Lord in the gospel saith), but went on to kill the Lord’s apostles, bringing on upon their own necks the shedding of all the blood, from the righteous Abel unto Zacharias.” For murder, idolatry, incest, and detestable riot, we read that the Canaanites were rased out and cut off2. The Moabites, as Esay witnesseth, were quite overthrown for cruelty, inhumanity, and contempt of the poor The men of Ninivy did by war unjustly vex other nations, making havoc of all, to fill their greedy desire: and therefore, saith the prophet Nahum, other men measured to them with the same measure that they had measured to other before. Micheas, in his sixth chapter, affirmeth flatly that God sendeth war upon unjust men for their covetousness and false deceit. In Jeremy arrogancy and pride, in Esay riot and drunkenness, are said to be the causes of war5.
But the evil and misery that war bringeth with it sticketh so fast to commonweals and kingdoms, where it once hath hold, that it cannot be removed, taken away, or shaken off, at our will and pleasure, by any worldly wisdom, by any leaguemakings, with any wealth, by any fortifications, by any power or manhood; as it is to be seen in the prophet Abdias. Our sincere turning to God alone is the only way to remedy it, as Jeremy testifieth in his fifth chapter. Now this turning to the Lord consisteth in free acknowledging and frank confession of our sins, in true faith for remission of sins through the grace of God and merit of Christ Jesus: secondarily, it consisteth in hatred and renouncing of all unrighteousness, in love of
[1 Luke xix. 44; Matt. xxiii. 34—38.] [2 Lev. xviii. 27, 28.] [3 Isai. xvi.] [ Nahum iii. 19.] [5 Jer. xiii. 9; Isai. v.] [6 Obad. 3, 4, 8, 9.]]
justice, innocency, charity, and all other virtues; and, last of all, in earnest prayers and continual supplications.
Again, thou mayest see perhaps, that some by war have no small commodity, profit, and inestimable riches, with very little loss or no damage at all. Such was the war which the Israelites had with the Canaanites under their captain Josue. But I would not that gaping after gain should draw any man from right and equity. And many times the magistrates suppose that their quarrel is good, and that of right they ought to make war on others and punish offenders; when as notwithstanding the righteous God by that occasion draweth them on into peril, that their sins may be. punished by the men in whom they did purpose to have punished some grievous crime. We have evident examples hereof in the scriptures. The eleven tribes of Israel in a good quarrel made war on the Benjamites, purposing to revenge the detestable crime that a few wicked knaves had horribly committed, wherein the whole tribe bare them out and upheld them, being partners thereby of their heinous offence: but twice the Israelites were put to the worse, and the wicked Benjamites had the upper hand in the battle’. In the time of Heli the Israelites minded to drive the tyrannous rule of the idolatrous Philistines out of their country; but they are slain, the ark of God is taken, and carried into the cities of their idolatrous enemies. Likewise that excellent prince Josias is overthrown and slain by the Chaldees, because the Lord had purposed to punish and bring evil upon the whole people of Israel, which he would not have so holy a prince his servant to see with his eyes, to his sorrow and grief’. Whereby we have to gather, that the truth of religion is not to be esteemed by the victory or overthrow of any people, so that that religion should be true and right whose favourers have the upper hand, and that again be false and untrue whose professors and maintainers are put to the worse: for we must distinguish betwixt religion and the men or persons that keep that religion, which do for other causes suffer the Lord’s visitation.
But all this admonisheth us, that the magistrate hath need of the great fear of God before his eyes, both in making and
[7 Judg. xx.] [8 1 Sam. iv] [9 2 Kings xxii. 20, and xxiii. 29.—“In his days Pharaoh Necho,]
[king of Egypt,” &c. P.]]
repelling wars, lest while he goeth about to avoid the smouldering coalpit, he hap to fall into the scalding limekiln!; or lest, while he supposeth to ease his shoulders of one evil, he doth, by the way whereby he sought ease, heap up either more or far greater evils. Princes therefore must precisely look into, and throughly examine, the cause of wars, before they begin or take them in hand. The causes are many, and of many sorts; but the chief are these that follow. For either the magistrate is compelled to send aid and raise the siege of his enemy, which doth environ the garrisons that he hath appointed for the defence of some of his cities; because it were an offence, and part of parricide, to forsake and give over, against oath and honesty, his cities and garrisons that are in extremity: or else the magistrate of duty is compelled to make war upon men which are incurable, whom the very judgment of the Lord condemneth and biddeth to kill without pity or mercy. Such were the wars as Moses had with the Madianites, and Josue? with the Amalechites. Of that sort are the wars wherein such men are oppressed, as of invincible malice will both perish themselves and draw other to destruction as well as themselves, with those also which, rejecting all justice and equity, do stubbornly go on to persist in their naughtiness. Such were the Benjamites, which were destroyed by sword and fire of the other eleven tribes. Such are at this day those arrogant and seditious rebels as trouble commonweals and kingdoms, as of old Absalom was in Israel, and Seba the son of Bochri; of whom mention is made in the second book of Samuel?
Hereunto appertain the wars that are taken in hand for the defence of true religion against idolaters and enemies of the true and catholie faith. They err, that are of opinion that no wars may be made in defence of religion. The Lord, indeed, blamed Peter for striking with the sword, because he was an apostle; but thereby, notwithstanding, he bade not the magistrate to be negligent in looking to religion, neither forbad he him to defend and maintain the pureness of faith. For if it be lawful for the magistrate to defend with the sword the things of account, of which sort are liberty, wealth, chas-
[[! ne dum vitant carbonariam, incidant in calcariam, Lat.—Cf.]
[Erasm. Adag. Chiliad. pp. 493, 4. Hanov. 1617.] [? a Saule, Lat.—not Joshua.] [3 2 Sam. xx.]]
tity, and his subjects’ bodies; why should he not defend and revenge the things of greater account, and those which are of greatest weight? But there is nothing of more and greater ~weight than sincere and true religion is. There is, moreover, a manifest and flat commandment of God touching this matter to be seen in Deuteronomium. For the Lord commandeth that every city, within the jurisdiction of every magistrate, which departeth from God and the worship of God, should be set on with warriors, and utterly rased, if it revolted not from idolatry betimes. The place is extant in the thirteenth of Deut. But if the magistrate be commanded to punish apostates by war, then is it lawful for him by war to defend the Church in danger to be drawn by any barbarous prince from true religion unto false idolatry. Josue would by war have suppressed the Reubenites with their confederates for building an altar against God’s commandment. Judas Machabeus fought for the people of God against the people and soldiers of king Antiochus, who purposed to tread down the Jewish religion, which at that time was the true worship of God, and perforce to make all men receive and profess his heathenish superstition. Likewise also Paul commended greatly those Jewish captains or judges, which by faith withstood and turned away foreign enemies’ invasions. And Paul himself did war in Cyprus against Elymas the false prophet, and struck him with blindness: he addeth the reason why he struck him blind, which he fetcheth from the keeping of religion, and saith: “Ceasest thou not to pervert the right ways of the Lord? &e.” Act. xiii. For the same Paul again forty men do lie in wait, supposing, if he were once made away, that a good part of the preaching of the gospel would then come to an end, and that thereby the Jewish religion (which, notwithstanding, was utterly false) should have been set up and maintained for truth. But Paul was not negligent to remedy this case, neither turned he the other cheek to have that stricken too; but earnestly and humbly requireth delivery and defence, which he requested not of a christian magistrate (when as yet there was none), but of a Roman centurion: neither did he once gainsay him, when he saw that he chose out four hundred footmen and seventy horsemen, whom he placed in order of battle array, to conduct him safely from Hierusalem to Antipatridis: and by that means was Paul, the vessel of election, preserved by an armed
band of Italian soldiers!. Of the Armenians, whom Maximinus the emperor did tyrannously oppress, Eusebius in the ninth book and eighth chapter of his Ecclesiastical History saith: “The people of Armenia, having been long time both profitable and friends to the people of Rome, being at length compelled by Maximinus Ceasar to change the use of Christian religion (whereunto the whole nation was most holily bent) into the worship of idols, and to honour devils instead of God, of friends became enemies, and of fellows adversaries; and preparing by force of arms to defend themselves against his wicked edicts, do of their own accord make war upon him, and put him often to much trouble and business?” Thus saith he. It is lawful, therefore, for the magistrate to defend his people and subjects against idolaters, and by war to maintain and uphold true religion.
Like to this there is another cause why the magistrate may take war in hand. For either some barbarous enemy invadeth the people committed to thy charge, tearing and spoiling them most cruelly, like a wolf in a flock of sheep; when as notwithstanding thou didst not first provoke him thereunto by injury, but also after his causeless beginning thou hast offered equal conditions of peace to be made: in such a case as this the magistrate is commanded to stand forth like a lion, and to defend his subjects against the open wrong of merciless cut-throats: (so did Moses, when he fought against Arad, Sehon, and Og, kings of the Amorites3: so did Josaphat, when he fought against the Ammonites and inhabitants of mount Seir?: so did David, when he understood the war made on him by the Syrians:) or else the magistrate doth aid his confederates (for the magistrate may make league with the nations about him, so that thereby nothing be done against the word of God), when by tyrants they be wrongfully oppressed. For so did Josue deliver the Gabionites from the
[1 Acts xxiii.—Romanorum militum, Lat.] [2 Τούτοις προσεπανίσταται τῷ τυράννῳ ὁ πρὸς Ἀρμενίους πόλεμος, ἄνδρας]
[ἐξ ἀρχαίου φίλους τε καὶ συμμάχους Ῥωμαίων obs καὶ αὐτοὺς Χριστιανοὺς]
[ὄντας, καὶ τὴν εἰς τὸ θεῖον εὐσέβειαν διὰ σπουδῆς ποιουμένους, ὁ θεομισὴς]
[εἰδώλοις θύειν καὶ δαίμοσιν ἐπαναγκάσαι πεπειραμένος, ἐχθροὺς ἀντὶ φίλων]
[καὶ πολεμίους ἀντὶ συμμάχων κατεστήσατο.---- ἘπιΒΘῸ. Hist. Eccles. Lib. 1x.]
[cap. 8.] [3 Numb. xxi. ] [4.2 Chron. xx.] [5 propellens, Lat.—2 Sam. viii. ]]
siege of their enemies, and Saul the men of Jabes Galaad, fighting for them against Nahas, a prince full of tyranny. In such cases as these magistrates and princes do lawfully make war, and their soldiers and subjects do rightly obey them; yea, they do with great glory die a happy death, that die in so just a quarrel, as for the defence of religion, of the laws of God, of his country, wife, and children. They therefore that enter into warfare to sustain the troublesome toil of battle, must not set their minds upon gain or pleasure, wherein they look, when peril is past, to lie still and wallow: but justice, public peace, defence of truth and innocency, must be the mark for them all to shoot at: to the intent, when the wicked are vanquished, the victory obtained, and the enemies put to flight, slain out of hand, or brought to better order, that then religion may flourish, judgment and justice may be exercised, the Church upheld, the ceremonies, rites, ordinances, and discipline thereof maintained, study and learning cherished, the poor provided for, widows and children defended and cared for; that all sorts may live in quiet peace, that old men in reverence, maidens in chastity, and matrons ih honesty, may serve God, praise God, and worship God, without fear or danger. This was the mark whereto our fathers Abraham, Moses, Josue, David, and other valiant men of famous memory’, did direct the eyes of their bodies and minds: upon this only their hearts were settled, so often as they warred and went to battle against ungodly tyrants in defence of the church and commonweal: to whem, and to all other valiant and godly soldiers, eternal praise is duly given of all the church and faithful saints. But to fearful and cowardly soldiers, to wicked, covetous, and blaspheming warriors, to riotous knaves, and unconstant traitors, by whose cowardice, gluttony, lust, and unnatural treason, excellent kingdoms do come to nought8, and flourishing commonweals are quite overthrown, is reproach and infamy worthily due: for God himself hath cursed such knaves for evermore.
Therefore it is not lawful to make any war, unless it be against open enemies, and wicked men that are incurable. The wars are unjust, that men do make upon their own fellows,
[6 Josh. 1 Sam. [7 denique beatae recordationis patres nostros, Lat. hodie, Lat., omitted; at this day.]
380 THE SECOND DECADE. [sERM. against innocent persons, or people in whom there is hope of amendment. Those wars also are unjust, that are not begun by lawful means for matters of weight. ΑἸ] things must first be assayed, before it come to be tried out by battle. Other men’s territories must not be desired: the liberty of other people or thine own subjects must not be repressed: thou must not follow any affection, which may withdraw or seduce thy mind; of which sort are desire of rule, covetousness, greediness of gifts, envy, and other affections like unto these. War is to commonweals a remedy indeed, but perilous and dangerous, even as lancing or cutting is to the members. The hand is poisoned, and the arm in danger to be envenomed too, whereby the whole man perhaps may be cast away: but yet thou cuttest not off thy hand until, when thou hast tried all other medicines, thou dost plainly perceive that no other means can remedy the sore but cutting off alone. Likewise, when all helps fail, then at the last let war begin; so yet, nevertheless, that the prince do remember to begin with war before all help and hope of recovery be utterly past’. of For the word of God is so far off from finding fault with war begun upon a just quarrel, that it doth both make laws of war, and sheweth a number of examples of upright wars, of wise and worthy warriors. The laws of war are recited in the 20th chapter of Deuteronomy, both profitable and necessary, and therewithal so evident, that they need no words of mine to expound them. Moreover, in every place of the scripture these laws of war are still bidden to be kept. First of all, the chief and uppermost place must be given to religion in every camp and garrison: for the Lord himself hath appointed priests and ministers of true religion to attend and serve in wars. Secondarily, let upright laws be of force in camps abroad, as well as in cities at home: let soldiers live honestly, justly, and rightly, as order and discipline are wont to require when as they are in the city at home. For that saying cometh not of God, but of the devil, which is commonly spread abroad, Let laws in war be hushed and still2. Thirdly, let him that is chosen to be guide and general of the war be godly, just, holy, valiant, wise, and fortunate; as, among them of old, were Josue, David, Judas Machabeus, Constantine,
[[! ut meminerint tamen principes, Ne quid sero nimis, Lat. ] [2 Sileant inter arma leges, Lat.—See Cic. pro Mil.]]
Theodosius’, and many more. To all this there must be added a chosen band of tried men: for choice of soldiers must be made, unless perhaps the army do consist in a troop of bastards and unskilful men, of perjured and blaspheming knaves, of cut-throats and rakehells, of drunkards and gluttons, and a beastly drove of filthy swine. Victory consisteth not in the multitude of men, but in the grace of God and a chosen band. The proverb is common which saith, “Where a multitude is, there is confusion.” Great and innumerable armies are a let to themselves very greatly; as we do learn by daily experience, and as examples of every age do testify to us. Moreover, loiterers in camps are always reproved. Let the christian soldier, therefore, be idle at no time; let him ever be busy, and still doing something: let him be courageous, faithful to his country, ready to take pains, obedient to his captains, fit to take time when occasion is offered, and evermore occupied in warlike discipline; no effeminate milksop, but of manly stomach; not cruel and merciless, but severe and pitiful, as time requireth. What he may preserve, that let him not destroy. But, above all things, let him not forget or think scorn, both in peril and out of peril, evermore to make his prayers and supplications to God his Saviour. In God’s name let him begin all things; without God let him attempt nothing: in adversity, and when he hath the overthrow, let not his courage quail, nor his heart and hope forsake him; in prosperity let him not be puffed up with pride and arrogancy, but let him give thanks to God, and use the conquest like a merciful victor: let him wholly depend upon God’s helping hand, and desire nothing rather than the defence of the commonweal, laws, religion, justice, and guiltless people.
Many, I know, will marvel to see me require at the hands of a soldier the things that seem to be enough, as the common saying is, to be looked for of a right good and godly man; as though, indeed, that none could be soldiers but irreligious and naughty men. Soldiers, I confess, are for the most part such kind of fellows: but what fruit, I pray you, reap we at this day of so evil seed? The Turks overrun and spoil us; we are to all the heathen a jesting-stock to
[3 Mascelzer, Lat.; omitted by the translator.—See Gibbon, Decl.]
[and Fall. chap. xxix.; and Universal Hist. Ancient Hist. Vol. xv. p- 473]
[Lond. 1748. Book 1v. chap. 5.]]
382 THE SECOND DECADE. [sERM. laugh at; kingdoms decay and are made subject to devilish Mahometism, and every day we are wrapped in more miseries than other’. But what kind of soldiers they of old were, which went to the war from out of the church or congregation of the Christians, we may easily gather even by that one history, worthy the remembrance, which Tertullian to Scapula setteth down thus: “Marcus Aurelius also in his wars with the Germans, by the prayers which christian soldiers made unto God, obtained showers of rain in that great drought. At what time have not droughts been turned away by our prayers and fastings? Then the people crying out for joy to the God of gods, and the emperor himself, under sons the name of Jupiter, confessed the wonderful working of our 1 God?” Thus much Tertullian. But Eusebius, in his Ecclesiastical History, hath more largely and fully set down the same history, and saith: Histories report that Marcus Aurelius, brother to Antoninus Cesar, making war upon the Germans and Sarmatians, when his army was in danger to be lost with drought, being at his wits’ end because he knew not what way to seek for remedy in that distress, did at the last light upon a certain legion wherein christian soldiers were, whose prayers God heard, when they, as the manner of our men 15, had upon their knees cried out unto him; so that ona sudden, when no man looked for it, with the pouring down of sufficient showers, the thirst of the army that then was in danger, for which the Christians had made supplications, was presently quenched; but their enemies, that hovered there to have been their destruction, were stricken and scattered with thunder and fire in lightning from heaven: which deed is reported by heathen historiographers; but that it was obtained at the prayers of our men, they do not report: for with them the other miracles, which are done by our men, have no place of credit. But among our men Tertullian
[1 See Works of Becon, Parker Soc. ed. Vol. 1. p. 239.] [2 Marcus quoque Aurelius in Germanica expeditione christianorum]
[militum orationibus ad Deum factis imbres in siti illa impetravit.]
[Quando non geniculationibus et jejunationibus nostris etiam siccitates]
[sunt depulsee? Tunc et populus adclamans Deo deorum, qui solus]
[potens, in Jovis nomine Deo nostro testimonium reddidit.—Tertul. ad]
[Scapulam. cap. 4. pag. 162. Tom. 11. ed. Semler. 1829. Bullinger’s]
[quotation reads: et qui solus potens.]]
maketh mention hereof; and among the Greeks Apollinaris, who also affirmeth, that for the miracle of that notable deed that legion’s name was changed by the emperor, and called The Legion of Thunder. Tertullian addeth, that the letters of Marcus the emperor are yet to be had, wherein the full and manifest truth of this matter is plainly declared3.”
Hitherto Eusebius. Whereby we gather that christian soldiers of old were not only given to prayer, but to justice also, and holiness of living. For who knoweth not that James the apostle said, “The earnest prayer of a righteous man availeth much: Elias was a man under infirmities even as we are, and he prayed in his prayer, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit?” It is most evident, therefore, that soldiers of old were very godly and religious men. Our soldiers at these days, because they are far from religion, yea, because they are enemies to true religion, do, instead of victory, suffer overthrows abroad, and loss and destruction of their cities at home. And worthily do commonweals suffer such plagues for trusting so much in such wicked soldiers. For to trust them is all one as if they should put
[5 Τούτου δὴ ἀδελφὸν Μάρκον Αὐρήλιον Καίσαρα λόγος ἔχει, Teppavois]
[καὶ Σαρμάταις ἀντιπαραταττόμενον μάχῃ, δίψει πιεζομένης αὐτοῦ τῆς στρατιᾶς,]
[ἐν ἀμηχανίᾳ γενέσθαι, τοὺς δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς Μελιτινῆς οὕτω καλουμένης λεγεῶνος]
[στρατιώτας, διὰ πίστεως ἐξ ἐκείνου καὶ εἰς δεῦρο συνεστώσης, ἐν τῇ πρὸς]
[τοὺς πολεμίους παρατάξει γόνυ θέντας ἐπὶ γῆν, κατὰ τὸ οἰκεῖον ἡμῖν τῶν]
[εὐχῶν ἔθος, ἐπὶ τὰς πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἱκεσίας τραπέσθαι. ἹΙΠαραδόξου δὲ τοῖς]
[πολεμίοις τοῦ τοιούτου δὴ θεάματος φανέντος, ἄλλό τι λόγος ἔχει παραδοξό-]
[τερον ἐπικαταλαβεῖν αὐτίκα” σκηπτὸν μὲν εἰς φυγὴν καὶ ἀπώλειαν συνελαύ-]
[νοντα τοὺς πολεμίους, ὄμβρον δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν τῶν τὸ θεῖον παρακεκληκότων]
[στρατιὰν, πᾶσαν αὐτὴν ἐκ τοῦ δίψους μέλλουσαν ὅσον οὔπω διαφθαρή-]
[σεσθαι, ἀνακτώμενον. Ἣ δὲ ἱστορία φέρεται μὲν καὶ παρὰ τοῖς πόῤῥω τοῦ]
[καθ ἡμᾶς λόγου συγγραφεῦσιν. Τοῖς μὲν ἔξωθεν ἱστορικοῖς, ἅτε τῆς]
[πίστεως ἀνοικείοις, τέθειται μὲν τὸ παράδοξον, οὐ μὴν καὶ ταῖς τῶν ἡμετέρων]
[εὐχαῖς τοῦτο ὡμολογήθη γεγονέναι” τοῖς δέ γε ἡμετέροις, ἅτε ἀληθείας φί-]
[λοις, ἁπλῷ καὶ ἀκακοήθει τρόπῳ τὸ πραχθὲν παραδέδοται. Τούτων δ᾽ ἂν]
[εἴη καὶ Ἀπολινάριος, ἐξ ἐκείνου φήσας τὴν δι’ εὐχῆς τὸ παράδοξον πεποιη-]
[κυῖαν λεγεῶνα οἰκείαν τῷ γεγονότι πρὸς τοῦ βασιλέως εἰληφέναι προσηγορίαν,]
[Κεραυνοβόλον τῇ Ῥωμαίων ἐπικληθεῖσαν φωνῇ. Μάρτυς δὲ τούτων γένοιτ᾽]
[ἂν ἀξιόχρεως ὁ Τερτυλλιανός. Τράφει δ οὖν καὶ αὐτὸς λέγων, Μάρκου]
[τοῦ συνετωτάτου βασιλέως ἐπιστολὰς εἰσέτι νῦν φέρεσθαι, ἐν αἷς αὐτὸς]
[μαρτυρεῖ ἐν Τερμανίᾳ ὕδατος ἀπορίᾳ μέλλοντα αὐτοῦ τὸν στρατὸν διαφθεί-]
[ρεσθαι ταῖς τῶν Χριστιανῶν εὐχαῖς σεσῶσθαι.----- 56}. Hist. Eccles. Lib.]
[v. cap. 5.] (+ James v, 16—18.]]
384 THE SECOND DECADE. [sERM. confidence in the very devils, whom these soldiers do, for the most part, exceed in all kind of filthiness, uncleanness, cruelty, and villainy. of But now the word of God doth set before our eyes an innumerable sort of examples almost of holy and upright wars, and of excellent kings and captains. Abraham, our father, setting forward with a very small army, pursueth the four most puissant kings or robbers of the world; he overthroweth and putteth them to flight; and, having recovered his people, and restored to them their substance again, he giveth the thanks to God, as to the author of that unlikely victory! Moses and Josue destroyed about thirty-nine kings; they punished severely the unspeakable wickedness of all those nations; and planted the people committed to their charge in the land which God had promised to give them. The Judges of the people of Israel had notable wars against the heathens and infidels, whereby they brake the tyranny of those wicked men, unlawfully usurped among God’s people, restoring them again to their liberty and religion. The prophet Samuel is here to be numbered among the notable captains of God’s people. Jonathas, Saul’s son, was a worthy captain, and a singular example of a godly man. Than David none was more excellent or worthy to be praised. In war he vanquished the Philistines, the Idumites, the Syrians, and a good part of the East beside; by war he revenged injuries; by war he maintained his liberty, and kept God’s people from a number of mischiefs: and yet, notwithstanding, he that warred thus is said to be a man according to God’s heart’s desire, and the father of our Lord Jesus Christ touching his flesh or his humanity 2. In David’s posterity thou mayest find many excellent warriors and valiant captains, Abia, Asa, Josaphat, Amasia, Osia, Ezechias, and other more. Among these Judas Machabeus hath not the last nor least place of all, who fought very stoutly for the law, religion, and people of God, and died at the last in the midst of the battle, in defence of religion and his country quarrel. I will not add to these the examples of Constantine, Gratian, Theodosius, and other more that were excellent in feats of war. Of these and other writeth St Augustine in the end of his fifth book de
[1 Gen. xiv.] [2 1 Sam xiii. 14; Rom. i. 3.]]
Civitate Dei, and Orosius very largely in the seventh book of his history unto the end of the 28th chapter. This is sufficient for godly magistrates. Hitherto have I discoursed of war to be made by the magistrate, and the use of the sword in the magistrate’s hand; touching which I gave some notes by the way in that sermon wherein I expounded the Fifth Commandment.
This being thus ended, I have now to prove that christian men may bear the office of a magistrate; which treatise I mean therefore to take in hand, because our mad-headed Anabaptists, and some other builders of a devised commonweal ἢ, by gainsaying that which hitherto we have alleged, do go about to prove that a Christian may not bear the office of a magistrate: their reason is, because Christians, as they say, may not strive in law, nor kill any man, nor recover by war things violently taken away, nor revenge any injury that is done unto them. And although these causes of theirs be answered every one in his fit and several place; yet will I briefly gather here together a few substantial arguments, by which a politic and christian man may understand, contrary to the madness and dreams of the Anabaptists, if he be called to bear rule and authority, that then he both may, and of duty ought, to serve the Lord his God in taking upon him and executing the office of a magistrate. or, whereas they feign that the doctrine of the gospel doth utterly cut off all kind of defence, and whatsoever clse belongeth to the defence of christian men’s goods and bodies, that is nothing so, and they are deceived as far as heaven is wide: for the truth doth teach us clean contrary.
For whatsoever things are ordained by God for a means of men’s safeguard and good estate, they are so far from misbecoming and being unseemly for a christian man, if he
[3 Chap. xxv. “De prosperitatibus, quas Constantino Imp. Christiano]
[Deus contulit,” and xxvi. “de fide et pietate Theodosii Augusti.”—Opp.]
[Par. 1531. Tom. v. fol. 69. P.] [+ a 28 cap. ad finem usque, Lat.—Pauli Orosii adv. Paganos]
[Histor. Libri Septem. Mogunt. 1615. In the chapters of the 7th Book]
[from the 28th are related the successes of Constantine, Gratian, Theo-]
[dosius, &c.] [5 Utopianae reipublicee extructores, Lat.—See Preface of Hooker’s]
[Eccles. Pol. Vol. 1. p. 183. Oxf. 1820.] 25 [BULLINGER ]]
use them and apply himself unto them, that, if he refuse and neglect, he cannot rightly be called a true Christian. For the first and greatest care of every Christian is, by all means that he may, to set forward and maintain the health and safeguard of all sorts of men. But the magistrate is not ordained by any man, but by God himself, for the health and wealth of all mankind; as it is expressly witnessed by the prophets and apostles, but by Paul especially in the 13th to the Romans. Who then cannot thereby perceive that a Christian may praiseworthily execute a magistrate’s office?
Furthermore, no man will deny, I know, that a christian man’s faith is, not in words only, but in deeds also, to give a proof of justice and mercy, by all means to care for public peace and tranquillity, to do judgment with justice, to defend the fatherless, widows, and children, and to deliver poor oppressed people. Neither doth he contemn, flee from, nor reject, occasion, places, and means, by which he may put those good works in ure. And therefore a Christian refuseth not the place or office of a magistrate: for the magistrate’s office is to do judgment with justice, and to provide for public peace. Moreover, it is undoubtedly true, as before we have declared, that Moses, Samuel, Josue, and David, are not excluded from the name of Christianity: but since they were in authority and bare the names of magistrates, what let is there, I pray you, why a true christian man may ποὺ bear the office of a magistrate in his commonweal? What may be thought of this, moreover, that in the new Testament certain notable men are well reported of, who, when they were in authority, were not put beside their offices because they were Christians and of a sound religion? Touching Joseph of Arimathea, thus we read in Luke: “And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor,” (Mark saith, “a noble Honestus senator?), who was a good man and a just; the same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them; which was of Arimathea, a city of the Jews, which waited also for the kingdom of God?” Mark here, I beseech you, how notable a testimony this man hath here. Joseph is a counsellor or
[1 vel hodie, Lat., omitted; at this day too.] [2 The Vulgate has, “nobilis decurio;” but “honestus senator,”]
[which Bullinger adopts, is the rendering of Erasmus in Mark xv. 43.] [3 Luke xxiii. 50, 51; Mark xv. 43.]]
senator; yea, and that more is, a noble senator too: he sat in the senate, and among those judges which did condemn our Saviour Christ; but, because he consented not to their deed and judgment, he is acquited as guiltless of that horrible murder. The same is said to have been a good man and a just, and of the number of them that look for the kingdom of God; that is, of the number of those which of Christ are called Christians: and yet, nevertheless, he was a counsellor or senator, and that too? in the city of Jerusalem. A Christian therefore may lawfully bear the office of a magistrate. Hereunto belong the examples of the Althiopian treasurer, Acts viil.; of Cornelius the centurion, Acts x.; and of Erastus the chamberlain of Corinth, Rom. xvi. 2 Tim. iv. But our desire is to have the Anabaptists prove and declare out of the scriptures that which they object here, in saying that these men, being once converted to the faith, did straightway put off their robes of estate, and lay aside their magistrate’s sword. For we have a little before, by the words of St Augustine upon John Baptist’s answer’, (who did himself also preach the gospel,) already proved, that the soldiers that were baptized were not put beside their office, nor commanded by John to give over armour and cease to be soldiers.
They object, again, that the Lord conveyed himself privily away, when the people were minded to have made him a king: which, say they, he would not have done, but because by his example he would commend humility to all Christian people; and, as it were, thereby to command them, not to suffer the charge to rule any commonweal to be laid on their necks. They add, moreover, these sayings of the Lord: “My kingdom is not of this world.” Again: “Kings of nations have dominion over them; but ye shall not be 509. But they understand not that the cause, why the Lord conveyed himself away, was for the fond purpose of the foolish people, which went about, by making him a king, not to do
[[ et manet, Lat.] [5 queestor serarius, Lat.—Erasmus’ rendering. ] [6 deposuisse trabeam et gladium, Lat.] [7 See page 372.) [8 John vi. 15.—creare et salutare regem, Lat.] [9 John xviii. 36; Luke xxii. 25.] 25—2]
the will of God, but, being blinded with affections, to seek to bring those things to pass that were for the ease and filling of their bellies. For insomuch as he had fed them miraculously a little before, therefore they thought that he would be a king for their purpose, who was able to give his subjects meat without any cost or labour at all. Furthermore, our Lord came not to reign on the earth after the manner of this world, as the Jews imagined, and as Pilate feared, who dreamed the Messias should reign as Salomon did: and for that cause the Lord doth rightly say, “My kingdom is not of this world.” For he is ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of his Father, having subdued all kings to himself, and all the world beside, wherein he reigneth by his word and his Spirit, and which he shall come to judge in the end of the world. And although Christ denieth that his kingdom 15 of this world, yet, notwithstanding, he never denied that kings and princes should come out of the world into the church, to serve the Lord therein, not as men alone, but as kings and men of authority. But kings cannot otherwise serve the Lord as kings, but by doing the things for which they are called kings’. And unless that Christians, when they are once made kings, should continue in their office and govern kingdoms according to the rule and laws of Christ, how, I beseech you, should Christ be called “King of kings, and Lord of Lords?” Therefore, when he said, “Kings of nations have dominion over them, but so shall not ye be;” he spake to his apostles, who strove among themselves for the chief and highest dignity: as if he should have said, Princes, which have dominion in the world, are not by my doctrine displaced of their seats, nor put beside their thrones; for the magistrate’s authority is of force still in the world, and in the church also. The king or magistrate shall reign; but so shall not ye: ye shall not reign, ye shall not be princes, but teachers of the world and ministers of the churches. Thus briefly I have answered to the Anabaptists’ objections, which in other places also 1 have many times confuted somewhat more largely. By this that here I have said, I think I have sufficiently proved, that a christian man can not only, but ought of duty also, to take upon him the office of a magistrate, if it be lawfully offered unto him.
[ See page 367.] [2 Rev. xix. 16.]
Now, before I make an end of the discourse of this place, I will briefly add what the duty of subjects is, and what every man doth owe to his magistrate. First of all, the sub-/ jects’ duty is, to esteem honestly, reverently, and honourably, not vilely nor disdainfully, of their magistrates or princes. Let them reverence and honour them as the deputies and ministers of the eternal God. Let them abroad also give them the honour that is usually accustomed in every kingdom and country. It is a foul thing for subjects to behave themselves undecently towards their lords and men of authority. But a false, a light, or ill opinion, once conceived, breedeth a contempt of the things and persons, touching whom that opinion is once taken up. Some evident testimonies of scripture, therefore, must be gathered and graffed in every man’s heart, that thereby a just estimation and worthy authority of magistrates and officers may be bred and brought up in all people’s minds. Here, by the way, let princes and magistrates take heed to themselves, that by a spotted and unseemly life they make not themselves contemptible and laughing-stocks, and so by their own default lose all their authority among the common people. The Lord our God, verily, vouchethsafe to attribute his own name to the princes and magistrates of the people, and to call them gods. Exod. xxii.; Psalm Ixxxii. The apostles called them the deputies and ministers of God. 1 Peter ii.; Rom. xiii. But who will not think well of gods, and them which are the deputies and ministers of God, by whom God worketh the wealth of the people? He that despiseth him that is sent, despiseth him that sendeth. He that honoureth the deputy seemeth to give more honour to him that appointed the deputy than to him that is the deputy. Moreover, Salomon in the sixteenth of his Proverbs saith: “Prophecy is in the lips of the king therefore his heart shall not go wrong in judgment” And in the eighth of the Preacher: “I must keep the king’s commandment because of the oath that I have made to God for the same5.” Again, Proverbs xxiv.: “My son, fear thou the Lord and the king, and keep no company with them that
[3 Luke x. 16.] [+ Prov. xvi. 10.—divinatio, Lat.) [5 Eccles. viii. 2.—et rationem habere juramenti Dei, Lat.]]
slide back from the fear of them!: for their destruction shall rise suddenly.” And Paul said: “Whosoever resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God; but they that resist shall receive judgment to themselves” Of this sort I have rehearsed certain testimonies in the exposition of the fifth precept.
Secondarily, let subjects pray for their princes and magis- trates, that the Lord may give them wisdom, knowledge, fortitude, temperance, justice, upright severity, clemency, and all other requisite virtues, and that he will vouchsafe to lead them in his ways, and to preserve them from all evil; that we may live under them in this world in peace and honesty. This doth Paul require at the hands of subjects, in the second chapter of his first epistle to Timothy, and Jeremy, in the twenty and ninth of his prophecy. I have in another place recited their very words; therefore at this time I let them pass. The minds of many men are herein very slow and careless, and that is the cause many times why they feel the things that willingly they would not, and hear the burdens, with grief enough, that otherwise they should not; and worthily too: for if they would but do their duty willingly, in praying for their magistrate earnestly, their case undoubtedly would be far better than it is. But how fervent a desire they in the primitive church had to pray for their magistrate, we may gather even by these words of Tertullian, in the thirtieth chapter of his Apology: “We pray always,” saith he, “for all emperors, desiring God to give them long life, a sure reign, a safe house, valiant armies, faithful counsellors, honest subjects, a quiet world, and whatsoever else a man or emperor may desire3.” τωι Let the people also obey the good and upright laws of their princes or magistrates; yea, let subjects obey them holily, reverently, and with a devout mind; not obeying their laws as the laws of men, but as the laws of the ministers and
[[ Qui defectores sunt, Lat.] [2 Rom. xiii. 2.] [3 Precantes sumus omnes semper pro omnibus imperatoribus,]
[vitam illis prolixam, imperium securum, domum tutam, exercitus fortes,]
[senatum fidelem, populum probum, orbem quietum, et quaecunque]
[hominis et Ceesaris vota sunt.—Tertul, Apol. cap. xxx. Tom. v. p. 62.]
[ed. Semler. ]]
deputies of God himself: for Peter biddeth us obey them for the Lord; and Paul saith, “We must not obey them for anger only, but for conscience sake also;” that is, we must not obey the magistrate only for fear, lest our contempt and disobedience do breed our punishment; but we must obey him, lest we sin against God himself, and so our own conscience do argue our wickedness. But in the fifth commandment I proved by testimonies and examples out of the scriptures, that we ought not to obey godless magistrates, so oft as they command any wicked thing, which is flatly contrary to the word of God. The apostles and faithful men of the primitive church did choose rather to be shut up in prison, to be sent in exile, to be spoiled of their substance, to be cast to wild beasts, to be killed with the sword, to be burnt with fire, and to be strangled, than to obey any wicked commandments. That blessed martyr, bishop Polycarpus, answered the Roman proconsul, and said: “We are taught to give to princes, and to the powers that are of God, such honour as is not contrary to true religion.” And St John Chrysostom said to Gaina: “It is not lawful for a godly emperor to assay any thing contrary to God’s commandments.”
Lastly, let subjects pay tribute to their magistrates; yea,! let them, if necessity so require, not stick to bestow their bodies and lives for the preservation of their magistrate and country, as I have already taught you in the fifth commandment. The Lord in the gospel doth simply say, Give to God that which belongeth to God, and to Cesar that which belongeth to Cesar?” They therefore are worthily blamed, that pinch, grudge at, or defraud the magistrate of any part of his tribute. Taxes and tributes are due to the magistrate, as the hire of his labour, and as it were the sinews of public tranquillity and commonweal. For “who goeth to warfare
[41 Pet. ii. 13; Rom. xiii. 5.] [6 Πολύκαρπος ἔφη. δεδιδάγμεθα. ἀρχαῖς kai ἐξουσίαις ὑπὸ Θεοῦ]
[τεταγμέναις τιμὴν κατὰ τὸ προσῆκον τὴν μὴ βλάπτουσαν ἡμᾶς ἀπονέμειν.----]
[Euseb. Hist. Eccles. Lib. 1v. cap. 15.] [6 Ὃ δὲ μέγας ᾿Ιωάννης ἀντέλεγε φάσκων, οὐκ ἐξεῖναι βασιλεῖ τῶν θείων]
[κατατολμᾷν, εὐσεβεῖν γε mpoapovpéve.—Theodorit. Eccles. Hist. Lib. v.]
[cap. 32. ed. Reading. Cantab. 1720, p. 232. Bullinger gives the]
[history more at length in his tregtise de Script. Sac. Author. &e. fol.]
[123 Tigur. 1538.] [7 Luke xx. 25.]]
of his own proper cost!?” Every man liveth by that labour wherein he is occupied. The prince taketh pains in governing the commonweal, and preserving it in peace; he neglecteth his own private and household business, whereby he should live, and provide things necessary for himself and his family, by looking and attending on his country’s affairs: it were against reason, therefore, but that he should be fed and maintained upon the public treasure and cost of his country. It ΙΒ requisite, also, that kingdoms and commonweals be sufficiently furnished with money and substance to help in distress, either of war, famine, fire, and other miseries 2; or else to the setting up again of men fallen into poverty, or putting away of greater calamities. I say nothing now touching the keeping in reparation of common buildings, as the city-walls, bulwarks, trenches, ditches, gates, bridges, highways, wells, conduits, judgment-halls, and market-places, with many more of the same sort. There are also certain common persons, as serjeants, watehmen, and such like, which are to be nourished and maintained of the common cost and treasury; and, unless that money be still at hand and in readiness, there can no kingdom nor any commonweal stand long in assurance. They, therefore, that grudge to pay tribute deny the hire of the magistrate’s labour, and go the next way to work to subvert the commonweal, and to bring it to nought. The men that in the commonweal’s affairs (as some of custom be) are negligent and careless, sin not against any one lord, but against the whole commonweal: and therefore thou mayest see that such slothful workmen are seldom times enriched with the good blessings of God.
But now here, by the way, all magistrates and princes must be admonished to love the people subject to their charge and government, to bear with them bountifully, and not to nip them with immoderate exactions: which is easily done, if they themselves will be thrifty, and keep themselves moderately from riotous gluttony and over sumptuous pride. Let a good prince consider what a sin it is to have his palace abound in riotousness and surfeiting, while his cities and towns are tormented and pined with famine and hunger. Let magistrates consider that tributes and subsidies are not the private goods of them in authority, but the public sub- [1 1 Cor. ix. 7.] [2 calamitatibus publicis, Lat.]
stance of the whole commonweal. God hateth pillers and robbers. God abhorreth immoderate exactions. God curseth polling tyrants; but blesseth profitable and moderate magistrates. But, in peace and war, agreement and concord are much more available than money unjustly gotten; and stronger is that kingdom, and firmer that commonweal, which is upheld by the love and agreement of the prince and commonalty, although the common treasure there be very small, than that country or city which hath innumerable riches heaped up together and wrung out of the citizens’ entrails, when as continual grudge and ill-will makes the prince and people at continual variance. I say no more here than the very truth is; experience of all ages is a witness that it is so.
Thus much hitherto have I laid down before your eyes, dearly beloved, as briefly as I could, touching the magistrate; taking occasion upon the sixth commandment, “Thou shalt not kill,” and declaring to what end and purpose God did ordain him, what his duty is toward his subjects, and what his subjects’ duty is toward him. Now let us pray, and beseech the Lord that he will grant both to magistrates and subjects to walk worthily in their vocations. OF THE THIRD PRECEPT OF THE SECOND TABLE, WHICH IS IN ORDER THE SEVENTH OF THE TEN
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