A Treatise of the Cohabitation Of the Faithful with the Unfaithful Part 7

[[Roma. 3.]]

or herafter in G.o.dds iudgement cfownde the. Euell thinges are not to be done that Goode shuld come theron.

Now seing that we haue suffici?tly spoken of priuate men and subiectes / in and through all the partes and membres of our distictions and diuisis / it remaynithe that we shuld entreate of Princes: for so at the begynning we ordered our diuision.

[[Of Rulers and Princes.]]

Of Rulers and princes / I make this diuisi / Some there are which be chiefe princes / suche as do not dep?d and hange on other / of wh the Ciuilians do saie / that they haue a mere Rule. Other are vnder Rulars and such as be of lesse authoritie then they / which do depende and hge on the higher princes / either by the right (as they saie) of fee / or ells because they are their officers / and mynisters / that is to saye (as they be commonlye termed) their deputies / lieutenautes and executours of their office. I will firste speake of the higher / absolute / and mere Rulers: And of them

[[A question]]

I will both aske and answere this questi: Whether it be lawfull for th? to suffer and permite in their dominis the free and familiar conuersati and dwellinge togither of the vnfaithfull with the faith full:

[[The answer]]

I thinke that it is lawfull / but yet so that they muste take hede of certeyn thinges / and obserue ans kepe certeyn Rules and conditions.

The firste is / that they do not enforce nor compell their faithfull subiectes to ioyne with the vnbeleauers in their a.s.s?bles / nor in such vnholy kyndes of wors.h.i.+pp of G.o.dd as are ctrary to G.o.dds worde: for then shold they not be G.o.dds ministers / as they are taughte to be in the epistle to the Romains /

[[Rom. 13.]]

but rather the ministers of the deuill / of Antichriste / and of their furie. Then sholde they be a feare vnto them that do well / and not to them that do euill / neither sholde they promote the worke of G.o.d / but the tyranye of Antichriste.

The secde is / they muste not graunte nor suffer / the vnfaithfull to vse their supersticions and wicked Idolatries which are ctrarie vnto G.o.dds worde. For it is not sufficient / that they do not compell the G.o.dly to wicked superstici and Idolatrie / but also they muste forbidde the same to the wicked Idolatrours: For not doinge of this Salom is greatlie accused:

[[3. Reg. 11.]]

Indeed he did not compelle the Iues to wors.h.i.+pp Idolles / but yet did he permit and suffer his wyues and concubines, wich were straungiers, to haue their Chapells amonge the Iues / in which they wors.h.i.+pped Astaroth / Chamos d such idolls / For which cause the lorde was so angrie wyth him / that as he suffered his true wors.h.i.+ppe to be parted d diuided / as he suffered seruice to be done partlie to G.o.d and partlie to Idolles. Eu? so was his kingd diuided / parte of it came vnto his sne / d parte to Ierobo the sne of Nabat. And agayn for doing of this / Achaz / d other wicked kiges wer reproued of the prophetes. Magistrates are apoited to be the def?ders / d executours of the first table of the lawe as well as of the secde: with what obseruati th? of iustice c a magistrate graute or suffer Idolatrie to be vsed? It is writ that he hathe the sworde to punishe euill thiges and vices. If it be his part to punishe theues / d not to permitt them / the same must he do to Idolatrours. Or ells we must saie that Idolatrie is no such synne d vice as theft is / or that with other vices it is not to be punished. And that theis prices maye do this the better / they muste th? selues take hede that they be cleare fr these Idolatries d supersticis. Augustine writig againste the donatistes dothe i manye places notablie intreate d hdle this sent?ce of the psalme.

[[Psal. 2.]]

And nowe ye kiges be wise be warned ye that iudge the earthe.

Serue the lorde wyth feare. &c. It is reas d semyng faithe he that kinges sholde serue the lorde / neither is it spok? of kinges in respecte that they are m? / for so are they boude to obserue cmen lawes eu? as other m? are / but as kiges they be admonished to vse their power giu? th? of G.o.d / d their sword to def?de the catholike truithe / and to represse the wicked which do oppugne the church d truithe of Christ: wherfore it is not lawfull for prices to graut vnto the wicked and vnbeleuers their euill and vnG.o.dlie G.o.dds seruice and Idolatries / but they muste maynteyn to their power / those holy rites d ordinauces of G.o.dds seruice which do agree with the worde of G.o.d / d forbid those which are ctrarie to yt. I do not saie that they must be to curius in ceremonies / as many are / which wolde that i any wise all rites d ceremonies sholde be throughli d in all places of oone sorte / d manier: But this theis princes shold prouide / that the ceremonies vsed in ther churches sholde not be contrarie to G.o.dds worde / yea and that they sholde most neerely agre therwith / d shuld make for G.o.dly edyfyinge and dec?t and comelye ordre in the churche: But of their liknes / d that i all places the rites / d ceremonies shold be of one forme / I do not thinke it a thing worthie the labor. For what matter maketh it if some men do receyue the sacram?t stding / other sittinge / other kneling. And if in some places whilest the brether? do cmunicat / a place of the scripture be redd / or some psalmes be sg of the people / or other songes of thankes geuing. Nether is it any great matter / when a corps is caried to the buriall / whether that m? do followe the hearce holdig their peace / or singing of psalmes / or suche other thinges as maye edifie them that do stde by. These thinges are to be lefte so free that in the churches suche maie be vsed / as shall seme most meete for the edyfyinge of the people. Yea I suppose that this varietye and chaunge in rytes / and ceremonies / dothe not a lytell profyte d helpe to bring in a true opini of ceremonies / and to haue it kepte also: that is / that m? shuld beleue that all those ceremonies which the holie scripure doth not apoint / are not necessarie vnto saluaci / but maye be chauged accordinge to the estate of tyme / d as shall serue for edifyig / as they shall thik G.o.dd which haue in their hand the orderinge the churche. That moste worthie commen wealthe of the venetians / which haue vnder their dominions / many Cities and places in Grece / they do in eche of them permit and suffer the rytes / and ceremonies / bothe of the Greke churche / and of the Latin churche / for those wise men do thincke / that the dyuersytie in outward ceremonies which are not taught in G.o.dds worde is not hurtefull. I do not alledg this to allowe all such ceremonies as they do permitt in thos places / but only to shew that they thincke it not a matter of necessite to haue all one forme of ceremonies: The verie same thinge before th? did Augustine iudge as in his epistles to Ianuarius / and Ca.s.sula.n.u.s it dothe apeare.

The thirde thinge is / that the princes and rulers which do suffer these vnfaithfull m? to dwell i their dominions sholde prouide that they mighte be taughte the truithe: and in this behalfe they muste not neglect them: for as the princes do declare their g?tilnes in suffering th? to dwell in their dominions so this their pacience muste be directed to the glorie of G.o.d: And howe can that be soughte in theis vnbeleauers / if they be suffered to abyde in their noughtie opinion without teachinge: Surely by thys meanes in processe of tyme they be made no whit the better / but a greate deale worse then they were before.

The fourth is / that these princes take G.o.dd hede / that by this dwellinge and cuersation which they do graunte vnto the vnfaithfull / they do not infecte the poeple cmitted to their cure and chardge with their scabbe of vnbelefe d errour.

Charytie is to be shewed vnto straungiers indede / but yet not so that they muste hurte the poeple amg whom they lyue. And this shal the princes remedie very wel / if that they do not always beare with the corrupt blindnes of the vnbeleauers / but after sufficient teachinge do compell them to embrace true religion. I say that when they haue prouided that these vnfaithfull haue bene taught a good whyle and truly instructed / they must then enforce and compell them vnto those holye and pure rytes and wors.h.i.+ppinges of G.o.dd which are commaunded in the scriptures: for princes and rulers must not alwayes / nor yet to longe suffer theyr cytyzens and subiectes / to lyue without exercise of G.o.dlynes and vertue. The ende of policall gouernemente is / that the subiecte both sholde lyue in felycytie / d also in the practyse of G.o.dlynes / because that G.o.dlines and the true wors.h.i.+pp of G.o.d is the chefest of all vertues.

But some man will obiecte against me / and say / yf so be that the vnfaithfull be not yet persuaded / they shall then embrace truthe against theyr conscience / which thinge yf the prince compell them to do / then he compelleth them to synne. Here must we make a difference betwene the thinge that of it selfe is synne / and that which is so by chaunce / by some fortune / or some other thinge that happeneth / per accidens, as the Logicians do saye: for wh? the Magistrate / in the matter which now we haue in hd / dothe propounde vnto these his subiectes / the thing that is right / goode / iuste / and cmaunded of G.o.d / prouidinge to haue them taughte therin / and they will not be taughte / yf then he enforceth them owtwardlye to vse none other order in religion then is commaunded of G.o.dd / and to forsake all other / he doth that which is iuste and appertayninge to his office. But that synne is entermingled in this matter / truly it is not throughe the faulte of the prince / but it is of the vnbeleif of these men / of whiche the prince can not be iustly accused / when he hath dilig?tly done his part / that they shold be well instructed. Morouer them which do obiecte this consider / that by the same reason that they accuse these princes we may accuse G.o.d: for he doth propounde his lawe / which is moste perfyte to be obserued of all men. Shuld men saye? we are weake / our nature is corrupte and infected / neither can we do these thinges as thou dost commaunde them / And why dost thou then enforce this lawe vpon vs? If we do ctrarie to that which thou doest commaunde / verely we synne / and yf we go not about to do it we synne / we shall synne also yf we go aboute to do that which thou commaundest / for we want of perfection / neyther do we obey as we sholde do: wherfore do what we will / we shall not auoyde synne: vnto this the Lorde wolde aunswer. The thinges that I do propounde to be obserued of you are iuste and perfect / no man can accuse them of wickednes / But in that ye are weake and do fall / and faile in fulfilling of my lawe / the faulte muste not be layed vnto me / for it is of your own malice and corrupti / and not through my faulte / for the which I maye not withdrawe my holy commaudements / Yet thus I haue prouided helpe for you / Beleue in my only dearly beloued sonne / and loke what so euer ye wante / wherin soeuer ye do fayle / and not fulfyll my commaundementes / it shall not be imputed / nor laid to your chardge vnto euerlasyinge deathe: yea your endeuoyrs and your doinges / although they be not fully perfect d absolute / yet will I accepte th? well / they shall please me / and I will allowe th?. Euen so shall the good prince and Magistrate saye: The thinges which are conteyned in G.o.ddes worde / suche thinges as are comlye and do edifie / do I require of you / yf your mynde and conscience do go agaynst them / ye can not impute it vnto me / I haue laboured and done my parte that ye sholde not be ignoraunt / and miserablie perish in ignorauce. I haue caused you to be sufficiently instructed / and nowe will I procede exhorting / admonis.h.i.+nge / and demaundinge of you obedience in these thinges: do you reade the holye scriptures / heare the teachers and pastours / d pray the Lorde to open the eyes of your harte and mynde. Thus in aunswering to this obiecti I shew what a goode prince in this case may and must do. That thinge also is not to be pa.s.sed ouer of which Augustyne maketh mencion / that he hymselfe was somtyme of this opinion / that nothing sholde be viol?tlye done agaynst heretiques / but that they shold only be taughte / But his mynde altered after that he was admonished by some wyse Bishoppes / howe certeyn cities / which somtyme were altogether corrupted with the errour of the Donatistes / were cpelled by the violence of the lawes of good Emperours to receyue the catholike faith / d these at l?gth were so syncerelie tourned vnto the truthe / that they dyd gyue to G.o.d moste hartye thckes for that violent enforcement / sayinge that nowe thoughe they might safelye / yet by no meanes wolde they retorne any more to suche pernicious and hurtfull opinis. The prince therfore / after that he hath gyuen them sufficient instruction / yf he shall enforce these men vnto the embracing of such rites and ceremonies as are good and G.o.dlye indede / he shall do no hurte at all but muche good. I do meane that this sholde be practysed only vpon suche as be cityzens / and naturall borne subiectes / or suche as beinge straungers borne / do as denizens dwell in theyr domininis / d so by priuiledge haue the benefite of theyr coutrithe: Otherwyse yf they be but straugiers which do pa.s.se through their countrithe / or such as do come either to bye or to sell marchaundize / there is no suche viol?ce to be shewed towardes th?. And yet this thing they must take heade of euen in th? / that they do not seduce their people d subiectes which are of a good iudgement / that they do not infect them with vice and errour. The Israelites / as I thincke / ar in this pointe to be folowed.

They did admitt no straunger to be as a Iue / or proselyte / neyther did they gyue vnto any the libertie of their countrith / except he did fyrst circucise himself / admitt Moses lawe / did cmunicate / and became partaker with them in theyr Sacrifices / submitting himself to their discipline: Which thinge / seing it was well and diligently obserued of them / why shuld not our princes do euen the same? That they shuld suffer no Citezen / nor subiect / eyther naturall / or strauger born / but that they shuld compell and enforce hym / to receyue such religion / and obserue such rites and ceremonies / agreing with G.o.dds worde / as they by common autoritie haue establyshed. Now will I speake of those princes and Rulers / which ar vnder these chief Rulers.

Whome I do deuide into two sortes. Eyther they are such as haue Iurisdiction / poure / and auctoritie / which commeth to them by discent fr theyr Auncetours / or els committed vnto them of Emperours / Kinges / and common welthes: Eyther els they haue no Iurisdiction nor Rule ouer others / neyther by discent from theyr auncetours / nor by commission from other higher princes / but only are taken and estemed as men of wors.h.i.+pp / for the auncientnes of their house and blud / or for their riches. This last sorte do not differ at all in a maner from priuate men / of whom I haue spoken before / for these are mere subiectes as they are. Therfor (I do suppose) that the former Rules / appointed vnto priuate men and subiectes are to be committed vnto th? / to be obserued of th? / in such maner as I haue before declared.

But of this other sorte of Princes and Rulers / of which some by right of inheritauce / some by vertue of office committed vnto them / are Rulars and gouernours of countrithes / cities and places. Of these I do saye and p.r.o.nouce this / That in matters which do belong to G.o.dd and true Religion / they ought to do no other things / but those / which I haue already shewed that the muste do / which are meere / absolute / and the hygher princes and Rulars. For it is not lawfull for them / no not at the commaundement of theyr hygher Princes and Lordes / to compell those subiectes ouer whom they haue rule / to recyue wicked Religion and supersticion / neyther to permitt the vnfaithfull in the places where they do beare Rule / to haue theyr vnG.o.dly Idolatries and supersticions. This must thei not do / no thoughe they were (I saye) therunto cmaunded by theyr hygher princes and Lordes / of whom / and vnder whome / they haue theyr auctoritie. But yf thou wilt saye / that they must obey theyr hygher poures / I will graunt that / but (as the sayinge is) _vs[que] ad Aras_, that is vntill they do come to matters of Religion / and vntill they do commaunde in Religion thinges contrarie to G.o.ddes worde and truthe. For when they shall commaunde that which is against G.o.dd / and is hurtefull to the conscience of m / these magistrates must not obey th?. For these vnder Rulars are called into a parte of the cure and charge of the goode gouernemente of the countrie / by the force of theyr dignitie and office:

They must not therfor putt those thinges in execution / whiche are agaynst G.o.dd / and are hurtefull to theur countrye: Yea they ought both to persuade by reason / and to defende by poure the contrary.

The Lacedemonians / when they whiche hadd ouercomme them / did demaunde of them such thinges as were against the ciuile lawes and libertie of their citie / They answered / If ye do commaunde vs to do thinges which ar more weightie and greuous then death / we wyll rather dye then do them: Thus ought these vnder Rulars answer theyr higher Lordes / when they do commaunde them to do thinges which are to the defacing of G.o.dds glorie d truth / and to the wounding and vnquieting of the consciences of the subiectes / whiche thinges are more weyghtie and greuous then death indeede. In Cyuile thinges they may gyue place to the vniust commaundementes and decrees of theyr hygher Lordes / but that ought they not to do in the cause of G.o.dd / and pure Religion. The Machabees at such tyme as the Iues were vnder the rule of the Macedonians (Antiochus / Demetrius / and Alexander / I meane) which princes did leade the people awaye from the true wors.h.i.+p of G.o.d / and from the seruice taught in hys worde / wolde not obeye them. But that house and tribe of the prestes called _Asmonei_, whiche in dignitie were nexte vnto the house and stocke of the Kinges / and bare the chief Rule nexte vnto it / les that the true wors.h.i.+ppe of G.o.dd commaunded and taught in the lawe / and which hadd bene retayned and vsed in theyr countrye / shulde be thus leafte and forsaken / they did Rebell against thos kinges as the hostorie doth witnes. But if this historie for the insufficiencie of the auctoritie of the bocke (which yet is a true historie / as Iosephus also doth witnes) will not suffice to proue this matier: Then let vs consider what Ioiada the bishopp did in the dayes of Athalia:

[[4. Reg. 11.]]

She hadd by violence obtayned the kingdomme / d so was she the supreame ordinarie poure: But yet he sturred vpp a commotion agaynst her / And he brought the Sonne of Asa / Kinge Ioas / I meane (who was saued by hym fr her bluddy sworde) into the kingdome: For he knew that by G.o.ddes worde the kingdome was gyuen to the house of Iuda / He perceyued also that she went about to haue all good Religi / and true G.o.dlynes / vtterly ouerthrowen. Therfor as she had vniustly shedd innoc?t bludd / euen so he most iustlye commaunded that she shuld be slayne.

[[4. Reg. 18.]]

Kinge Ezechias also / was in subiection to the King of the a.s.syris / for Achaz his father hadd submitted hym selfe vnto hym / and did not only paye hym tribute / but also for his pleasure did chaunge G.o.dds Religion: for wh? he wente to Damasco to meete this Kinge / he commaunded that an altar shuld be made at Hierusal? / after the patrone and fas.h.i.+on of that which he hadd seene at Damasco. This Kinge Achaz his sonne / G.o.dly Ezechias / perceyuinge that these thinges whiche his father hadd done / were repugnant and contrarye vnto G.o.dds worde / hurtefull also to the consciences of his subiects / he (I say) did fall away fr the Kinge of the a.s.syrians / which yet was now his superior and hygher poure. Indeede he soughte fyrst to pacifie hym with gyftes / which thing when he coulde not do / then to the vttermost of hys poure he dyd defende hym self / and his people agaynst hym. Neuertheles in this matter sedicion muste be auoyded so much as may be / and these princes must not vnder the colour and cloke of Religion / seeke theyr own gayne and honor: but here only let th? resiste / that nothing be done contrary to G.o.dds worde / and not for those thinges which are done to hinder theyr ambicion. Of this corrupt affection yf thei be cleare / and only for Religions sake do resiste the wicked proceadinges of theyr hygher princes and Lordes / let them not thincke that they do herin anye vnrighteousnes at all. But yf one will obiecte and saye: Thys maye not be / for all men are commauded to obeye the hygher poures. I answer /

[[Rom. 13.]]

It is true indeede that the holy scriptures do commaunde / that euerye soule shulde obeye the hygher poures / but so farr as by G.o.dds word it is lawfull to obey / and no further. For the holy scriptures do likewyse say / that the Rular is not any feare to them that doth good / but to them that do euell. Wherfor seying these princes / in this case by theyr endeuour and laboure / do promote that which is goode / they do well and not euell: and so ought they for this doinge to be without fear of the hygher poure / because that herin they do not resiste agaynst them / with that Resistaunce which is forbidden. Wilt thou (saith he) be without feare of the poure? do well then / and so shalt thou be praysed of the same: If these princes and rulars do defende G.o.dlynes and religion / they do good / then by the iudgement of G.o.ddes worde they are without feare of the poure / and do deserue prayse of theyr hygher poures and lords. But yf thou do euell (saith Paule) then feare the poure / for he beareth not the sworde for nought / but is the minister of G.o.dd to take vengeauce on them which do euell. Thus doth this place arme the myndes and csciences of these inferior princes of whom I speake / that they shulde note feare theyr hygher poures / when for the defence of G.o.ddes religion / they do resiste and not obeye theyr wicked commaundementes. Yf any will now thus saye agaynst me. He that hath the kinglye and supreame auctoritie / vnto whom by othe I do owe obedience / commaundeth these thinges / and therfore I must obey. I answer that thou arte not boud herin to keape any such othe or promis. For when he commaundeth those thinges whiche are agaynste G.o.d / he dothe not the office of G.o.ddes minister / to him th? therin thou dost owe neyther faith nor obedience. Agayne yf thou wilt aske / By what righte may these vnder rulars and inferiour magistrates / thus sett them selues agaynst the hygher princes / which haue the verye supreame right and poure to defende pure and G.o.dlye Religion / and the true faithe. I aunswere. That the electours of the Empire / and the Princes of Germanie / and the fre cityes / do it by the Imperiall poure and righte / whiche is committed vnto them: And that the Magistrates and Rulars whiche are in kingdoms / they do and darre do it / by the Kinglye poure and right lykewyse committed vnto them. For Emperours and Kinges / and such hygher poures / haue therfor chosen and taked these vnder Rulars and officers / as it were into a parte of theyr Rule / to be theyr helpers / in administringe and ordering theyr businesses and charge / to the ende that Iustice might florishe so muche the more. And euen so from the begynninge poure and Rule was gyuen vnto these / that they shulde rule the common wealthe / for that part therof / whiche was committed vnto them / iustlye / vprightlye / and G.o.dlye. Wherof the Emprour in the Code doth saye / that yf he shulde commaunde anye thinge agaynste righte / he wolde not that any suche decree of his shulde auayle in iudgementes. The very same thinge is to be sayde / where a kinge or suche which do retayne the supreame auctoritie / do commaunde or determyne anye thynge againste right. Not vnworthy is Traia.n.u.s the Emperour therfore commended / who when he delyuered the sworde to a Rular in his Empire / sayde: If I do cmaunde Iuste thinges / vse this for me / but yf I do require vniust things / vse it against me. But on the contrary part / Gregorie the great / Byshopp of Rome / can not in this behalfe be praysed / but dispraysed / and accused: Who seinge that the lawe whiche Mauritius the Emperour had made was vniuste / which was / That no man entangled with the matters of the common wealth / or which was appointed to the warrs / might be made a priest or a mck / he wrote to the Emperour / That after that he hadd seene hys lawe / he was wonderfullye afrayed and astonied / And therfor he desireth hym to diminshe somwhat of the rigour of the lawe or els to chauge it altogether: But yet he added / That as touchinge hymself / after that he hath now done his office in admonis.h.i.+ng hym / now for the obedience which he doth owe vnto him / he wolde publishe his lawe / as he hadd commaunded. Thys acte surely can not / but be reproued in this Busshopp. Agayn here thou wilt happily saye.

What yf the hygher Prince wil not allowe me to do myne office / or doth reuoke this parte of myne office? Truly no man c take that fr thyne office / which G.o.d hath cmaunded the to do in it. No m can discharge the of that dutye / wherewith G.o.d chargeth the in thyne office / do thou the dutye that longeth to it. Many there are which do thincke / that when this dealinge and doinge of the inferior magistrate agaynste the hygher Rulars is thus straitly required / That G.o.dds Religi is not to be promoted after this manier by th? / but rather / that they do sufficientlye the thinge which belgeth vnto them / yf they do forsake theyr office / and gyue ouer their Rule and auctoritie.

So do not I thincke / Thy dignitie and office is not so lightly to be gyuen ouer. Thou dost gyue ouer thyne office / because thou wilt not strayne thy self therin to promote the glorie of G.o.dd: And this is to depart and fall from thy vocacion: which thou oughtest not to do / especially wh? thou dost playnly see / that thy roume and place / shalbe bestowed vpon those / which ar wicked and both do / d will oppresse the kingdom of G.o.d. These men must abyde therfor in theyr offices / so lg as they be not putt out of them by the higher poures / and strgly must they defend the glorie of G.o.d in them.

Now when I on this maner do entreate of these thinges / I do not make or shewe an easye waye to sturre vp sedicions. But this onlye I do seke / and care for /

[[Matt. 22.]]

That those thinges which do belonge vnto G.o.dd / shuld be gyuen vnto G.o.dd: and those thinges which are belonging vnto Cesar / shulde be gyuen vnto Cesar. If the worldly substauce and ritches of men were required and asked by the hygher poures / I wold councell to gyue th?. But in those thinges which do belonge vnto the wors.h.i.+pp of G.o.dd / I say / that thei must not yealde to the wicked requestes of theyr hygher Rulars and lordes: here is no place to be gyuen to th? / but in our owne ciuile matters we must yealde / yf to yealde in them be not agaynst G.o.ddes lawe.

[[3. Reg 21.]]

In which case Naboth is to be excused / which wolde not graunte hys vyneyard to the Kinge: He dyd it not of couetousnes / or of to great a desyre which he dyd beare to the thinges of the world / but because he dyd knowe that in gyuing awaye of his vineyarde so / G.o.ddes lawe shulde be broken / by which he hadd appointed / that the feeldes and possessions amonge the people of Israell /

[[Num. 33.]]

shuld remayn in theyr tribes and kindreds / as they were iustly distributed at the beginning. This lawe of G.o.d wolde Kinge Achab haue broken / and therto required he the csent of Naboth / which he with a good and a safe conscience could not do / and therfor wold not. But halas / sorow it is to behold / how that there are many Dukes / Earles / and such princes / from whome yf an Emperour or a Kinge wold take their dominions / landes / lords.h.i.+pps and inheritaunce / they wold leaue nothing vndone / yea they wold do all that they could do / to defend their own / and do resiste their vnrighteous doinge: But when the kingdom of G.o.d is a.s.saulted by tyrauntes, and the gospell and bequest of the bludd of Christe taken violently and wretchedly away from them / and fr the children of G.o.dd which are committed to theyr tuition and defence / they will do nothing at all. Yea when they are required of theyr hygher poures / as ministers of theyr furie / to destroye and ouerthrow the gospell / then they neyther sturre nor speake anye thing at all / but do as they are bidd?. In theyr own cause they can fight / and rebell / but in G.o.ddes cause / they are as it were no princes nor Rulers. Wherby we can not thincke any other thing of them / then this / That they do not at the hart esteme the gospell of Christe.

[[A confutation of the places alledged.]]

Nowe this is remayning / that I sholde answer vnto those reasons which were put forthe at the begynning to proue that the dwelling together of the faithfull with the vnfaithfull is lawfull / and confute them. Firste / the example of Christ is set against vs / which dyd eate and drinke familiarlye with scribes / pharisees / publicanes / and synners. We muste remembre that Christe was not only stronge / but the chiefe heade of all them s.h.i.+ch be stronge. He coulde so profyte them which were euell / that theyr euill shuld not hurte him / and therfore might vse familiaritie with the wicked. Euen so there is no cause to the contrarie / but that they whiche be learned and constante in the truthe / suche as can profit the vnfaithfull by their cuersation and familiar being with them / and not be hurt by it them selues (as we haue admonished before) may be conuersaunt with the vnbeleauers and wicked.

The seconde place is /

[[1. Cor. 7.]]

Paule wolde not that the faithfull maried vnto an vnbeleuer sholde departe / yf the vnbeleuer will dwell together with the other. This I do also acknowledge / as befor I haue said: for vnto th? / al necessary businesses / especially those which are ordeyned of G.o.d / are to be done. And yet in that place which is here alledged / Paule is not so to be vnderstanded without exception / as these m? do iudge: for yf the vnbeleuig maried parson / shold ctinually moue the faithfull to Idolatrie / or sholde not cease to blaspheme Christ / and prouoke the other to cmit like blasphemie / so lg as thei did liue together / this ioynt life in mariadge were not to be ctinued: for this were not to dwell together / but to conspire together against Christ: Paule therfor speaketh of suche cohabitacion as is laufull without suche soliciting or mouinge to euell and blasphemye.

An other sentence of Paule is broughte which he writeth to the Corinthians /