38The fourth part of the Homily against Disobedience and Willful Rebellion.

For your further instruction (good people) to show unto you how much Almighty God doeth abhor disobedience and willful rebellion, specially when rebels advance themselves so high, that they arm themselves with weapon, and stand in field to fight against God, their Prince, and their country: it shall not be out of the way to show some examples set out in Scriptures, written for our eternal erudition. We may soon know (good people) how heinous offence the treachery of rebellion is, if we call to remembrance the heavy wrath and dreadful indignation of Almighty God against subjects as do only but inwardly grudge, mutter, and murmur against their governors though their inward treason so privily hatched in their breasts, come not to open declaration of their doings, as hard it is whom the devil hath so far enticed against God's word to keep themselves there: no he meant still to blow the coal, to kindle their rebellious hearts to flame into open deeds, if he be not with grace speedily withstood.

39Some of the children of Israel, being murmurers against their magistrates appointed over them by God, were stricken with foul

leprosy: many were burnt up with fire suddenly sent from the Lord: sometime a great sort of thousands were consumed with the pestilence: sometime they were stung to death with a strange kind of fiery

serpents: and (which is most horrible) some of the captains with their band of murmurers not dying by any usual or natural death of men, but the earth opening, they with their wives, children, and families, were swallowed quick down into hell. Which horrible destructions of such

Israelites as were murmurers against Moses, appointed by God, to be their head and chief magistrate, are recorded in the Book of Numbers, and other places of the scriptures, for perpetual memory and warning to all subjects, how highly God is displeased with the murmuring and evil speaking of subjects against their princes, for that as

the Scripture recorded, their murmur was not against their prince only, being a mortal creature, but against God himself also. Now if such strange and horrible plagues, did fall upon such subjects as did only murmur and speak evil against their heads: what shall become of those most wicked imps of the devil that do conspire, arm themselves, assemble great numbers of armed rebels, and lead them with them against their Prince and country, spoiling and robbing, killing, and murdering all good subjects that do withstand them, as many as they may prevail against? But those examples are written to stay us, not only from such mischief, but also from murmuring, and speaking once an evil word against our Prince, which though any should do never so secretly, yet do the Holy Scriptures show that the very birds of the air will bewray them: and these so many examples before noted out of the Holy Scriptures do declare, that they shall not escape

horrible punishment therefore. Now concerning actual rebellion, amongst many examples thereof set forth in the Holy Scriptures, the

example of Absolon is notable: who entering into conspiracy against King David his father, both used the advise of very witty men, and assembled a very great and huge company of rebels: the which Absolon though he were most goodly of person, of great nobility, being the King's son, in great favor of the people, and so dearly beloved of the King himself, so much that he gave commandment that (notwithstanding his rebellion) his life should be saved: when for these considerations, most men were afraid to lay hands upon him, a great tree stretching out his arm, as it were for that purpose, caught him by the

great and long bush of his goodly hair, lapping about it as he fled hastily bare-headed under the said tree, and so hanged him up by the hair of his head in the ayre, to give an eternal document, that neither

comeliness of personage, neither nobility, nor favor of the people, no nor the favor of the king himself, can save a rebel from due punishment: God the King of all kings being so offended with him, that rather then he should lack due execution for his treason, every tree by the way will be a gallous or gibbet unto him, and the hair of his own head will be unto him instead of an halter to hang him up with, rather then he should lack one. A fearful example of God's punishment

(good people) to consider. Now Achitophel, though otherwise an exceeding wise man, yet the mischievous councilor of Absolon, in this wicked rebellion, for lack of an hangman, a convenient servitor for such a

traitor, went and hanged up himself. A worthy end of all false rebels, who rather then they should lack due execution, will by God's just judgment, become hangmen unto themselves. Thus happened it to the captains of that rebellion: beside forty thousand of rascal

rebels slain in the field, and in the chase.

40Likewise is it to be seen in the Holy Scriptures show that great rebellion which the traitor Sheba moved in Israel, was suddenly appeased,

the head of the captain traitor (by the means of a seely woman) being cut off. And as the Holy Scriptures do show, so doeth daily experience prove, that the counsels, conspiracies, and attempts of rebels, never took effect, neither came to good, but to most horrible end. For though God doeth oftentimes prosper just and lawful enemies, which

be no subjects against their foreign enemies: yet did he never long prosper rebellious subjects against their Prince, were they never so great in authority, or so many in number. Five Princes or Kings (for so the Scripture terms them) with all their multitudes, could not prevail

against Chodorlaomer, unto whom they had promised loyalty and obedience, and had continued in the same certain years, but they were all overthrown and taken prisoners by him: but Abraham with his family and kinsfolk, an handful of men in respect, owing no subjection unto Chodorlaomer, overthrew him and all his hosts in battle, and recovered the prisoners, and delivered them. So that though war be so dreadful and cruel a thing, as it is, yet doeth God often prosper a few in lawful wars with foreign enemies against many thousands: but never yet prospered he subjects being rebels against their natural sovereign, were they never so great or noble, so many, so stout, so witty, and politic, but always they came by the overthrow, and to a shameful end: so much doeth God abhor rebellion, more then other wars, though otherwise being so dreadful, and so great a destruction to mankind. Though not only great multitudes of the rude and rascal commons, but sometime also men of great wit, nobility, and authority, have moved rebellions against their lawful Princes whereas true nobility should most abhor such villenous, and true wisdom should most detest such frantic rebellion) though they should pretend sundry causes, as the redress of the common wealth (which rebellion of all other mischief doeth most destroy) or reformation of religion (whereas rebellion is most against all true religion) though they have made a great show of holy meaning by beginning their rebellions with a counterfeit service of God, (as did wicked Absolon begin his rebellion with sacrificing unto

God) though they display, and bear about ensigns, and banners, which are acceptable unto the rude ignorant common people, great multitudes of whom by such false pretenses and shows they do deceive, and draw unto them: yet were the multitudes of the rebels never so huge and great, the captains never so noble, politic and witty, the pretenses fained to be never so good and holy, yet the speedy overthrow of all rebels, of what number, state, or condition soever they were, or what color or cause soever they pretend, is, and ever hath been such, that God thereby doeth show that he allows neither the dignity of any person, nor the multitude of any people, nor the weight of any cause, as sufficient for the which the subjects may move rebellion against their Princes.

41Turn over and read the histories of all nations, look over the chronicles of our own country, call to mind so many rebellions of old time, and some yet fresh in memory, you shall not find that God ever prospered any rebellion against their natural and lawful Prince, but contrariwise that the rebels were overthrown and slain, and such as were taken prisoners dreadfully executed. Consider the great and noble families of dukes, marquesses, earls, and other lords, whose names you shall read in our chronicles, now clean extinguished and gone, and seek out the causes of the decay, you shall find, that not lack of issue and heirs male hath so much wrought that decay, and waste of noble bloods and houses, as hath rebellion.

42And for so much as the redress of the common wealth hath of old been the usual feigned pretense of rebels, and religion now of late begins to be a color of rebellion: let all godly and discrete subjects consider well of both, and first concerning religion. If peaceable King Solomon was judged of God to be more meet to build his Temple (whereby the ordering of religion is meant) then his father King David, though otherwise a most godly King, for that David was a great warrior, and had shed much blood, though it were in his wars against the enemies of God: of this may all godly and reasonable subjects consider, that a peaceable Prince, specially our most peaceable and merciful Queen, who hath hitherto shed no blood at all, no not of her most deadly enemies, is more like and far meter either to set up, or to maintain true religion, then are bloody rebels, who have not shed the blood of God's enemies, as king David had done, but do seek to shed the blood of God's friends, of their own countrymen, and of their own most dear friends and kinsfolk, yea the destruction of their most gracious Prince and natural country, for defense of whom they ought to be ready to shed their blood, if need should so require. What a religion it is that such men by such means would restore, may easily be judged: even as good a religion surely, as rebels be good men and obedient subjects, and as rebellion is a good mean of redress and reformation, being itself the greatest deformation of all that may possible be. But as the truth of the Gospel of our Savior Christ, being quietly and soberly taught, though it do cost them their lives that do teach it, is able to maintain the true religion: so hath a frantic religion need of such furious maintenances as is rebellion, and of such patrons as are rebels, being ready not to die for the true Religion, but to kill all that shall or dare speak against their false superstition and wicked idolatry. Now concerning pretenses of any redress of the common wealth, made by rebels, every man that hath but half an eye, may see how vain they be, rebellion being as I have before declared, the greatest ruin and destruction of all common wealths that may be possible. And who so looks on the one part upon the persons and government of the Queens most honorable Counselors, by the experiment of so many years proved honorable to her Majesty, and most profitable and beneficial unto our country and countrymen, and on the other part, considers the persons, state and conditions of the rebels themselves, the reformers, as they take upon them, of the present government, he shall find that the most rash and harebrained men, the greatest unthrifts, that have most lewdly wasted their own goods and lands, those that are over the ears in debt, and such as for their thefts, robberies, and murders, dare not in any well governed common wealth, where good Laws are in force, show their faces, such as are of most lewd and wicked behavior and life, and all such as will not, or cannot live in peace, are always most ready to move rebellion, or take part with rebels. And are not these met men, trow you, to restore the common wealth decayed, who have so spoiled and consumed all their own wealth and thrift? And very like to amend other men's manners, who have so vile vices, and abominable conditions themselves? Surely that which they falsely call reformation, is indeed not only a defacing or a deformation, but also an utter destruction of all common wealth, as would well appear, might the rebels have their wills, and doth right well and too well appear by their doing in such places of the country where rebels do rout, where though they tarry but a very little while, they make such reformation that they destroy all places, and undo all men where they come, that the child yet unborn may rue it, and shall many years hereafter curse them.

43Let no good and discrete subjects therefore follow the flag or banner displayed to rebellion, and born by rebels, though it have the image of the plough painted therein, with God speed the plough, written under in great letters, knowing that none hinder the plough more then rebels, who will neither go to the plough themselves, nor suffer other that would go unto it. And though some rebels bear the picture of the five wounds painted, against those who put their only hope of salvation in the wounds of Christ, not those wounds which are painted in a clout by some lewd painter, but in those wounds which Christ himself bares in his precious body: though they, little knowing what the cross of Christ meant, which neither carver nor painter can make, do bear the image of the cross painted in a rage, against those that have the cross of Christ painted in their hearts, yea though they paint withal in their flags, Hoc signo vinces, by this sign thou shalt get the victory, by a most fond imitation of the posy of Constantinus Magnus, that noble Christian Emperor, and great conqueror of God's enemies, a most unmet ensign for rebels, the enemies of God, their Prince, and country, or what other banner soever they shall bear: yet let no good and godly subject, upon any hope of victory or good success, follow such standard bearers of rebellion.

44For as examples of such practices are to be found as well in the histories of old, as also of latter rebellions, in our fathers, and our fresh memory: so notwithstanding these pretenses made and banners born, are recorded withal to perpetual memory, the great and horrible murders of infinite multitudes and thousands of the common people slain in rebellion, dreadful executions of the authors and captains, the pitiful undoing of their wives and children, and disinheriting of the heirs of the rebels for ever, the spoiling, wasting, and destruction of the people and country where rebellion was first begun, that the child then yet unborn might rue and lament it, with the final overthrow, and shameful deaths of all rebels, set forth as well in the histories of foreign nations, as in the chronicles of our own country, some thereof being yet in fresh memory, which if they were collected together, would make many volumes and books: But on the contrary part all good luck, success and prosperity that ever happened unto any rebels of any age, time or country, may be contained in a very few lines, or words.

45Wherefore to conclude, let all good subjects, considering how horrible a sin against God, their Prince, their country, and countrymen, against all God's and man's laws rebellion is, being indeed not one severally sin, but all sins against God and man heaped together, considering the mischievous life and deeds, and the shameful ends and deaths of all rebels hitherto, and the pitiful undoing of their wives, children, and families, and disinheriting of their heirs for ever, and above all things considering the eternal damnation that is prepared for all impenitent rebels in hell with Satan the first founder of rebellion, and grand captain of all rebels, let all good subjects I say, considering these things, avoid and flee all rebellion, as the greatest of all mischief, and embrace due obedience to God and our Prince, as the greatest of all virtues, that we may both escape all evils and miseries that do follow rebellion in this world, and eternal damnation in the world to come, and enjoy peace, quietness, and security, with all other God's benefits and blessings which follow obedience in this life, and finally may enjoy the kingdom of heaven, the peculiar place of all obedient Subjects to GOD and their Prince in the world to come: which I beseech God the King of all Kings, grant unto us for the obedience of his Son our Savior Jesus Christ, unto whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one God and King immortal, all honor, service, and obedience of all his creatures is due for ever and ever, Amen.

46Thus have you heard the fourth part of this Homily, now good people let us pray.

47The prayer as in that time it was published.

48O Most mighty God, the Lord of hosts, the Governor of all creatures, the only giver of all victories, and who alone art able to strengthen the weak against the mighty, and to vanquish infinite multitudes of thine enemies with the countenance of a few of thy servants calling upon thy Name, and trusting in them: defend, O Lord, thy servant and our Governor under the, our Queen Elizabeth, and all thy people committed to her charge: O Lord withstand the cruelty of all those which be common enemies as well to the truth of thy eternal Word, as to their own natural Prince and country, and manifestly to this crown and realm of England which thou hast of thy divine providence assigned in these our days to the government of thy servant, our Sovereign and gracious Queen, O most merciful Father, (if it be thy holy will) make soft and tender the stony hearts of all those that exalt themselves against thy Truth and seek either to trouble the quiet of this realm of England, or to oppress the crown of the same, and convert them to the knowledge of thy Son the only Savior of the world, Jesus Christ, that we and they may jointly glorify thy mercy. Lighten we beseech the their ignorant hearts, to embrace the truth of thy word, or else so abate their cruelty (O most mighty Lord) that this our Christian realm with others that confess thy Holy Gospel, may obtain by thine aid and strength, surety from all enemies, without shedding of Christian blood, whereby all they which be oppressed with their tyranny, may be relieved, and they which be in fear of their cruelty, may be comforted: and finally that all Christian realms, and specially this realm of England, may by thy defense and protection continue in the truth of the Gospel and enjoy perfect peace, quietness, and security: and that we for these thy mercy, jointly altogether with one consonant heart and voice, may thankfully render to the all laud and praise, that we knit in one godly concord and unity amongst our selves, may continually magnify thy glorious Name, who with thy son our Savior Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, art one Eternal, Almighty, and most merciful God: to whom be all laud and praise world without end. Amen.