and be assured by his word, how we may honour him, that is to say, as it is taught us in the first table and four first precepts.

The second law necessary for every commonwealth is, that the people among themselves live in peace and concord without discord and dissension. As Sallust saith, little things by concord increase, and great things by discord decrease. That saw the poor shepherd Melibaus in Virgil, when he said, "Lo! whither (or into what miseries) hath discord brought the wretched citizens !"

Not only Rome, and other most noble commonwealths, lost their liberties by discord, but also the commonwealth of the Israelites. As ye may read (1 Kings, xii.), how of one kingdom was made two, for the discord that God suffered to be among themselves for the idolatry of king Solomon: where ye have an example, that no commonwealth can endure, where the precepts of the first table be neglected.

Almighty God therefore, after that he taught the people what was to be done towards him in the first table, sheweth in the second table what we should do, one to the other of us, that peace and concord might be among us: which cannot be, where one knoweth not, what reverence and honour should be done to the other. For where all men will be alike, there is neither wealth nor virtue; but contention and hatred, which is the matter and ground of all calamities and mischief. The law of God therefore, in the first front of this second table, doth appoint and institute a certain empire and dominion to be had among his people, that one person might be known from the other. It commandeth obedience to the superior powers, saying, Magnify or reverence thy father and mother. If this order be kept, there is a reward appointed for the observation thereof, as the text saith, "Thou shalt live long upon the earth." After that people of

a commonwealth know each of them their duties, it is necessary there do follow a law to maintain them in peace and unity. Therefore followeth it in the table, "Thou shalt not kill," which precept is a munition and defence of the peace.

Howbeit, because there followeth alteration and change of the commonwealth, it must be provided, how the places of those that die, may be again furnished; that with the departure of one may follow the succession of another. Wherefore God putteth the seventh canon that defendeth marriage, whereby is preserved this commonwealth. And as godly it continueth, as it began; the which law is not only necessary for the preservation of the commonwealth to come, but also to preserve the state present in peace and tranquillity. For never was there greater occasion of discord and debate between commonwealth and commonwealth, prince and prince, private persons and private persons, than from the abuse and violating of marriage, and committing fornication, with such-like vices: as it is to be seen by Dinah (Gen. xxxiv. 29), by Thamar, by the priest's wife abused by the Benjamites (Jud. xix. 29). For the rape of Helena Troy perished: for the oppressing of Lucretia, Rome and others. Then as there be laws to preserve the persons themselves of the commonwealth, so there must be laws to preserve such goods as do appertain unto the members of the com monwealth, that one do no wrong to the other, but every man be content with his own condition and proper goods, and not to usurp authority over his neighbours. Therefore the right law concerning defence of proper and private goods is, Thou shalt do no theft.

Howbeit, seeing we are frail and so ill, that many times we transgress some or all these laws that preserve the commonwealth, it is necessary to find

and prepare some remedy to have the transgressor punished, and the person who is hurt and offended restored unto his right. Therefore is there this clause and rule in the law; "Thou shalt give no false testimony against thy neighbour;" which is the ninth commandment, and bindeth as well the superior powers to see equity and justice without respect of persons, as the cause requireth, observed; as those who shall be witnesses in a matter doubtful to say as they know truly. And likewise that in buying and selling, and in all other contracts, men use no fraud to get their goods. These laws now I will open, in order as they stand, plainly and simply as I can, to the understanding of the text, and of them I will speak severally, they being the fountains and original of all politic laws.

The first law, that establisheth the authority of the superior powers, beginneth with the name of the father and mother. For after and next unto God we owe most reverence unto them, of whom we have received this natural life by the help of God: and they likewise have sustained the pains of our education and bringing up. Then under the name of the parents are included all other persons to whom we owe obedience and love; as the country, where we were born, or where we have our living, that we be true and faithful unto it. We ought to garnish it what we may, and enrich it with all godly knowledge, arts, and other commodities; not to hurt it, but to die for it, as justice shall require. Then the prince or magistrate, that bath the defence of the country, and the people of the same committed unto his charge. Tutors appointed for youth, such as teach any craft or handy means to live by. The doctors and teachers in the ministry of the church, whom the Scripture calleth the fathers of the people. (1 Cor. iv. 15.) Then such as be by nature and parentage our kins

folk; also all that be our elders, unto whom we owe obedience. These be the persons, who are understood by the father and mother.

The

The text saith, that I should honour them. which word in the Hebrew hath a greater force and strength than one word in Latin or English can express. It signifieth, to set much by, to have in estimation, to prefer and extol and requireth these affections in the heart, and not only external reve, rence, such as be fair words, and outward gestures without the love of the heart: to obey them in all things honest, agreeing with the law of God, not contemn them, neglect them, hate them, or be unkind to them; to help them as we, be able, if necessity require; to put our lives for them, and to pay them their due, and that without murmur and grudge. For all those that I have rehearsed be as our fathers, and as it were a second God appointed for us upon the earth.

Wherefore, if thou wilt have a very true image to express God omnipotent, thy sole God and Maker, unto thy reason and external senses, set those su, perior powers before thine eye, who have or do travail for thy wealth and commodity, thy father and mother, as is before said. The prince and king, that travaileth how to keep thee in thine own country in wealth and felicity, that thou be not made prisoner nor bondman unto a strange nation, thy adver, saries and thy mortal enemies. The land itself bringeth thee fruit and all things necessary for thy life, the which thy fathers won with their blood, and maintained with their bodies and goods. Thy preacher telleth the will of God, and all his study is to bring thee to eternal felicity. Unto those thou owest of duty a filial reverence and honour, the which was observed also among the gentiles, as Juvenal the

poet saith; who thought it a fault worthy of death, if the younger honoured not the elder.

As for the defence of the country, it was and is granted of all natural men, so that there needeth no testimony nor example. The profane writer, Horace, thus speaketh, that it is sweet and decent to die for the country." The Lacedæmonians, who were slain in Termin, had this epitaph upon their graves; "Thou stranger, say, that thou sawest us. here dead, whilst we obeyed the holy laws of our country."

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As for our honour and reverence to such, as teach is the word of God, it is shewed in the example of the Corinthians, and likewise of the Galatians, who were so prompt to obey Paul before they were se duced, that they would have 'plucked out their own eyes to have done Paul honour.

Valerius Maximus (lib.i. cap. 10) writeth how in Rome the elders were always taken as fathers of the younger, and that no youth should sit at any feast, till their elders had place: they should be the last that sat, and the first who rose from the table..

Every man should reverence and honour those superior powers, not for fear, but for love. And, he should consider that God beginneth not this second table with the dominion and empire of the father in vain, or without cause: but, meaneth, that we should none otherwise love the superior powers of the earth, and be affectionated to them, than to our natural parents, and obey them in all things that are, consonant or not against the law of God.

Likewise the superior powers should be none otherwise affected with love towards their subjects, than the father is towards the son! Consider the work and ordinance of God in this superiority and dominion that preserveth the good, punisheth the