550 An Expofztzon upon Chap.i3.j when any oft hem doe i(fue for our neg- lea of civill Lawes,then the confcience is hurt and finne is committed, though the things whereon the Lawes were made, be but indifferent. Finally, if hu- mane Lawes be fuch, as to determine of circumflances, which be meanes the better to maintain and obferve Gods morali Law, as touching time and place ofdivine worfhip, and concerning the not wearing of Daggers,Swords,Guns, to avoyde murther: or moderation in meats, drinke, apparel], &c. to avoyde intemperancy : in thefe things, it be- hooves us to make con fcience that we doe not offend, becaufe God himfelfe hath bound us to the exercife of all meanes and helpes, whereby any venue may be exercifed, or any vice eft', ewed. T t M. Proceed to the next ver je, [For this cau fe ye pay tribute,] and tell us what it meant by thefe words. S r L. Now Paul reafoneth from their owne teflimony, as if he fhould fay, in that you pay tribute,in this you witneffe, that you do owe fubjeaion to Rulers, even (for this carafe) that you may avoyde wrath, and keep a good confcience. By Tribute is meant Inch payments as the people contributed to their Rulers, -and were brought into the Kings Exchequer (as one would fay,for commodities exported or imported) thence called, Weoe, (pipe', or eumfigftv. Tribute herein differs from cuflomes, which are imperils and pay - men ts, either paid by the poll, man by man,or according to mens feverall fub- fiances, immoveables, things, lands, or moveables, as Merchandize. Note fur- ther, that he faith not [ye give] but [ ye pay] tribute, to teach, that Tributes are not gifts but debts ; not things freely bellowed, but of duty performed; as it is written in the beginning of the feventh verfe, Render to every man his due. And whereas our Apofile, writing to all beleeving Romans ( whereof force were Minifiers, fonte were people ) and univerfally faith to them all, [ ye pay tribute,:] this fheweth, that no perfon Ecciefiaflicall or Civili, be exempted from this part of fubje&ion of paying Tribute,unleffe where there is immunity granted by the bounty of the King. T t M. What is our doctrine from thin fixt verfe ? S r L. That it is a duty by God himfelfe laid upon all forts of fubjeâs, willingly to pay ufuall cuflomes and tributes unto their Princes. The reafons of this duty be thefe. Firfl, to teflifie and declare our fubje&ion toward po- wers, that we acknowledge them to be our lawfull Governors, and that we have them in fingular account, as men let over us by God, for whole fake we pay them tribute, fubfidies, and cu- &omes. Secondly, to maintain and uphold the publicke charge that Princes are put to,about the publick tranquilli- ty. Whence it is, that by Wpian , tri- butes are termed nervi reipublica, for that no more a body can be preferred without finewes, then a Common- wealth without tribute. Now reafon would, that every man fhould be bur- dened about the upholding of that whetein every man hath an intern& and publicke charge to be defraid by publick punie, every man his (hare according to his meanes; many hands make light labour. Thirdly, tributes are to be paid as a recompence unto Magiftrates for their great paints, for they muff apply them- Oyes (as the text faith, verfe 6.) to this purpofe, that is, with all their Rudy, care, andmight, they muff ferve to take vengeance on the evill, and to recom- penfe the good, to ufe. the fivord for making of Lawes, for maintenance of peace, execution of juflice, and waging of warres: thefe be matters of great weight, charge, and diffacultie, ofmuch paine and perill, which made the Em- peror Maximilian to know that the life of a Ruflicke is to be preferred be- fore the life of a Ruler, who is a fervant to all, to watch when other men fleep, to travell abroad when other men flay at home, to purchafe other mens cafe and fafety with their owne difquiet and s danger. Which made a certain wife man to fay, that ifa Crowne lay on the ground, Do¿(rine. Redfern.
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