Author
Sourced quotes from John Ponet in the Postmilstill archive, with works and topics linked for reading and research.
There was never great misery, destruction, plague, or visitation of God, that came on any nation, city, or country, which as they be indeed, so may they justly be called wounds, but be sent of God for sin, and be not sud…
Therefore men ought not to give credit to fair words, large promises, and great oaths (for these are the instruments to deceive the honest and well meaning) but the fairer the oaths, the more to suspect. For godly and ho…
Deceit would not be knocked out with deceit, if it might so be, but honest men should always and at all times deal plainly and honestly. And therefore the most honest means before things be done, is to be wise and circum…
And where this justice is not executed, but the prince and the people play together, and one winks and bears with the other's faults, there cannot be, but a most corrupt, ungodly, and vicious state, which although it pro…
Good kings, governors, and states in time past took it to be the greatest honor that could be, not to take cities and realms to their own use (when they were called to aid and relieve the oppressed) as princes do nowaday…
For it is no private law to a few or certain people, but common to all: not written in books, but grafted in the hearts of men: not made by man, but ordained of God: which we have not learned, received or read, but have…
As God has ordained magistrates to hear and determine private men's matters, and to punish their vices: so also will he, that the magistrate's doings be called into account and reckoning, and their vices corrected and pu…
But the evil governors and rulers will have all that their subjects have, common to themselves, but they themselves will depart with nothing, but where they ought not: no, not so much as pay for those things, that in wor…
For by the Fall, and ever after the Fall, this corruptible flesh of man is clogged with sin, and shall never be rid of sin, as long as it is in this corrupt world, but shall be always disposed and prone to do that which…
God will have His tried by persecution, that the world may see, who love the chief power, more than the inferior powers: His commandments, more than man's fond proceedings: the soul, more than the flesh: the sure and eve…
It is a worthy saying for the majesty of him that is in authority to confess that the prince is subject to the laws; the authority of the prince depends so much on the authority of the laws. And certainly it is more hono…
He is a good citizen that does not do evil (so said a noble wise man) but he is better who does not allow others to hurt or do injustice to the innocent. For the blood of the innocent shall be demanded not only from thos…
Neither pope, Emperor, nor king may do anything to hurt his people without their consent.
For princes are ordained to do good, not to do evil: to take away evil, not to increase it: to give example of well doing, not to be the procurers of evil: to procure the wealth and benefit of their subjects, and not to…
For before magistrates were, God's laws were. Neither can it be proved that by God's word they have any authority to dispense or break them: but that they are still commanded to do right, to minister justice, and not to…
See what you do, for you execute not the judgment of man, but of God. And whatever you judge, it shall be rebounded to yourselves. Let the fear of God be before your eyes, and do all things with diligence. For with the L…
Wherefore it shall be the part of all Christian men to take heed, that in forsaking God, they bring by injustice the devil and tyrants to reign over them. And those that be called to councils and parliaments (and so be m…
And because this authority and power, both to make laws, and execute laws, proceeds from God, the Holy Ghost in Scripture calls them gods: not that they be naturally gods, or that they be transubstantiated into gods (for…
For He that gave man authority over the body and life of man, because He would have man to live quietly with man, that all might serve Him quietly in holiness and righteousness all the days of his life, it cannot be deni…
He that sheds the blood of man, his blood shall also be shed by man. For man is made in the image of God. By this ordinance and law He instituted political power and gave authority to men to make more laws.
And on the other side, where the nobility and people look diligently and earnestly upon their authorities, and do see the same executed on their heads and governors, making them to yield account of their doings: then wit…
If a prince robs and spoils his subjects, it is theft, and as a thief ought to be punished. If he kills and murders them contrary or without the laws of his country, it is murder, and a murderer he ought to be punished.…
Kings, princes, and other governors, although they are the heads of a political body, yet they are not the whole body. And though they be the chief members, yet they are but members: no other are the people ordained for…
As there is no better nor happier commonwealth nor no greater blessing of God, than where one rules, if he is a good, just, and godly man: so there is no worse nor none more miserable, nor greater plague of God, than whe…
The prince's watch ought to defend the poor man's house, his labor the subject's ease, his diligence the subject's pleasure, his trouble the subject's quietness. And as the sun never stood still but continually goes abou…
Seeing that God wills princes' commandments should not be obeyed in all things, but will have His rather suffer a thousand deaths, than do anything that is evil: and since also many evils and mischiefs may follow in this…
Since we be God's people and servants, and He our Lord and the highest power: and the princes of the world be but his ministers and inferior powers, ordained to do good and not evil: we ought to seek chiefly to do God's…
Commonwealths and realms may live, when the head is cut off, and may put on a new head, that is, make them a new governor, when they see their old head seek too much his own will and not the wealth of the whole body, for…
For the subjects ought not (against nature) to further their own destruction, but to seek their own salvation: not to maintain evil, but to suppress evil: for not only the doers, but also the consenters to evil, shall be…
God is the highest power, the power of powers, from Him is derived all power. All people are His servants made to serve and glorify Him. All other powers are but His ministers, set to oversee that everyone behaves himsel…
"Yield unto Caesar, those things that be Caesar's," says Christ, "and unto God the things that be God's." Civil power is a power and ordinance of God, appointed to certain things, but no general minister over all things.…
As the body of man is knit and kept together in due proportion by the sinews, so every commonwealth is kept and maintained in good order by obedience. But as the sinews are racked and stretched too much, or shrink togeth…
Therefore, seeing no king or governor is exempted from the laws, hand, and power of God, but that he ought to fear and tremble at it, we may proceed to the other part of the question: that is, whether kings, princes, and…
For the whole Decalogue and every part thereof is written as well to kings, princes, and other public persons, as it is to private persons. A king may no more commit idolatry than a private man: he may not take the name…
Now kings, princes, and governors of commonwealths have not, nor can justly claim, an absolute authority, but the end of their authority is the maintenance of justice, to defend the innocent, and to punish evil.
And the wonderful providence of God is herein to be well noted and considered, of all such as love and fear God, that in all places and countries where God's word has been received and embraced, there for the time the pe…
And these diverse kinds of states or policies have distinct names, as where one ruled, a Monarchy: where many of the best, Aristocracy: where the multitude, Democracy: and where all together, that is, a king, the nobilit…
But whether this authority to make laws, or the power to execute the same, shall be and remain in one person alone, or in many, it is not expressed, but left to the discretion of the people to make so many and so few, as…
40 quotes
There was never great misery, destruction, plague, or visitation of God, that came on any nation, city, or country, which as they be indeed, so may they justly be called wounds, but be sent of God for sin, and be not sud…
Therefore men ought not to give credit to fair words, large promises, and great oaths (for these are the instruments to deceive the honest and well meaning) but the fairer the oaths, the more to suspect. For godly and ho…
Deceit would not be knocked out with deceit, if it might so be, but honest men should always and at all times deal plainly and honestly. And therefore the most honest means before things be done, is to be wise and circum…
And where this justice is not executed, but the prince and the people play together, and one winks and bears with the other's faults, there cannot be, but a most corrupt, ungodly, and vicious state, which although it pro…
Good kings, governors, and states in time past took it to be the greatest honor that could be, not to take cities and realms to their own use (when they were called to aid and relieve the oppressed) as princes do nowaday…
For it is no private law to a few or certain people, but common to all: not written in books, but grafted in the hearts of men: not made by man, but ordained of God: which we have not learned, received or read, but have…
As God has ordained magistrates to hear and determine private men's matters, and to punish their vices: so also will he, that the magistrate's doings be called into account and reckoning, and their vices corrected and pu…
But the evil governors and rulers will have all that their subjects have, common to themselves, but they themselves will depart with nothing, but where they ought not: no, not so much as pay for those things, that in wor…
For by the Fall, and ever after the Fall, this corruptible flesh of man is clogged with sin, and shall never be rid of sin, as long as it is in this corrupt world, but shall be always disposed and prone to do that which…
God will have His tried by persecution, that the world may see, who love the chief power, more than the inferior powers: His commandments, more than man's fond proceedings: the soul, more than the flesh: the sure and eve…
It is a worthy saying for the majesty of him that is in authority to confess that the prince is subject to the laws; the authority of the prince depends so much on the authority of the laws. And certainly it is more hono…
He is a good citizen that does not do evil (so said a noble wise man) but he is better who does not allow others to hurt or do injustice to the innocent. For the blood of the innocent shall be demanded not only from thos…
Neither pope, Emperor, nor king may do anything to hurt his people without their consent.
For princes are ordained to do good, not to do evil: to take away evil, not to increase it: to give example of well doing, not to be the procurers of evil: to procure the wealth and benefit of their subjects, and not to…
For before magistrates were, God's laws were. Neither can it be proved that by God's word they have any authority to dispense or break them: but that they are still commanded to do right, to minister justice, and not to…
See what you do, for you execute not the judgment of man, but of God. And whatever you judge, it shall be rebounded to yourselves. Let the fear of God be before your eyes, and do all things with diligence. For with the L…
Wherefore it shall be the part of all Christian men to take heed, that in forsaking God, they bring by injustice the devil and tyrants to reign over them. And those that be called to councils and parliaments (and so be m…
And because this authority and power, both to make laws, and execute laws, proceeds from God, the Holy Ghost in Scripture calls them gods: not that they be naturally gods, or that they be transubstantiated into gods (for…
For He that gave man authority over the body and life of man, because He would have man to live quietly with man, that all might serve Him quietly in holiness and righteousness all the days of his life, it cannot be deni…
He that sheds the blood of man, his blood shall also be shed by man. For man is made in the image of God. By this ordinance and law He instituted political power and gave authority to men to make more laws.
And on the other side, where the nobility and people look diligently and earnestly upon their authorities, and do see the same executed on their heads and governors, making them to yield account of their doings: then wit…
If a prince robs and spoils his subjects, it is theft, and as a thief ought to be punished. If he kills and murders them contrary or without the laws of his country, it is murder, and a murderer he ought to be punished.…
Kings, princes, and other governors, although they are the heads of a political body, yet they are not the whole body. And though they be the chief members, yet they are but members: no other are the people ordained for…
As there is no better nor happier commonwealth nor no greater blessing of God, than where one rules, if he is a good, just, and godly man: so there is no worse nor none more miserable, nor greater plague of God, than whe…
The prince's watch ought to defend the poor man's house, his labor the subject's ease, his diligence the subject's pleasure, his trouble the subject's quietness. And as the sun never stood still but continually goes abou…
Seeing that God wills princes' commandments should not be obeyed in all things, but will have His rather suffer a thousand deaths, than do anything that is evil: and since also many evils and mischiefs may follow in this…
Since we be God's people and servants, and He our Lord and the highest power: and the princes of the world be but his ministers and inferior powers, ordained to do good and not evil: we ought to seek chiefly to do God's…
Commonwealths and realms may live, when the head is cut off, and may put on a new head, that is, make them a new governor, when they see their old head seek too much his own will and not the wealth of the whole body, for…
For the subjects ought not (against nature) to further their own destruction, but to seek their own salvation: not to maintain evil, but to suppress evil: for not only the doers, but also the consenters to evil, shall be…
God is the highest power, the power of powers, from Him is derived all power. All people are His servants made to serve and glorify Him. All other powers are but His ministers, set to oversee that everyone behaves himsel…
"Yield unto Caesar, those things that be Caesar's," says Christ, "and unto God the things that be God's." Civil power is a power and ordinance of God, appointed to certain things, but no general minister over all things.…
As the body of man is knit and kept together in due proportion by the sinews, so every commonwealth is kept and maintained in good order by obedience. But as the sinews are racked and stretched too much, or shrink togeth…
Therefore, seeing no king or governor is exempted from the laws, hand, and power of God, but that he ought to fear and tremble at it, we may proceed to the other part of the question: that is, whether kings, princes, and…
For the whole Decalogue and every part thereof is written as well to kings, princes, and other public persons, as it is to private persons. A king may no more commit idolatry than a private man: he may not take the name…
Now kings, princes, and governors of commonwealths have not, nor can justly claim, an absolute authority, but the end of their authority is the maintenance of justice, to defend the innocent, and to punish evil.
And the wonderful providence of God is herein to be well noted and considered, of all such as love and fear God, that in all places and countries where God's word has been received and embraced, there for the time the pe…
And these diverse kinds of states or policies have distinct names, as where one ruled, a Monarchy: where many of the best, Aristocracy: where the multitude, Democracy: and where all together, that is, a king, the nobilit…
But whether this authority to make laws, or the power to execute the same, shall be and remain in one person alone, or in many, it is not expressed, but left to the discretion of the people to make so many and so few, as…