Phil. O blind ignorance, and ignorant blindness, with what eyes do those Owls look on the holy scripture? with what spirit doth that generation of vipers search and judge the most sacred word of God?1 With how filthy & unwashed feet do those swinish and beastlike parsons enter into the sweet and pleasant fountains of y• most pure scriptures? O Lord GOD, what dareth not blind Bayard attempt & take in hand?2 Christ came not into this world to reign, but to serve, not to be a temporal, but spiritual king, not to rule with the sword, but with ⟨image 59⟩the breath of his mouth, not to execute judgement on other, but to be judged him self, not to live as an earthly Prince, but as a ghostly minister of God's word, not to •lea, but to be slain. Therefore was it convenient, that he should fulfil his Fathers will, for the which he came down, & that once done to ascend & go up again unto the glory of his father. Which all these thin ges he did: living all the time that he was in this world humbly and meekly, showing ever obedience, reverence & honour to the magistrates although Heathen, even unto the very death. And as he came to serve and not to be served, to obey & not to be obeyed, so taught he his disciples when they began to contend of superiority, to be humble, lowly, meek, gentle, obedient, and not to go about any temporal primacy, which only pertaineth to the civil ⟨image 59⟩magistrates, but to be content with their office,3 which was to preach Gods word, to open the mysteries of Christs kingdom, to reprove the world of sin and unfaithfulness, to fight with the sword of God's word, to use not carnal but spiritual armours, to bring a gain such as were gone astray. To be short, wholly to be bent to enlarge the kingdom of God, and the glory of Christs Gospel. This destroyeth not, but rather magnifieth the authority of the high powers, seeing Christ willed them not to take upon them the office of temporal regiment contrary to equity,4 but only to be as servants & dispensators of the mysteries of GOD. And come of a good fellowship, did Christ at any time show him self disobedient to the public magistrates & head officers? Did not he confess that the power, which Pilate the Judge had ⟨image 60⟩over him,5 was given him from above. Note that well, I pray you, and bear it away.6 Did not he also pay tribute to Cesar, & willed other to do so likewise?
Phil. O blynde ignorancye, and ignorante blyndnes, with what eyes do those Owles loke on ye holy scripture? wt what spirite dothe that generacion of vipers searche and iudge ye moost sacred word of God?1 With how fylthy & vnwasshed feete do those swynysh and beastlike parsonnes enter into the swete and pleasaunt fountaynes of y• moost pure scriptures? O Lorde GOD, what dareth not blynde Bayard attempte & take in hande?2 Christe came not into thys worlde to reygne, but to serue, not to be a tēporall, but spiritual king, not to rule with the swerde, but wt ⟨image 59⟩the breath of his mouth, not to execute iudgemente on other, but to be iudged hī selfe, not to lyue as an erthly Prynce, but as a ghostly minister of Goddes worde, not to •lea, but to be slayne. Therfore was it conuenient, that he shoulde fulfyll his Fathers wyll, for the whiche he came downe, & that once done to ascende & go vp agayne vnto the glory of his father. Which all these thī ges he dyd: lyuynge all the tyme yt he was in this worlde humbly and mekely, shewynge euer obedience, reuerence & honour to the magistrates although Hethen, euen vnto ye very deth. And as he came to serue and not to be serued, to obeye & not to be obeyed, so taught he his disciples whan they began to contende of superiorite, to be humble, lowly, meke, gentle, obediente, and not to go aboute ony temporall primacye, which only pertaineth to the ciuile ⟨image 59⟩magistrates, but to be contente wt theyr offyce,3 whiche was to preache Gods worde, to open the misteries of Christes kyngedome, to reproue the world of synne and vnfaythfulnes, to fyght with the swerd of goddes word, to vse not carnal but spirituall armours, to bryng a gayne suche as were gone astraye. To be shorte, wholly to be bent to enlarge the kyngedome of God, and the glory of Christes Gospel. This destroyeth not, but rather magnifieth the authorite of ye hygh powers, seinge Christ wylled them not to take vpō them the office of temporal regimēt cōtrary to equite,4 but only to be as seruauntes & dispensatours of the misteries of GOD. And come of a good felawshyp, dyd Christe at ony tyme shewe hym selfe disobediente to the publique magistrates & head officers? Dyd not he confesse that ye power, which Pylate ye Iudge had
- 1The confutation.The confutacion.
- 2Mark well.
- 3The office of christs Apostles.The office of christes Apos•les.
- 4i. Cor. iiii.
- 5Joan. xix.Ioan. xix.
- 6Math. xxii. Mark. xii. Luke. xx.
