A14136:154
The Obedience of a Christian Man
The obedie[n]ce of a Christen man and how Christ[n] rulers ought to govern, where in also (if thou mark diligently) thou shalt find eyes to perceive the crafty conveyance of all jugglers.The obedie[n]ce of a Christen man and how Christe[n] rulers ought to governe, where in also (if thou marke diligently) thou shalt fynde eyes to perceave the crafty conveyance of all iugglers.
At Marlborow in the lande of Hesse i.e. Antwerp : the second day of October. Anno. M.CCCCC.xxviii, by me Hans luft i.e. J. Hoochstraten, 1528At Marlborow in the lande of Hesse i.e. Antwerp : the seconde daye of October. Anno. M.CCCCC.xxviii, by me Hans luft i.e. J. Hoochstraten, 1528
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
If any natural beest with his worldly wisdom stri•e / 1that one is greater then another / because that in congregations one is sent of another / as we see in the Acts. I answer that Peter sent no man / but was sent him self / and John was sent / and Paul / Silas and Barnabas ware sent. How be it such manner sendings are not worldly / as princes send their Ambassadors no nor as friars send their limiters to gather there brotherhoods which must obey whether they will or will not. Here all thing is free and willingly. And the holy ghost bringeth them together which maketh their wills free and ready to bestow them selves upon their neighbours profit. And they that come / offer them selves and all that they have or can do / to serve the lord and their brethren. And every man / as he is found apt and mete to serve his neighbour / so is he sent or put in office. And of the holy ghost are they sent with the consent of their brethren and with their own consent also. And Gods word ruleth in that congregation / unto which ⟨p. lx⟩word every man confirmeth his will. And Christ which is all way present is the head. 2But as our Bishops hear not Christs voice / so see they him not present: and therefore make them a God on the earth / of they 3kind (I suppose) of Aaron's calf. For he bringeth forth no other fruit but bulls.
Yf any natvrall beest with hys worldly wisdome stri•e / 1that one is greater then a nother / because that in congregations one is sente of a nother / as we se in the Actes. I answere that Peter sent no man / but was sent hym selfe / and Iohn was sent / and Paul / Sylas and Barnabas ware sent. How be it soch maner sendinges are not worldly / as princes sende their Ambasadours no ner as freres send their limyters to gather there bretherhedes which must obeye whether they will or will not. Here all thinge is fre and willingly. And the holy goost bringeth them to gether which maketh their willes fre and ready to bestow them selves apon their neybours profit. And they that come / offer them selves and all that they have or can doo / to serve the lorde and their brethern. And every man / as he is founde apte and mete to serve his neyboure / so is he sente or put in office. And of the holy goost are they sent with the consent of their brethern and with their awne consente also. And Gods worde ruleth in that congregacion / vnto which