A14136:195
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.
And let the kings put down some of their tyranny / and turn some unto a commonwealth. If the tenth part of such tyranny were given the king yearly and laid up in the shire towns against the realm had need / what would it grow to in certain years? More over one king / one law / is Gods ordinance in every realm. 1Therefore ought not the king / to suffer them to have a several law by them selves and to draw his ⟨p. lxxix⟩subjects thither. Hit is not mete / will they say that a 2spiritual man should be judged of a worldly or a temporal man.3O abomination: see how they divide and separate them selves? If the lay man be of the world / so is he not of God. If he believe in Christ / then is he a member of Christ / Christs brother / Christs flesh / Christs blood / Christs spouse / coheir with Christ and hath his sprite in earnest and is also spiritual. If they would rob us of the sprite of God / why should they fear to rob us of worldly goods? Be cause thou art put in office to preach Gods word / art thou therefore no more one of thy brethren? is the Mayor of London no more one of the Cite / because he is the chief officer? Is the king no more of the realm because he is heed there of. 4The king is in the room of God / and his law is Gods law and no thing but the law of nature and natural equity which God graved in the hearts of men. Yet Antichrist is to good to be judged by the law of God he must have a new of his own making It were mete verily that they went to no law at all. No more needed they / if the would study to preach Gods word truly and be content with sufficient and to be like one of their brethren.
And let the kynges put doune some of their tyrany / and turne some vnto a comenwelth. Yf the tenth parte of soch tyrany were geven the kynge yerely and leyd vppe in the shyre tounes agenst the realme had neade / what wold it growe to in certen yeres? Moare over one kynge / one lawe / is Gods ordinaūce in every realme. 1