A14136:244
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.
¶Of the sacraments. › ¶Of confession.¶Of the sacramentes. › ¶Of confession.
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.
1Shrift in the ear is verily a work of satan and that the falsest that ever was wrought and that most hath devoured the faith. It began among the greeks and was ⟨p. xcvij⟩not as it is now / to reckon all a mans since in the priests ear: but to axe counsel of such doubts as men had / as thou mayest see in saint Hierom and in other authors. Nether went they to priests only which were very few at that time / no moo than preached the word of God / for this so great vantage in so many masses saying was not yet found: but went indifferently / where they saw a good and a learned man.2 And for because of a little knavery which a deacon at Constantinople plaid through confession with one of the chief wives of the cite it was laid down again. But we Antichrists possession / the more knavery we see grow therefore daily / the more we stablish it. A christen man is a spiritual thing and hath Gods word in his heart and Gods sprite to certify him of all thing. He is not bound to come to any ear. And as for the reasons which they make are but persuasions of mans wisdom. First as pertaining unto the keys and manner of binding and loosing is enough above rehearsed and in other places. Thou mayest also see how the Apostles used them in the Acts and in Paulus pistles / how at the preaching of faith the sprite came and certified their hearts that they were justified through believing the promises.3
1Shrifte in the eare is verely a worke of sathan and that the falsest that ever was wroughte and that most hath devoured the fayth. It began amonge the grekes ād was ⟨p. xcvij⟩not as it is now / to reken all a mans synnes in the prestes eare: but to axe coūcel of soch doutes as men had / as thow maist se in saint Hierom and in other autours. Nether went they to prestes only which were very fewe at that tyme / no moo thē preached the worde of God / for this so greate vauntage in so many masses sayenge was not yet founde: but went indifferently / where they sawe a good and a lerned mā.