A14136:325
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.
¶Prayer.
OF prayer and good deeds and of the order of love or charity I have abundantly written in my book of the justifying of faith. Never the later that thou mayest see what the prayers and good works of our monks and friars and of other ghostly people are worth / I will speak a word or two and make an end. Paul saith Gal. iij. All ye are the sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ. For all ye that are baptised have put Christ on you (that is ye are become Christ him self) There is no Jew (saith he) nether greek: nether bond nor free: nether man nor woman: but ye are all 1one thing in Christ Jesus. In Christ there is nether french nor english: but the frenchman is the Englishman's own self / and the english the Frenchman's own self. In Christ there is nether father / nor son: nether master: nor servant: nether husband / nor wife: nether king / nor subject: but the father is the ⟨p. cxxiiij⟩sons self and the son the fathers own self / and the king is the subjects own self / and the subject is the kings own self / and so forth. I am thou thy self and thou art I my self and can be no near of kin. We are all the sons of God all Christs servants bought with his blood and every man to other Christ his own self. And Collo. iij. Ye have put on the new man which is renewed in the knowledge of God after the image of him that made him (that is to say Christ) where is (saith he) nether greek nor Jew / circumcision nor uncircumcision / barbarous or Scythian / bond or free: but 2Christ is all in all things. I love thee not now because thou art my father and hast done so much for me or my mother and hast borne me and given me suck of thy breasts (for so do Jews and saracens) but because of the great love that Christ hath showed me. I serve thee not be cause thou art my master or my king / for hope of reward or fear of pain / but for the love of Christ. For the children of faith are under no law (as thou seest in the Pistles to the Romans to the Galatians / in the first to Timoth. but are free.