A14136:387
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.
I declared that God hath taken all vengeance in to his own hands / and will avenge all onryght himself: ether by the powers or officers which are appointed there to or else / if they be negligent / he will send his curses upon the transgressors and ⟨p. Clij⟩destroy them with his secret judgements. I showed also that whosoever avengeth him self is damned in the dead doing and falleth in to the hands of the temporal sword / because he taketh the office of God upon him and robbeth God of his most hie honour in that he will not patiently abide his judgement. I showed you of the authority of princes / how they are in Gods stead and how they may not be resisted do they never so evil / they must be reserved unto the wrath of God. Never the later if they command to do evil we must then disobey and say we are other wise commanded of God: but not to rise against them. They will kill us then sayest thou. Therefore / I say is a christen called / to suffer even the bitter death for his hopes sake and because he will do no evil. I showed also that the kings and rulers be they never so evil are yet a great gift of the goodness of god / and defend us from a thousand things that we see not.
I declared that God hath taken all vengeaunce in to his awne handes / and will avenge all onryght himselfe: ether by the powers or officers which are appoynted there to or else / yf they be negligente / he will sende his curses apon the transgressours and ⟨p. Clij⟩destroye them with his secret iudgementes. I shewed also that whosoever avengeth him selfe is damned in the deade doinge and falleth in to the handes of the temperall swerde / because he taketh the office of God apon hym and robbeth God of his most hie honoure in that he will not paciently abyde his iudgemente. I shewed you of the auctorite of princes / how they are in Gods stede and how they maye not be resisted do they never so evell / they must be resarved vnto the wrath of God. Never the later yf they commaunde to doo evell we must then disobey and saye we are other wise commaundet of God: but not to ryse agenste them. They will kyll vs then sayest thou. Therefore / I saye is a christen called / to sofre even the bitter deeth for his hopes sake and because he will doo no evyll. I shewed also that the kynges and rulers be they never so evell are yet a great gyfte of the goodnes of god / and defende vs frō a thousande thinges that we se not.