The Obedience of a Christian Man

I showed also that the law and the king are to be feared / as things that were given in fire and in thunder and lightening and terrible signs. I showed the cause why rulers are evil and by what means we might obtain better. I showed also how wholesome those bitter medicines evil princes are to right Christen men.

I shewed also that the law and the kynge are to be feared / as thinges that were geven in fyre and in thōder and lyghtenynge and terreble signes. I shewed the cause why rulers are evell ād by what meanes we myght obtayne better. I shewed also how wholsome those bitter medicines evyll princes are to ryghte Christen men.

I declared how they which God hath made governors in the world ought to rule if they be christen. They ought to remember ye they are heeds & arms / to defend the body to minister peace health & wealth and even to save the body / and that they have received their offices of god to minister & to do service unto their brethren. King subject / Master servant / are names in the world: but not in christ. In Christ we are all one & even brethren No man is his own but we are all christs servants bought with christs blood. Therefore ought no man to seek him self or his own profit: but Christ and his will. In Christ no man ruleth as a king his subjects or a master his servants: but serveth as one hand doeth to another and as the hands do unto the feet and the feet to the hands / as thou seest .j. Cori. xij. We also serve not as servants unto masters: but as they which are bought with Christs blood serve Christ him self. We be here all servants ⟨p. cliiij⟩unto Christ. For what so ever we do one to another in Christs name that do we unto Christ / and the reward of that shall we receive of Christ. The king counteth his commons Christ him self and therefore doeth them service willingly seeking no more of them then is sufficient to maintain peace and unite and to defend the Realm. And they obey again willingly & lovingly as unto Christ. And of Christ every man seeketh his reward.

I declared how they which God hath made governers in ye worlde oughte to rule yf they be christē. They ought to remēbre ye they are heedes & armes / to defende ye body to mynister peace health & wealth ād evē to save ye body / ād yt they have receaved their offices of god to mynister & to doo service vnto their brethern. Kīge subiecte / Master servaūte / are names in ye worlde: but not in christe. In Christe we are all one & evē brethern No mā is his awne but we are all christes servaūtes bought with christes bloude. Therfore oughte no mā to seke hym selfe or his awne profite: but Christe and his will. In Christe no man ruleth as a kynge his subiectes or a master his servauntes: but serveth as one hande doeth to a nother and as the handes doo vnto the fete and the fete to the handes / as thou seist .j. Cori. xij. We also serve not as servaūtes vnto masters: but as they which are bought with Christes bloude serve Christe hym selfe. We be here all servauntes