A14136:408
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.
Then followeth the cause why lay men can not rule temporal offices which is the falsehood of the Bishops. There shalt thou find of miracles and ceremonies without signification / of false anointing and lying signs and false names and how the spirituality are disguised in falsehood / and how they roll the people in darkness & do all thing in the latin tongue and of their petty pillage / Their polling is like a sucking consumciō where in a man complaineth of feebleness and of faintness and wotteth not whence his disease cometh: it is like a pock that fretteth inward and consumeth the very marry of the bones.
Thē foloweth ye cause why laye mē cā not rule temperall offices which is the falsheed of the Bisshopes. There shalt thou fynde of miracles and cerimonyes without significacion / of false annoyntynge and lyenge signes and false names ād how the spiritualte are disgised in falsheed / and how they rowle the people in darknes & do all thinge in the latine tōge ād of their pety pyllage / Their pollinge is like a sokynge consumciō where in a mā complayneth of feblenes ād of fayntynes and wotteth not whence his discease cometh: it is lyke a pocke that freateth inwarde and consumeth the very mary of the bones.
There seest thou the cause why it is impossible for kings to come to the knowledge of the truth. For the sprites lay await for them and serve their appetites at all points and through confession by and sell and betray both them / and all their true friends and lay baits for them and never leave them till they have blinded them ⟨p. clx⟩with their sophistry and have brought them in to their nets. And then when the king is captive they compel all the rest with violence of his sword. For if any man will not obey them be it right or wrong they city him / suspend him and curse or excommunicate him. If he then obey not they deliver him to Pilate / that is to say / unto the temporal officers to destroy him. Last of all there findest thou the very cause of all persecution / which is the preaching against hypocrisy.