A14136:409
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.
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.
There seyst thou the cause why it is impossible for kynges to come to the knowleage of the trouth. For the sprites laye awayte for them and serve their appetites at all poyntes and thorow confession by and sell and betraye both them / and all their true frendes and laye beytes for them and never leve them tyll they have blynded them ⟨p. clx⟩with their sophistry and have broughte them in to their nettes. And then when the kynge is captive they compell all the rest with violence of his swerde. For yf any mā will not obeye them be it ryght or wronge they cyte hym / suspende him and curse or excomunicate hym. Yf he then obey not they delyver him to Pilate / that is to saye / vnto the temporall officers to destroye him. Last of all there fyndest thou the very cause of all persecucion / which is the preachinge agenst ypocrisy.
Then come we to the sacraments / where thou seest that the work of the sacrament saveth not / but the faith in the promise which the sacrament signifieth justifieth us only. There hast thou that a priest is but a servant to teach only and what so ever he taketh upon him more then to preach and to minister the sacraments of Christ (which is also preaching) is falsehood.