vnto the Kynges hyghneſſe.
of the holyeſt men. + Aaron was obedient vnto Moſes, and cal led hym his lorde, though he was his owne brother.[1] Eleaſar and Phineas were vnder the obediēce of Joſua. + Nathan the prophete fell downe to the grounde before kynge Dauid, he had his Prynce in ſuch reuerence(He made not the kynge for to kyſſe his fote as the byſſoppe of Rome maketh Emperours to do) Not withſtondynge he ſpared not to rebuke hym, and that ryght ſharply whan he fell from the worde of God to adultery and manſlaughter. For he was not afrayed to reproue hym of his ſinnes, nomore than Helyas the prophete ſtode in feare to ſaye vnto kynge Achab: + It is thou and thy fathers houſe that trouble Iſrael, becauſe ye haue forſaken ye commaundementes of the Lorde, and walke after Baal. And as Johan Baptyſte durſt ſaye vnto Kynge Herode: It is not lawful for the to take thy brothers wyfe. But to my purpoſe I paſſe ouer innumerable mo enſāples both of the olde. Teſtament and of the new, for feare leſt I be to tedyous vnto your grace. Sūma, in all godly regimentes of olde tyme the kynge and tēporall iudge was obeyed of euery man, and was alwaye vnder God the chefe and ſuppreme heade of the whole congregacyon, and depoſed euen preſtes whan he ſawe an vrgent cauſe, as Salomon dyd vnto Abiathar, who coulde than ſtonde agaynſt the godly obedience of his prynce(excepte he woulde be at defyaunce with God and all his holy ordynaunces)[2] that were well acquaynted with the holy ſcripture, which ſo earneſtly cōmendeth vnto euery one of vs the auctorite and power geuen of God vnto kynges and temporall rulers. Therfore doth Moſes ſo ſtrately forbyde the Iſraelites to ſpeake ſo moche as an euell worde agaynſt the prynce of ye people, moche leſſe than to diſobeye hym, or to withſtonde hym.[3] Doth not Jeremy the prophete and Baruc alſo exhorte the people in captiuite, to praye for the proſperous welfare of the kynge of Babilon, and to obeye hym, though he was an infidele: In the new Teſtament whā oure ſauioure Chriſt(beyng yet fre & Lorde of al kynges & prynces) ſhewed his obedience in payenge the trybute to oure enſample, + dyd he not a miracle there in puttynge the pece of money in the fyſſhes mouth(that Peter myght paye the cuſtomer therwith) and all to ſtablyſſhe the obedience due vnto prynces: + Dyd not Joſeph and Mary the mother of our ſauiour Chriſt departe frō Nazareth vnto Bethleē, ſo farre from home, to ſhewe theyr obedience in payenge the taxe to the prynce?[4] And wolde not oure Sauioure be borne in the ſame obedience: + Doth not Paule pronounce hym to reſyſte God hym ſelfe, that reſyſteth the auctorite of hes prynce?[5] And (to be ſhorte) the Apoſtle Peter dothe not onely ſtablyſſhe the obedience vnto prynces and temporall rulers but affirmeth playnly the kynge(and no byſſhoppe) to be the chefe heade.[6] Innumerable places mo are there in ſcripture, which bynde vs to the obedience of oure prynce, and declare vnto vs, that no man is nor can be lawfully excepte from the ſame: but that all the myniſters of Goddes worde are vnder the tēporall ſwerde: & Prynces onely to owe obedience vnto God & his worde.
And where as Anthicriſt vnto youre graces tyme dyd thruſt his heade into ye imperiall crowne of your hyghnes(as he doth yet with other noble prynces mo) that lerned he of Sathā the authour of pryde, and therfor doth he both agaynſt the doctryne & alſo agaynſt ye enſample of Chriſte: whiche becauſe his kyngdome was not of this worlde, medled with no temporal matters, as it is euydent both by his wordes and practyſe: Luc. xii. Math. xxvi. Joh. vi. Joh. xviii. where he yt hath eyes to ſe, maye ſe: & he yt hath eares to heare, maye heare, yt Chriſtes admyniſtracion was nothyng tēporall, but playne ſpiritual, as he hym ſelfe affirmeth & proueth in the fourth chapter of ſaynt Luke out of the prophete Eſay: where all byſſhoppes and preſtes maye ſe, how farre theyr byndynge and lowſynge extendeth, and where in theyr office conſiſteth, namely in preachynge the Goſpell, &c.
Wherfore(moſt gracyous prynce) there is no tonge I thynke, that can fully expreſſe and declare the vntollerable iniuries, which haue bene done vnto God, to al prynces and to the comynalties of all chriſten realmes, ſence they which ſhulde be onely the miniſters of Gods worde, became lordes of the worlde, and thruſt ye true
