More

In this obedyence Tyndale is yet content to haue a respecte to the benefytes that god worketh and shewyth the worlde thorow the powers and rewlers of the world, & putteth that for eyther the onely or the chyefe cause of hys obedyence, as he putteth it for the onely or chyefe cause of goddys commaundement. In whiche kynde of obedyence semeth not the greatest vertue, when a man obeyeth onely for hys owne aduauntage / but the very chrysten obedyence is to obaye specially for that god so cōmaundeth, and not so to serche and lymyte the cause of goddes cōmaundement / as he may therby take hymselfe & gyue to other an easy bolde occasyō to dysobaye, resyste, and rebell agaynst theyr hedys and rulers, pretendynge that they be not profytable.

Thys thynge meanyth Tyndale as it apperyth by hys wordes here in the cause of hys obedyence, to the powers and rulers of the worlde / & as it apperyth in dyuers other places of hys workes and Luther his maysters to. But god all though he wyll that the gouernours and rulers of the world sholde be good and profytable to the people / yet wyll he not that the people shall measure the dewty of theyr obedyence by the onely rule and measure of theyr owne profyte and cōmodyte / but that they shall obaye theyr prynces and other rulers and gouernours, bycause that they be theyr gouernours and rulers, and bycause that god hath so cōmaū ded. For yf they may measure theyr obedyēce by y• measure of theyr owne profyte as Tyndale telleth vs: they shall sone seke occasyon of sedycion, and therof do themselfe also more harme in one daye then sholde theyr ruler in many yeres, all were he ryght vnprofytable in dede / as apperyd by the vplandysshe Lutherans in Almayn, whyche measuryng theyr obedyence by Tyndalys rule gyuen them before by Tyndalys mayster / became all vnrulye and dysobeyd and rebellyd agaynst theyr rulers, and therby dysobeyd goddes commaundement, and brought therby the vengeaunce of god vppon theyr owne heddys, to the slaughter of aboue foure score thowsand of them in one sommer, & the remenaunt the worse entreated euer syns / and that hath made Luther and Tyndale a lytell to retreate syns and set a new glose therto y• will but shrewdly serue them as I shall shewe you when I come to the place hereafter in hys boke.