Therfore, to these last soueraignes, neither men nor women that be subiect, owe to obey in two maners.MarginaliaHe meaneth Prelates that be vnuertuous. To vertuous soueraignes and charitable, subiectes owe to obey wilfully and gladly, in hearyng of their good counsel, in consentyng to their charitable biddynges, & in working after their frutefull workes. This sentence, Paul approueth where he sayth to subiectes. Be ye mindeful of your soueraignes, that speake to you the worde of God, and folowe you the fayth of them, whose conuersation you know to be vertuous. For as Paul sayth, after these soueraignes, to whom subiectes owe to obey in folowyng of their maners: worke besely in holy studying, how they may withstād and destroy vices, first in them selues, and after in all their subiectes, and how they may best plant in thē vertues. Also these soueraigns, make deuout and feruent prayers for to purchase grace of God, that they and their subiectes may ouer all thyng, dread to offende him, and to loue for to please him. Also these soueraignes to whom Paul biddeth vs obey, as it is sayd before, liue so vertuously: that all they that will lyue well, may take of them good example, to know & to kepe the commaūdemētes of God. MarginaliaTwo maner of obeying: 1. in folowing their doinges and examples. 2. in suffryng theyr wronges.But in this foresayd wise, subiectes ought not to obeye nor to be obedient to tyrauntes, while they are vitious tyraunts, since their will, their counsel, their biddynges, and their workes are so vitious, that they ought to be hated and left. And though such tyraunts be maisterful and cruel in boastyng & manasing, in oppressions & diuers punishings: S. Peter byddeth þ^e seruants of such tyrants, to obey meekely such tyrants, suffryng paciently their malicious cruelnes. MarginaliaWicked rulers are not to be followed in euill.But Peter counselleth not any seruant or subiect, to obey to any lord or Prince, or soueraigne in any thyng that is not pleasyng to God.

And the Archbyshop sayd vnto me. If a soueraygne byd hys subiect do that thyng that is vicious, this soueraigne herein is to blame: but the subiect for his obediēce, deserueth meede of God.MarginaliaWell reasoned my Lord and lyke a clarke. For obedience pleaseth more to God, than any sacrifice.

And I sayd. Samuell the Prophet sayd to Saul the wicked kyng, that God was more pleased with the obediēce of his commaundement, then with any sacrifice of beastes. But Dauid sayth, and S. Paul, and S. Gregory accordingly together, that not onely they that do euil, are worthy of death & dāpnation: but also they that consent to euill doers. MarginaliaObedience not to be geuē, but in thinges leful and lawfull.And Syr, the law of holy churche teacheth in the decrees, that no seruaunt to his Lorde, nor childe to the father or mother, nor wife to her husband, nor monke to his Abbot, ought to obey, excepte in lefull thynges, and lawfull.

And the Archbishop sayd to me. All these alledginges that thou bryngest forth, are not els but proude presumptuousnesse. MarginaliaAll is presumption that standeth against your maisterful ambition.For hereby thou enforcest thee to proue, that thou and such other are so iust, that ye ought not to obey to prelates. And thus agaynst the learnyng of Saint Paul that teacheth you not to preache, but if ye were sēt: of your owne authoritie, ye wil go forth and preach, and do what ye list.MarginaliaPriestes in that thei take priesthoode, they are sent to preach.And I sayd. Syr, presenteth not euery priest the office of the Apostles, or the office of the disciples of Christ? And the Archbishop sayd, ye.

MarginaliaMath. 10.
Marke. vlt.
Luke. 10.And I sayd. Syr as the tenth chapter of Mathew, and the last chapter of Marke witnesseth: Christ sent his Apostles for to preache. And the tenth chapter of Luke witnesseth, that Christ sent his two and seuentie disciples for to preach, in euery place that Christ was to come to. MarginaliaThe office of priesthoode is the office of preaching.And S. Gregory in the common law sayth, that euery man that goeth to priesthoode, taketh vpon hym the office of preachyng: For as he sayth, that priest stirreth God to great wrath, of whose mouth is not heard the voyce of preachyng. And as other more gloses vpon Ezechiel, witnesse: that the priest that preacheth not busily to the people, shall be partaker of their dampnation that perishe thorowe his default. And though the people bee saued byother speciall grace of God then by þ^e priestes preaching, yet the priestes, in that they are ordained to preache, and preache not, as before God, they are manslears. MarginaliaPriestes that preach not, be slayers of the people.For as farre as in them is, such priests as preach not busily and truly, sleieth all the people ghostly: in that they withhold from them the worde of God, that is lyfe and sustenaūce of mens soules. MarginaliaIsidorus.And S. Isidore sayd, priests shalbe dampned, for wickednesse of the people, if they teach not them that are ignoraunt, or blame not them that are synners. Marginalia Doctrine of fayth.
Discipline of workes.For all the worke or busines of priests, standeth in preachyng and teachyng, that they edifie all men, as well by cunnyng of fayth, as by discipline of workes, that is vertuous teachyng. And as the Gospell witnesseth: Christ sayd in hys teachyng. I am borne and comen into this worlde, to beare witnesse to the truth, and he that is of the truth, heareth my voyce.

MarginaliaPriestes not onely sente to preach, but commaunded to preach.Thē Syr, since by the worde of Christ specially, that is his voyce, priestes are commaunded to preache? what soeuer priest that it bee, that hath not good will and full purpose to do thus, and ableth not him selfe after his connyng and power to do his office by the example of Christ and of his Apostles: what soeuer other thyng that he dothe, displeaseth God. MarginaliaGregoriusFor loe, S. Gregory sayth, that thyng left, that a man is bounde chiefly to do, what soeuer other thyng that a man doth: it is vnthankeful to the holy ghost: and therfore sayth Lincolne. MarginaliaLincolniensis.That prist that preacheth not the woorde of God, thoughe he be seen to haue none other default, he is Antichrist and Sathanas, A night theef, & a day thefe, a slayer of soules, and an angell of light turned into darkenes. MarginaliaWhatsoeuer a man doth leauing that vndon which he is chieflye bounde to do, is sinne.Wherfore Syr, these authorities and other well considered, I deeme my selfe dampnable, if I other for pleasure or displeasure of any creature, apply me not diligently to preach the worde of God. And in the same dānation I deeme all those priests, whiche of good purpose and will, enforce them not busily to do thus, and also all them, that haue purpose or wil to let any priest of this busines.

And the Archbishop sayd to those iij. clarkes that stode before hym. MarginaliaYet this bishop plucketh hym not by the beard, nor burneth not of hys hande, as Boner did.Lo Syrs, this is the maner and businesse of this Losell and such other, to picke out such sharpe sentences of holy Scripture and of doctours, to maintain their secte and lore agaynst the ordinaunce of holy church. And therfore Losell, it is thou that couetest to haue agayn the Psalter that I made to be taken from thee at Canterbury, to recorde sharpe verses agaynst vs. MarginaliaHoly church.But thou shalt neuer haue that Psalter, nor none other booke, til that I knowe that thy hart and thy mouth accorde fully, to bee gouerned by holy churche.

And I sayd. Syr, all my will and power is, and euer shalbe (I trust to God) to be gouerned by holy churche.

And the Archbishop asked me, what was holy church.

And I sayd, Syr I told you before, what was holy church. But since ye aske me this demaūd: I call Christ and his saintes holy churche.

And the Archbishop sayd vnto me. I wotte well that Christ and his saintes are holy churche in heauen, but what is holy churche in earth?

Marginalia2 partes of the church.And I sayd. Syr, though holy church be euery one in charity, yet it hath two partes. The first and principall parte, hath ouercomen perfectly all the wretchednesse of this lyfe, & raigneth ioyfully in heauen with Christ. And the other part is here yet in earth, busily and continually fighting day and nyght, agaynst tēptations of the fiend: forsakyng and hatyng the prosperity of this world, despising and withstandyng their fleshly lustes, whiche onely are the pilgrimes of Christ, wanderyng toward heauen by stedfast faith, and grounded hope, and by perfect charitie. For these heauely pilgrimes, may not, nor wil not, be letted of their good purpose, by the reason of any doctours discordyng fro holy Scripture, nor by the floudes of any tribulation temporall, nor by the winde of any pride, of boast, or of manasyng of any creature: For they