The summe of the holye scripture and ordinarye of the Christen teachyng, the true Christen faithe, by the whiche we be all iustified. And of the vertue of baptesme, after the teaching of the Gospell and of the Apostles, with an informacyon howe all estates shulde lyve accordynge to the Gospell.

¶Howe that we must paye taxes and subsidies yn ayde vnto oure prynces. Chap∣tre .xxviij. (Book 28)

WHen saint Paole had converted the gentiles vnto the christen fa¦yth: then thought the Christen (seing that nowe they had got∣ten god for theyre lorde) that they shulde be delyuered from theyre erthly lordes / ād that it shuld be no more nedefull vnto thē to honoure theyre temporall lordes nor to pay vnto theym taxes or tailles. whiche opinion Saynt Paule reproved writing vnto the Romayns.* 1.1 And albeit that God almighty hath delivered you by his son∣ne Iesu Christ from your sinnes ād from the subiection of the devill / ye may not thinke that ye be therby delivered from

••he obedience ond service of your princes ••nd lordes of this worlde. For the ••ervice that ye do vnto youre princes ys ••ot hurfull vnto your helth. Hit can but ••nely hurt or greve your body and tem∣••orall goodes if percase ye did paye vnto ••heym eny taxes or subsidies / when they ••ad no nede to requyre it. For these thin∣••s ye shall not therfore murmure / nor ••udge ageynst the punissaunces / nether 〈◊〉〈◊〉 rebell ageynst theym albeit that it so we 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that they were uerey tirauntes / to thin∣••ut that ye sterre theym not to more gret∣•••• anger / wherby they shulde take occa∣••on to do the more gretter oppressyon and ••yefe vnto the christen. For ye must al∣••••yes laboure to give good ensample vn¦••other by your paciēce for to drawe your ••des after that maner from theire evill li¦••as they shall se and beholde your holy & ••••fible conuersacion.

And therfore to him that exeth you taxe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••subsidye ye shall give it him. In all 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thinges shall ye be obediēt vnto your ••des although they were paynems / to ••ntent that by that meanes ye may dra∣•••• theym vnto the christen faith.

This is thobedience that saint Paul•• speketh of in the sayd Chaptre. After thi•• maner was our saviour Christ obedyen vnto the temporall puissaunce / and pay•• the tribute money for him silf and for sain•• Peter.* 1.2 Not that he owed it but bycaus•• he wolde gyve noman occasion to be offe••••ded. This shuld all the christen considre•• kepe theym silves from murmuryng an•• grudging when subsidie or taxacion is a••••ed of theym. But when they axe nough•• thou owest theym nought bifore god. fo•• as Christ was passed by theym that axe•• tribute he profered theym none / for he owed theym none / but when yt was axed / he payed it / as we have sayde byfore. And the lordes ought to be well ware that they oppresse not theyr subiec∣tes / for therof they shall yeld a streyte acco∣mpt bifore God.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ro. 13
• * 1.2

  Mat .17.