own nature are neither good nor yuel Paule as concernynge the vse of meates other whyles among the iewes was made as a iewe to thende y t he myzt wynne the iewes to Christ. Agayne among the geÌ„tyles he became a gen tile to wyn them also But it shulde be an vnsemely thing against rea son if any man no we a dayes also wolde lykewise amoÌ„g the iewes become a iewe abstaynyng from the meates whiche are forbydden nat lauful to be eaten among them 〈◊〉 he myght ronnein to the hatered of the iewes Ye moreouer Paule rebu keth Peter by canse that whan the doctryne of Christ was so publysshed and sprede abrode that it was mete accordynge for the iewes beyng taugh monisshed to haue forsaken caste away their superstitious weaknesse yet he lest he shuld haue offended the iewes dyde withdrawe him selfe from the company of the gentyles and wolde nat eate with them and so auoydyng to offende the iewes he fell in to a more greuous offendyng of the gentiles That tyme was as aman wolde say the infancy and fyrst age of the gospel And the relygion of y e lawe which they had lerned and receyued of their forefathers whiche also was confyrmed by long vsage and custom was so faste grounded and roted inwardly in y e myndes of the iewes that this affection for a season was to be pardoned to be suf fred in them for as moche as it dyd springe and ryse of an honest cause and coulde nat sodainly be agayne 〈◊〉 out of the myndes os men Moreouer of this offendyng great ieopardy shulde haue folowed ☞ The nation of the iewes which toughly cleued to the custome vsed of their forefathers was tourned to the hatered of the gospel The gentyles so hated and abhorred the bur thayn of Moyses lawe that many of them coulde fynde in their hertes rather to haue renouÌ„ced Christe agayne than to receyue the ceremonyes lawe of y e iewes And whan nothyng is more abhomynable thaÌ„ idolatry yet he that dydeate of the flesshe whiche was offred in sacryfyce to an idole at that tyme gaue a sykely occasyon to be suspected as though he dyd fauour and agree to the suê‘stition of them with whom he dyd eate And yet cryeth Paule euen in this also y e lawe to be abro gated and of no strength he cryeth that an ydole is nothynge that the flesshe offred to an idole is nothyng els but as other flesshe is he rebuketh that man who so euer wyttiÌ„gly offendeth his brother with his eatyng But agayne he chydeth hym whiche iugeth another maÌ„nes conscience in meate or drynke whiche speketh yuel of his brother for the meate sake for the which he gyueth thankes to the goodnesse lyberalyte of the lorde which hath created and made al thynges to the behoue and vse of men He scorneth the folysshe wysedome of them whiche as though they had taught a certayne great thyng dyd saye Touch nat taste nat handyl nat As the superstitious choyse of meates which the iewes vsed by the couÌ„sayle authorite of Paule hath begon to 〈◊〉 dispi sed after that y e gospel is nowe suffyciently publysshed openly knowen So of lykelyhode it semeth y t the meate offred to an ydole is to be dispysed seyng that it is nowe suffyciently knowen that christen men may with pure and clene conscience eate al maner of meates accordyng to the necessyte of the body gyueng thankes to him whiche hath ordayned and prouyded al thynges y t are in this worlde for his worshippers Whan he him selse is lorde of al thin ges and whiche wolde nothyng to be impure or vnclene to those persons whyche be pure and clene Wherfore to conclude seyng that the lauful cause to be offended cesseth Seyng also that the kyngdom of god is neither meate ne drinke seyng that the abstaynyng from certayne meates prouoketh the moste parte of ryche men to superfluyte delycate fare dothe cruelly greue and payn the poore men It is to be consydred and loked on whether we ought to stryue so greatly as we do for suche maner constitutions In that tyme wherof we spake before the apostels for a season dyd that thing which they thought most expedient for the fortherauÌ„ce of the gospel which than was yonge and newe begon Somwhat they applyed them selues to the affectioÌ„s of men remaynynge of the maner of lyueng whiche they had vsed aforetyme And that they so dyd it was but for a season of charite and not of right or necessyte and they dyde nat so in al thinges nor at al tymes neither yet without spekyng agaiÌ„nst suche infyrmite as we haue sayde before But no we adayes how for tuneth it that occasyon to be offeÌ„ded is takenne of suche thynges the vse wherof is nat forbydden by the gos pel but rather y e forbidders of them are condempned by the writynge of Paule the apostel Forbyddynge sayth he the meates whiche god hath created to be eaten and sorbyd dyng to mary or wedde Finally howe farforthe semeth the greuyng or offending of our neighbour to be auoyded Paule dyd forbeare and abstayne from y e flesshe which was offred to an idole but nat except he had ben warned afore that it was sacrifyced to ydoles But the same Paule dyde eate all maner meates askyng no question for hurtyng another mannes conscience And yet in this thynge wherof we do nowe speke the offendyng of other meÌ„nes conscieÌ„ce myght be auoyded without any great grefe or incoÌ„modite for he that for a season dyd refrayn from flesshe offred to an ydole had other flesshe at hande which he mizt 〈◊〉 If any man dyd 〈◊〉 froÌ„ builes flesshe whiche was offred to Neptunus he myght eate partrych or capon whiche was nat offred to any false god and yet dyd they nat so moche as abstayne from flesshe which was offred to idoles but one ly whan they sawe occasion Some man abstayned from swynes flessh and dyd eate a plouer But nowe a dayes whan for y e most parte of the hole yere the eatynge of al maner flesshe is forbydden thynkest thou it right or reason that I for y e weak nesse and superstityousnesse of this man or that shulde stande in ieoê‘dy of my helth and of my lyfe seing that by this tyme all christen men ought to haue ben taught that they shulde nat iuge their neyghbour by suche maner thynges But if it seme to be that chusten charite so mo che ought to apply it selfe to y e weke nesse of vnlerned or superstycyous persones that to auoyde the offendyng of them we wolde haue hym whiche is stronge in conscyence to ronne in to ieopardy of his helth or of his lyfe Why do we nat y t same in those thynges wherin is iust and manyfest occasyon of offendyng other men There be prelates of y e church whiche whan they haue yere ly rentes and possessyons so great that they maye compare in rychesse with any kynges yet neyther they
their proper holyday But if any of such maner thynges shalbe which shal seme that it may be wel holyly honoured It were ynough that holy day were solemly kepte in y e churches onely to which it myght be lauful for ryche men to come or who so euer els myght con uenieÌ„tly let nat the poore men be coÌ„pelled whose handes norissheth a great housholde And though these affections paraueÌ„ture are nat to be repreued yet ought nat the wysdom of the bysshops to sette so moche by them that forth with euery saynt euery relyke shulde haue his proper holyday his proper masse proper seruyce peculyare maner of worshippyng What other thing is this than to dryue coÌ„pel the poore people to famysshing whan that thing is taken from them wherwith onelye they norisshe their housholde or meyny ye moreouer as the worlde goth nowe a dayes what other thiÌ„g is it els than to prouoke cal y e peo ple from honest holy labours to ydelnesse ryotte For what dayes do we synne more in excesse dronknesse lechery at cardes dyce kels suche vnlaufull games in chidyng braulynge quarellyng fyghtynge and murder than on the holy days And of howe folysshe iugemeÌ„t and clene out of order are we here in this thyng If any man on the holyday be dronken from morne to nyght if he haue cleued to an hoore if he haue vsed vnlaufull games no man putteth him to any busynes or trou ble if he haue sowed but a shoe he is accused as an heretyke I say nat these thynges bycause I wolde that the lay people shulde dispyse the holydayes but bycause me thynketh that the sheê‘des of the church shulde do very wel if they vtterly dyd put downe suche maner halydayes the sonday onely excepted a fewe other priÌ„cipal dayes if in the same which they leaue vnput down they dyd suffre y e pore people after masse and the preachyng if nede requyred with their work labour to sucour their chyldren housholde 〈◊〉 tes or els to gete somwhat besydes that to besto we vpon poore folke But nowe oftentymes whan after an hole monehes rayne fortuneth one fayre day the husbaÌ„de man is coÌ„pelled to suffre his corne which is felde or cutte downe to lye rote in the feldes which in that same fayre day he myght haue caryed in to his barne that bycause of suche holy dayes whiche were neuer made by the auctorite of the olde fathers but brought in to say no worse nor to go any nerer the truth by y e carnal affectioÌ„s of certayn men These thiÌ„ges at the fyrste begynnynge crepe in by lytel lytel vnder the coloure or apparauÌ„ce of honestie vertue Afterwardes they spring flowen in more plentuously At the laste whan they be ones coÌ„fyrmed streÌ„thed by vsage custome they raign and occupyen tyranny so that than they can nat scarcely be layde down or taken away without great trou ble moche strife Wherfore the bysshops ought nat to loke besyde these thinges but dilygently straitly to loke vpon them at their fyrst comiÌ„g in for generally what so euer partayneth to the lawes of man are as remedies or salues vnto sycknesses or sores euyn so are they to be atteÌ„pred applyed to the present state of tymes thynges There be many thynges whiche in olde tyme it was a good godly thyng to instytute ordeyn whiche selfe same 〈◊〉 ges afterwarde for some occasyon spronge vp for the qualyte of tymes of mens maners chaunged to be abrogated dysanulled were a more godly thyng whiche thyng for al that ought not to be done by the rasshe presuÌ„ption of the people but by the auctoryte of the rulers that al sedition stryfe might be auoyded and the coÌ„men custome so chauÌ„ged that vnytie coÌ„corde were nat broken which thing lest it mizt happen prouisyon is to be made by the delygeÌ„ce of the bysshops whom it is nat mete any longer to stoppe their eares to wexe 〈◊〉 at y e iust and rightful coÌ„playntes of the people ParaueÌ„ture the same iugemeÌ„t is to be gyuen of y e wedlocke of prestes In the olde tyme as prestes were very fewe in nombre so were they very holy in their lyuyng The same that they myght the more frely gyue atteÌ„daunce to holy excercises pastymes wyllyng without any coÌ„ pulsyon kepte them selfes chaste And verely so great loue of chastite was among the fathers in y e olde tyme that certayn of theÌ„ were lothe to suffre any chrysten man to mary a wyfe if he had ben vnmaryed at the tyme of his baptyme And moche more lothe were they to suffre any to mary the seconde wyfe Than that thyng whiche semed coÌ„menda vse alowable in bisshops preestê was translated vnto the deacons at the last to subdeacons also The custome wyllyngly receyued was in conclusyon confyrmed and stablysshed by the authorite of the bysshoppes In the meane tyme the noÌ„bre of preestes encreased and the holy lyueng of them decreased Howe many swarmes of preestes are notysshed in monasteries howe many in colages besydes these there is an innumerable multytude of pÌ„stes eueri where And among so ma ny ho we gret scarcenesse is there of them which lyueth chastely I speke of them whiche kepeth concubynes opeÌ„ly at home in the stede of wyues for I do not no we touche nor medel with the mysteries of y e more secrete pleasures of the flesshe I do speke of those thiÌ„ges onely which be opeÌ„ly knowen to y e coÌ„men people And though we do knowe these thynges wel ynough yet are we in admyttiÌ„ge receyuyng them to holy orders very easy in the releasyng of the coÌ„stitution whiche forbyddeth preestes to haue wyues very harde and strayte whan Paule teacheth clene coÌ„trariwise that no man is swiftly to be promoted to holy orders in many places dilygently prescribeth and apoynteth what maner men pÌ„stes ought to be what maner men deacons but as coÌ„cernyng lyueng sole without wyues neither Christe neyther the apostels haue apoynted or sette any lawe in holy scrypture watchyng all the nyght long at the toumbes of martyrs which was in the olde tyme receyued vsed by the coÌ„men custom of christen men and that certayne huÌ„dred yeres dyd contynue the churche hath putte down many dayes ago Fastyng wont to be proloÌ„ged contynewed vntyl euiÌ„ tyde the churche hath translated to noon And many other thyngê for necessary causes rissen sprong vp the churche hath chauÌ„ged Why do we here cleue faste so obstynately to the coÌ„stytution of man namely seyng that so many causes doth requere a chauÌ„ge For fyrst a great parte of the preestes lyueth with yuel fame and with very vnquyete conscience entreate they dealeth with the holy mysteries Furthermore a gret ê‘te of the frute whiche shulde springe ryse of theÌ„ peryssheth bycause their doctryne is dispysed of y e people for their open
he hathe done If he whiche is offended or hurte wolde re fuse to obey the bysshop coÌ„maundyng him to remytte the veÌ„geaunce and to be at one agayne w t his neighbour It can not be douted but that for this disobedieÌ„ce he byndeth him selfe to the fyre of hell Why so Bycause this that the bysshop commauÌ„deth he coÌ„mauÌ„deth it accordiÌ„g to the doctryne of the gospel dothe rather offre put to him the coÌ„mauÌ„ dement of Christ than his own coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t But whether the same thyng be done in these thiÌ„ges wherof we nowe do speke let vs coÌ„syder for what so euer I shall say I wyll speke it nat as one affyrmyng but as one inquiryng serchynge out y t truthe afore y t a bysshop both most vertuous euyn so most exellently lerned This is of suretie that the most parte of these thynges wherof we do nowe speke came iÌ„ fyrst and were brought vp by custom Nowe whom custome dothe bynde and in 〈◊〉 thiÌ„ges howe forforth whaÌ„ and howe longe it where somwhat to long here to discusse Fyrste of al this thynge me semeth might be proued by reason that a custom bideth no man more straitly thaÌ„ their mynde wyl was whiche were the begynners fyrst bryngers vp of y e custom Let be excepted in y e meane season y e hurtyng of other mens coÌ„science contempte or dispisynge It is to be beleued that they whiche fyrst of their owne free wylles layd downe their substauÌ„ce riches at y e seete of the apostels dyd it for that purpose that who so euer wold nat do 〈◊〉 shulde be bouÌ„de to euer lastynge payne Or that they whiche fyrst began to abstayn from the eatyng of flesshe wolde be the begiÌ„ners of this custome with y e mynde and wil that who so euer afterwar de wolde nat do the same shulde be bouÌ„de to euerlastyng deth Nay I wene rather y t suche was their mide and suche their coÌ„munication that if they had sene any maÌ„ beyng wea ke feble in body whiche prouoked by their exaÌ„ple wold haue enforced to do the same they wolde haue mo nysshed and couÌ„seyled hym by these wordes Trewly beloued brother I whiche haue a body rebellious to the spirite nat without cause do cha stice punysshe my flesshe with fastes Thou hast a body both weake febly also obedyent ynough to the spirite whose weaknesse is to be cured rather than wantoÌ„nesse to be kepte vnder punysshed Wherfore prouyde se for the helth of thy body takyng suche meates mesura bly with gyueng thaÌ„ges to god whiche are mete for the that thy body may y e more lustely coragiously do seruyce to his spirite After su che facyon doth Paule couÌ„sayle his welbeloued Timothe that he shuld vse a lytel wyne for the weaknesse of his stomake often sickenesse diseases Nowe whether custome coÌ„trary to the wyl myndes of theÌ„ which haue ben the begynners of 〈◊〉 dothe bynde to ony synne lykewise as whan any maÌ„ monyssheth another of his mysdede although he do it nat for thentent that he whiche is monysshed shulde synne more greuously yet he whiche monysshed of his synne doth nat repent ameÌ„de synneth more greuously thaÌ„ he dyd before it is nat mete tyme nowe to discusse This onely is to be consy dred whether in these thynges whiche beynge of them selfe lauful are made vnlauful onely by the coÌ„stytution of man it was the mynde wyl of the bysshops popes whan they dyd coÌ„fyrme the custome receyued vsed that who so euer nat of any malycious coÌ„tempte but thorough frayltie negligence dyd nat obserue kepte the custom shuld be bouÌ„de to y e fyre of hel god is nat so cruel or veÌ„geable y e for euery lyght faute he wyl caste them in to helle whom he hath redemed w t his own blode He knoweth the weaknesse fraylte of his creature he suffreth many thynges in vs afore that he wyllcutte vs awaye from the body of his own sonne But who so euer coÌ„mytteth a deedly synne of the meÌ„ bre of Christ is made the meÌ„bre of the deuyl of the heyre of heueÌ„ly lyfe is made y t heyre of euerlastyng fyre Seynge than that the bysshops are succeded in to the roume of him whi che secheth to haue all men saued to distroy no man and if they bere fatherly affection towarde their flo cke coÌ„sydering also that their selues are men frayle weake in many thynges nedyng the mercy of god Howe is it lykely to be trewe that they were of this mynde that they wolde with their coÌ„stitutions made by them whiche are nought els but men bynde their brethern sonnes to euerlastyng payne namely seiÌ„g they may knowe euyn by their own myndes that the myndes of men be prone redy to synne ye oftenty mes are wonte to be styred prouoked to lust of synnyng so moche the more bycause they are forbydden Temporal laye princes whiche beareth a swerde by their office and whiche with feare punysshmeÌ„tes by their professyon holdeth the people backe from roÌ„nyng to moche at large yet wolde they nat although they myght the lawes whiche they ordayn make to be rigorus that the transgressour breaker of them shulde forth with lese his heed And yet can they kylle nothyng els but the body onely And do the bysshopes whose parte is to saue meÌ„ with the swerde of the worde of god for a lytes meate or drinke whiche Crist hath gyuen vs lyberte to take requere that the breker of their constitution shulde go bothe body soule in to y t fyre of hesle namely seynge that it lyeth in their power nat to cast on this boÌ„de or snare nor to bring men in to this great paryl icopardy Moreouer y e bondes of the EuaÌ„ gelical charite is greter than y e bon des of kynred the bondes of y e spi rite than the boÌ„des of the flesshe the bondes of god than of nature But what carnal father was there euer so cruel agaynst his sonnes y e is he had forbydden them y e driÌ„kyng of wyne lest at any tyme y e driÌ„kyng vnmesurably might cast them selues in to a feuer he wolde requyre that this his forbyddynge shulde be of so great streÌ„gth that if they dyd nat obey it they shulde suffre dethe namely seyng that they might driÌ„ke wyne safely ynough without any hurte so they drinke it mesurably No doute of it he wolde forbeare and refrayne from gyueng any suche coÌ„mauÌ„dement if he knewe that his sonnes shulde be in dauÌ„ger of so great paryl he had leuer that they shulde sal in to some feuer than to ronne in to ieoê‘dy of theyr lyfe Be sydes this I do nat suppose y e there is any man but he wyl graunt that the lawes of god which he him selfe made ordayned are more to be re graded set by than y e lawes made by