The mynd and exposition of that excellente learned man Martyn Bucer / vppon these wordes of S. Mathew Woo be to the wordle bycause of offences Math. xviij Faythfully translated in to Englishe by a faythfull brother with certayne obiections answeres to the same Mathew 15. Euerye plante that my heauenly Father hathe not planted shall be pluckt vp by the rotes ¶ Printed at Emden 1566. ¶ To the godlie Reader VNderstandinge dearly beloued in the Lord Iesus by a faithfull brother of the contention that nowe is in my natiue countrie concerninge popish apparrell and ceremonies to the greate greife sorowe of the godlie and to the reioysinge of the enemies whiche hopeth dayly for the rest of theyr father dregges I thought it mete as one wyshing good to my countrie to translate the worke of that excellent instrumente of the Lordes vinyarde Martyn Bucer entreatinge vpon the wordes of our Sauyour wrytten by S. Mathew in the .xviij chap. sayenge Woo be vnto the wordle bycause of offences wherin he declareth not only what an offence is how it is taken but also as occasione dothe serue cōcerning rites and ceremonies of the churche to the great comfort of the godlye Wylling and requyring that ye stand fast in the lybertie wherwith Christ Iesus hath made you free and wrappe not your selues in the yoke of bondage For it is not nowe tyme to slippe backe from the lybertie of the Gospell but manfully to abyde therin yea euen though it be with lyfe to confirme the same as worthie souldiars in Christes church alwaies lokinge for the comyng of our Sauyour Iesus Thus fare ye well The mynd and exposition of that excellente learned man Martin Bucer vppon thes wordes of Mathew Woo be to the world because of offences Math. xviij HEre Christ speaketh not of suche offences as the good are wonte to geue vnto the euill but of suche as the euill geue vnto the good or to those that endevour to become good godlye These offences as may be gathered by the places of scripture which make mencion therof are what thinges so euer be spoken or done geuinge any occasion of synne either because they are euyll of them selues or elles because they are not discretly done and accordinge to Christian charitie For this cause Paul in the .2 epist .6 chap. to the Corinth exhortynge vs that in nothynge we geue occasion of offence dothe declare by those thinges which he mencioneth by by after that then we geue no offence at all when we approue our selues in all thinges as the ministers of God that is to say when we so behaue our selues in all thinges which we either speake or do that they may make to edification and appeare to be done in the spirite of Christ Where vppon we may take that to be an offence the definicion of an offence what soeuer we say or do that maketh not to the furtherance of Godes glorie and the saluation of our brethren procedyng of a sound and vnfayned fayth and ordred accordinge to syncere and true loue Nowe this mynde and purpose all the wicked haue not I meane to do all thynges to the glorie of God and the cōmoditie of men and therfore not only all that they speake or do may well be called offences but they themselues also because their whole lyfe is nothinge elles but an offence are of the Lord hym self before in the .13 chap. called an offence Seynge therfore the world is nowe full of such offendors it is not without great cause that the Lord here saith It is nedfull that offences should come For seyng there be so many euill trees there muste needes be great abundance of euill fruite also Moreouer euen the verie electe because they are neuer free frō synne being alwaies compelled to say Forgeue vs oure trespasses as we forgyue them that trespasse against vs do gyue many occasions of offence when so euer they speake or do any thyng that procedeth not of faith and loue Therfore Paul exhorteth and beseche those men to beware that they receiue not the grace of God in vayne geuing occasion of offence to no man He exhorteth vs also to the same thinge as often as he willeth vs to walke circumspectlie warely folowing in all thinges the will of God For we are planted to this ende that we should beare fruite and bringe many to true righteousnes and godlines wherfore yf we committe any thinge either in word or deed which tendeth not to this ende we geue therin occasion of offence and do contrarie to our vocation and forsakinge the kyngdom of Christ we promote the kingdome of Sathan which thinge howe horrible it ys for a Christian man to do who seeth not For this cause S. Paul in the xiiij to the Rom. and in the .j. epist .viij. chap. to the Corint Vehemently detesteth euen those offences which they that vndiscretly vse the Christian libertie gyue vnto the weake by suche thinges as of themselues in dede are not euyll but yet are not done accordinge to charitie When the newe Testament was confirmed by the bloude of Christ emonges the electe wher soeuer they were and of what stocke and kynred so euer they came and that without any law of ceremonies then were all rites and ceremonies included in the precepte of loue all kyndes of meates and dayes were made then alike But yet when many of the Iewes were conuerted vnto Christe theyr faith was more weake then that they durst vse this libertie They abhorred all such meates as were forbydden by Moses lawe and specially such as were offered to ydolles And this was the infirmitie of theyr faith that they were not persuaded that to the faythfull nothyng can be vnpure Nowe those that of loue had no regard or verie litle which seeketh in all thinges the saluation of our neighboures dyd eate all kyndes of meates in the presence of all men hauyng no respecte to the infirmitie of faith in many and so they gaue vnto them a dowble offence For either they caused them through their contempt to fale to variance and discorde with them or elles they allured them to vse the like libertie but yet with an vnlike fayth so that they wold not sticke to eate all kyndes of meates indifferently althoughe theyr consciences dyd perswade them that it was synne so to do Agaynst the firste offence Paul wryteth Ro. 14. Yf saith he by occasion of meate thy brother be greued thou walkest not nowe charitablie Concernyng the second offence thus he writeth albeit he addeth somwhat also touchinge the fyrst All thinges in deed are pure but it is euyll for the man that eateth with offence it is good neither to eate flessh neither to drinck wyne nor any thinge elles wherby thy brother stumbleth or is offended or made weake Wher he saith he stumbleth I vnderstand that to be spoken of the first kynde of offence cōcerning variance and discord Where he sayth he is offended I
vnderstande that of the second kynde of offence in that he vsinge his libertie peruersely by his example drawing hym that is more weake to do the same is to hym as a snare whyles he geueth hym an occasioÌ„ to eate that thinge against his conscience which he iudgeth not to be lawfull And where he saith or els is made weake I iudge that to be spoken of those men who seing their brother do that thing which as they are yet ê‘suaded is against the lawe of God do not turne so farre backe that they will fale to variaunce and contention with them neither do they follow that with they thynke to be euyll and vnlawfully done but yet they are greued in the meane tyme and beare lesse zeale and loue to the gospell and the mainteyners therof especially such as then vse the liberty therof and this in dede is to be made weake Nowe a godly and a charitable brother rather then he would that this should come to passe ought to auoyd the vse of all vnnecessarie thinges because the kyngdome of God is not meate and drynke but righteousnes peace and joye in the Holy Goste Much more ought he then rather neuer to eate fleshe then by his libertie to geue occasion to his brother so to stumble that he should therby either fale in to an hatred contempt of hym or elles contrarie to his fayth and conscience should attempte to do the same thinges that he doth In deede S. Paul in the first epistle and .8 chapt to the Corinth speakinge of this later kynde of offence concludeth in this maner Wherfore if meate offende my brother I will neuer eate fleshe whiles the world standeth But we must note in all these thinges that he coÌ„tinually vseth the name of a brother For of that plante whiche the father hath not planted that is of the reprobate we muste haue no regarde Whom in dede the more godly you are the more you shall offende This therfore muste be our cheife entente and purpose so to do and order all thynges that they make to the edifyeng of our brethren So shall it come to passe that some tymes we shall see cause to vse oure libertie and some tymes not to vse it For when wordes are to be approued by deedes the libertie that is preached must nedes be confirmed with examples This dyd Peter and Barnabas with certeyne other Iewes very godly at Antioch And therfore when they dissembled the same agayne for feare of such as came from Iames Paul withstode Peter openly and blamed hym vehemently Gal. ij This example ought to be well consydered For if Peter in this slypperye place tooke a fale what is he that ought not herin to be carefull take good heede of the lyke daunger They that came from Iames were brethren and therfore it semed that it was better for them not to touch any fleshe for euer then to giue them an occasion to stumble or to be offended or at the least made weake Therfore Peter semeth not without good cause to dissemble hyde from them his libertie for whose sakes he dissembled But if you will haue respect vnto them for whose sakes Paul was zelous carefull you will then say that Peter dissembled without cause and that he was worthely reprehended of Paul For he had preached vnto them that by Christ alone all men are iustifyed and therfore the ceremonies of the Lawe were not necessarie Which thynge he had confirmed before by his owne example eatynge indifferently all maner of meates and that both godly profitablie But when for feare of those which came from Hierusalem he dissembled agayne cloked this libertie he sore offended the Gentyles causynge them to doute of this doctryne that by Christ only we be iustifyed and saued of the Gentyles there were manye but of those that came from Hierusalem there were but fewe Moreouer the offence geuen to the Gentyles was such as myght haue caused them vtterly to fale away from Christe whereas yf the Iewes had ben offended it myght peraduenture haue ben a cause only of some discorde where by some emonge them might haue ben weakned or elles through weaknes of conscience might then have defiled them selues but yet they should not haue ben so cleane alienated from Christe but that some of them might haue ben wonÌ„e agayne to sounde and perfecte faith when Peter according to that his example which he had before geuen them should diligentlie and soberly haue declared vnto them the cause of his libertie as Paul afterwardes dyd To conclude seyng we should continuallie presse forwarde towardes the perfection and fulnes of fayth there should more regard haue bene had of the Gentyles which were already come to a cleare knowledge of Christ then of those which as yet dyd sticke to the ordinances ceremonyes of the world which also through longe custome obseruation might haue bene the more confirmed in theyr errour This dyd Paul coÌ„syder when he wold not circumcise Titus And he reioyceth that he gaue no place to those that contended for that matter not for an houre And this dyd he that the veritie of the Gospell myght continue Furthermore we must consydre whether they be true or false brethren whiche goe about to diminishe impaire the Christian libertie for we must haue onlye a regard to the true brethren For albeit we ought at all tymes to haue such a consyderation of all men yea euen of the professed enemyes of the truthe that we geue occasion to none to speake euill of our welldoynge for that cause also we must forgo and forsake euen much of our libertie yet ought we this alway to do in such sorte that the truth of the Gospell be not hyndred thereby As for example If a man would at this daye for the obstinate enemyes of the Gospelles sake which do abhorre and blaspheme all that coÌ„meth from vs he applieth this doctrine of offences by exaÌ„ple of outward thinges to our time state of religion seyng they abhorre blaspheme Christ hym selfe and his Gospell styll dissemble the libertie of outwarde thynges whiche the false churchmen haue taken from the people of God by subtiltye and tyrannye he in so doyng should not only make them nothyng the better but rather more confirme them in euill greatly offende those whiche haue receaued Christ whiles he shoulde still preache vnto them the naked truth and vtterly voyde of examples For there is no smale numbre whiche will hardly be perswaded that all thynges are layed vppe for vs in Christe alone when there is so much attributed so much credit geuen to mans inuentioÌ„s Out of dout there is great faulte coÌ„mitted herin nowe a dayes not onlye of the common people but euen of the head cheif standard bearers of the Gospell nowe revyuinge and springinge vppe agayn In dede I confesse that what so euer hath ben ordeyned against the libertie of externall thynges Emonges these are to
be placed cappes typpettes copes surplesses cakebreade as difference of persons meates dayes places other like thinges innumerable hath ben alltogether brought in by the rable of Antichrist yet because the comon people were persuaded that all suche thinges were commaundementes of the Church ruled and guyded by goddes spirite therfore they receaued them generally as thynges procedinge from godes will and appoyntmente Note here why and when we ought to vse our libertie that is whē the people lacking instructiō esteme thes ceremonies as thinges cōmaūded of God or elles not And for this cause we muste euen in these oure dayes be circumspect in vsynge the libertie purchased for vs by Christ and with Paul somtymes circumcise Timothy that is to say for oure partes vse well some ceremonyes which other men abuse sekyng as it were an occasion by that meanes to preache Christ syncerely and purely Albeit thes inuentions of men can by no meanes be compared to circumcision and such like ordinances of God But what is the cōmon practise of men in thes matters many there be which fearinge the selaunder of the crosse in vayn sekinge to please bothe men and God yea euen there where the gospel hath ben long preached when nowe wordes and talke requyre examples of workes and deedes the pretences of the faint and colde gospellers pretendyng other mens weaknes wheras they are alltogeather clogged with theyr owne infirmitie do not only continue still slaues them selues to mens traditione but also bryng other men in to the like slauery and bondage Oh say they nothyng is to be attempted rasshely thes thynges haue continued many yeares they can not be taken awaye sodenly We must haue a regard to the weake If we should goe hastely rasshely to worke we should not plante the Gospel but ouerthrowe it But thes faynt harted Gospellers I wolde haue to consydre what this sayenge meaneth The kyngdome of God suffereth violence and the violente take it by force Math. xj And moreouer that thes thinges are not rasshelye or vnadvisedlye attempted but when they be chaunged wher as Christ is not yet preached and without fayth but they are not so wher Christe is alreadye preached and the nette of the Gospell hath bene so longe caste forthe that it hathe in maner taken so much as in that countrey or place may be taken and nowe nothinge remayneth but to bryng credit to our wordes and to confyrme the same by examples of doynges Surelye the case standynge thus suche workes also as men haue put their confydence in more then in Christe must be forsaken men must consydre that there can be no felloushipp betwene Christ and Antichrist And it is a thynge absurde and folish to goe about to prescribe a longe tyme for the receiuyng of the truth because falshode and vntruthe hath by litle and litle crepte in and growne of longe tyme. In dede so shoulde we haue no more holde of Christ then of Antichrist Dowtles yf we receyue hym not as sone as we know hym we shal neuer enioye hym Moses Samuel Elias Ezechias Iosias dealt not in this sorte marke the daunger yf we receaue not Christ purely for sakinge all Antichristian ceremonies so sone as we know him but so sone as they had restored the knowledge of the Lawe to the people forthwith they abolyshed all abhominations at once and restored the Ceremonyes of God Wherefore yt ys to no purpose that they say which allwayes bragge that there are greater thynges to be vrged and called vppon then the reformation of Ceremonyes so becommynge patrones of Antichristes reliques and remnauntes Ceremonies are the badges or testimonyes of religion the ceremonies of our religiō are only baptisme the supper wherfor we shold make no delay in abolishyng of all other ceremonies of ātichrist and therfore we begyn also our Religion with the Ceremonye of Baptisme And also if any man after he is excommunicated for his wickednes be receaued agayn through hys repentance he ys straight reconciled to the Churche by the Sacrament of the lordes supper / wherfore they must nedes be very weake in the fayth of Christ which prolong and differ the remouynge of Antichristes Ceremonyes And dowtles it wil be longe ere newnes of life appeare in those men yf euer it appeare at all In dede we see at this day cold and slacke procedinges in Christian profession in those places wher Antichristes Ceremonyes are borne with all The cause why antichristes ceremonyes remayne vnreformed and suffered to continue and all thynges much more lyuely and effectuall where they be abolished For if they stay and remayne any tyme vnreformed there can be no other cause therof but that eyther the worde of God is not thoroughly receaued or not estemed and regarded accordingly For howe so euer those that suppose them selues to be stronge in the fayth will excuse them selues that they vse not thes thynges where is yet I praye you their zeale for Christes glorie or theyr care for theyr brethrē which as they yet still vse them so no doubt they do it of weaknes of faith Vndowtedly as there is no agremente at all betwene Christ and Beliall so syncere vnfayned Christians can by no meanes suffer them selues to be clogged with any whitt of Antichristes trashe and trumpery yea and withall they will endeuour so to purge the Churche therof as the glorie of God may chefly be therby aduaunced And further they will haue such regarde of the weaker sorte that they will do nothyng vnaduysedlye or oute of season but will teache the weake with all gentlenes to waxe stronger in knowleadge labor with examples also to bringe them forwarde not regardinge the blyndnes of a feawe who are to much addycted to Antichristes Ceremonyes perhappes no true nor faythfull brethren whereby they myght in the meane tyme offende manye other weake ones who continuallye thynke thus with them selues If thes thynges were so euill as they are taken to be they shold surelye be abolished And agayn if the other were so good all men especially suche as recken them selues Christians would in deede receiue and embrace them Thes men surely if they be electe shall at the lengthe be confirmed althoughe all the world offend them and no man edifye them but in the meane-tyme woo be vnto them by whom they are offended Wherfore as sone as true godlynes and the righte worshipp of God hath ben preached and professed of manye Antichristes Ceremonyes and rites ought by and by to be abrogated and the reformation herof may not be prolonged delayed vntill godlynes be in all poyntes growne to perfection for elles shoulde they neuer be abolished These are in dede ouer mylde and toetoe softe and sobre Christians which can beare with all suche Antichristian trasshe lyke vnto them who at Corinth knowyng that an Idol was nothynge dyd eate thynges offered to Idoles and bosted as thes oure men do in this wise In outwarde matters we
are free what is that to me that an other vseth those thynges nowghtely I wyll vse them well For as these men weakened the fayth of many both in that throughe theyr example they dyd the lesse abhorre Idoles also in that for the moste parte they cōmunicated with them against theyr consciences so no doubte do thes our luke warme and mylke soppe Gospellers nowe a dayes They knowe right well that Antichristes Ceremonyes that is to say all suche as haue ben brought in without Godes worde are not worth a russhe And because they are outwarde thynges wherin we haue fredome they wil vse them frelye not consyderinge that manye thynges are laufull which are not expedient that our libertie ought to be employed to the commoditie of other whom they in the meane tyme offende and obscure the glorie of Christe for they confirme them in theyr errour which as yet knowe not that these thynges are free and at libertie As for the patrones therof the professed enemyes of Christe they cause them to reioyce and sett them a gogge And finally they weakē the faith of the feble which had forsaken them and cast them awaye Thus do they forsoth prouyde goodlye for the weake ones yea they serue rather theyr owne belies sekyng to gratifye such as eyther are Christes enemyes or elles backeslyders Marke what they be that cōtend for superstitious ceremonies For no man besydes these will earnestly contende for superstytious Ceremonyes This is theyr modest bearyng and delayenge wher with they are so farre from furtherynge of the Gospell that by litle and litle they do vtterly abolishe it Surely we may thanke thes men Marke the cause why the Gospel goeth not foreward God will haue no felowshipp with Beliall that at this daye all thynges are turned vpsyde downe in many places wher the Gospell hath ben longe tyme preached where as we haue neuer yet sene the lyke come to passe where at the earneste syncere preachinge of Christe Ceremonyes haue also ben reformed accordinge to the rule of his word For as muche therfore as Christ so sore detesteth offences and crieth woe vnto the wordle because of offences woo vnto the man by whom offence commeth we muste with all diligence take heede both in these thynges and in all other that we be offensiue to no man but especially the litle ones I meane not in age only but in fayth and vnderstandinge also The perfecte knowledge of God and of Christ is lyfe euerlastinge What so euer therfore may eyther hynder or obscure it by anye meanes let it neither be spokē nor don̄e of vs. But let vs remoue all suche thynges to the vttermost of oure powers And let vs prouoke them both by exhortations and examples that they expresse and declare those thynges in theyr lyfe geuinge no place herin either to theyr owne affections or other mens seynge that it ys better to be drowned in the sea then to geue offence Obiections and Answeares concernynge apparell of Prestes and Mynysters ¶ An obiection THIS apparell was vsed in Kynge Edwardes dayes of Godly men as Crammer Rydley suche like therfor nowe Godly men ought not to refuse yt althoughe also the Papistes beyng vngodlye men euer abused yt ¶ Answeare ¶ The manner of the faste which Iohns dyscyples vsed being good was not therfor also exacted of Christes dyscyples but rather for that yt was an obseruacion of manes deuyse corruptly abused of the Pharesies no more mete for the syncerytye of the Gospel thē old barrels for newe wyne or newe clothe for an old garment so nowe the fillinge and clowtinge vp of old Popishe apparell with the newe purenes of the Gospell must yether cause corruptione to burst and lose bothe or els make the rentinge of the newe from the old worse ¶ Obiection ¶ Seing som men which be nowe Preachers dyd in Kynge Edwardes dayes vse this apparell with feruent zeale and good conscience the same nowe refusynge yt seme not to be moued with zeale and conscience but of desyre of novelties and singularitie ¶ Answeare ¶ Paule did fearve God in feruent zeale good and pure conscience euen from his progenytors yet comynge to more knowleadge did fynde confes thes thinges to be hurtfull and vyle whiche he had esteamed and vsed as profytable and albeyt he had circumcysed Tymothe yet wold he not suffre Tytus to be cyrcumcysed so some suche as proceade in knowleadge and experyence dothe fynde this apparrell vyle and hurtfull which befor they thowght profytable and not hurtfull And albeit that charitie dyd moue them to beare with the weake as it did Paul in circumcysynge Tymothe yet faythefullnes to keape the truthe of the Gosspell wher yt hathe bene longe preached cawsythe those same Preachers not to yealde or shrynke for anye force or portunytie as Paul not circumcysyng Tytus not of syngularitie and desyre of novelties but of faythfullnes zeale and good conscyence ¶ Obiection ¶ Because all Byshoppes in Ingland and manye other good Preachers which had once refused this apparell yet nowe by occasione haue receauid yt agayne and but fewe ther be that still yet refuse yt therfor yt semeth more expedient and les domage of offence and dysagrement in the churche to bringe fewe in smale estymacion to a cōformytie with the Byshopes theyr multitude muche estemed thē eyther to reduce the Byshoppes to other inferiors or suffre inferiors to dyffre in those thinges from them being Byshoppes ¶ Answeare ¶ When as Paul and Peter being at Antioche did bothe eate meate wyth the Gentylls and at the comyng of certayne from Iames Peter fearinge them of the cyrcumcysion withdrewe seperated hym sealfe so as other Iewes then with Barnabas weare browght in to that Ipocrysie dissymulation then Paul openly withstode Peter as worthie of reprofe by suche dealinge compellinge the gentills to Iewishe observacions and so not rightlye proceding to the truthe of the Gospell Therfor yf right procedinge to the truthe of the Gospell haue once made bothe these parties to agree leauinge of Popyshe apparrell as Paul and Peter in leauinge of the Iewishe rites and the feare and respecte of some personnes moue nowe the one partie as Peter was moued to shrinke to reicted rytes agayne in suche a case the most expedient waye to auoyde danger of offence and dysagrement in the church is withoute regard of personages feare or pleasure of men to keape and mayntayne the truthe of the Gospell with synceritie and lybertie vnseparable from the same ¶ Obiection ¶ Christyan obedyence requyreth obseruacion of all thinges indifferent commanded by auctoritye apparell is indifferentt nowe in Ingland cōmanded by auctoritie therfor christiane obedyence requyreth obseruacion of yt Answeare ¶ Washinge of handes before meates amonge the Iewes was a thinge as indifferent of yt felfe as this apparell not so moche abused of the Pharysies as this of the papistes and beynge commaunded and vrged by them that had auctoritie Christ teachinge true
is no controuersy but yt is lawfull as the good creature of god and to this purpose pertayne those sayinges The kyngdome of heauen is nether meate nor drynke Meate cōmendith vs not to god Whatsoeuer enterithe in to the mouth defylyth not the man All thinges ar cleane to them that ar cleane other lyke places of scripture all which they pertayne to the matter or creature substance only not to euery vse fassion or maner of vsynge It is to muche doltyshenes not to vnderstand all thynge a ryght excepte we wyll also conclude of the same places that by glotony dronkenes whordome disquisyd aparell and suche lyke the lawe of god is not brokē garments therfore that ar vrgyd in respecte of the forme and vse they are not indifferent and fyrst of the ende which they labor so muche to proue that it is chaungyd that those thinges which before were vsyd to supersticiō now are cōmandyd for order comlynes No godly man doubtyth but the Quenes Maieste intendinge an other end in commanding of those thinges then the Papistes vsyd them for But who so well considerith the nature of those thinges shall playnely se that the end which thé commander propoundyth dothe not folowe but accordinge to the diuersite of them that vse them and them that iudge of them a cleane cōtrary end ensuythe for many popishe prestes vse them to the same supersticious end that they dyd in Popery and greatest of all is the multitude of ignorant people that iudgith none otherwyse of them Cor. 8. All men haue not knowledge for some with conscience of the Idole euen yet do eate meate offred to Idoles So Gedeon made an Ephode Iud. 8. not that the people shulde go a whorynge after it yet was it the destruction of hym and his howse foreuer Secondly it can not serue for order and comlynes Cor. 14. which hath in it no necessary cause of edifying Let all thinges be donne for edifying Nether can it be conuertyd to the comlynes of the Christian Churche which is the chaste spowse of Christ which is takē from Antichrist and the fylthye whore of Babylon What cōsent hath Christ with Belyall what porcion hath the faythfull with the infydell or what agrement hath the temple of God with Images Yf the reason of S. Paule be examynyd 2. Cor. 6. by the which he dissuadith the Corynthians frō eating of meate offeryd to Idoles the same may be also extendyd to garmēts consecratyd to Idolatry The nature of cerymonies and rytes is to make the vser to haue felowship with the principall of that religion as the Iewes of the alter Christians with Christ and Gentils with Deuells As manye as are partakers of the breade which we breake are partakers of the bodye of Christe They therfore that eate meate offeryd to Idoles are partakers of deuells And as many as are baptized haue put on Christ it is not to be fearyd leaste as many as weare antychristes robes wil take more yf auctorite comand it neyther dothe the auctoryte of the Christian Magistrat excuse vs except we thinke that Sergius Paulus myght permyte that S. Paule had forbydden the sentence of Iamys which is Act. 15. Deut. 12. that the gentyls shulde abstayne from the polucion of Idoles God will borowe nothynge of Idoles to garnysh or become his religion thou shalt not do so to the Lorde thy god but rather he commandyth vtterly to destroye theyr alters woddes pyllers and theyr very names He forbyddyth them also to brynge any thinge in to theyr howses that belongythe to Idoles Esaye chap. 30. byddyth those that are earnestly turnyd to the worshippe of god to cast awaye the reliques of Idolatrie You shall sayth he put out the couerynge of the Imagis of syluer that is all thing belonging to Idolatry the precious vestymēts of the goldē Imagis and thou shalt caste them awaye lyke a menstrous clowte and saye vnto yt Anawnte or get the hence Fynallye when all godly men abhorre the monstrous apparell of Fryers Monkes Chanons I can not se by what order they shulde exteme the ornaments of Popishe Preastes whose order is as wyckyd as Freyers Monkes or any other which thyng may be sayd of the reste of the Popishe ceremonies which may all with lyke precepte and coloure by as good reason be receuid in the Churches as those But admyttinge that these thynges were neuer so indifferent yet it can not be that we shulde thynke them lawfull for vs to vse them for euē those thinges which by them sealues are lawfull whē an other circumstance is ioynyd to them then become they vnlawfull for a Christian to vse them as in these cases First we can not cast of all doubtfulnes hauing so many reasons on our syde and so manye examples bothe of learnyd men and best reformyd Churches but in all thinges most indifferent Saint Paule chargith euery mā to be certanly persuadyd in his owne mynde which some men vntruly translate Let euery man abownde in his owne sence for he that with doubt of conscience eatyth which of it sealfe is lawfull is condemnyd because he doth it not of fayth Now the assurance of fayth muste be sought no where but in Gods worde Secondlye thowghe we shulde satisfye our consciences yet this man is defylid which is not persuadid by Gods worde but encreased by our examples that he dare do that whereof before he doubted and this is to geue an offence as they cōmonly call it to anger them for they that are best pleasyd with these matters are most offendyd that they stomble and falle we must not do what so euer is lawfull but what so euer also is profytable to edifying nether must we only regarde what lyberte permyttyth but rather what our brothers proffyt requiryth Thyrdlye we maye not altogether neclecte what infydells iudge of vs in the vsynge of thinges lawfull by them sealfes and therefore S. Paule byddeth them that are callyd to the feastes of the gentyls so sone as mencyon is made of meate offeryd to Idoles to abstayne from eatinge of it because of hym that tolde of it and his conscience not of hym sealfe but of an other What the Papistes iudge of vs maye easely be seene by this the Harding for the retayning of those Popishe cerymonies cōteynith hope that popery shal be restoryd what the ignorant people iudge of the reamnants of papistri retaynyd wyse men may well consyder Herunto might haue byne ioynid the sentences of olde Doctors Iustinus Ireneus Tertullianus Agustyne Ambros Chrysostums Celestinus almost all the rest for abhorrynge the customes and ryghtes of the Iewes and gentyles and heritykes but Gods truthe nedyth not mans auctoryte except they that be against vs in this cause wyll appeale to the fathers thē shall they perceyue that in nomber both of Doctors and sentences we shall be nothinge inferior to them In the meane tyme this maye suffyce to shew fyrst that the