daye diuers doo searche out a fewe Offences with Linxes eyes to the entent thei may not haue ought at all to doo with the whole Church of God as farre as it stretcheth eueryway with this one example I am cōtent to haue admonished my Readers that the faith shal be to vnstable if at the seuerall ruines of men it doo from time to time waxe faint In the meane while this is to be helde for an infallible rule that it commeth to passe by the determinate counsell of God that euill men are euermore mixed with the good By this meanes bothe the constantnesse of the faith is tried and we be exercised to patience the desire to pray is quickned the stingyng of the prickes doo moue vs earnestly to walke warely and wisely and the cōtempt of the world riseth thereupon and togither with desire of departyng hence mindfulnesse of the heauenly life encreaseth But if the cause lie hidde yet let vs knowe that a parte of our warfare which we must followe duryng all the race of our lyfe doth consist in these exercises Greatly also anoyeth the lightnesse which is commōly séene in diuers wheras at the beginnyng they shew a maruelous feruentnesse that flame within a while so vanisheth away that ye woulde say it was kindled of strawe Othersome although they stande furthermore somewhat better to theyr tacklyng yet by little and little thei waxe colde That thing which commeth to passe partly of vainenesse partly of slouthfulnesse and partly of earthly cares the vnskilfull impute it to repentāce And therfore least it might repent them to late of proceding to farre they leape backe againe betimes If any beynge dismayde with feare of death or persecutions which the more pitie happeneth to many doo fall from the Gospel vpon their inconstancie is framed a foundacion of Offence Foule surely is theyr fall but in what sorte so euer we denie Christe all of vs shall he therefore denie him selfe Nay rather he shall euermore remayne perfect and alwaies from time to time neuerthelesse be like him selfe as Paule also admonisheth Farre otherwise it woulde become vs to be reformed by suche exāples as these be namely that beynge warned of our weakenesse we might carefully take hede that the same happened not to vs. After the time that Paule had declared the Iewes to haue fallē from the fauour of God he sheweth theyr fall to be so dreadful that he exhorteth and warneth others to beware If then the fallyng away of one mā or twoo doo vtterly dismaie them whose carefulnesse ought to be quickened when whole nations doo fayle who would not impute the faulte to their peruerse iudgement Notwithstandynge it is not my purpose to extenuate their fault whiche as much as in thē lieth doo make féeble the weake soules Onely I would admonish such as wauer when other fall howe malicious this amazednesse is he hath denied Christ who would haue thought it He hath taken his leaue of the Gospell whome all men beleued to haue bene more firme thā a rocke That man is nowe luke warme another is colder than Ise when bothe of them were so feruent that it was a wonder to sée But they that so speake doo not consider that some are therefore vanquished with feare of death bicause they haue not as yet conceiued an assured hope of the life to come that othersome are stiffe for colde bicause worldly cares doo alaye the heate of the spirite in them But what booteth it vs to drawe vnto vs wilfully the infectiō of other mens diseases seyng remedie is at hande if it be not refused why doo they not rather settle themselues in that so wholesome admonishmēt of Paule For when he had spoken of Hymenaeus and Philetus whose falling might haue striken great fearfulnesse into all the godly by and by he addeth that which was able to assure them vp This seale remayneth The Lorde knoweth who are his Therefore let him depart from iniquitie whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lorde For asmuch as those twayne were knowen and notable persones Paule sawe it coulde not be but that they by their headlonge fallyng should compell some at least wise to wauer Notwithstandinge he exhorteth the chosen to leane quietly vppon the defence of God and he denieth that there was any daunger of frettynge out the marke of saluation which he had grauen in them warnyng them by the way that no man prophane the holy name of God by counterfaite inuocatiō Iohn also saw this stumblingblocke to come through them which by sheading abroade the venim of their wicked doctrine did at that time greatly anoye the Churche But while he testifieth it so to come to passe to the entent it shoulde be manifest that all are not of the companie of the Godly which take the name vpō them he sheweth therewithal a meane to ouercome the same stumblyngblocke whiche mighte trouble many What shall a man saye of Alexander the Copper smith when of a noble disciple of Christe he became first a renegate and afterwarde a most deadly enemie is he not set foorth for an example to others What thinke ye of Demas whē he embracyng this world did shamefully forsake the Gospell ought he to drawe the reste with him into the same Labyrinth when in another place Paule maketh mention that he was forsaken of all men doth he giue libertie to betraye the Gospel when he complaineth that he was reiected of Phigelus Hermogenes and all the men of Asia dothe he open a window of so wicked a departinge vnto others Nay rather by such instructions all the Godly are awaked to the entent their securitie shoulde not be in daunger of the Deuils deceites They are cōmanded to set before them that euerlastynge signe of Gods election in steade of a buklar against all assaultes in such wise that they seale vp theyr faith also with a good conscience For asmuch as I haue to doo with such kinde of mē as wilbe counted Christians to the entent I stande not ouerlonge talkyng of the matter let them reade the twoo Epistles of Paule to Timothie the which I suppose wil suffice to appease theyr mindes onlesse peraduenture they will either turmoyle with thēselues for y e nonce or els séeke vaine pretences to fall from Christe wilfully And surely with sounde wise men this one thing wilbe able to vpholde theyr faith y e it were lewdly done to measure the eternall truth of God by y e swimmyng inconstancie of men But thei y t are so wittie to take libertie of sinnyng by euill exāples why doo thei not obserue so many wōderful exāples of vnuincible cōstancie which might woorthely stablish their faith amōg whatsoeuer stormes of temptatiōs This our age hath séene good store of martyrs goe chierfully vnfearfully to death Neither might men onely boaste themselues hereof but in y e womākinde also did God shew a strength surmoūtyng the strēgth of man Surely y e old stories doo not make reporte of
betwene vs consisteth not vpō this pointe alone But after the Papistes haue installed the Churche in Christes throne to determine Religiō at her owne pleasure and to iudge of the Scripture without appealynge from her by and by thei take the lawe such as it is into their owne handes We on the otherside bicause it is as easie a matter as daūgerous to be deceiued in will haue it discussed whiche is the true Churche Surely it is no newe thinge that those are sometime cruell Wolues which occupie the roomes of sheapeherdes and that thei are wicked ranke traytours to God his Churche in whose hāde the ordinarie Souereintie is What cause then is there why vaine hobgoblins shoulde make vs so afraide that we shoulde not as becommeth trie whether the same that beareth the name of the Church be the true Churche or no Paule affirmeth the Churche to be the piller of truthe but yet the same Paule foretelleth both the fallynge away of the worlde nowe conuerted and that Antichrist should reigne in y e middes of Gods Temple It is knowen well inough that he susteined the like encoūters as we are exercised with at this daye when the Iewes takinge pryde in the name of the Churche cried out vpon him that he was a forsaker of his order and an Author of Scismes and troubles They report thēselues to be descēded from the very Apostles by continuall succession verely after the same maner that Caligula Nero succeded Valerius Publicola and Lucius Brutus For they clinge vnto the Apostles as if there were not an vnmeasurable Chaos put by them whiche mighte breake all aliances betwixt them if there were any Bicause the dunghil of the popish Clergie is against vs they wil haue vs no lesse pressed with y e peruerse doome than if the Angels condemned vs out of Heauen Uerely with the same pryde did the Scribes in olde time reiect Christ bicause none of the Princes or Pharisies had beléeued in him And forasmuche as they are determined to stande to theyr tacklynge with tooth and nayle euen to the vtterance for maintenance of theyr tyrannie yet are destitute of true reasons it is no maruell though they rappe out vaine soundes But I woulde desire all them vnto whome the false vsurped name of the Church is an occasion of Offence that they would ones finde in their hartes to opē theyr eares and their eyes least the deceitfull image of a body pull them from their head a harlot disguised in the apparell of a bryde carie them frō theyr spouse Christe For what markes I beséeche you haue they whereby thei may know the Churche of Christe in all the whole bande of the Romish Antichrist Onlesse peraduenture whyle they sée the Pope in his Awbe with y e crosse throwen at his féete the Cardinalles in scarlet the Bishops glitteryng with myters croysiers and the reste of the inferiour rable euery one with their seuerall cognisāces beinge contented with these tokens they desire none other Churche than suche a one as appeareth in disguisinges like maskers and players of enterludes For what els is there to be sayd to these trifelyng fellowes when hauinge so often so pitthely and plentuously bene by vs cōfuted they persist still neuerthelesse in takinge vpon thē the title of the Church I sayd at the beginnyng that none almost were here deceiued but suche as beyng lothe to come to Christe doo procure lettes to themselues from a farre of The time hath bene that this same scruple hath hindred many simple godly soules but at this day I say there are fewe that obiect the Offence risinge vpon the name of the Churche againste the wholesome doctrine except it be suche as maliciously and proudely vaunt themselues against Christe Like lewdnesse is it that thei demaūde miracles at our hande wherwith they beyng amazed are at length compelled to yéelde vnto God speakynge by vs. And I saye that seyng our doctrine beareth euident witnesse to it selfe that it hath bene confirmed by all the miracles whiche haue bene since the worlde was made these men whiche forgettynge the olde miracles gape after new for asmuch as they are so astonied at the manifest power of God and so blinde in the cléere light are no lesse monsters themselues than if we should sée a man turned into a beast Bicause diuers are enriched with holy goods and othersome haue méetely well appeased theyr hungar for a time the enemies of the Gospell reporte that we were ledde to alter thinges for desire of spoyle than for any good zeale to Godwarde and many which hawke for a pretence to put by the Gospell giue theyr assent to these malicious sayinges Surely for my parte if there be any that haue spoyled the goodes of the Churche to fill theyr owne pouches I excuse them not And my Bookes are manifest witnesses how much I abhorre frō such sacriledges But as I am not minded to make my self a patrone or aduocate of the defaultes of our parte if any be so the slaunder is not to be borne with that the malicious persones charge vs withall howe we made our pray of all whatsoeuer was taken frō those filthie Seagulles that is to say the chapleynes of Ball and the Mōkes Certeinly whereas the popishe impietie is abolished there at leastwise parte of the reuenewes whiche whores and baudes deuoured with the Priestes is nowe bestowed vpon the poore Somewhat more is bestowed vpon schooles thā was wonte to be true Pastours are founde that minister the doctrine of Saluation to the people expenses are allowed to maintained the state of the Churche and those not small Although this defence doo not acquite vs before God whiche thinge I confesse with a good will yet it declareth that Offence is maliciously gathered thereupō against the doctrine of the Gospell But they shewe howe it is manifest for what purpose we haue bene moued to take this cause in hande in asmuch as almost all beyng occupied about lookyng to theyr priuate affayres are slouthfull in exactyng discipline in correctinge vices and in increasinge and mainteynyng the kingdome of Christe Wherfore then doo not they rather warme vs with theyr heate than they fryse vnto our coldnesse Let the cōplaintes of Aggaeus touchynge the neglectinge of the Temple be read There a man maye beholde as it were painted in a table the slouthfulnesse of our age was not therfore the building of the temple againe a very holy woorke of God bicause at that time euery man beyng busied aboute his owne house cared not for the Temple of God Ought any man therefore to shrinke bicause he sawe some not onely cease from so néedefull a duetie but also wickedly defraude God of his first fruites and tenthes But this is surely the thing that I spake of before anone after the beginnynge that many beyng entāgled with the vnholy friendshippes of the worlde doo couet any Offences that may be against Christe rather than to offende the wicked enemies of
he chosinge from death hath redéemed to life and that the grace of Christe cometh onely vnto them who by frée election before they were borne were predestinate to saluation and that others like as they be ordeyned before to euerlastinge damnatiō so also thei cōtinue in their sinnes To procéede any further if it were lawfull yet were it not expedient But now seinge it were no lesse wicked than hurtfull to rushe thorough from whence the Lorde kéepeth vs as it were by holdinge ouer his owne hande it were our duetie to embrace reuerently that whiche the Lord deliuereth vs to holde our selues contented ther withall without makyng any further inquisitiō For the right rule of beinge wise in this behalfe is suche a sobernesse as coueteth to knowe no more than is reuealed in the Scriptures Certainely God would that nothinge should be hidden from vs but such as the knowledge thereof were superfluous or more darke thā that our capacitie could atteine to the vnderstandinge of it Wherefore we are the more vnthankefull but if we temper our desire of searching according to the meane which himselfe obserued in teachynge vs why maruell we then if they throwe themselues headlonge into the bottomlesse pitte or dash themselues against the rockes who after the maner of madmen rushe violently against God They accuse God of crueltie bicause he adiudgeth to damnation suche as are yet vnborne But they shall one daye féele him a iuste iudge or rather they féele him so alreadie inwardly although they acknowledge it not They cauill that preceptes are giuen in vayne concerninge maners that lawes are made in vaine and that iudgementes are vniustly executed in punishinge euill dooers seing all thinges are ruled or rather rolled by destinies As who should say God did not so gouerne his elect with his holy spirite giue ouer the castawaies to be troubled by the Deuil that he maketh the doctrine of Godlinesse and exhortacions fruiteful vnto the one and holdeth the other as conuicte of wilfulnesse and vnexcusable bicause they obeyed not his warninge I omitte how little they profite by diffaminge the Prouidence of God with the slaūderous name of destinie For we neither dreame of intricate knottes of causes with the Stoikes nor submit the gouernance of the worlde to the Starres nor imagine a necessitie of thinges in the very nature of thinges it selfe Howbeit the same is it that Heathen mē call fatal The predestination of God therefore is far another thing thā the Heathen destenie but let this brawlyng about woordes cease in this cace If say they that necessitie of thinges be prefixed by the eternal decrée of God it is superfluous to teache what euery mans duetie is For teachinge shall alter nothyng of that which is alreadie determined But they ought to haue considered by the way that doctrine was by God himself ordeined to this end that it should be an vnderseruaunt to his secret determinations Whome by his eternal adoption he hath predestinated to life doth he not by doctrine as it were by the hande stretched out leade thē thither as he had predestinated thē For what els is an effectual vocatiō than an accōplishment of the electiō which before was hidden He may by sundrie threates compell y e reprobates to no purpose as it semeth howbeit in asmuch as by this meanes he maketh thē vnexcusable herein also appeareth some strength of y e doctrine Foolish mē perceiue not in how goodly order the woorkes of God agrée amonge themselues Herupon it cōmeth to passe y e thei rashly set at variance with the will the doctrine which is nothing els thā the minister of his eternall will Let vs learne therfore that God speaketh not to mē to thentent to reueale vnto thē or to correct those things which he had determined w t himself lōg before but rather y t he might teach them by triall how firme stedfast they be It cannot come to passe that they should perish whom he hath ones chosen from the beginning bicause he will not haue thē perish he cōmitteth them to the trustie tuitiō of Christ. Moreouer to y e entent thei may haue Christ to their shepeherd it behoueth y t they be gathereded into his folde Therfore when by giuyng eare to the voice of their shepeherde the elect doo atteine saluation it is nothinge else but a bringyng of their election vnto his appointed ende by the outwarde preachynge of the Gospell He commaundeth the same doctrine also to be set before the reprobates and why is it to the entent to disanull that that he had determined of their damnation Nay rather that their wilful vnbeliefe should make more apparant what auaileth the grace of the secrete election For what brighter mirrour cā there be made wherin this grace may cléerely appeare than when in the common doctrine by the same callinge of God by the like instrument of callinge there is so great difference of men that some obstinately refuse that whiche othersome obediently embrace Yet we sée in the meane while howe the woorde whiche is spoken by the mouth of a man although it amende not the hartes of the wicked yet it striketh their consciences and restraineth their malapartnesse as it were a bridle Now we must intreate of the Offences whiche we haue assigned to the seconde sorte Many complaine that the Gospell is the fountaine of discorde bicause that assone as it springeth vp there bud out debates with it or rather as if a trumpet were blowen to some battell men arme themselues one against another It is surely to be confessed that Christe hath pronounced that debate and fightinge should sprynge vp with the Gospell but it is to be weyed vpon what occasion it cometh so to passe First if men rise wilfully against God when he goeth about to bringe them to conformitie we haue tolde you before by what meanes that happeneth It is a harde matter that thei that stande to much vpon the reputation of their owne wisedome shoulde yelde thēselues willing to be taught of Christ. But nowe when the lustes of the fleash whiche reigne in men are so many and like a sorte of fierce and vnruly beastes doo we maruell if they make a tramplyng and stirringe agaynst the yoke and the brydle But it is to much wronge to lay the blame of that euill vpon the Gospell the cause whereof is in our selues They doo euen as vprightly who for feare of trouble and for hate of discorde abhorre from the doctrine of peace They thinke nothinge to be better than a quiet state what then if some Tyrāne should by his horrible and outragious crueltie obteine thus much that whiles he rauisheth maidens and honest wiues whiles he spoyleth euery good mā of his goodes whiles he murthereth the giltlesse like a cutthrote all men amazed for feare shoulde holde their peace shall tyrannie vnder this pretence deserue prayse now if it be demaunded what maner of peace this is whiche many sticke not to purchace
with the same itch of themselues For we sée some so greedely snatch at and hunte for those thinges that make to the takynge away of the féelinge of godlinesse that hauinge in maner scarce perceiued the sounde of a fewe woordes by and by they raunge frō the eternall and vnchaungeable truth of God And surely whosoeuer hath but meanly traueled in the woorde of God when he shall haue tried that our faith is farre otherwise grounded than vpon opinion he shal not so easly wauer And they that beare the seale of the spirite printed in their hartes it is farre vnlike that they should be ouerthrowen with the assaultes of these engines But this is it that Paule meaneth where he sayeth That mē make shipwrecke in the faith after the time that they haue fallen from a good conscience whereby he meaneth bothe that this is the keper of right vnderstandynge and that it is no wonder though they haue nothinge stedfaste emong them whiche are tossed amonge the sundry waues of their lustes There is no cause therefore why we should be troubled with this Godlesnesse whiche now partly rageth euerywhere through the whole worlde but specially reigneth in the Courtes of Kinges and Princes in iudgement places and in other glorious trades of liuyng for if I shoulde demaunde of one that had skill in thinges yea and it were euen of those who cannot ridde themselues from this temptacion whiche of them all there did harborow a good conscience their answeare would be in a readinesse that it is bannished a great way of wherefore then doo we wonder at that shipwrecke of Faith whiche Paule teacheth must néedes followe Moreouer if they so warely kéepe money bestowed in coffers as many as are any thyng smittē with the loue therof what excuse shall he lay for him selfe whiche beynge fenced with no garde of God doth set him selfe foorth wilfully to the spoyle if he be robbed of the heauenly treasure specially considering we know that nothinge is so hurtfull as these copwebbes of the wicked For it is not my minde to extenuate the perill that maye come by them but rather I admonish and testifie that no Serpēt hath so venemous a blast as they and therfore it behoueth vs to be so much the more waker carefull to beware of them By the waye I say that al such shalbe frée from this contagion be it neuer so pestiferous as haue not forslowed to roote themselues déepe in Christe Neither is this my sayinge but the sayinge of Paule that we ought to growe in Christe vntill we come to be perfect men least we be any more subiect to the subteltie of men which goe about to deceiue vs. Notwithstāding we must harken also to another exhortation of Paule namely that forasmuch as we are ensured to the Sonne of God vpon this condition that we should kéepe our promisse of mariage vnto him vnuiolate we ought in especially to beware that the Deuil corrupt vs not with his flattering enticementes For if the woman whiche hath giuen eare to allurementes of baudrie séemeth to haue giuen alreadie some signe of vnchastnesse it appeareth that those soules are scarce chaste whiche delight to be moued to false forsaking their obedience to God The reason of all errours is not much vnlike herunto The faith of many quayleth and some doo vtterly fall from the Gospell bicause they coniecture it to be the séede of errour As though any man should giue ouer tillage and sowinge of the grounde bicause the pure séede doth oftentimes degenerate into cockle To the entent the straungenesse of the matter shoulde not abashe any man Christe warned vs that it shuld come so to passe For albeit that in that place he cōpareth Hypocrites to darnell and the true and naturall Sonnes of God to wheate yet he sheweth howe this is the accustomed fraude of Sathan to corrupte and defile the heauenly séede of God by al y e meanes he can to the entent it shoulde not come to fruitfulnesse we know that the world lay a longe time barreyne like a waste and vntilled grounde Nowe hath God sowed the doctrine of his Gospell by his Ministers doo we maruell if Sathan doo intermedle as many corrupt errours as he can For what whole wayne loades of false opiniōs hath he not brought in immediatly with the first springynge vp of the Gospell I doo omit the innumerable multitude But what cā be deuised more prodigious than the dotinges of Valentine of Montane and of the Manichees Now it is to much folly that they which counte it for a miracle that the light of the Gospell was not quēched in so thicke darknesse or whiche hartely reioyce to heare that the strength therof hath continued vnappalled againste so many assaults should be offended at the doctrine of the Gospell bicause now also Sathan sullieth it with the darknesse of his lies Howbeit forasmuche as men doo sundry waies stumble at this rocke I will briefly shewe y t there is no kinde of Offence the which they incurre not of their owne accorde either through their slouthfulnesse or els some other singular vice of theyr owne They whiche simplie make this one obiection that sectes doo bud out of the doctrine of the Gospell partly are glad to séeke startingholes and partly through ouermuch lightnesse doo lay the cause of euill vpon the Gospell whiche resteth otherwhere Who so euer will vouchsaufe to open his eyes he shall plainely sée that the Gospell is not onely the pure and cléere truthe of God but also the best bonde of holy vnitie Nowe if Sathan rise vp against it to the entent he may darkē this light with the cloudes of errours and rende the vnitie asunder wherein the sonnes of God doo knit thēselues together he dothe but his office For he is bothe the father of lies and also the authour and craftesmaister of all debate It were our duetie therefore so muche the more earnestly to labour in searchinge out the truth and to embrace it the more constantly when we haue founde it These men doo not onely absteine from all such endeuour and flie frō it but also doo set this as a shielde of defence against God that they be not compelled to obeye his commaundement Othersome al be it that they séeke not meanes for the nonce howe they may reiect the wholesome doctrine yet bicause they take occasion at euery light blast to starte backe they haue nothinge whiche they may iustly alledge for their excuse But you will say thei feare not without cause least if beyng vncertaine whiche way to goe they should yelde themselues pliable they might through this pliablenesse be snarled in the snares of errours This is in déede somwhat but there was a better prouiso than this for that daunger namely to submitte themselues to God by godly humilitie modestie sobernesse and reuerence For Christe hath not for nothinge promised that the doore shalbe opened to them that knocke neyther is he endewed with the spirite of iudgement
the Gospell there is no region whiche doth not dayly beholde princely triūphes of our doctrine in this behalf The aduersaries themselues also although they dissemble it yet are they ready to burste for madnesse bicause they sée men who heretofore were giuen to riotte wantōnesse vnchastnesse vaine pompes of the world couetousnesse rauin nowe wholy framed to sobernesse temperance chastitie modestie and vpright dealynge And if they séeke at our handes for such as haue ledde the whole processe of theyr life continually in vertue and glorious fame we are not destitute of a very great number of suche I could name a great sorte who excellinge sometime with high cōmendaciō in the Papistrie doo now sithens they were endewed by God with pure knowledge of his Gospell by expressinge the liuely image of vertue in their life shewe thēselues to haue had no more but a shadow of it before But least this talke may for some appearance of boastynge be odious I will conclude shortly If the examples both of men women doo throughly moue any bodie singular godlynesse testified as well in death as life vprightnesse chastitie and temperance ought to be much more auaileable towarde the cōfirmacion of the faith than it were méete that the disordered life of othermē should anoye it Now let vs passe to the laste sorte of Offences which I saide to consiste partly of surmised slaunders partly to spryng of malicious cauillatiōs which frowarde mē fetchyng a farre of doo vniustly wrest vpon the Gospell Of slaūders I purpose to speake this before that is no maruell if lewde persones by spreadyng them farre abroade endeauour to ouerthrowe the credite of our doctrine amōge the simple For it is not conuenient that we shoulde be exempted from the common law of the seruauntes of God Surely Paule was not so waywarde to make those complaintes for nothinge whiche are to be séene euerywhere in his wrytinges Many things of his wisedome he suppressed with silence many thinges of his modestie he did forgiue many thinges of his noble courage he swallowed vp and sayd nothyng and yet we sée how often he cōplayneth that he was spightfully slaūdered through the congregacions I speake of sinistre backebitinges wherewith malicious persones did burthen him beyng absent knowynge not of it before persones to light of credite vnskilfull of all thinges and ignorant of the truthe For it is to well knowen how the seruauntes of God yea the Sonne of God too haue with open slaunders bene openly assaulted But the Deuill when he seeth he can profite nothing by open assault assayleth the good name of the godly priuely as it were by mynes Therefore when Paule was goynge of his harde souldierfare in countries farre of when through a thousande daungers he endeuored to enlarge the kingdome of Christe hauinge continuall conflictes with sundry enemies rūnynge hither and thither of purpose desire to gather natiōs farre distant asunder into the vnitie of the faith cowardly and currish whisperers burdened him behinde his backe with vndeserued slaunders Whiche of vs maye require to haue his good name vntouched of all y e snatchynges of wicked men seyng that Paules purenesse of liuinge was not able to defende him Yea rather as he witnesseth him selfe to haue done let vs goe through with vnapalled courage by infamie or good name For it is no lesse behouefull for the seruauntes of Christe to set light by slaunderous reportes than to be frée frō the enticementes of vaineglorie For Sathan by burthenyng thē with wrongfull misdéemynges séeketh eyther to breake or at leastwise to hinder their chéerefulnesse in doynge well But like as it is nothinge conuenient y e we should be moued out of our standynge as often as we are ill spoken of for doynge well so they are not troubled but by their own faulte who in admittynge whisperinges and false accusations doo shewe thēselues to light of beliefe Howe many thinges did the enemies of Luther surmise inuent vpon him bothe in sermons bookes that they put foorth by the space of whole fiue twentie yéeres togither There are nolies so prodigious which thei durst not forge and blaste out against vs. Picart a doctor of Paris a man of a troublesome brayne and therewithall frentike but yet of suche estimacion amonge his owne sort that al his olde wiues tales are coūted for Oracles as he playde the dronkē bedlem accordynge to his custome in the pulpit was so bolde to say that we vtterly denied there was any God Undoubtedly he is not ignorant y t he lieth shamefully but for asmuche as such mē are purposed and bente to assaulte vs by any meanes that may be they thinke the law in their owne handes to blab out against vs whatsoeuer may cause vs to be behated And surely seyng they know as well as maye be that they are destitute of all reason but if they make the miserable people as very doltes as themselues it is no maruell that they are compelled of necessitie to abuse that for a shifte Howbeit whatsoeuer it pleaseth them to surmise yea euen without colour ought not foorthwith to obteine so greate credite But it is so ordinarie that it is counted for lawfull If I shoulde make rehersall how many absurde childishe toyes they haue deuised of me it were daunger least I should wrappe my selfe in theyr folies I saye no more but this if there be suche lawe determined against vs that y e more vnbrydled and vnshamefast our enemies be to belie vs so much shoulde the cace of the Gospell be the worse and so muche of the credite thereof should be abated there is no cause why so wrongful iudges may cōplaine that stumblingblockes are caste in their waye whiche they shewe to be a thinge of their owne voluntarie séekyng and we may saufely saye with Paule he that is ignorāt let him be ignorant still I come to another spice of backbityng whiche not onely cōmeth out of the same woorkehouse of Sathan but also is forged almost vpon the same stithie This onely difference there is that those former of whome I haue spoken beynge open and sworne enemies doo diffame the Gospell in their ministers to the people and these of whome I purpose to speake hereafter doo so winde themselues in vnder the name of the Gospell that neuerthelesse by ouerthwart murmuringe they withdrawe as many as thei can from Christe These are partely hungerstoruen vagabondes whiche will ouerwhelme thée with carteloades of slaūders if thou cram not full theyr gorges and partly naughtie lewde fellowes who being dispatched from our companie for their owne fault or els depriued of some office for ill doynge hunte for a new liuyng in another corner and yet bothe sortes of them haue theyr mindes and tōgues in their bellie Othersome beinge a little more deintie as not so much pinched with hunger and yet shunnyng the Crosse to the entent to haue a cloke for theyr cowardlinesse doo ouerloade the pure doctrine of the Gospel with
fables feined by themselues I sayd a little before howe there are a great nūber of Dranes that roue abroade to gette somewhat by pilferie or by deceite Such beyng now so knowē by their owne packinges that they can finde place no more to beguile folke in y e Churches of Christe departinge aside some otherwhere doo power out any thinge they can imagine against vs impudently to the entent to get themselues fauour by bringynge vs in hatred with the vnskilfull But what will those good men prescribe vs whiche conceiue cause of Offence vpon their vanitie We sée asseheaded Mōkes who yet were wont to stuffe the paunche that if yée cram not meate into their mouthes by and by they waxe firie to sanctifie battell as the Prophete termeth it We sée others also not vnlike the Monkes They promisse all to become halfe Angelles so they may happen vpō a measurable trade of liuinge sayinge they wilbe contented with bread and water But that same bragge of sufferance anone after vanissheth into smooke And they themselues after they haue within a while giuen a proofe of their slouthfulnesse beinge weary of woorke steale priuely awaye I confesse that many hauyng desired a state of liuinge in vaine as it must néedes come to passe where many come flockinge to aske at ones doo departe And I am not harde to beleue but that some are not so liberally helped who notwithstandinge were more woorthy of reliefe either bicause in men vnknowen so exact choyse can not be had or els bicause those that be the bolder sorte in crauinge take vp the place before the fearefull and shamefaste doo come or bicause we doo not euer iudge rightly or bicause that beyng néere spent with giuinge out we are compelled to sende away either emptie or at leastwise slenderly relieued suche as come out of season And yet such as should haue somwhat more colour haue also come sieldomer and speake more gently The complaintes of the other sorte flie abroade euerywhere And what maner of ones be they Bespred with most mōstruous lies Howbeit muche more lewdely doo they rayle whiche beinge either driuen hence for their misbehauiour or drawen hence by false reniyng doo hauke for the fauour of richemen by slaunderous meanes to the entēt to fill their mawe with likkyng their disshes For this is not hidden that there are many founde which would desire to haue the Gospell quiet for them and frée frō all trouble when as they are ashamed to confesse the truthe howe the feare of the Crosse doth let them that thei cannot satisfie the Christian profession If there be any vices in the Churches of Christe they couet to enquyre them out that they may not séeme tied to their nest without cause Uerely saye they if in vs be reprehended clokinge of Idolatrie in other places also is neuerthelesse cōmitted offence diuers wayes And still they séeke pretence by their lies whiche it is moste certaine to be forged by suche varlettes in fauour of them It liketh me to alledge briefly two or thrée examples to the entent that hereafter no man be deceiued except it be wittingly willingly There was one Cortese minister of the woorde in the coūtie of Monsbergard who beinge driuen from thence went to Neoconium where findyng colder entertainement than he hoped for to the entēt he might reuenge him selfe beinge furthered with the helpe of certaine like him selfe he did many and great displeasures to the godly brethren Howbeit findinge him selfe at length discouraged he craued forgiuenesse humbly which is an ordinarie with those foxes and through his deceitefull pretence of repentance he not onely pacified the displeased brethren but also at such time as he fained him self to be doubtfull in certaine questions obteyned their letters vnto me wherein they desired me friendly that I woulde goe about to resolue him I entertainyng the man at mine owne table hearde him patiently in so muche that with aboundance of teares he affirmed al scruples to be nowe voyded from him At his departure also I gaue him wherewith to beare his charges by the waye From that time foorth gaddinge ouer all Fraunce he ceased not to speake euill of me like a lewde fellow Another I knowe not of what countrey who had giuen him self a name of the Cornell trée beynge accused to haue done diuers thinges vnséemely for the seruaunt of Christ was by the iudgement of the conuocation of Lausan commaunded to suspende his ministerie vntill his cace were tried better Anone after as he carried letters to Berue suspectinge they were not made as he woulde wish he deliuered other of his owne coūterfettinge and vnderstandyng that his lewdenesse was founde out bicause he coulde not washe his handes of the matter he tooke his héeles into another quarter And all these thinges were done in mine absence without my knowledge Nowe he reporteth euery where that I draue him out by force bicause he refused to subscribe to mine Heresies Another who was to great a tauerne hunter beinge sharply rebuked by me neuer lefte feastyng and banquettinge by stelth vntill he was runne very sore in dette whē leauinge his householde he crept priuely away I was gone of a iourney to Argētine There was betwene vs no variāce no suspition of Offence but that I had a while bene a let that he cast not him selfe away And bicause he had bene of the couent of the Austine Friers he walked vp and downe before their denne declaringe lamentably that he was banished bicause that he also had withstood my Heresies But I doo not so much passe for the lewdnesse of him suche as he is as this vnwoorthinesse grieueth me that the good Fathers who dayly learne out of our Bookes doo not sticke in steade of rewardinge vs to charge vs with the offences which thei haue drawen out of those their owne puddels But I play the foole in busiynge both my selfe and the Readers in gathering these huskes togither but that it behooued as it were to be represented in the persones of a fewe what is wonte to be done of most men euery where and dayly Towarde some we are to rough vnappeasable But it were good to know what maner of Clemencie they require at our hādes we being wrongfully hurte doo forgiue and take no reuengement though it be in our hande to doo it This is not inoughe for them but they will moreouer be receiued into our bosoomes none otherwise than if they had alwaies bene most faithfull vnto vs what a thing is this That beinge deceiued betrayed and cruelly misused we shoulde not be bolde to looke to our selues afterwarde But it repenteth them Uerely being very Crocodiles they will with one little teare purchace credite of goodnesse This therfore is that our vncourtuous rigour that we doo not wilfully yéelde our selues to thē to cut our throtes But I let passe to speake of our priuate iniuries God shalbe greatly offended an open faulte of very ill example shalbe commmitted yea and some
with his bloud to be snarled We say it procéeded of trayterous boldnesse y t the Remission of sinnes was bounde to the deuice of man If we cannot auouche vnto Christe his right honour otherwise than by takinge vpon vs this reproche whiche they charge vs with it is verely the greatest honour to vs that maye be Assuredly they are peruerse lewde which thereupon conceiue cause of Offence For the takinge awaye of difference of meates the excuse is readie and easie to make They say that the raine is let lose to the fleash to waxe wāton intemperately bicause it is permitted to eate fleash as well vpon the friday as the monday As who would say there were no riot or excesse saue in eatinge of fleash Furthermore who knoweth not that alwaies the deintiest fare hath euer bene of fishe and that at this day the kitchens neuer smooke better nor the tables are more busily laide or furnished with more plentie and varietie than vpō fishedaies Awaye with those toyes that we allure simple soules with delicates For the question in variance betwene vs is not of delicate meates But the Papistes whereas they cā with al their hartes suffer the gull to be glutted vpon the friday with all superfluitie and swéetenesse of meates fleash onely excepted affirme it vnlawfull to touche porke or beofe we leaue to euery mans conscience the libertie that God hath graunted Therefore we dare determine that there is no more religiō in vile inwardes of beastes than in a fishe sumptuously sauced Surely a spare and sober diet as becōmeth vs we commende neither shall any man finde that our wrytinges or sermons doo euen thus muche beare with excesse But rather euery side of a leafe of our wrytings shall witnesse with vs that we are somewhat aboue the Papistes in enforcinge men to temperance And takinge away the superstition of the day we teach that it is lawfull to vse sparely and thriftely such things as by Gods benefite we haue in store What swéetenesse of libertie is there so great herein that it shoulde inforce vs to turne y e world vpside downe Surely if I were minded to delight my mouth I would for one halfe yéere choose me other maner of meates rather than fleash My acquaintance know I am very much delighted in fish and certeine other thinges frō which I willingly absteine least I shoulde bie my delicates with the losse of my health I confesse it is a fondnesse to confute suche slender slaunders But my Readers must beare with me if in settinge my selfe against Offences I play the foole a little Wherefore it néedeth not to tarrie any lengar about these toyes For this part of doctrine whiche I intreate of consisteth of two members We vpholde that it is vnlawfull for the consciences to be entangled with mans lawes which should be ruled by the onely woorde of God Although that nothing were more profitable than this kinde of exercise yet not withstandynge we say it is a wicked boldnesse when men make a lawe to binde the soules with an inward feare For God chalengeth this right to him selfe alone that he be our lawegiuer and our Iudge Therwithal we say that extréeme wronge is done vnto Christe while y e libertie purchaced with his bloud is brought to nothinge For by his benefite we are so muche in better cace than the people of the old lawe in that we are set frée from obseruatiō of dayes choyce of meates Furthermore with Paule we denie that the kingdome of God cōsisteth in meate and drinke and therefore that men are deceiued by an euill superstitiō when they take abstinence from fleash to be a part of holinesse Finally we doo nothinge but subscribe vnto Paule who plainly affirmeth it to be a Diuelish doctrine to forbidde meates as vncleane whiche God hath hallowed to mans vse that he maye eate fréely of them with thankes giuyng Of no Offence ought to be had so great regarde that it should be lawfull to hide in silence things so néedefull to be knowen But yet this crime is not altogither wasshed away in asmuche as our aduersaries brag that we can abide no fastyng the whiche our Lord euery where highly commendeth Firste for asmuche as our Bookes and sermons doo crie out against this slaunder we néede to labour the lesse in confutinge the same But they wil replie vpon vs that we haue disanulled the decrées that were longe agoe stablisshed for fastinge I confesse so that we were compelled thereto for very earnest and weightie causes so that they deale very lewdely with vs in imputinge to vs as a faulte a thinge godlily and iustly taken in hande It was beleued vpō an olde forworne opinion that the Lenton fast procéeded of the institution of Christe This errour is light to séemyng but yet an errour in déede and suche a one as is in no wise to be borne withall It is an easie matter to showe without any trouble how foolishly and vnsauorly it was deuised and how rashly it was beléeued For if Christe would by his example allure vs to a yéerely faste why did he it but ones in all his life and not yéerely why did he not by by stablishe the custome amonge his Disciples why did not the Apostles immediatly after his resurrection kéepe it as a rule prescribed of their maister And why should we more followe the faste of Christe than the olde people the faste of Moyses which of the Prophetes or faithfull men tooke example at Moyses to doo the like now put to that other parte namely that it is suche an errour as cannot be winked at without great domage to our faith No man doubteth but that the doctrine of the Gospell was sealed with that miracle to the entent the authoritie therof should be the certeiner And therfore the Euangelicall historie reporteth that Christe was not a hungred by the space of .xl. daies That which Christe did by the power of his Godhead to the entēt to exalt the reuerēce of his doctrine aboue mans reache while the Papistes coūterfet the same as if it were subiect to theyr owne power doo they not as much as in them lieth darken the wonderfull power of Christe cancell that holy seale wherwith the truthe of the Gospell was ratified In other fastings we easely showe that when mē thought they pleased God they did exhibite a grosse woorshippe vnto Idols In that daies are appointed in honour of whome they should faste The Scripture condemneth it of wilfull superstition That they stablishe a woorship of God therein and imagine it a meritorious woorke it is not onely a foolish and vaine truste but also an vtter vngodlinesse If we folow Paule as our Author it shalbe lawfull to vs to pronoūce in generall that suche outwarde exercises wherein the chiefe pointe of godlinesse consisteth not doo little profite And this cannot be spoken but that that precise rigorousnesse of exactinge fast which reigneth amonge the Papistes may iustly be condemned as
God cannot by vs be auouched and restored but that that same consent of many ages whiche they vaunt of would aduaunce it selfe agaynst vs as I cōfesse that a thousande yéeres since all thinge haue so decayed that newe broodes of monstruous errours and superstitions haue crope out of the shell from time to time yet what finde they in suche dissentinge as this woorthie to be offēded at If cōparison be made certeinly those first vnder whome the Churche florished eyther deserue to be counted lawfull Fathers alone or at leastwise doo chalenge of right the chiefe degree of honour amonge the Fathers But the good Papistes such is theyr gentle nature doo celebrate the memoriall onely of that corrupted age whiche had nowe muche declined from the auncient sinceritie And at length all their complaintes come to this pointe that we disanull at this day the custome which hath bene receiued these eight hūdred or these thousand yéeres But if the old Prouerbe be to be beleued whiche also hath bene commonly vsed amonge them an euil custome is nothinge els but the auncientnesse of errour And we knowe that the longer of cōtinuance an euill is the more hurtfull it is In times past this sentence of Cyprian was counted woorthie to be reioyced at that we ought not to looke what other men had done or sayde before vs but whatsoeuer Christ hath cōmaunded who is the first of al that is to be followed No man also will denie but this was well and aduisedly spoken of Augustine that Christe attributeth not to him selfe the name of custome but the name of truth Now no man dare stirre though neuer so lightly the stinkyng hearbe Camarina of corrupt custome whiche hath rested a longe continuance of yéeres Yea rather forebroken rigorousnesse in mainteyninge chiefe absurdities is waxed so stronge that they not onely refuse the reprouynge of them as comminge out of season but also doo persecute it cruelly with fire and swoorde That same Heathē man sayeth that like as the custome of right speaking is to be fetched at learned mens handes so the custome of well liuinge is to be fetched at the hādes of good and honest men Shal the lewde and corrupt custome of men carrie vs away forcibly as some violent tempest without iudgement or choyce who haue Christe to direct vs To the entent I maye conclude this place briefly if that thinge may take place with vs which out of all controuersie ought to be a grounded principle amonge all godly men that the doctrine of Christe is not subiect to the prescription of yéeres this surmised stumblingblocke shall hinder no man at leastwise from the desire to searche And whē it shalbe fully agreed vpon that we haue from Christe that which we bryng foorth who wilbe so ouerthwart as wilfully to fléete vnto men frō the eternall wisdome of God and the voyce of the heauenly Maister It offendeth many bicause they sée almost the whole worlde to be against vs. Neither are the defenders of the euil cace negligent or to séeke what they shoulde doo but with the same engine doo stryke the rude and weake sayinge it is against all reason that a fewe men should be credited and all Christendome beside welnere neglected And to treade these vnder their féete they chiefly arme themselues with the holy title of the Churche as with a mace But I wold faine know howe suche as are enstraunged from the Gospell by reason of our fewnesse maye mainteine theyr faith against y e Turkes As for our part if we beyng but one man condemned all the men of his age by his faithe there is no cause why the greate multitude of vnbeleuers should moue vs from our places In the meane while affirme that cause of Offence to be not onely scarce probable but also vniuste and shamefull where the respectes of men are weyed before y e woorde of God And why shall not Gods truth stande sure except it please menne to beleue it Rather as Paule sayeth let euery man remayne a lier and let them acknowledge God to be true vnto whome he vouchsaueth to manifest him selfe And we haue alreadie in another place shewed why the greater parte of men doth so hardly yéelde themselues seruiceable to God So muche the lesse then is it conuenient that in so great stubburnnesse of the worlde we shoulde direct our faith after example of the multitude But Christe giueth a token that whither the Egles resorte there is the Carion I denie not verely but that if at any time all the Egles shalbe gathered togither into one place then the conuersiō of the whole worlde is to be hoped for But forasmuche as Christe meaneth not there all sortes of Egles but suche as follow the liuely sente of his death who seeth not that that sayinge is to be restreined to a fewe if any man wil perchaunce take exceptions that we are not excused by the example of Noe if we withdrawe our selues from that congregatiō whiche holdeth the name of the Churche when Esay commaunded to leauynge the conspiracie of men and follow God onely he meaned not straungers but euen such as at that time moste gloried in the name of Gods people And Peter whē he maketh the Churche like the Arke bicause when the worlde perisheth a little handfull of men is saued as it were by a floud giueth sufficient warnyng that we ought not to hange vpon the multitude Why then haue miserable men pleasure to séeke occasion of wauerynge and staggeringe amonge the variable blastes of the world when God stayeth vs vppon the euerlastyng fundation of his woorde why had they rather waue amonge the stormes of opinions than harbrough at ease in the sure hauen of certeine veritie to whiche God calleth vs. But very great reuerēce is dewe to the Church I confesse so truely and I willingly also put this more to it that the vnderstanding of the Churche is so linked with the natiue doctrine of the lawe and the Gospell that it is woorthely called the faithful kéeper and interpreter of the same But betwene vs and the Papistes is the oddes that they thinke the Churche not to be the pillar of truthe otherwise than in sittynge as a iudge ouer the woorde of God And we on the cōtrarie parte vphold that bicause the Churche submitteth it selfe reuerētly vnto the woorde of God the truth is by it reteyned and deliuered vnto others frō hande to hande And therfore the woorde of God hath no more authoritie amonge them than the Churche as it were by intreatance graunteth vnto it they turne the interpretatiō of the whole Scripture to the iudgement of the Churche euen after the same maner that the Lesbians in old time were want to make their mason woorke by theyr leaden rule as the olde Prouerbe reporteth There is therefore no place of the Scripture so cléere whiche beyng bowed or to speake more properly writhed to this Lesbian rule taketh not a straunge shape And yet the chiefe cōtention