Idolles / do enquire and demaunde what they may do not for to captyuat make subiecte their assent vnto god and reste vpon his worde / but to the intente men shoulde geue them the bridle and that they hauynge answere after their desire may quyet them selues in their vice through vayne flaterie To be short euen as the prophet Ezechiell saith Ezechi 13 ▪ They go sekyng aboute that men should make them cusshens to lay their conscience a sleape vpon and that men should make them beleue that they lyue when they be in deathe Neuerthelesse bycause it is our office puerly to beare witnes to the verite I can not dissēble nor refraine but that I muste nedes speak those thinges whiche I think necessary to be knowen specially when I am required ther vnto but for as muche as all the difficultye cometh of this that we do euer giue more hede to kepe vs in the fauoure of the world then to please god I exhorte euery faithful person in the name of Iesu Christ / for to resist his owne affections that he maye be obediente vnto the will of his master Christ It is a paynefull thinge for a man to put him self in daūger of losing both body gooddes / to stere vp all the worlde against him to lyue in opprobrye and vtter reprofe and to leaue the contrary where one may lyue well at ease for to go into a strange coūtrey as one goeth astray I do graunt it to be so but what is the firste lesson that we should learne in the scole of Iesus Christe but to forsake our selues but if ther be any so weake or frayle that they can not at the fyrste determine veri wel what they ought to do at the least I desire them that they wyll not flatter them selues sekynge stertyng holes and vayne excuses for to hyde them with / but these stertynge holes can not delyuer them frō the iudgement of god yea and we se that this is the begynnyng and as it were the fyrste degre of the ruyne of suche as do fall frō the grace of god And when they see that it is not sure for thē to make them selues knowen before men that they be the true seruantes of god duly to honor him they excuse them selues wil be counted for righteous fauteles when they do with other men defyle them selues with dyuers kyndes of Idolatrye Then afterwarde they perceyuinge that they can not this waye escape al maner of suspiciō they think they be discharged if thei do hyde their cristianite al togither without speaking so moch as one worde of God except it be to their chief frendes and familyars and that shut vp in a chābre suerly Now the whiles they suffere the truthe of God to be blasphemed what dishonour soeuer mē do vse to do to Iesu Christ they do not onely make no resystence to the contrarie but also make as though they cōsented to it hauinge none other thynges in their mynde but to take hede that no man shuld perceyue that they be cristians at the laste what happeneth to such maner of people which wil with so carnall pretence that is to saye by peruerse subtilitie begyle both god and the world god suffereth them to fall as it were into a depthe of darknes depriuing them of the knowledg that he had geuen them and so finally the deuylles possessed thē styrred them vp againste the gospell and maketh them persecute with a hoote cruell furie the doctrine whiche before thei knewe to be of god and that by good right for it is reason that that man which turneth the verytie of god into a lye for to iustifye hym selfe in hys iniquitie shoulde therfore fele suche vengeance For as moche then as as infirmyte doth let vs for to accomplysshe our deutie let vs rather gyue all glory vnto god in confessing our myserye then by inuentynge cauillations and startynge holes to bring vpon our selues shame double damnation for we shoulde take the ensamples of the punyshementes of god for admonitions or warnynges to the intente that we shoulde learne to walke in hys feare What shal men do then first of all let vs not measure oure duetie due vnto God after our owne commodite for after that maner we shall neuer attayne to the truthe Then afterward let vs not in this matter haue respect vnto our owne persons for to seke oute that whiche is most conuenient for vs after the fleshe Thirdely let vs not take counsell at oure owne brayne which waye is best to wynd vs out of parell and trouble but let vs rather trust in the prouidence of god nothing doubting but that he is able inough for to kepe vs euen in the myddes of a thousand deathes if necessite required that it shoulde come ther vnto thus doing we shuld not haue any nede long to stand in aduisement or dispute of the one parte or of the other parte whyther we should with trouble with the losse of our goodes with the daunger of our lyfe obaye vnto god or no for to please hym gette the euyll wyll of mē but hauyng ones hys commaūdemente we shoulde redelye withoute doubte folowe it as a suer waye commyttynge vnto hym what soeuer myght come therof gyue our selues ouer vnto hys holy sauegarde here haue we the onely mean wherby to gouerne vs truely In this case I wil recite a godly exāple that Sainct augustyne doth reherse whyche shall be good for to boldē and incorage vs thus for to do It is that Sainct Cyprian after that he was condēpned to the deathe bycause he wold not do sacrifice vnto ydolles was moued and inticed to condiscende vnto the same for sauyng of his lyfe And specialy the Iudge coueting to delyuer hym required hym instauntly for to do so and prayed him wel to bethynke aduyse him selfe Vnto whome he gaue a shorte answere that in a thing so holy deliberacion myghte haue no place Let vs now consyder in what estate Sainct Cypriane was then he sawe the death before his eyes but for asmoche as he was at a point with him selfe for to folowe the commandement of God the same delyuered him frome all perplexite that he was not astonyed so that he dyd not bowe or change his mynde but abode inuincible This is then a notable sentēce which ought to be well printed in our memory to thintēt that we do not attempte throughe any deuelysh presumption for to aduyse oure selues whether we maye do that whiche God hath spoken or no as thoughe we might controlle him but yf we will take counsell at oure owne head turne away from his worde let vs surely wayte for the curse which he hath pronounced by the Prophet Esay vpon all them which gyue not auctorite vnto his spirite for to rule in their counselles and axe not at his mouth to take there at their determinacions We se nowe touchinge this present matter that yf our lord hath on this
that he shoulde not be faultye in thus doynge And yet neuerthelesse perceyuinge that they haue no thynge to laye for them do not yet cease to fynd cauyllations pretendynge the auctoritie of this man or that man for their buckeler But to what purpose must we set thopinyon of men plat agaynst the worde of god I apeale theyr owne cōscience yf the same do not condempne thē what shall it then helpe thē to be absolued of men when before god they be conuynced for to do euyll But this is it that I saide at the begynninge that manye do aske me not for to know the verite but to haue an answere agreable to their desyre And our lorde to punysshe their hipocrisye suffereth them to fynde suche as they seke but that is none other but vnto their more greuous confusion But for as moche as this euyll is wont to sprede it selfe abrode very farre euen almoste among all mē for to haue more cleare and easy declaration of this matter let vs consyder in a some that whiche men be cōmonlye accustomed to do Behold then what euery man will do for his owne parte I speake specially of the better sorte of that worldely wyse people whyche wyll enterteyne and kepe them selues in the fauour of the world on the sundaye he wyll not onely take holy water as they call it with other lyke cerymonies and also go to the Masse but also vpon all other holy dayes of that which one part was institute of very manyfeste superstition there one syngethe Masse in the honoure of a Saincte yea oft such one where of there is none other probation then that the Pope hath put hym in hys paradice But yet although it were a Sainct approued shal one synge Masse in the honoure of hym Can there be any gretter abhomynation thē to transfer the Sacramente of our lorde vnto such an abuse And thinke we that the lord will make him selfe subiecte vnto suche fylthynes Besides this what prayers do they make there Wicked ones and stuffed withe blasphemyes Let hym that dothe communicate withe thē excuse hym selfe yf he can Now euery man doth this commonly If that I or any other wolde flatterre them in this were it not euen to betraye the truthe Now when any man shall be maryed where as he ought to represente hym selfe before god and hys churche that his mary age myghte be blessed Fyrste there shal be many folysshe gandes whiche be mete do defyle him Finally he shal pollute him selfe altogether by byinge of a Masse with his owne monye I demaunde this of you when the Priest selleth the Masse is it not sacriledge What shall we say then of hym that byethe it Our lord sayth that a good make is a speciall gyfte of hys goodnes now thē it were mete for hym to geue hym thankes to desyre hym to accomplishe that which he hath begonne in makynge the maryage to prosper Is not this to prouoke his wrathe for to vse such abhomynatiō We knowe all how moch our lord doth honour mariage and in what estimatiō he wolde that we shoulde haue the holynes therof when he compareth it to the spirituall vnion which he hath with his people thorow the vertue of his holy spirite Shal we polute that thyng which is the ymage of the coniūctiō which we haue with the lord Iesus begyn the same with the denying of his death Do not we thinke that the lord wyll punysshe greuousely such outragiousenes The mariage fynisshed they haue a chylde where as he shoulde be presented vnto the lord for to receiue baptysme puerly after his institutiō in the stead of the same he is defyled withe very manye peruerse and prophane cerymonies It is truthe that because of the same the baptysme ceaseth not to haue hys vertue as touchynge the chylde bycause the holy ordinaunce of god can not be abholished by the folyshe inuentions of men but the father shall not be excused of synne in consentynge to suche a mynystration of baptisme which is altogether faulty and corrupte I passe ouer the Iewes superstition which is vsed at the churchyng of the mother and at her commynge abrode Nowe we wyll come vnto instruction off a howsholde Who is he that hath any care to haue hys seruauntes ryghtly taught for to serue god after hys worde Is it not rather a thyng to cōmon to let them lyue in ignoraunce lyke brute bestes and wythout carefulnesse of withdrawynge them frō Idolatry But there is great daunger say they to speake vnto them Let vs passe ouer to speake of the daunger for this presente tyme. Shal that be a lette that men shoulde not do it Is it reason that we shoulde be serued euery mā in his house and that god be there not with stādyng dishonoured Thynke we that a housholde deserueth to prosper in whiche god is not the soueraigne lorde And what do I speake of seruantes howe many fathers are there which dare instruct as they ought to do their wyues and children yet neuertheles for as moche as these faultes do rather declare one to be neglygent in doynge hys dutie then to offende god in doinge expresly the contrary I do not prosecute in euery thynge agaynste them very bitterly For as moch as my intent is to speake of suche deades as men commyt agaynste the commaundement of god be transgressynges of his law All we which haue receyued the pure doctryne of the gospel do graunt well that their diryges and obsequies for the dead be very abhomynable Fyrste for as moche as they were at the begynninge inuented falsely agaynst the scripture and also that they be derogacion to the death and Passion of our Lorde Iesu Christ Now yf that a mans father or frend do dye or a neighbour he that calleth him self a Christian man will go with the other makinge as though he prayed for hys soule What cloke haue they for this except it be suche a one as can not kepe away the rayne Nowe yf the father or wyfe dye he will not onely approue these sacrileges in standinge by them but wil also bye them with his mony yf the priest in sellinge the Masse do folowe the market of Iudas Now he that putteth the same in practyce and geueth him wages shall he be gyltlesse I will speake nothing of that men do all the rest of the yere I wil only entreat of the feast of Easter What do al they then communly which do professe the Gospel They sticke not to go vnto confession not onely to satisfye the tyrannous commandement of Antychriste but also consent to the blasphemyes that shall please the Prieste to pronounce ouer them and by suche consentinge as it were sealed to thē for as the Priest doth gyue absolucion by the auctorite of the seate Apostolyke that is to saye of the Idole of Rome whiche can do none other but destroye and curse euen so must he receue it as a very holsom thing I aske whether this cā
1 Ephe. 1 he rose againe for our iustification so ouercame death synne and hell and thus moste wonderfully delyuered vs out of euerlastynge thraldom and captiuite But haue we alwayes ascribed the renowne and glorie of our redemption and forgeuenesse of synnes to god alone No no but rather to masses satysfactorie with sondry other vayne traditions of man To whoÌ„ do we attribute or whom do we prayse for our daylie preseruation from perilles and Ieoperdyes God alone No our manyfeste actes do openly reproue vs. How many men and womeÌ„ haue bene when they haue bene in daunger / some of drowninge some of burninge some of â—reakynge their neckes and some lyeng so sycke that to all reason they semed vnâ—â—…rable that yf god of his goodnes preserued them and raysed them vp agayn wold shortly after get them to one ydol or other to whom thei had vowed their pilgrimage and offeringe as some to the ladie of Walsyngham some to the ladye of Grace or vnto some other foule ydoll And where as they shoulde haue geuen glorie and praise to the one euerlastyng god which alone delyuered theÌ„ they haue kneeled downe in the sight of the whole multitude thanked a dome ymage worshippyng and offering their ydolatrous sacrifice vnto it Was not this ydolatry worse theÌ„ the worshipping of the golden calfe yes trulie For then sacrifice was commaunded to be offered to god with calues but not calues to be worshipped as for ydolatrous ymages were forbydden then as they be nowe And for that the people might be that more allured to lyke abhomynation the priestes taught them for their owne aduauntage to come onely in their shirtes smockes what was this els but to say with the Israelytes These be thi goddes o Israel whiche haue brought the out of the lande of Egipte bondage yea and no doubt the worlde bothe hath and shall be plaged with as greuous plages as they were yf it do not earnestly repent and forsake not onely suche abhomination but also all kynde of ydolatrie that is all inward or outwarde worshipping of the ymage of any thinge visyble or invisyble or sea kyng forgeuenes of synnes or saluation at any creature mortall or immortal but only at gods mercy that for christes sake More ouer for these and suche lyke our vnthankefulnes and offences God had iustly geuen vs vp into such a lewde and reprobate mynde that all we a few excepte were not onely geuen headlong into all kynde of vyce and ydolatrie but were so ferre gone that we were iuste partakers of the curse pronounced out off goddes mouthe by the prophete Esaie Esai 5 wo be to you that call euyl good and good euyll makyng derkenes lyght and light derkenes takynge bitternes for swetnes and swetnes for bytternes In this case were we That whiche was vyce and abhomination we toke for godlynes and vertue And that whiche was godlynes and vertue in dede we toke for heresie synne for who was he that thought it not godly to professe him self into an abbey frier house or nonry Who was he that spake against them and that with gods worde but he shoulde be hated and persecuted Who was he that thought but that it was hyghlie meritorious to go on pylgrimage to this or that ymage Who was he that coulde speake against them but he should be in daunger of his life Who durst speake against the Popes hote purgatorie but that he shoulde be burned to asshes And as for the abusing of the lordes supper whiche they called the sacrament of the Aultare he that spake but a worde against it or againste their wycked masses satisfactorie thoughe it were the verie scripture hangynge was to good for hym he must dye most cruel death But thankes be to the eternall god for he to the declaration of his glorie for his electes sake hath styrred vp men as his instrumentes to speake write and printe myghtelie against suche abhomination and he hathe turned the hartes and powers of some christen Princes against them to suppresse them and roote out all suche plantes as our heauenly father hath not planted ⧠Finally seing that papisticall abhomynations and ydolatries be now well nyghe all knowen though they be yet scarcely halfe lefte in many places it is requisite and highly necessarie to know how a faithfull christian man endued with the spirite of god truely taught in hys worde shall behaue hymselfe amonge the papistes were in and how ferre he may be conuersaunt with them namely whether he may be present at their masse and supersticious Ceremonies wtout offence in that he although by owtwarde gestures as by cappynge and kneelynge seme to worshippe with them doth notwithstaÌ„dynge in his herte worshippe the onely lyuynge god whether he may lawfully vse suche dissimulation or not For thy full erudition learnyng in this behalfe although veri few writers haue touched this poincte namely in the Englysshe tongue here haste thou good ChristiaÌ„ this notable work of M. Ihon Caluyn a man of good learnynge and godlie coÌ„uersation now firste translated into Englysshe which if thou dilygentlie reade peruse and marke with sobernes it wylfullie satisfy thy mynde in this behalfe wher as certen places in scripture afteâ— some mennes myndes seme to beare with such dissymulation in worshipping thou shalte haue them moste manyfestly opened vnto the so that thou shalt perfectly knowe that all that be of Christ oughte not onely to confesse God with the harte inwardly but also after the councell of Saincte Paule to confesse the lyuinge god with the mouthe and gloryfie hym in their bodyes professynge him in all their outwarde gesture and behauiour Rom. 10. 1. Cor. 6. AMEN How a faithfull man shall behaue him selfe dwellinge amongest the Papistes MAny do aske me Counsell oftentymes how they shuld behaue them selues amonge the papistes where it is not lawful for them to worshyppe God puerly but euery man is constrained to vse many cerimonies whych haue bene inuented against the worde of god and be full of superstitioÌ„ Now it were not very hard to answere them in this matter to defyne vnto them symply the truth therof yf they were fully determyned in their hertes to folow wholy and without contradictioÌ„ all that God hath commaunded them by his worde But I wote not how the moste parte of men after that they haue knowen a thing displeasith god do neuerthelesse gyue them selues leaue and also do defende theÌ„ selues againste it For there haue bene dyuers haue asked me counsell in this matter eueÌ„ altogether after suche a fashion as Baalam did of god when he wolde go vnto kynge Balach Nume 22. for he knew well ynoughe that it was against the wyll of God that he shoulde take that viage vpon hym but yet neuertheles he ceased not to aske him leaue for the same Euen likewise these men here being in maner coÌ„uict in their conscyence / that it is euyll done to bowe them selues before