Christian obedience defendith not the obseruinge of it and chargyth suche as do obserue and vrge it with breakinge of Godes cōmandementes for their owne traditions ypocrisie and blynd leadinge the blynd and so concludeth as euydentlye maye appeare that the obedience and auctoritie of Christians consysteth nether in commandinge nor observinge but rather rotyng vp all such plants not planted by his heauenly father ¶ Obiection ¶ Yf the Prince maye therto be persuaded all Byshoppes seame that they wolde be glade to abolish thes garmentes of the popishe blassphemous and ydolatrous presthodes but yf the Prince will force all Mynisters to receaue and retayne them or els putt them out of theyr lyvinges and mynisterie then yt seameth better to keape lyvinges libertie of syncere doctrine with this apparrell then without yt to lose lyvinge keape sylence and leaue the churche destytute of so manye good preachars yea so offend a godlye Prince by whom God hathe gracyouslie restored the prechars preachinge of Christes Gospell ¶ Answeare ¶ If all Byshoppes and Preachers resspectinge God the cause only haue wyshed and persuaded not to vse this apparell as Ioab not to nombre the people and yet respectinge the Prynces commandemente contrarye to theyr formall wyshinge and persuadynge shuld yelde in dedes as Ioab did Then weare to be feared suche sequell of plagues on the people with great greife to the Prynce nowe heare as was then there and as the Ismalites destroinge manye of the Ammorytes accordinge to Godes commandementt yet leauing some relyques of the same by they re owne neglygence or affection or pollycie weare continually corrupted polluted plagued with the Ammorytes so is it to be feared in Ingland that the abolyshinge of muche Papystrye accordinge to Godes will reueled by his worde and by reseruinge of some reliques of the same by humayn negligence affectione and pollycie shold cause this realme contynually to be polluted corrupted and plagued with Papistrie thes thinges well cōsydered moue many good preachars to be constantt zealous and syncere as in will and doctrine so in conuersacion and manners reprouyng and refusinge all thinges propre belonginge to Papistrie especiallie to the Idolatrous blashphemous and traiterous presthoode moste pestilent enemye to all Christyane auctoritye and princelie dignitie and therfor manye good preachers the rather dysposed for the preseruacion of the Prynce the people losinge lyuinge lyfe to confyrme they re doctryne preached then keapinge liuinges with flattery with danger of the Prynce the people to buyld bringe agayn that which by faythfull preachinge hathe bene destroyed reprouid refusyd so cā no such preachers be put to sylence theyr dedes declaringe confyrminge theyr doctryne nor suche be thought to be left destytute of those preachers by whose doctryne manners also the church is taught as to knowe and embrace true doctryne syncere rites manners so shall Godly faythfull doctryne cōfyrmed with lyke dedes by Godes grace gyue no offence butt vnfayned thankfulnes to a godly Prynce restoringe receauing true doctryne with syncere rites and manners to Godes glory to the Prynces honor the people edyfycation thorowgh Christ our Lord. Amen ¶ It is good for a man to be feruent in good thinges Galat. 4. A prayer mete necessarye for oure tyme and all tymes to be vsed OH Lord God maker of all thinges thou the art fearful glorious thou righteous marcyful Thou which onely art most gracious onely liberal onely iust almighty euerlastinge thou that of thyn accustomid riche mercyes deliuerydst thyn electe and chosen from all trouble vouchsaffe for thy Sonnes sake to delyuer and preserue vs from all euill and also from doynge of those thynges whiche thou in thy holye word hast forbidden Oh be gratious vnto vs and thinck vpon thy couenante made with oure forfathers of olde as Abraham Isaac and Iacob thy true and faythfull seruauntes And geue vs all suche hartes that we may vnfaynedly loue and serue the by true obedience to thy holye Lawes and Commaundementes Send vs inwarde peace in conscience that we maye be at one with the so that thou neuer forsake vs in the tyme of trouble be vnto vs in all oure nede and necessytye as a suer rock defence buckler and shyeld that vnder the winges of thy deuine maiestye we maye be saffly kepte and couetyd that Sathan and his wicked imppes neuer preuayle agaynst vs by anye cruell tyranny or oppression But graunt good Lorde for thyne owne glories sake yea for thy Sonn Christe Iesus sake that we in the tyme of tryall maye shewe oure selues as valiaunt warriours firmlye constantly to fyght vnder thy banner and not lyke cowardes at euery blast of winde be redy to rune away starting back and slyding from the felowship of Godes sayntes Thincking here in this wicked world for a longe tyme to enioye the riches and pleasures therof the whiche tyme yf we consyder is but as one drop of rayne comparid to the hole sea yea yf for this short and momentanie tyme we might gete the hole worlde and loose oure owne soules what shuld it profit or what is there oh Lorde to redeme our soules agayne with all In euery souldyer that in this world takethe in hand vnder his Capitayne to fight there is requyred in hym that he be stoute valiaunt and manly that when the pinche of the battayle cōmith he may then surely stand and fighte in hope of victory Euen so lyke wyse oh good Lord it is required of euery one of vs whiche professe thy holy ghospell that we shew our selues manfullye to fyght for the defence of the same that when the brunt of persecution by Godes prouidence to vs is mynistred we may then shew our selues as true and faythfull Christyans to fyght that good fyght for an eternall tryumphe victory in geuing offring vp oure owne bodies for a sacryfice vnto the Lord our God who is euer ready to strenghthen them that put theyr full trust in hym Oh good Lorde graunt for thy names sake vnto vs suche plentie of thy grace that when time requirethe as we do beleue in hart to iustyfication euē so by mouthe we may make true confession to saluation that the frute of the same may be to vs in the latter daye ioye comfort and eternall consolation thorough Iesus Christ by whose deathe merytes we are made inheretours of hys euerlastinge kingdome To whome with the Father Sonne and Holye Ghoost be prayse glory and dominion world without ende AMEN OH Lord destroy all the workes of sathan confort thyne that are in adversytie helpe those that be in troble for thy names sake haue mercy vpon vs and make vs thy true faithfull obedient thankfull sernaunts Lorde inclyne oure hartes into thy testimonies and not into any vnlawful luste Oh turne away oure eyes that they behold not vanytie but quycken thou vs in thy lawe bestowe vpon vs thy worde oh Lord so that we
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
that is it made lyke a Crosse or Iewes gallows it fygurythe the passion of the Lord and they that weare that ought to be crewcyfyed with the vices and concupiscences In mayntayninge this opinion of holynes with all other inueÌ„cions which by lyinge seignes which they haue had to it we knowe not howe to auoyde consent vnto that Idolatri which Durant and the Papiste mayntayne and professe to deny the Popes cerimonies the doctryne whiche we reache howe shuld it not dyscorage the godly and incorage the supersticious in theyr errors we can not edefye the Church of Christ apparentlye shewinge our sealues to be on of the Popes clergye Seing S. Paull Thess 3. willythe to auoyde all apparens of euyll and to be shufflyd in a surples whiche the Popes clergye wear were rather a confusion then an order whiche they them sealues wolde be lothe to suffer if they might get agayne the keys into theyr handes they wolde crye withe open mowthe as theyr pontificall teache them plucke the surples of our backes by the autoryte of almyghtie God the Father the Sonne The surples is an holy garmeÌ„t of the Papistes and the Holy ghoste saying and we take from the all our clerkly habyt and we put on the apparell of religion and depose degrade and spoyle the of all orders clerkely benefice and clerkelye lyuinge Marke the follye of Papistes and we restore the to the seruitude and ignominie of the secular habyte Is it not a disorder that Christians shoulde shewe them selues slaues to the Popes order were it not better to serue God in commun attyre then to please the Pope by disquisinge our selues in supersticious surplessis were it not better to obey God who wyllyth vs to serue hym in spret and in truthe then to obey men followyng the deuyse of Pope Syluester the fassyon of the Iewes and practyse of the Papistes where it not better by leauynge of a Surples to folow Christ in breakynge mens tradicions theÌ„ by the vse therof to be a companion of Popes Pharises Yf this do not seame sufficient to proue the Minor at this tyme it shal be more at large dyscoursyd hereafter Concernyng the Quenes Maiestes commandement herein we acknowledge our sealues bownde to obey in all thynges lawfullye commaundyd so can not we be persuadyd to vse that in the minysteri which our consciences teacheth vs to be replenished with Idolatrous Ipocrisye also the example of other men which dothe were it ought nothing at all to moue vs to were a surples in the minysterie no more then to consent with them in persecutyng those men whom they terme sedicious scismatyckes for leauyng them of Thus as ye se shortlye dere Brethren we leue the surples as the Popes badge to the shauen Clergye and you as Gods chosen to the protection of the almyghtie whysshynge that God may geue vs grace aswell inwardelye as outwardlye to seke for syncerite and to wayght with all pacience the good wyll pleasure of the almyghtye who wyll can healpe when pleasith hym Fare ye well in the Lorde Iesus ¶ A Godly Prayer OH Lord God and heauenly Father which art a iust Iudge to punishe all them that do contynewe to offende the as thou art a Father most pytyfull to receaue to mercy all those whiche geue ouer themselues to please the shewe me thy grace and fauour so that I may be truly touchid withe inward displeasure of my synnes and that in the place of flattering my self to slepe in synne I may be so cast downe in hart that the rather I may truly with mouthe confesse most humbly to geue the the honour glory and prayse dew vnto thy holy name and that as thou of thy greate mercy doste instruct vs therevnto by thy holy word so for thy names sake make that the same may so lighten and cleare our conscience that in dew examination of all our hole lyffe we may truly learne to be angry displeasid with all our former and corrupte lyuing Oh that it may please the to drawe nere vnto vs in addressyng and guydyng our footsteppes in the true and perfect way of obedyence to thy holy lawes and coÌ„maundementes Send thy holye Angel to nitche his tentes round about vs that 〈◊〉 his infernall army neuer preuayle against vs but allways with strong faith we may thorough Iesus Christ withstand all his crafty engins and snares knowynge vndoubtedly that thou neuer forsakest them that put their trust in the. Oh let vs not be led by the infirmytie of our vntowarde fleshe but strenghten vs by the vertue of the holy spiryte Suffer vs not to lye vnder thy heuy wrathe vengeaunce throughe Ipocrysye but rather touche vs so inwardly that we may without ceasyng syghe and grone vnto the by true and vnfayned repentaunce And althoughe we be not allwayes so wel disposyd to aske praye as we ought to do yet good Lord for thy names sake stretche out thy mightie hande that by the gratious workyng of thy holy Spirite our myndes and hartes may be drawen from all erthly and corruptible thinges so that our prayers may procede of an ernest and inward affection so that we neuer presume to coÌ„me besore that with a dobell hart knowing that whosoeuer askethe and prayeth for anye thing of the not asking in faith can not obteyne Increace our faithe therfore oh mercyfull Father that we presently may lyâ—ely 〈◊〉 the benefit of remission and pardon or all our synnes thoroughe the merytes and death of Christ Iesus our Sauiour and so work in vs foreuer hereafter to lyue in thy feare and to stand in awe of thy displeasure that thou mayst contynew our mercyfull Father world without end God graunt yt