wherin we must be saued After which manier likewise saīt Paul doth proue that faith in Christ through grace doth iustifie neither doth he saye this only but he doth also remoue all that which might seeme to gyue iustice vnto men the lawe I meane and worckes sayinge We knowe that a man is not iustified by the dedes of the lawe but by the faith of Iesus Christe And we haue beleued on Iesus Christ that we might be iustified by the faythe of Christe and not by the dedes of the lawe bicause that by the dedes of the lawe no fleshe shalbe iustified And in an other place the same Paule Behold saith he I Paul saye vnto yowe that if ye be circūcised Christe shall profite yow nothing at all I testifie agayn to euery man which is circumcised that he is bownd to keape the whole lawe Christe is become but in vayn to yowe as many of yow as are iustified by the lawe are fallen from grace we loke for and hope in the spirite to be iustified thorow faithe Theis cleare examples of Christ and the apostles and doctrine of the sincere and sounde confession of Christe do suffice to yow reuerend and godly hearers Out of which we do gather that their cōfessions are neither full nor sincere which do confes that indeede Christe is their saluaciō and rightuisnes their preist and sacrifice their aduocate and mediator yet so that it notwithstōding they do gyue the very same and cōmunicate them to synneful men to thinges also and meanes which are in no place instituted nor approued of Godd And no les corrupt is their confession also which do confes wyth the mouthe that Godd alone is to be adored and worshipped that Christe is the only preiste and true aduocate with the father but yet in their deedes they do denye that same confession of their mouthe bowinge their knees to Images worshippinge creatures callinge vppon their patrons and fayned saynts of heauen But the Apostles did not only confes Christe himself but also all Christes doctrine all Christes wordes the whole gospell I saye of saluacion of which Christe is the only Marcke And therfor when the preistes and senators of Hierusalem did forbidd the apostles that they shuld no more preache the gospell they ◅ered hartily and playnly whether it be right in the sight of Godd to herken vnto yow more thē vnto Godd iudgeye For we can not but speke that which we haue seene and herde And when they were shutt vp in prison for free preching of the gospell and werin dan̄ger of their lyues they are delyuered of the angell of whō by the cōmaundement of Godd they do heare Go and stande and speake in the temple to the poeple all the wordes of this lyfe Therfor all thos thinges which are cōtayned in the holy gospell and holy scriptures must be confessed of them which are faithfull indeede for all thos are the wordds of Godd and the wordds of saluacion And all thos do sauer of Christe and do bringe vnto Christe In whom only it hath pleased God the father that all fulnes shuld dwell in whō as Paule doth witnes we are made perfite so that we want nothinge as agayn the lorde himself doth testifie he that eateth or drincketh me shall not be hungry or thrustie for euer but he shall haue in hym self the healthefull waters of euerlastinge lyfe Yf we do knowe beleaue and vnderstonde theise thinges let vs gyue glorie to our only Sauiour Christe and not gyue it awaye vnto other But let vs frely confes hym only and alone in mouth and deedes to be our saluacion iustice sanctificacion absolution or rather perfectiō the peace of our soules and lyfe euerlasting But the lord doth sett denying against confessinge Ther are diuers kinds of denyinge which beinge but lightly rehersed it shall again appeare what is the sowndnes and simplicitie of confessinge Furst Christe and Godds worde is denyed when our redeamer Christe and the worde of lyfe is opēly blasphemed in playne wordes whē he is not acknowledged to be the only Sauiour ād when the due dignitie and auctoritie of the scriptures is not adscribed vnto them Then by silence also is Christe and Christes worde denyed namely whē vppō occasion offered we do not deffende the glorie of the name of Godd and of the truythe known againste the ennemis of Godd and sclaunderers of the worde of Godd For in this case it is lawfull for no man to be a neuter as they call it In the most auncient lawes of Solon which were at Athens grauen in postes of woode the which also ons made by hym the Athenienses ordeygned vnder great religiō and punishmēt that they shuld contynue for euer one lawe Aristotle doth report to be writon in this sence That if throughe discorde the poeple shuld be deuided into too partes and eich partie shuld take armour then he which did not ioyne himself to the one partie but slipp asyde separated from the common euell of the cytie he shall lose howse countrithe and goodes and be an exile and a banished mā Mutch les is it lawfull for them which haue professed the name of Christe and are signed with holy baptisme in that fierce fight betwene Christe and Antichriste to slippe a syde and to ioyne himself vnto neither partye That same newtralitie doth seame truly to be wisoō to many childrē of this worlde but indeede it is folyshnes yea it is a very denying of Christ by which they do exclude thēselues out of that heauenly coun trithe they spoile themselues of all spirituall riches and make themselues exiles and banished men For Christe and his truithe is denyed either by dissemblinge as when Peter was charged by the mayde that he was one of the nūber of the disciples ād he answered I wote not what thow sayest He knew verily what she sayed but being bewitched with a certayne feare he fayned that he knewe not the thīg which he did know very well Euen so truly at this daye many do saye that they are more simple then that they can vnderstond the dissension in religion and gyue answer of all controuersies But they do vnderstond so mutch as sufficith yet for the ieoperdies which be at hand or for sum vayne feare they do fayne that they do not vnderstonde Neither wer it necessarie for euery one to answer to all darcke or hard thīges which thing they which are well exercised can not do it sufficith to confesse thos thinges which be opē and playne Ther is also a coloured denyinge whē we playyng the foxes with foxes do cofes verely sumwhat of our religion yetwe do so enwrapp it with such darcke wordes and doutfull sentēces that vnto thē which are most subtill and conning in quidities it shall not playnly appeare what we do thincke But the cōfessiō shuld be simple and playne In making of it Godd and not Man were to be considered
our waye do hynder vs from walking in gods lawe Chrisostom entreating this matier writithe If the membre which ys misioined vnto the bodie must be cut of ar not then euell frends mutch more to be cut of â–ª And agayn he saith If we do cut of that membre which ys rotten and incurable from the bodie for feare les yt shuld corrupt the other partes therof which we do not bicause we do neglect it for who yet did euer hate his own fleshe but to saue the rest how mutch more is this to be done to them which ar euell ioyned vnto us â–ª Which yet we must not do as thoughe we did despise theÌ„ but to prouide that our helthe and saluacioÌ„ be not brought in dauÌ„ger by theÌ„ â–ª after that we do see that we can not profite them at all To this also beloÌ„gith the lawe which christe did giue That he which will not heere the brethern admonishing him And doth contemne the voice of the churche when it reprouith and correctith hym he is then to be estemed and taken as an ethnicke and a publicane Which thing Paule puttith in practise when he biddith that the Corinthians shuld ex communicat the fornicator les that a litill leaueÌ„ shuld soure the whole lumpe of dowe To the same purpose he usith the vearse of the poete Menander Euell wordes do corrupt goode maniers Ther Paul teachith that the true doctrine of the Resurrection was greatly hindered amonge the â—…orinthians which wer but newly turned vnto christe bicause they dyd to lightly gyue eare to the vngod ly argumentes and reasons of philosophers or ra ther of heretiques which did contend and stryue agaynst that doctrine No man can sufficiently consider how the bewitching of wicked tales and â—…alkes do shake and hurt the tender conscience aÌ„d weake faithe of the foeble aÌ„d weake brother Wher â—…or it is most necessari and profitable to admonis he them which ar weake that they do abstayn and withdrawe them selues from the felowshipp and familiar companye of the vnbeleauers The phi sicions do cowncell 〈◊〉 when a contagius disease hath enfected any nigh place that thei which as yet ar sownd and not enfected shuld not coÌ„me vnto them that be enfected alreadye and sicke bicause that in the bodies of men and the temperatures and disposicions of the same ther is such a commoÌ„ passion and suffering that the infection doth easily go from theÌ„ that be infected vnto the other And though they which do not take heede and keape theÌ„ selues from that infection do not presently feale the poyson and force therof yeat inasmutch as by lytill and litill the infection and poyson receyued doth growe nâ—…t long after they ar sure to feale the force and strenghthe of it Seing this is so and cich man maye worthily and godly take heede to auoide the diseases of the bodie mutch more diligeÌ„t heede is to be taken of all men that they do not froÌ„ ony man or place gett vnto themselues infecting vices of the minde Our Nature and disposicioÌ„ through our naturall and birthe syn is now so cor rupt as both the holy scripture doth warn vs aÌ„d infinite examples of dayly experieÌ„ce do teache vs that we neade not to dowt at all but that we shall easily receyue the poison and infectioÌ„ of other meÌ„s synnes if we do not fle farr from them And as with no great labour they will cleaue vnto vs so after they be ons crept and roted into vs theÌ„ hard ly and not without great payn aÌ„d labor will they be thrust out agayn Wherfor Chrisostom in the afore named place semith to say well If saithe he speaking of the vnbeleauers and wicked we coulde make them better and not hurt our selues all thinges wer to be doone But wheÌ„ we can not pro fite them bicause they be incurable and such as will not be amended and yet we hurt our selues they ar vtterly to be cutt of And to the end that he might the more strongly confirme his saying he alledgith that sayinge of Paul Put awaye the euell from among yowe Which wordes of Paule ar not to be vnderstonded of the synne for the greke word is in the masculyne gendre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therfor he meanith by it the wicked man The same wordes I will now sumwhat bend vse and turn vnto the profite of you that be weake and thus saye vnto yowe Put awaye your own selues from the euell men that ar emongst you for seing ye ar but priuate men and vnlearned and therfor can not put awaye the euell from among you yet your selues ye may ridd and conuey awaye from being emongst the wicked and the euell men Morouer it happeneth that whilest the weake and vnlearned do thus familiarly accompanie the vnbealeuers They caÌ„ not chose but they must heare many subtill reasons and see many other thinges which do mutch make against the true religioÌ„â—…hat they do profes Which thinges when they se â—…nd be not able to disproue and confute They do it not And so they roÌ„ne into two mischeifs The furst is That they ar as it wer witnesses of the blasphemie and of the reproche that the vnbeleauers do to the truithe The secoÌ„de that they maie happ to haue summe stinge left sticking in their concience with which they shalbe longer more greuusly and daungerusly tormented theÌ„ either they thincke of or do feare Let us heere therfor the wise maÌ„ which doth saye Who so touchithe pitche shalbe fy led ther with all and he that is familiar with the proude shall become lyke vnto hym Take not a burtheÌ„ vppon the aboue thy poure neither ioyne thow thi felf to hym that is more honorable and ritche then thiself These words of the wiseman do for two causes belong to our purpos Furst bicause that they do teache that other mens synnes ar lyke vnto pitche which doth stycke vnto the fingars and garments of them that do touche it Agayn that eich man shuld well trie and consider his own poure and strenghth VppoÌ„ which cowncell I do gather two thinges Furst that the infirme and weake must not ioyn themselues in familia ritie with the wicked for wickednes will then clea ue vnto them Secondly that eich man must so well consider and iustly trie his own poure and strenghth that he doth not ouermatch himself The churche of godd in all ages hath felt by expe rience that mutch euell hathe happened through this familiar companie and felowshipp keapt betwene the weake in faithe and knowledge and the vnbeleauers In the Primitiue churche forthwith after christes ascension bicause the Iues which wer conuerted vnto christe did lyue a great while with thos gentils which hadd receyued the gospell ther begon a very Iuishnes For the Iues did enforce the ceremonies of Moses lawe myng ling theÌ„ with the doctryne of the gospell through which they did infect many congregacions of the christiaÌ„s so sore that scarsely and
pardoned them Neither did Eliseus as our men do thincke graunte Naaman licence or libertie to do so as he hadd sayde but only he saide vnto hym goo in peace which manier of speaking was a kind of takinge leaue vsed in that age And as for ony other thinge ther can none be gathered out of thos wordes onles it be this that he promised to do that which Naaman required goo thy wa yes saithe he I will do as thow desirest I shall praye for the. The prophet doth not reiect hym if he shuld fall into this euell As we do not vtterly reiect nor shutt theise mē frō grace which thus do fall Ye◅t must we sharply reproue their doinges that they may acknowledge their fault and synne and vnfay ◅edly lament and repēt the same And we ought also hartily to praye that they may be raysed vpp agayn They do obiect also certayn wordes out of the Epistle of Ieremie which is ētitled Baruch The wor des ar theise Now shall ye see in Babilon godds of golde of syluer of wodde and of stone borne vppō mens shulders to caste out a fearefulnes before the heathē But loke that ye do not as the other be not afrayed let not the feare of thē ouercome yowe Ther for when ye do ◅ee the multitude of poeple worshipping them behinde and before saye yee in your har◅es O Lord it is thow that oughtest only to be worshipped Of theise wordes our men do gather that it is sufficient for them when they ar present at Idolatries Masses and popishe supersticions to saye in ther harte O Lord it is thow that oughtest only to be worshipped In answer to these men furst I saye that this booke entitled Baruch is none of the Canonicall scriptures And therfor no man is bownd to the doctrine of it But admitt the booke wer of sufficient auctoritie Then theise men must vnderstonde that the prophet doth not gyue the Iues leaue to comme vnto the temples of Idols that ther they might be present at vngodly Idolatrie bowe ther knee and so make vpp the matier with sayinge in their hart to the true and lyuyng godd O Lord it is thow that oughtest only to be worshipped But he gyuith the Iues instruction against Images which wer caried about ād Ido latries which wer vsed in those places wher they were exiles ffor the Maneir of the Babilonians was not only to haue Images in ther tēples but also to haue them sett abroode and caried openly vppon mens shulders As it is not vnlike that the Image of Nabugodonosor which beinge dedicated in the feilde of dura was caried aboute the who le Regiō with Musicall Instrumētes ād sōges at the sownde of which whersoeuer the Image was seene commaundemēt was gyuē vnto all mē that they shuld worshipp it which Daniels felows wol de not do Of theise thinges I saye that epistle entreatithe playnlye to warne the godly that they shuld not adore nor worshipp thos Idols thoughe that the heathenishe poeple did so bothe before them and behind them but when they did see this Idolatrie detesting it they shuld then saye O lord it is thou to whome worshipp doth only belōge he saied not bowe the knee with thē and saye in your hartes o lord it is thou rc but when ye do see these Idols and Idolatrye say so These seyngs and suddayn meetings in the cytie streetes ād fieldes could not be auoyded and therfor the godly were to be enstructed and admonished how they shuld behaue them selues in that case But our men as they are veraye bolde to abuse the scripture for their purpose go on further and aske how it happened that Daniel was not throwen into the fierie fornace with his felowes seing lyke punishement was appointed vnto all men which did not worshippe They will of necessitie haue it graunted them therfor that Daniel did dissemble as they now do and that therfor nothing was done vnto hym And that thinge which Daniel dyd they thincke that they maye do I aunswer our men thus that they do not reason well to saye He was not punished therfor he was ther and worshipped they do put more in the consequēt then is in the antecedēt and so to reason is to make a subtill cauillacion taking that to be a cause which is no cause For there might be many other causes wherfor Daniel was not likewise punished happilie the Image ād he did not meete together or yf he did meete it men did not mark what he did or els though men marc◅ed that he did not worshipp yet he was not accused or yf he were accused yet through the singula◅ fauour which the King did beare vnto him he was delyuered from punishmēt It must not then forthe with folowe that Daniel for feare of death did present himself before that Idoll and did dissemble his Religion doing there as other Idolatrors did this we must not iudge of Daniel seing in the lyfe quarell he was not afrayed to be thrown vnto the lyōs Now seing there may be many other causes why he was not caste into the fire with his felowes why do these men chose vnto them selues this one cause and that such a one as is sclaūderous vnto that ho ly man of which in the holy scriptures there is not so much as a suspicion contayned Yet they do thinke that they do not vnaptly saye for themselues and defend their cause when they do alledge that out of the Actes of the Apostles where mencion is made howe that Paule throughe the councell of the Elders of the churche of Hierusalem did take on hym a vowe with other foure men and did purifye hym self after the maner and custumme of the Iues. Yf saye they suche an Apostle dyd take thys lybertye to vse in Iurie the ceremonies which were now abrogated euē we also maye vse and comme vnto the rites and ceremonies now vsed in our countrithe For the better vnderstōding of this matter we must first well consider what the somme of Paules preachinge was We do suppose faith he that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Lawe And as many as are vnder the deedes of the Lawe are subiect to the curs Agayne the Iuste man shall lyue by his faithe This is the somme of Paules doctrine wherby it doth appeare that Paule did not vtterly condēne the obseruing of the ceremonies of the Law but only whē it was done with this minde as thoughe that Iustification did cōme therby And the same his meaning he vtterith most playnly to the Galathians where he saithe As many of ye as are circumcised ye are fallen from the grace of Christe for Christe shall not profite you at all ye are gone quite frō Christe as many as are Iustified by the Lawe As yf he wold saye These thinges of theyr owne nature do not alienate and separate vs from Christe but only when they be done with this mynde and
This they saye But what will Paule I praye you that we shuld yealde to the weake This verily fyrst that we shuld not please our selues Agayne that we shuld not so lyue after our own mynde that we shulde cōtemne their saluacion We do graunte therfor that som thinge is to be gyuen vnto the infirmitie of the weake brother but euen with Paule we will not suffer that to be done but in thinges indifferēt But those thinges which of them selues ar euell and forbidden of Godd must not be done in respect of any man For that same Rule doth stonde certayn which gyueth leaue to no mā to do euell that goode maye comme theron To abstayn or not to abstayn from meates was then a thing indifferēt In such thinges they which be stronger must beare with the Infirmitie of the weaker but meate eating ād Massehauntinge are not lyke for this is no thing indifferēt but manifestly euell as it is sufficiently proued and therfor it is not to be done in respect of bearing with any man that is weake But are the weake alwayes to be borne with all in thinges indifferent no truly we must not alwayes yealde to the weake but only whylest they be taughte And when they do vnderstonde the thing that is taught them and yet do wauer and doubt of a wilfull scrupulositie their infirmitie is no longer to be norished nor born with all For we must not so beare with them that our libertie shal be in subiectiō to their frowardnes nor that therby we do hurte others by our example Agayn they obiect and saye Yf we shuld do as ye wold haue vs to do then must we eyther flye out of our coūtrithe or els forthwith shall we suffer death and so the congregatiōs shalbe left vtterly desolate ther shall be none lefte to teache and norishe those af flicted mēbres which shall remayne in our churche Better it is that by our bearing and dissemblinge ther do remayne yet sum leight then that by doing as ye wold haue vs all together shuld be putt out If sū do remayne ther it wil brust forthe at lēgthe ād a litill leauē will soure the whole lūpe of dowe◅c Truly for all this goodly clooke it is easily perceyued that through this dissēbling the edifying of the churche is hindered and not furthered These men pretēde with Athlas to beare vp heauē withe their shulders but they do ouerthrow altogether Godd doth se more thē we in the thinges which shall hap pen to the churche We must obeye hym in seruyng hym ād his churche with the cōfessiō of truthe The issue and succes let vs cōmitt vnto hym to whom the churche doth belonge And let vs do that wherunto we ar called The churche shall be destroyed thē thow sayest Let God care for that he will well prouide for that let vs not doubt Wel maye theise mē be answered as the lorde answered Peter whē he called hym sayinge folowe me Peter made a staye at it and asked hym what Iohn shuld do If I will saith Christ haue hym to tarye what is that to the do thow folowe me So if thow aske in this case what shall then be done with the churche I aunswer what is that to the Do thow the thinge wher vnto thow art called Besids this oftē tymes the doctrine of the gospell is more sett furth and better receyued when it is mayntayned by deathe and fleinge then when by words only it is propownded and taught for then men are taught by deedes as before they wer by wordes Haste thow confessed the gospell in wordes This then remayneth for the to do die or flye for the gospell so shalt thou cōfesse the same indede And Let vs not feare the desolatiō of the churche for wher one of our brethern dyeth or flyeth fo the doctrine in his rowm shall rise vp a great sorte But if we stād and continue in dissemblinge thē is the lighte of the truithe put owt nether is there any cōfession made indede They bringe in also the examples of Zacharie Iohn the Baptist the virgin Marie and Ioseph which in the corupted and infected tymes whē they lyued dyd cōme vnto the seruice of God in the Tēple of the Iues The samething maye be permitted to thē they thincke and that yt is as lawfull for thē to partake ād vse the ceremonies in the popish churche be they neuer so corrupt True it is that ther were many wicked doctrines and euill opiniōs at that tyme emōgest the scribes and pharisees But yet the estate of thē was far otherwise thē it is in our tyme They hade corrupted the docrrine of the law and of iustificatiō They were couetous That thing which they dyd Was done with out fayth and therfor abhominable before God yet the rite and maner of sacrificing apointed by Goddes lawe was not chaūged for the same beastes were offered which the lawe dyd cōmaūde the same daies were obserued and ceremonies and therfore it was lawfull to vse thē inasmoche as they hade the worde of Godd for thē And eiche mā that so vsed thē receyued accordīg to the measure of his faithe For the corrupte doctrines sentēces and manieres of the priestes Bishoppes and scribes dyd not hurte at all the prophettes and godlie men which wer thē selues cleare frō thē of a contrarie mynde to thē in all thinges thinking accordinge to Godds worde yea dyd also reproue and sharplie rebuke those thinges which thing Augustine dothe witnesse as he is allegded 23. q. 4. ca. Recedite and in many other places there Let our sa crificinge priestes do the same vnto vs at this daie Let thē celebrate the lordes supper and vse other ceremonies so as by Godds worde they be apointed thē we will not draw backe at all but vse thē thoughe they thē selues thincke corruptlie and liue more wickedlie we shall bewaile we shall admonishe we shall reproue we shall accuse thē and they shall beare their owne synne Their synne shall not hurte vs nether will we absteyne frome the sacramentes for their nowghtines but vse thē In which doīge we shall not cōmunicate with their wickednes for we shall vse the rite and ceremonie as the lord◅e cōmaūded and instituted And this thing mēt Christ whē he saide The scribes ād pharisees do syt in Mo ses chaire what they byd yow do that do but as they do see that ye do not So Christe commaunded the leper whom he hade clēsed to go vnto the priest The blessed virgin likwise she might well after the birthe of our sauiour Christ offer the payre of Turtles or too yonge pigeons because it was so commaunded in the lawe By this example our men can not heare masse because it is a thinge contrary to godds worde But let these papists giue vnto vs the sacramentes as Christe dyd institute them and we shall vse thē and yet neuerthelesse reproue their wickednes Nowe our men beinge thus at all pointes
in greate fault Vnto Turcks this ought not to be graunted that they shuld gather them selues together in congregations to do their Godd seruice bicause that in the same they reade neither the old Testament nor the newe but only their own blasphemus and filthie Alcorane Morouer the Iues shuld be forbidden the practise of their exchauÌ„ges and their vsuries For not without mutch dishonesti and shame do they afflicte many poore Christians therwith But Christian Princes and Rulars do take tributes and gret taxes for these gaynes of vsurie and shamefull couetusnes of the Iues so farr ar they from forbidding them these wicked practises Agayne Christian princes do not prouide to haue the Iues which do dwell vnder their dominions taught in Goddes truithe which indeede is an euill negligeÌ„ce in them for truly they ought to compell the Iues to comme vnto the godly sermons of the Christians and that often tymes Els if they be left in this point neglected they do waâ—…e dayly wors and wors and lytill yea no hope at all is ther to be hadd of their conuercion Theise princes are likewise bownd to take heade that the Iues do not corrupt the ChristiaÌ„s which ar vnder their Rule that they do not seduce them and bringe them into Iuishnes Neither shuld the weaker sort of Christians haue ony familiaritie with them but only such Christians as be learned and constant in the truithe And that for such causes as I haue alledged before Last of all it is meete and conuenieÌ„t that they shuld be known from the Christians by their araye or som suche outwarde signe les ony man at vnwares shuld be conuersaunt with them as though they wer Christians And thus mutch of the Iues shall suffice Now will I entreate of Heretikes This worde Haeresis is deriued of the Greke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to chose to pick or to cull out For heretikes do chose out vnto theÌ„selues sum doctrine which is contrarye to the holy scriptures and do obstinatly defend the same Vnto this euell they are brought either bicause they do not know the holy scriptures either bicause that though they do knowe them yet they do contemne and despise them either els bicause they do applye theÌ„selues to get sum honor or riches by this meane Wherfor Augustine saith He is an heretike which either enuentith or folowith fals and new opinions for ony worldly commoditie and cheifly to gett himself glorie aÌ„d autorite But of Heresie I will make this definicion Heresie is a choise and obstinate defence of certeyn doctrynes which are contrary vntto Godds worde springinge either of the ignoraunce or of the contempt of the holy scriptures to gett therby aduauÌ„tag or honors Ther are foure kyndes of causes in this definicion The formall cause is chosinge and defending of picked doctrynes The materiall parte or cause is picked doctryns contrary to Godds worde For he that beleauith no doctryne at all is godles and not an Heretike The cause efficient by which they are moued to Heresie is ignoraunce and contempt of the holy scripture and lust or couetus desire The end whi men fall to Heresie is to obtayne honors aÌ„d riches For they do abhorre the Crosse which folowith the preachinge of the gospell aÌ„d as Paule saith Theyr belly is their god Augustine hath also this diuisioÌ„ Euell catholiques are they which do lyue otherwise theÌ„ they saie that they do beleaue Schismatiques are they which for diuersitie in opinioÌ„ do diuide aÌ„d separat the church for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to deuide Heretikes are they which perseuere and coÌ„tinue in that schisme But in an other place he saith That Heresie doth differ froÌ„ schisme For a Schisme is a stryfe which risith vppon diuersitie of senteÌ„ces Neither can a dyuiding or a schisme be onles they which do make it do thinke and holde coÌ„trarie thinges But Heresie is an inueterat schisme Saint Paule obseruith no such diuersitie for he vsith theise too wordes for one thinge Nowe that ye se what Heresie is consider well wether that the papistes be heretikes or no They themselues do stoutly saye that they be none Yea aÌ„d sum other ther are which dare affirme that the papistes do differ from vs only in certayn abuses of ceremonies and not in the doctrine of faithe But how farr theise meÌ„ do err from the truithe it shall forthwithe appeare For I will playnly proue that the papists are Heretikes and do mayntayne Heresie againste certayn principall doctrines of our faithe Furst in the Article of Iustification the papistes do picke out vnto themselues this doctrine That a man is not iustified by faithe only but by goode worcks also Which doctrine is contrary to the holy scriptures Paule teachith thus We holde that a maÌ„ is Iustified by faithe without the deedes of the Lawe Agayn he saith We do knowe that a man is not Iustified by the deedes of the lawe but by the faithe of Iesu Christe And Peter whom Paule did theÌ„ withstoÌ„d did not speake agaynst this doctrine Of the Iues also he writith thus For being ignorant of Gods righteousnes and goinge about to establishe their own righteousnes they were not obedieÌ„t to the righteousnes of God In which place he settith theise two righteousnesses the one against the other the righteousnes of faith against the righteousnes of worckes so that the one excludith the other The same thinge he doth where speaking of IustificatioÌ„ he saith If it be of grace theÌ„ is it not of worcks if it be of worcks theÌ„ is it no more grace To the Philippians he playnly saith that the worcks which are wrought before Regeneracion can not iustifie for he doth counte them to be but losse and dunge which truly he wold not haue done if they hadd such poure and vertue that they could iustifie This is most playne that men before regeneracioÌ„ are euell and then must this senteÌ„ce of Christes stoÌ„de true An euell tree caÌ„ not bringe forth goode fruite For how can it be that they wich are deade as coÌ„cerning righteousnes can of theÌ„ selues go ony thinge forward vnto their new birthe And we all wer such eueÌ„ deade throughe synne and the children of wrathe The Epistle writon to the Hebrues doth witnes That without faith it is impossible to please God And to the Romayns Paule saith That what soeuer is not of faithe is Synne This is the doctrine of the scripture coÌ„cerning this matier The papistes as I sayde do teache cleane contrarie doctrine aÌ„nd do obstinatly defeÌ„d it notwithstoÌ„ding that they be admonished of their error by the holy scriptures by the aunciente fathers as Hierom Augustin and others by the godly CouÌ„cels as Africanum Mileuitanum Arausicanum And now also being admonished therof by vs yet will they not leaue their errour Wherfor by the former definitioÌ„ of Heresie they are proued heretikes An other doctryne also they do hold
purpose to be Iustified by them Take awaye this opinion and this euell hurtefull purpose being remoued then Paule cōmendeth these worckes and all other ciuyle ordinaunces cōmaunded and appoynted to that Nacion he condēneth them not but so farre as they wer iustly and not supersticiously vsed he did leaue thē in theyr place ād did not hinder the obseruacion of them As he dyd ◅lso write that in the Lord there was neither Iue ◅or gentill neyther bonde nor fre And that in Chri◅e Iesus neyther circumcision auaileth any thing ◅t all nor vncircumcision but the obseruing of the ◅ommaūdementes of God or a new creature And ◅gaine yf any be called being circūcised let him not ◅dde vncircūcision If anye be called vncircūcised ◅et hym not be circūcised Let euery mā abyde in the same estate in which he is called All these indifferēt thinges might somtyme be well obserued somtyme be as well left vndone as most serued for edifying in godd Of which vse and obseruacion of thē Paule doth speake when of him self he saieth I am made all vnto all mē that I might wynne manye Vnto the Iues I am made as a Iue to thē which are without the lawe as though I were without a lawe This sentence he hath also confirmed by exam ples For when he was required to circūcise Timothie because that the custumme which was yet in force might be kept he did it But when they wolde enforce him to the ouerthrowig of the christiā libertie that he shulde likewise circumcise Titus In no wyse wolde he gyue place vnto them no not for the space of one houre and that because saith he false brethren came in to espie out or to betray our libertie S. Paule did obserue these thinges then when it might be done without an euell mynd when no hurte shuld ensue of it The cause ād end why Paule did it was to auoide the offendinge of the beleauing Iues les yf he did it not they shuld therby be alienated and turned awaye from Christes gospell which they had newly receyued But we must not compare these ceremonies of the old lawe with the Inuencions of men they can not be iustly compared with Massing They were plainly taught in Goddes worde but these masses and popishe Idolatries are thrust vnto vs by the subtiltie of the deuell and craftye deceyuing of mē They were thinindifferēt and as such thinges might be well vsed But these are thinges vtterly euell and can not be well vsed They after Christes ascenscion into heauē wer not forbidden and therfor might be obserued so long as the Temple and common welth of Israel did cōtinue and the citie was vndestroyed and vntill the full reuelinge and preachinge of the gospell was had vntill by it the churche of Christe which was to be gathered of the Iues and gentils were well and fully vnited and knitt together Neyther wer those ceremonies as Augustine faith suddenly and without honor to be buried and throwen awaye But these masses and such popish supersticions which are farsed full with Idolatrie alwayes haue beene are and shalbe forbiddē Those thinges might therfor be feapt and obserued for a tyme so that men did not vse them with that mynde as I sayed to be iustified by them Wherfor yf thow wilt consider the matier it self that is the nature of the acte Paule can neither be therin reprehended nor yet can these dissemblinge Massehaunters vse his well doinge as a defence for their euell doinge but much les can this be done yf thou wilt searche out the mynde councell and entent of Paules doinge Bothe these thinges these mayntayners of massehaunting do want For furst they are occupied in a ◅hing which is contrary and repugnant to Godds worde as it is already declared Secondly in thys ◅heir dissimulacion they do only seke themselues for ◅o thend that they maye retayne their riches dignitie and estimacion by falling to poperye they offend the weake and drawe them by their example from Christe to Antichrist wheras Paule did herin obser ue thinges commaunded in Goddes worde and thē to this ende only les the beleauing Iues shuld fall backe frō Christ and that he might the more easily drawe others which yet beleaued not to the gospell of Christe Furthermore these men do saye that they by their dissimulacion will auoide offence For saye they yf we shuld so vtterly forsake the Masse as ye wolde haue vs we shulde be taken as wicked mē ād euell doers ād so shall we geue great offence in our countrithes I graūte that these men do seke to auoyd offence but what offence euē the offēce of the world They will not offend but whom Tyraūtes ād such as ar the very limmes of antichrist And why les they shuld procure against thēselues theyr wrath poure and tyrānie But this is that offence which Christe sayeth shuld not be auoided Let them alone saith he of the Phariseis They are blinde ād the leaders of the blinde Heere we must consider which be euell offences and such as are to be auoyded indeed Euē those I say which are an Impediment to the setting forth of the gospell which do offend and hinder mē be they simple or wicked that they do not embrace pure doctryne and turne vnto Christe Now beholde I pray the by cōming to the Masse what offence thou doest gyue The Idolatrous ād supersticious people ar they not offended by this thy doing Yeas verely For when they do se the haūte their masses they say these gospellers do cōme to our masses which they wold not do yf our masses wer so euell as thei call thē wherfor we may perseuere ād cōtinue in our old purpose And on the other parte the weaker brethrē which are but newly turned ād not farr entered into the knowledge of Christ whē they do se these better lerned professors enseyng bearers and chief men in the scole of Christ comme to the masse they are taught to do the lyke and wher before they wer perswaded not to comme at masses now they thincke that they were then deceyued and that it is but a fonde precise scrupulositie so to abstayn from masses and it cometh to pas that where they shuld go forwarde in the waye of truth now they do go backe Thus both the wicked and the godly are offended by thy example It is playne therfor that vnder the cloked colour of auoyding of offence these men do fall into the very offēce gyuing They say morouer It is nedefull to cōdiscende vnto the weake for there are many which are not persuaded that the masse is naught and therfor are neyther ready to forsake their countrie nor to dye in the quarell whiche men yf they shulde perceyue that we did not come to masse they wold not gyue then any ear or credite vnto vs in the other matiers and chief pointes of religion wherfore we must gyue and yealde somwhat vnto their infirmitie as Paule doth teache the Romayns