wickidnes can not be as we wolde haue a diuers shewe of aparel to be knoweÌ„ from the comon people so is yt necessary in aparell to haue a shew howe a protestante is to be knowen from a papiste Yt hathe pleasyd God to call vs to preache his heuenly worde to that hye office God geue you grace and vs all to seke hys honor glorie yf we so do with a pure hart and mynde he hath promysed He that honorith me I will glorify him and he that contemnith me I wyll contemne him Let ther be no curtisye made to healpe gods people now they be in danger Call to your remembraunce Quene Easter she begaue to make curtisy to speke in that cause but Mardocheus sayd vnto her Yf thou now hold thy peace God shall delyuer by an other meane yet thou thy fathers house shall peryshe You that can and may do good do it whyle tyme is offerid the tyme will come when it wylbe to late yet god wyll comfort his by some other meane It ys a perilous thinge not to healpe in the tyme of neade not to suffer religion to goe forward in all syncerite and to further gods cause when ye maye when Terenti a good Christian captaine returnid with great triumphe victory the Emperor Valerius bade him are what he wold and he shuld haue it for his good seruice he hauing God before his cyes desyryd nether ryches nether honor but those which had aduentered their liues for true religion might haue a church alowid them to serue their god purely in seueral from the Arrians The Emperour beyng angrie with his request pullyd his supplicacion in pecis and bade him axe som other thing but he gathered vp the pecis of his paper and sayd I haue receuid my rewarde I wyll axe nothinge els God encrece about Princes the small nomber of suche zelous suters promoters of religion and then no doubt gods glorye shall florishe when we seke his dewe honor and not oure owne profyte But to avoide contencion scisme Austen gevith good counsel to godly and quiet men that they mercifully correcte that whiche they can that which they can not paciently beare grone and morne with loue vntil â–ª god ether correct or amend them But how this Christian loue shuld be kept in this church when so manye godlie for so small thinges shal be thruste out also how many already is from the ministery theyr lyuinges yt passyth manye good and godlie wittes to conceyue S. Pauls rule in suche thinges sayth All thinges to me is lawfull but all thinges is not erpedient all thinges to me is lawfull but all thinges edefye not Therfor in this case we must not so suttelly dispute what Christian liberte will suffer vs to do but what is metist and most edefying for Christian charite promoting Christian and pure religion But surely how popishe aparell shuld edefie or set forwarde the gospell of Christ Jesus it can not be seen of the multitude nay it is to much fealt how gredly it reioysith the aduersaries of the truth when they see what we borowe of them contend for the same as thinges necessarie â–ª marke well the bysshopes wearing of their whyte rochets what grounde they fyrste had and from whence they receyuid it Ther was a certayne man namid Sisinius an heriticke bishop of the Noâ—acions and he first begane yt all those other popish trashe hath the lyke foundacions but they haue to long contineuyd pleasyd poperie which is beggerly pacchid vp of al sortes of cerimones that they coulde neuer be routyd out sence no not from manie professors of the gospel Wherfore you that se others that is come to a better perfection grudge not at yt but be thankfull to God though thynges may be borne wythe for a tyme for Christian lybertes sake in hope to winne the weake yet when lyberte is turnyd into necessite yt ys evell no lenger lyberte and that that was for wynning the weake sufferid for a tyme is become the confyrminge of the frowarde in their obstinacie Paul vsyd circuÌ„cision for a tyme as of lyberte but when it was vrgyd of necessite he wold not bende vnto it That famous father Master Bucer when he was aryd why he wolde not weare a square cape made aunswere because hys heade was not foure square wherin surelye he notyd well the comlynes of aparell to be when yt was fassionyd lyke the body a gret folly when a square cape was set on a rounde heade God be mercyfull vnto vs and graunte vs vprightly to seke hys honore wyth all carnestnes simplicite The Lorde comfort his afflictid church graunte that in this oulde age of the worlde we may serue the Lord of hostes in synglenes of hart and laboure to rote out all stomblinge blockes in religion that Christes glorie maye nakydly shyne of yt sealue without all tradicions or inuencions of men as in the begynninge when yt was purest and all such deuyses vnknowen but inuentid of late to bleare the eyes of the ignorant with outwarde shewe of holines God graunt that we may geue all honor to whom al honore is deue both inwardly and outwardly to serve hym vnfaynedlye al the dayes of oure lyfe Fare well deare brethren in the Lorde Jesu who euer kepe vs in hys fayth feare and loue for euer Amen ¶ To my faythfull Brethren now afflycted to all those that vnfaynedly loue the Lorde Jesus the Lorde guyde vs with his holy spret that we maye always serue hym bothe in body and mynde in all synceryte to oure lyues ende WHen I do remember dearly belouyd the great charge inioynyd vnto vs of almyghtie God the strayghte accounte that we shall haue to make for the ryghte vse and dispensacion of his mysteries I fynde no comparison myght iustly moue any Christyan to doubt of the better of those two choyses only that whych makythe a shewe for the mayntenaunce of popishe apparel is the opynion of indifferency marke wel good Christyan whych thynge he that wyll perswade must fyrst proue that it tendythe to Godes glory Concurrythe wythe his worde edefyeth his churche mayntaynyth Christyan lyberte whych condycions circunstances if they wante The thynge whych otherwyse by nature is indifferent dothe degenerat and become hurtfull but howe can Godes glory be auaunced by those popishe garmeÌ„tes whych supersticyous men Antychrist haue inuentyd for the maynteyninge beuty fyinge of Idolatry what agrement can mans supersticious inuencyons haue wythe the eternall worde of God what edifycacion can there be wher the spirit of god is greuyd Christes lytillous discoragyd yâ— weake brethren brought the boÌ„dage of ceremonies what it bringith into doubt of relygyon the wyckyd papists confyrmyd in their errour And adore new set open to all Popish tradycions and Antychristian impietie nether can any man call this Christian lybertie where a yoke is layd vpon the
into his leueris and to be lyke him in your garments O Elyas that thou lyuedste or that thy spyrit weare amongst vs thou woldeâ—â— say with the Prophet Sophoni that God will vysit the werears of this Idolatours garmentes or strange aparell thou woldest say that thinges dedicatid once to idolatry is not indifferent thou woldest say reuerence to the sacrameÌ„t is wrought by doctrine and discipline and not by popisshe Idolatours garments thou woldest saye what decency can ther be gaynyd to the sacrameÌ„ts by that which hath byn deuisyd vsyd to deface it if the golde ordeinyd by god for the reuerence and decenci of the Jewes temple is not to be admittyd to beutify the churche of Christe much lesse copes brought in by papistes the enemyes of god and alwayes continwyd in their seruice as ornameÌ„tes of their religion in no wyse ought of vs Christians to be retaynid But the papistes triumphe and glori in their assembles that the hote gospelars shal be driuen to their doltishe attires for the Lords sake let vs neuer giue them any cause of Joye thoughe we shoulde dye for yt Moyses wold not yelde on hoofe of a beste in gods busines he wolde not leue the loupe vnmade nor make a button or a claspe more or lesse Eleasar will not decemble by eatynge of vnlawfull meates the faythfull Isralites wolde not receyue so muche as an yâ—i bushe Contrariwyse Orygen caryinge a braunche and professynge that he bare it for Christ at the first But was afterwarde compellid to open Idolatry so cursid a thing it is to geue any place to the wicked all the papistes that saye they worship Christ in the crosse and God in the sacrament do still vnder these wordes continew still in their Idolatri beware of deceitfull wordes that couer wickid purposes to drawe vs from ChristiaÌ„ symplicite Let vs stand constantly agaynste all abuses and repent for our former coldnes in religion and our synnes and call for healpe from aboue for the hand of the Lorde is not shortenid we ar assured that we seke Gods glory and our aduersaries may see yf they can se any thinge that this thinge that they seke is not for gods glory seing the papistes the enemyes of God doe so desyre yt and glory in yt And reioyse that we whom they most hate cannot besafe but vnder their garments we ar assurid that we seke godes glory in folowinge Christ his Aposteles and Prophets who euer dispised these pharisaicall outward faces and visures Christe fyndethe fault withe the garmentes of the phariseis Paule counteth all his pharisaicall shew to be donge Zachari saithe that the false Prophet shal be ashamed of his prophecye and forsake his garments wherin he deceyuid shal the true Prophetes be fayne to crepe into their coules for by the same autorite may be comaundid any peace of popery so that it be namyd policie Ezechias and Josias knew no suche auâ—thoritie but they say It is for policie For it plainly apearithe that ther is lesse care for religion then for policie But beware that the example of Jeroboham be not folowed that made such like prestes for policie as wolde do as he commaundid them Achaz of policie brought the fashion of an alter into Jerusalem as he sawe at Damascus where he had ouercome the Idolatours and their Idolls but cursed was his policie and so at all they that wil retaine any thinge of their Idolatrie Nabuchodonosors Idoll was for vnitye and policie but without the warraunt of gods worde ther is neyther good vnitye nor police The godlie father Bucâ—r callithe the tenthes and the first fruites sacriledge and roberie they be kept stil for policie Crosse and candelstickes at supersticious though they be kepte I wot not for what policie the adoration of the Sacrament in the countres where they knocke and knele to a wafer cake is a popishe policie That wemen baptise that pluralites tot quotâ— impropriacions non residence despensacions suspensions excomunications absolucions for money at grauntyd yt is evell like as are many other inormites berowed from Rome which remayne in the name of policie All these thinges were abhorryd as popishe supersticious and Idolatries amonge our gospellers both bishops others when they were vnder gods roddes in pouerte But how thei now haue learnid courtely deuinite to grounde all apon policie Humble them agayne o Lorde that they do not forget the and thy great kindnes and mercie shewid apon them and sture vp their hartes and myndes that they may be carefull ouer thy pore flocke O Christe whom thou hast dearly bought by this theyr policy ar blindid carithe for no more but that thei may haue this supersticious shew which is so stifely maintained Let him mumble as he liste yf he be thus apparelid al his seruice is well ynough otherwyse yt is nothing worthe Thus cause you them to perishe by your polices for whome Christ hathe dyed further more yf poperi be superstitious and idolatrous euel and wicked as yet ther was neuer a worse thinge in the worlde then ar we commaunded to absteine from all participatio theâ— oâ— and from all the shewe therof ab omni specie mali that is from all shewe of wickidnes These garments were the shewe of their blasphemous preasthod herein they dyd singe and saye their supersticious idolatrous seruice they dyd sence their Idolls and healpe forwarde theyr Idolatrous masses what policie can it be then to weare this gere But a supersticious wickid and popishe policie they doe it for policie they saye that their priestes may be knowen and magnified of men Dyd not the Pharisies vse the same policie to doe all their workes and make all their garmentes bothe Philacteris vpon their headdes and their wide and syde robes and borders that they might be more expectable and notorious to the people but their woo is throtenid aboue al other sinners To suche ypocrites as beinge voyde of all true holynes delite in all outward shewes theyr curse is most inculcate their polyci is that yâ— preistes shall weare white in the churches to signify their vertue â–ª their purenes and holines and when they go fourth of the church they must weare blacke gownes and blacke hornes for coÌ„trary polycies and for dyuers significacions Our master Christes polycie was expressyd in one worde fede fede fede and the Prophetes before and the Apostelles afterwarde yf Christe be the wysdome of the father the true ministers shal be well inough knowen by that one marke which he geueth and yf that he haue not that marke better vnknowen then knowen both for him selfe and others therfore lett them not saye for shame that they seeke gods glorie Christes wil or the edification of his church by their polycie Why les they threteÌ„ stope the spredinge of gods worde and fedinge of Christes flocke coÌ„mandyd by writing to excoÌ„municate the most faithful laborers in the planting of the gospell because thei will not weare
the rages of popery to expulse yâ— most valiant soldiars agaynst the Romishe Antichrist the most earnest ouerthrowars of the kyngdom of satan which standith in sin and blindnes O beware you that wil be Lordes ouer the flockes that you be not sore punyshed for your pryde towardes your brethren and your cowardlines in gods cause that for Princes pleasures and pompose liuinges do turne poperi into policie and to become our persecutors vnder the cloke of policie it were better to lose your liuings then to displease god in persecutinge of youre brethren hinder the course of the worde But as oure deutie is we wyll praye for you and for all our brethren in the ministeri that god of his grace would graunte vs more zeale for his glorie than any of vs hathe had heretofore more desire to edifie Christes people in pure simplicite to present them a chast virgin vnto Christ then hitherto hathe apeared that when the hedeshepherde shall cal to accounte we be not ashamyd â–ª But beinge founde perfecte in all good workes may receiue the crowne prepared as for you deare brethren whome God hath callyd into the brunte of the batell The Lorde kepe ye constant that ye yelde nether to tolleracion nether to anye other subtelte persuasious of dispensacions or lycences which were to fortifie their Romishe practises but as you fyght the Lords fyght be valiant God will not leue you nether forsake you as you seke gods glorye god wyll glorifye you and as by you Christes church is edifyed comfortid and confirmid in Christian simplycite so shall you receyue comfort by Christe your heede captaine when you shal be callyd to geue acomptes of your stewardshippes and to be rewardyd for your fidelite the matter is not so smalle as the worlde do take yt yt wyll appeare before all be endyd what an harde thinge it is to cut of the rages of the Hidra of Rome it is beutifull but poysonful ther is no daling with such a mounster beware of lokyng backe to Sodome or delyght anye witte in the garments of Babilone neyther once touche the poysonid cupe though yt be of golde or gliteringe Let vs repent of our former synnes vnfaynidlye and then shall we abhor and stamp vnder our fette these rages that were apoyntid to supersticion and idolatry Let vs hate the blasphemous preasthode so iniurious to Christes preisthode that euery pache and token of it be in execration detestation and accursed and take no parte of yt vpon our heddes nor backes least we be accursed as it is Let vs not make the heritage of god as a byrde of many colours holdinge of diuers religions Let vs not mixâ—e the Jewes with the gentills let vs not in no wise mixt this our religion with any thinge of Antichrist let vs not confyrme the blinde in their blindnes neyther the weacke in their supersticion But rather let vs take awaye if we can the names memories and all monumeÌ„ts of poperye and that Antichristes priesthod Let vs open our wyndous with Daniel and professe what we ar their cruelte shal be our glorie Let vs followe paull that knew that the truthe gospel cold not be retainyd if any Jewishe cerimonies were mayntainyd Lett vs rather neuer weare anye garment then we should weare those wherby our brethren shulde be weakened offendyd or boldenyd to take parte with the idolatours so through our hautines in knouledge oure weake brethren perishe for whom Christ died Behold and marke well how they falle backwarde that yelde in anye iote and se how they are edifyed and increase in godlines which holde that ryght waye that you goe in the which the Lorde increase you vs all and strenthen vs with his holy spyrit that we may continewe to oure lyues ende al wayes both by our thoughtes wordes and workes to auaunce his glorye and honor dayly more and more now and for euer Amen ¶ Grace and peace with all maner spiritual feling and liuing worthi of the kindnes of Christ be with all that thrist the will of God TO my faythfull and deare brethren in Christ Jesu as in comen daungers of fier or suche lyke welbelouyd they that be fare of com to socoure those that haue nede so I beinge out of iepordie and far tru Christian loue of can not but of deuty wyshe well to those that be touchyd about the popishe apparell in thys libertye of Gods truthe whyche is tought plainely without offencis in yâ— greatyst misterys of our religion and saluacion yt is much to be maruayled that this small controuersye of aparell should be so heuely the practâ—â— of the wickid taken But this is the mallis of satan that wher he can not ouerthrow the greatist matters he will cause great troubels in trifels Peter and Paule agreyde in the greatyste articles of our saluacion and yet they differyd so about meattes that Paule withstode The infirmites of the godlâ— and rebuckid hym openly Paule and Batnabas fell at suche bytter contention whether Marke shuld go with them or no that they partyd companyes and eyther of them went sondry waies God defend vs from the the constance of the god â–ª lyke Paule circumcisyd Timothe when ther was hope to wine the Jewes but when they wold haue it of necessite he would not circumcise Titus therfore compellinge would not be vsyd in thinges of liberte yt is a lameÌ„table case that among them that are civil full of knouledge that yt shuld come thus to passe Consyder dearly belouyd I besech you how that all countres whiche haue reformid religion haue cast away the popishe aparell with the pope and yet we that wyll be taken for the best gospelars are contentid to kepe it as an holie religion Marke well also how many godly and learnid ministers ther be here in all countres that be so zelous not onlie to forsake the wickyd doctrine of poperie ready to leue the minystry to lose lyuinges rather then to be lyke the popishe teachers of supersticious order in aparell or behaviour This realme hath such skacite of teachers that yf so many worthye men and learnid shuld be cast out of the ministrie for suche small matters many placis shulde be destitude of preachers yt wold geue an incurable offence to all the fauourars of gods truthe here and in other countres also shall we make so much and so precious of the popes rages that other reformyd places exteme as uyle filthye God forbid S. Paule byddich wemen vse suche aparell as becomith them that profes true godlines which rule is muche more to be obseruid of men especiallye of preachers But yf we forsake popery as wickid shall we say that their aparell becommith saintes and professars of tru holines Saint Paule bydith vs refraine from al outward shew of evell but surely in kepinge of this popishe aparell we forbear not an outwarde shew of much euell yf popery be iudgid evell as greter
dysciples neckes where the consciens is cloggyd true preachers thretenyd the curse of Godes worde stayed the congregacyons spoylyd of godlye and learnyd pastors the Sacramentes brought vnder subieccyon of Idolators supersticious vestiments therefore where either the formar condycion wante or this latter be annexsyd yt can not be callyd a thynge mere indifferent Augustine vpon indifferent thyngs say the Those thynges that are not contrarye to faythe nether yet contrarye to good manners and haue somwhat to exhorte to the amendemēt of lyfe whersoeuer we se such thynges commaundyd or do know to be institutid we do not only alowe but also we will folow them in praysynge and imytatinge them yf the infyrmyte of some do not let that yt shuld be a further detrimente or damage here Augustine requiryth two poynts in thyngs indifferent First that they induce to a better lyfe do serue to edyfycacion next that we beware lest any offence come therbye or any weake consciens be hynderyd marke wel the nature of indifferēt thinges in y◠curse of religion Christ hym selfe geuyth a good warning saynge wo be to offences there myght be brought dyuers examples and testymonies to proue that thynges whych of them selues haue byne or are indifferēt by circunstāce abusinge becom euel what thynge is more requirid for sondry causis in this lyfe then fastinge and for the dayes tymes what thynges can be more indifferent yet yf by y◠obseruacion of dayes and appoyntinge of tyme the godly wil haue nothinge to do in cerimonies of the wicked we shuld confirme the opinion of the wyckyd so gyue consente to them we were worthely to be blamyd reprouyd as Augustine wytnessith wryting after this sort To faste on the Sonday is a great offence cheflye after y◠detestable heresye of the Manichees whych is planlye contrary to the Catholyke fayth of manye the scriptures of God dyd shew it selfe whych cōstitutyd to their hearers to fast on the Sonday was a most mete daye Tertulian in his boke De corona militis defendyth the cause of a soudyar that was zelous for the glory of god wold not weare a garlonde on his heade as y◠rest of his felowes dyd lest he shuld seame to consent with the Idolators God send vs manye suche zelours christyanes so bringe true relygion into doubt wheras many of the Christiās myslyhid of this soudyars facte which for so smal a try fill wolde hasarde the Emperors fauor and so auenture his lyfe seinge to weare the garlonde was not agaynste y◠scriptures Tertullian who iustifyed this zelous acte answerethe on this soudiars behalfe sayinge Yf for this cause it may be sayd y◠he myght lawfully be crownyd because the scriptures do not forbyd it by this same reason it shal be answered that therfor he ought not to be crounyd because the scriptures doth not commande it The Counsel of Toletane ordenyd that in Baptymse shulde be vsyd but one dyppynge lest they shuld seame to consente with the heretiks whiche vsed to dypp the child thryse sendynge to Gregory for his counsell herein they receuyd this answere for the eschewinge of the sclaunder of scisme and tradycion of the heritikes let vs hold the symple vse of Baptisme les◠they whiche amōgest vs do vse to dypp thry se to allowe the assercyon of the heretykes whyle y◠folow their not onlye to holde the Idoll as accursyd but also that we vtterlye abhorre and accounte moste abhominable thynges that apperteyne ther vnto and haue nothynge to do with it least we be snaryd with it rede we not in the Machabees howe the Lorde distroyd all those that had any stuff 2. mach 12 Josua 7. of the Idolls and howe was Achan plagyd for reseruynge those thynges whych the Lorde wold haue dystroyd and accutsyd a suttle practys we reade that Juliamis the apostata causyd the heathen to accomodat them selues to the maners of the Christyans and theyr vsages thynkyng by this meanes to entice them to Paganisme and yf we compell the godlye to conforme themselues to the Papistes I greatlye feare least we fall into Papisme alas that such compulsyon shuld be vsyd toward vs and so great lenite towards the Papistes how many Papistes inioye lyberte lyuyngs whyche neyther haue sworne obedyene to the Quenes maiestie nether do yet anye parte of deutye towardes theyr miserable stlockes those mysers laughe and triumphe to se vs thus delt wythe not ashamyd here vpon to bragg that they truste that the rest of theyr thynges wyll folow But he that sittyth in the heauens shal laughe them to thorne and at leangthe shal geue an end to oure depe syghinges and delyuer vs from all heuynes sorowes and myseris wherfore let vs neuer yealde to this tryumphe of the Pope agaynst Christe Lorde Jesus be mercyfull vnto vs and let thy wrathe be pouryd vpon them that call not on the name of the Lorde yf true reformacyon can not be had Yet lett Christyan lybertie preuayle agaynst compulsion to euell lett not the Papistes abuse vs as the Jewys dyd the Christyans when they had the temporall sworde on theyr syde pytey the dyssolate churches heare the cryes and gronyns of so manye thousandes of godes pore children that hunger and thyrst for sprituall fode we neade not to apealle to godes worde to the prymatiue church to the iust plages whyche hath byne pouryd and is pouryd contynuallye vpon the wordle for lacke of true reformacyon of relygyon but let your owne conscience iudge betwene oure cause and oure enemyes and yf we seke nothynge but godes glorye craue equitie and ryght desyre Christyan lybertie labor to ouerthrowe Idolatry and to wyne soulys vnto Christe why shulde we not be harde why are we so vncharitably dealt with all the Lorde moue youre hartes and open your eies that we may all prayse gloryfy his holy name that when the end of oure pylgrymage shal be endyd most ioyfullye we maye rest with hym in his euerlastinge glory through Christ oure sauyour to whome wyth the Father and the Holygost be all prayse glorye and honor for euer ¶ To the Reader TO my faythfull Brethren we geue thankes to God for your constancie and vpryght delynge in this gret controuersie now raysyd by packynge of enemys about the wearinge of popish apparell and as ye haue well begonne ther is no doubt but the Lorde in mercy shall kepe ye pure and blameles to the ende It hathe byne no small ioye and comfort to many godlye and good Churches which dayly and howerly prayeth for your perseuerāce and that it wolde please God to ease it whē his good will and pleasure is So on the other syde muche lamentynge the blyndnes of those that goeth about to defende it but especiallye those that are become persecutors of their godly faithfull brethren but as charite requireth we desyre God neuer laye it to theyr charge but geue them grace to ryse agayne vnto