euer may be obiected agaynst the refusars of those ydolators garmeÌ„tes for what so euer they brynge may be redused into this poyntes that Godly men ether nede not or ought not to be scrupulous in so small a matter which answer ye shall vnderstand as folowith with an answere to a question at the end hereof The Lord for his Christ sake make Ephrahim and Manassis agre that we maye all with on hart and mynde vnfaynydly seke Godes glorye the edificacion of his people that we may lyue in all godly peace vnyte and concord This grant o Lorde for Christ Jesus sake to whom with the and the Holy goste be all prayse glory and honor for euer and euer Fare ye well deare Brethren Dearly â—elouyâ— you that haue wytte vnderstanding and wyll to be instructyd in this controuersi now raysyd in the Churche about apparell at thys tyme thys shall suffyce Yt is true that the teachers of handye craftes affyrme that no man can attayne to suche excellente perfeccyon in worke as maye be disputed of by reasone muche lesse when the rule of religion muste be framyd accordynge to the rule of Godes wyll which is y e rule of all perfeccyon may we loke that any thyng can so perfectly be performyd of vnperfect maÌ„ that in all poynts yt may answere to the perfeccion that God requirith neuertheles God requirith his seruice to be suche as hym sealfe is deuyne pure syncere vnmingled and in no parte corruptyd and as lacke of strenthe shal not excuse vs in that we can not so neâ—lygence makythe vs more wickyd yf that we may performe and we will not Fyrste we are requiryd to loue God with all our hartes all our myndes and all our strength that precisenes is comendable which withholdith not a lytill wheÌ„ all is requiryd Thou shalt be perfect with thy Lorde thy god Thou shalt not bende ether to thy ryght-hande or to the leafte Thou shalt nether maâ—â—dyd Thou shalt not inquier for thâ— gods of the Gentyls sayinge Howe dyd those Gentyles serue theyr godes Thou shalt not do so to the Lorde thy god For whatsoeuer the Lorde abhorreth that dyd they to theyr godes God wyll haue his children so to abhorre these supersticion y t they shuld fle euen from that infeccioÌ„ that comythe by hearynge Furthermore so many thinges as ar coÌ„mandyd of leprous meÌ„streous dead bodys were many which myght not be touchyd without defyling what other thinges were they in that rude people but exercises of precyse purenes and cleanes the obseruance of suche shadowes althoughe it hath byn longe synce abolyshyd yet the euerlastinge truthe remaynyth muche more in presence of the bodye that no prophane or defylyd thinge may be minglyd with gods seruice Moreouer god forbydyth all strange corruptions mixtures wheÌ„ he forbyddyth them to sowe land with diuers seedes to plowghe with an oxe and an asse to weare lynyne and wollen to gether For lyberte costome euen in y e leaste matters bredythe boldnes in hys coÌ„mandement god hath also respecte to the hynde of apparell Fynallie when this cleanes is 〈◊〉 euen to brute beastes who wold not beleue that God requirith an vtter detestacion of all vncleanes especially in religion Seing all these lawes perteyne to the fyrst coÌ„mandement accordinge to the same precise rule dyd the holy fathers exercise them selues vnto puryte therfore it is neuer rede that the godly Patriarches dyd sacrifyce vpon the Idolators alters but whythersoeuer they remouid always they buyldid newe alters Furthermore Abraham wolde not take a thryde of the Kynge of Sodoma Jacob buryed the eatinges that weare ornamentes of supersticion with the Idoles them selues Moyses to blemishe the seruice of God wolde accepte no condicions at all there shall not remayne on house saythe he very precislye Dauith wold not take the names of the Idoles in his lypes Ezechias brake the brasen serpeÌ„t not only chaÌ„gyd the vse of it The Holyghost praysithe those godly Kinges which destroyed the highe places as Ezechias and Josias in whiche places somtyme the people dyd worship god Elyazer wold not fayne that he dyd eate swynes fleshe S. Pawle byddythe Refrayne from all shew of euyll S. John forbyddyth vs to salute an herytyke wytnessith when he mett an herityke wolde not gyue hym other answere but that he knewe hym to be the Deuells eldeste sonne for suche feare had the Apostels theyr disciples that they wolde not comunicate withe on worde with any that had corruptyd the faith Fynallie S. Pawle in playne wordes coÌ„mandyth precisnes sayinge Take hede that ye walke precislye or exactlye for so the greke worde signifieth Last of all let vs not forget what our Sauiour Christ saythe He that is faythfull in the leaste wyl be faythfull in the moste Who also teachith vs howe faythfully and precislye we shulde walke what colde be more precisly spoken of the law shall passe vntyll all be fullfyllyd and he that breakyth one of the leaste coÌ„mandements and teachith other so to do ether by worde or by example shalbe least in the Kyngdome of heauen Yt is euident by these reasons and examples that no precisenes or scrupulosite in godes religion can be to muche or blame worthie Towchinge y e substance ther is no controuersy but yt is lawfull as the good creature of god and to this purpose pertayne those sayinges The kyngdome of heauen is nether meate nor drynke Meate coÌ„mendith vs not to god Whatsoeuer enterithe in to the mouth defylyth not the man All thinges ar cleane to them that ar cleane other lyke places of scripture all which they pertayne to the matter or creature substance only not to euery vse fassion or maner of vsynge It is to muche doltyshenes not to vnderstand all thynge a ryght excepte we wyll also conclude of the same places that by glotony dronkenes whordome disquisyd aparell and suche lyke the lawe of god is not brokeÌ„ garments therfore that ar vrgyd in respecte of the forme and vse they are not indifferent and fyrst of the ende which they labor so muche to proue that it is chaungyd that those thinges which before were vsyd to supersticioÌ„ now are coÌ„mandyd for order comlynes No godly man doubtyth but the Quenes Maieste intendinge an other end in commanding of those thinges then the Papistes vsyd them for But who so well considerith y e nature of those thinges shall playnely se that the end which the commander propoundyth dothe not folowe but accordinge to the diuersite of them y t vse them and them that iudge of them a cleane coÌ„trary end ensuythe for many popishe prestes vse them to the same supersticious end that they dyd in Popery and greatest of all is y e multitude of ignorant people that iudgith none otherwyse of them All men haue not knowledge for some with conscience of the Idole euen yet do eate meate offred to Idoles So Gedeon made an Ephode not that
to be lyke him in your garments O Elyas that thou lyuedste or tha◠thy spyrit weare amongst vs thou woldes◠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 sacramēt is wrought by doctrine and discipline and not by popisshe Idolatours garments thou woldest saye what decency can ther be gaynyd to the sacramēts 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 ornamētes 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 shalbe 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 yuibushe 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 Christiā 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 be safe 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 shalbe ashamed of his prophecye and forsake his garments wherin he dereyuid 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 aucthoritie 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 ar 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 Bucer callithe the tenthes and the first fruites sacriledge and roberie they be kept stil for policie Crosse and candelstickes ar 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 take is a popishe policie That wemen baptise that pluralites tot quots impropriacions non residence despensacions suspensions excomunications absolucions for money at grauntyd yt is evell like as are many other inormites borowed 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 at 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 evel and wicked as yet ther was neuer a worse thinge in the worlde then ar we commaunded to absteine from all participatio◠thero◠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 preisthod 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 thretenid 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 y e preistes shall weare white in the churches to signify their vertue ▪ their purenes and holines and when they go fourth of the church they must weare blacke gownes and blacke hornes for cōtrary polycies and for dyuers significations 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 shalbe 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 Whyles they thretē stope the spredinge of gods worde and fedinge of Christes flocke cōmandyd by writing to excōmunicate the most faithful laborers in the planting of the gospell because thei will not weare the rages of popery to expulse y e most
a protestate 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 begane to make curtisy to speke in y t 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 axe what he wold and he shuld haue it for his good seruice he hauing God before his eyes 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 futers 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 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 shalbe 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 expedient 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 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 Novaâ—ions and he first begane yt all those other popish trashe hath the lyke foundaâ—ions 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 axyd 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 earnestnes 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 whych thynge he y t wyll perswade must fyrst proue that it tendythe to Godes glory Concurrythe wythe his worde edefyeth his churche mayntaynyth Christyan lyberte whych condycions circumstances 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 beutyfyinge 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 y e weake brethren brought 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 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 saythe Those thynges that are not contrarye to faythe nether yet contrarye to good manners and haue somwhat to exhorte to the amendemeÌ„t 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 in y e 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 indiffereÌ„t by circunstaÌ„ce 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 e obseruacion of dayes and appoyntinge of tyme 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 t detestable heresye of the Manichees whych is planlye contrary to the Catholyke fayth of manye the scriptures of God dyd shew it selfe whych coÌ„stitutyd to their hearers to fast on y e 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 e rest of his felowes dyd lest he shuld seame to consent with y e Idolators so bringe true relygion into doubt wheras many of the ChristiaÌ„s myslykid of this soudyars facte which for so smal a tryfill wolde hasarde the Emperors fauor and so auenture his lyfe seinge to weare the garlonde was not agaynste y e scriptures Tertullian who iustifyed this zelous acte answerethe on this soudiars behalfe sayinge Yf for this cause it may be sayd y t he myght lawfully be crownyd because the scriptures do not forbyd it by this same reason it shalbe answered that therfor he ought not to be crounyd because y e 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 lest they whiche amoÌ„gest vs do vse to dypp thryse to allowe the assercyon of the heretykes whyle y â— folow not onlye to holde the Idoll as accursyd but also that we vtterlye abhorre and accounte moste abhominable thynges that apperteyne ther unto 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 of the Idolls and howe was Achan plagyd for reseruynge those thynges whych the Lorde wold haue dystroyd and accursyd we reade that Julianus 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 them selues 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 obedyenc to the Quenes maiestie nether do yet anye parte of deutye towardes theyr miserable flockes 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 skorne 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 y e 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 shalbe endyd most ioyfullye we maye test 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 perseueraÌ„ce and that it wolde please God to ease it wheÌ„ 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 whom we leâ—e them wether they stande or falle Let Lottes wyfe be a warnynge in tyme to take hede Moses that blessyd seruant of God wolde not alter the valew of a curten or a lytill pyne in the Arcke so zelous was he in the Lordes worke nor neuer brought any thynge out of his owne heade to the people But had always the warrant of the worde for hym to coÌ„clude what so