The fathers do speake thus of this Sacri_A treatise of the cohabitacyon of the faithfull with the vnfaithfull. Whereunto is added. A sermon made of the confessing of Christe and his gospell, and of the denyinge of the same.

indeede / that the fathers do often tymes speake so as thoughe

that the lorde wer offered in this administracion of the

Sacrament / or sacrificed: But they vsed this worde / Sacrifice,

improperly / for by that kinde of speaking they did

onderstonde / the offringes of praise / and sacrifices of

thanckes made and gyuen for christes sacrifice done vppon the

crosse / This they called to sacrifice. Our sacrificing prests

ar not content with this / for they will haue their own worcke

to be an vnwonted worcke / belonging to them alone / which

neither the scriptures / nor the fathers do teache: ffor to

offer this Sacrifice of whiche the fathers do speake /

partayneth not to the preist alone / but to the whole poeple

that stondith by / and doth communicate / And so it is a common

oblacion and sacrifice of all / not of the preiste more then of

the poeple / but this only that the preist both in wordes and

action / doth go before the poeple.

[[de Ciuitate dei. lib. 10. cap. 6.]]

Augustine doth saye / that the churche is offered in that

offeringe which it doth offer. For all which do communicate /

they do offer them selues vnto godd / and do testifie that their

will is / to abide in christe.

The papistes do holde also that the breade is turned into the

substaunce of christes bodie / and that ther remaynith nothing

but the qualitie and accidence of breade as whitenes / &c. for

the substaunce / saye they / is christes bodie. But the scripture

saith that christe in his laste supper did gyue breade vnto his

disciples /

[[1. Cor. 11.]]

and paule callith it breade also / yeat in the Masse the

papistes saye that it is otherwise.

The vse of the breade and wyne by christis institucion is only /

that the congregacion shuld eate and drincke therof in the

remembrance of christe / But the papistes in their Masse do most

shamefully abuse them both. For wheare as the worde of godd

saythe:

[[Deutron 6]]

[[math. 4.]]

Thow shalt worshipp the Lorde thy godd and hym only shalt thow

serue / They in ther masse do lyfte vpp the breade and wyne /

and euen in the rowme of godd they sett them furthe to be adored

and worshipped of the poeple: now how farr this differrith from

the vse of christes supper eich man may se. Yea what can be more

vile and filthie Idolatrie / then to adore and worshipp a peace

of brede and cupp of wyne / as godd? Be not offended that I do

vse theise bare names. I do confes / that whosoeuer acording to

the Lordes Institucion doth communicate with the congregacion and

dothe eate the breade and drinke of the cupp of the Lorde /

beholding the deathe of christe with Lyuely faithe / the same

man is in sprete and after his manier / made partaker of the body

and bludd of the lorde. Contrari wise if thow do not vse the

breade and wyne acordinge to the ordinaunce of christe / but

gase vppon them / then ar they nothinge els to the / but breade

and wyne: But if in a popishe Masse / or in the popishe hanging /

heauing / carying / or handelinge of them / thow do worshipp

them / then ar they vnto the a false Idoll / and thow indeede a

filthie Idolatror. If therfor thow wilt be partaker of the body

and bludd of christe in the holy supper / then eate the breade

and drincke the cupp as the lorde hathe instituted. Godd wold

haue the poeple in the vse of the holy Supper to ascend vppwarde

into heauen in mynde and affection / that they might ther cleaue

fast vnto christe. And therfor the true ministers of the churche

do labour to the vttermost of their poure / thus to lifte vpp

the poeples mynde into heauen / that they shuld not seeke

christe in the worlde / that they shuld not thinck ony fleshly

or earthely thinge of hym: Theise men clean contrarie in the

order of their Sacrament and Masse do miserably detayn the

poeple in the earthe / bynding and holding them to the visible

signes.

[[1. Cor. 14]]

The apostle commaundith that thinges shuld not be doone in the

congregacion in a straunge tongue / except ther wer an

Interpretour / that the thing being vnderstonded of all / the

hearers might saye / Amen / and that the edifyinge of them shuld

be sought. Now theise men in their masse do all in the Laten

tongue / which is to the common poeple vnknown / and they do

defend this theyr doing euen against the worde of godd. But it

is most certayn that christe our sauiour in his administration /

and after him all his apostles and disciples which wer hebrues /

vsed theyr vulgare hebrue tongue / the Grecians also their greke

tonge. And euen vnto this daye the Sclauonians in their churches

vse their vulgare and commen speache.

Those wordes of our greate and singuler consolation / in wich

the partakinge of Christes bodye and bloude is promised / the

papistes in their Masse speake secretlie / they whisper them so

that euen they which knowe the Latine tonge can neither heare them

nor vnderstande them. And so do they rumble them vp to their

owne selues as thoughe the people were vnworthie to heare them:

But christ in his super spake them openlie. And so the greke

churche and the Churche of India / do yet speake them with an

audible voice And the auncient manier was / as Ambrose and

Augustine among other of the fathers do testifie that the people

dyd answer vnto those words. Amen. But as I suppose the papistes

do thus murmure and speake these words in secrete / bicause they

wolde not haue their Lies knowen / for they do saye / Take ye

and eate / and this so often as ye do / do yt in the remembraunce

of me. But who taketh / or to whom do they giue? The wordes be

spoken to the people: And yet they them selues do eate and drike

vp all alone / and do distribute vnto no man ells. Is not this to

make a lie? To lie alwaies is taken to be an euill thinge / but

before god to lie / is a moste shamles and wiked thinge: who

dothe eate (o ye lyyng papistes) or who doth drinke wyth you? If

ye do distribute at any tyme to ony other ye do yt not when ye

your selues receyue / but ye chose for them an other time / yea

and another kinde also / for to them ye do minister but the

breade onlye. Thus ye se that all theise thinges which these

massers do in their masse / ar contrarye to the institution of

Christe. Ther masse then and Christes supper ar not lyke.

The papistes saye that by their Action (I meane ther handeling

of ther breade and wyne) they do applie vnto others the profitt

of Christs bloudie sacrifice and passion. Of a Sacrament they saye

that they make sacrifices to profit the quicke and the Deade.

and this do they in ther masse. But the scripture teacheth / that

there is but one only propiciatorie sacrifice / able and

auaylable to take awaie synnes / whiche Christe Iesus offered in

his owne fleshe vpon the Crosse. And that euerie man muste

applie vnto him selfe by liuelie faythe the benefite of that

same sacrifice of christe / as the scripture teacheth likewise /

that eche man is iustified by his own faithe, and that eche man

in his owne righteousnes or vnrighteousnes / doth liue / or die.

It teachithe also that christe did institute the sacrament only

to this end that the congregacion shuld eate and drincke it in

the rememberaunce of that same his Sacrifice. And that eiche one

in the drincking therof shuld apply vnto himself by faithe / the

fruite of that Sacrifice. Now compare the doctrine of the

scriptures and of the papistes in this pointe together / and

thou shalt se that their Masse is contrarie to christes

Institucion. But as they haue / so still will they saye:

That aswell the liuing as the deade be helped by this their acte

applied at their pleasure. If they wolde saie that thei profyt

others by praier / that were tollerable. But they go further and

saie / that ther verye massinge worcke it selfe / hathe so moche

vertue / power and strenghthe in it / that it shall profit not

only all kyndes of men / but all such creatures and beastes for

whom they do say ther masse / bicause in it they do applye the

benefite of christes passion: but ye must vnderstond when they be

payed for ther labor. This is an horrible error in no wise to be

suffered / for as I sayed / ther is but one only sacrifice

propiciatorie to take awaye synne / which one sacrifice eiche

one of vs must applie vnto our selues by liuelie faythe / And

this applyinge faithe is the only gifte of god: But on this

grounde buylde they their purgatorie and mutch other such pelf /

by which they do pycke mens purses. They saye ther Masses also

in the honor of this / or of that saincte. And of what saintes?

suche verylie whose histories are not certaynlie knowen / and

are of none authoritie / yea many of them are no better then

poetes fables / of whom not vnworthelie we doubte whether they be

sainctes or no: But be it that they were true sainctes / yet

this their doinge is moste contrarie to christes ordinance / for

Christe did institute his supper to this ende that it sholde be

vsed in the remembrance of his deathe and not of other mens /

weare they neuer so holye.

In their masse they haue also diuers and sundrie rytes and

customs / clothes / signes / gestures / tornes / remouinges / and

blissinges / of and with the breade and wine / but christe vsed

none of all theis in his supper: And what they do meane by these

thinges the poeple doth not knowe / neither can the priestes

them selues for the most part tell what is ment by them: for if

ye aske the meaninge of them / either can they saye nothinge at

all / or if they do saie owghte / they do not saye all one

thinge / but thinges that be moste contrarie / wherby a man maie

iudge that there is no truithe at all in their wordes. But here

they do saie. Thinkest thou that the foolishe vnlearned people

in the olde Lawe dyd vnderstand all the legall ceremonies? no it

was not requisite / no more is yt nowe: To this I answer /

Althoughe that all the poeple dyd not knowe what was mente by

them in the olde lawe / It sufficed yet that they hade the worde

of god for them / Nowe do yee shewe vnto vs the worde of god for

theise your signes and it shall suffice vs.

Agayne the godly and lerned preistes could shew what was ment by

the rites and ceremonies of the lawe / and that by the word of

godd: but ye can do neyther of theis: for ye haue enuented theis

toyes in your own braynes: signes ye do call them but ye do not

know what thinges they do signifie. And therfor as in rites your

Masse doth differ from christes supper / so when ye saye your

pleasure of your rites / ye ar not to be beleaued: for faith

hath no place where goddes worde doth not shew it selfe. I saide

that massemungers in their masse do committ Idolatrie. Their

bready god hanged vp in a pix / and their Images / vnto which

they turne them selues and do make their moste vncleane seruice

and sacrifice do proue this true: Neither do they accompte it

sufficient to behold theis their Idols when they saye their

Masses / but also they so offer vnto them / they cense them /

they bowe the knee vnto them: let them nowe denye whilest they

will that they do not worship the breade / nor the Images / yet

this worship they do them / This kinde of worship (I saye) which

is giuen customabilie vnto god alone / as the lawe of god

teacheth. But seing they giue this vnto these Idols / are they

not Idolatrors? yes truly. And howe then dare ony christian be

present there / to vncouer the heade to bowe the kne to offer

and do such like thinges with them?

They saye that ther Masse is christes Institution / And our men

(of whom I now haue spoken) do saye that the Masse hath sum

affinitie with christes institucion of the holy supper.

But I saye that the olde heathens myghte wyth more coloure of

truithe / excuse and defende their sacrifices by that maner /

then these men maye do their masse. ffor verylye the sacrifices

of the heathen haue lesse departed from the maner which the

fathers vsed in sacrificinge before the lawe giuen / which also

the lorde approued in the lawe / then these massers do frome the

supper which Christe / and the Apostle paule hathe prescribed.

In bothe their sacrifices was the inuocation of god / a Temple /

an Aultar / slayne sacrifices / sacrificinge priestes / sleynge

of beastes / sheddinge of bloude / salte / wine / oyle / mele /

an holy feaste / holy garmentes / washinge / censinge / fyer /

singinge / prophecies / and suche other thinges / all which to

repeate it were to longe: let our Massers (if they can) shewe so

many thinges which Christe did in the holye supper: Which thinge

if they can not do / then let them cease to boaste that their

Masse is the institution of Christ and the Apostles / from which

it differethe so farre that if the Apostles and fathers of the

primatyue churche were nowe here to beholde this masse / they

sholde not knowe it to be the lords supper / but wolde surlie

marueyle at suche a monstruous mahometrie.

I omytte also that in and with their Masse they haue many

Anniuersaries yearemyndes / diriges done for the deade: But The

Lord did not institute ony of them. If they saye that Cyprian

and others of the fathers do speake of suche Annyuersaries:

I answer that those of which the fathers do make mencyon / were

nothinge els but thanckfull remembraunces of the Martirs departed /

in which they did gyue thancks to godd for them. They also in

their Masses do call vppon the saintes and holy men departed /

which is a thing most contrarie to true godlynes / and vtterly

vnknown and vnpracticed in the administracion of the Lordes

supper.

And to be shorte all their thinges which they do in their

Masses / they do choppe and chaunge / they bye and sell and sett

them furthe to most vile and filthie gayne. Wherfor / my most

Louing Brethern take ye diligent heede / les whilest ye pretend

to worshipp godd in your going to Masses / and to entreate hym

to be mercifull vnto yow / ye do not most mightyly kindle his

wrathe against you by hearinge of theise Masses: which as ye

playnly do se / ar nothing els but a shamfull deuise sett vpp to

deface the deathe of christe / a pestilent practise fownde out

to ouerthrowe the true vse of the Lordes supper / and an

Idolatrie inuented to infect the poeple and to make them

Idolatrors. whearby eich man may easily iudge / how great a

synne it is / to be partaker of a Masse.

But notwithstondinge all this which is spoken / yeat theise men

whiche thincke that they maye dissemble at the Masse / cease not

to saye / That thoughe the Masse be not the Lords supper / but

an Idolatrie / yet is not the presence at it so earnestly to be

forbidden / seing that such thinges haue been graunted vnto the

Infirmities of men: If a man do aske them wheare:

[[Naman.]]

They do bringe forth the Example of Naaman the Syrian / and by

it they will neades haue it made Lawfull vnto them to

communicate with wicked supersticions.

[[4. Reg. 5.]]

for he prayed Heliseus / saye they / that he might be suffred to

kneele in the temple of Rymmon that Idoll / when the kinge did

worshipp / and leane vppon his arme. whom the prophet answered /

goo in peace. And that / saye they / which was permitted vnto

Naaman / whi do ye forbyd vnto vs? ffurst theise men shuld weye

with them selues / whether that we only haue redde this Example

of Naaman / or not. So we thincke that the holy Apostles and

Martirs of the olde churche which wer occupied nighte and daye

in the holy scriptures / did not consider this acte and Example?

Truly they wer not ignorant of the historie / yet did they neuer

knowe this vnderstandinge of it: for if they did / whi then

wolde they not folow this example / especially when they might

therby haue saued their lyues?

But these holy and godly learned men did see that thinge in this

historie / which our men do not consider / namely this / that

Naaman now newly conuerted to the faithe was a smoking flaxe which

was not to be putt out / a weake and shaken reade which was not

to be brosed in peices / and that as yet he was very weake / for

he was not yet prepared and readye to denye and forsake hymself

and all that was his for goddes sake. He thought that it might

comme to pas that he shuld together with the knowledge of the

Lyuing godd / easili holde and keape still his old place /

office / and dignitie / if he coulde happen to haue that / which

he desired of the prophet: And when he did well perceyue that

this was his infirmitie and synne / it trobled himso that

therfor he desired the prayers and helpe of Heliseus: he desired

hym / that if he shuld happen to fall into this euill / yeat

that he might be fauored / that he mighte finde mercie / and that

Heliseus wold praye that the Lorde wolde forgyue hym. Who doth

at ony tyme aske forgyuenes for that which he accomptithe

Lawfull? forgyuenes is asked for synnes only / Naaman therfor

acknowledged this his acte to be a synne: And if I so fall (quod

he) then praye the Lorde to forgyue me. This place therfor doth

make most against our men / and euen the same wayes which they

go about to excuse their facte / by the same it is most playnly

proued to be synne. Let them aknowledge therfor in their doinge

that thinge / which Naaman the Sirian did. And let them begg the

mercie of godd / and the prayers of godly men / that the same

thing which they haue euell doone / and do / maye be 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 any 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 wayes (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 men from

grace which thus do fall: Yeat must we sharply reproue their

doinges that they may acknowledge their fault and synne / and

vnfaynedly lament and repent 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 entitled

Baruch. The wordes ar theise.

[[Bar. 6.]]

Now shall ye see in Babilon godds of golde / of syluer / of

wodde / and of stone / borne vppon mens shulders to caste out a

fearefulnes before the heathen / But loke that ye do not as the

other: be not afrayed let not the feare of them ouercome yowe.

Therfor when ye do see the multitude of poeple worshipping them

behinde and before / saye yee in your hartes / 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 entitle Baruch is none of the Canonicall scriptures: And

therfor no man is bownd to the doctrine of it. But admit 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 / and Idolatries which wer vsed in those places wher

they were exiles: ffor the Maneir of the Babilonians was / not

only to haue Images in ther temples / 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 whole Region with

Musicall Instrumentes and songes / at the sownde of which

whersoeuer the Image was seene / commaundement was gyuen vnto all

men that they shuld worshipp it: which Daniels felows wolde 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 belonge: he saied not / bowe the

knee with them / and saye in your hartes / o lord / it is thou

&c. but when ye do see these Idols and Idolatrye / say so. These

seyngs and suddayn meetings in the cytie streetes and 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?

[[Daniel. 3.]]

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 out more in the

consequent / then is in the antecedent / 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 and he did not

meete together: or yf he did meete it / men did not mark what he

did: or els though men marcked that he did not worshipp / yet he

was not accused: or yf he were accused / yet through the

singular fauour which the King did beare vnto him he was

delyuered from punishment. It must not then forthewith 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 /

[[Daniel. 6.]]

seing in the lyke quarell / he was not afrayde to be thrown vnto

the lyons. 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 sclaunderous vnto that holy 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:

[[Actor. 21.]]

where mencion is made howe that Paule / through the councell of

the Elders of the churche of Hierusalem / did take on hym a vowe

with other foure men / and did purifye hymself 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 / euen we also maye vse / and comme vnto the rites /

and ceremonies now vsed in our countrithe. For the better

vnderstonding of this matter we must first well consider what the

somme of Paules preachinge was:

[[Rom. 3.]]

We do suppose (saith he) that a man is iustified by faith /

without the workes of the Lawe.

[[Gal. 3.]]

And as many as are vnder the deedes of the Lawe are subiect to

the curs.

[[Abac. 2.]]

Agayne the Iuste man shall lyue by his faithe.

[[Rom. 1.]]

This is the somme of Paules doctrine / wherby it doth appeare /

that Paule did not vtterly condenne the obseruing of the

ceremonies of the Law / but only when it was done with this

minde / as thoughe that Iustification did not comme therby. And

the same his meaning he vtterith most playnly to the

Galathians / where he saithe.

[[Gal. 5.]]

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 from 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 purpose / to be Iustified by them: Take

awaye this opinion / and this euell hurtefull purpose being

remoued / then Paule commendeth these worckes / and all other

ciuyle ordinaunces commaunded / and appoynted to that Nacion: he

condenneth them not / but so farre as they wer iustly and not

supersticiously vsed / he did leaue them in theyr place /

[[Gal. 3.]]

and did not hinder the obseruacion of them. As he dyd also

write / that in the Lord / there was neither Iue nor gentill /

neyther nonde nor fre.

[[Gal. 6.]]

And that in Christe Iesus / neyther circumcision auaileth any

thing at all / nor vncircumcision / but the obseruing of the

commaundements of God / or a new creature.

[[1. Cor. 7.]]

And againe yf any be called being circumcised / let him not adde

vncircumcision. If anye be called vncircumcised / let hym not be

circumcised. Let euery man abyde in the same estate / in which he

is called. All these indifferent 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 them

[[1. Cor. 9.]]

Paule doth speake / when of him self he saieth: I am made all

vnto all men / that I might wynne manye: Vnto the Iues / I am

made as a Iue / to them which are without the lawe / as though I

were without a lawe. This sentence he hath also confirmed by

examples:

[[Actor. 16.]]

For when he was required to circumcise Timothie / because that

the custumme which was yet in force might be kept / he did it:

But when they wolde enforce him to the ouerthrowing of the

christian libertie / that he shulde likewise circumcise Titus /

[[Gal. 2.]]

In no wyse wolde he gyue place vnto them / no not for the space

of one houre / and 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 and 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 men.

They were thinges indifferent / 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 heauen wer not

forbidden / and therfor might be obserued / so long as the

Temple and common welth of Israel did continue 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.

[[Aug. Epistol. 19. ad Hieron.]]

Neyther wer those ceremonies / as Augustine saith / 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 forbidden.

Those thinges might therfor be keapt 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 dissemblige 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 thing which is contrary / and repugnant to Godds

worde / as it is already declared. Secondly / in thys their

dissimulacion they do only seke themselues / for to 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

obserue thinges commaunded in Goddes worde / and then to this

ende only / les the beleauing Iues shuld fall backe from 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 men and euell doers /

and so shall we geue great offence in out countrithes. I graunte

that these men do seke to auoyd offence / but what offence? euen

the offence of the world. They will not offend / but whom?

Tyrauntes / and such as ar the very limmes of antichrist. And why?

les they shuld procure against themselues theyr wrath / poure /

and tyrannie. But this is that offence / which Criste sayeth

shuld not be auoided:

[[Mat. 15.]]

Let them alone (saith he of the Phariseis) They are blinde and

the leaders of the blinde. Heere we must consider which be euell

offences / and such as are to be auoyded indeed. Euen those I

say / which are an Impediment to the setting forth of the

gospell / which do offend and hinder men / be they simple / or

wicked / that they do not embrace pure doctryne / and turne vnto

Christe. Now beholde / I pray the / by comming to the Masse /

what offence thou doest gyue? The Idolatrous and supersticious

people / ar they not offended by this thy doing? Yeas verely.

For when they do se the haunte their masses / they say / these

gospellers do comme to our masses / which they wold not do yf our

masses wer so euell as thei call them: wherfor we may perseuere

and continue in our old purpose. And on the other parte / the

weaker brethren / which are but newly turned / and not farr

entered into the knowledge of Christ / when 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 offence gyuing. They say morouer:

It is nedefull to condiscende 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. This they saye.

[[Rom. 14.]]

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 contemne 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 indifferent. But those thinges which of them selues ar

euell and forbidden of Godd / must not be done in respect of any

man.

[[Rom. 3.]]

For that same Rule doth stonde certayn which gyueth leaue to no

man to do euell that goode maye comme theron. To abstayn / or not

to abstayn from meates / was then a thing indifferent. In such

thinges they which be stronger must beare with the Infirmitie of

the weaker: but meate eating and Massehauntinge are not lyke /

for this is no thing indifferent / 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 wilful scrupulositie /

their infirmitie is no longer to be norished nor born with all:

For we must not so beare with them / that out libertie shal be

in subiection 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 countrithe / or els

forthwith shall we suffer death and so the congregations shalbe

left vtterly desolate / ther shall be none lefte to teache and

norishe those afflicted membres 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.

[[1. Cor. 15.]]

If sum do remayne ther / it wil brust forthe at lengthe / and a

litill leauen will soure the whole lumpe of dowe. &c. Truly for

all this goodly clooke / it is easily perceyued that through

this dissembling the edifying of the churche is hindered and not

furthered. These men pretende with Athlas to beare vp heauen withe

their shulders / but they do ouerthrow altogether: Godd doth se

more then we / in the thinges which shall happen to the churche:

We must obeye hym in seruyng hym and his churche with the

confession of truthe. The issue / and succes / let vs committ vnto

hym to whom the churche doth belonge: And let vs do that

wherunto we ar called. The churche shall be destroyed then / thow

sayest: Let God care for that / he will well prouide for that /

let vs not doubt. Wel maye theise men be answered / as the lorde

answered Peter / when he called hym / sayinge:

[[Ioan. 21.]]

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 often 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 confesse the same indede. And Let vs not feare the desolation

of the churche / for wher one of our brethern dyeth / or flyeth

for the doctrine / in his rowm shall rise vp a great sorte. But

if we stand and continue in dissemblinge / then is the light of

the truithe put owt / nether is there any confession 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 when they lyued dyd comme vnto the seruice of

God in the Temple of the Iues / The same thing maye be permitted

to them (they thincke) and that yt is as lawfull for them to

partake and vse the ceremonies in the popish churche be they

neuer so corrupt. True it is that ther were many wicked

doctrines and euill opinions at that tyme emongest the scribes

and pharisees. But yet the estate of them was far otherwise / then

it is in our tyme: They hade corrupted the doctrine of the law

and of iustification. 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 chaunged / for the same beastes were offered which

the lawe dyd commaunde / the same daies were obserued / and

ceremonies / and therfore it was lawfull to vse them inasmoche as

they hade the worde of Godd for them. And eiche man that so vsed

them receyued according to the measure of his faithe. For the

corrupte doctrines / sentences and manieres of the priestes /

Bishoppes and scribes / dyd not hurte at all the prophettes and

godlie men which wer them selues cleare from them / of a contrarie

mynde to them / in all thinges thinking according 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

sacrificinge priestes do the same vnto vs at this daie. Let them

celebrate the lordes supper and vse other ceremonies / so as by

Godds worde they be apointed / then we will not draw backe at

all / but vse them / thoughe they them selues thincke corruptlie /

and liue more wickedlie / we shall bewaile / we shall

admonishe / we shall reproue / we shall accuse them / 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 them. In which doinge we shall not communicate

with their wickednes / for we shall vse the rite and ceremonie

as the lorde commaunded / and instituted. And this thing ment

Christ when he saide.

[[Matth. 23.]]

The scribes and pharisees do syt in Moses 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 clensed to go vnto the

priest.

[[Luc. 2.]]

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

them / and yet neuerthelesse reproue their wickednes. Nowe our

men beinge thus at all pointes answered / and ouercommed / do

flye to this atlenghth. Thoughe saye they it be a synne to go to

Masse and suche popishe pelfe yet it is but a light synne / and

not se seuerely to be reproued. What (say they) we do many

thinges which we shuld not fo. but God forgyuithe them. &c. To

the last I aunswer: The goodnes of Godd which doth forgyue

synnes vnto them that be truly penitent / doth not diminishe at

all the gretnes of the synne. Wherfor I will aunswer only / to

that they saye / that it is but a light synne. Which thinge

whilest they do saye / they do not thincke this with

themselues / that all synnes haue their proper wieght and

burthen. For doinges and the nature of thinges done ar not to be

considered simplie of themselues, but they ar to be weyed by

godds worde and laws / by which they ar forbidden: By it / wicked

actes and the doinge of them ar to be iudged: And seing that the

poure of the lawe and worde of god is all one in all

commaundmentes / by it / the weighte / burthen and greatnes of

synne committed / is to be weyed considered and iudged.

[[Iacob. 2.]]

S. Iames therfor in this cause doth saye. He that hathe obserued

the whole lawe / and dothe offend in one / is made giltye of

all. Which sayinge truly is harde and sharpe / but most true /

and teachith all men that they shuld not extenuate synne. But

this place of Iames / is not to be vnderstonded / as thoughe that

all synnes wer equall and like.

[[August. Epist. 29. ad Hiero.]]

That doth Augustine truly and playnly denye: He saith that the

Stoickes do go about to proue it / when they saye / that all

vertues are conioyned and knitt together / so that he which hathe

one of them hath all / and he that wantith one wantith all. For

wisdome (saye they) is not fearefull / nott intemperate / nut

vniuste / therfor it hath ioyned with it the vertues which be

contrarie vnto these vices: And likewise iustice / strenghthe /

temperaunce and other vertues are not vnwise / but are ioyned

with wisdome / wheruppon they do conclude / that all vertues are

conioyned and knitt together. Theise thinges / saith Augustine /

[[Iaco. 3.]]

do not agre with the holy scriptures / which do witnes.

[[1. Ioan. 1.]]

That in many thinges we do all offend / and If we saye that we

haue no synne / we do deceyue our selues and ther is no truithe

in vs. Wherfor seing that we synne in many thinges / and in

synnynge we can not haue that vertue which is contrarie to that

synne which we do committ / and yet it may be that he which

fallith in one synne / many be constaunt in other vertues / the

opinion of theis philosophers is fals. As for example: Be it /

that one be of an hastye nature / or do exceade measure in

eatinge / and yet he gyuith euery man his own / and will gyue

his life in Godds cause: though this man be fearce / and

intemperate / yet is he called a iust man / and a stronge man.

S. Augustine doth also putt awaye the similitude of the

stoicks / whiche is. That the man doth die in the waters / if

they be but half a handfull ouer, his heade / aswell as he ouer

whos heade they are / ten / or twentie cubites. This is no apte

similitude / saith he / therfor let vs take an other more fitte

for our purpose / of light namely and darcknes. Certaynly when

one is in darcknes / the more he dothe departe and go out of it

and drawith nighe vnto light / he begynnith the better to see

sumwhat / and so though that yet he be compassed with darcknes /

yet is he sumwhat partaker of the lighte. But he that wull knowe

more of this matier / let hym reade that Epistle of Augustyne:

Wher he prouith playnly / that all synnes ar not like / as the

Stoicks did thincke: Now to return to our place / which we did

rehearce. He that offendith in one / is giltie of all. Ther is

no obseruacion of Godds Lawe to be receued with an exception /

as thoughe we might chose one parte of it to obserue / and

separate or sett asyde the other parte at our will and pleasure

to neglecte it. The commaundementes of the lawe ar conioyned of

the lorde and knitt together / and so gyuen vnto vs: We must not

now disseuer / and separate them as we lust / but without

exception we must obserue the whole lawe. We must consider and

loke vppon the Auctoritie of the lawe gyuer / which is Godd / It

is of force aswel in one commaundement / as in the rest. This

doth Iames seame to meane / when he saith:

[[Iacob. 2.]]

He that hath sayde / Thow shalt not committ adulterie / the same

hath sayde / Thow shalt not kill. As if he shuld saye / he is no

les contraried in any one of theise commaundementes / then in an

other. And therfor (to adde this by the waye) let them wel

consider what they do which do profes to receyue the gospell /

and yet they do refuse ecclesiasticall disciplyne: Wheras the

lorde / which hath reuealede and opened the gospell vnto vs by

Christe / doth appoint discipline to be a parte therof. Theise

men do synne against the whole lawe. The papistes do also synne

herin / which do preache their parted righteousnes / as

meritorius of congruitie. But to returne / this is also

manifest / that he that synnith in one / is therfore giltie in

all / for that as now by lust and tentacion / he is caried into

sum one transgression / and so dothe synne / euen in like manier

shuld he offend in an other euill / if he wer assaulted in the

same sorte / and whith that same violence of tentacion. And

Augustine in the place before alledged. doth saye. That therfore

he is made giltie of all / bicause he synneth against charitie /

vppon which the obseruacion of the whole lawe is grownded. To be

short therfor / when we do thus fall into synne / we must not

lightly tryfle it of and excuse it / sayinge that it is but

light / and small: for synne is not to be considered of the

matier / and manier of the action only / but of the force

poure / and dignitie of Godds worde which doth forbidd it. And

yet les I shuld seeme to be to rigorus and strayte in this

matier of massehauntinge / let ther be hadd a consideracion / or

difference of the matier / and doinge.

And truly I can not see / how this kinde of synne and doinge can

be iudged to be light / or small / seing that it is a

transgression committed against the furst table of the lawe / in

which the worship due vntto Godd is commaunded which worshipp

being sownde and safe in a man other vices and synnes ar the more

easily corrected: And agayn this being corrupted / all other

actes are most vnacceptable vnto Godd. Whordom by Godds lawe is

to be punyshed by deathe / yet is it a synne but against the

.ii. table. And what shal we thincke then of spirituall

whordome? how seuerely doth Godd iudge it? how sharply ought it

to be punished? If therfor thow dost consider the commandement

which thou breakest / it is of God: If the matier / it is

aganist the furst table and therfore thys synne is the more

heynus and weightie. Besids this / our men do counte this Masse

hauntinge a fault to be either contemned / or not so depely to

be considered in theim bicause they do not synne with mynde will

and affection / but as it wer compelled and of necessite. But I

aske them / what manier a violence and compulsion this is

throughe which that necessite commithe of which they make their

excuse? Truly they can not saye that it is ony other / then

bicause they wolde not ronne into the daunger of the losse of

their Goodes / their estimacion and lyfe.

[[Aristote. Ethi. lib. 3.]]

This is then no absolute necessite but such a one as risith of

ther own corrupt affection and will, wich prouith that their

action is voluntarie. As Aristotle in his Ethicks doth saye of

the losse which shippmen do suffer in a tempest / which do cast

out of their ship al their Goodes when they be in daunger of

shipp wracke: They seame truly to be compelled to do it / and

yet willingly they do it / and therfor they are sayed .To do.

bicause that withe deliberacion and aduise / they do determin /

both with iudgement and will / rather to abide the losse of their

goddes / then of their lyfe. Which thinge as the mariners do

wisely determyne / so our men do folishly / which for the loue

that they beare to their lyfe / bodie and goodes do not chose to

abide the losse of them all / in refusing to come to these

detestable masses / to gayn therby lyfe / and saluacion euer

lastinge. And so do they committ doble synne. Furst they synne

willingly. Then they do prefer earthly thinges before heauenly /

outward thinges before inward / the bodie before the soule /

their Goodes before God: Which is not done but of such / as ar

the very children of the world. Of affection verily / though they

do saye nay / they do that which they do / but of that

inordinate affection which they do beare to their riches.

Wherfor this is no iust excuse which they make. For as well

might the Corinthians / euen by the very same reason / haue

sayde to Paule. If we do comme vnto these feastes wher the

meates offered vnto Idols are eaten / we do it not with that

mynde as thoughe we allowed such sacrifices / but we ar

compelled therunto / for if we shuld auoide theise solemne

feastes / we shuld be taken as sedicius men / euell citizens /

vncourteous / we shuld loose our frends / and most profitable

healp and defence / Yea and paraduenture our goodes and

countrith, Paule hearith noone of all these thinges / but doth

sharply reproue them / as in the furst epistle which he wrote

vnto them it doth appeare.

[[Exod. 32.]]

Aaron also by the same reason might haue excused the making of

the golden calf / and sayed / I did it not with my mynde / I was

compelled / and if I hadd not folowed the mynde of the poeple /

they wold haue stoned me. &c. But Moses / who did well perceyue

that this was not of an absolute necessite / but did rise of

such a corrupt grownd and matier as neither righteousnes doth

suffer to be receyued / neither Godd doth admitt / he condemnith

the act / and doth sharply reproue Aaron for it. Thise men ought

also to thincke this: That the masse is as it wer the signe and

sure marke / the pleadg / and seale / by which the papists do

knowe who be theirs / from others. For whether a man gyuith

almos / whether he prayeth / whether he lyueth a chaste lyfe /

and so forth / they passe not at all: This only they do

regarde / whether he hearith Masses: which thing if they perceyue

that he doth / for the which they thinke that man to be ther own /

and on the other parte / to abhorr the Masse and not to heare

it / is euen the begynninge of fallinge from ther kyngdom / and

from Antichriste. Wherfor we may call Massehearinge / The

publique profession of poperie / the badge of the most vile and

filthie Idolatrie which is vsed in our age. In this therfor / in

which papistes put so mutch confidence / that they make therof

the very marcke wherby the godly are known from their men / no

Christian must dissemble. For if he do / then doth he publiquely

professe hymself to be a papist / which is euen to denie

Christes gospell: And this to do / is so greate a synne / as no

man can extenuate by ony blind cloke or reason. But thow wilt

saye: Ther be greate daungers / of which I am in present

ieoperdie / and I shall also sett mi self forthe to other most

heauy daungiers / except I be partaker and do communicate with

papists in the Masse / and such popishe Idolatrie. I grant that

ther are daungers / such is theyr Tyrannie. But remember thou /

That Godd hath forseene all theise daungers before / and also

hath shewed that they shuld comme / of which though he wer not

ignorante / yet did not his wisdom chaunge his lawe to haue them

auoyded: He commaunded / and doth / that Idolatrie shall not be

committed but that men shuld flye from it / which commaundement he

wyll haue kept what soeuer perill dothe comme theron. Wherfor let

vs cast our care vppon hym which hath gyuen vs this

commaundement / for he which doth know righte well / that theise

euels are ioyned with the obseruinge of his commaundementes / he

will care for them which for rightuisnes shalbe persequuted.

Truly the violence / and nature of persequution and daungiers is

not such / that it can chaunge Godds lawe: neither that he will

haue his lawes chaunged for them. Let persequutions be howsoeuer

they be / yet Godds lawe remaynith vnmoueable. Let vs not seeke

then to deuide and part ourselues / and our seruice / betwen

Godd and the deuell / as thoughe we wold gyue our mynde and

affection vnto Godd: and in poperie and supersticious Idolatries

to gyue our bodyes doinges / and outward actions vnto the deuell.

[[1. Cor. 6.]]

Our mynde is Godds seate / our bodie is his Temple.

[[Mat. 22.]]

Gyue therfore to Godd / that which belongith vnto hym. Thincke

what thow lust of doing and dissemblinge for thy commoditie:

Yeat this Rule / and certayn Canon of the holy ghost must now

either rule the /

[[Roma. 3.]]

or herafter in Godds iudgement confownde the. Euell thinges are

not to be done that Goode shuld come theron.

Now seing that we haue sufficiently spoken of priuate men and

subiectes / in and through all the partes and membres of our

distictions and diuisions / it remaynithe that we shuld entreate

of Princes: for so at the begynning we ordered our diuision.

[[Of Rulers and Princes.]]

Of Rulers and princes / I make this diuision / Some there are

which be chiefe princes / suche as do not depend and hange on

other / of whom the Ciuilians do saie / that they haue a mere

Rule. Other are vnder Rulars and such as be of lesse authoritie

then they / which do depende and hange on the higher princes /

either by the right (as they saie) of fee / or ells because they

are their officers / and mynisters / that is to saye (as they be

commonlye termed) their deputies / lieutenauntes and executours

of their office. I will firste speake of the higher / absolute /

and mere Rulers: And of them

[[A question]]

I will both aske and answere this question: Whether it be lawfull

for them to suffer and permite in their dominions the free and

familiar conuersation and dwellinge togither of the vnfaithfull

with the faith full:

[[The answer]]

I thinke that it is lawfull / but yet so that they muste take

hede of certeyn thinges / and obserue ans kepe certeyn Rules and

conditions.

The firste is / that they do not enforce nor compell their

faithfull subiectes to ioyne with the vnbeleauers in their

assembles / nor in such vnholy kyndes of worshipp of Godd as are

contrary to Godds worde: for then shold they not be Godds

ministers / as they are taughte to be in the epistle to the

Romains /

[[Rom. 13.]]

but rather the ministers of the deuill / of Antichriste / and of

their furie. Then sholde they be a feare vnto them that do

well / and not to them that do euill / neither sholde they

promote the worke of God / but the tyranye of Antichriste.

The seconde is / they muste not graunte nor suffer / the

vnfaithfull to vse their supersticions and wicked Idolatries

which are contrarie vnto Godds worde. For it is not sufficient /

that they do not compell the godly to wicked supersticion and

Idolatrie / but also they muste forbidde the same to the wicked

Idolatrours: For not doinge of this Salomon is greatlie accused:

[[3. Reg. 11.]]

Indeed he did not compelle the Iues to worshipp Idolles / but

yet did he permit and suffer his wyues and concubines, wich were

straungiers, to haue their Chapells amonge the Iues / in which

they worshipped Astaroth / Chamos and such idolls / For which

cause the lorde was so angrie wyth him / that as he suffered his

true worshippe to be parted and diuided / as he suffered seruice

to be done partlie to God and partlie to Idolles. Euen so was his

kingdom diuided / parte of it came vnto his sonne / and parte to

Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat. And agayn for doing of this / Achaz /

and other wicked kinges wer reproued of the prophetes. Magistrates

are apointed to be the defenders / and executours of the first

table of the lawe as well as of the seconde: with what obseruation

then of iustice can a magistrate graunte or suffer Idolatrie to be

vsed? It is writon that he hathe the sworde to punishe euill

thinges and vices. If it be his part to punishe theues / and not

to permitt them / the same must he do to Idolatrours. Or ells we

must saie that Idolatrie is no such synne and vice as theft is /

or that with other vices it is not to be punished. And that

theis princes maye do this the better / they muste them selues

take hede that they be cleare from these Idolatries and

supersticions. Augustine writing againste the donatistes dothe in

manye places notablie intreate and handle this sentence of the

psalme.

[[Psal. 2.]]

And nowe ye kinges be wise be warned ye that iudge the earthe.

Serue the lorde wyth feare. &c. It is reason and semyng faithe he

that kinges sholde serue the lorde / neither is it spoken of

kinges in respecte that they are men / for so are they bounde to

obserue commen lawes euen as other men are / but as kinges they be

admonished to vse their power giuen them of God / and their sword

to defende the catholike truithe / and to represse the wicked

which do oppugne the church and truithe of Christ: wherfore it is

not lawfull for princes to graunt vnto the wicked and vnbeleuers

their euill and vngodlie Godds seruice and Idolatries / but they

muste maynteyn to their power / those holy rites and ordinaunces

of godds seruice which do agree with the worde of God / and

forbid those which are contrarie to yt. I do not saie that they

must be to curius in ceremonies / as many are / which wolde that

in any wise all rites and ceremonies sholde be throughli and in all

places of oone sorte / and manier: But this theis princes shold

prouide / that the ceremonies vsed in ther churches sholde not

be contrarie to godds worde / yea and that they sholde most

neerely agre therwith / and shuld make for godly edyfyinge and

decent and comelye ordre in the churche: But of their liknes / and

that in all places the rites / and ceremonies shold be of one

forme / I do not thinke it a thing worthie the labor. For what

matter maketh it if some men do receyue the sacrament stonding /

other sittinge / other kneling. And if in some places whilest

the bretheren do communicat / a place of the scripture be redd /

or some psalmes be song of the people / or other songes of

thankes geuing. Nether is it any great matter / when a corps is

caried to the buriall / whether that men do followe the hearce

holding their peace / or singing of psalmes / or suche other

thinges as maye edifie them that do stande by. These thinges are

to be lefte so free that in the churches suche maie be vsed / as

shall seme most meete for the edyfyinge of the people. Yea I

suppose that this varietye and chaunge in rytes / and

ceremonies / dothe not a lytell profyte and helpe to bring in a

true opinion of ceremonies / and to haue it kepte also: that is /

that men shuld beleue that all those ceremonies which the holie

scripure doth not apoint / are not necessarie vnto saluacion /

but maye be chaunged accordinge to the estate of tyme / and as

shall serue for edifying / as they shall think Godd which haue in

their hand the orderinge the churche. That moste worthie commen

wealthe of the venetians / which haue vnder their dominions /

many Cities and places in Grece / they do in eche of them permit

and suffer the rytes / and ceremonies / bothe of the Greke

churche / and of the Latin churche / for those wise men do

thincke / that the dyuersytie in outward ceremonies which are

not taught in Godds worde is not hurtefull. I do not alledg this

to allowe all such ceremonies as they do permitt in thos

places / but only to shew that they thincke it not a matter of

necessite to haue all one forme of ceremonies: The verie same

thinge before them did Augustine iudge as in his epistles to

Ianuarius / and Cassulanus it dothe apeare.

The thirde thinge is / that the princes and rulers which do

suffer these vnfaithfull men to dwell in their dominions sholde

prouide that they mighte be taughte the truithe: and in this

behalfe they muste not neglect them: for as the princes do

declare their gentilnes in suffering them to dwell in their

dominions so this their pacience muste be directed to the glorie

of God: And howe can that be soughte in theis vnbeleauers / if

they be suffered to abyde in their noughtie opinion without

teachinge: Surely by thys meanes in processe of tyme they be

made no whit the better / but a greate deale worse then they

were before.

The fourth is / that these princes take Godd hede / that by this

dwellinge and conuersation which they do graunte vnto the

vnfaithfull / they do not infecte the poeple committed to their

cure and chardge with their scabbe of vnbelefe and errour.

Charytie is to be shewed vnto straungiers indede / but yet not

so that they muste hurte the poeple among whom they lyue. And

this shal the princes remedie very wel / if that they do not

always beare with the corrupt blindnes of the vnbeleauers /

but after sufficient teachinge do compell them to embrace true

religion. I say that when they haue prouided that these

vnfaithfull haue bene taught a good whyle and truly instructed /

they must then enforce and compell them vnto those holye and

pure rytes and worshippinges of Godd which are commaunded in the

scriptures: for princes and rulers must not alwayes / nor yet to

longe suffer theyr cytyzens and subiectes / to lyue without

exercise of godlynes and vertue. The ende of policall

gouernemente is / that the subiecte both sholde lyue in

felycytie / and also in the practyse of godlynes / because that

godlines and the true worshipp of God is the chefest of all

vertues.

But some man will obiecte against me / and say / yf so be that

the vnfaithfull be not yet persuaded / they shall then embrace

truthe against theyr conscience / which thinge yf the prince

compell them to do / then he compelleth them to synne. Here must

we make a difference betwene the thinge that of it selfe is

synne / and that which is so by chaunce / by some fortune / or

some other thinge that happeneth / per accidens, as the

Logicians do saye: for when the Magistrate / in the matter which

now we haue in hand / dothe propounde vnto these his subiectes /

the thing that is right / goode / iuste / and commaunded of God /

prouidinge to haue them taughte therin / and they will not be

taughte / yf then he enforceth them owtwardlye to vse none other

order in religion then is commaunded of Godd / and to forsake

all other / he doth that which is iuste and appertayninge to his

office. But that synne is entermingled in this matter / truly it

is not throughe the faulte of the prince / but it is of the

vnbeleif of these men / of whiche the prince can not be iustly

accused / when he hath diligently done his part / that they shold

be well instructed. Morouer them which do obiecte this consider

/ that by the same reason that they accuse these princes we may

accuse God: for he doth propounde his lawe / which is moste

perfyte to be obserued of all men. Shuld men saye? we are weake

/ our nature is corrupte and infected / neither can we do these

thinges as thou dost commaunde them / And why dost thou then

enforce this lawe vpon vs? If we do contrarie to that which thou

doest commaunde / verely we synne / and yf we go not about to do

it we synne / we shall synne also yf we go aboute to do that

which thou commaundest / for we want of perfection / neyther do

we obey as we sholde do: wherfore do what we will / we shall not

auoyde synne: vnto this the Lorde wolde aunswer. The thinges

that I do propounde to be obserued of you are iuste and perfect

/ no man can accuse them of wickednes / But in that ye are weake

and do fall / and faile in fulfilling of my lawe / the faulte

muste not be layed vnto me / for it is of your own malice and

corruption / and not through my faulte / for the which I maye not

withdrawe my holy commaundements / Yet thus I haue prouided helpe

for you / Beleue in my only dearly beloued sonne / and loke

what so euer ye wante / wherin soeuer ye do fayle / and not

fulfyll my commaundementes / it shall not be imputed / nor laid

to your chardge vnto euerlasyinge deathe: yea your endeuoyrs and

your doinges / although they be not fully perfect and absolute /

yet will I accepte them well / they shall please me / and I will

allowe them. Euen so shall the good prince and Magistrate saye:

The thinges which are conteyned in Goddes worde / suche thinges

as are comlye and do edifie / do I require of you / yf your

mynde and conscience do go agaynst them / ye can not impute it

vnto me / I haue laboured and done my parte that ye sholde not

be ignoraunt / and miserablie perish in ignoraunce. I haue caused

you to be sufficiently instructed / and nowe will I procede

exhorting / admonishinge / and demaundinge of you obedience in

these thinges: do you reade the holye scriptures / heare the

teachers and pastours / and pray the Lorde to open the eyes of

your harte and mynde. Thus in aunswering to this obiection I shew

what a goode prince in this case may and must do. That thinge

also is not to be passed ouer of which Augustyne maketh mencion

/ that he hymselfe was somtyme of this opinion / that nothing

sholde be violentlye done agaynst heretiques / but that they

shold only be taughte / But his mynde altered after that he was

admonished by some wyse Bishoppes / howe certeyn cities / which

somtyme were altogether corrupted with the errour of the

Donatistes / were compelled by the violence of the lawes of good

Emperours to receyue the catholike faith / and these at length

were so syncerelie tourned vnto the truthe / that they dyd gyue

to God moste hartye thanckes for that violent enforcement /

sayinge that nowe thoughe they might safelye / yet by no meanes

wolde they retorne any more to suche pernicious and hurtfull

opinions. The prince therfore / after that he hath gyuen them

sufficient instruction / yf he shall enforce these men vnto the

embracing of such rites and ceremonies as are good and godlye

indede / he shall do no hurte at all but muche good. I do meane

that this sholde be practysed only vpon suche as be cityzens /

and naturall borne subiectes / or suche as beinge straungers

borne / do as denizens dwell in theyr domininions / and so by

priuiledge haue the benefite of theyr countrithe: Otherwyse yf

they be but straungiers which do passe through their countrithe /

or such as do come either to bye or to sell marchaundize / there

is no suche violence to be shewed towardes them. And yet this

thing they must take heade of euen in them / that they do not

seduce their people and subiectes which are of a good iudgement /

that they do not infect them with vice and errour. The

Israelites / as I thincke / ar in this pointe to be folowed.

They did admitt no straunger to be as a Iue / or proselyte /

neyther did they gyue vnto any the libertie of their countrith /

except he did fyrst circumcise himself / admitt Moses lawe / did

communicate / and became partaker with them in theyr Sacrifices /

submitting himself to their discipline: Which thinge / seing it

was well and diligently obserued of them / why shuld not our

princes do euen the same? That they shuld suffer no Citezen /

nor subiect / eyther naturall / or straunger born / but that they

shuld compell and enforce hym / to receyue such religion / and

obserue such rites and ceremonies / agreing with Godds worde /

as they by common autoritie haue establyshed. Now will I speake

of those princes and Rulers / which ar vnder these chief Rulers.

Whome I do deuide into two sortes. Eyther they are such as haue

Iurisdiction / poure / and auctoritie / which commeth to them by

discent from theyr Auncetours / or els committed vnto them of

Emperours / Kinges / and common welthes: Eyther els they haue no

Iurisdiction nor Rule ouer others / neyther by discent from

theyr auncetours / nor by commission from other higher princes /

but only are taken and estemed as men of worshipp / for the

auncientnes of their house and blud / or for their riches. This

last sorte do not differ at all in a maner from priuate men / of

whom I haue spoken before / for these are mere subiectes as they

are. Therfor (I do suppose) that the former Rules / appointed

vnto priuate men and subiectes are to be committed vnto them / to

be obserued of them / in such maner as I haue before declared.

But of this other sorte of Princes and Rulers / of which some by

right of inheritaunce / some by vertue of office committed vnto

them / are Rulars and gouernours of countrithes / cities and

places. Of these I do saye and pronounce this / That in matters

which do belong to Godd and true Religion / they ought to do no

other things / but those / which I haue already shewed that the

muste do / which are meere / absolute / and the hygher princes

and Rulars. For it is not lawfull for them / no not at the

commaundement of theyr hygher Princes and Lordes / to compell

those subiectes ouer whom they haue rule / to recyue wicked

Religion and supersticion / neyther to permitt the vnfaithfull

in the places where they do beare Rule / to haue theyr vngodly

Idolatries and supersticions. This must thei not do / no thoughe

they were (I saye) therunto commaunded by theyr hygher princes

and Lordes / of whom / and vnder whome / they haue theyr

auctoritie. But yf thou wilt saye / that they must obey theyr

hygher poures / I will graunt that / but (as the sayinge is)

_vs[que] ad Aras_, that is vntill they do come to matters of

Religion / and vntill they do commaunde in Religion thinges

contrarie to Goddes worde and truthe. For when they shall

commaunde that which is against Godd / and is hurtefull to the

conscience of man / these magistrates must not obey them. For

these vnder Rulars are called into a parte of the cure and

charge of the goode gouernemente of the countrie / by the force

of theyr dignitie and office:

They must not therfor putt those thinges in execution / whiche

are agaynst Godd / and are hurtefull to theur countrye: Yea they

ought both to persuade by reason / and to defende by poure the

contrary.

The Lacedemonians / when they whiche hadd ouercomme them / did

demaunde of them such thinges as were against the ciuile lawes

and libertie of their citie / They answered / If ye do commaunde

vs to do thinges which ar more weightie and greuous then death /

we wyll rather dye then do them: Thus ought these vnder Rulars

answer theyr higher Lordes / when they do commaunde them to do

thinges which are to the defacing of Godds glorie and truth / and

to the wounding and vnquieting of the consciences of the

subiectes / whiche thinges are more weyghtie and greuous then

death indeede. In Cyuile thinges they may gyue place to the

vniust commaundementes and decrees of theyr hygher Lordes / but

that ought they not to do in the cause of Godd / and pure

Religion. The Machabees at such tyme as the Iues were vnder the

rule of the Macedonians (Antiochus / Demetrius / and Alexander /

I meane) which princes did leade the people awaye from the true

worship of God / and from the seruice taught in hys worde /

wolde not obeye them. But that house and tribe of the prestes

called _Asmonei_, whiche in dignitie were nexte vnto the house

and stocke of the Kinges / and bare the chief Rule nexte vnto

it / les that the true worshippe of Godd commaunded and taught

in the lawe / and which hadd bene retayned and vsed in theyr

countrye / shulde be thus leafte and forsaken / they did Rebell

against thos kinges as the hostorie doth witnes. But if this

historie for the insufficiencie of the auctoritie of the bocke

(which yet is a true historie / as Iosephus also doth witnes)

will not suffice to proue this matier: Then let vs consider what

Ioiada the bishopp did in the dayes of Athalia:

[[4. Reg. 11.]]

She hadd by violence obtayned the kingdomme / and so was she the

supreame ordinarie poure: But yet he sturred vpp a commotion

agaynst her / And he brought the Sonne of Asa / Kinge Ioas /

I meane (who was saued by hym from her bluddy sworde) into the

kingdome: For he knew that by Goddes worde the kingdome was

gyuen to the house of Iuda / He perceyued also that she went

about to haue all good Religion / and true godlynes / vtterly

ouerthrowen. Therfor as she had vniustly shedd innocent bludd /

euen so he most iustlye commaunded that she shuld be slayne.

[[4. Reg. 18.]]

Kinge Ezechias also / was in subiection to the King of the

Assyrians / for Achaz his father hadd submitted hym selfe vnto

hym / and did not only paye hym tribute / but also for his

pleasure did chaunge Godds Religion: for when he wente to Damasco

to meete this Kinge / he commaunded that an altar shuld be made

at Hierusalem / after the patrone and fashion of that which he

hadd seene at Damasco. This Kinge Achaz his sonne / godly

Ezechias / perceyuinge that these thinges whiche his father hadd

done / were repugnant and contrarye vnto Godds worde / hurtefull

also to the consciences of his subiects / he (I say) did fall

away from the Kinge of the Assyrians / which yet was now his

superior and hygher poure. Indeede he soughte fyrst to pacifie

hym with gyftes / which thing when he coulde not do / then to

the vttermost of hys poure he dyd defende hym self / and his

people agaynst hym. Neuertheles in this matter sedicion muste be

auoyded so much as may be / and these princes must not vnder the

colour and cloke of Religion / seeke theyr own gayne and honor:

but here only let them resiste / that nothing be done contrary to

Godds worde / and not for those thinges which are done to hinder

theyr ambicion. Of this corrupt affection yf thei be cleare /

and only for Religions sake do resiste the wicked proceadinges

of theyr hygher princes and Lordes / let them not thincke that

they do herin anye vnrighteousnes at all. But yf one will

obiecte and saye: Thys maye not be / for all men are commaunded

to obeye the hygher poures. I answer /

[[Rom. 13.]]

It is true indeede that the holy scriptures do commaunde / that

euerye soule shulde obeye the hygher poures / but so farr as by

Godds word it is lawfull to obey / and no further. For the holy

scriptures do likewyse say / that the Rular is not any feare to

them that doth good / but to them that do euell. Wherfor seying

these princes / in this case by theyr endeuour and laboure / do

promote that which is goode / they do well and not euell: and so

ought they for this doinge to be without fear of the hygher

poure / because that herin they do not resiste agaynst them /

with that Resistaunce which is forbidden. Wilt thou (saith he)

be without feare of the poure? do well then / and so shalt thou

be praysed of the same: If these princes and rulars do defende

godlynes and religion / they do good / then by the iudgement of

Goddes worde they are without feare of the poure / and do

deserue prayse of theyr hygher poures and lords. But yf thou do

euell (saith Paule) then feare the poure / for he beareth not

the sworde for nought / but is the minister of Godd to take

vengeaunce on them which do euell. Thus doth this place arme the

myndes and consciences of these inferior princes of whom I

speake / that they shulde note feare theyr hygher poures / when

for the defence of Goddes religion / they do resiste and not

obeye theyr wicked commaundementes. Yf any will now thus saye

agaynst me. He that hath the kinglye and supreame auctoritie /

vnto whom by othe I do owe obedience / commaundeth these

thinges / and therfore I must obey. I answer that thou arte not

bound herin to keape any such othe or promis. For when he

commaundeth those thinges whiche are agaynste God / he dothe not

the office of Goddes minister / to him then therin thou dost owe

neyther faith nor obedience. Agayne yf thou wilt aske / By what

righte may these vnder rulars and inferiour magistrates / thus

sett them selues agaynst the hygher princes / which haue the

verye supreame right and poure to defende pure and godlye

Religion / and the true faithe. I aunswere. That the electours

of the Empire / and the Princes of Germanie / and the fre

cityes / do it by the Imperiall poure and righte / whiche is

committed vnto them: And that the Magistrates and Rulars whiche

are in kingdoms / they do and darre do it / by the Kinglye poure

and right lykewyse committed vnto them. For Emperours and

Kinges / and such hygher poures / haue therfor chosen and taked

these vnder Rulars and officers / as it were into a parte of

theyr Rule / to be theyr helpers / in administringe and ordering

theyr businesses and charge / to the ende that Iustice might

florishe so muche the more. And euen so from the begynninge

poure and Rule was gyuen vnto these / that they shulde rule the

common wealthe / for that part therof / whiche was committed

vnto them / iustlye / vprightlye / and godlye. Wherof the

Emprour in the Code doth saye / that yf he shulde commaunde anye

thinge agaynste righte / he wolde not that any suche decree of

his shulde auayle in iudgementes. The very same thinge is to be

sayde / where a kinge or suche which do retayne the supreame

auctoritie / do commaunde or determyne anye thynge againste

right. Not vnworthy is Traianus the Emperour therfore

commended / who when he delyuered the sworde to a Rular in his

Empire / sayde: If I do commaunde Iuste thinges / vse this for

me / but yf I do require vniust things / vse it against me. But

on the contrary part / Gregorie the great / Byshopp of Rome /

can not in this behalfe be praysed / but dispraysed / and

accused: Who seinge that the lawe whiche Mauritius the Emperour

had made was vniuste / which was / That no man entangled with

the matters of the common wealth / or which was appointed to the

warrs / might be made a priest or a monck / he wrote to the

Emperour / That after that he hadd seene hys lawe / he was

wonderfullye afrayed and astonied / And therfor he desireth hym

to diminshe somwhat of the rigour of the lawe or els to chaunge

it altogether: But yet he added / That as touchinge hymself /

after that he hath now done his office in admonishing hym / now

for the obedience which he doth owe vnto him / he wolde publishe

his lawe / as he hadd commaunded. Thys acte surely can not / but

be reproued in this Busshopp. Agayn here thou wilt happily saye.

What yf the hygher Prince wil not allowe me to do myne office /

or doth reuoke this parte of myne office? Truly no man can take

that from thyne office / which God hath commaunded the to do in

it. No man can discharge the of that dutye / wherewith God

chargeth the in thyne office / do thou the dutye that longeth to

it. Many there are which do thincke / that when this dealinge

and doinge of the inferior magistrate agaynste the hygher Rulars

is thus straitly required / That Godds Religion is not to be

promoted after this manier by them / but rather / that they do

sufficientlye the thinge which belongeth vnto them / yf they do

forsake theyr office / and gyue ouer their Rule and auctoritie.

So do not I thincke / Thy dignitie and office is not so lightly

to be gyuen ouer. Thou dost gyue ouer thyne office / because

thou wilt not strayne thy self therin to promote the glorie of

Godd: And this is to depart and fall from thy vocacion: which

thou oughtest not to do / especially when thou dost playnly see /

that thy roume and place / shalbe bestowed vpon those / which ar

wicked and both do / and will oppresse the kingdom of God. These

men must abyde therfor in theyr offices / so long as they be not

putt out of them by the higher poures / and strongly must they

defend the glorie of God in them.

Now when I on this maner do entreate of these thinges / I do not

make or shewe an easye waye to sturre vp sedicions. But this

onlye I do seke / and care for /

[[Matt. 22.]]

That those thinges which do belonge vnto Godd / shuld be gyuen

vnto Godd: and those thinges which are belonging vnto Cesar /

shulde be gyuen vnto Cesar. If the worldly substaunce and ritches

of men were required and asked by the hygher poures / I wold

councell to gyue them. But in those thinges which do belonge vnto

the worshipp of Godd / I say / that thei must not yealde to the

wicked requestes of theyr hygher Rulars and lordes: here is no

place to be gyuen to them / but in our owne ciuile matters we

must yealde / yf to yealde in them be not agaynst Goddes lawe.

[[3. Reg 21.]]

In which case Naboth is to be excused / which wolde not graunte

hys vyneyard to the Kinge: He dyd it not of couetousnes / or of

to great a desyre which he dyd beare to the thinges of the

world / but because he dyd knowe that in gyuing awaye of his

vineyarde so / Goddes lawe shulde be broken / by which he hadd

appointed / that the feeldes and possessions amonge the people

of Israell /

[[Num. 33.]]

shuld remayn in theyr tribes and kindreds / as they were iustly

distributed at the beginning. This lawe of God wolde Kinge Achab

haue broken / and therto required he the consent of Naboth /

which he with a good and a safe conscience could not do / and

therfor wold not. But halas / sorow it is to behold / how that

there are many Dukes / Earles / and such princes / from whome yf

an Emperour or a Kinge wold take their dominions / landes /

lordshipps and inheritaunce / they wold leaue nothing vndone /

yea they wold do all that they could do / to defend their own /

and do resiste their vnrighteous doinge: But when the kingdom of

God is assaulted by tyrauntes, and the gospell and bequest of

the bludd of Christe taken violently and wretchedly away from

them / and from the children of Godd which are committed to theyr

tuition and defence / they will do nothing at all. Yea when they

are required of theyr hygher poures / as ministers of theyr

furie / to destroye and ouerthrow the gospell / then they

neyther sturre nor speake anye thing at all / but do as they are

bidden. In theyr own cause they can fight / and rebell / but in

Goddes cause / they are as it were no princes nor Rulers. Wherby

we can not thincke any other thing of them / then this / That

they do not at the hart esteme the gospell of Christe.

[[A confutation of the places alledged.]]

Nowe this is remayning / that I sholde answer vnto those reasons

which were put forthe at the begynning to proue that the

dwelling together of the faithfull with the vnfaithfull is

lawfull / and confute them. Firste / the example of Christ is

set against vs / which dyd eate and drinke familiarlye with

scribes / pharisees / publicanes / and synners. We muste

remembre that Christe was not only stronge / but the chiefe

heade of all them shich be stronge. He coulde so profyte them

which were euell / that theyr euill shuld not hurte him / and

therfore might vse familiaritie with the wicked. Euen so there

is no cause to the contrarie / but that they whiche be learned

and constante in the truthe / suche as can profit the

vnfaithfull by their conuersation and familiar being with them /

and not be hurt by it them selues (as we haue admonished before)

may be conuersaunt with the vnbeleauers and wicked.

A treatise of the cohabitacyon of the faithfull with the vnfaithfull. Whereunto is added. A sermon made of the confessing of Christe and his gospell, and of the denyinge of the same. · 第 5 / 9 题

The fathers do speake thus of this Sacrifice / We graunte