¶The fyrst Dialoge.

¶The persones or Colocutours are, Euse­bius, the Temporisour, and Mondayne.

I Cannot sufficiētly coniecture what wyl be the fynall ende of this so peruerse & corrupted world. Which is so straūge, so wicked and troublesome, that a Chri­stian man can fynde no place (no not amonge those that haue, or seme to haue the knowledge of God) to rest in. Manye yeares hath it bene argued and debated, how to knowe the veryte from the errour, the truth from the lye, and the light from darkenes, aswell in the doctryne as in the Ceremonies of longe tyme vsed in the Christian church. And this contenciō hath not bene sinal, but hath cost much christian bloud. The which thing finally could none otherwise be resolued and brought to passe, thē by one­ly cleauing vnto the holy Scriptures, in sear­ching therin the veryte, taught vnto the world by Christe and his Apostles, and that beynge [Page] ones found out, not only reuerētly to imbrace the same, but also to forsake all erronious and supersticious doctrynes, were they neuer so olde, and so often confirmed by the vniuer­sall authoritie of the Church. The which thing to bring to passe, dyuers excellent personages haue not onely imployed theyr pryuate studye and labour, but also publikely without al feare haue auaunced thesame, by the ayde and Au­thoritie of the ordinary Maiestrates. So that in dyuers places all Papisticall doctryne and supersticious seruices were vtterly abolished, withal theyr false constitucions, which rather semed an apyshe maskinge, then a holy ecclesi­asticall ministratiō. The land of Almayn was also replenished with plentye of good Bokes, compyled by sundrye excellente Clarkes, both learnedly and godly. Yea the noumbre of By­bles of the olde and newe Testamentes were infynite: which not onely the learned but also the vulgare people dyd diligently reade. Eue­ry where and in euery Temple was contynual preachinges and sermons agreing in one vnite of doctryne. There was no place in the lande but ye should haue heard songe the psalmes of Dauid: yea, the wysdome of God dyd crye in the stretes. And to conclude it seemed that in these last dayes, the trew religion and the sim­plicitie of the auncient Church (so longe tyme defaced) was perfectly restablished and resto­red agayne. But nowe for one lytle myste and storme of temptacion, which is sodenlye hap­ned after so longe a caulme and fayre wether, [Page] dyuers are become so afrayde that they are vt­terly declyned and fallen backe to those super­sticions before expelled. And of which noum­bre some are so reuoulted, that not onely they do willinglye abandon the verite manifestlye knowē, but also persist in tearing and renting thesame with theyr abhominable blasphemes, to thende it mighte not appeare that they are turned from God, but from errour and here­sye, in making theyr reuoultinge to seme no re­uoulting, but rather a repentaunce and recon­siliation. The other sorte although they vse no such blasphemes agaynst the truth, but as thei haue knowē it, do kepe it secretely hyd in theyr hartes: yet neuerthelesse they do not refrayne to assiste and to present at y^e execrable masse and supersticious ydolatryes, nomore thē the fyrst. And do not onely dissemble that which is in theyr hartes, but also y^e worste is agaynst theyr owne knowledge and conscience, they do outwardlye make a showe of that thinge, that they do not inwardli aproue, but detest & hate. And yet neuerthelesse in doyng hereof they do curiouslye searche the meanes to heale the se­crete gnawing of theyr wounded conscience. They wryte to dyuers learned men, to knowe the certayntie, whether it be lawfull for a man that hath knowledge, to communicate and be present at the supersticious Ceremonies, or rather Papisticall blasphemes of the vngodlye, or no? They make semblant to enquire of those thinges as though they dyd not know, what a mā fearing God ought to do, or leaue vndone. [Page] But most of these do it not because thei would learne, but rather to thende they mighte fynde some staye and comfort in the abusing of their consciences. But what man is that, that is so ignoraunt of God, and of all religion, that di­rectly vnderstandeth not, that this questiō no thing apperteyneth vnto those that truly feare God? neuerthelesse I wyl more dyligently frō henceforth aduyse my selfe, how I maye dire­ctely aunswere those that shal interrogate and question with me hereof.

I cannot tell what deuylishe rage hath of late occupyed the myndes of a sort of fooles. They do complayne of these folyes that hath brought all the worlde in trouble, in the which also there is so lytle certytude, that for y^e space of these .xxx. yeares they haue contended toge­ther without any agrement, or certaynte ther­in. And this euyll is not newe. For what tyme hath there bene, that this supersticious contencion hath not vexed and troubled the world? Through a heape of foolish questiōs, of God, of the trew seruyce of God, of the truth, of the religion, and I cannot tell what other fanta­sies. At whom I laughe at pleasure, withoute bynding my selfe to any maner of religion, vn­les it be to my commoditie and profyte: and so I fynd my selfe most at rest and ease, vsing all thinges at my pleasure, in casting a syde al so­licitude and care, that occurreth and hapneth by the occasion of religion. But me thinkes I see yonder my Cosyn Temporisour, who is in myne opinion wyser, then a great manye of o­ther, [Page] in that he hath without any greate diffi­cultie abandoned this new found religiō late­ly introduced. For as I remembre it is not past xx. yeares agone, that this fantastical newe o­pinion began to budde forth and reuyue. And then this felow was one of the fyrst that chaū ged his opinion, accordinge as the tyme then requyred. And hetherto ther hath no euil hap­ned vnto him therefore, as it hath done vnto dyuers others. For he hath in euery condicion sought to lyue at his ease in pleasure, and hath wittely wounde him selfe oute of many trou­bles, wherwith amongst the rest he was affli­cted, and that not onely in his outward cōuer­sacion, but also inwardly in his conscience. He hath nowe persisted and continued in this ly­bertie that they terme (Christian) as long as it serued to his purpose and quietnes. But nowe in as much as he cannot perseuer therein (the tyme so altering) without ymmynent daunger both of body and goodes: he loueth rather to folowe the thing that serueth to his commodi­tie, then as abedlem to put him selfe in daūger for so vncerteyne a hope. And therfore now he beginneth to strike his sayle, and frameth him selfe vnto the present tyme. But herein, he & I do differ. For I do not care of any maner of religion, nor any opinions of thesame, nor do not passe a strawe to semble or dissemble in a­ny maner of thinge that is. But he contrarye wyse (although vpon euerye mocion he doeth chaunge his opinion, accommodating himself vnto the tyme) cannot refrayne his harte from [Page] this conceyued rage, but continually (as a sort of other fooles do) tormenteth and vexeth him selfe therwith. And in this he is more vnfortu­nate and vnquiet, then I am: in that he cannot all together vnborden him selfe of these fanta­sticall opinions, as I do. And yet neuertheles he is more wise and prudent thē the other sort, the which (I cannot tell for what supersticion sake) do submit and geue ouer them selues to a thousand maner of myseries & afflictiōs, lea­ding a difficile and perilous lyfe aswel for thē selues, as theyr frendes: and fynally do fal in­to dyuers extreame daungers. But now I wyl call hym. Whence comest thou Temporisour?

I come from the College, and from the ser­ [...]yce of the blowers and organ players.

What hast thou done there, seyng that thou art not accustomed to haunt that place?

Yf I had the lybertie, that I had in tyme past, I would not nowe haunt those seruices, that my conscience so muche abhorreth: but I am now constrayned to do otherwyse, then I haue bene accustomed, yf I wyl auoyde to fal into extreame daungers. And thus hath tyme altered my doynges.

Thou doest wyselye in myne opinion: for what haue we to do with those strifes and cō ­tenciōs, that are rysen vp in our dayes, amōgst the wyse vayne and ydle persons? Lette vs obeye those that rule, and haue the auctorite to [Page] ordre these thinges, and can do vnto vs good or euyl, wel or wo.

Euen so I do, and so lyue in quietnesse as concerning the world. But for all that, my cō ­science is wonderfully troubled.

Wherfore I pray thee?

Astest thou that? Doest not thou knowe that those sinne greuously that do any thinge agaynst theyr conscience?

That is nothing els but a dreame of y^e Theo logians, which I haue oftentymes hearde be­fore: but I praye thee, consider dyrectly what maner of conscience thou hast.

Be it as be maye, I sinne as often as I do any thing agaynst the same.

I wyl not entre in disputaciō with the tou­ching the qualitie of the conscience: but I de­maunde of thee, yf thou thinke that the Prin­ces and Maiestrates that constrayne thee to go to the seruyces of the Papistes, are not mo­ued thereunto by theyr consciences: to wytte, to restablishe by theyr power and auctorytie, the olde accustomed Religion, that hath bene abolished these certayne yeares?

I wyll not denye, but that it maye be, that some of them do it, theyr consciences mouinge them thereunto: but it cannot be also denyed, that dyuers of thē do so lyue, that it is not pos­sible to iudge whether they haue any consci­ence, or feare of God, or no.

Thou mayst not for all that doubt, but that they are constituted in auctoritie, and haue power ouer theyr subiectes.

I do acknowledge and allowe theyr power and auctoritie.

What maner of conscience then hast thou, that refusest to obeye the hygher powers?

I do not al together refuse that, but rather thinke that they ought to be obeyed onelye in worldly matters, and secular causes, and not in religion. I thinke certainly they haue aucto­ritie in temporall regimentes, but not in mens consciences, which are subiect vnto one onely God.

Thou abusest thy self, wherfore laye a syde this thy foolishe and scrupelous conscience, & desiste from all care and pensyfnes of mynde, which consumeth thy body without any occa­sion or purpose. And know this, that the Ma­iestrates haue receyued auctorytie ouer all thinges: they haue in this worlde all maner of power and preeminence. Art thou ignoraunte of this saying: (Dimidium imperij cum Ioue Cesar habet.) Iupiter and Cesar haue the Empire de­uyded betwene them. And because thou shalte not reiecte this, as the saying of a Panym: see how the scripture confyrmeth it.Psal. 115. The heauen is the Lordes, but as for the earth he hath ge­uen it vnto the chyldren of men. God hath no maner of care of these thinges that he hath cō ­mitted [Page] vnto y^e power of those that he hath or­ [...]e yned Monarches and Gouernours of the [...]orld: to thend they may at theyr pleasure or­ [...]eyne the state of religion, as it shal seme vnto [...]hem expedient for the better ordre and regi­ [...]ent of theyr subiectes, and to them we muste [...]beye in all thinges. Furthermore thou hast a wyfe and childrē, ouer whom by the appoynt­mente of God thou haste especiall charge: by what conscience then I praye thee (seyng thou doest so often alledge thy consciēce) canst thou abandō and forsake them, in withdrawing thy helpe from them, whē they haue nede of thee? Furthermore thou hast thy neyghbours, with whom thou art bound to lyue in peace & tran­quilite, as yf thou wart but one bodi with thē: With what conscience canst thou then refuse theyr honest request to remayn and dwel with them, and do as they do? See howe thou arte circūuented and inclosed on euery syde. Aboue thee is the auctorite of the Maiestrate, to whō thou knowest and cōfessest we ought to obey. Equal by thy syde is thy wyfe, who is strayt­ly commended vnto thee of God. Vnderneth thee are thy chyldren and familie, who all as right requyreth, cal vpon thee for thy help. Yf thou then do abandon and withdraw thy hel­ping hand from them, hast thou not falsifyed thy fayth, as often tymes thy preachers haue taught thee? Neare vnto thee are thy neygh­bours, to whom thou oughtest to be fyrinelye vnited, as one membre with another. I omitte here what thou owest of duetye vnto thy self: [Page] wherfore then without any occasiō doest thou so much afflicte and disquyet thy self in a mat­ter so apparant, for a lytle folyshe and scrupe­lous conscience sake? Folowe rather my coun­sayl: frame thy selfe vnto the wyl and pleasure of the Maiestrates, not onely by an outwarde simulation, as I see thou doest, but also with the inward mociō, of thy harte, and leaue those disputacions vnto the learned deuynes & pru­dēt Maiestrates: yf thei thinke mete to chaūge olde thinges, wel, obey thou, let it suffyse thee that thou haste bene of that secte and opinion these .xx. yeares. Yf they thinke it expedient to restablishe auncient customes, and to redyfye agayne that whiche of late hath bene ruyned, content thy selfe lykewyse: yf they make anye inhibicions, beware thou do not transgresse a­gaynst them: yf they commaunde any thinge, obeye the same: and by this meanes thou shalt please all men, and shalt be reputed prudente, discrete and well aduysed: & so thyne affayres and substaunce shall remayne in peace & tran­quilitie, and shalt possesse thesame in quietnes: for what follye is it to do that thinge by con­straynte and compulsion that thou mayest do willingly, and although thou would est not do it, yet shalte thou be compelled.

Truely thy counsayl is very pleasaunt and agreable vnto the fleshe, but for all that y^u hast not as yet healed the wound of my conscience. This is a good counsayl to concerue and kepe my goodes, but my conscience doeth vtterlye [Page] reponge agaynst it. For all that thou hast alle­ged of the auctorytie of the Maiestrates and Princes, and then of my wyfe, chyldren and neyghbours, is not according to the worde of God, as I could sufficiently proue by dyuers obiections. But I perceyue yonder Eusebius, who is a man truely fearing God, and louing pure religion. I wil speake with him, we must make a little haste, for he goeth apace, he hath some boke in his hand, it may be that he com­meth forthe to walke abroade to recreate hys mynde in meditating some good thing.

What occasiō moueth thee to go vnto him, he is a simple supersticious Idiote? There is no doubt but the boke that he hath in his hand is a new Testament, that is to say: the doctrine of supersticion where withall the worlde is troubled.

For all thy sayinges: I wyll go to hym.

I wyll go also, to heare what these fooles shal deuyse together, & learne by what meanes they do thus torment theyr conscience.

Hearest thou Eusebe? Stay a lytle, yf thy busynes requyre not to much hast.

Yonder commeth he that I haue dyuers tymes desyred to talke withall,Eusebi­us spea­keth to himselfe. to proue yf I coulde reduce him into the righte waye: but I feare me it is but lost laboure, for he is a per­fyte Temporisour as well in name as in facte, [Page] suche a one as beleueth for a tyme, and when temptaciō cometh, wythereth away. And more ouer me thinke I see with him his Cosyn Mō ­dayn, a man allienated and deuyded from all religion. But for as muche as he calleth me, I wyll staye, and see what he would haue.

Whether goest thou, Eusebe?

Into the feldes to walke, to recreate my spryte. What wilt thou haue with me?

Of longe tyme I haue purposed to come & vysite the at thy house, to confarre with the of this miserable ruyne of oure religion, whiche thing troubleth my sprytes so much, that I cā rest neyther night nor daye.

Yf it please thee, let vs retourne then to my house together?

I am right well contente. What wilte thou do Mondayn?

Yf I wist I should not offēd you, I would be gladly with you at your communication?

I shalbe contented for my parte.

And I reiecte noman: much lesse then wyll I refuse a neyghbour. And as the trueth is cō ­pared vnto light, euen so is she not afrayde to shyne and appeare before al maner of persons. God wylleth, that we do assemble together in his name, & hath promysed to be in the middes [Page] of vs, I wyll go in before, folowye both.

Peace be vnto this house.

And to all those that entre in. Come let vs go in yonder.

How manye bokes,Frō hēceforth Mō dayn speaketh as it were to him self, for the o­ther do not aun­swere hī, as nothīg passinge on his say inges. E­uen so we maye not cast pear­les before swyne. &c and how litle houshold stuffe? Is there a more foole then this man?

Sitte downe at this Table.

We wyll, seyng thou biddest vs. Sit thou downe also.

I hadde leuer sit at a table furnished with wyne, then with bokes. I see nothing here but papers, I would to God the rattes and myce had eaten them all: for and these bokes were not, we should lyue in more peace in the world then we now do.

Graunt O Lord Iesus Christ, that we may profite in some thing to the glory of thy name. Now Temporisour saye what thou wilt, and we wyl heare thee, and communicate together frely euery one according to his conscience.

Yet agayne this conscience, what deuyl in­uented that name?

Thou knowest verye well Eusebius, what my substaunce is.

I know it to be very great, the Lord graūt [Page] that thou vse it wel, and that thou mayest pos­sesse it, and it not thee.

Thou knowest also what a noumbre of children I haue.

The Lord increase them, and kepe them to his glory.

O foole what hast thou to do with the glo­ry of God? Thinke of thyne owne.

I desyre euē thesame withal my hart. Thou knowest furthermore in what reputaciō I am in, with the Burgeses and Maiestrates.

Thou doest wel to thinke of these thinges, beware that thou doeste not hasarde them to much.

I knowe all those thinges, my frend Tem­porisour.

Now am I come to this yssewe, eyther to hasard and forsake all together, or els to ioyne my self with other men, in being present at the papisticall seruices and supersticions by dis­simulation. Wherefore I beseche thee in the name of God, that thou wilt tell me thyne ad­uyse, yf it be lawefull without offence of con­science to him that knoweth the veritie of the holy scriptures, to be present at the papisticall supersticious seruices through the compulsiō of his superiours?

What a foolishe question is this to enquire (yf it be lawfull) when that necessite and con­straynt teacheth him, what he ought to do?

Thou mayest easelye gather myne aduyse herein, by that which thou seest me do, for I do that, that I thinke to be the best, yf I had here in a better iudgement, truely I woulde put it in practyse.

Yf thou wart in his place thou wouldest do otherwyse.

I see wel what thou doest. Thou doest kepe thy selfe from coming to any of the papisticall seruyces. But that notwithstanding I desyre to know yf I may not be there without finne?

Yf thou mightest so be there, euē so would I, and also all other that nowe abstayne them selues thence: for I thinke it nomore lawefull for thee to be there, thē for me. But fyrst let me vnderstand how thou doest behaue thy self in this poynt.

How that I do behaue my self? I do obeye the ordinaunces of the Maiestrates, & I come to theyr seruices according as they haue com­maunded.

Therein thou doest not foolishly.

Is it trew? Doest thou fyrst of al the thing that they commaunde thee: and then aske yf it be well done? Why dyddest thou not rather fyrst aske, what had bene the duetye of a man fearing God, and after thou hadst knowē the­same, to haue putte it in practyce? Doest thou not remembre this olde sentence: fyrste deter­myne, and then put in executiō? But thou hast [Page] done cleane contrarye.

He hath done both wysely and aduysedly, according to the presente necessitie: but in the other thinge he hath done foolishly.

You haue sayd wel, but I was forced to do as I dyd.

Wherto then serueth it to aske counsayl, yf it be lawefull, or no, seyng thou art resolued to do the thing that they compell thee? Consulta­cion belongeth vnto those that are about to de­termyne a thing, the thing beyng as yet nether done, nor begon: beyng in theyr facultie either to do, or vndo: those (I saye) may receyue pro­fyte by consulting and inquiring thereof. But seyng that thou hast lost this libertie, by thine owne folye, I cannot perceyue to what ende & purpose thou mouest this question, after it is done.

It is without all ordre.

I am not putte from this lybertie, but as I sayd before, I am forced to do that the Maie­strates commaundeth.

Yf thou be a christian man, thou canst not be compelled to do an vnlawfull thing.

This felow is out of his wyt: yf he cannot be compelled, no man would compell him: but they do constrayne him, ergo he maye be con­strayned.

What can I not be compelled?

All theyr commaundementes haue a condi­tion annexed thereunto, to wytte, yf anye man wyll not obeye, that he be punished.

It is so.

Thē mayst thou chuse, ether to do that they commaunde, or els to endure and suffre that which the condicion annexed thereunto doeth threaten. Thou mayst chuse then, one or other.

I knowe all this to be trew.

Seyng thē that thou mayst chuse according to thy pleasure, how canst thou saye then, that thou art constrained: There can be no compul­sion, whereas there is election.

I cannot denye it: but it is daungerous to fall into the handes of those that may oppresse and subdue me. For feare whereof, I do that they commaunde me.

Wysely done.

But it is a greater matter to fal into the hā ­des of the lyuing god, that is of power not on­ly to kyll the body, but also to cast the soule in­to hell fyre.

These felowes are afrayde of shadowes. They prate of a fyre, y^t nomā as yet euer sawe, and in the meane tyme they fall into burninge flammes that apparantly consumeth them.

Thou sayest well. But I am so feble that I am not able to endure the punishmēt that they threaten me withall, yf I do not obeye them.

I knowe that the spyryte is readye, but the fleshe is weake. But for all that we are not to be excused, yf through infyrmitie we do anye thing y^t greatly offendeth the Maiestie of god: we ought rather to cōplaine of this infirmitie, thē to seeke meanes to excuse & couer the same. Let vs purely confesse our synne, and not seke to hyde it, praying the Lord continually to in­crease and confyrme our fayth. But let vs pro­ceade further: I demaūd secūdarely my frend Temporisour, what thou thinkest in thy harte whē thou art present with the papistes at their seruices? Thou dydst aske of me euē now, yf it be lawfull for thee to be there. But what aun­swereth thy conscience to my question? Thou cannest not be ignoraunt therof.

Seynge thou askeste me of my conscience Eusebie, I cannot denye but fyrst of al before I wente vnto the papisticall seruices my con­science dyd incessantlye admonishe me that I should not go thyther. She sayde that this ac­cesse and coniunction with the vngodlye, was nothinge els but a manifest renouncinge of the veritie knowen, and a confyrmation of all su­persticion. She threatened me also with the greate indignation and wrathe of almightye GOD, yf I dyd so. And that I shoulde fall thereby into execrable blyndnesse, and other [Page] horryble euylles. And after I had bene there, she accused me of my facte, and that at the first tyme verye sharpely: but after that euery tyme that I went, lesse then other: so that nowe in a maner I fele in my conscience no repugnaunce of my goyng thether.

O Temporisour, yf thou sayest truely, then arte thou in the waye of reprobation, oute of the which thou shalte not be able to escape, yf thou doest not forthwith withdraw thy selfe: for it is a heauy burthen, the condemnation of oure owne conscience: and it is verye daunge­rous to expresse and expell the fyrste mocions and pryckinges thereof, euen the nexte waye to make the harte all together incensyble and withoute all vnderstandinge. And what re­quyreste thou nowe Temporisour, but that I woulde take awaye these gnawinges and pric­kinges of thy conscience, by affyrminge that thou mayest surelye and lawefullye go vnto theyr superstycious seruyces, to thende that thou mayest nowe doe the same wyth a quyet conscience, that before thou dyddeste wyth a sorowefull harte. Yf thou desyre to knowe nothinge but thys, thou neadeste not to en­quyre of me, for thou haste a teacher in thyne owne bosome, that is sufficientlye able to in­structe thee in that behalfe. For by thine owne proper iudgemente thou doeste the thing that perteyneth not vnto a Christian man to doe: and yet thou askeste whether thou doest well or euyll.

In all my lyfe I neuer sawe more greater fooles, pestring and troublinge themselues so vnadúysedly about vanitie and follie. Were it not better all together to withdraw our selues from all opinion of God and of religion, then to wrap our selfes in these troubles?

Thou killest me Eusebie, thou doublest my grefe. Before I most myserably tormented my selfe with myne owne iudgement, and now in seking helpe, I fynd present death.

I am moued to pytye, to behold thy myserable state, and not onely thyne, but all other our poore brethren, that are oppressed with suche anguishes, by the wickednes of some mē, or by theyr supersticions.

Youre myserye proceadeth not from the su­persticion of other, but of yourselues.

Leaue, I pray thee these thinges, and come to the yssewe: what knowest thou yf the Lord wyll extende his mercye hereafter towardes me: Do not repute me amongest the noumbre of those that haue nomore hope of saluation, I cannot yet dispayre of the grace of God. But now (I pray thee) aunswere directely vnto my question: and as touching that, that bordeneth my conscience, let vs omitte it for a whyle.

Hitherto I haue heard the purpose of your [Page] communication together: but for asmuch as I am come hyther, nether to dispute, nor to iudge but onely to heare, I wyll leaue you in youre disputacion. Onely there is one thing wherof I wyll admonishe you. Remembre alwayes y^t necessitie is a heauy burthen. And now I leaue you, for I haue other more greater affayres.

My frend, we wyll not kepe thee frō thyne affayres. But thou Temporisour, what wylt thou do?

Seyng that this my neyghbour wil depart I cannot with myne honesty suffre him to re­turne home alone, but wyl go with him, and afterward wyll returne agayne.

I wyll tarye thy comming. But I pray thee (yf it be possible) bring with thee thy frend I­renius, for he is a gentyll person, and is not al­together alienated from religion: and also the noumbre of three is more perfecte, and more mete for such a collation.

I wyll bringe hym, yf I can.

Pardon me Eusebie in that I do departe, and breake the purpose of youre communicati­on. Yf I can do you any pleasure towardes the Maiestrates of the cytie, lette me knowe it, and ye shall commaunde me, I wyll not fayle. I am yours.

I most hartely thanke you. Thou Tempo­risour, come agayne quickely: least supper tu [...] approching we be constrayned to leaue our disputacion.

I wyll come agayne strayghtway.

❀The second Dialoge.

☞The Collocutors. The Temporisour. Ireneus, and Eusebius.

I Was verye yll aduysed, when I procured Mondayn to heare oure disputacion. In mine opinion he is a very wicked man: it is to be feared that he wyll vtter all oure com­munication vnto the Maiestrates. Wel, an other tyme I wyll be better aduysed. I wyll make spede to cal Ireneus: he is accustomed a­bout this tyme of the daye commonlye to be at home. I wyll see yf he be there.

Some body knocketh at the gate. Boye, go open the dore.

What doest thou Ireneus?

Nothing, but loke here in an olde boke.

For asmuch as thou hast no great busynes, would it not please thee to accompanye me to the house of Eusebius?

What to do?

To deuyse and commune together.

Paraduenture he is not at leasure.

Yes, that he is. And in so doyng thou shalt [Page] do him great pleasure.

Well, I wyl go with thee, I wyl not refuse the company and communicati [...] of honest mē.

I wyll go in before to leade thee the waye, for I am better acquaynted with thys house then thou. I am here Eusebie, and here is also Ireneus. Yf there be nothing happened since, let vs pursew our former communication.

There is some thing happened since youre beyng here, but what then? it behoueth vs al­way [...]s to prefarre those thinges that concerne our saluacion, before all other matters.

Yf there be any secrete matter betwixt you, I wyll withdraw my selfe?

There is nothinge so secrete amongest vs, but we can be contented to communicate the­same vnto thee. We began not long ago to di­spute: yf it be lawfull for a man, knowing the worde of God, to be present at the papisticall seruices. And this question was fyrste moued by oure frend here Temporisour, and for thys cause is he come hyther nowe, to vnderstande myne aduyse herein.

Ye knowe righte well both of you, howe I haue alwayes behaued my selfe in this variete of religion. Seking nothing so much as to liue in peace and quietnesse, for the mayntenaunce whereof I haue contemned neither of the par­ties: but vsed my selfe with indifferencye to­wardes [Page] them both, hauinge alwayes thys de­sire, that by some good meanes these quarelles might be qualified, and cōtencions accorded, that so much do alienate the hartes of the faith full, and cause the wycked an vnbeleuers to mocke our christianite. And with the like good wyll I wyll be present at this your collatiō, yf it please you.

Syt here then. Assiste vs O Christ by thy holy spyryte.

Now yf it please thee Eusebie, cōsider dy­ligently the matter, whereof we talked a lyttle before.

I wyl do it gladly, with this conditiō, that ye both with me, wyl dyligently consyder this matter, not as a thinge particularely appertey ninge vnto one, but as a matter common to all persones, to thende that priuate affection and selfe loue, do leade vs to nothinge besyde the trueth. And for asmuch as by this our collatiō our purpose is not to searche out abare know­ledge without effecte, but rather a perfect obe­dience, suche as apperteyneth to God and to his trueth: Tell me therfore (I pray thee) Temporisour, before we go any further in this mat­ter:Nota. what reuerence thou wilte beare vnto the trueth, when thou shalt be made to knowe the­same, without any contradiction?

Wherto serueth this question?

Whereto? I wyl tell thee at ones. To thend we would not labour in vayne, for the glorye [Page] of God, and thy saluation: for wherto shall it serue to beate the eyre with our wordes? Yf y^u be not resolued in thy conscience, (after thou knowest the truth) to frame thy lyfe according vnto the same in refusing al vnlawful thinges? Whereto shall we spende so manye wordes in vayne: And not onelye in vayne, but rather to prouoke the iudgemente of God to fall more greuously vpon thee, and to incense his indig­nation agaynst the. Art thou ignoraunt of this sayinge of Christ: The seruaunt knowing, and not doyng, shalbe greuously punished? & ther­fore fyrst of all determyne with thy selfe what thou wylte do, when thou shalte knowe, what thing is commaunded, and what thinge is in­hybited.

Now can I promyse any thing before hand what I wyll do, seynge it is not in myne owne power, but cometh of the grace of god: Leaue that then to the grace of God, and beginne as I haue desyred thee, to consydre and examyne this matter.

I do not demaund (O Temporisour) what thing thou wylt do, hauing knowen the truth, but wherto thou art presently inclyned? I de­maund not of the thing to come, but what the intencion of thyne harte is nowe. It is two thinges, to say what thou purposest to do, and to say what thou shalt do. As touchīg thinges to come: It behoueth him that hath a good wil and is already inclined to godlines, to aske the grace of God for the performaūce of the same. But where as there is no wyl, nor determined [Page] purpose, to do the thinges that are godli: it be­houeth him fyrste of all to desyre God to geue him a wyll to do well, who onelye (as witnes­seth the Apostle) accomplisheth and worketh in vs as well the wyl, as the dede. Protest and expresse therfore here (O Temporisour) what wyl thou hast presently, to thend that I know­ing and vnderstanding the same, may wade in this matter accordingly. I pray thee Ireneus, is not this my request reasonable? Ireneus.

I cānot denye it. For who is so much a beast that doeth not well perceyue the great follye y^t resteth in him that is sycke, who continuallye calleth for the phisition, and whē he hath him, wyl not folow his counsayl? Temporisour.

Yet I cannot expresse, what I haue purpo­sed to do, so much am I perplexed in my mind, which is as yet inclyned hether and thether, without any resolued determinatiō. God per­aduenture wyll settle my mynde to some good ende, after that I am aduertysed and resolued of the truth: & therfore I pray the (O Eusebie) proceade vnto the matter. Eusebius.

The condition of mans mynde is very mise­rable, when that onely we knowe not what we shall do hereafter, but that least is, we are ig­noraunt of that we wyll presentlye. But go to my frende Temporisour, for asmuche as thou art not able to make declaration of thy wyl, at least wayes declare vnto vs, what it is that y^u desyrest withall thy hart: thou shalt fynde dy­uers that do complayne that they cannot feale in themselues no determyned purpose & wyll: [Page] and therfore do vnfaynedly wishe and desyre, that they maye haue suche a purposed wyll as they do not as yet feale in theyr hartes.

I do most earnestly desyre a stablished pur­pose and wyll. But to affirme that I haue the­same all ready in my harte, I dare not.

Yf thy desire be suche, that thou mayst ones settle thy harte and mynde thorowely, in that thing, wherin it is not as yet stablished, [...]hou haste no cause to dispayre, but rather to praye vnto God oure father, to stablishe in thy harte this purpose to wyll well, and fynally to leade thee vnto the trew and perfect desyre and stu­dye of godlynes by wel doyng.

I wyl dyligently fo [...]ow thy counsayl: wher­in I desyre thee to helpe me with thy prayers. But I pray thee now beginne to aunswere my present question. Eusebius.

I wyll most gladly satisfye thy requeste in both.Thre ma­ner of cō ­munica­tions. Fyrst of all it is most certayn, that there are three maner of communications in religiō. The one is necessary and of necessitie. The o­ther is indifferent and lawefull. The thyrd is neyther lawefull nor indifferent, but all toge­ther vnlawful and prohibyted. In the first are comprysed al those thinges without the which no man can be saued: and in this part, this questiō hath no place, to wytte, whether the thing be lawfull, or no? Temporisour.

I confesse the same. But what are those [Page] thinges that are of necessitie necessary?Thynges necessary

The trew and perfect knowledge of God y^e father, and of his sonne whom he hath sente, Iesus Christ. The trewe lyuely fayth, and the confession of the same, vnfayned repentaunce, lawfull obedience, feare and reuerence of god, inuocation & prayer with faith, hope of good thinges to come, patience in persecution and affliction, trewe and perfect loue of God, and of our neyghbours,Out of y^e church ther is no saluation & other lyke thinges, with out the which we cannot be saued. For by the communicating of these thinges, we do com­municate with all the electe of God, without whose company and felowship there is no sal­uation to be hoped for. Ireneus.

There are very few Eusebie that do enquire after this maner of cōmunication. Eusebius

So much is the world blinded. The seconde maner of communication is, as I sayd before, indifferent, tollerable, and lawfull, herein are comprysed all those thinges, that are free, in­different and lawfull. Temporisour.

What are they? Eusebius.

All those thinges that are not of them selues agaynst the worde of grace, which is the gos­pell: to wyte, meate, drinke, clothing, obserua­tion of dayes, and all other obseruations, by y^e which the puritie of the christian fayth is not violated nor defyled. To communicate in these thinges with the faythfull, yf it be free, it is also lawfull: and yf it tende to charitie, it is al­so expedient.

What is that, that thou sayest: yf it be free, it is also lawfull? Eusebius.

I sayd it meaning thereby to exclude all ty­rannye, by the which those thinges that of thē selues are free, to do them, or to leaue them vn­done (of the whiche also we haue receyued no commaundement of God) are neuerthelesse cō maunded to be done vnder the payne of dead­ly sinne: wherby the consciences of the christi­ans, which ought to be free, are made captyue and bonde to the commaundementes of men. For I affyrme that those thinges haue vtterly lost theyr freedō, that otherwyse in thē selues are free, when that eyther through costume, or lawes they are commaūded to be obserued as thinges necessary (as witnesseth the Apostle.Colloss. 2) Let noman (sayth he) trouble your conscience, about meate, or drinke, or a pece of a holy day, &c. And afterwarde (he sayth) ye are redemed with a great pryce, make not your selfes there­fore the bond seruauntes of men. Ireneus.

Some would here reply agaynst you, [...]hat the wordes of the Apostle to the Collossians by you aledged, do nothinge serue to the pur­pose. In asmuche as he doeth not there speake any thing of the cōmaundemētes of the church but of the commaundementes of the Moyesi­cal lawe: for asmuch as in his tyme some went about to make those commaundementes neces­sary.

It is trewe, that the Apostle speaketh there of the obseruation of the lawe: but I pray thee consydre, yf there be anye reason, to bynde the [Page] consciences of men by the commaundementes of Bishops: seyng that the commaundemētes of the lawe do not bynd them, which were not established by men, but by God? Ireneus.

I maynteyne nothing: but I haue alledged that nowe, that here tofore I haue heard of o­ther men, onely adding there vnto this worde. That those commaundementes that thou cal­lest the Bishoppes cōmaundemētes,Cōmaun­dements of the Church. other mē cal them the commaundementes of the church, and therfore necessarye.

Of what church?

That inquyre thou of them.

But thou Temporisour, what is thyne opi­nion herein?

No church of Christ hath any auctorite to commaunde in the house of God,Nota. but onely to obeye. For she is the wyfe, and not mystresse.

As a wyfe she is subiecte to obeye her hus­band, who is Iesus Christ: and yet for all that she ceaseth not to haue auctoritie ouer hyr chyl­dren, to commaunde them: so say our Doctors.

I know it well ynough. But I praye thee, which be hyr chyldren to whom she may com­maunde?

I thinke, all those that be Christians.

Who is then, this commaundinge church, yf al chyldrē are but the chyldrē of the church? I supposed that the church is so compyled and and knyt together of Christians, as the bodye [Page] is, of certayn mēbres. But these people speake as yf there were some one churche by it selfe, y^t hath auctoritie to commaunde all christiā peo­ple, as hyr chyldren. Ireneus.

They call this church Catholyke and Apo­stolicall.The Ca­tholyke church.

In this church is comprehended al christiā people. Yf this be the church that they meane, I would gladly know in what place was there euer this catholyke and vniuersall assemble of christians: in the whiche was ordeyned these commaundementes, that they cal the cōmaun­dementes of the church? Ireneus.

It is not possible that all Christian people could assemble together in one place. But they say: that the Romayne church is abled into the place therof, so that all that euer she ordeyned, is auctorysed as yf it were done by the vniuer­sall church. Eusebius.

They saye so: but howe do they proue it? Who hath geuen the Churche of Rome thys power?

We go cleane frō our matter: let vs referre this question of the auctoritie of the churche vnto another tyme, and returne to oure former purpose, from the which we haue strayed.

Thou sayest wel. Tel me thē Temporisour, doest thou reken and place the papisticall ser­uices amongest those thinges that are free, in­different, and lawefull, or no?

The papistes themselues do not saye, that [Page] thei are free and indifferent, but necessary: but as for me, I do not exteme them amōgest those thinges that are lawful and free, but rather a­mongest those that are prohybyted.

Thou hast geuen a good iudgement. Let vs now come to the thyrd maner of communicatiō the which we call prohibyted or forbodē. Here in are comprysed all those thinges that are cō ­trary to the worde of God, as are all false ser­uyces, supersticions, mennes decrees without the auctoritie of the worde, inuocation of dead­saynctes, and suche other lyke constitucions.

Amongest the which noumbre, I iudge the papistical seruyces to haue place, of the which now we are in question, wherfore tell me yf it be lawfull by any meanes to participate at the same?

I geue you leaue to iudge in these thinges as it shall seme vnto you good, although I can not accorde there vnto with you, yet I am con­tentend to heare what conclusion you wyl make of this question.

I cōmende thy modefiye, Irenie: but come on Temporisour, thou askest yf it be lawful by any meanes to communicate and be present at vnlawfull seruyces. Fyrste tell me what thou meanest by this, by any meanes? wherfore ra­ther doest not thou playnly demaunde, yf it be all together lawfull to communicate all maner of wayes at these vnlawfull seruyces.

I vnderstand that there areThe com­munication of dis­semblers .ij. maner of cō ­munications: one is, in opiniō, wyl, affectiō, & mynd. The other is only outwardly as it were in a certayne outward behauiour: & forasmuch as my communication is, neyther in opinion, wyll nor mynd, but only in outward iesture, I do not aske therfore, whether euerye maner of cōmunication be lawful (for I know the fyrste to be altogether vnlawfull,) but I requyre to know yf it be lawfull to communicate by anye meanes, vnderstāding therby the outward so­ciete and communication.

Thinkest thou that thou doest not sinne at all, by this outward societe and coniunction w^t the vngodly in their supersticiōs, because thou doest not inwardly consent thereunto?

I suppose so: and therefore I make inquisi­tion thereof.

Geue me leaue Temporisour, to saye myne opinion. Thou semest vnto me to do in this be­halfe, as yf one beyng apprehended amongest theues in cōmitting of theyr robberyes, would excuse himself before the iudge that he dyd not steale, alledging that he stale with thē agaynst hys harte and mynd.

Thou speakest very rudelye: and yet neuer­thelesse, thou cōmunicatest aswel as I, at these papistical seruices, outw [...]rdly.

It is trew, & inwardly also, & doe not con­demne my self in so doynge, for I exteme that to be laweful, that ye say to be vnlawful.

Although Ireny [...] thy last saying be false & vntrew, yet dyddest thou before (in my iudge­ment) applye not farre amis the comparison of the these vnto the facte and question of temporisour. But tell me now Tēporisour, yf in these papisticall seruices, shere were committed, ad­ulteryes, thefte, and effusion of innocēt bloud, wouldest thou be present at them?

No, although I were constrayned.

Wherefore?

Because I could not be there without sinne.

Thou cannest not be without sinne (as thou confessest thy selfe) in beynge present and assi­sting of them that offend agaynst the seconde table, and yet thou askest yf it be lawful to cō ­municate with those that sinne, (not agaynst y^e seconde table) but that worste is, agaynste the fyrst.

Truth it is, that they doe sinne agaynst the fyrst table through theyr supersticion, & impiete of their hartes,and what is it that gydeth y^e body thi­ther. but I doe not so, for asmuch as I do not communicate with them in harte & mynde, but only in body and outward iesture. But in the societe and felowship of adulterers and theues, I cannot outwardly ioyne my self thereunto without sinne:who euer saw a bo­dy w^tout a hart co­me to the Masse? for then I should do agaynst the commaundemētes of God, which doe not onelye condemne the affections of the [...]nynde, but also the outward facte of the body.

Wel thē, thou groundest only al false serui­ces vpō the supersticion & impiete of the hart, and that, which is onelye done outwardlye, is no synne: and herein thou thinkest thy selfe to be excused, in asmuch as thou doest only com­myt these thinges outwardly, without hauing any reputacion or good opinion of the said ser­uyces, and supposest that thou doest not com­mitte Idolatrie with the Images of the dead sainctes, (in asmuch as thou abhorrest them in thy hart) although thou do outwardly crouche and knel [...] before them.

I thinke so in dede.

Tell me thē: yf thou hadst liued in the tyme of Daniel, what other counsayl wouldest thou haue geuē to the thre yong men, thē that, which thou thinkest presently to be lawfull? or els yf thou hadst bene in theyr place, wouldest thou not haue done, as y^u doest now? Thou wouldst haue obeyed the Kynges commaundemēt, and haue kneled downe with the reste.

No that I would not, for yf I had done so, it had bene synne.

Wherfore? Couldest thou not outwardlye haue satisfyed the Kynges commaundemente by outward iesture & worshipping, reseruinge alwayes vnto god the adoration and worship­ping of thy hart?

Yf I should say: that they might outward­ly haue obeyed the Kynges commaundemente with the rest, I am afrayde to condemne those m [...]rtyrs of God, that withoute anye necessitie [Page] they dyd abandon theyr lyuēs into daunger: & therfore it is better to confesse the trueth.

Thou confessest then, that in all false seruy­ces of Idolatrye, they do not onely synne, that beyng seduced through the errour of theyr vn­derstandinge, consente there vnto with theyr hart, but all those also that by outward iesture do communicate with them?

I confesse thy sayinge to be trewe in the ex­ample of the three young men, which thou al­ledgest, but not in my doynges.

Wherfore?It is all one, for y^e adoratyō of al creatures is generally prohibi­ted.

For there it behoued them to worshippe the Image of a Panym and Heathen Prince: but our worshippīg (as diuers affirme) is another kynde of adoration.

As touching that poynt we wyll debate the same more amplye here afterwardes in tyme & place whē occasion shall better serue. But now the question is, yf that which thou doest, may be excused, by that thou doest communicate at the papisticall seruyces, not with thy mynde, but with the body onely. I haue gladly cōfar­red this thine excuse, with thē example of those thre yong mē, to thend thou mightest perceyue that thing not to be lawful, which thou suppo­sest to be laweful.

I am almost caught.

What aunswerest thou to that which the A­postle sayth:Rom. 14. the .xiiij. to the Romaynes: what [Page] soeuer is not of fayth, the same is sinne? Thou canst not in fayth be present and communicate at those seruyces which thou condēnest: wherfore all thy doynges therein is sinne, because y^u doest not the same in fayth.

Howe can I commnnicate in fayth at that thing, which clearely repungneth agaynst the word of God, which is the onely ground and foundation of fayth?

Thou sayest trewe: for vndoubtedlye thou canst not communicate in fayth at that thinge which thy conscience condemneth.

I condemne it truely.

Then arte thou also condemned in asmuche as that thou doest, is not of fayth.

Geue me the new Testamēt that I my selfe may see that texte.

Holde, and reade it: it is in the ende of the Chapter.

Harken what the Apostle sayth: Happy is he that condemneth not him self, in the thinge which he alloweth, for he that maketh cōsciēce to eate, is damned yf he eate, because he eateth not of fayth: for whatsoeuer is not of fayth the same is synne. In myne opinion, the Apostle doeth not speake here of vnlawful thinges, but of thinges free and lawfull, to wyte of meates which may be vsed with a safe conscience. And yf any do vse the same agaynst his cōscience in that he thinketh not the facte lawful, that per­son condemneth hym self, for asmuch as he ea­reth [Page] not in fayth. But what serueth this to our question, which is not of indifferent and law­ful thinges, but of those thinges that are of thē selfes vnlaweful? & as for me, in my doynges I do not condemne my self although I do not inwardly approue these papisticall seruices.

Me thinketh that the obiection of Tempo­risour is somewhat pithy and stronge.

Truth it is, that the Apostle speaketh there but of thinges lawful and free. But for al that considre (I pray thee) yf he be condmned that doeth a lawfull and free thing without fayth, because he doeth not alowe thesame, but con­dmneth it, and might for all that doe the same withoute sinne, yf he dyd alowe it, and dyd it in fayth: what shall we saye of those that doe thinges, that are of them selues al together vn­lawful, which also they condemne? In the do­ynge wherof they cā haue no fayth, for asmuch as they do not allowe the same. Yf a medecyne that of it selfe is good, becometh hurtfull tho­rough the occasion of hym that taketh it, what woulde poyson be to him, yf he receyued the­same? For yf the medecyne euyll taken maye anoye, how much more poyson?

I confesse that there is poyson in the pa­pisticall seruices: but my soule toucheth it not, but my body onely.

Lykewyse he that vseth lawefull and free thinges euyll,Nota. receyueth them only with the body, and not with the soule: for in that behalf (that is to saye:) in spyryte, he doeth abhorre them: and yet neuerthelesse they condēne him.

That is trew because they do condemne thē selues in theyr doynges: but as for me, I doe not condemne my selfe in my doynges, neither yet condemne my fact.

This aunswere woulde serue thee well, yf our question were of indifferent and lawefull thinges. But for all that thou doest not condē ­ne thy selfe in the facte of vnlawful & prohibi­ted thinges: thou art neuer the better thereby, but worse a great deale, then those that beynge blynded with erroure, do not condemne theyr doynges: as peraduenture they would yf they vnderstode by the worde of God, asmuche as thou knowest.

Yf I knew this to be trew that you saye: I woulde neuer be perswaded to communicate with them.

Yet agayne I am caught, without knowing any waye to escape. The saying of the Apostle doeth conuince me.

Thou cannest not fynd a better waye to e­scape, then to geue prayse vnto the veritie, and chaunge thyne opiniō. What aunswerest thou I pray thee vnto this generall sentence: al that is not of fayth is synne?Rom. 14. By this sentēce is not onely condemned all maner of eating without fayth, but also generallye all that euer is done [Page] without fayth. Where is now become your ex­teriour communication and coniunction at the papisticall seruices, which thou and other thy semblables do vse, beyng so dyrecte contrarye vnto the worde of God, as your owne consciē ­ces do testifye in condemning of the same?

Yf this be trewe, suche people are in greate daunger.

When I go to the papisticall seruyces,The cogitacion of dissem­blers. I iudge it no great matterto disseble outwardli, seynge I do reserue faith perfectly in my hart. I pray thee Eusebie, tel me, what semeth vnto thee of this cogitacion?

For the fyrst part: Yf thou haue fayth in thy harte, tell me, howe can the same be counseled and hyd? Thinkeste thou that fayth is anydle thing and without facte, and that she maye be so hyd in the harte, that she cannot appeare out wardly? Fayth is a fyre: it is impossible ether to hide her, or inclose her, but that she wil ether cast forth flame or smoke.Psa. cxv. The Prophete sayth and likewise the Apostle after him. I haue be­leued and therfore haue I spoken. The fayth of the harte is not dombe, but her violence brea­keth the barres of the mouth: for of the abun­daunce of the harte, the mouth speaketh sayth Christ.Math. xij And the Apostle affyrmeth, that to be­leue with the harte,Roma. x. iustifyeth: but to acknow­ledge with the mouth, maketh a man safe. Take away the confession of the mouth, and then is fayth dead. Wherefore take hede and beware that thy dissimulation and cōmunication with [Page] the papistry, do not so thorowly hide thy faith that it quenche not al together that litle sparke of fayth that is in thee. For as the fyre loueth & desireth a freedom & abundaunce of ayre, euen so doth fayth desyre to be knowen euery wher.

And I feare the contrary. That yf I mani­fest my fayth vnto the wicked, that then it wyl happen vnto me, as vnto those that show their treasure and money vnto theues.Math. v. And more o­uer Christe himselfe doeth admonishe vs, that we should not cast y^t (that is holy) vnto dogges and swyne, whereby I am perswaded that it is better to hyde priuelye this treasure of faith then that it shoulde be knowen of the wycked, (who are to be cōpared vnto dogges & swyne) least haply they do treade the same vnder their feete, and destroy me.

Thou art then afrayde of thy fayth, as yf it lay in the power of the wicked, to take it away from thee. Trueth it is, that theues and rob­bers may take away oure treasure and ryches, but the fayth which is in our hartes, cannot be imbeselled nor stollen, no, not of the gates of hell.Math. 16 The confession of the mouth, causeth the fayth (that is in the harte) to be knowen: but it neyther destroyeth it, nor loseth it, but ra­ther enterteyneth it, & preserueth it. For fayth is of suche a nature, that yf it be not commu­nicated, it perisheth: so much wanteth it that in hydinge it, thou shalt preserue it. Furthermore is it not a greate follye of thee to thinke to [Page] hyde thy fayth by dissimulation: seynge that for the space of these twentie yeares thou hast alreadi inanifested the same to al people? Thinkeste thou that all thy neyghbours are so bru­tishe and ignoraunte that they doe not knowe, that this y^t thou doest, is no alteration of thine opinion in religion, but rather a certayne dissi­mulation? yea, and that not voluntarye, but by violence and feare of the Maiestrates? Thou fearest more this thinge, then the losse of thy fayth.

In doyng the same (Eusebie) I do obey the counsayl of Christ,Math. 10 who sayeth: beware of mē, for they shall delyuer you vp, &c. As also, be wyse as serpentes, withoute omittinge of that which I resyted before: cast not pearles before dogges and swyne, leaste they treade thesame vnder theyr feete, and after retourne and de­uour you. Thou knowest y^t these thinges were spokē of christ, to his faythful flocke, to thende they should more diligentlye take hede to them selfes. Wherfore I se not why I should be re­prehēded in keping secrete my preciouse pear­les, and in takinge hede to my selfe, least I fall into the handes of the wicked.

I know well ynough the sayinges of christ, which thou hast alledged for thy defence: wis­shing withall my harte that we all dyd knowe the spyryte of Christ. Yf it be not tediouse vn­to the Temporisour. I wyll declare vnto thee, how thou doest abuse thy selfe in the allegatiō of these scriptures.

The houre is past, it is tyme to go home to supper, one lesse thou wylt Eusebie, reteyne vs thy selfe.

Ye see howe I am prepared to entertayne my frendes, neuerthelesse yf it please you to be partaker of suche as God sendeth (wyth me) tarye. And I wyll forthwith cause some thing to be prepared for supper.

It shall not nede Eusebie, that we should so many wayes moleste thee, it hath suffised that thou hast paciently heard our fonde communi­cation: we thanke thee for thy good wyll. Ne­uerthelesse, to thende I forget not my selfe, I praye thee (yf to morowe thou haue no greater affayres) that it would please thee to geue me leaue to haue accesse vnto thee for an houre or two, to ende our disputacion.

Withal my hart, I am contented. Wherfore yf it seme good vnto thee Temporisour, to mo­rowe we wyll mete in thy gardyne. And thou Irenie yf it please thee, I pray thee be there al­so.

I am contente.

Although I serue nothing to further youre cōmunication, yet God willing I wyl be ther.

Fare well then Eusebie.

Fare well.

God be with you both.

¶The thyrde Dialoge.

☞The Collocutours. The Temporisour, Eusebius, and Ireneus.

IT behoueth me to go betymes to open the gardyne, and tarye there to receyue my frendes, as it apperteyneth.

Me thinketh, the gardyne is opened, per­aduenture I haue taryed longest.

Come in hether Irenie, haste thou not sene Eusebius?

No. I feared to haue come to late.

Thou comest tymeynough: how lykest thou this garden.

It is very pleasaunte. Thinkeste thou that, that thou shalt not offend Eusebius with these delectacions? for as farre as I can deserne he is nor the man that taketh any greate pleasure in these thinges.

Ther is no daūger, he knoweth wel ynough this gardē, and furthermore as thou heardest, he chose this place, wherin we might come to gether.

It is very wel: for it is my chefe desyre, that nothing be done, whereby any man may be of­fended, and therfore. I praye thee take in good part, all that I haue sayd vnto thee concerning thesame. But see, he is here at hande, let vs go to mere him.

This is my inciuilite to come so late. I ought rather to haue taryed for them, and se they ta­rye for me: but it goeth well ynough, for I see them pleasauntly disposed. Geue vs grace (O Christ) that we maye perfectely treate and de­bate this question: it is thy worke & not myne.

Thou doeste me great pleasure Eusebie, in coming hether. I feared least some let or trou­ble had happened vnto the, that thou couldest not come.

There is nothing happened: but (that in co­ming) I thoughte vpon our question, in deba­ting the same with my self, wherby I came the more slowely: Wherein (I praye you,) pardon me.

You dyd well: and neuerthelesse, we haue not taryed long for you.

Chuse whether ye wyll walke vnder thy [...] vy [...], or syt downe at this table, to fynishe our c [...]llation.

Seynge we are three, me thinketh it better for vs to syt downe: to thende euery one maye the better heare, and aunswere: and also pro­pone more deliberately, the which thinge can­not so wel be done in walking. But yf your de­sy [...]e be to walke, I am contented.

You haue deuysed the best waye.

And so it semeth vnto me.

Pardon me, although I beginne fyrste: for [Page] asmuch as I haue promysed to aunswere vnto the obiections of Temporisour alledged out of the .x. and . [...]ej. Chapters of G. Mathew. Yf so it be your pleasures:

I thinke it good Eusebie, in pursuynge thy promise, that thou do proue vnto vs, whether I haue alledged those scriptures, well, or no.

I wyll fyrst declare, what is the trew sence of the wordes of Christ,Expositiō vpon the passage of S. Math. the. 7. cha. and then we shall see howe well to the purpose thou haste alledged them. It is playne that by dogges & hogges, he doeth meane, all carnall, fleshely, cruell and bloudthurstye men: to whom in no respect ap­pertayneth holy thinges, nomore then pearles to hogges. And therefore the Lorde wylleth, that we do not wittingly manifest and declare the secretes of his Kingdome to suche people, confyaminge thesame by two pro [...]able argu­mentes and reasons. The one, for the conserua­tion of the worde and doctryne. And the other for the preseruatiō of the preachers & teachers of thesame word. Least haplye (sayth he) they doe [...]reade them vnder theyr feete, and in re­tourning do deuoure you. That which he spea­keth of treading vnder theyr feete, is meant of the worde of God, but that which he rehear­seth of tenring or deuouring, is meante of the mynisters and preachers thereof. So that by these wordes hys wyll is not, that the se­crete mysteries of the Kyngdomme of GOD shoulde not be publysshed vnto the worlde, [Page] or that we should not freely and expressely confesse the veryfie of the Gospell of God before the Maiestrates when we are called therunto. As haue done the Apostles & an infynite noū ­bre of martyrs before vs. But rather, he doeth adliyse and perswade vs by these sayinges: y^t it is not good nor cōuenient rashely to declare vnto wicked and carnall men, the misteries of the christian fayth, whereby comenly ensueth nothing els but contempt and deri [...]io [...] of the­same, with manifeste daunger of theyr lyues. And to thesame ende & purpose he vseth these wordes in the .x. of S. Matheme. Beware of men, and be wyse as serpentes. Doest not thou acknowledge and confesse, Temporisour, that this is the trew sence & meaning of the wordes of Christ?

I cannot denye it.

Let [...] seenow then yf thou haue rightful­ly alledg [...] [...]hem for thy purpose, or no Christ commaundeth that thou doe not throwe forth they pearles before wicked and fleshely people. But he doeth not wyll thee so to [...] them in the ground, that the church neuer see them: for thou thinkest that thou mayst lawfully dissemble alwayes, before all maner of men, Further [...]ore Christ doeth not thereby inhibite the cō ­fession of the veritie, but rather earnestly com­maūdeth and requyreth the fame of euery chri­stian mā, and chefely when they are called be­fore the Maiestrates. But thou, becouse thou [...]ilte auoyde the daunger thereof, thou doeste not only dissemble and hyd thy fayth, but that [Page] worst is, thou doest by dissimulation contrary to thy fayth and knowledge in communicating at vnlawful seruice [...] If this mean [...]s [...] escape were lawful, then should we haue no martyrs in the Church of God, neyther yet any publike confession of the veritie of the Gospel, so often cōmaunded and practysed by Christe and hy [...] Apostles.

What is there then to be done?

What? That which thouse est me do. I ab­hore & detest as a most stinking carrion, their present established religion, beyng wholy cor­rupted by the vngodly Bishops through oure demerites and sumes. I absta [...]e frō thesame both in body and mynd, withall my famylie, & at home. I instructe my housholde in the pure doctryne of Christe and in his trew religion e­stablished by his worde. And to this ende we dayly reade at table the holye scriptures: & the better to confyrme and augment out fayth, we singe certayne Psalines & holy songes. Euery day we do resyte amongest vs, the ten cōmaundementes of almightye God: the Crede of the Apostles, without forgettinge the mayer that the Lord taught vs, to geue him thankes for al his benefytes. This doe I dayly in my house. And yet I go not through myne owne mocron vnto the Maiestrate, to declare vnto hym my fayth, nor yet wittingly to cast before dogges and swyne, the holy thinges of God: but yf [...] caninduce any one into the waye of the truth, or els reduce anye y^t is steayed out of the same, [Page] I do it as dyligently & as safely as I can. And furthermore, I am alwayes readye to geue an aunswere of my fayth to eueryman, & chefely to the Maiestrate, whē. I shalbe required ther vnto, being wel contented to suffre & indure al that the Lord hath ordeined for me, in that be­half. This is a moste simple & christian maner of lyuing, not only to obey christ in his worde, but also to kepe the conscience pure, & to geue an aunswere & reason of the hope that is in vs.

I condemne nor blame not thy purpose and doynges Eusebie, seyng thy fayth is such, and truely I would doe lykewyse yf I dyd beleue as thou doest. For although I do not agree [...] you in opinion, yet I cannot cōmend and alow any of those that through feare doe dissemble in theyr religion, thereby not onely wounding theyr owne conscience, but also leadinge other by theyr example into extreame daunger, the which thinge myghte be easelyer remedied yf they dydde proceade therein more gentlye and humblye.

I knowe well ynough Irenie, thy modeste and peaceable mynde, and therefore I was the more desyreous to bringe thee with me to this collation.

Thou haste nowe, Temporisour, my [...]e ex­ample, [...]owe I doe vse my selfe and my famy­lye in these troublesome dayes, the whiche is not onely myne, but also the example of the A­postles, [Page] & of al those that feare God, by whose conuersacion thou mayest easelye know what thou oughtest to do, and whether thou cannest defende thy facte by the wordes of Christ.

I heare it and vnderstande it: I do also al­lowe this constancye of thy mynde, the which I would gladly imitate and folow [...] yf I were not letted: for I declared vnto theem our fyrst collation what thinges impeached & hindered me in the attempting thereof. And I supposed verely that I dyd not synne in communicating with the body onely at the papistical seruices, seyng that I dyd retayne alwayes in my harte the veritie and trueth. Thou hast as touchinge this matter, alledged dyuers probable argu­mentes, so that I see no way to replye agaynst the same. And chefely amongest other thinges thou obiectest against me, that I do vse a great dissimulaciō, the which truely as yet, I do not fele in my self such, as therby my doynges de­serue to be condēned. For I do not cōmunicate at the papistical seruices, to thende y^t I would seme to other to approue & alowe thesame, or y^t I sefe prayse therby, or to abuse or disceyue a­ny mā by my presence, but only because that in obeying the cōmaundemēt of the Maiestrates I may auoyde al dan̄ger. He truely semeth vnto me properly a dissēbler, y^t through his dissi­mulatiō seketh to abuse al those y^t ether behold him or heare him: in seking his own comodite, w^t the detrement & domage of other. But as for me I do none of al these thīges to any such end [Page] I do not desire to be reputed a papist, [...] cō ­tented also that all people do know that Iowe no good wyll vnto theyr relygion, so that the Maiestrate gather no matter agaynste me of rebellion, that is my onely care.

Hetherto thou hast diligently laboured to excuse thy selfe, to thende thou wouldeste not be iudged a dissembler, or abuser of other inē: but for all that thou cānest not escape, but that thy outwarde facte is iudged of all me [...] for a mere dissimulation. For although thou doeste not seke to abuse any man by thy dissu [...]latiō, yet for all that, thy outwarde facre beying disa­greable from thy hart, (in causing outwardly to appeare vnto the communicantes another thing of thee, then the trueth is inwardlye) can not, nor ought not to be reputed suche as it se­meth to be outwardly. And furthermore thou art not certayne whether thou doest abuse any mā, or no, with thi outward presence, for those that are assembled there w^t the, euen as they be simple and rude people, so do they thinke that thy comming thither, is to the same iud [...] & pur­pose, that theya [...] is. Thinkest thou, that thyne opiniō, which thou hidest so secretly, is [...] to euery one, so that thou doest abuse no maner of person in assistinge at the papisticall seruy­ces, with the lyke iestur [...] and countenaunce as they doe?

How can I abuse any one of all my neygh­bours, seyng that it is euydently knowen vnto them al, what fayth and zeale I haue had vnto [Page] the Gospell of God in detesting [...] for the space of . [...]x. yeares paste?

Yea marye: yf dyuers of late had not onely chaunged theyr outward maner of lyfe, but al­so they: harte & opinion: and are fallen so farre that now they doe not onely condemne, but al­so sharpelye persecute that, which latelye they dyd extoll vnto the heauens, I coulde redelye name dyuers such examples.

I cannot denye it: I knowe some suche. But I am of another opinion and mynde.

I beleue the same: but tell me withoute fay­uing, doest thou thinke that al men do certayn­ly know this thy mynde and opinion?

I coulde be contented it were knowen: but whether it be or no, I am not sure.

I am sure thou cannest not tell: my mynde geueth me that Eusebius sayth wel. For what iudgement can I haue of any man, but only by his present fac [...]. To iudge after thinges paste, is no sure iudgement, touching the doynges of men, but most certayn of God, in asmuch as he is not mutable lyke vnto men.

Thou vnderstandest the thing wel, Ireuie: and thou canst not deuye it Temporisour.

I confesse it.

Agreest thou then, that in assisting at the [...]a­pisticall [Page] seruices, tho [...] doest a [...]use [...] in leadinge them so farre thereby that they doe thinke thine opinion to be lyke vnto theyrs, al­though it do differ [...]

I haue sayd it, and I cannot [...] say it: & that more is, I do not only confusse thesame to be possible: but I doubt me greatlye, least it so happen vnto dyuers, my cōscience cōstreayneth me to confesse it.

Seyng thou vnders [...] and est their [...]ell me, yf thou perceyuest not also aswell the great euyll that thou doest to those, whō thou abuse ste by dissimulatiō, as the great offence against God and his church?

No, I perceyue it not.

Other men might make that aunswere, that feleth not the prie [...]t of conscience, as doeth the Temporisour.

I wyll make thee vnderstand and perceyue what I meane Tēporisour, to thende that thou knowing the same, mayst amende it.

And I wyl geue dyligent eare thereunto.

Firste of al, put the case, that I were one of those rude ignoraūt people, that nether vnder­stode the cause that is in disputaciō, nether ye [...] thy mynd in that behalf. Tel me (I pray the) in the name of the liuing God, whē I shal se thee at the Tēple of Idols, at the [...]ultar, at their sa­crifices, at their masses, in assistinge the w^t thy presence at althose, in puttinge of thy cap, ma­king reuerēce, & kneling downe with thē, what [Page] other thing thē can I thinke & iudge of the, but that y^u doest likewyse reuerēce & worship those seruices, as I do? And what other thing doth this thine exāple worke in me, but only a cōfir­maciō in myne errour, in w^tdrawingine therby frō the trueth of the gospel? For I shall thinke this w^t my self: what, behold yonder the Tēpo­risour, who hath so many yeres fauoured thys new opiniō, y^t is now suppressed & ouerthrowē it cannot be chosen but y^t he knoweth al y^e secre­tes therof, & yet se now he chaūgeth his opiniō & cōuerteth vnto vs, y^t which truely he woulde not do, yf he wer [...] not thorowly perswaded, y^t he was seduced & abused by y^e new gospel whiche he lately professed, & now knoweth certainly y^t we haue y^e trew gospel, & y^t we are the trew church: god defēde y^t euer I should forsake this church and religion: yea, we shal wel perceyue shortly y^t al those y^t are seduced wil come home agayn to their mother holy church frō y^t which thei haue so lōge straied. Cōsidre here, Tēpor­sour, what great occasiō of euil thou geuest by this thine exāple vnto the simple & ignoran [...]te people, who haue y^e zeale of god, but not accor­ding to knowledge. For to what other end ten­deth these wordes of Iesus Christe; but [...]o thy cōdemnatiō,Nota. Math. 18 wheras he saith: who soeuer doth offēd or cause to stūble one of these litle ones y^e beleue in me, it were better for him that a myl­stone were hanged aboute his necke, & so to be cast into y^e middes of y^e sea. For this thine example doth not only cōfirme the blind papistes in their errour, in hindring thē therby to come to y^e [Page] knowledge of the trueth, but also that worst i [...] it doeth hinder and trouble the feyth of those little [...], who haue onely begon to beleue in Christ, in putting them in daunger to retourne to the papisi [...]e agayne: so that by thyne exam­ple the co [...]st of theyr fayth is hindered: per­ceyuest thou these thinges?

Yea: to much.

I would to God that thou dyddest thorowly perceyue it. Harken nowe wherin thou arte offensyue vnto the religion of God, and vnto [...]ll the trew professours and constant maynte­ [...]ers of thesame. Fyrst of all, thou causest that the wicked do so boldly speake euyl of so good a thing, in vtteringe innumerable reproches a­gainst the same, to thende it may seme the more [...]dious and hateful vnto al people. Vnderstā ­deste thou not, that, the more the noumbre are that consente to vntrueth, (although it be but by dissumulation) so muche the greater is hys power? And the more that vntrueth is mayn­teyned, so much the more is veritie vilipended and oppressed? Furthermore by thys meanes the wicked become more importunate, bloud­thersty and cruell, agaynst the trew religiō of God to confound it, and all those that wyl not abandō thesame. And so much the more cruel­ly do they execute theyr tyranny vpon thē that are constāt, as they se theyr noumbre increased by those that forsake the trueth. These are Tē ­porisour, no newfound ymaginacions nor yet vayne cogitacions, but the thing of it self is to [Page] notorious & manyfest, by the dayly experience, that we haue hereof. How cannest thou no we ymagine and thinke, that thou offendeste and hur [...]este nom [...] by thyne example, when thou doest anoye it moleste all men thereby, euē the papist, the weake christian and me, and suche other as I ami for this thy fac [...]e tourneth also to our great preiudice, in bringinge vs into ex­treame daunger, because we wyll not doe as thou doest.

God defend that I should be the cause of so many great euyls.

I heare horrible thinges.

I do not speake in parables, but do playne­ly propose the thing, as it is to be consydered. And thou doest well, my frende Temporisour, to desyre God to preserue thee from beyng the cause of so many euyls. But beware, least thou onely requyre thesame with y^e mouth, without the consent of thy harte, & purpose to amende.

As farre as I can perceyue, thou constray­nest me, to communicate no more at the papisticall seruyces, onelesse I wyll damne my selfe wyllingly, and also minister greuous offences vnto other.

Euen so I do exhorte and counsay I thee.

But I know dyuers that haue another ma­ner of iudgement. Some hold opinion that yf I wente not to these papisticall assembles, I shoulde mynister occasion of offence vnto the weake & simple. It is not me [...]e (saye they) that [Page] [...]e do gewe offence vnto the rude & ignoraunt: but it is an offence to contemne the common & ue [...]ine seruices. For the simple by this occasiō do thinke euyl of vs, as mocker [...] [...]f the christiā religion, exteming vs to be he rety [...]es, and ene­myes of the Churche. Or at leaste wyse they are prouoked by oure example to leaue theyr publyke seruyces, whiche they as yet exteme to be holy and lawefull, and in so doyng sinne agaynst theyr consciences. To thende therfore that we doe not mynister suche occasion of of­fence, we oughte to go to theyr seruyces, tyll suche tyme as they are more playnelye instru­cted in the trueth of Gods worde, and doe a­bandon thesame by theyr owne proper con­sent, as we haue done. Furthermore some doe staye them selues vpon the facte and example of Naaman the Syrian, Nicodemus and Io­seph, who were the secrete disciples of Iesus Christ. Yf it were not greuous vnto the, Euse­bie, I would desyre thee herein to heare thyne aduyse.

It is easye to aunswere vnto theyr dreames. As touching the offence, which thou pretēdest, It behoueth vs fyrst of al to obserue the diffe­rence betwixt the offence that is takē without any iust occasion, and the offence that is geuē, whether it be takē, or no: To know (I say) whi­che of these two is sinne. The offence, taken w^t ­out occasiō ministred, is, whē that any man is offended w^t that which of it self is both good & lawful, as whē the facte is such y^t thereby thou oughtest rather to imitate the same, then to be [Page] offēded ther w^t. And this is the offence y^t those do alledge for their excuse y^e purpose to accōpa­ny the papistes at their seruices, lest haply the simple & ignoraūt people would be offēded yf ther did not come thither. But (I affyrme) y^t [...]e that doth not come to these papistical seruices, he doth y^e thing y^t is necessarely required to his saluatiō, & worthy the zeale of a christiā. And this exāple is such, that it hindereth not: & al­though some do find thē selfes greued & offen­ded therw^t, it is theyr fault, & procedeth frō thē selfes, & not frō the example geuē: for they may not leaue the thing y^e apperteyneth to their sal­uatiō, for any offēce y^e other may gather therby For yf we should leaue vndone al those thiges, wherof the wicked gather offence, thē must we bandon the pacience & benignite of almightye god, the which also the impenitent do abuse to their owne dānation. We must also laye a syde the great liberalite of y^e father of houshold, mē ­cioned of in the gospel, who gaue asmuch vnto him y^t wrought but one houre in his vineyard, as he y^t cōtinued al the day, nothing regarding the offence y^t the wicked & enuious persons did gather therof. Let thē also accuse y^e prophetes, Christe, the Apostles & martyrs, because they did not accōmodate & frame themselues, to the vulgare & common doynges of other. And fy­nallye because that the wicked maye gather no offence: is it therfore lawful that the godly do renounce and forsake the bountie of the deuine maiestie, in prouoking his indignacion against thē selues: were this expedient thinkest thou? [Page] Wherefore yf I refrayne to damne my selfe, with those that resiste the trueth, and prouoke the pacience of God, do I euyll? God forbyd. Yf we maye not do euyll,Roma. iij that good may come thereof, howe muche lesse then oughte we to doe euyll, whē no goodnes can proceade there­of, but rather much euyll: aswell to them that doe it, as to those that see it? The offence that is geuen, whether it be taken or no, is, when we do any vnlawefull thinge, or els those thinges that are indifferent, whē they are so done that they do offend the infyrme & weake, for whose sake we ought to abstaine, although otherwise it lyeth in our powers to doe them, not onelye voyde of sinne, but also vnto edification. This kynde of offence beyng geuē, is very haynous, although noman be offended therewith: for yf [...]oman be offended, that is rather to be impu­ted vnto the free conscience of the beholders, (who mighte yf they would, haue gathered an offence thereof,) and not vnto him, that on his behalfe dyd mynistre the occasion of offence: vnderstandest thou Temporisour, thys diffe­rence of offence?

Verye well.

Vnderstandeste thou also, whiche is euyll, and which is not?

Suffycyentlye.

You put me nowe in remembraunce of dy­uers [Page] that are offended at the mariage of Pre­stes, but none are offended, that for the moste parte they are all geuē ouer vnto filthy whore­dom, and common adulterye without al shame leauinge dyuers detestable examples thereof, by the which all degrees of people are greate­ly corrupted, and causeth the common tyttle of oure Christianite to be infamed and yll repo [...] ­red of, euen amongest the infydelles. This is the thinge, that alwayes hath greued me.

Thou speakeste wel, Irenie. Is it mete, that [...] Christian man fearinge GOD, do avstrayne from lawefull mariage, because he would not offende the ignoraunte: and in the meane tyme polute him selfe wyth whoredome, the nexte waye to depryue himselfe from the Kyngdom of GOD? What greater follye coulde there be? Herein may ye beholde the excuse of those that would haue vs go into the assemble of the papistes at theyr superstitious seruyces, be­cause we should not offend the papistes: but oure duery is, to doe directelye contrarye, as it hath bene sayde before.

Hetherto Eusebie, thou haste sufficientlye proued, that the excuses (the which I haue al­ledged) to auoyde offence, serueth nothinge to this purpose. I woulde gladlye heare nowe thyne aduyse, as touchinge the examples of Naaman, Ioseph, and Nicodemus: for these examples are alledged of all those, that wyth me do communicate at the papistical seruices, [Page] onely with the body, and not with the spyryte, and truely for my part when my cōscience dyd accuse me of my doynge in this behalfe, I al­wayes called to my remembraunce the exam­ple of these men, for the probation of my facte.

It is requysite that these examples be dili­gently wayed and considered, the which thing cannot be forthwith accomplished: wherefore myne aduise is that we do refarre the same vn­tyll oure next meting and collation.

I am therewith very well contented, for I haue nowe certayne busynes that calleth me home, that beyng done, I wyl retourne agayn: when, and where, it shall please you.

Seyng you both haue thus determyned, I wyl not gayne say it: but tell me Eusebie, whē maye we come together agayne to fynishe and ende this question?

To morow at this tyme, yf it please you.

I am contented. To morowe then, ye shall fynd me (God willing) in this place at y^e houre appoynted.

The tyme, and the place, pleaseth me well.

I thanke you both of your good wyll, yf e­uer it lye in my facultie, the occasion so myni­string, I wyll showe you the lyke.

We do thanke thee that thou hast vouch [...] ­ued to call vs into this plea [...]nt place.

I wyll go before. Folowe you at your plea­sure, God be with you both.

God kepe thee my frend, Irenie, we wyl folowe thee by and by.

¶The fowrth Dialoge.

☞The Collocutours. The Temporisour, Eusebius, and Irenius.

YF these examples of Nycodemus, Io­seph of Ara [...]thia, and Naaman the Sirian, the which I, and my sembla­bles are accustomed to vse, do not bring vnto me some present consolation, I am vtterly vanquished and ouercome, I know thē no way to escape. I cannot tell, howe hereafter wardes to excuse my selfe, neyther towardes God, nor my conscience. And I doubt greatly that they beyng narowly scanned and conside­red, wyll lyttle serue for my purpose. For here before when I began to vse them for myne ex­cuse, me thought alwayes they semed vnto me to weake, to defend this my dissimulacion: yet we dyd alwayes alledge them agaynste those that dydde reproue oure doynges, fearinge to leaue oure wickednesse vncouered and naked. This is the custome of oure fleshe,The cu­stome of the fleshe. for she can not abyde the reprofe of shame, althoughe she do both feele and knowe hyr nakednes, but se­keth all possible meanes to couer the same. But yonder me thinke I see comming both Eusebi­us and Ireneus. I am happy that I dyd accō ­pany my self with them, for they are both tra­ctable [Page] and gentle: and therefore I wyll not be affrayde to pursew this matter both boldly & freely. What my frendes are ye come already? I came but euen nowe hether to prepare thys place for your comminge.

There neded no such diligēce, for the place of it self is very commodious and pleasaunt.

That is trew. But herein I thought it good to show my good wyl towardes you. But thou Eusebius, as farre as I can perceyue, y^u comest not vnarmed.

Not so muche as hauinge about me a little knyfe, neyther doe I prepare my selfe vnto the warre, but vnto a louing and frendly collatiō.

And yet me thinke thou arte not withoute weapons for the same, for eyther I doe abuse my selfe, or els the boke that thou haste in thy hande, is a sworde of the spyryte.

Now I vnderstand what thou meanest Tē ­porisour, I was yesterdaye lykewise armed w^t thesame, although as then I had not this bug­get, the which I haue now brought, therby the more dyligently to examyne by the scriptures the examples of Nycodemus, Ioseph, and Naaman the Syrian.

These weapons Ireneus, were more meter for your Bishoppes, thē those which they haue vsed of late yeres to murther y^e shepe of christ.

It is so, I cannot excuse theyr doynges in that behalf. I do often lamēt with my self this miserable corrupcion & alteracion of the eccle­siastical order, in beholdinge oure fleshly Bis­shops who ought to be spirituall Pastours, to become wolues in the stede of shepeherdes: & lyons and lyke vnto all other cruell kynde of beastes, as theyr armes & badges declare the same. And where as they oughte to be seynge bishoppes, they are become so thorowly blynd that they may be better called * Episcotes,Episcoti, is asmuch to saye as obscured & darkned thē Episco­pi is as much to say as speculatinge & seynge Bishops. Episcopes: and wheras they oughte to be ca­tholiques, they ar Cacolijcques, that is to say: cruell or euyll wolues. In stede of ecclesiasti­call persons, they are become seculer Princes, and Lordes, and in stede of trew doctors, they are become perfect troublers.

When we do reprehende these vyces wyth innumerable other, through y^e which y^e church of Christ is destroyed, thē are we by those Bi­shoppes condemned for heretikes, and iudged to y^e fyre, but now tyme serueth not to bewayle those thinges, as also we shall profyte nothing therin:Math. v. for salte ones beynge corrupted cannot be restored to perfection agayne. The Lorde wyll come shortely into iudgement, and reken with those wicked seruauntes to theyr eternal damnacion.

Let vs refarre those people vnto the iudge­mente [Page] of God: and yf it please thee, Eusebie, I praye declare to what ende these examples of Nicodemus, Ioseph, and Naamā the Sy­rian tende vnto: the which, not onely I my self but also all most all other doe alledge for their excuse, namelye those that for feare of punish­mente of the hygher powers doe go vnto the papisticall seruices.

I am right well content. But declare fyrste of al, howe you do alledge these examples for your purpose and profyte.

Wheras for feare of the wicked, we dissem­ble our opinion touchinge the papisticall reli­gion, in communicating with them at the same: we thinke we may lawfully doe it, and oughte not therof to be reprehended as of an vnlaw­full fact: seyng that it is manyfest that the like hath bene done by dyuerse godlye men before vs,Iohn. iij. as witnesseth the Scriptures, who as we rede,Nicode­mus. were neyther reproued nor condemned therfore. Nicodemus was not ignoraunt of y^e trueth, and he loued very well Iesus Christe, who also had him in good reputacion, and yet all this notwithstāding, he fearing the Iewes dyd dissemble these thinges, neyther dyd he withdrawe him selfe from the company of the enemies of christ.Iohn. xix. Ioseph. The lyke thing is mencioned of Ioseph of Aramathia, who as sayth y^e scriptures was a secret disciple of Iesus christ, & y^t for feare of the Iewes, amōgest whō he liued. It is lykewyse specifyed of Naamā y^e Siriā. [Page] That the Prophete Elizeus dyd graunte hym leaue,4. Reg. 5. Naaman that he beyng in the Temple of Remmō before straunge Goddes, for the assistaunce of his Kyng, to knele downe, notwithstanding y^t by an excellent myracle, he was lately come to the knowledge of one only trew God: yf these men mighte then lyue so withoute offence, I would gladly vnderstand from thee, wherfore theyr examples, doeth nothing helpe our mat­ter? They kept theyr fayth secrete in their hart, and outwardlye dyd communicate with those whō they knew to be aduersaryes to the truth. They dyd thē in al thinges like as we do now: I meane, I and my semblables. Yf this dissi­mulatiō (as thou callest it) did not hinder their saluation, wherefore then is it damnable vnto vs? is God chaunged, in condemning now, the thing that he before suffred in his children? I thinke it not to be trewe. For euen as he is al­wayes one, and immutable, euen so cannot his determinacion chaunge more at one tyme, then at another.

Thou reasonest strongely, Temporisour.

Thou thinkest so: but haue a lyttle pacience and thou shalt iudge otherwyse.

Myne argumentes are suche Eusebie, as dyuers doe thinke them very stronge.

Because that they are pleasaunte vnto the sy [...]efull fleshe, therefore do ye gredelye im­brace [Page] them, and desire more that they might be fyrme and stronge, then that ye thinke them so in dede. For eyther I am greatly abused, or els ye do wittingly deceyue your selues. But now let vs come to youre argumentes, and to begin withall, I do admonishe you of one thing: that is, that all those that vse to alledge these argu­mētes for theyr excuse, are not in one lyke state and condicion, although they do acknowledge thesame trueth that we doe. With the harte ye loue the gospel of God, but outwardly ye communicate with the papistes: hytherto ye agree together, but on the other side there is a diffe­rence, for some of you haue publykely renoun­ced the papisme, and haue these certaine yeres freely approued the doctryne of the Gospel, as I, and other haue done. But nowe temptacion beyng come, they leaue the euāgelike churches and retourne to the papisme and papistrye, to thende they may lyue the more without daun­ger in this world: and thou arte Temporisour, one of this company. The other sort, although in theyr hart they acknowledge the trueth,Inglande cannot pleat this excuse. yet dyd they neuer publykely confesse the same nor maynteyne it, neyther yet renounced the exte­riour communication with the papistes, but styll perseuer in thesame hytherto, of whiche sorte there is in the world no small noumbre: & namely in this lād of Almany. Who is he that doeth not now perceyue the great difference y^t is betwixt these two sortes of people, and that to no purpose, they doe both alledge for them selues the examples of Nycodemus, Ioseph, [Page] and Naaman the Syrian? And fyrste, as tou­chinge thee, Temporisour, and those that are lyke vnto thee: who haue presently forsakē the trew religiō,The trew Image of Ingland. y^e which ye haue publikely mayn­tayned, and are now reuoulted & tourned backwarde into thesame myre and puddle, frō the which sometyme ye were yssewed out, & dely­uered. Truelye these exāples of Nicodemus & of the other two, do nothing serue for your ex­cuse, nether do ye in any respecte imitate theyr doynges. For yf these exāples might serue for the defence of any dissimulacion, yet should it not serue for your syde: but rather for thē of y^e other party. Who, as they did neuer publikely professe the gospell, so can they not be accused of any reuoulting or renoūcing in that behalf. The thing is apparaūt & without cōtradictiō. For whē as Nicodemus & Ioseph dyd dissemble theyr fayth for feare of y^e Iewes, they were but newly come vnto this doctrine, hauing the same onely inwardly incered in theyr hartes, without ether as yet forsakinge the iudeisme, or els publikely ioyning thēselues to the fayth ful cōgregaciō of Christ. What lyke thing find they now here in the example of these two mē wherby thei may iustely excuse their doinges: those (I saye) that of late dyd publykelye a­uouche the Gospell and are nowe reuoulted from thesame, in tourninge to the papisticall supersticions, as dogges vnto theyr vomete? And that which I haue spoken of Nicodemus and Ioseph maye also be veryfyed of Naa­man the Syrian. Who beynge a Panim was [Page] newly come vnto the knowledge of God, with out euer beynge vnited vnto the societe of the people of God and theyr religion: yea, he was altogether newe and younge in his fayth and in the knowledge of god, who had healed him. Consydre now I praye you, howe much thys his example serueth to couer the facte of oure dissembling Christians: who not onely for the space of many yeares haue bene perfectely in­structed in the trueth, by sincere doctryne, but also vnyted and knytte vnto the same by holye Sacramentes purely mynistred? Is ther any apperaunce or lykelyhode herein?

As farre as I perceyue by thy communica­cion, they defende them selues very poorely.

I harken, and vnderstande all.

I pray thee my frend Tēporisour, tel me by thi cōscience. In the beginning whē thou didst tourne frō the papisme, dydst thou neuer call to thy remembraunce these examples? werre thou not then as ingenious and wytty to sowe figge leaues together to couer thy self, as thou art nowe? And wherefore? for (thou sayest) it was not then nedefull: for the reuoultinge frō the papisme, required no such defence and co­ueringe. But nowe yf ye mighte retourne a­gayne to the papisme withoute synne by out­warde communicacion, contentynge youre selfes to beleue onelye wythe the harte, ye mighte more iustelye haue remayned in the [Page] papisme withoute forsaking thesame,A greate cōdēnaciō to al thē y^t haue refused y^e papisme, and now ioine thē selues ther vnto agayne. in reser­uing your fayth secretely in your hart, and as­well might ye haue defended then youre dissi­mulatiō by these examples, as ye do now. Who compelled you to forsake your auncient religi­on? Truely the feare wherewith presentlye ye are astonied, doth moue ye more to retourne a­gayne to the supersticions ones forsaken, then dyd at the first, the charitie and desyre of vniō moue you to come to the trueth: in asmuche as agaynst your conscience ye are nowe declyned agayne to your former communicacion, of su­persticions and false seruices.

Those then are not culpable, that haue not as yet forsaken the outward societe and felowship of the papistes, although they haue vnderstanding of the trueth, but do perseuer styll in this communicacion, the which not withstan­ding they do not allow in theyr hartes?

I saye not so Temporisour: But rather by this communicacion do labore to admonishe you, how vnaptly ye do applye to your behofe these examples of Nycodemus and Ioseph.Inglishe dissem­blers can not iustly alledge y^e exāple of Nycode­mus for theyr ex­cuse. As touchīg the Nicodemistes herein they dif­fer from you, that although they be not voyde of sinne, yet (I suppose,) that they doe not synne so greuously as ye doe. Wherfore to the ende ye may more playnely perceyue that your facte cānot be excused by these examples. I wil leaue you, and examyne the cause of those that more iustly may be called Nicodemistes, then [Page] you. Who, yf they cannot be excused by these examples, as it shall notably appeare: thē may we easely deserne and iudge how litle thesame serueth for your defence. For yf theyr doynges be damnable, & can fynde none excuse by these examples, there is no man so voyde of vnder­standing that doeth not easelye perceyue, that much lesse is your facte excusable, and cannot be compared to the examples of Nicodemus, Ioseph, and Naaman the Sirian.

I perceyue well to what ende thou preten­dest Eusebie. Thou shalt do me great pleasure to examine this matter narowly.

Let vs fyrst consydre the doynges of Ny­codemus and Ioseph.Where to tende the examples of Nico­demus & Ioseph. In these examples there is somethinge to be reprehended, somethinge to be excused, and somethinge to be praysed and commended. This thing is to be repre­hended, that they fearing the Iewes, more thē God, durst not confesse the trueth which they dyd know, and durst not ioyne them selues to Christ amōgest his faythful flocke, but hiding almost theyr fayth, dyd yet communicate with the enemies of Christ. Confessest y^u this poynt Temporisour?

Yea: proceade.

This thing in their doynges was excusable: that the seruyces whereat they dyd communi­cate were not the ordinaunces of men, but of [Page] God, and therefore not vtterly to be dispysed as thinges odious and supersticious, and all though the tyme dyd approche wherein they should be abolished: yet, as then it was not manifested & openly knowē, but remayned so ob­scured & hyd, that many yeares after the reue­laciō of the gospel, the multitude of the fayth­full in Ierusalē were yet deteyned vnder these legall obseruacions, as it playnely appeareth in the boke of the Actes the .xi. Chap. Thou a­greest to these thinges also Temporisour?

I cannot gayne saye it.

Fyrst of al then, this thing in thē was wor­thy prayse, for that in theyr hartes they dyd approue and allowe the veritie, which other princes dyd impunge and condemne: furthermore also for that they dyd not consent and agre w^t the Phariseis in theyr Sinagoges, consulting agaynst Christ, but dyd withstande theyr de­terminaciōs to the vttermost of theyr powers. As S. Luke mencioneth of Ioseph of Arama­thia in his .xxiij. Chap. and S. Iohan of Nico­demus in his .vij. Chapter. Thyrdely when as the maiestie and glorie of the gospell of God, semed to the outward appearaunce to be vtterly subdued and ouerthrowen: to wyte, whē as Christ was crucified & dead, & his Apostles, the one hauing betrayed him, the other denied him, and the rest forsaken him, al this not with standing, these worthy persons w^tout any ma­ner of dissimulaciō did thē boldly declare both [Page] to Pilate, & to the highe Prestes & Phariseis, theyr fayth & confidence, in him whō they had crucifyed by the begging of his body, & bury­inge thesame so honorablye as was possible, Canst thou impunge, or haste thou any thinge to replye against these thinges, Temporisour?

Nothing at all. But do meruayle greately, where about thou goest?

That is easye to be perceyued.

Harken, and I wyl tel thee whether I pre­tende: we haue perused and consydered what it is of the example of Nicodemus & Ioseph, wherby dyuers thinke to couer y^e dissimulaciō of theyr religion,Nicode­mistes. whō we wyl call Nicodemi­stes, because it shall not nede often to vse anye circumlocucion. This example conteyneth thre thinges. The first is, reprehensible, the second excusable, and the thyrd commendable. Now I demaund of thee Tēporisour, which of these thinkest thou, that a man fearing God, oughte to folowe?

The aunswere is ready: to wyte, the thyrd, the which euery christiā harte acknowledgeth to be onely commendable, both before God & man.

Thou aunswerest well. For to this end ser­ueth all examples, namelye, to styre vp in vs a certayne imitacion and folowing. But we may not imitate and folowe these thinges that ne­ther are of them selues, nor yet cannot bee [Page] in vs commendable and prayse worthye. And therfore it behoueth vs to vse a great discreciō in folowing the examples of Saynctes, to de­serne betwene the doynges that are commen­dable, and those that are vyciouse & culpable: hauinge nede of pardon by the grace and mer­cy of God in Iesu Christ. For it were a prepo­sterous & pernitious imitaciō that a Publicane should alledge for his excuse the exāple of S. Mathew: or an adulterer, the example of Da­uid: a reuoulter and denyer of the truth, the ex­ample of S. Peter: or a dronkarde the dronke­nes of Noah, for to couer theyr synnes by the examples and dedes of the Sayntes. Why ra­ther doe they not folowe the conuersion of S. Mathew, the great repentaunce of Dauid and Peter, & sobriete of Noah? But let vs se what thing the Nicodemistes do folowe in the exā ­ple of Nicodemus, and for what purpose they doe alledge thesame. Truely they doe it for no­thing els, but thereby to excuse theyr facte: but that thing nedeth no excuse, that deserueth no blame, but is worthy prayse: as when they doe receyue into theyr hartes, with them, the veri­tie of Christe, the whiche the Princes of thys world do so extremely persecute, and do not by any meanes agree and consent with thē to sub­due & suppresse thesame. But herein they pre­tend theyr excuse, in that they fearing mē more then God, do not vnitie and ioyne them selues publikely to the truth, according to theyr faith and knowledge, in renouncing and forsakinge the papisticall seruyces, which they condemne [Page] in theyr hartes: but by a wicked dissimulation do communicate at thesame agaynst theyr con­sciēces. And for to excuse this theyr simulatiō, they do alledge the examples of Nicodemus & Ioseph, not in that thinge, that they dyd wor­thy prayse, but in that thing, wherin they syn­ned: namely in theyr dissimulatiō and feare of man. As yf the synnes of the Sayntes, mighte serue to excuse oures. Vnderstandest thou Tē ­porisour?

Yea.

Agreest thou also there vnto?

Truely I do not allowe those, that doe ra­ther alledge for examples the thing that is wicked, then that which is cōmendable: but for all that I thinke it cannot be denyed, but that we may excuse the infirmitie of our fayth, by the infirmitie of the Sayntes, without being iud­ged and condemned for wicked, more thē they: or as people hauing renoūced the knowē veri­tie, because we dare not publykelye confesse thesame.

Thou acknowledgest and confessest the in­fyrmitie of fayth that resteth in the Nicode­mistes: but now is it mete & conuenient I pray the, that weakelinges, do alledge the infirmite of the Sayntes, therby to excuse theyr synne & infyrmitie? or rather oughte they not to accuse them selues, and with plentie of teares and all humilitie to haue recourse vnto the throne of [Page] grace, thereby to obtayne remission of theyr sinnes, and confirmacion of fayth?

Thy reason is strōge, Eusebie, I cannot re­plye agaynst it.

Truely Eusebie, I do not heare these thinges vnwillingly.

Lette vs consydre furthermore thys one thing: that Nicodemus and Ioseph dyd com­municate at the seruyces and ceremonies of y^e lawe, according vnto the commaundemente of God: in the which seruyces there was no im­piete, supersticion nor falsyte: but the Nicodemistes of our tyme, do communicate at the pa­pistrye, beyng full of the false seruyces of the sayntes departed, of Aungelles and of Idols, with an infinite noumbre of other superstici­ons, that dayly prouoke vnto wrath the longe pacience and benignitie of almightie GOD. Wherefore I praye thee Temporisour, what agreement is there thinkest thou, betwene the doynges of Nichodemus and Ioseph, & oure counterfeyte Nicodemistes?

In myne opiniō, none at all, for I perceyue now wel ynough, the greate difference that is betwene them. But for all that dyuerse men, (therby the better to couer theyr fact) do apply the thing that is worthye reprehension in the papistical seruices vnto a good vse, sayinge: y^t the principall effecte thereof is dyrected vnto God, and to his sonne Christe. And although there be dyuers humayne inuencions to much [Page] supersticiousli added thereunto, yet for al that the trew and perfect seruice remayneth whole and sound.

Howe maye that be?

Paraduenture, Irenius can tell thee better thē I: for I neuer had them as yet in such esti­macion as I thought them worthy, to be com­mended to memorye.

Asmuch as I can remembre, I wyll resyte. Fyrst of al they saye,Of y^e pa­pisticall baptisme and affyrme that the pa­pisticall baptisme maye be supported as it is ministred, because that the substaunce of the same: to wyte, the worde and the water remayneth, notwithstandinge the supersticions an­nexing thereunto of oyle, spittle, creame, salte, candle, crysome, and exorcysme: not withstan­ding also the latyne interrogations after the symbole of the Apostles, and the ignoraunte aūsweres of the witnesses or god fathers there present in the behalf of the chylde, beynge all together done in a foreyne language not vn­derstanded of the assystaunces. As tonchinge the Masse,the masse they saye that they maye go there vnto without synne, for although it be reple­nished with diuerse supersticious ceremonies inuented by the bishops: yet notwithstādinge it doth styl retayne the principall effecte of the institucion of Christ: to wyte, the Sacrament of the bodye and bloude of the Lord. As con­cerning Idols, they aūswere,Of ydols y^t they passe not [Page] of the Images of wood, of stone, of golde, nor of siluer. The which they knowe well ynough, by the worde of God, ought not to be worship­ped: neyther are they set vp, to be serued & ho­noured, but onely to helpe the memorie, to the ende that the laye and ignoraunt people maye be prouoked by the remēbraūce of the sayntes, to imitate theyr liues.Of sin­ginge. As touching their chaū ­ting and singing, they lytle passe and regarde, wherfore or to what end the papistes do sing: for they in the meane tyme do pray vnto God, according to theyr fayth in commending themselues vnto him. This is almost the effect of al that euer thy alledge for theyr excuse.

Yf it were not for the present question that I haue to aūswere, I would Ireneus, examine these theyr particular excuses, and proue ma­nifestly, that they in so doyng, doe synne more greuously then any other. But thou Tempori­sour, knowest thou not that these theyr excuses are most detestable and wicked?

I confesse. I know the same to be most trew.

Another tyme, the lyke occasion beyng my­nistred, I wyll declare my iudgemente in that behalfe.It is ne­cessari for vs to knowe w^t what churche we do communicate. In the meane tyme cōsidre a lytle this one thinge. These fooles passe nothinge at al [...] with what Church they do communicate, ney [...]ther with what Prelates, and Prestes they d [...] associate them selues, at theyr deuyne seruices [...] They thinke it sufficiēt to reteyne y^e substaūc [...] [Page] thereof, although the appendaunces annexed thereunto be manifestly wicked. For whereto serueth all theyr ceremonies in theyr Temple, but onelye to seduce theyr auditore, in makinge them lyke vnto themselfes: to wytte, simoniac­ques, fornicatours, ydle bellies, [...]koffers, and slaughtermē of y^e poore shepe of Christ, beyng condemned by theyr owne decrees, that who­soeuer heareth the masse of such a one, he com­mitteth most abhominable and greuous ydo­latrie, nether do they passe any thing at all of y^t which is spoken by the mouth of the prophete. I haue hated the congregation of the vngod­ly: Neyther wyll I sytte downe with the wyc­ked. But let vs leaue them there, and retourne to our matter. I praye thee now Temporisour tell me, is this example of Nicodemus & Io­seph sufficiently examined, or desirest thou yet to know any other thing therein?

Nomore, for this present.

Lette vs come nowe then to the example of Naaman the Syrian.Naaman

We thinke our selues to haue herein a great staye.

Let vs consydre now, whether it serueth a­ny thing for your purpose, or no. Let vs se the storye which is in the .iiij. boke of the Kinges, the .v. Chapter. This example is also partelye commendable, partely excusable, and partelye [Page] reprehensible: it is cōmendable, in that he doth not attribute y^e power of his myraculous hea­ling of his leprosye, nether vnto the water, ne­ther vnto Eliseus: but vnto the onelye God of Israel. And furthermore he dyd immediatlye acknowledge and cōfesse, that there was none other God, but the God of Israel: by this confession reprouing all other Goddes, as vayne and false. And thyrdly in that he protested and purposed to do no more sacrifice vnto none o­ther Goddes, but onely vnto the Lorde, in vt­terly renouncing the supersticious seruyces of al straūge goddes, the which he had serued in tyme past, in asmuch as he was thē fully per­swaded, y^t they were no Goddes, but y^e workes of mens hādes. These are his doynges, where in he is to be cōmended & praysed, besyde that he dyd not showe him selfe ingrate & vnthāke­full towardes the Prophete. This is excusable in his fact, in that he requyreth to haue the burthen of two moylles, of the earth of Israel, for to make an aulter, vpō the which he mighte sa­crifice vnto the god of Israel. God truly hath no regarde vnto those thinges. But in asmuch as in that tyme the people serued God by out­warde sacrifyces, thys good man knewe not howe to showe forth hys fayth and newe reli­gion of hys harte, then by doyng so as he saw it requysyte amongeste the Israelytes. But thys is reprehensible,Vnderstā de this so farre, as that he could not dwel and serue him ther, with out offending of y^e Lorde. that he hauing acknow­ledged and confessed one onely trewe GOD, dyd not forthwith withdrawe hym selfe, from the courte and seruyce of hys King and may­ster: but (remayning styl in hys estate) dyd his [Page] accustomed seruyce towardes the Kyng: yea, and that namelye in the Temple, where as straūge Goddes were worshypped, the which aboue all other thinge he oughte to haue de­tested and abhorred, consyderinge hys for­mer protestacion and promyse. This faulte al­so he hym selfe acknowledged and confessed in hys facte. For marke what he sayd vnto the Prophete. There is one thing, for the which I desyre thee to praye the LORDE for thy seruaunte, that when my mayster goeth into the Temple of Remmon for to worshippe, and he leaninge vpon myne arme, yf I doe wor­shyppe also, that the LORDE wyll be mer­cyfull vnto his seruaunt, because of this thing. These wordes declare euydentlye, that he dyd knowe, that he coulde not wythoute offence, from thence forthe bowe hys knee in the Tem­ple of Remmon: no, not for the seruyce of the Kynge hys mayster, in asmuche as he had pro­tested before to worshyppe none other, but the one onely trew GOD of Israel: and therefore he desyred the Prophete, that he woulde praye to God for him. He did not as then tho­rowly purpose and determyne wyth him selfe to doe so:Nota. that is, to worshyppe in the Temple, but fearinge, leaste he shoulde not be suffered to exempte hym selfe from hys offyce, he sayd not, I wyll worshyppe: but, yf I doe wor­shyppe in the Temple of Remmon, that is to saye: yf I cannot relinquisshe and forsake myne offyce. Also I vnderstande thys seruice of hys to bee an inclynacion and submission [Page] that he vsed towardes the Kinge, and not a seruyce that he purposed to doe vnto straunge Goddes: which thing is easye to be vnderstanded by the circumstaunce of the text, for he did not saye absolutely, yf I do worship in the Tē ­ple of Remmon: but, when that my Lorde the Kyng doeth entre for to worship, etc. The E­brew worde, which we call (worshippe) signi­fyeth properlye, to inclyne and bowe the knee. This good faythful man had now no desyre to worship any more the God Remmon, but for asmuche as he knew that it was not sufficient, to abstayne onelye from the worshippinge of straunge Goddes in his harte, onelesse he dyd also abstayne from all outwarde appearaunce of adoration; therefore he asketh pardon of the same, praying that the Lorde would dispence with him in his facte. These thinges are so ma­nifest in this hystorie, that euery one that rea­deth it, doeth forthwith perceyue it, excepte it be the Nicodemistes. Now I pray thee, Tem­porisour, what thing is there herein that maye serue for thy defence, and other thy felowes?

This thing truely maketh for vs, in that, all though he did acknowledge the trew God, yet neuerthelesse, he fearing to offend his Kynge, dyd accordinge to his accustomed maner, (all though it were nowe agaynste his wyll) wor­ship in the Temple of Remmon in assisting at vnlawfull seruyces.

But that is not certaynly knowen whether [Page] he dyd so, or no▪ For he sayd: yf I worship in y^e Temple of Remmon. And yet ye conclude that he dyd as welworship after his conuersion as he dyd before: what maner of consequence is this? (because he say dyf I do worship) therby to conclude that he dyd worship▪ But I admyt he dyd worshippe: yet were [...] but a [...] repre­hensible: the which, as I haue declared before, yt ought not to alledge any example of any re­prehensible facte of any Saync [...]e, to imitate & folow thesame. And yf ye wyl all gates be the folowers of the thing that is reprehensible, at least wayes ioyne this also therunto, (pray ye the Lord to pardon youre dissimulacion,) but ye cannot doe that, onelesse fyr [...]te of all ye con­fesse the faulte, and then sorowe earnestlye in repentaunce: but this last part [...] hindereth you greatly to aske pardō, for ye your selfes know that ye ought not to hope for pardon of anye synne, with [...]t repentinge the [...], and yf ye dyd vnfaynedly repent it then would ye inde­uour your selues to leaue it.

We extem [...] this fault (yf at leastwyse there be any) to be very lighte and tollerable, and to be amongest the noūbre of the synnes, that are called veniall.

Ye do then [...] your synnes, whē that ye cannot all together couer them.we ought not to co­uer oure offences. But howe much better were it to waye them a litle more, to the ende ye mighte the rather be occasioned thereby to leaue your faultes, [...]nd more surely [Page] obtayne pardon for the same? It is not the pro­pertie of a noble and faythfull harte, to ex [...] nuate and mitigate his owne faultes.

But the Prophete him self dyd not make so much a doe aboute this matter, as I perceyue thou doest.

How so?

Open the boke, and reade therein, what aū ­swere he made vnto him.

I wyll reade it. The texte sayth thus, (vnto whō he said: Go in peace.) What thing gathe­rest thou hereof?

What? That the Prophete dyd not iudge, that Naaman should synne, yf for the fauoure of his mayster he dyd worshyp in the Temple of Remmon, orels that his synne was so ligh [...] and venial, that God would easelye pardō the same▪

This is your exposicion, because it pleaseth you best, in asmuch as it semeth to permit your sinnes to remayne vnpunished. But I pray the my frende Temporisour, what did this Syriā demaund of the Prophete?

That he would pray vnto the Lord for him that he would pardon him, yf euer he did wor­shyp in the Temple of Remmon.

What aunswered the Prophete?

Thou hardest it euen now. Go (sayd he) in peace: the which wordes importe a plaine con­sentement.

Yea forsoth, to that which he demaunded. He aunswereth not concerninge the pardon, which is only in the handes of God, but onely concerning his prayer: to were, that he would praye vnto the Lord for him, according to hys requeste. So that we cannot hereby conclude, that such kynd of worshipping should be voyd of sinne. The which thing, yf it had bene trew, assure your selfe, the Prophete would playne­lye haue tolde him thesame, to thende that he should make no conscience of synne in y^e, where in there was no synne.

In this poynt I agree with thee.

Thou seeste then, that there is synne, in so doyng.

I confesse it.

But y^u estemest it to be such, as the lord wyll easely pardon the same?

Euen so semeth to signifye the consente­ment of the Prophete.

It behoueth vs diligentelye to consydre in the personne of this Syrian, certayne cir­cumstaunces and causes, (which diffre great­ly frō you,) which also moued the Prophet to accord so easely vnto him his demaund, in suf­fering him to departe in peace. The which no­thing agreeth w^t your dissimulacion, although you do alledge this exāple neuer so oftē, there­by to couer your synful ypocrisie withall.

Which are they [...]

I haue touched them partelye here before. Fyrst he was a straunger, a Syrian, a Panim, and one that was in high estate & greate repu­tacion with his Kynge and countrey,A compa­rison be­twene Naaman and oure Tempo­risours. & newly come to the acknowledge of God: yea, he was a new and tender plant in the fayth of one one­lye trew God, and was not as yet vnyted and ioyned with the people of God by any Sacra­mentes, wherby he could not, nor ought not to be burthened w^t so great & wayghtye thinges, as those that were more stronger and perfect: beyng instructed and norished of long tyme in the trew fayth amongeste the people of God. Furthermore he dyd proteste and sweare that he would neuer serue more any straūge Gods, but the onelye God of Israell: in testimonye wherof, he toke the burthen of two [...]oylles, of the earth of that laud, for to make therwith an aulter vnto the God of Israel: the which thing the Prophete would not a permitted and suf­fered an Israelit [...] to haue done, in asmuche as it was not lawfull for a Iewe to sacrifice vnto God in any other place, thē in y^t which he had appointed and chosen. Wherfore as vnto a Pany [...] & not vnto [...] Israelite: he permitted vnto him that thing, wh [...]h he would not haue gra [...] ̄ ted vnto an Israelite. For the Prophete exte­ [...]d it a greate [...]rdnes in the Syrian, that in condemning all other straunge Goddes, he had acknowledged & confessed the onely trewe [Page] god of Israel, in protesting to serue him only. It was not (I saye) withoute a cause that the Prophete dyd so greatlye exteme these begin­ninges in the conuersion of a Panim. And that as touching the reste, he did so well incourage him, promysing to demaund of God pardō for him. I pray thee Temporisour, what wouldest thou do, yf that some great Lorde out of Tur­kye, for the lyke occasion came hyther amōgest vs: and he, by some lyke myracle beyng cōuer­ted to the christian faythe, and to the acknow­ledginge and confessinge of one onelye Iesus Christe, the onely sonne of God, and onely re­demer of mankynde: and then would protest & sweare, that frō thence forth he woulde cōtem­ne the Mahometicall religion as false, & cleue vnto the onely religion of Christe. And yet not withstanding, would requyre that it might be pardoned hym, yf at any tyme through the oc­casion of his office, he dyd come with his prince vnto the Temple of Mahomet, and there he leaning vpon his arme should also be constrayned to knele downe with him? What thing (I say) wouldest thou doe in this case? wouldest thou not aunswere the self same thing that the Prophete here aunswereth vnto the request of the Syrian?

Pardon me, Temporisour, in that I speake my conscience. Truely thou shouldest doe very folishlye and vngentillye yf thou dyddest not aunswere euen as the Prophete dyd.

Verely I would aunswere euen so.

But now consydre on the othersyd, yf ther be any reason of excuse for a Christian: that af­ter he hath longe tyme cōmunicated w^t the my­steries of Christ, & beyng perfectely instructed in the knowledge of the Kingdō of God, & of the grace of y^e Gospel, would require the same to be graūted vnto him, that the Prophet hath permitted vnto this straūge Syrian, and that thou lykewyse wouldest permit vnto the Tur­kishe Lord, after thou hadst wayed the circumstaūce of the cause and person? Thinkest thou that your sinne is to be compared vnto the in­firmitie and frayltie of Naaman the Syrian? Doest thou not remēbre this sentence: to whō much is geuen, much of him shalbe requyred? What man is so farre depriued of vnderstan­ding, that wyll requyre asmuch of a chylde, as of a mā? or of a young plant, as of an old tree? Euen so truely, hath piete and godlynes their increasinges & growinges: for we doe a greate deale more easelye supporte the infyrmitie of those that are beginners, then the remisse neg­ligence of those that are, or ought to be further instructed. What sayest thou here vnto, Tem­porisour?

I agree vnto all that thou sayest: I am van­quīshed and ouercome by the manyfest trueth.

Doest thou acknowledge thē, that these Ni­codemistes haue nothing now in the examples of Nicodemus, Ioseph, & Naamā the Syriā [Page] to couer theyr ypocrisie withall, but contraryewyse, that the infyrme & new fayth of these i .ij is a greate deale greater & more better, then is theyrs?

I do acknowledge it, & cannot withstād it.

Tell me then, yf that those whiche haue not as yet outwardely renounced the papisme (all though that in theyr harte they do fauour & al­low the gospel, yet for al that they haue not as yet publikeli cōfessed thesame) yf those (I say) do not fynd in these examples any thing to ex­cuse theyr dissimulacion, as before I haue pro­ued? how then canst thou and thy semblables, who haue of long tyme publykely cōfessed the Gospell, and renounced the papisme, couer or defend by these examples youre great ypocri­sye in declyning from the trueth?

I cōfesse vnfaynedly, that there is nothing in these exāples that maketh for oure purpose, in asmuch as our cause is waightier thē theirs: so much the lesse then, do these examples serue vs, then them. But tell me, what shall I doe?

What is it y^t thou astest of me? did I not show thee before?The las [...]e counsayl. My counsayl is that thou doe as thou seest me do. I admonishe the in y^e name of Iesus christ, y^t thou searche nomore excuses for thy sinnes: but cōfesse thy fante, and forsaking the societe of all vnlawefull and supersticious seruyces, ioyne thy selfe wyth those that walke dy [...]ectely in the trew religion of Christ. [Page] Praye also the Lorde to pardon thy transgres­sion, in that thou haste abused by thyne exam­ple thy weake brethren, offended the stronger, and confyrmed the ydolater in his ydolatrye. Thou hast hereof many notable examples, for to appeace and assure thy conscience agaynste all the barkinges of the wicked and vngodlye: which shall serue thee for thy better confyrma­cion, then those abused examples that thou hast hytherto alledged. Folowe rather the example of the Prophetes and Apostles, and dyuers o­ther godli men, that haue alwaies by outward fact declared the inward fayth of theyr harte: and dyd not as yet make any separatiō betwen the interiour and exteriour communicacion in religion. Why rather doest not thou allow and folowe the example of Tobias in the which is no reprehensiō,Tobias. thē those which hyther [...] thou hast alledged to couer thy synnes withall? To­bias, although he was the yōgest of his [...] be and lynage, and although the Iewes of the .xij Tribes went to the golde Calues of [...], he fled from al theyr companies, and went vn­to Ierusalem, vnto the Temple of the Lorde, wheras he dyd worship (according to the law) the Lorde God of Israell. Those whose com­panye he auoyded, were also Israely [...]es aswel as he, and dyd boast of the trew God▪ & of his trew seruice, aswel as he, in cōdēning al those▪ that for to serue the Lord, woulde go to Ieru­salem, (in asmuch as the Lorde was no accep­ter of persones nor places.) I praye thee Tem­porisour, tell me, why dyddest thou not aswell [Page] chose this example, wherin there is no vice nor thing worthye of reprehension (but cōmended by the scriptures) aswel as the other?

What is it that thou enquyrest, Eusebie? the aunswere is readye. Nicodemus, Ioseph, and Naamā dyd please vs better, because that theyr exāples semed better to agree w^t the ease of oure fleshe, & to cōtinue [...]s in a more world­ly securitie, then the example of Tobias.

For asmuch now, as thou vnderstādest that poynt sufficiētly. Tell me what doest thou frō hence forth purpose to do?

I purpose by Goddes grace to withdrawe my selfe from all Ipocrisye and supersticion, vnto the confession of the trueth, & for asmuch as this determinaciō is mixte with many daū ­gers: I most instantly desyre the Lord to par­don and forgeue me myne offences paste: as also that he wyll vouchsafe from hence forth to fortyfye my fayth agaynst all the assaultes of the deuyll.

The Lorde confyrme thee in this thy pur­pose: That agayne at the fyrste brunt thou doe not recule backe and geue place vnto the ene­my, as one vtterly dismayed and astonied. Re­membre alwayes the thinge that I dyd admo­nishe thee of in our fyrst collaciō, to wyte, that thou do in tyme withdraw thy selfe from this dissimulacion: otherwyse thou art in daunger [Page] to lose the pricke of thy conscience, that doeth as yet continually admonishe thee, & so to fall into an obstinate blyndnesse,We must in time w^t draw our selfes frō al papistical super­sticiōs, e­ther by lyfe or by exile and flighte, yf we wyl a­noyde de­speracion the end of dissimulacion. and hardnesse of harte, & finallye into desperacion. For I praye thee Temporisour (consydre dyligentlye with thy self) what other thing can they attend and loke for, that beyng so vtterly abashed & afraid at the threateninges of a miserable & corrupti­ble man, do agaynst theyr owne cōsciences cō ­municate at vnlawfull seruyces: but that also whē the deuyl shal assault them more greuous­ly and cruelly, they must nedes be ouerthrowē blynded, and brought into extreme desperaci­on? Thou knowest y^t fall of theHofmaister the munke in germany. Frauncis Spera in Italy. Mayster Hayles in Inglād are the terrible exā ­ples of Goddes iustice vnto althose that do a­ny thinge agaynst y^e testimoni of theyr cōsciēces. Mōcke Hof­mayster, in this land of Germanie: & of Fraū ­cis Spera in Italie, who are the greate admo­nicions of God, to those nacions, to be vygi­lant in the worke of the Lord, cōstant in fayth, pacient in afflictiō, and by no meanes agaynst theyr consciences to denye the truth. Happy is he, that can be warned by other mennes daun­gers.

I geue thee hartie thankes of this thy great diligence vsed towardes me. In that thou hast vouchsaued to preserue & w^t draw frō y^e mouth of y^e wolf, a poore strayed shepe.

For asmuch as thy cōscience is such Tēpori­sour, I cānot geue the beter cōsayl, thē vtterly to deuide & w^t draw thy self frō our assembles, tyl such tyme as thou wayst vnderstand more playnly, y^t therein is nothinge contayned that may hindre thy saluaciō: & euē as I do coūsayl thee, so would I do my self, yf I were so per­swaded [Page] as thou art.

Thou doest Irenie, as a mā of a modeste & mylde nature. I would to the lord y^t thou didst thorowly vnderstād this cōtrouersie in religiō I wil not refuse at any tyme whē it shal please the, to cōfarre w^t the in this behalf, to thy fur­ther edificacion.

I thāke the Eusebie, as yet I do not greatly fantasye y^e matter: but yf hereafter at any time my hart be inclined thereunto, I wyll not for­get thy great modestie & fidelite, but so muche the rather desyre thy cōpany.

My frende Eusebie, for asmuche as by the prouidēce of God, I am by thy meanes indu­ced to relinquishe & forsake al pap [...]stry, I pray thee do not leaue oftē to come & visite me at my house, cōtinually to assist myne infirmite with some comfortable Scripture of the grace of Christ.

I wyll doe it gladly. The Lorde confyrme thee.

His peace, make an ende of all this contro­uersye, that so much troubleth the church.

Amē, euen so be it. Amē. The peace of christ is not of this worlde, she is not voyde of the verytie of GOD, she defendeth no errours, supersticions, false seruyces nor any other exe­crable synnes, nor yet the Tyrannye of false Christians, but contrarywyse she doeth paci­fye the consciences of the faythfull towardes GOD, and then amongest them selues. The same peace my frende, Irenie, make the [...] [Page] a trew and perfect Irenie, that is to say, peace­able and a louer of peace.

I desyre it withall my harte.

I thanke ye both, that it hath pleased you to assemble here, at myne instance. I offer you my seruyce, and commende my selfe vnto your prayers.

Let vs praye God, one for another, I wyll go home to my house, you maye folow when it shall please you.