theyr wrath / poure /
and tyrannie. But this is that offence / which Criste sayeth
shuld not be auoided:

[[Mat. 15.]]

Let them alone (saith he of the Phariseis) They are blinde and
the leaders of the blinde. Heere we must consider which be euell
offences / and such as are to be auoyded indeed. Euen those I
say / which are an Impediment to the setting forth of the
gospell / which do offend and hinder men / be they simple / or
wicked / that they do not embrace pure doctryne / and turne vnto
Christe. Now beholde / I pray the / by comming to the Masse /
what offence thou doest gyue? The Idolatrous and supersticious
people / ar they not offended by this thy doing? Yeas verely.
For when they do se the haunte their masses / they say / these
gospellers do comme to our masses / which they wold not do yf our
masses wer so euell as thei call them: wherfor we may perseuere
and continue in our old purpose. And on the other parte / the
weaker brethren / which are but newly turned / and not farr
entered into the knowledge of Christ / when they do se these
better lerned professors / enseyng bearers / and chief men in
the scole of Christ comme to the masse / they are taught to do
the lyke: and wher before they wer perswaded not to comme at
masses / now they thincke that they were then deceyued / and
that it is but a fonde precise scrupulositie so to abstayn from
masses: and it cometh to pas / that where they shuld go forwarde
in the waye of truth / now they do go backe. Thus both the
wicked and the godly / are offended by thy example: It is playne
therfor that vnder the cloked colour of auoyding of offence /
these men do fall into the very offence gyuing. They say morouer:
It is nedefull to condiscende vnto the weake: for there are many
which are not persuaded that the masse is naught / and therfor
are neyther ready to forsake their countrie / nor to dye in the
quarell / whiche men yf they shulde perceyue that we did not
come to masse / they wold not gyue then any ear or credite vnto
vs in the other matiers and chief pointes of religion: wherfore
we must gyue and yealde somwhat vnto their infirmitie / as Paule
doth teache the Romayns. This they saye.

[[Rom. 14.]]

But what will Paule / I praye you / that we shuld yealde to the
weake? This verily / fyrst that we shuld not please our selues:
Agayne / that we shuld not so lyue after our own mynde / that we
shulde contemne their saluacion. We do graunte therfor that som
thin