ãd so shall we geue great offence in out countrithes. I graũte that these men do seke to auoyd offence / but what offence? euẽ the offẽce of the world. They will not offend / but whom? Tyraũtes / ãd such as ar the very limmes of antichrist. And why? les they shuld procure against thẽselues theyr wrath / poure / and tyrãnie. 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 ãd the leaders of the blinde. Heere we must consider which be euell offences / and such as are to be auoyded indeed. Euẽ those I say / which are an Impediment to the setting forth of the gospell / which do offend and hinder mẽ / be they simple / or wicked / that they do not embrace pure doctryne / and turne vnto Christe. Now beholde / I pray the / by cõming to the Masse / what offence thou doest gyue? The Idolatrous ãd supersticious people / ar they not offended by this thy doing? Yeas verely. For when they do se the haũte their masses / they say / these gospellers do cõme to our masses / which they wold not do yf our masses wer so euell as thei call thẽ: wherfor we may perseuere ãd cõtinue in our old purpose. And on the other parte / the weaker brethrẽ / which are but newly turned / ãd not farr entered into the knowledge of Christ / whẽ 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 offẽce gyuing. They say morouer: It is nedefull to cõdiscende 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 cõtemne their saluacion. We do graunte therfor that som thinge is to be gyuen vnto the infirmitie of the weake brother / but euen with Paule / we will not suffer that to be done / but in thinges indifferẽt. But those thinges which of them selues ar euell and forbidden of Godd / must not be done in respect of any man.