IT is shewed vs worshipfull brother Herman ne / by the excelent & ryght godly man mayster Iohn Beckstayne / that ther goeth abrode a certayne epystle from one to a nother amonge the congregacions of lowe dowchlande / wherin it is playnely taught to be lefull for Christen men to goe to hyghe masse as they call it . And that because of this epystle some be greatlye trobled in conscyence / & other some coniecture all the mynisters of the congregacions of highe dowchland to be of the same iudgement . Wherfore we of the church of Tigurye thowght it good to purge the old & true fayth & lernynge whych we hold / from this vnhappye suspicion / openly confessing vnto you ( a minister by the grace of God / in the congregacions of lowe Germanye / both of good lernynge & conuersacyon ) that we nether be our selues of that mynde / nor yet alowe that sentence . As for thynges which be callyd meane & indifferent / we beleue a christen man may vse them in all tymes & places without scrupulosyte of conscience / so that all thynge be done discreatlye / & accordyng to charite . That is to saye / to the glorye of God & the edifyeng of our neyghboures / & the hole congregation . But the popes masse / be it hygh or lowe / ymages / & other lyke / which be expresselye against the worde of God / & the pure fayth / we recken not amonge indifferent thynges : an indifferent thynge is that which is nether good nor euell / for whether thou do it or do it not / thou shalt nether be ryghtwise nor vnrightwise therfore . For thus doth Iherome hym selfe diffiue it / in a epystle to saynct Augustyne . Now what man hauyng his right vnderstondinge can saye the high masse / & the vse of ymages in churches not to be euell ? or who can lyghtlye graunt it to be good ? The lawe of God doth euedentlye condemne one & other / all straunge worshippynge & ceremonies / or goddes seruyce ( / that is to saye ) such as are not institute of God / or such as are inuentide by man with out the worde of God . But what is the high masse / els saue a ryte or ceremonye set vp by man besyde the worde of God ? For as for Christes supper what it is / ● after what fassyon christ commandyd it to be celebrate we be not ignoraunt . Libro . ij● epist. iij This is also to well knowne that they wich kepe the high masse / do condempne the supper of the lorde / and the maner therof as barbarouse / rude and hereticall / when as not withstondyng the holy marter saynct Ciprian sayth that in the supper we owght nether to folowe or receyue any other thing / then what the Lord him selfe hath deliuered vnto vs . iiij . Reg. ij . c And agayne it is false and counterfayte sayth he / it is wycked and dishonoryth God / what so euer is institutid by the made brayne of man / yf that goddes ordinaunce be broken therbye . iij. Regum xviij . v Besydes this Helias the holy Prophet of God which we beleue was conuayed into heauen in a fyrye charete dyd not he forbyd to cuple goddes & mames ordinaunce to gether other to mingle the one with the other . Yf the Lorde ( sayth he ) be God folowe hym how long wyll you halt on both sydes ? Sophon . l. v In lyke manner Sophonias also I wyll distroye sayth he / those persones that swere by the Lorde and by Malchom . Verelye yf the onlye sacrifice of Christ once offryde for the synnes of the worlde / maketh the beleuers perfecte : what nede they in ther high masses / daylye to offer the bodye and blude of Christe for the synnes of the quycke & deade . Iohn . v. Marke xvi . v If they which departe in fayth passe from death vnto lyf ? If they whych dye in vnbeleue / escape not dampnacyon to what intente I praye you sacrifyce they for the deade ? Ioh. iiij . If the Lord must be worshipped in spyrite and truth / why wynke thes persones at the doctryne and facte of them whych byd men to worshyp him in breade ? Therfore may we crie wyth Elyas / how longe halt ye on both sydes ? If the sacryfyce of Christ be absolute or sufficyent : thynke stedfastlye that by that only sacryfice you be made perfecte for euermore . But yf ther be sacryfice made daylye in the masse . Then beleue that you be clensyd thorowe daylye sacryfices . Thes thynges can not stonde nor agre to gether . More ouer no man nede to blinde hym selfe with thes wordes / high masse / and lowe masse : In the hyghe masse are the selffe and same abhominacyons whych are in the loweste . In both of them / is the institucyon and ordynaunte of Chryst peruerted / in both of them is he worshipped in the broade / in both of them are ydolles serued / in both / specially in the seruyce of saynctes is helpe aske de at creatures . In both of them is the wicked cannon the greatest portyon of the masse . Ther is nothyng in it of old antiquite : nothyng of the apostolique simplycite . Furthermore we must also marke in specially / in this matter / how the scripture requyreth of vs no cloked / but an open confession . Now by ceremonyes and the vse of ceremonyes we do chefelye confesse whath fayth we be of . He that beynge requyryd stondyth by at the Turkes and gentyles seruyce / grauntyth hym selfe to be a pertaker or fauerere of the supersticion of the Turkes and gentyles . He that is present at the masse when ▪ he is requyryd / doth openlye testifye / that he doth acknowledge the masse / and the masses relygyon to be the true seruyce of God . Therfore bi his presence / he establysseth all the erroures of the masse . He that wyll not be present at masse / hym take the aduersaryes for a cōtēner of ther seruyce / & all the whole papistrye . Wherfore by what reason that we knowe that the open confession of Christ is requyryd of euery one of vs / how lytle of reputacyon so euen he be : By the same beleue we also / that they be vtterlye forbydden to haue any parte wyth the masse . Nether is it sufficient for vs to beleue in the herte and secretlye to confesse God . The syncerefull & playne confession of the tonge must goe wyth all . We haue of Orygene / that ther was a certayne secte called Helchesaytes / which tawght thys heresy that yf in persecucyon any man showld denye / ( I vse Eusebius wordes in his ecclesiasticall historie / the .vi. boke the .xxviij. chap. ) the same were in no taute / because he that hath a stedfast hart to God / alltough he denye with his mouth for necessyte / yet in his harte he abydyth in the fayth . But I purpose not to dyspute now this questyon at large . I haue notyd some what concernynge this matter long agoo / in my commentaryes vpon the . viij.ix . & .x. chapters of the fyrst epystle to the Corynthians : & vpon the epistle to the Hebrwes / agayne in the booke de origine erroris / which I last ouerlokyd & enlargyd . And thys much haue I wrytten to the intent you may perceyue that we be playnelye / not of ther iudgement / which put afflicted persones in conforte to goo to masse / we beleue & do teach rather that the truth should be playnlye confessyd / & that all erroure owght to be spoken agaynst / abhorryd & shunnyd / & that we owght to dye / rather then to haue any thyng adoe wyth that wycked seruyce . We knowe that throwgh much pacyence we must saue owr soules : we knowe that it behouyth vs thorow many tribulacions to enter into the kingdome of heauen . But yf we may after such a sorte accordyng as the world goyth / semble & dissemble / chope & chaunge at oure pleasure in matters of religion / suerlye the most holy marters of god were ioles / that wold haue nothing to do with ceremonyes which were playne wycked . But ther vpryghtnes & , stedfastnes was acceptable vnto the Lorde / wherfore he also wyll not be dyspleasyd at ther holy pertynacite / which had rather suffer al maner of extremite then once to make or medle with the wycked seruyce of the papystes . Thes thinges may you be bolde to saye of vs a foore good men & such as be in troble for the truthe / prayeng them to comend vs wyth ther prayers vnto god . More of this matter shall mayster Iohn Becstayne declare you . For be herde myne other bretherne in the mynistracion of goddes worde dispute of this same thynge . Both Leo Iuda / Casper Megander / Erasmus Fabricis / Conradus Pellicanus / Theodorus Bybliander / & the reste / which all wyshe you good / fare you well brother in the Lord . Loue me / and remember me with your prayers vnto Christ .

The masse verely is an ydoll set vp in the temple of God : when thou therfore art at it / thou stondest before the symple / and geuest very euyll ensample / for they thynke / thou worshyppest whatsoeuer abhomynacyon is in the masse . i. Cor. x. ● I wyll stond no longer in this matter / whan Paul to the Corinthians doth suffycyently declare / that he is a partaker of the cuppe of deuells / which although he do it without conscience of superstycyon / only by outwarde ensample / medleth with prophane vsages : and moreouer that he is gyltye of bloude / because he confirmeth the erroure of the ignoraunt by his ensample .

Where as it is alledgyd / that there with you the churche is / whose communyon is not vtterlye to be excluded / that argument also is easelye dyssolued . For the church is taken sondrye wayes . Therfore according to the dyuerse estimacyon therof / we must prudentlye dyscerne / after what sorte the church of yours is to be reputed . As for me verelye / I beleue that the catholyke churche is scattered abrode in all suche places as are kepte vnder / thorowe the tyrannye of the Pope . Rom. xi . v For seing that the Apostle doth testyfye / that God can not repent hym of hys callynge / as he gathereth of the Iewes that they shall neuer departe wholy from the grace of God / whych are ones receyued into the inuyolable couenaunte . Euen so may we reason now / that amonge all nacyons to whom so euer the Lorde hath apoynted the eternall couenaunt of the Gospell / the powre therof remayneth styll : yea they haue Baptyme also a scale of the couenaunt / which can not be without effect : For how greatly so euer the multytude selfe haue swarued vnto ydolatrye / yet thorowe the vnthankfulnes and vnfaythfulnes of man / can not the wyll of the Lorde be hyndred / but it must forth / wherfore we conclude that the Lorde hath allwaye had & yet hath his electe / whose saluacyon is scalyd with such a seale of baptyme / as is nether vayne nor wythout any vndoubted strength . And because Baptyme is a sacrament of the church / the Lorde wold that the callyng vpon his name and some apperaunce of the mynystracyon should styll remayne there . But as concernynge the very proper bewtye of the church such as is expressed vnto vs in the scrypture / that do not I knowledge to be the congregacyons of the papystrye . The church is it whome Chryst commaunded to obeye and harken vnto : but whye ? euen because it is the pyller and stablyshement of the truth . As for those they are the nestes of errours and heresyes / which by all meanes go aboute to ouer throw the word of God / & set vp ydolatry in the stead of Goddes true worshype : yea all kynd of abhomynacion in the place of true godlynesse . Finally I iudge her to be suche a shape of the church / as was amonge the Israelytes / after that Hieroboam had set vp a temple & the calues / contrary to the worde of the Lorde . iij. Reg. xij . ● For wyckedly all thinges were peruertyd amonge them / yet for the honour of Circumcision the Lorde vouchsaued to graunt the people the name of a church / and therfore by Ezechiel he called them his chylderne that came of them . But wold not the Prophetes therfore haue graunted / that any man might haue worshypped in Bethel / vnder that pretence because the churche was there . Amos ●●… . ● Thus ye se now how farre we agree / & how great dyuersyte is betwene vs . This do certayne & godly men requyre of a Christen man as well as I : fyrst that he serue God with the inwarde purenes of his hart / & then with owtwarde exercyses of godlynes to testifye the worshype of the sprete : This profession do we thynke to consiste in two partes / in the confession of the tonge / and in holy obseruaunces . In declarynge your fayth we can prescrybe you no measure / but that accordinge to your vocacyon / ye seke all occasyons / that the name of God may be sanctyfyed by you . But specyally ye must labour to haue your housholde well taught in religion . For the Lorde in makyng you ruler ouer your chyldren and seruauntes hath not onely put you in trust with them that ye should gouerne them in ther duties of cyuilite / but also to brynge them vp in godlynesse . Touching the second parte we thinke thus / that al such ceremonies as do conteyne ether manyfeste ydolatrye or open vngodlynesse / are contrary to the profession of that religion / which a godly man is bounde vnto : wherfore the worshipping of ymages & sellyng of Masses ( that a man should bye them with monye ) and such other lyke thinges / we playnly disalow . And in this are not godly & lerned men agaynst me / that it is also a Christen mans dutye to eschue those ceremonyes / whiche sprange of erroure and couetuousnesse / & sayntes holy dayes / wher ther is nothinge that resembleth or is lyke the holy antiquite of the church : but many thinges are ther prophane and impure . For the worde of God is ther shamefully and miserably peruerted : and prayers ther be which are either fonde and vnsauerye / or els full of blasphemyes . Vnder the same kynde do we comprehende pardons / brotherheades or fraternites / holy water and such lyke / whose begynnyng hath not bene alowable / and the abuse ( yea the very vse of them ) doth playnely robbe God of his honoure . Now haue we to speake of such as do perteyne nye to the kepyng of the communyon of Christen felashippe / concernyng the which my conscience will not suffer me to be of lyke opinion with those ryght vertuous and excellent men . For they iudge that men owght not to forsake the communion of a congregacyon / wherin the couenaunte of the Lorde remayneth / & wher his name is called vpon . Ther counsayle is therfore / that men ( specially on the sondayes ) do perticipate with them in prayers / because that then comonly the people assemble for this intent / to call vpon God : And the prayers whych are made / be the more pure / because they are of the old church : They consayle men also to be present at the Masse as at the Lordes supper / which how wonderfullye so euer it be defyled / deformed / rent as●nder on euery syde / corrupt and poluted with wicked opinions / yet by meanes of the certaynte of Godes promes / it remayneth the supper for the faythfull . Neuertheles in the meane season they inioyne two thinges / that as oft as a Christen man goeth to the Masse / whyle he him selfe may not reforme the abhominacions that ther appeare / he re●uyre of God by his prayers a reformacion therof : And that then to his poure / as occasion requyreth / he doth his diligence that he seme not to consent vnto ydolatrye / nor to such rytes or vsages as do robbe God of his honoure / but that he maye be perceaued to seke God and his pure worshepe / and vtterly to refuse all such thinges as are contrary to his Gospell . A certayne godly and lerned man addeth more ouer / how that he wyssheth that the same persone who soeuer he be / should communicate at the table / wherby he may the better testyfye / that he seketh ther the supper of the Lorde . But I wolde wyshe verely with all my hart / that the seruaunt of Christ should reuelently take what so euer he seith ther apperteynynge to his Lorde / so that he defyle hym selfe with any vncleanesse . Notwithstanding because I se no waye wherby the filthynesses of sathan might be seperatyd from the holy ceremonyes of oure Lorde and sauyoure Iesu Christ . I can in no wyse suffer the outwarde exercyses of religion to be had in such pryce that the temple which is dedicate vnto god / shoulde be stayned with ydolatrie . Wherfore yf ye can ther vse the thynges apperteynyng vnto Christ / so that ye Ioyne your selfe to no wycked and vngodlye ceremonies I wyll gladly graunt it you . Els I can in no wyse be brought to geue you leaue for to do that which in my iudgement is clerlye agaynst the profession of a Christen man How then ( wyll ye saye ) must I not then other chaunge my dwellynge / or els dispayre ? That do not I so presyselye requyre . Neuerthelesse my desyre is / that ye daylye call your selfe vnto an accomptes / and cast with your selfe earnestlye how farre from rendrynge vnto god the worshyppe that ye owe hym . And this may ye bem one the myserye of your captyuite vnto hym which only can amende it / and in treate hym bi your continuall prayers / that he wyll restore lybertye vnto his people / and renue his holy cyte / wherin pure and sincere sacrifyces of prayse or thankes geuynge may be offrid vp vnto hym . For it is no small scourge of the lorde / that ye are constrayned to serue straunge goddes . Therfore must ye nether mynyshe it with vayne consolacions ner fauoure your selfe in so greate infyrmyte . Wherfore se that ye haue allwayse in mynde / what miserable case ye stande in . That ye may with the more earnest desyre go aboute to be rydde of it . Such an humble mynde wyll not the lorde for sake / but eyther make some waye of fynall delyueraunce or els socoure you thorow his mercye . Fare well . The Lorde blesse you and your howsolde .