Chap. 1. the fourth Diuision.
Agayne, although I haue knowledge, and knowe that the wearing of a surplisse is lawful for* 1.1 me, yet an other, whiche hath not knowledge, is by my example edi〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ied or strengthened to weare a Surp〈1 line〉〈1 line〉sse, wherof he can tel no ground why he should weare it, and so sinneth agaynst his con∣〈1 line〉〈1 line〉: and for this cause S. Paule concludeth, that that which a man may 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉o in respect of him selfe, may not be done, and is not lawfull to be done in respect of other.
If to weare a surplis, were an offence to the weake, or if there were not manifest* 1.2 groundes in Scripture, (suche I meane as commaunde obedience to superiours) to proue the wearing of the surplis to be lawfull, then were it some thyng that you saye. But seeing suche onely be offended therewith as accompte themselues most strong, and condemne other of infirmitie: séeing also that obedience to Magisirates in such〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 indifferent things, hath manifest groundes in scripture, and to doubt of obedience in suche matters, is in eff〈1 line〉〈1 line〉cte, to plucke the Magistrate his sworde out of his hand, this reason hath not so muche as any similitude of probabilitie in it. Is there any mini∣ster of the Churche, (for of suche only is the Surplis required) that will rather bée moued to weare a surplis, by the example of an other, than by the consideration of his duetie towardes the lawe, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the Churche, by due authoritie in a lawfull and indifferent thing appointed? you might make the same reason serue to plucke downe the Churche, the Pulpit, the Belles, yea to ouerthrowe all orders, and all lawes in things indifferent, whiche all haue the same grounde of obedience that the surplis hath.
In the Conf〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ssion of the Dutche Churche in London, whiche is allowed by the* 1.3 Churche of GENEVA, and diuers other reformed Churches (whereof I haue made mention before) it is thus written of things indifferent: Things otherwyse indifferent of themselues, after a sorte chaunge their nature, when by some comma〈1 line〉〈1 line〉nde∣ment they are eyther commaunded or forbidden, bycause neyther they can bee omitted contrarie to the commaundement, if they be once commaunded neyther done, contrarie to the prohibition, if they be prohibited, as it appeareth in the Ceremoniall lawe. So that the grounde why a man shoulde weare the surplis (béeing an indifferente thyng as you co〈1 line〉〈1 line〉fesse it to be) can not be vnknowne to any, but suche as know not the ground of their obedience towardes authoritie.
It is true, that in some things indifferent a man must haue respect to the weake∣nesse* 1.4 of his brother, and absteyne from doing that, whiche he might lawfully doe, ra∣ther than to off〈1 line〉〈1 line〉nde his brother. But that is in suche indifferente thynges, as bée not by any lawe commaunded or forbidden, but lefte frée to euery man to do, or not to doe: As, if to weare the Surplis, were by no lawe commaunded, but lefte to eue∣ry mannes owne disposition: then surely if there were any weake offended with the wearyng of it, I oughte to absteyne for the weake hys sake: but béeyng