Gabriel Biel saith, the Church of Rome thought it good, to use common Leavened ⟨p. 347⟩Bread at y• Ministration of the holy Mysteries, lest in using unleavened Bread,1 they should be thought to follow Ebion the Heretic. Tertullian reasoneth vehemently, 2that a Christian man ought not to go with a Laurel Garland upon his Head: and that for none other cause, but only for that the Heathens used so to go. Whereupon Beatus Rhenanus giveth this note: Non solùm ab his temperandum fuit,3 quae manifestam prae see ferrent impietatem, sed etiam ab illis, quae possent indifferentia vocari, hoc est, quae essent, neque Bona, neque Mala: partim, ne quisquam infirmior ex Christianis offenderetur: partim, ne Ethnici in suis erroribus confirmarentur, dumb rectius putant esse, quod etiam Christianos obseruare vident: It was meet for them to refrain, not only from such things, as have a manifest show of wickedness, but also from such things, as might be called indifferent, that is to say, neither Good, nor il: partly, lest any of the weaker Christians should be offended: partly also, lest the Heathens should be encouraged in their errors, thinking that thing, for that the Christians them selves do it, to be the better. 4Again Tertullian saithe, De hoc primo consistam, An cum ipsis quoque Nationibus Communicare in huiusmodi Seruus Dei debeat: sive habitu, sive victu, vel quo alio genere laetitiae eorum: Herein will I first stand, whether it be lawful for the Servant of God, to Communicate with whole Nations in such things: either in Apparel, or in Diet, or in any other kind of their Mirth. And S. Basil saith, [Greek or Hebrew]: Let needless, 5and superfluous things be put to Silence in the Church of God. To be short, Origen saithe, Quaerendum est, quid hoc sit, quod sequitur, Non fiant ei reliquiae: Ne aliqua, inquit, rescindatis Chaldaeorum, aliqua reseruetis. Ob id jubet, ne pusillum quidem relinquatur in ea: We must examine, what is meant by this, that followeth, Leave her no manner of remnant. The meaning is this, Abolish not certain of the Superstitions of the Chaldees, reserving certain: Therefore he commandeth, that nothing be least in her, be it never so little. How be it, I take not upon me to enter into the Conscience of others: 6Let each man abound in his own sense.
Gabriel Biel saith, the Churche of Rome thought it good, to vse common Leauened ⟨p. 347⟩Breade at y• Ministration of the holy Mysteries, leste in vsinge vnleauened Breade,1 they should be thought to folowe Ebion the Heretique. Tertullian reasoneth vehemently, 2that a Christian man ought not to goe with a Laurel Garlande vpon his Heade: and that for none other cause, but onely for that the Heathens vsed so to goe. Wherupon Beatus Rhenanus geueth this note: Non solùm ab his temperandum fuit,3 quae manifestam prae se ferrent impietatem, sed etiam ab illis, quae possent indifferentia vocari, hoc est, quae essent, neque Bona, neque Mala: partim, ne quisquam infirmior ex Christianis offenderetur: partim, ne Ethnici in suis erroribus confirmarentur, dum rectius putant esse, quod etiam Christianos obseruare vident: It was meete for them to refraine, not onely from sutche thinges, as haue a manifeste shewe of wickednesse, but also from sutche thinges, as mighte be called indifferent, that is to saie, neither Good, nor il: partely, leste any of the vveaker Christians shoulde be offended: partely also, leste the Heathens should be encourraged in their errours, thinkinge that thinge, for that the Christians them selues doo it, to be the better. 4Againe Tertullian saithe, De hoc primo consistam, An cum ipsis quoque Nationibus Communicare in huiusmodi Seruus Dei debeat: siue habitu, siue victu, vel quo alio genere laetitiae eorum: Herein wil I firste stande, whether it be lawful for the Seruaunte of God, to Communicate with whole Nations in sutche thinges: either in Apparel, or in Diet, or in any other kinde of theire Mirthe. And S. Basile saithe, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉: Let needelesse, 5and superfluous thinges be put to Silence in the Churche of God. To be shorte, Origen saithe, Quaerendum est, quid hoc sit, quod sequitur, Non fiant ei reliquiae: Ne aliqua, inquit, rescindatis Chaldaeorum, aliqua reseruetis. Ob id iubet, ne pusillum quidem relinquatur in ea: VVee muste examine, what is meante by this, that foloweth, Leaue her no manner of remnante. The meaninge is this, Abolishe not certaine of the Superstitions of the Chaldees, reseruinge certaine: Therefore he commaundeth, that nothinge be leaste in her, be it neuer so litle. How be it, I take not vpon me to enter into the Conscience of others:
- 1Gabriel Lectio. 38.
- 2Tertul. De Corona Militis.
- 3B. Rhenan. in Librum De Corona Militis.
- 4Tertul. De Idololatria.
- 5Basil. De Natali Christi. Origen. in Hieremi. Homil. 3.
- 6Roman. 14.
