Who so ever doth this / shall be guilty of that crime / of which Paul accuseth Peter / in the epistle to the Galatians.1 For Peter whiles he was afraid to offend certain Jews of Jerusalem at Antioch / and for that cause would not use the liberty of eating all manner meats / as he was wont to do before: Paul with ⟨image 24⟩stood him to his face in the presence of the whole multitude / because he walked not the right way / according to the truth of the gospel. For as much as was in him with his unwise desire to avoid offending of the Jews / he febled the right faith / & also nourished the incredulity and unbelief of them / whom he studied to please in the mean season. Briefly he did nothing else / than whiles he went about unwisely to avoid one jeopardy / he cast himself into twain. Doubtless after this manner to desire to avoid occasions of offences / is the full cause of offences. And would god it were not of so great strength as it is / among very many men now in these days. For a man shall see very many men which because they would imagine some honest cloak and colour of ⟨image 24⟩their unbelief / do feign themselves both to do & also to eschew very many things / lest they might give any man occasion to be offended: when in very deed, they do it rather for cause to keep the cross of Christ from them selves. For with this feigned desire to win certain curable persons / they shift well for them selves / that they may neither have the evil will of desperate persons / neither any displeasure or hurt done unto them by the same▪ We do not deny verily / that such manner of doctrine & living is most to be embraced & followed / which is an obstacle or letting so no man / which doth purposely anger no man / which doth turn no mans mind away from the truth: yet nevertheless diligence ought to be given in the mean season lustily / that ⟨image 25⟩none of those things be left of / whereby the glory of god and the health of our neighbours / may be furthered & increased. Christ him self is the stone of offence / the saviour of death to death / unto them which are foreordained to life.
Who so euer dothe this / shall be gyltye of that cryme / of whiche Paule accuseth Peter / in the epystle to the Galatyans.1 For Peter whyles he was afrayde to offende certayne Iewes of Hierusalem at Antyoche / and for that cause wolde natte vse the lybertye of etynge all maner meates / as he was wonte to doo before: Paule with ⟨image 24⟩stode him to his face in the presens of the whole multytude / bycause he walked nat the ryȝt way / accordynge to the truth of the gospell. For as moch as was in him with his vnwyse desyre to auoyde offendynge of the Iewes / he febled the right fayth / & also nourysshed the incredulyte and vnbelefe of them / whom he studyed to please in the meane season. Brefly he dyd nothynge els / than whyles he wente about vnwysly to auoyde one ieoperdy / he cast hīselfe into twayne. Doutlesse after this maner to desyre to auoyde occasyons of offensyons / is the full cause of offensyons. And wold god it were nat of so great strength as it is / amonge very many mē now in these days. For a man shall se very many mē which bycause they wold ymagen some honest cloke and coloure of ⟨image 24⟩their vnbelefe / do fayne thēselues bothe to do & also to eschewe very many thinges / lest they might gyue any man occasyon to be offended: whan in very dede, they do it rather forcause to kepe the crosse of Christ from theym selues. For with this fayned desyre to wynne certayne curable ꝑsons / they shifte wel for them selues / that they may neither haue the euyll wyll of desperate persones / neitheir any displeasure or hurte done vnto them by the same▪ We do nat denye verily / that such maner of doctryne & lyuynge is most to be embraced & folowed / whiche is an obstacle or lettynge so no man / which doth purposely angre no man / whiche doth tourne no mannes mynde awaye from the truthe: yet neuerthelesse dilygence ought to be gyuen in the meane seasō lustely / that ⟨image 25⟩none of those thynges be lefte of / wherby the glorye of god and the helth of our neyghbours / may be furthered & encreased. Christ him selfe is the stone of offensyon / the sauyour of deth to deth / vnto them whiche are foreordeyned to lyfe.
- 1Gala 2
