The mind and exposition of that excellent learned man Martin Bucer, upon these words…The mynd and exposition of that excellente learned man Martyn Bucer, vppon these wordes…

Dearly beloved, you that have wit, understanding, and will to be instructed in this controversy now raised in the Church about apparel, at this time this shall suffice. It is true that the teachers of handy crafts affirm, that no man can attain to such excellent perfection in work, as may be disputed of by reason, much less when the rule of religion must be framed according to the rule of God's will, which is the rule of all perfection, may we look that any thing can so perfectly be performed of unperfect man, that in all points it may answer to the perfection that God requireth: nevertheless God requireth his service to be such as him self is, divine, pure, sincere, unmingled, and in no part corrupted, and as lack of strength shall not excuse us, in that we can not, so negligence maketh us more wicked, if that we may perform, and we will not. First we are required to love God with all our hearts, all our minds, and all our strength, that preciseness is commendable, which withholdeth not a little, when all is required. Thou shalt be perfect with thy Lord thy god.¹ Thou shalt not bend ether to thy right hand, or to the left. Thou shalt nether ⟨image 19⟩add, nether diminish of that which is commanded. Thou shalt not inquire for the gods of the Gentiles, saying: Howe did those Gentiles serve their gods. Thou shalt not do so to the Lord thy god. For whatsoever the Lord abhorreth, that did they to their gods. God will have his children so to abhor these superstition, that they should flee even from that infection that cometh by hearing.² Furthermore, so many things as are commanded of leprous, menstruous, dead bodies, were many, which might not be touched without defiling, what other things were they in that rude people,³ but exercises of precise pureness and cleanness, the observance of such shadows, although it hath bin long since abolished, yet the everlasting truth remaineth: much more in presence of the body, that no profane or defiled thing may be mingled with gods service. Moreover god forbiddeth all strange corruptious mixtures, when he forbiddeth them to sow land with divers seeds, to plough with an ox and an ass, to wear linen and woollen together. For liberty & custom even in the least matters breedeth boldness, & in his commandment god hath also respect to the kind of apparel.