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…

Finally ⟨image 19⟩when this cleanness is stretched even to brute beasts,¹ who would not believe that God requireth an utter detestation of all uncleanness, especially in religion. Seeing all these laws pertain to the first commandment, according to the same precise rule did the holy fathers exercise them selves unto purity, therefore it is never read that the godly Patriarchs did sacrifice upon the Idolaters alters, but whithersoever they removed,² always they builded new alters. Furthermore Abraham would not take a third of the King of Sodoma. Jacob buried the earrings that were ornaments of superstition, with the Idols them selves. Moses to blemish the service of God would accept no conditions at all, there shall not remain on house, saith he very precisely. David would not take the names of the Idols in his lips. Hezekiah brake the brazen serpent, not only changed the use of it.³ The Holy ghost praiseth those godly Kings, which destroyed the high places, as Hezekiah and Josiah, in which places sometime the people did worship god. Eleazar would not feign that he did eat swines flesh. S. Pawl biddeth, Refrain from all show of evil. S. John forbiddeth us to salute an heretic. ⟨image 20⟩And Polycarpus his disciple, as Ireneus witnesseth, when he met an heretic, would not give him other answer, but that he knew him to be the Devils eldest son. for such fear had the Apostles & their disciples, that they would not communicate with on word with any that had corrupted the faith. Finally S. Pawl in plain words commandeth preciseness,⁴ saying, Take heed that ye walk precisely or exactly, for so the greek word signifieth. Last of all, let us not forget what our Saviour Christ saith: He that is faithful in the least, will be faithful in the most. Who also teacheth us, how faithfully and precisely we should walk, what cold be more precisely spoken of, the law shall pass until all be fulfilled, and he that breaketh one of the least commandments, and teacheth other so to do, ether by word, or by example, shall be least in the Kingdom of heaven. It is evident by these reasons and examples, that no preciseness or scrupulosity in God's religion, can be to much or blame worthy. Touching the substance, there is no controversy, but it is lawful as the good creature of god, and to this purpose pertain those sayings: