A fresh suit against human ceremonies in God's worship. Or a triplication unto. D.…A fresh suit against human ceremonies in God's vvorship. Or a triplication unto. D.…

1. The Replier beginneth thus: I had thought verily, that the Def. would have brought some pregnant testimonies out of the Fathers, though he could find none in the holy Scriptures. Then belike (saith the Rej.) you knew that there might pregnant testimonies be brought out of them. And so it is:¹ though their doctrine, in general, were against such Ceremonies, yet from their practise, so pregnant testimony may be brought for divers superstitious Ceremonies, that the Church rueth the pregnancy of them unto this day. Baronius, ad an. 44. in the end, bringeth many examples; and from them concludeth: It was lawful to apply those things which the Gentiles had abused in superstitious worship, and purged from uncleanness by holy worship unto pious uses, that Christ to the greater dishonour of Satan, might be honoured with those things wherewith Satan himself sought to be worshipped. By the same reason whereby the Temples of the Heathenish gods were laudably turned into the Churches of Christians, other rites also of the Gentiles cleansed by our prayers, are rightly turned to holy use. And ad an. 58. about the ⟨p. 500⟩middle, he hath, upon the same examples, these words: What wonder is it, if holy Bishops did consent, that those wonted customs of the Gentiles, from which it was impossible to draw them utterly, even after they were professed Christians, should be changed into the worship of God? Venerable antiquity changed superstition into religion, and brought to pass that what was spent upon Idols, should be carefully converted into the worship of God. ²From hence it came, as Polidore de Invent. in the preface, saith, that A vast forrest of Jewish Ceremonies, did by little and little, invade and possess the Lords field.

1. THe Replier beginneth thus: I had thought verily, that the Def. would have brought some pregnant testimonies out of the Fathers, though he could finde none in the holy Scriptures. Then belike (sayth the Rej.) you knew that there might pregnant testimonies be brought out of them. And so it is:¹ though their doctrine, in generall, were against such Ceremonies, yet from their practise, so pregnant testimony may be brought for divers superstitious Ceremonies, that the Church rueth the pregnancy of them unto this day. Baronius, ad an. 44. in the end, bringeth many examples; and from them concludeth: It was lawfull to apply those things which the Gentiles had abused in superstitious worship, and purged from uncleannesse by holy worship unto pious uses, that Christ to the greater dishonour of Satan, might be honoured with those things wherewith Satan himselfe sought to be worshipped. By the same reason whereby the Temples of the Heathenish gods were laudably turned into the Churches of Christians, other rites also of the Gentils cleansed by our prayers, are rightly turned to holy use. And ad an. 58. about the