A reply to Dr. Mortons general Defence of three nocent [sic] ceremonies viz. the…A reply to Dr. Mortons generall Defence of three nocent [sic] ceremonies viz. the…

Neither verily can I see to what other end these garments tend, then in very deed (that I may now come unto the second head) to defile and disgrace the fair face; nay, the whole body of the Church of England reformed according to the^† Gospel; as if the chaste and honest daughter of a King should be attired with those very garments wherewith some famous and notable whore used to be adorned, and when she were so clothed, were commanded to go abroad in the streets. Now who can allow or judge this to be tolerable? Wherefore though for no other, yet for this very cause, such garments ought not to be thrust upon the Church of Christ, because that harlot of Rome hath abused, and doth still at this day abuse them (though in their own nature they be not evil) to evil, and to cover her fornications, or rather to entice men to commit fornication. For all these pomps, and Popish ceremonies are nothing else but whorish paintings invented and devised for this end, that men might thereby be allured to spiritual fornication. Is it not therefore a filthy and dishonest thing, to have these in the Church of Christ? If the brazen serpent, which had been ordained of God, and that for the wholesome use of the Israelites, was taken away by godly King Hezekiah, because the Israelites had abused it contrary to the word of God: and if Hezekiah be highly commended for this so doing, because he had ••ned that Serpent into ashes, and commanded them to be cast into the running water, that there might never be any print or ⟨p. 105⟩sign of it extant any more; how much more then are these unclean garments to be banished out of the Church of God, seeing the Apostles never used them, but the whore of Rome hath used them in her Idolatrous worship, and to seduce men? For it is a very dishonest thing, that such things as are of themselves indifferent, and have been long used to the despite and dishonour of God, should be retained in the Church of God, to the hazard of the salvation of godly men. And much less that kind of garments, which is nothing but an invention of men, or rather of the Devil himself, devised to seduce the simple ones.

Neither verilie can I see to what other end these garments tend, then in very deed (that I may now come vnto the second head) to defile and disgrace the faire face; nay, the whole bodie of the Church of England reformed according to the