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…

For in those words he giveth a general rule, by his example, taken out of the doctrine of Christ, to wit, that no indifferent thing is to be admitted and yielded unto, much less to be urged upon others, and least of all to be commended by decree: if in the admitting, urging & commanding of it, the minds of good men, and consciences of the faithful be offended, for a tender conscience, which feareth God, is a thing most precious and acceptable to God. How therefore can that counsel be approved, which would have a law established and proclaimed by the Princes command for the use of garments to be used by Ministers in the ministry. For (to speak many things in few words) if such garments be to be propounded to the faithful, they are to be propounded either as indifferent, or as necessary: If the later, we do ungodlily, because we make those things necessary, which Christ would have to be free: If the former, then are they to be left free to the Churches. But by commanding and compelling, we make things that be free and indifferent, to be necessary, and so fall into the same trespasse•. Moreover, either they be ordained of God by Moses, or they be delivered by Christ God manifested in the flesh, or they be ordained by the holy Ghost working and speaking in the Apostles, or they are of men, either godly or wicked. Those ceremonies and Levitical garments, which were ordained of God by Moses, ought all of them to have an end after the death of Christ, as the scriptures show plainly, especially the Epistles of Paul to the Coloss. and Hebr. therefore they cannot be revoked & called back without the transgression of Gods will. It cannot be said that Christ taught them, because there is no word extant to that end, but rather he taught plainly oftentimes, that all Moses his ceremonies were ended. And the same I affirm concerning the Apostles. It remains therefore that they be said to be of men. If they be from godly men, then were they ordained of them, either to edification, or for order and comeliness. But they avail not to edification, that is, to further comeliness, but rather tend to the overthrow of it, as we saw before; neither for any good order, but rather they tend to disorder, for there is a confusion of godly and wicked Bishops, whereas it is meet and equal, that one of them be discerned ⟨p. 110⟩from another, even by their garments also.

For in those words hee giveth a generall rule, by his example, taken out of the doctrine of Christ, to wit, that no indifferent thing is to be admitted and yeelded unto, much less to bee urged upon others, and least of all to be commended by decree: if in the admitting, urging & commanding of it, the minds of good men, and consciences of the faithfull be offended, for a tender conscience, which feareth God, is a thing most pretious and acceptable to God. How therefore can that counsell be approved, which would haue a law established and proclaimed by the Princes command for the use of garments to be used by Ministers in the ministerie. For (to speak many things in few words) if such garments be to be propounded to the faithfull, they are to be propounded either as indifferent, or as necessary: If the later, wee doe vngodlily, because we make those things necessarie, which Christ would haue to be free: If the former, then are they to be left free to the Churches. But by commanding and compelling, we make things that bee free and indifferent, to be necessarie, and so fall into the same trespasse. Moreover, either they be ordained of God by Moses, or they be delivered by Christ God manifested in the flesh, or they be ordained by the holy Ghost working and speaking in the Apostles, or they are of men, either godly or wicked. Those ceremonies and Levitical garments, which were ordained of God by Moses, ought all of them to haue an end after the death of Christ, as the scriptures shew plainly, especially the Epistles of Paul to the Coloss. and Hebr. therefore they cannot be revoked & called back without the transgression of Gods will. It cannot be sayd that Christ taught them, because ther is no word extant to that end, but rather he taught plainly oftentimes, that all Moses his ceremonies were ended. And the same I affirme concerning the Apostles. It remaines therefore that they be sayd to be of men. If they be from godly men, then were they ordained of them, either to edefication, or for order and comelines. But they avail not to edification, that is, to further comelines, but rather tend to the overthrow of it, as we saw before; neither for any good order, but rather they tend to disorder, for there is a confusion of godly and wicked Bishops, whereas it is meet and equall, that one of them bee discerned