Now I will adde this further, that when as the Lord was carefull to seuer them by cere∣monies from other nations, yet was he not so carefull to seuer them from any, as from the Egyp∣tians amongst whome they liued, and from those nations which were next neighbours vnto them, bycause from them was the greatest feare of infection. Therefore by this constant and perpetuall wisedome which God vseth to kepe his people from idolatrie, it followeth that the religion of God should not only in matter and substance, but also as farre as may be informe and fashion differ from that of the idolaters, and especially the Papists which are round about vs, & amongst vs. (*) 1.1 For in deede it were more safe for vs to conforme our indifferent ceremonies to the Turkes which are 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉arre off, than to the papists which are so neare.
The Egyptians and Idolatrous gentiles neither worshipped, nor preteuded to* 1.2 worship the God of Israell, and therefore no maruell though in rites, and ceremo∣nies they were vtterly seuered from them: but the Papists eyther worship or pre∣tend to worship the same God which we do, and therefore there is no suche cause in all pointes of rites and ceremonies to differ from them. And it is most vntrue that* 1.3 God so seuered his people from the Egyptians or other nations néere adioyning, that they had nothing common with them, or no ceremonies like vnto theirs: for they were like in many things touching the externall forme. The Gentiles had sa∣crifices and so had they: The Gentiles in worshipping their Gods vsed externall pompe of garments, of golden and siluer vessels and such like, and so did they, yea di∣uers learned men be of this iudgement, that God did prescribe vnto the Israelites that solemne manner and forme of worshipping him by externall rites and ceremo∣nies, shortly after their returne out of Egypt, that they being therewith not onely occupyed, but also delighted, should haue no desire to retourne into Egypt, or to wor∣ship their Gods whome they had séene with great solemnitie of ceremonies and ex∣ternall rites adored. And therefore you ground your talke vpō false principles, which you haue not proued, but imagined.
Now if we may haue ceremonies common with them, or like vnto them, from whome we whollie differ in matter and substance of religion, as we do from th〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 Gentiles, and from the Turkes, muche more may we haue Ceremonies common with them, or like vnto them, from whome we do not wholly diff〈1 line〉〈1 line〉r in mat〈1 line〉〈1 line〉er and substance, but in certaine materiall and substantiall points. As for this your saying, That it were better for vs to conforme our indifferent Ceremonies to the Turks which are farre off, than to the Papists which are so neare. I take it to be but spoken in a heate, and that you will otherwise thinke when you haue better considered the matter: the one be∣ing a professed enimie vnto Christ, and the name of Christ, the other pretending the contrary. But to put you out of doubt, we do not in any kinde of ceremonies, con∣forme* 1.4 our selues to the Papists, but vsing Christian libertie in externall thinges, & knowing that al things be cleane to those that be cleane, such things as we find institu∣ted by learned and godly men, and profitable to the Church as perteyni〈1 line〉〈1 line〉g to e〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ify∣ing, or comelinesse and order (though abused of the Papists) we reteine in our Chur∣ches, and restore to the right vse: as our forefathers did the Temples of Idols, tur∣ning* 1.5 them to Christian Churches, and reuenewes consecrated to Idolls, transpo∣sing them to find the ministers of the Church, and such like, as I haue declared in an other place.