LIVES OF THE PURITANS. Manlier of ways. Indeed, she doth not administer the sacra. meats and preach, but leaveth those things to us. But if she were a man, as she is a woman, why might she not preach the word, as well as ourselves ? A. Might she preach theword of God, ifshe were a man? Then she might also administer the sacraments. B. That does not follow. For you know Paul preached, but did not baptize. A. Paul corifesseth that he did baptize, though he was sent especially to preach. B. Did not Moses teach the people, and yet he was a civil governor. A. The calling of Moses was extraordinary. Remember the king of Judah, how he would have sacrificed in the temple of God. Take heed howyou confound those offices Which God hath distinguished. B. You see how he runneth. Bickley. He speaketh very confidently and rashly. B. This is his arrogant spirit. Sale. Why should you refuse the surplice, seeing the queen bath commanded it ? Bickley. The queen hath authority to commandall things indifferent. A. If those things be decent, tend to edification, and promote God's glory ; but the surplice does none of these. Bickley. Has not the church liberty to command the surplice to be used, as well as any other garment ? A, No: because the surplice hath beenabused, and is still abused, by the papists, in their superstition and idolatry. Bickley. I deny your reasons. A. I prove what I said thus : God will not allow his church to borrow ceremonies from idolators, or to imitate them in their ceremonies, as is evident from Ezekiel xliv. But the papists are idolators. Therefore, God will not allow us to borrow our ceremonies, as garments and other things, from the papists. Bickley. How do you prove that out of Ezekiel ? A. I prove it thus : The Egyptian priests used to shave their heads ; but God commanded his priests should not ,shave. The Egyptianpriests used to drink wine: but God commanded his priests, that when they did sacrifice, they should not drink wide. And the Egyptian priests wore linen garments before the people but God commanded that his priests should not sanctify the people with their garments
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