Chap. IV. The H I S TOR Y`of the PURITANS. 137 " about things in their own nature indifferent, That every onefhould be .tam " peryladed in his own mind. Confcience (fay they) is a tender thing, Elizabeth. " and all men cannot look upon the fame things as indifferent ; if there- 'L 5 " fore there habits feem fo to you, you are not to be condemned by us ; " ° on the other hand, if they do not appear fo to us, we ought not to " be vexed by you." They then appeal to antiquity, to the practice of other reformed churches, and to the confciences of the bithops them- felves; and conclude thus, " Wherefore we mòft humbly pray, that a thing which is the care and pleafure of papifts, and which yoù [the " bithopsj have no great value for yourfelves, and which we refufe not " from any contempt of authority, but from an averfion to the common " enemy, may not be our ¡bare nor ourcrime." In one of their examinations the archbithop put nine queftions to them, to which they gave the following anfwers. Quell. a. " Is the furplice a thing evil andwicked ; or is it indffèrent? 27,e arebbl- Anfw. " Though the furplice in fubftance be indifferent, yet in the pre- ,¡hop's que /t- " fent circumftance it is not, being of the fame nature with the vellis pe- ions, and " regrina, or the apparel of idolatry, for which God by the prophet erb anfw" " threatens tovifit. Qeft, a. " If it be not indi »èrent, for what caa f ? Anfw. " Becaufe things that have been confecrated to idolatry are not " indifferent. Quetl. 3. " Whether the ordinary [orbop] dete/ling papifiry, may en- " join the furplice to be worn, and enforce his injunction? Anfw. " It may be Paid to fuch an one in Tertullian's Words, Si to " diaboli pompom oderis, quicquid ex ea attigeris, id ¡bias egè idolatriam. " That is, If thou hateft the pomp and pageantry of the devil, what- " foever of it thou medleft with, is idolatry. Which if he believes, he " will not enforce the injunction. Quell. 4. " Whether the cope de a thing inderent, being prefcribed by " lawfor decency and reverence, and not in refpet? offuperftitionor holinefs? Anfw. " Decency is not promoted by a cope, which was deviled to de- " face the facrament.. St. yerom Pays, that the gold ordained by God for " reverence and decency of the yewifh temple, is not to be admitted to " beautify the church of Chritt; and if fo, much lefs copes brought in " by papifts, and continued in their fervice as proper ornaments of their " religion. Quell. 5. " Whetherany thing that is ind èrent may be enjoined asgodly, " to the ufè ofcommon prayer and¡ àcnaments ? Anfw. " If it be merely indifferent, as time, place, and fuch neceffary " circumftances of divine worthip, for the which there may be brought a ground out of fcripture, we think it may. VoL. I. T Quell. 6.
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