with pagans in
those rites and customs which we read to have been forbidden them, yet for
all that, there had been remaining betwixt them and the pagans a great
deal more difference than will remain betwixt us and the Papists, if we
avoid not conformity with them in the controverted ceremonies; for the
pagans had not the word, sacraments, &c., which the Papists do retain, so
that we may far more easily use the ceremonies as a mist to darken the
eyes of the Papists, than they could have used those forbidden rites as a
mist to darken the eyes of pagans. Much more, then, Protestants should not
be permitted to conform themselves unto Papists in rites and ceremonies,
lest, in the dangerous days of trial (which some reformed churches in
Europe do presently feel, and which seem to be faster approaching to
ourselves than the most part are aware of), they join themselves to
Papists in these external things, too far using the same as a cloak to
conceal themselves in, &c. 4. We find that the reason why the fourth
council of Toledo forbade the ceremony of thrice dipping in water to be
used in baptism, was,(599) lest Christians should seem to assent to
heretics who divide the Trinity. And the reason why the same council
forbade the clergymen to conform themselves unto the custom of
heretics,(600) in the shaving off the hair of their head, is mentioned to
have been the removing of conformity with the custom of heretics from the
churches of Spain, as being a great dishonour unto the same. And we have
heard before, that Augustine condemneth conformity with the Manichees, in
fasting upon the Lord's day, as scandalous. And whereas afterwards the
council of Caesar-Augusta forbade fasting upon the Lord's day, a grave
writer layeth out the reason of this prohibition thus:(601) "It would
appear that this council had a desire to abolish the rites and customs of
the Manichean heretics, who were accustomed to fast upon the Lord's day."
Lastly, we have seen from Constantine's epistle to the churches, that
dissimilitude with the Jews was one (though not the only one) reason why
it was not thought beseeming to keep Easter upon the fourteenth day of the
month. Who then can think that any special accident, as Hooker imagineth,
was the reason why the rites and customs of pagans were forbidden to
Christians? Were not the customs of the pagans to be held unbeseeming for
Christians, as well as the customs of the Jews? Nay, if conformity with
heretics (who