ARE OF CEREMONIES. HT WOH

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and obscured the glory of God, are worthy to be cut away, and clean re­jected: other there be, which although they have been devised by man, yet it is thought good to reserve them still, as well for a decent order in the Church,( for the which they were first devised) as because they pertain to edification, whereunto all things done in the Church( as the Apostle teach eth) ought to be referred.

mong us; whereunto the multitude used in his time was not to be com­pared? This our excessive multitude of Ceremonies was so great, and many of them so dark, that they did more confound and darken, than declare and set forth Christ's benefits unto us. And besides this, Christ's Gospel is not a Ceremonial Law( as much of Moses' Law was), but it is a religion to serve God, not in bondage of the figure or shadow, but in the freedom of the spirit; being content only with those Ceremonies which do serve to a decent

And although the keeping or omit­ting of a Ceremony, in itself con­sidered, is but a small thing; yet the

wilful and contemptuous transgres- order and godly discipline, and such sion and breaking of a common order and discipline is no small offence be­fore God," Let all things be done among you," saith Saint l'aul," in a seemly and due order:" the appoint ment of the which order pertaineth not to private men; therefore no man ought to take in hand, nor presume to appoint or alter any publick or common order in Christ's Church, except he be lawfully called and authorized thereunto.

as be apt to stir up the dull mind of man to the remembrance of his duty to God, by some notable and special signification, whereby he might be edi­fied. Furthermore, the most weighty cause of the abolishment of certain Ceremonies was, that they were so far abused, partly by the superstitious blindness of the rude and unlearned, and partly by the unsatiable avarice of such as sought more their own lucre, than the glory of God, that the abuses could not well be taken away, the thing remaining still.

And whereas in this our time, the minds of men are so diverse, that some think it a great matter of con­science to depart from a piece of the least of their Ceremonies, they be so addicted to their old customs; and again on the other side, some be so new- fangled, that they would inno­vate all things, and so despise the old, that nothing can like them, but that is new: it was thought expedi­ent, not so much to have respect how to please and satisfy either of these parties, as how to please God, and profit them both. And yet lest any man should be offended, whom good reason might satisfy, here be certain causes rendered, why some of the ac­customed Ceremonies be put away, and some retained and kept still.

Some are put away, because the great excess and multitude of them hath so increased in these latter days, that the burden of them was intoler­able; whereof St. Augustine in his time complained, that they were grown to such a number, that the estate of Christian people was in worse case concerning that matter, than were the Jews. And he coun­selled that such yoke and burden should be taken away, as time would serve quictly to do it. But what would St. Augustine have said, if he had seen the Ceremonies of late days used a­

But now as concerning those per­sons, which peradventure will be of­fended, for that some of the old Cere­monies are retained still: If they con­sider that without some Ceremonies it is not possible to keep any order, or quiet discipline in the Church, they shall easily perceive just cause to reform their judgements. And if they think much, that any of the old do remain, and would rather have all devised anew: then such men grant­ing some Ceremonies convenient to be had, surely where the old may be well used, there they cannot reason­ably reprove the old only for their age, without bewraying of their own folly. For in such a case they ought rather to have: everence unto them for their antiquity, if they will declare them­selves to be more studious of unity and concord, than of innovations and new- fangleness, which( as much as may be with true setting forth of Christ's religion) is always to be es­chewed. Furthermore, such shall have no just cause with the Cere­monies reserved to be offended. For as those be taken away which were most abused, and did burden men's consciences without any cause; so the other that remain, are retained for a discipline and order, which( upon just

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