Of Ceremonies,

Why Some be Abolished, and Some Retained.

F such Ceremonies as be used OF in the Church, and have had their beginning by the institution of man, some at the first were of godly intent and purpose devised, and yet at length turned to vanity and superstition: some entered in­to the Church by undiscreet devo­tion, and such a zeal as was with out knowledge; and for because they were winked at in the begin­ning, they grew daily to more and more abuses, which not only for their unprofitableness, but also be­cause they have much blinded the people, 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 teacheth) ought to be referred.

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 still.

And although the keeping or omitting of a Ceremony, in itself considered, is but a small thing; yet the wilful and contemptuous transgression and breaking of a common order and discipline is no small offence before God, Let all things be done among you, saith Saint Paul, in a seemly and due arder; the appointment 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.

And whereas in this our time, the minds of men are so diverse, that

1..

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 quietly to do it. But what would St. Augustine have said, if he had seen the Cere­monies of late days used among 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 Gos pel 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

14