OF CEREMONIES.

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 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 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 Order and godly Discipline, and such 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.

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 judgments. 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 reverence unto them for their antiquity, if they will declare themselves to be more studious of unity and concord, than of innovations and new­fangleness, 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 causes) may be altered and changed, and therefore are not to be esteemed equal with God's Law. And moreover, they be neither dark nor dumb Ceremonies, but are so set forth, that every man may understand what they do mean, and to what use they do serve. So that it is not like that they in time to come should be abused as other have been. And in these our doings we condemn no other Nations, nor prescribe any thing but to our own people only: For we think it convenient that every Country should use such Ceremonies as they shall think best to the setting forth of God's honour and glory, and to the reducing of the people to a most perfect and godly living, without error or super­stition; and that they should put away other things, which from time to time they perceive to be most abused, as in men's ordinances it often chanceth di­versly in divers countries.