she resolve which of four or five is best because some one of them must be embrac'd Or else it will follow because a Pulpit is not necessary in as much as a man may preach in a Tub at least if it be set on a Tressle because a Folio Bible is not necessary in as much as a man may read in a lesser print because a Communion Cup of Silver is not necessary there being other Metals therefore the Ecclesiastical Court may not compel a man to pay to the Church-Wardens rate when he hath provided these things And what a blessed Reformation will this be And yet it seems there is danger lest the powers already given should be too large wherefore he limits again This power wherever it is must be very warily exercised since of all two extreams and according to Idem ibid. his Principles the Case will be the same where four or five or twenty things are opposed only one can be lawful so that one is wholsome and the other poyson But where at last is this power be it little or much let us know its bounds The Church hath a Judicative declarative power like the Judges in Westminster-Hall but not a legislative power as the King and Parliament If a man may be bold to ask again Who is this Church You shall find his Lordship give a noble answer By the Church here I mean says he not only one or two or a few of what rank soever but all even every true Member of the whole Church for I conceive every such member hath de jure a vote in this Determination A right Oecumenical Council indeed when every member of the body must be conven'd to declare his opinion about any Rite or Ceremony that shall happen to be called into question If I may add a Conception of my own I should think it worth enquiring whether Women and Children be not true Members of the whole Church the liberty of whose Consciences may be as little imposed upon as that of us men Well to gratifie his Lordship we will suppose what is Impossible to be put in practice Every true Member of the whole Church awaken'd and alarm'd with the scruples of John a Nokes about the posture in which the Sacrament is be received is met together to declare and determine what is best to be done Now it ever the Mountains brought forth a Mouse you shall see how little this Convention signifies for when every Calves Head hath spoke an Oracle every one passed their Vote let us Imagine that some one among them and it is hardly possible it should be otherwise should be dissatisfied and dissent from the Judgment of the greatest part of the Church and after reading and praying should continue to dissent In this case he conceives Ibid. once more no power on earth ought to force that mans practice more than his Judgment Liberty Oh sweet Liberty What pity it is the Lord Brooke hath not another life to lose in defence of this Gospel liberty But seriously so far as amazement will admit are not things now brought to a strange Conclusion Will it not be perfectly in vain to determine any thing at all about Church-Matters For even in those things that seem Indifferent one is Best the other Unlowful When the Church hath resolved which is best yet every man must be left to do what he thinks best So is the State of the Church as deplorable as ever was that of the Common-wealth Judges 21. of Israel In those dayes when there was no King in Israel but every man did that which was right in his own Eyes There are many other scurvy passages in that ill-natur'd Book and many Unworthy Reflections upon my Lords the Bishops that then were but I must not digress to take notice of them This process of his is sufficiently exposed by this account of it I confess I have met with two other Pamphlets that also demur in this thing A Modest Discourse concerning Ceremonies believes that the Churches Authority in commanding matters Page 1. of Indifferency wants ground from Scripture And Mr Bagshaw in his Two great questions concerning things Indifferent in Religious Worship holds it utterly unlawful for any Christian Magistrate Page 2. to impose the use of them But neither of them are so extravagant as to deny that there is any thing Indifferent only they think what God hath not determin'd men may not Against whom I oppose to this purpose Either Church-Governours have power in these Cases to determine or all people must be left to their liberty to determine for themselves But what intolerable disorder and confusion would that bring into the Church Then would God be the Author of confusion and not of peace There is then no power now left in the Church that may take care that things be done decently and in order but this is orderly and decent that every man should have liberty to break Order and go his own way And if in forms and modes of worship there could be as many differences as those that are are not few as men it might be lawful for every man to go by himself and a single person should constitute a Church Men would never agree neither about time nor place of publick Worship nor about the person that should teach them and pray for them nor about the manner of publick Prayers or publick Preaching nor about the form of administring the Sacraments nor is it easy to name any one thing in the publick worship of God wherein all men would be of one mind but if all were left to their liberty when Church-Governours have determin'd as they think most expedient every private person shall have a Negative Vote and if he like not to worship God in the same way as others do he must pass without controul to worship as he pleases or if it so please him not to worship at all But these are but the Capricio's of some few particular men the vanity of which I need not labour much to shew because however the Fox pronounces the Grapes sowr which he cannot reach however some discontented men quarrel at the power of the Keys when they do not hang at their own Girdle yet there never was any body of men that did at any time usurp a power to make Laws and determine in Church Affairs but did proceed upon this Principle that it is lawful to make determinations in things Indifferent and plain it is that the Presbyterians and Independents both allow what I now contend for The Presbyterians in the Preface Sect. 9. to their Directory distinguish some things to be of Divine Institution and others not and of these they say Other things we have endeavoured to set forth according to the Rules of Christian prudence agreeable to the general rules of the word of God Also in their Confession of Faith set out with Assemb Conf. of Faith Ch. 31. their Catechisms they define That
it belongs to Synods and Councils to set down rules and directions for better ordering the publick worship of God and Government of his Church which Decrees and determinations if Consonant to the word of God where it is worthy observing that when they are establishing their own Authority and way they expect not express Commands for every thing they do however they have been observed to huff at Episcopacy and to require Commands for our establishments are to be received with reverence and submission not only for their agreement with the word but also for the power whereby they are made as being an Ordinance of God appointed thereto in his word Since these first attempts of the Assembly we find some writing conformably to their dictates and professing thus We freely grant that the Discourse Liturg. c. Chap. 16. Civil power or the Church orderly assembled may determine at what hours on the Lords-day the Congregation shall meet as also it shall determine particular times for Fasting or Thanksgiving as Gods providence shall administer Occasions and yet some of this way are against keeping Christmass c. that places of publick worship shall be erected frequented kept decent and an Hundred things of that Nature which even reason and nature it self teaches all sober persons to be such as that without some Order to be observed in them the worship of God either would not be performed or would be undecently performed True it is that the same men say in the same Chapter The Assertion of the Churches power in appointing Ceremonies and Circumstances of Divine Worship is the very root of all the Pandora ' s Box the very Fountain head of all those Impositions which have bred so much trouble disturbance and persecutions in the Church of God Which how to reconcile to what is just now quoted I well know not nor to another passage in the same Chapter where though they desire to distinguish between Circumstances and Ceremonies of worship yet they acknowledge thus That the word of God hath left many things not possible to be determin'd by it to the Authority of the Christian Magistrate cannot be denied whether any Ceremonies or no is a question divers Circumstances relating to the worship of God are undoubtedly so left When I compare these things I know not how to understand the Coherence of them unless it be thus When Church-Governours are Episcopal and shall assume a power to appoint Ceremonies and Circumstances of divine worship this is the fountain head of Impositions that breed disturbance and persecutions But if they shall chance to be Presbyterian then there are an Hundred things not determin'd by the word of God but left to their Christian Prudence For Example A Convocation may not by a Canon or Rubrick appoint a font of stone at the West end of the Church nor kneeling at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper nor that the Bread and Wine be severally distributed to every Communicant but the Directory may make appointments contrary to all these and an hundred things of the like nature For the Ordinance of Parliament all the Authority it had which established the Directory says The Directory for publick worship herein set forth shall henceforth be used pursued and observed in all exercises of the publick worship of God in every Congregation Church Chappel and place of publick Worship within this Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales The Independents in their Confession of Faith set out from the Savoy 1658. speak to the same purpose There Chap. 1. Sect. 6. are some Circumstances concerning the worship of God and Government of the Church common to Humane Actions and Societies which are to be Ordered by the light of Nature and Christian prudence according to the General Rules of the word which are always to be observed Now I must crave leave that our Adversaries would judge whether they are not unequal to us in denying us a liberty which they grant to themselves In this general Consideration of things it is not material to ask for what reason they scruple our Ceremonies whether as significant or popish c. which shall be examined in due time All that I now conclude is no more than what they themselves believe and practise viz. It is no superstitious Opinion to believe that the Church may make Determinations in things Indifferent 4. Where the Governours of the Church Sect. 10. have power to determine it can be no superstitious opinion to believe they ought to be obeyed in the exercise of this their lawful power Yea if it should be granted what I do not by any means grant only to come as close as may be to our Adversaries I suppose the case that it is not well done to Impose such things Indifferent yet if they be not in their own nature evil it is better to obey than to disturb the peace of the Church and to separate from established order Zanchy and Calvin are professedly our Advocates in this Matter on whose Testimony I build the more because they are of great Authority with those who dissent from us Zanchy wrote a Letter to Queen Elizabeth wherein he did earnestly perswade her not to Impose the Surplice and such like things upon the Clergy of England This he did with Zanch Epistol lib. 1. p. 111. Tom. ult great Zeal and it may seem with some acrimony as if he had been a great Patron of Non-Conformity and I will not deny that it seems by that Letter he did greatly dislike such Impositions and but that he was commanded by his Prince to write as he did he did Coactus scribere as he professes it is a Letter that might argue him to meddle too much in the affairs of another Church but we take it as we find it and notwithstanding all that is there said it is manifest that Zanchy was of our side That he was abused in the Information that was given him of our affairs appears by his Letter to the Queen wherein he complains of her introducing and establishing all the Massing attire of the Romish Priests for so he calls them Vestes albas ac lineas quibus in papatu utuntur sacrifici Antichristi supellectilem Papistarum Impiam pompam Idololarriae superstitionis Papisticae reliquias vel saltem symbola that is in the English of some of our Malecontents All the rags of the whore of Babylon Whereas the attire of their Priests is made up of six Vestments as a Learned man of our own hath observed out of their Ritualists Amictus Alba Cingulum Falkner Libert Ecclesiast lib. 2. Cap. 4. §. 9. Stola Manipulus Capsula all far different from the Surplice and these six Garments are accounted holy Garments used by their Priests and all of them have their particular Consecrations as the Surplice in the Church of Rome hath not Zanchy then thus mistaking the case was more eager than he needed to have been but he was under another and
determin'd that it may be very sinful to command some Ceremonies when yet it may be the subjects duty to use them when they are commanded Upon which Proposition he says farther If a thing Baxt. Disputat of Church Government p. 460. be simply unlawful as being forbid by God himself there no command of man can make it lawful But if it be but inconvenient or evil only by accident or circumstance it is possible for the command of Governours to take off that accidental evil and make it become a duty I have dwelt at large upon these Testimonies not because the Reason of the thing is doubtful so as to need such a Confirmation nor because if it were other Testimonies as considerable could not be produced but to comply with the humor of the N. C ts and to deal with them at their own Weapon They have made a great noise about the consent of the Reformed Churches and did Covenant to endeavour a Reformation according to the Example of the best Reformed Churches as if all that go under the name of the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas did as much believe us Superstitious as these men pretend to believe Whereas beside the Veneration which Spanhemius expresses to have for the Order Epist ad tertiam partem Dub. Evangel An. 1638. of the Church of England in a time when Conformity went higher than of late days besides Bogerman's acknowledgment at Dort to the Bishop of Landaffe that then was Domine nos Bishop Hall Episcopacy by Divine Right Sec. 4. non sumus adeo foelices It was their misfortune not to be under Episcopal Government we have many more clear evidences of the great respect which Foreigners bear to the Church of England I conclude this Proposition with the grave and excellent determination of St. Austin in which he gives account of St. Ambrose too Monica coming to Milan and observing the Order of the Church there that they did not fast on Saturday as was usual in other Churches was troubled about it for her satisfaction St. Austin advises with St. Ambrose who answers him and resolves her by his own practice Cum Romam Augustin Januario venio jejuno Sabbato cum hîc sum non jejuno sic etiam tu ad quam forte Ecclesiam veneris ejus morem serva si cuiquam non vis esse scandalo nec quenquam tibi When I am at Rome I fast on Saturday as they do there here I do not so I would have you wheresoever you come observe the Order of the place if you would neither give nor take offence An Answer which satisfied Monica and passed for an Oracle with St. Austin who adds of his own in the same Epistle Some things Universal tradition had so confirmed that he did not think fit they should be alter'd as the Observation of Easter and Whitsuntide c. but then Alia quae per loca terrarum Id. ibid. variantur sicut est quod alii jejunant Sabbato alii non alii quotidie communicant alii certis diebus c. si quid aliud hujusmodi animadverti potest Totum hoc genus rerum liberas habet observationes nec disciplina ulla alia est in his melior gravi prudentique Christiano quam ut eo modo agat quo agere viderit Ecclesiam ad quamcunque forte devenerit quod enimneque contra fidemneque contra bonos more 's injungitur Indifferenter est habendum pro eorum inter quos vivitur societate servandum est As to those Observances which are divers in divers Countries that some fast on Saturday others not some communicate every day others at stated times All such things as these are free and a grave and prudent Christian can follow no better rule than to behave himself according to the Order of the Church to which he shall chance to come For whatsoever is enjoin'd that is not against Faith nor good manners is to be esteemed Indifferent and to be practised according to the Company with which we converse St. Austin does rightly state the Notion of a thing Indifferent suppose the Surplice somewhat in its own nature not necessary therefore in a Church that does not enjoin it it may be omitted somewhat in its own nature not Unlawful therefore in a Church that does enjoin it it ought to be used 5. It is no Superstitious Opinion to believe Sect. 13. Discourse of Liturgies Chap. 16. §. 9. that the Church may appoint significant Ceremonies This is another matter wherein the N. C ts speak big It is not true that they have any Authority to appoint significative Ceremonies where are sensible signs to affect the Understanding this is to give them Authority to institute Sacraments Another formerly All humane Ceremonies being appropriate Abridg. Lincoln See Burges Answer Rejoin'd Chap. 3. Sect. 1. to Gods service if they be ordain'd to teach any spiritual duty by their Mystical signification are unlawful But such are these Three the Surplice the Cross in Baptism and Kneeling in receiving the Communion Ergo they are Unlawful There is a clear difference between signs of Grace inwardly infus'd and signs of duty enjoin'd It is the nature of a Sacrament to be an outward sign of inward Grace Wherefore because Christ is the Author of Grace as it belongs to him whose the deed of Gift is to set to his Seal so is it the Prerogative of our Lord Christ to institute Sacraments for his Church But signs of duty are other things and this distinction is thus expressed by the Learned Morton There be two acceptions of the word Mystical See Burges ut supra Chap. 3. Sec. 4. one Sacramental by signification of Grace confer'd by God the other only moral signifying some duty of men to God The Mystical Ceremonies condemned by Learned Writers are Sacramental all the Ceremonies which we defend are Mystical Moral not Sacramental They who have written of these things have given us divers Instances both out of the Old Testament and New where insignificant Ceremonies have been allowably practised although they have not been strictly Sacramental nor of Divine Institution That which I offer to consideration is somewhat not fully retorted upon our Adversaries that I have any where observed therefore I take liberty to inlarge upon it when I have first mov'd one question Put the Case a Canon or Constitution of our Church should enjoin the Sexton to make his Graves East and West and to take care that they who are buried be laid with their Feet to the East I ask would it be lawful or unlawful to obey this Constitution Unlawful How can that be so when it is commanded which is now generally practised and that without scruple If lawful then is a significant Ceremony allowed lawful for though all men may not think of it or may not so design yet there can be no doubt but the Original of that Custom had a Respect to the Resurrection of the
which they now urge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 26. Luke 22. the two words used by the Evangelists upon this occasion do not signifie such a sitting as is now in use It is therefore generally agreed that their posture was more like to lying than sitting So that the best of their Argument can be but thus Because our Blessed Saviour gave the Sacrament to his Disciples in that gesture which they used at Meals which was a kind of lying therefore we ought to receive it in the gesture now used at Meals which is sitting where we must desire their Logick to tell us what degree of necessity is in this sequele because they did one thing we must do another Yet neither is this the worst of it all this is but a supposition of that which they are never able to prove For 3. It is not absolutely certain in what posture they did then receive the Lords Supper Probably they continued in the same posture but who can peremptorily conclude it Who can demonstrate to the contrary but that when our Blessed Saviour while they were eating solemnly betook himself to the Institution of a new Sacrament they to address themselves to a new service might betake themselves to a new gesture I cannot prove they did nor for ought I can find can any body prove they did not There is nothing conclusive in any of the Evangelists that they did certainly continue in the same posture Unless the Order of St. Luke be insisted on who Chap. 22. after the Institution of the Sacrament hath these words But behold the hand of him that betrays me is with me at the Table Which Order signifies little to those who will not yield Judas to have been at the Sacrament as divers of our Adversaries will not but admit he was there as seems very probable yet though they were all at the same table as before and who can demonstrate but it might be another table yet it does not appear certain that they were in the same posture as before This doubt I move not as a thing in it self considerable but to represent how strongly some men and even the same who call so much for Scripture grounds and for a divine warrant for Circumstances of worship as minute as this will build upon probabilities when it serves their turn Because it is not said they rose up it is by consequence gather'd they sat still If they did it was not our manner of sitting but another If they had sate as we yet this Example is no more obligatory than it is to other Circumstances of the same Institution Yet through all these If 's and Consequences and Suppositions they conclude to the expedience if not to the necessity of a significant Ceremony though in us they call it Superstition The lifting up the hand at the Covenant the laying the hand upon the Book in swearing and other like Ceremonies have been objected to them by others I urge not that but add another Instance whereby it will plainly appear that many of the N. C ts though they suspect so much superstition in a significant Ceremony yet can themselves allow and urge the use of a Ceremony and that in a Religious matter and because it is significant although the particular Ceremony be no where in Scripture commanded They who have endeavour'd to Sect. 15. settle Presbyterated and Associated Churches have determin'd to do it by way of Covenant so consenting to be a Member of such a Church The Agreement of the Associated Churches in Worcestershire will give us light in this thing who thus express themselves Because Ministers should Agreement of the Associated Churches in Worcestersh §. 18. have a particular knowledge of their Charge which now is uncertain and for divers other reasons propounded and debated among us We judge it very fit if not of necessity to desire a more express signification of our peoples consent to our Ministry and Ministerial actions and in particular to submit to this discipline as the members of that particular Church Afterwards they tell us in what form of words they require this consent to be given I do consent to be a Member of the particular Church of Christ at whereof Teacher c. The reasons why this was required Mr Baxter gives in his Explication of that Agreement not as his Ibid. own but as those that mov'd the Association to make that determination The reasons are Twelve In all which there is not so much as a pretence of a divine Institution nay it is confessed in the Preface that the sign it self of this consent is not particularly determin'd and Mr Baxter after the reasons adds this Memorandum Remember yet that I maintain that God does in Scripture require only consent signified a thing which I do not now debate but hath not tyed us to this or that particular sign for signifying it but having given us general Rules that all things be done to Edification decently c. he hath left it to humane prudence to determine of the particular sign whether voice subscription c. So then such a form of words is own'd to be a sign signifying consent It is also own'd a sign requir'd only upon General Rules of Scripture What unpardonable crime is it then if the Church of England agree upon some Ceremonies significant by virtue of the same general Rules of Edification and Decency In which Cases if private men will be so wise as to abound in their own sense whether or no such things be decent and edifying the same Mr Baxter hath determin'd the Controversy in the same place where though he assert that the Pastors are to consult with the people about the convenience yet he positively concludes That people are to obey the determination of their guides And how now comes it to pass that the power which they in their times assum'd should be denied the Church of England viz. Power and Authority to appoint significant Ceremonies If they will distinguish between Discipline and Worship and allow a significant Ceremony in that but not in this I reply that in their contentions for Discipline about Mr Hookers time that Axiome of theirs Nothing ought to be established in the Church which is not commanded by the word of God was applied to Discipline as well as worship and therefore Eccles Pol. Lib. 3. Sect. 5. Degrees in the Universities sundry Church-Offices and Dignities were struck at Yea they did affirm that the Discipline was no small part of the Gospel Survey of the pretended Holy Disciplin p. 440. that without this Discipline there can be no right Religion that they who reject the Discipline refuse to have Christ reign over them However it is clear A significant Ceremony because allowed in Discipline is not in the Nature of the thing unlawful Nor does it deserve the name of a Sacrament properly so called Nor does the Church of England deserve to
be upbraided with superstition because of such appointments If these grounds be firm and good I conclude that the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England unless they be either burdensome in their Number or requir'd as somewhat in nature and kind greater and more necessary than things Indifferent are not faulty or superstitious Both which Cases deserve Consideration 1. If our Rites be in their nature Sect. 16. Innocent no man hath reason to find fault with their Number The Compilers of our Liturgy have been aware that an Objection might be here made and have taken care to prevent the scruple Some Ceremonies are Preface to the Liturgy of Ceremonies put away because the great excess and multitude of them hath so increas'd in these latter days that the burden of them was intolerable whereof St. Austin in his time complain'd c. This our excessive multitude was so great and many of them so dark that they did more confound and darken than declare and set forth Christs benefits to us That Complaint of St. Austin is in his Epistle to Januarius where he acknowledges Aug. Januario Ep. 119. Quamvis enim neque hoc inveniri possit quomodo contra fidem sint ipsam tamen Religionem quam paucissimis manifestissimis celebrationum sacramentis misericordia Dei esse liberam voluit servilibus oneribus premunt ut tolerabilior sit conditio Judaeorum Admit that such observances be not against the Gospel yet in as much as the Merciful God would have Religion free from the burden of many Ceremonies they have so clog'd it with burdensome services that the condition of the Jews was more tolerable than of Christians now adays That there may be no such Cause of Complaint among us the Church of England hath been very moderate in this thing Not so as to escape the ill will of her Adversaries when they were resolv'd to find fault for the Preface to the Directory complains of the many unprofitable and burdensome Ceremonies contain'd in the Liturgy which occasion'd much mischief yet in cool blood some of the party are constrain'd to acknowledge the Disc of Liturgies p. 91. number of Ceremonies retain'd in our Church pretending to any legal Authority but small The Surplice and Cross and Kneeling at Sacrament are we think all And they do us much wrong if they refuse this acknowledgment For a great number of observations which obtain in the Church of Rome in the Celebration of the Sacraments which from their number of seven we have reduc'd to Two and in other parts of Divine Worship have no place in the Church of England lest they should divert the minds of men from worshipping God in spirit and truth Ceremonies harmless in themselves may yet be hurtful in respect of their number therefore hath our Church abrogated a great number of Saints-days and other like Customs as Mr Eccles Pol. lib. 4. Sec. 14. Hooker hath observed Wherefore such is the present state of our Church that we may securely defy our Adversaries in this matter if it were as easy to cure their Jealousies of what may be as to answer their objections against what is established But here they make difficulty Though our present Number of Ceremonies be but small yet they raise a doubt how far a Church may go how many Ceremonies may be establish'd before the number be burdensome Where is the Maximum quod non and the Minimum quod sic of superstition This is thought a great Argument why no Ceremonies beyond what are of direct necessity should be imposed because of the Bagshaw's Two great Queries p. 10. Impossibility to fix a point where the Imposer will stop For do but once grant that the Magistrate hath power to impose and then we ly at his mercy how far he will go And they who allow our present number to be but small yet think them too many because though there Discourse of Liturgies p. 91. be no more Ceremonies established by law as yet there are many probationers and they can see no reason but the Churches power if allowed to appoint any save only such without which the service of God would apparently to all rational men be perform'd indecently and disorderly may appoint Hundreds It is also one of Mr Baxters reasons against the Imposing Crossing and the Surplice c. When we once begin to let in Humane Baxter Disput of Ch. Government p. 477. Mystical Rites we shall never know where to stop or make an end On the same ground that one age invents three or four the next think they may add as many and so it will grow to be a point of devotion to add a new Ceremony as at Rome it hath done till we have more than we well know what to do with I answer The Writings of Moralists are not thought defective though when they have given General Rules for Temperance that men may not drink till they disable their Reason and impair their health c. they do not descend particularly to determine how many Glasses a man may drink and precisely to say such a draught makes him Intemperate Nor did Mr Chillingworth think he was wanting to his Adversary who counted it prodigiously strange that Protestants Chillingw Religion of Protest c. p. 128 129. could not be induc'd to give in a particular Catalogue of points Fundamental when he calls it an Unreasonable demand because variety of Circumstances makes it impossible to set down an exact Catalogue of them I think I may have as much reason to reckon it no Imperfection in this discourse if I do not venture punctually to determine how great a number of Ceremonies may be required before we come at Superstition When the number becomes so great that the shadow darkens the substance When the substantial service of God which should be performed in spirit and truth is prejudic'd by the attendance that is given to the outward Ceremony when the use of the means renders us uncapable to obtain the end then does it rise to that excessive multitude of which our Church speaks But because the use of our liberty in other lawful things cannot be fix'd in an Indivisible point but alters according to the various Circumstances of times and persons and conditions and relations of men therefore no wise man will give one particular determinate rule which shall oblige equally in all Cases In like manner as our Church reckons Ceremonies Indifferent so at the same time are they concluded alterable and it is acknowledged that upon weighty and important considerations Preface to the Liturgy according to the various exigency of times and occasions such changes and alterations should be made therein as to those in place of Authority should from time to time seem either necessary or expedient And here sure must the thing rest It must be left to the prudence of our Governours If they shall impose any thing in which the Consciences of