they are naturall yet are they not such as nature by violence forceth and wringeth from men as the actions of panting and breathinge such as men cannot at their pleasure abstaine from or lay downe for laughter in extreeme mirth and weeping in great sorrow though they be naturall impressions and signes of inward and hidden passions yet are they not Ceremonies but such signes only are ceremonies wherein there is concurrence both of nature and will in the framing and vse of them as appeareth in the particulars aboue specified and therefore are such as may vpon some speciall or particular occasions be omitted or suppressed 8. Thus much of naturall ceremonies Instituted ceremonies are such outward rites and signes as by reason of some Analogie or similitude are ordeyned and appointed to signifie and shadow forth any mystical truth They being not brought forth by nature to any such end or purpose of whiche kinde are all the Iewish Ceremonies Our Sacramentes All Paganish Popish rites those Ceremonies in present controversie For none of al those externall rites doe by nature signifie any such matter but their vses significations are put vpon them only by the wil of the institutor or vser and are not so much intended for decencie order as for solemnitie and state 9. Those things that are put to this Ceremoniall vse being not made by nature to any such end or purpose must if they be not vaine and foolish borrow light from some word of institution for the more mysticall the Ceremonies of this kinde are and of secreatecsense of greater grace they are 10. Naturall Ceremonies if by institution appointment they bee put to any other vse thē nature it self hath fitted them vnto doe loose their name and become Instituted Ceremonies as kneeling tied to eating and drinking in the Sacrament c. CHAP. IIII. Of civill and religious Ceremonies in generall THE vse of both these kindes of ceremonies that is naturall and instituted is either in civill services of man to man or in religious services of man to God from whēce ceremonies receave a second denomination and are called whether they be natural or instituted either Civill or Religious Ceremonies 2. Civill Ceremonies therfore are such Rites and Ceremonies as are performed in Civill offices and duties betweene man man as they are members of a civill body or incorporation The right vse whereof is called Civilitie and the contempt rudenes the end of civill Ceremonies is to signifie and shadow those inward affections that one man desireth to shew to another in the due vse of these ceremonies cōsistes humanitie lowlines curtesie good manners civill state and pompe c. because the Ceremonies of this kinde are not controverted we passe them by 3. Religious Ceremonies are such outward Rites as are perfourmed in religious duties and services of man to God and they are outward shadowes of zeale devotion faith holynes reverence of the maiestie of God c. 4. In the vse of these Ceremonies especially doth externall worship cōsist whether true or false 5. Religious Ceremonies are either Common or Proper common Ceremonies are such as are equally vsed in civill and religious matters bowing the knee vsed in prayer is a religious ceremonie signifying in that action a Divine reverence of God Yet it is not a ceremonie peculiar and proper to Religion because it is a ceremonie that is and may be vsed to the Magistrate to shadow forth also civill worship due vnto him Of which nature all naturall Ceremonies seeme to be and any Instituted Ceremonie may bee if it haue no reference to Religion in the vse 6. Though matters of civill order and decencie be very improperly called Ceremonies they being rather matters of substance and it being impietie wilfullie and without necessitie to neglect them in the Congregation of Saintes or to do any thing contrary vnto them Yet all things tēding therto may for doctrine sake be referred to this head For though Gods worship doe not consist in them yet Gods worship is profaned in the wilfull contempt neglect of them Yea as farre forth as naturall and civill decencie comelines are outward shadowes of inward worship They may bee safelie reputed partes of diuine worship 7. Matters therfore of order and decencie in the service of God are all such matters as are drawen from the ordinarie civill customes of men and which for any to neglect wilfully would seem to the reason of a natural man a disorderly vnseemely thing As to come to the assembly clothed and that in seemely and usuall apparell according to our civill callings in the world to sit there quietlie and in a comely manner in respect of compositiō of body to give as much as may be vpper place to our civill superiours that the place of mecting be fair swept that the Table of the Lorde in the time of Communion bee spread after the civill fashion of the Coūtrey with a faire table-cloth that men pray bare-headed c. These orders vsed in civill meetinges of men wherein civil decencie is observed and kept ought not to bee neglected in religious meetings and therefore they may be called common Ceremonies or orders 8. These ceremonies of civill order and decencie are of that nature necessitie that for the Magistrate wilfully to inhibite were sinne in him and for any particular man not to vse and observe as much as convenientlie hee can though authoritie had never enioyned them in particular were impietie And therefore they are of a farr different nature from the ceremonies in controversie For let it be supposed to bee no sinne to vse these when the Magistrate enioyneth thē yea suppose them to be holy ornamentes and Rites yet if no authoritie humane or divine had iustituted them it had bene no sinne for any man to neglect them nay it were a foule sinne to vse them For example Our Lords spirituall enioyne every Minister in Divine service to weare a white linen Ephod or surplice they may if it please them as lawfully enioyne him to have painted before and behinde two faire red crosses but if a private man vpon his owne head should vse his Surplice so though it bee an honourable signe that he addeth it would be made a grievous crime 9. They therefore doe but gull the simple of the world that from humane authoritie to institute such civill orders as are aboue specified doe inferre that man hath authoritie to bringe into the service and worship of God such ceremonies as are cleane of another nature As though because the Magistrate may ordeine such Ceremonies as without his ordināce were impietie for a man not to observe therefore hee may ordeyne such ceremonies whiche without his ordināce at least were impietie and wickednes for any to vse CHAP. V. Of Ceremonies peculiar to Religion THOSE Ceremonies that are proper to Religion are such as in a peculiar manner are tied to religious persons actions and purposes only especially such as
in speciall and first of true worship THvs much of Divine Worship in generall both Inward and Outward of Ceremonies wherein Outward Worship especially consisteth Now lett vs in speciall consider the same Divine worship therefore is eyther true Worship or false 2. True worship is that immediate service that the true GOD him selfe requireth to bee performed vnto him selfe In the exercise whereof consisteth true holynes and Religion 3. True worship both for matter and manner ought to be according to the prescript rule of Gods word only neither hath any mortall mā authoritie to frame according to his owne conceyte any forme or fashion of Gods service and worship for the manner of worship also must be holy and not the matter only and no man hath power to make any thinge holy that God halloweth not by his word and spirit 4 All civill furtherances and necessarie circumstances of Gods solemne worship though they be not essentiall partes of the same nor by speciall Nomination commaunded Yet are they to bee esteemed Ordinances of God and not humane inventions As God having ordayned that his Saints dwelling together both Men Women and children of all sortes and degrees should ordinarilie at appointed times meet together it must needs be presupposed to bee his ordinance that they meete together in some such ordinarie places as are fittest for to receive most commodiouslie such Assemblies so God having ordeyned that his Ministers should preache or proclayme salvation to a multitude geathered together and that they should sit at his feete hath also ordeyned that the Ministers seate should be higher then the rest of the peoples and the like may bee said of all other such Circumstances of Divine worship which are matters of so base and low consideration and so subiect to cōmon sence that it neither besemeth the maiestie of the worde of GOD in speciall or humane authoritie derived frō God to make any lawes in particuler about them no more then to make lawes that one shold not sit in the Congregation vpon anothers lappe or one spit vppon anothers clothes or face or that men should not make antick faces in the Church CHAP. VII Of false worship THVS much of true worship False worship is such a service of God as hath no warrant from God him selfe worship is false in matter or manner in whole or in parte neither can the true matter of worship sanctifie a corrupt maner or the true manner sanctifie a corrupt matter or some partes of true worship or the whole it selfe sanctifie any parte of false worship that shal be adioyned to it or mingled with it 2. Whatsoever is vnholy and superstitious out of Gods solemne service can not bee made by the sole appointment will of man holy and good in the solemne servise of God but must needes be more vnholy and superstious therein therfore a parte of false worship If for a man to signe him selfe or another in the forchead with the signe of the Crosse out of baptisme be superstitious and vnholy it can not be good in Baptisme but a prophanerite 3. The more light and toyish the thinges seeme to bee that without warrant from God are brought into the worship of GOD the more wee should abhorre conformitie vnto them it being a fearfull presumption to serve God in a toyish manner for who is he that trembles at the Maiestie of God that dares vse in his worship any toy and trifle They are deceaved therefore that thinke that therefore we should not make scruple to vse them because they are toyes 4. That is a corrupt manner of worship wherein there is confusion and vndecencie for all things must be done in the service of God in decencie order and comelines as it is graunted vnder the name whereof these ceremonies are obtruded vpon vs But those things that are vndecent and disorderly in other matters and of no necessarie vse in Gods worship can not be matters of order and decency in the service of God except God him selfe should in a speciall maner commaund them 5. It being therefore confusion and disorder in civil matters where a multitude ioynes together in a common suite and supplication for all to speake at once the same wordes and comon wisdome and discretion having taught it to be a decent and orderly ceremonie that some foreman should speake and the rest hold their peace giving only some signe and testimonie of assent he must be more then a man that must make it an orderly thing in our generall and ordinarie suites and prayers to God for all the congregation to open their mouthes together in a prayer especially sith God hath in speciall appointed the Minister to bee the mouth of the people and expressely requireth the assent of the people only in the word Amen 6. It being a ridiculous disorder in other matters in any solemnitie where any Deed or Record is to bee read or rehearsed for one to read one period and another read or say another how can it by mans witt wil without ordinance from God bee a matter of order for the Minister to read one verse of scripture and the people another for the Minister to say one piece of a prayer and the people by way of catch to saye another 7. If any thing be vndecent out of the worship of God the same reason of vndeacency remayning it is much more vndecent in the worship of God for the more excellent the thing is in whiche an vndecent thing is vsed the more vndecent the thing is that is so vsed As if it be vndecent to goe naked in any companie it is much more vndecent to goe so in the Congregation If fowle apparell be every where else vndecent it can not be decent in Gods service though all the Bishops in the world should decree it 8. An vndecent and disorderly thing the more strictly it is vrged in the service of God the more daungerous it is to yeelde vnto the same so much the more effectuall cause of false worship 9. If there be some apparell that doeth in speciall maner become the service of God and deserves to bee appropriated vnto it thē by the same position there must be some apparell that doeth deforme and disgrace the service and worship of God for if no apparell can deforme it then no apparell can bee an ornament or decent forme vnto it 10. If any apparell doe deforme Gods true worship it is that apparel that doth most beautifie and grace the false and Idolatrous worship of God As that apparell must needes most deforme a wyse man that doth most adorne a foole and that apparell must needes bee most vnbeseeming a King that is seemely and decent for a begger 11. If therefore men would sett their wittes vpon the highest streyne to invent an apparell to disgrace the Ministers of the Gospell they could not invent a more odious attire then the consecrated attyre of a filthy masse-priest the most abhominable
are in a speciall manner tied to the solempne worship of God In these ceremonies consistes the external forme of divine worship and they are the outward badges cognizances of the same 2. All Ceremonies vsed in the service of God are either civill ceremonies to witt such as are also of the same vse out of the service of God or holy Ceremonies to wit such wherin holines consistes in the due vse of them or els they are prophane that is such as have no vse or a superstitious vse The ceremonies in cōtroversie are not * For then the bare omission of thē would argue rudenes and incivilitie civil ceremonies again it is graūted there is no holynes in the vse of them †Som nigher his M. haue given it out that he would if he could hang those that put holines in thē Therefore they are prophane ceremonies and by consequent not to be mingled with holy things 3. As there are diversities of religion and Churches so there are diversities of Rites and Ceremonies by which they are distinguished and ceremonies are the partitiō walles wherby for the most parte one Church is devided frō another For he that shall with a more narrow eye seeke into these things shall see that for the most parte the diversities and varieties of Ceremonies are the begetters of diversitie of doctrines and opinions whereby one Religion differeth from another 4. The more one Church differeth from another in Rites and Ceremonies the more it vseth to differ in substance of doctrine and the more one Church draweth neare vnto another in Ceremonies the more it draweth neare vnto it in substance of doctrine The Churches of France Scotland in substance of doctrine doe so much the more differ from the Synagogue of Rome by how much the farther they differ from her in Ceremonies then other Churches and some in the Church of England that doe strive to come to Rome in Ceremonies come so much the nearer to her in doctrine as might appeare by divers instances if the matter were not too too apparent 5. He that hates the Religion it selfe hates all the shadowes and shewes of the Religion he that loves the shadowes and rytes of a Religion he loves the Religion it self he loves a Pope wel that loves the triple Crown he loves a Fryer well that dotes vpon his Cowle and shaven crowne and out of question he loves a Maspriest with all his heart that is mad vpon his massing attire or any part therof 6. As it is rudenes and want of civilitie to neglect or contemne a Civill Ceremonie so it is prophanes irreligion to neglect or contemne a Religious Ceremonie as outward civilitie consists in the due vse of civill Ceremonies so outward holines religion consists in the due vse of all Religious Ceremonies Those Ceremonies therefore are prophane and not beseeming the true worship of God that are so far from any shew of holines in the vse of them that they make the partie that refuseth the vse of them to seeme and to be reputed pure holy and precise of which nature our Ceremonies in controversie are 7. As civill Ceremonies tend to the honor of them vnto whō civil worship is due is a part therof So Religious Ceremonies tend to the honor of him vnto whom religious worship is due and is a parte therof neither can a man possibly imagine how any thing should be religious whether a Substance or a Ceremonie but it must needes respect him that religion it selfe respecteth as therefore we performe civill honor vnto those vnto whō we performe civill ceremonies so we performe Religious Divine honors vnto those that we obey in a religious ceremonie They therfore that claime perform obedience therin do claime perform that which is due only to God 8. Nothing intended or done by man is an honour to God but that which is an obedience vnto God in some Commandement All Ceremonies therefore of Religion that are an honour vnto God must be commāded by God himselfe and to bring in such Ceremonies into his worship as are no honour to him is to mocke God 9. All Religious Ceremonies or Ceremonies of Religion are spiritnall that is are ordeyned for spirituall vses and endes and not for civill or temporall and therefore are outward notes and testimonies of those things that make vs spirituall men and they are partes of spiritual honor due vnto spirituall authoritie and lordship 10. All spirituall Lordes may clayme as their due spiritual worship and therefore may institute religious Ceremonies for looke what difference there is betweene humane and divine Temporall Spirituall the same differēce there is betweene the peculiar worship due to the one and to the other if therefore Temporal Lords may require all civill rites and honors Spirituall Lordes may require all Divine and Spirituall rites and honors 11. Civill honor reverence onely can not nor ought not to please a Spirituall Lord hence it is that the Spirituall Lordes of our Church cānot cōtent them selues with such honor that we giue to civill Magistrates and Princes but we must obey them in peculiar religious duties and services and surely it is meete that if there bee any such besides Christ that we performe spirituall homage vnto them and they are not worthie that high style that wil be content with temporalls when spiritualls are due 12. Those Ceremonies that are enioyned by true spirituall Lords are truely spirituall holy even as spirituall and holy as the Sacraments though they consist of som things in their own nature indifferent and those Lordes are not spirituall that are not able by their sole authoritie and word to hallow that which before was not holy 13. Those that can make a Surplice a Cope a Crosse c. to be ornamentes of Religion and holy Ceremonies can whē it pleaseth them make a shaven Crowne a Monkes habit spitle in Baptisme holy Water the triple Crowne all the Missall rytes as holy For they are al of the same nature and those that can finde no reason to prove those vnholy and vnlawful would finde none to proove anie other externall Rite to bee so if they should in the same maner be imposed 14. Those that have power vpon their owne will and pleasure to bring into Gods service some indifferent thing may bring in any * For all indifferent thinges are of the same nature indifferent thinge those that may bring in without special warrant from God pyping into his service might aswell bringe in dauncing also those that haue authoritie to ioyne to the sacrament of Baptisme the sign of the crosse haue authoritie also no doubt to ioyne to the Sacramēt of the Supper flesh broth butter or cheese and worse matters then those if they will Yea those that have power to make peculiar formes of Religion worship have power to make and invent a Religion worship of their owne CHAP. VI. Of Divine worship