indifferent and alterable it is but reasonable such changes and alterations should be made therein c. It saith further That in the Reigns of several Princes of Blessed Memory since the Reformation the Church upon just and weighty Considerations hath yielded to make such Alterations as in their respective times were thought convenient But when the Church did yield in those matters she did not yield them up as utterly unlawful but inconvenient or less suitable to those times pro conditione temporum some things are more some less convenient and fit for continuance or alteration accordingly Fourth Answer The present terms of Conformity will be the same as to their Lawfulness or Unlawfulness whether there be any condescensions for Dissenters or none at all As I am a Conformist both in judgment and practice so I could offer Arguments in defence of my present Conformity as well as for Concessions to the Nonconformists Yet the Learned Bishop Cosins declared in his last Testament that it was the great duty of us all to Unite and I am sure it is so and that it is no duty of any at all to censure or condemn the present terms of Conformity as Unlawful upon the account of any concessions or recessions from them for so good an end as an happy Re-union and Comprehension I need not remind you in how many Precepts this Duty is enjoyned how tenderly and compassionately the Apostles of our Lord dealt with weak ones how earnestly they changed us to receive them to bear with them to become all things to them to gain the weak to please them to their edification c. Arguments enough to convince us that it is our duty whatever the World say or think of us to yield somewhat to the weakness of our Brethren and to relax as the Author of the Serious and Compassionate Enquiry has it p. 102. Making the terms of Communion more free and easie this is highly recommended by some good men as the most proper expedient for a Protestant Church in our condition Another Objection It would be a dishonour say some to our first Reformers to take away those things which they Established To which I Answer as True state of the Primitive Church The Fathers of this Church when they Reformed this Nation from Popery were desirous to fetch off as many as they could retaining for this cause all the Ceremonies c. Certainly we cannot do our Fore-Fathers a greater honour than to observe their Rule of Reason to conform to the times and therefore they are grosly mistaken who think it a dishonour to them for us to take away what they have Established when we keep close to the reason wherefore they did Establish it Iren. p. 225. This Temper was used by our Reformers in composing our Liturgy in reference to the Papists to whom they had then an especial eye as being the only party then appearing whom they desired to draw into their Communion by coming as near them as they well and safely could I say the same reason which at that time made them yield so far to them would now have perswaded them to alter and lay aside those things which yield matter of offence to any of the same perswasion with themselves For surely none will be so uncharitable towards those of his own Profession as to think there is not as much reason to yield in compliance with them as with the Papists Further Lloyds State Worthies in Quarto p. 998. in the Life of Archbishop Laud he brings in that Bishop disliking Mr. Calvins words of Censure Tolerabiles ineptias who knew not said the Bishop the temper of the Nation requiring then not what was absolutely best but most conveniently good And thus our Reformers did what was best in their days or most conveniently good Even as Aristotles Organon might be best in the days of old but now the case is altered and the reading Lectures out of that Book is commonly with less profit than other Logicks would be the case may be applicable to some things at least in the Common-Prayers if not the Worship it self as not done so much to edifying c. And the Reformers reason for their Imposition ceaseth which was the enlargement of the Church by gaining and winning as many as could be to our Communion The Papists came to this Worship till the 10th or 12th year of Queen Elizabeths Reign But now it hinders and shuts some of our Reformed Protestant Brethren out of our Church and so the reason which made at first for the imposition maketh as much now for the abrogation of some things therein I say again not a dishonour to our first Reformers because a due acknowledgment may be made of their worth and the work of Reformation in their days that it was the best the fittest or at least praise-worthy Our Forefathers who knew what Popery and a Mass book was by sad Experience rejoyced that they had Prayers sound for the substance and purged from the Corruptions of the Mass book and looked upon it as a wonderful Blessing from Heaven and were thankful And if somewhat be inconvenient and less suitable to the genius of the people in these days not sinful and unlawful or unmeet for good Christians to joyn in I presume no dishonour will be done to our first Reformers who as several are apt to imagine if they had lived in these days would have taken at least some few things away for the enlargement of our Communion Thirdly Gods Honour is greater than that of our first Reformers but God is highly dishonoured by this Worship as it is at present performed carelesly negligently under contempt by many and by most I am afraid little regarded as to the devout use of it And the Question must end in this whether God will be more Honoured by the continuance of the Common Prayers as at present or whether with Submission to the Wisdom of our Governours it may not admit of an alteration in some things for the better Whether it is like to do most good to Souls and best attain the ends of Worship in its present use or any Amendments or Concessions for a Comprehension So be it Gods Worship be done to edifying by the greater part of our Congregations in the City and Country both God will have the Glory and all good Christians will be satisfied Another Objection What need of a Comprehension Are we not as well without it What shall we be the better for it To which I Answer There are no doubt a Thousand Blessings of Heaven and Earth accompanying that Church state which like the Heavenly Society is at Unity in it self If there were any Community here upon Earth that enjoyed a perfection of Love and Peace how ambitious would Mortals be to enter into that Peaceful Society But the nearest approach that we can make unto it is by a Philadelphian state An Heavenly thing is Unity as Nazianzen well observed Pugnas dissidia nesrcire
or opposing some Ceremonies or Forms not from frowardness and peevishness or a Spirit of opposition but in the sincerity and simplicity of their hearts those though mistaken yet certainly deserve Compassion Tenderness yea and Love also much rather than severity and contempt Doctor Hascard Dean of Windsor on Eph. 4.23 To allow no Grace for Common Errours and Frailties this is severity and unmercifulness Doctor Good 's Fâ—â—mianus and Dubit p. 164. Those to be among them that are of a quiet and peaceable Spirit agreeing with us in the most necessary points of Religion He gives us Reasons why Debauchery and Profaneness ought to be more severely punished that Negative Separation and Simple Nonconformity His Second Reason The Sins of Prophaneness and Debauchery being wilful for Drunkards and profane Persons do not plead Ignorance and Weakness are of a more malignant Nature than sins of Ignorance though such as was not altogether invincible Doctor Burnet the Bishop of Salisbury 's Exhortation to Peace and Vnion p. 34. Let us also consider one another as Brethren let us bear with one anothers infirmities let us give some allowances to the weakness of those that are mislead by the force of Education and the byas of Vulgar prejudices Serious and Compassionate Enquiry p. 204. He that pleads for Compassion upon the account of his weakness must first willingly submit himself to Instruction Secondly Be uniformly Conscientiious Thirdly He will do all that he can if he cannot do all that is commanded Fourthly He may forbear judging and censuring them that do all that the Law commands Fifthly Will freely part with Money and Worldly Matters to preserve his own Innocency and Peace Again If after all my Endeavours of satisfying my self to obey the Humane Law the thing commanded seem unlawful I say this case is pityable Disobedience then will be only a Sin of Infirmity which is pityable among Men upon consideration of common Humanity and is pardonable with God as other Errors are on a general Repentance Mr. Dodwel 's Letters about Holy Orders When you have reduced them i. e. the Minister the Persons in his Parish to this Excellent Temper as p. 19. to practise the common Duties of Christianity if you could not perswade them to assent to what you say through the weakness of their understandings or your unskilfulness to plead for a good Cause i. e. Conformity with Advantage you must needs conclude them invincibly Ignorant and therefore Excusable before God in this regard as well as positively acceptable in others and therefore must be as Charitable in your Judgment as you believe God will prove favourable in his Final Sentence Mr. Smithies Spirit of Meekness p. 68. As the Galathians were overtaken in a fault Gal 6.1 So we must account them likewise who have dissented from us When Men are guilty of Errors of Practice they are wilful and obstinate for they know they are wrong c. But no Man runs wilfully into an Error of Judgment but it 's through the weakness of Judgment and instability of mind for which he is to be pitied Idem p. 70. I mention these instances because some Men will not be perswaded that there is any thing but wilfulness and obstinacy that is the cause of Mens Dissenting and therefore they ought not to be treated with the Spirit of Meekness p. 71. If we consider what Education many have had we may well conclude that they were overtaken in the fault of Separation not that it was a wilful choice Mr. Kettlewel 's Measure of Christian Obedience Edit 2. p. 494. Some prejudices get into Mens Minds not through any thing of an evil and disobedient Heart but only through weakness of the Understanding they are not of an understanding sufficient to examine things exactly when they embrace their prejudice for their reason is dim and short sighted weak and unexperienced unable throughly to search into the Nature of things and to judge of the various weight and just force of Reasons to sift and ransack separate and distinguish between Solidity and Shew Truth and Falshood p. 496 Idem p. 117. Love to others produces in us if they have honest Hearts but yet are weak in Judgment and Knowledge a Compassionate sence of their weakness and endeavours to relieve them Argument for Tol and Indulg in difference not of Faith but of Opinions Print 81. It pleasing God in Infinite Goodness to respect the Will the Intention the sincere Endeavour of his Servants and for the rest to put upon Humane Weakness and Infirmity that Weakness and Infirmity which he will pardon and if God himself have so much Tenderness and Compassion for Humane Weakness and Imperfection shall Men themselves have none for one another p. 5. Item 13. And certainly it would much import to healing our breaches and to lay the Heats and Animosities that Reign among us if we more regarded the Conscience they who do dissent from us do make and the good Designs and Ends they aim at than the very Opinions and Practices themselves in which they dissent For in the former all good Christians agree and in the latter will ever differ We ought highly to honour Tenderness of Conscience and Intentions directed to the Glory of God and the Common Good of the Church and of the World wherever we find them Mr. Hoffman 's Consider of present use on Rom. 15.6 7. That the strong ought to bear with the weak c. p. 18. By the weak I mean those which are really so and not such as use it for an obstinate and ungovernable pretence When we hear a Man sincerely from the bottom of his Heart saying That he cannot think that indifferent which others do that he cannot admit things that are really lawful in others Opinions to appear so in his A Man that is strong ought to pity such a ones weakness Item p. 21. They seem to be in earnest when their blindness will inable them to part with that which is dear to them rather than obey Mr. Allen late of Henfield in Sussex Pref. to his Sermon We desire the trouble of none that are peaceable Thus you have seen how the Conformists plead for favour to them in the general and sure it might be as useful and beneficial to the Church in this particular Condescention to their weakness as any other Besides all this I could show out of the Works of Eminent Conformists that it is acknowledged by them that there are Good and Worthy Men among the Dissenters from the Church of England And why should not some consideration be had of them and somewhat to be done for their sakes who are prized by Conformists as Men of Worth and Goodness And surely it will be no loss to our Church to lose a few things that may be spared well enough if She shall gain her Brethren by that means especially when the loss is of such things as have need of an Alteration or Abrogation for the common good of
Deum Angelos No broyls no jars in Heaven nothing but Peace there and it is a kind of Heaven upon Earth when Brethren dwell together in Unity Psal 133.1 Behold how good and pleasant a thing it is c. Pleasant to behold a lovely sight to see an Army marching in an exact order and as amiable and acceptable to hear people of the same Parish Town City and Kingdom pouring out their joint requests with one Mouth and one Heart praying for the Peace and Prosperity of Zion O the Benefits of Union are unspeakably great I profess my self to stand admiring the vanity of this contentious World that values such a state no more Hear what men of the most serene temper men that aspired after it if it were possible to attain to some good degree of it or somewhat like it by living Peaceably with all men and by being Peacemakers Benefits of Peace and Vnity LOrd Bacons Essays p. 13. Speaking of Peace in the Church It containeth infinite Blessings it establisheth Faith it kindleth Charity and it turneth the Labours of Writing and Reading of Controversies into Treatises of Mortification and Devotion Bishop Andrews Sermons p. 672. The Spirit dwells not but where Unity and Love is Think of this seriously and set it down that at Salem is his Tabernacle and Salem is Peace and so the Fathers read it in pace factus est locus ejus make that place for him and he will say here is my Rest here will I dwell for I have a delight therein Mr. Vertues Plea for Peace Christ hath said Blessed are the Peace-makers they shall be called the Children of God. Matth. 5.9 As we would share in this Blessedness let it be our study Item p. 51. Would we see good and enjoy long days would we be sure that we have that Wisdom which is from above be peaceable wrangle not for trifles contend not about uncertainties Dr. Goods Firmianus Dubit antius p 165. It is not to be doubted but that Peace and Unity and Love among our selves would much dishearten those restless enemies of our Church and State c. and cause Religion and Primitive Christianity to flourish in our miserable divided Nation while that time which is now spent in vain Wranglings and unchristian Contentions would be better employed in devout Prayer Holy Meditation and Mortification of our Corruptions in Duties of Piety towards Almighty God and of Love Mercy and Charity one towards another Mr. Jekyls Sermons on Jer. 5.29 p. 30. Next to Peace with God without which all other security will prove deceitful Unity amongst our selves is certainly the most effectual thing to the making of us an happy people and till that be attained we may possibly be quiet but we shall never be safe I shall conclude this with an excellent Speech of that Pious and Peaceable Prelate Dr. Reynolds in his Sermon of Self-denyal towards the end It were worth not only our Fasting and Prayer but our Studying our Sweating our Bleeding our Dying to recover Peace to the Church and Unity amongst Brethren again I could argue also from the mischievous effects and consequences of our Divisions that the case of our Church must be very sad and deplorable while our Divisions and Confusions in matters of Religion continue Malorum ilias a multitude of evils throng in upon a Church through its unchristian Divisions A divided state is an unhappy state it is a state of Separation from God as well as from their Brethren Bishop Andrews Sermons p. 672. And what is there would sooner grieve him the Holy Spirit and make him to quit us than discord or disunion Among divided men or minds he will not dwell not but where Unity and Love is They may talk of the Spirit without these in vain To say Truth who would be hired to dwell in Meshecks Psal 120.5 where nothing is but continual jars and jangles Such places such men are even as Torida Zona not habitable by the Spirit by this Spirit But for the Spirit of Division ut habitet inter eos Daemon a fit place for the Devil to dwell among such And surely he that hath an heart affected with any sense of the miserable case of our divided Church though blessed be God not in so lamentable a case now as in former years he that hath any concern for it must needs be convinced that we are not well cannot be well in our multiplicity of Divisions The Lord Chancellor Hides Speech to the Parliament 1660 He calls it a sad Consideration that must make every Religious Heart to bleed to see Religion which should be the strongest or Obligations and cement of Affection and Brotherly kindness and Compassion made by the perverse wranglings of passionate and froward Men the Ground of all Animosity Hatred Malice and Revenge My Lords and Gentlemen saith he this Disquisition hath cost the King many a sigh many a sad hour when he hath considered the almost irreparable Reproach the Protestant Religion hath undergone from the Divisions and Distractions which have been so notorious in this Kingdom Bishop Saunderson 's Sermons ad Aulam Serm. 9. Sect. 30 Odious to God and grievous to every Godly Man it is when such Voices as these are heard in the Church I am of Paul and I am of Cephas and I of Apollo Mr. Baxter in the Life of Sir Matthew Hale saith that he much lamented that so many Ministers were silenced the Church weakned Papists strengthned the cause of Love and Piety greatly wronged and hindred by the present differences about Conformity Doctor Good 's Firmianus Dubitantius c. p. 152 'T is indeed much to be lamented that we should quarrel about Mint and Cummin to the prejudice of the more weighty and material duties and scandal of our Religion Causes of the decay of Christian Piety p. 424. Amidst all our importunate pretences to Piety if there be indeed any such thing amongst us methinks it should give us some relentings make us sadly consider what a deplorable Condition we have brought that very Religion into by our Divisions Bishop of Salisbury 's Exhortation to Peace and Vnity p. 30. There have arisen among us such heats so much bitterness so violent an aversion to one another that it must needs beget great Grief and sad Apprehensions in all that look on and judge impartially Principles and Practices of some Mod. c. p. 4. It pains me to the Heart when I consider to what a prodigious heighth about matters in Religion our feuds are grown and how utterly averse the too many Sects and Parties we are crumbled into are to entertain thoughts of Peace and Accommodation Vnity of the Catholick Church p. 1. Whosoever with an Impartial Eye and a truly Religious concern for the Honour of God the Credit of the Gospel and the Salvation of Men looks into the State of Christendom he will scarce find any greater cause of sorrowful Reflections than from the many Divisions and
that Jehosaphat and his Jews needed not to strike a stroke 2 Chron. 20.3 Isa 9.21 Gal. 5.15 It is a Dutch device and a good one to this purpose of two earthen pots swimming on the water frangimur si collidimur we are broken all to pieces if we clash one against another Idem p. 31. Besides that God doth often punish breaches and divisions in the Church among Christians by raising up some storm against them which may teach them better to agree we being in this too like to Sheep which on a fair Sun-shine day are scattered each from other upon the Mountains but a storm brings them together So doth Eusehius relate that the Church enjoyed much peace and freedom immediately before the Perfection raised against it by Dioclesian and making no better use of it than to fall asunder into Divisions and Factious Contentions instantly God took a course by way of punishment to cover the Daughter of Zion with a Cloud in his Anger and to cast down from Heaven to Earth the beauty of Israel and not to remember his footstool in the day of his Anger setting up the Right-hand of his Churches enemies and making their adversaries to rejoyce Lam. 2.1 Psal 39.42 Mr. Ward of Ipswich 's Sermons p. 253. Charity Charity is the builder of Churches Strife about trifles hath wasted many famous ones and placed the Temple of Mahomet where the Golden Candlestick was wont to stand We pity the former Ages contending about leavened and unleavened Bread Keeping of Easter Fasting on Sundays the future Ages will do the like by us Pygots Abuers Plea for Accommodation in 43. p. 33. Take heed your private dissentions do not expose you as a prey to the common adversary I remember the dying Fathers admonition to his Sons Having call'd them all together he caused a Faggot to be brought into the Room and commanded the stoutest of them to break it they tryed one after another but none of them could do it then he bade them undo the band and take them stick by stick and so they snapped them asunder like a twined thread Thus shall it be with you my Sons saith the Old Man when I am dead if you continue united and knit together in the bond of Peace and Love no Enemies shall be able to hurt you but if you once break the bond and fall into differences among your selves you 'l presently be broken to pieces and come to nothing Item p. 42. The wild Boar of the Forest I mean the Turk had never made such inrodes into Christendom had it not been for the dissention of Christian Brethren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vpon the Rebellion in Ireland Ejac. 3. Because we have not more loved thy Truth and practiced in Charity thou hast suffered a Spirit of error and bitterness of mutual and mortal hatred to arise among us Bishop Reynolds Broth. Agreement p. 18. Cites holy Cyprian who in his time looked upon it as one great cause of that sore Persecution which God sent upon the Church Had Unanimity and Peace said he been amongst the Brethren we had long ago obtained our Petitions from Divine Mercy neither had we been thus long tossed with those Tempests which endanger our Faith and Salvation Imo vero nec venissent Fratribus haec mala si in unum fraternitas at fuisset animata Bishop Hacket on Acts 15.39 p. 8 9. The passage is well known about Constantine the Great how he remov'd from his Palace in the East because every corner of the Imperial City was filled with adverse disputations about Religion much more you may presume that God will depart from that Church where the flames of notorious discords are Causes of decay of Christian Piety p. 304. As to the extirpation of the Eastern Churches he that shall examine the Records of those Times will have cause to say their janglings and divisions were not only in a Moral and Divine but even in a proper natural sence the Instruments of it the Turk only coming in at those breaches which themselves have made Glanvells Cath. Charity p. 17. The greatest evils that have or can happen to the Church have been the effects of the decay of Charity and of those intestine divisions that have grown up in it From these she hath always suffered more than from external Persecutions The flames within have consumed her when those from without have only sing'd her garments Bishop of Salisbury 's Exhort to Peace and Vnion on Matth. 12.25 p. 3. There is nothing that defeats the end of Religion more and doth more naturally lead to all manner of sin and impieties which must end in Temporal as well as Eternal ruine then our Divisions Pag. 9. In Divisions either party will be so intent on their little designs that the whole may perish and they will bite and devour one another till they are either consumed one of another or made an easie Conquest to those that both see and improve all their advantages Item Exhort p. 10 11. The. Africans continued quarrelling about Cecilian and his ordainers till the Vandals came and destroyed both the one and the other Item p. 11. And can we think without astonishment that the difference of the Procession of the Holy Ghost could ever have rent the Greek and Latin Churches so violently one from another that the Latins rather than assist the other look'd on till they were destroyed by the Ottoman Family which has ever since been so terrible a Neighbour to the rest of Europe Mr. Hesketh on Lam 3.20 21. p. 25. It were seasonable to have made some reflections upon the unchristian heats and unreasonable differences that are among us things that render us not only sinners but great fools and plain contrivers for our own Ruine For these are evils that will destroy us alone and by their own weight sink us into destruction Divided Societies last not long the experience of all Ages confirms it for a Truth and I do not see what reason we have to expect an exemption from the common fate Dr. Mores Mystery of Iniquity p. 554. What harm is it to presage so well of the Reformation as that after the decursion of the years of their Childhood God will ripen them into a more Manly sence of the great and indispensable Duties of the Gospel that he will not tolerate nor connive any longer at their Childish squabling about Nut-shells Counters and Cherry-stones and menace them even with destruction if they leave not off their animosities and asperities of mind about toys and trifles and hold fast to the Royal Law of Love If ye bite and worry one another take heed that ye be not consumed one of another Gal. 5.15 Mr. Hancocks Sermon on Luke 19.42 If the judgments of God which we have already groaned under cannot sure the dangers that threaten us and our Religion might help to abate our heats and suppress our differences Did not Christianity decay in the Church of Corinth as their Schisms
Communion is and the real exercise of Charity in leaving every one free is every whit as suitable to this solemn performance as the most exquisite Uniformity if devoid of the Spirit of Meekness and mutual forbearance Item To the same purpose about the Cross Unity of Hearts being better than Uniformity in Actions indifferent there ought to be no breach nor quarrel about these things By an high value of the indispensables of Christianity and of the tender regard to the Consciences of men the Minister will conciliate more authority to himself than if he drew too hard to an uniform complyance in things where Christ hath left us free True state of the Primitive Church p 20. Let us be men of understanding men in Devotion be zealous and hold fast the substantial parts of Religion and let us leave it to Women and Children to contend about Ceremonies Let it be indifferent to us whether this or that or no Ceremony whether Kneel or not Kneel Bow or not Bow Surplice or no Surplice Cross or no Cross Ring or no Ring Let us give Glory to God in all and no offence to our Brethren in any thing Doctor Stillingfleets Irenicum p. 65. He must be a great stranger in the Primitive Church that takes not notice of the great diversity of Rites and Customs used in particular Churches without censuring of those that differ'd from them or if any by inconsiderate Zeal did proceed so far how ill it was represented by other Christians And he concludes with that Divine Aphorism of St. Austin Indignum â—sr ut propter ea quae nos Deo neque digniores c. It is an unworthy thing for Christians to condemn and judge one another for those things which do not commend us unto God. To the same purpose in Vnreasonableness of Separation That the Cross be left at liberty as the Parents desire it or wholly taken away Pref. p. 83. Edit 3. King Charles II. Declaration at Breda Agreed to leave the Ceremonies at liberty Dr. Rudde Bishop of St. Davids Speech in the Convocation 1604. In the life time of the late Archbishop then Whitgift these things were not so extreamly urged but that many Learned Preachers enjoyed their Liberty therein conditionally that they did not by word nor deed disgrace or disturb the State established King Charles II. Declaration from Breda None shall be denied the Lords Supper for not Kneeling none compelled to use the Cross it shall be Lawful to him that desires to use the Cross to have such Ministers as will use it and if the proper Minister refuse to get another None compell'd to bow at the name of Jesus The Surplice left to liberty except in the Royal Chappel Cathedrals and Universities Another Argument The mischief to the Church hath been very great from these Ceremonies especially from the Cross First as to the Imposition though the present Fathers of the Church have signified their consent unto a due liberty to Dissenters and some Indulgence to them beyond their Predecessors yet several Ministers in Queen Elizabeths and King James I. Reign and that of King Charles I. and at King Charles II. Return have been turned out of their Benefices and silenced for Nonconformity to these Ceremonies although the Church of England confesseth them to be but things indifferent And it were hard for refusing upon a Conscientious account to submit to things indifferent to have one of the greatest punishments inflicted on a man Suspension and Deprivation even as Conformists would many of them think it hard to be Silenced for not assenting to the Perseverance of the Saints or any other of the five points according to the common sense or notion of our Dissenting Brethren Secondly These Ceremonies have been as it were a bone of Contention thrown in between Conformists and Nonconformists Zanchies Letter to Queen Elizabeth 1571. tells her This Counsel about strict Imposition of Ceremonies will trouble the publick Peace of the Church by causing contentions among men and cause them to write Books one against another about things indifferent which are the Golden Apples of Contention Many an hot Dispute and Conference there hath been and Books wrote for and against them with bitterness of Spirit some contending as earnestly about these indifferent things as about matters of Faith as if the very Life and Soul of Religion lay in them and as if the cause of Christ and our Protestant Reformation were to stand or fall with them The Ceremony of the Cross hath been as vexatious to our Church as ever the difference about the Jewish Ceremonies of Days and Meats was in the time of the Apostles which occasioned a Council at Jerusalem Acts 15. so many Chapters in St. Pauls Epistle and such contention among them Thirdly Much time hath been spent to little purpose or profit in Reading or Studying these matters Oh the many that have wrote for and against No little time doth it cost men in Writing as Bishop Mourton Dr. Bourges for Dr. Ames against them and others nay every Book for or against Conformity as God knows there are abundance of them upon these fruitless Controversies makes the Ceremonies materiam contentionis matter of the Controversie and it calleth for a part and a considerable share in the Book Time also spent in Reading and Studying the point and there must be Prayer to be led by the Spirit to find out the Truth for satisfaction The time also which is spent in Preaching on this point for it is commanded in the Canons I say this rime would be much better spent in reading the Bible with Comments or Treatises of Divinity and so be Redeemed for Eternity which now men are necessitated to spend for satisfaction herein All this a great deal or a considerable portion of time may be better improved if this Ceremony be taken away And then as my Lord Bacons Essays p. 13. Speaking of Peace in the Church It turneth the labours of Writing and Reading Controversies into Treatises of Mortification and Devotion Again The strict exaction of these Ceremonies hath occasioned some to cry them up as if a considerable part of Ministers Conformity to the Laws of God and Man lay therein when in truth it is a very inconsiderable part And some have sought to get into favour with greater Persons and attain Preferment by a niceness and strict observance of every Punctilio about the Ceremonies exacting perhaps a more strict Obedience to these than to the Laws of God. And he shall pass for an obedient and very good Son of the Church with some that is a zealous stickler for these though he be loose in his Life formal in his Religion and uncharitable to those that differ from him Again Some have declared that they Cannot joyn with us in Baprism suffering their Children to be Baptized by Conforming Ministers because of the Sign of the Cross which they in their Consciences cannot allow of nor joyn in the Lords Supper because of Kneeling