BA R. T II. Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter. 24.° Tome lnconveniencies, without great and evident neceffrty, hath been by men ever accounted a thing not only Imprudent, but ofevil, and Sometimes per- nicious Contèquence. § 29. We fully agree with them in the acknowledgtnentof the King's Suprema- cy, but we leaveit to his Majefty's Prudence and Goodnefs to confider, whether for theavoidingof the offence of fome ofhis weak Subjects, he be any was' ob- liged to Repeal the Efablifhed Laws: the Repealing whereof would be probably diffatisfadlory to many more, and thofe (fo far as we are able to judge) no je1g confiderable a part of his Subjedfs. Nor do we conceive his Majesty by the Apo- (tie's either Doetrine orExample obliged to any farther Condefcention to particu- lar Perlons, thanmay be fubfervient to the general arid main Ends of Publick Go- vernment. The Lord bath entrufted.Governours to provide, nót only that Things necef- fury in God's Worfhip he dilly performed, but alto that things adVifedly enjoye. éd, thoughnot otherways neceffary, fhould be orderly and duly obfèrved. The too great negle6t whereofwould fo cut the Sinews of Authority, that it would be- come firR infirm, and then contemptible. As we are no way against fuch tender and religions Compaliion in Things of this Nature, as his Majefty's Piety and WifdomMall think fit to extend, fö we cannot think that the Satisfa&tion of fome private Perfons is to be laid in the Ba- lance againft the Publick Peace and UiSiformityof the Church; CánCerningparticitÍar C'erenlonies. g 3o. It being moil convenient that in the Adt of receiving the Lord'sSupper One and the fame Gefture fhould be uniformly ufed by all the Members of this Church ; and Kneeling having been formerly enjoined and ufed therein, as a Ge- lture of greaten Reverenceand Devotion, and fo moil agreeable to that Holy Ser- vice. And Holy-days of human Inflitution havingbeen obferved by the People of God in the Old -Testament, and by oat bleffed Saviour himfelf in the Gnfpel, and by all the Clenches ofChi ifin Primitive acid following tinges, as apt means to pre- fern the Memorials of the chief Mysteries of the Chriaian Religion. And Holy -days being alto fit times Mr the honeif Recreation of Servants, Labourers, an the meaner fort of People. For thefeRealem, and the great Satisfadkion of far the greateft part of the Peo- ple, we humbly delire (asa thing in our Judgment very expedient) that they may both be ftill continued in the Church. § 3 r. As for the otherThree Ceremonies, viz, the Surplice, Crofs after Baptifm, and bowing at the Name of Jelcs ; although we findnot here any lufficient Reafon' alledged why they fhould be utterly abolithed : Neverthelefs, how far forth in re- gardof tender Cbnfcienees a Libert may bethought fit to be indulged to any, his MajeRy, according to hisgreat Wifom and Goodnefs, is bell ableto judge. § 3z. But why they that confersthat in the Judgment of all the things here men- tioned are not robe Valued with the Peace of the Church, fhould yet after theyare eliablifhed by Law, difturie the Peace of the Church, about them, we under- ¡land not. § 33, We heartily delire that noInnovations fhould be brought into the Church, or Ceremonies whichhave no foundation in the Lawsof theLand impofed to the difturbanceof the Peace thereof. But that all Men wouldufe that Liberty that is allowed them in things indifferent, according to the Rules of Chriftian Prudence, Charityand Moderation. § 34 We are fn far trombelieving that his Majefty's Cdndefcending to thefé Demands will take away not only Differences, but the Roots and Caufes of them, that we are confident it will prove the Seminary of new Differences, both by gi- ving difilaisfaltion to thofe that are well pleafed with what is already eftablifhed who ace much the greater part of his MajeRy'` Subjeas ; and by encouraging unquiet Spirits when thefe things shall be granted,to make further Demands. There being no affurance b them given, what will contentall Diffenrers: than which no- thingis more nectffary for the fellingofa firstPeace in the Chùrche i^
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