Neal - Houston-Packer Collection BX9333 .N4 1754 v1

444 The HISTORY of the PURITANS. Chap. I: ,Kingjamesl. oo adminiftered without the crofs, nor the Lord's fupper but to fuch as ICw _) " kneel ; and therefore they are unlawful." Their fourth is taken from hence, that no rites or ecclefia/lical orders fhould be ordained or ufd, but fuch as are needful and profitable, andfor edification; and efpecially, that nonefhould be ordained or ufed that caufe cf_ p 45. fence, and hinder edification, Rom. xiv. 21. I Cor. x. 23, 32. " Now, " the ceremonies in queftion are neither needful nor profitable, nor do " they tend to edification ; but on the contrary, have given great offence, " as appears from hence, that verymany of the learned and heft expe- le riènced miniaers in the land have chofen rather to fuller any trouble " than yield to the ufe of them ; and we doubt not to affirm, that the " greateß number of refident, able, and godly mini/iers in the landat this " day, do in their confciences dike them, andjudge them needlefs and un- " fit ; as appears by the lift of non - fubfcribers already mentioned, [p. 4f,] " befides many more, who though unwilling in fome other refpects to join in the petition, did profefs their hearty delire to have them removed. Q. 52. " And if the reft of the (hires be efteemed according to this proportion, it " will eafily appear, that the greateft number of the refident, preaching, a' and fruitful minifters of the land do diflike them. This may yet further " appear, by their feldom ufing them for many years part, and their great " unwillingnefs to yield to the ufe of them now. If they thought them " needful or profitable, whydo they neglect them in their publick miniftry " being commanded bylawful authority ? Betides, thofe very bithops that " have been moft hot in urging the ceremonies have declared, that the " church might well be without them, and have wi(hed them taken 'e away, as archbifhop Whitgift, in his defence of the anfwer to Cart- " wright's admonition, p. 259. Dr. Chadderton bifhop of Lincoln, in his " fpeech before all the minifters, convened before him at Huntingdon, November 3oth. 5604, and others in ecclefiaftical dignities have fpoken " vehemently againft them, as things that do not edify, nor have any ten- " dency to promote decency or order. dgaini the " With regard to the fürplice, they produce the teftimonies of the learn- jurptire. " ed Bucer, Peter Martyr,,Beza, Cranmer, Ridley, Hooper, and others, " for the inexpediency of it, even though they fubmitted to wear it. " Bucer lays he could be content to fuffer fome grievous lofs or pain in his body, upon condition the furplice might be abolifhed. p. 54. " The like authorities are brought againft the crofs, and againft kneel- Croft in bap- " ingat the communion, the former beinga meer invention of man, neither tknee and o taught by Chrift nor his apoftles, and the Matter being apparently diffe- kneeling at a rent from the firft inftitution they receiving it in a table- oflure and the Y g p mentse.era " it is grofs Bypocrify, fay they, for us to pretend more holinefs reve- " rence and devotion, in receiving the facrament than the apoftles, who received

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