Chap. V. T/;e HIS T 0 R Y of the PuRITAN$, 573 '' mention; the difufe of which has been the caufe of the fad divifions C King . , I d ' ft . . b b G d' bl n:: ii harles n. " of the churc 1 an the re onng Jt may e, y o s euwg, a peI66o " cial means of ;11aking up the breach. Nor can the impofition of it b.e ~: " called ricror·ous as loner as clergymen have the hberty of ufing the1r "gifts bef~e and after fe~on. Neverthelefs we are not againft reviling. " the liturgy, by fuch difcreet perfons as his majefiy fhall think fit to em- " ploy therein." III. Of ceremonies. "Lawful authority has already determined the ceremonies in quljlion to "be decent and orderly, and for edification, and confequently to be " agreeable to the general rules of the worcl. We allow the worlhip of " God is in itfelf perfeCl: in dfentiaJ,, but ftill the church is at liberty to " improve it with circumftantials for decency and order. Ceremonies " were never efieemed to beJacraments, nor impofed as fuch; they are " retained by moft protefiant churches; and that they bave been the fub– ,, jeCl: of contention is owing to mens weaknefs, and their unwillingnefs to " fubmit their private opinions to the public judgment of the church •. "We acknowledge, that thefe'things are in their nature mutable, but " we can by no means think it expedient to remove them. However as. " we are no way againft fuch a tender and religious compaffion· ill' things •• of this nature, as his majefty's piety and wifdom lhall think fit to extend ; " fo we cannot think that the fatisfatlion of fame private perfons, is to·be " laid in the balance againft the public peace and uniformity of the " church. · " As for kneeling at the Lord's fopper, it is a gell:ure of the. " greatefi reverence and devotion, and fo mofi agreeable to that holy " fervice. · " Holy days of human infiitution having been obferved by the people: " of God in the old teftament, and by our bleffed Saviour him{elf in• " the gofpel, and by all the churches of Chrifi in the primitive and· " following times, as apt means to prefcrve the memorials of the chief · " myfteries of the chrifrian religion : And fllch holy days alfo being " fit times for the honeft recreation of the meaner fort of people ; " for thefe reafons we humbly defire they. may be continued in the– "church. , '~ As for the ~hree 0ther cere~onies, theJu.rplice, the crofs after bap· ' tifm, and bowmg at the name qf Jifzu, though we fee not any. fufficient " reafon why they fhould be utterly abolifhed, neverthelefs, how far forth,. " in regard of ten~er co.nfcie~ces, a liberty may be thought fu: to be in-· "'-' dulged to any,. h1s maJefty 1s befi able to judge•. TheM'
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