• All Wil-worship is sinne.
• To use these Ceremonies in Church Ser­vice in manner and forme prescribed, is a Wil-worship.
• Ergo To use them is sinne.

The Proposition can not be denied, for the Apostle Paule plainly condem­neth Wil-worship.

The Assumption may thus be proved:

• All partes of Divine Service and Wor­ship, imposed only by the wil and pleasure of Man, upon the Ministers of Divine Service, and that of necessitie, to be done, is Will-worship.
• But to use these Ceremonies in manner and forme prescribed, is to use such Ce­remonies as are 1. partes of Divine Ser­vice and Worship, 2. imposed onely by the pleasure and will of Men, upon the [Page] Ministers of Divine Service, 3. 9 necessitie to bee done therein,
• Ergo, To use these Ceremonies in manner an [...] forme prescribed, is a Wil-worship.

The Proposition is as cleare as the Sunne at noone-day.

The Assumption hath three parts, 1. That they are parts of Divine Wor­ship and Service.

This is proved evidently by this Ar­gument:

• All Mysticall and Ecclesiasticall Rites and formes of Divine Service, institu­t [...]d by Ecclesiasticall authoritie, to be [...] Ministeriall actions in the solemne Worship of God, and performed in that manner, and having that use in Divine Service, that if God should but ratifie and confirme the same use, they should then be parts of his true Worship, (I say) all such Ceremonies are used as partes of Divine Worship
• But these Ceremonies in controversie, [Page] are either all, or the greatest parte of them such.
• Ergo, [...]hey are partes of Divine Worship and Service.

The Proposition cannot with any modest face bee denied; For els how [...]ould a sole Divine ratification of the present use of them, make them partes of his true Worship? if they were not used as partes of his Worship before.

The Assumption is as manifest, For if Christ should by some Revelati­on from heaven signifie, That it is his will that a Minister in Divine Service should weare a white linnen garment, In Baptisme make the signe of a Crosse, To these endes and purposes that are expressed in the Service booke, then certainly they should be essentiall parts of his Divine Worship, els the Iewish Rites and Ceremonies and our Sacra­ments are no partes thereof.

The second part of the Assumption [...] the 1. Syllogisme.

This is evident. For those things th [...] God leaves as indifferent to the wi [...] and discretion of man to doe or leav [...] undone, being imposed by man upo [...] man, are imposed onely upon the wi [...] and pleasure of man.

The 3. part of the Assumption is: ‘That they are of Necessitie to be don [...] in Divine Seruice.’

Which is also out of all doubt, For [...] Minister standes bound to doe them upon paine of suspension and depri­vation: and God must haue no so­lemne Worship in England, except it be administred in the same.

Upon all this it followes, That to use these Ceremonies in manner and forme pro­scribed, is to use such Ceremonies, as are partes of Divine worship imposed onely by the will of Man, &c.

• It is a sinne against God for him that is by way of Excellencie a servaunt of IESVS Christ, (without a precise and direct warrant from him) at any time, (espe­cially in the Solemne Worship of God) to give speciall Honour to Antichrist and his members,
• But to use these Ceremonies, is in that man­ner aforesaid, to give speciall Honour to Antichrist and his members,
• Ergo It is a sinne against God to use them.

The Proposition is manifest & cleare to any that have an eye of Reason and any light of Divinitie shyning in it. For what is a sinne if this be not: That a Servaunt of Iesus Christ, even then when hee is in the Service of Christe, should performe speciall Honour and Service to Antichrist, or any of his limmes.

The Assumption is prooved (If our adversaries will graunt it, that the Pope is Antichrist, and that all the visible members of his Church, acknowled­ging him their supreame head, are mē ­bers of him) by this reason.

• Such a Conformitie to Antichrist and his Members in the Ceremonies of Reli­gion and Forme of Divine worship, as is not only besides the word of God, but in a speciall manner derogatorie to all refor­med Churches that have departed from the Synagogue of Rome, is a speciall ho­nor to Antichrist and his members.
• But to use these Ceremonies in Divine Worship, is such a Conformitie to Anti­christ and his members,
• Ergo, To use these Ceremonies, in that manner aforesaid, is to give speciall honor to An­tichrist and his members.

The Proposition is without excep­tion: [Page] For if it should bee a speciall ho­nor to the Bishops of England & their conformed Cleargie: For the Chur­ches of Scotland, voluntarily to leave conformitie to the Churches of the low Countries, France, & Germanie, and to conforme them selves in Cere­monies, and Forme of Divine worship to the Prelaticall Cleargie of England: It must needes bee a speciall honour to Antichrist and his members, for anie to doe the like to them.

The Assumption is thus proved:

• For a Minister of Iesus Christ to con­forme him self in such peculiar Rites, Ce­remonies and formes of Divine Service to Antichrist and his members, as all o­ther reformed Churches have reiected for vaine, foolish, and superstitious, is in a speciall manner derogatorie to all other reformed Churches.
• But to use these Ceremonies in Contro­versie, is in that manner to Conforme him selfe.
• [Page]Ergo, It is in a speciall manner derogatorie to all other Reformed Churches.

Both partes of the Syllogisme are such as may easilie bee prooved, if they bee denied.

• All worship more then Civill, perfor­med to any besides God, is a sinne.
• To use these Ceremonies in manner and forme prescribed, is to performe a more then civill honor (even a Religious) onely to a humane Power and Authoritie,
• Ergo, To use these Ceremonies, is to sinne.

The Proposition needs no proofe, For there is no midle Honor betweene Civill and Divine, and therefore that which is more then Civill, is Divine. Now Divine Honor is to be givē only to God, who will not have his Glorie given unto another.

The Assumption is thus proved:

• If these Ceremonies bee Religious Cere­monies, and all Religious Ceremonies bee [Page] a part of Divine worship, performed to that authoritie that instituteth & com­maundeth them. If also the authoritie that instituteth and commandeth them, is but meerely humane, Then the Assum­ption is true.
• But the first is true:
• Ergo, The latter is true also.

The Proposition can not be denied of any reasonable creature.

The Assumption hath three partes:

This needes no proofe: For what shall we make to be Religious Cere­monies, If those Ceremonies be not, That are prescribed by the Church, to the Church only, tied to Religion on­ly, and Religious functions, offices, & persons: To be acted and performed onely in exercises of Religion and Di­vine Worship, and are mysticall sha­dowes & types of Religious Doctrine.

This neither should need any proofe, If those that are adversaries unto us in this cause, did not to much presume of the weaknes of our discourse, and the strength of their owne wit. For there being an externall Divine Worshipp which properly cōsists in the outward Rites and Ceremonies of Religion: What Ceremonies can be called parts thereof, if such Religious Ceremonies as these, bee not? For if bowing the knee, &c. in Divine Worship (though it be used also in Civill Worship) be a part of Divine Worship, much more are those Ceremonies that are peculi­arly appropriated to Divine Service & Worship, & wherein part of the forme thereof is made to consist. But it may (for further satisfying of men) be thus proved:

• All meere and immediate Actions of Re­ligion are partes of Divine Worship.
• [Page]All Religious Ceremonies, are meere and immediate Actions of Religion.
• Ergo, They are partes of Divine Worship.

Further, how can a man imagine that a meere Religious and Ecclesiasti­call Act, done by a Servant of God in the solemne Service and Worship of God, by precise Canon of the Church should be no part of Divine Worship, Sith all the solemne Rites & Ceremo­nies that are used in the solemne Ser­vices of Civil States, (especially such as are done in their presence) have bene ever reputed partes of Civill Honor & Worship.

Lastlie, considering that God in his Divine Worship, doeth require the whole heart, and all the powers of the Soule during the act of his Worship, It were great presumptiō for any mor­tall Creature, to prescribe any Action to man during the same Act that is no [Page] part thereof: Considering that every Action so prescribed must of necessitie pull a part of the heart from Divine Worshipp.

This is most certaine, for if they were [...]nstituted by Divine authoritie, They could not bee esteemed Matters indif­ferent: and should not be in the power [...]nd discretion of the Magistrate to disannull them.

• If it be lawfull for a Minister of the Go­spell without sinne to use these Ceremonies in Divine Worship: It is lawfull for him upon the same occasion to use any Iewish, Turkish, Paganish or Popish Ceremonie whatsoeuer.
• But it is not lawfull for the Minister of the Gospell to use in Divine Worship, u­pon the same occasion, any Iewish, Popish, Paganish or Turkish Ceremonie.
• Ergo, Hee cannot without sinne use these.

The Assumption cannot for shame be denied, We prove the consequent of the Proposition.

• If any Iewish, Turkish, Paganish, or Po­pish Ceremonies and Rite bee a thing in [Page] it owne Nature as indifferent as these Ceremonies are and either have, or may haue by such like institution as good use, then the consequent of the Proposition is true.
• But the first is true.
• Ergo, The latter is true also.

The Proposition, as I think, cannot be denied nor the Assumption, but by bringing som contrarie instance in som of their Ceremonies: When any such [...]hall be given, this Argument shalbee [...]urther prosecuted.

• Everie scismaticall action done by a Mi­nister of the Gospell is a Sinne.
• To use these Ceremonies in controversie are scismaticall actions.
• Ergo, To use these Ceremonies is Sinne.

The Proposition will bee graunted. I must proove the Assumption.

• All Actions of irregularitie and n [...] cōformitie to the Catholike church wherin we liue, are scismaticall Actions.
• To use these Ceremonies in controversie, are actions of irregularitie, and non conformitie to the Catholike church wherei [...] we live.
• Ergo, The use of these Ceremonies in controversie are scismaticall Actions.

The Proposition cannot be denie [...] for if we be branded with the cole [...] [Page] scisme iustly, for denying cōformitie in some Ceremonies, but to some of our owne particular Churches wherein we live, though we be content, to ioyne with them that use thē in Divine wor­ship: much more scismatiks are they that are not conformable in Rites and Ceremonies to the Catholike Church wherein they live.

I proove the Assumption.

• If all the Protestants, Pastors, Ministers & Governors living this day in Europe, and all the painefull resident Pastors of our owne countrey (except some Nonresi­dents, Idoll shepheards, som that depend upon the prelacie, and some other that are forced and constreyned to use them a­gainst their will) doe not only refuse to use these Ceremonies, but esteeme them vaine, foolish and superstitious: Then the use of these Ceremonies are actions of irregularitie and non Conformitie to the Catholike Church.
• [Page]But the first wilbe prooved true,
• Ergo, The latter is true also.

The Proposition is evident, by their owne principles: For an irregularitie & non-Conformitie to the Pastors and Governours of Churches, is an irregu­laritie and non-Conformitie to the Churche, for they are reputed the CHVRCH REPRESENTATIVE: and if they be to be anathematized, & ex­cōmunicated that deny The Bishops and other Ministers assembled in the Cōvocation, to be the Church of En­gland representative, then surely are all the Pastors of the visible Churches in Europe, the Catholike Church repre­sentative, & those particular Ministers in this Realme, that shall use not onely different Ceremonies; but such as they have renounced and forsaken, are scis­matikes and irregular persons.

The Assumption is evident in it self.

• All spirituall Communion with those Idolatours amongst whom we live in the mysteries of their Idolatrie and Supersti­tion, is sinne.
• To use these Ceremonies in Divine wor­ship, is a spirituall Communion with the Idolatrous Papistes (That doe not onely border round about us, but are tollera­ted in infinite numbers to live amongest us) in the mysteries of their Idolat. and Superstition.
• Ergo, To use these Ceremonies is to sinne.

The Proposition is his M. own, if Ma­ster B. have made a true report of the Cōference at Hampt. Court, for there­in his Ma. confesseth, That if wee lived amongst Idolators, we ought not then to communicate with them in their Rites and Ceremonies.

The Assumption is thus prooved.

• If Papistes be Idolators, if we be not onely in league with whole kingdomes of Pa­pistes bordering upon us and neare unto us, but have many Thousande professed ones living amongst us: if these Ceremo­nies be speciall mysteries of their Supersti­tion if to use the same Rites that they do in theirs in our spirituall and Divine Service, he spiritually to communicate with them in the same: Then is the Sen­tence of the Assumption true.
• But wee shall be able to prove, as sone as any shall deny, that the first and every parte and parcell thereof is true.
• Ergo, The later is true also.

• To mingle Profane things with Divine, is to sinne.
• To use these Ceremonies in Divine Worship is to mingle Profane things with Divine.
• Ergo, To use these Ceremonies in Divine Worship, is to sinne.

The Proposition shineth in the eyes of the very Heathen, who have estee­med it a dishonor to their Religion & worshippe, that any profane persons should be Actors in it, much more that any profane Actions should bee min­gled with it.

The Assumption is thus proved.

• All peculiar Actions done in Divine Worship, that are neither Civill nor holy, are profane.
• These Ceremonies are peculiar actions done [Page] in Divine Worship, that are neither ci­vill nor holy.
• Ergo, They are Profane.

The Proposition cannot with any shew of reason be denied, there being no meane betweene these in such acti­ons as are prescribed to be done in Di­vine Service by Canon and Law: For though spitting, coughing, hemming, &c. if they be used for necessitie, bee neither civill, holy, nor profane Acti­ons: Yet if there should be an Ecclesi­asticall Canon that should require the Minister to spit at every full period; or the people to hem, and hauke at every trāsition in a Sermon, they must needs then be referred to one of these three heades, as shall easily be proved if it be denyed.

The Assumption is as cleare.

For first his Ma. (with words of great disgrace and contempt of those, that [Page] hold the contrarie): hath lately prote­sted that they are not urged as holy & Religious matters: And that they are not Civill Actions, hath beene pro­ved before, for there beeing an op­position in Reason betweene things Civill & Ecclesiasticall, though they haue some things com­mon to both (as all opposites haue) yet it is ridiculous to affirme that those things are Civill, that are meerely Ec­clesiasticall, and are Actions peculiarly appropriated and tied to Divine Wor­ship: For Civill Actions, are performed in Civill affaires, and though there is a common Civilitie also to be observed even in Divine matters: Yet those A­ctions cannot be called Civill, that are used onely in Divine Offices and du­ties, no more then those can be called Ecclesiasticall and Divine that are used onely in Civill affaires. For it may be affirmed by as good reason, that an Ec­clesiasticall [Page] Officer imployed onely in Ecclesiasticall matters, is a Civill Offi­cer only. Or a Civill Officer imployed onely in Civill matters is an Ecclesi­asticall Officer only; as that a meere Ec­clesiasticall action, done in and by the Church onely, should be a Civill Acti­on.

• If it be lawfull to use these Ceremonies in Divine worship, it is therefore lawfull be­cause they are either lawfull in them­selves; or being things in their owne Na­ture indifferent, are made lawfull by the commaundment of the Magistrate to bee used in Divine Service.
• But they are neither lawfull in them­selves to be used, nor therefore lawfull be­cause the Magistrate commaundes them so to be used, though they bee Matters in their owne Nature indifferent.
• Ergo, They are unlawfull to be used in Divine Worship.

The Proposition I think can not be denied, when it is, I hope it may bee prooved.

The first part of the Assumption is [Page] cleare: For if they were in themselves lawfull, to be used, then might a Mini­ster of the Gospel being left to his own discretion, by the Magistrate, invent, institute, and use the like Ceremonies, in the same maner without sinne. For any man left to him selfe, may lawfully doe that which of it selfe is lawfull and indifferent. But a Minister should sinne against God, if hee should of his owne head institute, & use the like Ceremo­nies to these, though permitted by the Magistrate; Except wee should hold, that it is lawfull, for a Minister to doe any indifferent thing in Gods Service, for a man may of any indifferent thing, make a Ceremonie like unto one of these.

The second part of the Assumption is thus proved.

• If they bee therefore lawfull, because beeing things in their owne Nature indifferent, the Magistrate commaunds [Page] them to be done in Divine Service, Then whatsoever thing (being in it owne Na­ture indifferent) is or shalbe commaun­ded by the Magistrate is lawfull to bee done in Divine Service.
• But all things that are in them selves mat­ters indifferent, are not lawfull to bee done in Divine Service, though the Ma­gistrate should commaund them.
• Ergo, They are not therefore lawfull to be used in Divine service, because the Magistrate commandes them, though they be things in their owne nature indifferent.

The Proposition cannot be denied, For if some things indifferent in their owne Nature being commaunded by the Magistrate, are unlawfull: It can be no good Argumēt to say, These things being indifferent are commaunded by the Magistrate. Ergo,

They may lawfully be done. Much-lesse therefore they ought to be done. [Page] Or as the Doctors of Oxef. affirme that they binde the conscience.

The Assumption is more cleare then the Proposition. If it be considered either what things are indifferent in­deed, or goe under the name and title of indifferent things. Eating & drinc­king; the avoiding the superfluities of Nature; due benevolence betweene man and wife; spinning and carding; killing of Oxen and sheep, &c. which of themselves have in them neither vertue nor vice, are therfore indifferent Actions; and yet I thinke none except professed Atheistes, but will hold it a foule sinne to doe some of these Acti­ons in any Assembly, much more in the solemne worship of God, though the Magistrate should commaund the same even upon paine of death. But if it be further considered, That Carding and Dicing, Masking and Dauncinge; for Men to put on Woomens apparell, [Page] and women mens: Drincking to healthes; Ribald, Stage-playes, &c. are things indifferent to be done even vpō the Lords owne day: May a Minister of the Gospell uppon the Magistrates commaundement doe any of these in Divine Worship. And yet ther is none of these, but may have applied unto them by the Witt of Man, a Mysticall and Religious Sence; and then by this Bish. of Canterburies Rule, They must needes be good and lawfull Ceremo­nies: for his principall Argument to proove them lawfull at his last Cōven­tion of London Ministers before him, was this.

• They are Ceremonies that teach good Doctrine,
• Ergo They are good Ceremonies.

Whereas the filthiest actions and thinges that are may teach good do­ctrine. The holy Ghost resembleth the [Page] soule polluted with sinne, to a men­strous cloth: A man fallen againe into sinne, to a Sowe wallowing in the mire: might therfore a filthie sow and such uncelane clothes be brought into the Church, to be visible shadowes, & representations of such thinges? Nay, what may not by this meanes bee brought into Gods worship, & yet by this reason be defended to bee a good Ceremonie if the Magistrates and Bi­shops should decree the same? A fooles coate and a beggers, worne in Divine Service, may fitly teach this doctrine Not many Wise, not many Noble: A Minister clothed in such apparel as those that act the Divels part in a playe may teach this, That by Na­ture we are lymmes of Sathan and fire­brands of hell, Men might weare Wo­mens apparell, and Womens Men, The one to teach, That the Church is Christes Wife; The other to teache, [Page] That Women in Christ are equall to Men. Beare-bayting may teache us, How Christ was bayted before the Tribunals of the Pharisies, or the com­bate betweene the flesh and the spirit. But the grossenes of these Assertions will appeare in our Speciall Reasons a­gainst the Ceremonies in particular.

• To Administer unto the Church of God, Sacramentes that are not of Divine in­stitution, is to sinne.
• To use divers of these Ceremonies, viz. The Crosse in Baptisme, the Ring in Ma­riadge, the Surplice, &c. is to admini­ster unto the Church of God Sacraments that are not of Divine institution:
• Ergo, To use these Ceremonies, is to sinne.

The Proposition is graunted of all, both Papist and Protestant.

The Assumption is thus prooved.

• All mysticall bodily Rites and Signes of spirituall grace, administred to the Church of God in his solemne service, to confirme grace, and that by him that re­presentes the person of Christ, are Sacra­mentes.
• [Page]The greatest part of these Ceremonies in controversie are such, & not of any Di­vine Institution.
• Ergo, To use them, is to administer Sacra­mentes that are not of Divine Institu­tion.

The Proposition is most evident, & can not bee denied of any that beares the face of a Divine.

The Assumption is as evident, only this one clause may bee doubted of: Whether these Ceremonies bee admi­nistred to confirme Grace, whiche is thus proved.

• Those Ceremonies that are administred to edifie the soule and consciences, are ad­ministred to confirme grace.
• These Ceremonies are administred to e­difie the soule and conscience.
• Ergo, They are administred to confirme Grace.

The Proposition can not with a­nie colour be excepted against. For to edifie the soule, to confirme grace in the soule, and to feede the soule, are e­quivalent.

The Sacrament of the Supper ther­fore being for this onely cause a Sacra­ment, because it is a Mysticall Rite, whereby the soule spiritually feedeth uppon Christ. i. is edified in Christ: These being Mystical Rites also, wher­by the soule is edified, which it cannot be but also by feeding upon Christ, It must needes follow, That these Cere­monies are Sacramentes.

The Assumption is their owne, for when they are urged with this, That all things must be done to edification, They hold all with one consent, That they doe edifie.

• It is a Sinne against Christ the sole Head of the Church, For any one of his Mini­sters, (especially in the Administration of Divine things) either by Worde or Signes, solemnely to professe and acknow­ledge a spirituall Homage, to a usurped spirituall authoritie in the Church.
• But to use these controverted Ceremonies in manner and forme prescribed, is even in the solemne Service of Christ, by so­lemne Signes, to acknowledge a spirituall Homage, to the spirituall authoritie of Lord Archbishops and Bishops, which is usurped.
• Ergo, It is a sinne to use these Ceremonies.

The Proposition may not be gaine­said: For all spirituall power usurped over the Churches of God, is an An­tichristian authoritie, and to professe spirituall homage thereunto, is to pro­fesse [Page] spirituall homage unto Antichrist, which must needs be a sinne.

The Assumption hath two partes.

Which is most evident; for it ha­ving bene proved before, that they are meere Ecclesiasticall, Religious & spiri­tuall Actions, injoyned by an Ecclesi­asticall and spirituall authoritie, They must needes be Signes of spirituall ho­mage to the same authoritie. For either the doing of a Religious and spirituall Action, in obedience to a spirituall au­thoritie, is a Signe of spirituall homage, or no Actions can bee a Signe thereof. As therefore a serving man being a ci­vill person, upon the Bishops pleasure, wearing a Tawnie Cote, and a Chaine of Golde, holding vp his Trayne, Go­ing bare-headed before him; holding a [Page] Trencher at his Table: lighting him to the house of office: dressing his meate, rubbing his Horses, &c. doeth by these Actions, as it were by solemne Signes acknowledge Civill homage to him, being a Civill Lord and Maister: So a Minister of the Gospell and a Pastor of a particular Congregation, beeing by his office a mere spirituall man; beeing commaunded by the Bishop, as he is a spirituall Lord and Maister over the Church of God, To weare a Tippet, a square cap, a Priestes Gowne & Cloke, a Surplice: to make Crosses upō childes faces; To put Rings on Brides fingers, &c. and all this in their Divine Service. I say a Minister doeth thereby give so­lemne Signes and Tokens of spirituall homage to their spirituall Lordships, e­ven as by preaching the Word & Ad­ministration of Sacramentes & prayer, he professeth by solemne Signes a spi­rituall homage to the spirituall autho­ritie of Christ.

If they shall peremptorilie affirme, That they are onely Civill matters (as some in high place have done to my self) Then this will follow of it; Wher­as the Bishops commaunde now Mi­nisters To weare a Surplice, a Priestes Cloke, &c. hee may commaund them to weare Tawnie Cotes, & livry clokes; & in their courses to waite and attend upon him, as serving Creatures: For there is no more civill authoritie shew­ed in requiring the one, thē the other, If the one as well as the other bee civill matters. Neither will it helpe their cause, That the Magistrate requireth these things to be done. For the Magi­strate com̄aunding Ecclesiasticall mat­ters to be done, his commaundement doth no more make them civill, thē his commanding the Sacraments & other partes of Divine worship to bee admi­nistred, duly doeth make them, civill matters. For the ratificatiō by civill au­thoritie the Constitutions of Ecclesia­sticall [Page] authoritie, doeth no more make them civill matters thē the ratification and confirmation of civill matters, by Ecclesiasticall authoritie doeth make them Ecclesiasticall or spirituall mat­ters. Though therefore there is none of us that stande out in these matters, but have ever been content to yeeld unto their Lordships all civill honor, such as is given to Barons, Earles, Dukes, and Princes, yet except they were Gods & Christes, wee have no reason, to give spirituall homage unto them; which is it that in very deede they require in these things: And therefore hence it comes to passe, That as they turne out of their Pallaces, Those servauntes that refuse their liveries, and to doe their ci­vill Services, So as though they were Lords & Masters in the Church, They turne the Ministers out of their offices, & shut them out of the Church, if they refuse to weare their spirituall Liveries, and to doe them spirituall and Religi­ous [Page] Service. But I come to the second part of the Assumption.

This is sufficiently proved of late by Mai. Iacob in his I. Assertion by many reasons, Onely because the weight of the Argument leaneth upon it, I will use one Reason.

• Those Officers and Rulers in the Church that make claime to be of Divine institu­tion, chalenge to them selves Apostolicall authoritie and Iurisdiction as the onely Successours of the Apostles; to sitt onely in Moses chaire; To have sole power of the Keys; To cut from the visible Church, & receyue againe: To haue power of creating & displacing all other Ecclesiasticall Of­ficers; To bee the Vniversall Pastors of whole Dukedomes and Kingdomes, un­der whom all other Pastors are as Cu­rates, &c. And yet for all this, are such [Page] as stand & are supported only by humane Traditions and Ceremonies, such as a ci­vill Magistrate may without sinne, put out of the Church, And such as the true Churches of God may renounce (and yet continue the true Church) as Antichri­stian Vsurpers and spirituall Tyrants. (I say) all such Officers & Rulers exercise a usurped authoritie in the Church:
• But our Archbishops & Bishops are such Rulers and Officers as are aforesaid.
• Ergo, They execute a Vsurped power over the Church.

The Proposition may easily be iusti­fied. For it inferiour officers, viz. Pa­stors of particular Congregations, have had and may have firme continuance in the Church, without these humane devises & inventions; If the Magistrate cannot without sinne put them out of the Church; And if those can bee no true Churches that renounce to haue [Page] perticular Pastors and Ministers over them, It must much more hold in such church-Officers & Rulers as these are, if their authoritie be lawfull and good: For whilest the Apostles lived, They needed not any humane Traditions & divises to support their authoritie: The Magistrates that sought to putt them downe sinned with a high hande: And that was no Church, that renounced and disclaimed their Office, Authoritie and Iurisdiction.

The Assumptiō is as easilie iustified. For 1. They make claime and Title to all those Prerogatives before rehearsed in the first part of the Proposition, and unto more then that, as shalbe proved if it be denied, 2. It is an Embleme of their own, NO CEREMONIE, NO BISHOP. Ergo, No humane Tradition and Invention, no Bishop, Ergo, The office of a Bishop is supported by them either only or specially. 3. Their [Page] Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction is derived from the King, els it is a flat deniall of his Supremacie. Also them selves graūt in their last Tables of Discipline, That the King hath power to increase or di­minish the Circuit of a Bishopricke: That he may make two or more Bi­shopricks of one, & one Bishoprick to be two or more: Yea what should hin­der but that he may divide the Bishop­rike of London into 800. For where God hath not defined the number of Parishes that a Bishop is to raign over, it must needes bee a thing indifferent: in which by their owne Doctrines the King hath authoritie without sinne, to dispose. If therefore the King may as well (notwithstanding any thing in the Law of God) Give the Keyes of the Church to everie particular Pastour of a Congregation, over his owne Congregation, as to a Bishop over a Diocesse, which taketh away the very Essence of an English Bishop, He may [Page] without sinne take away the very Of­fice of the Bishop, which cōsistes in ha­ving Iurisdiction over many Cōgrega­tions. Also it being not defined by the word of God, but left free what attire Bishops shall weare, as also what main­tenance they shal have, The K. having absolute power in things indifferēt, ac­cording to their owne Doctrine, hee may turne them out of their Rochetts and Parliament Robes. Thrust them out of their Pallaces, and put them to their stipendes, to live upon voluntarie devotions of poore Christian people, and then a man may easily imagine what the office of a Bishop would bee worth: For he that hath authoritie to prescribe to a Bishop and other Mini­sters, the Formes, Rites and Ceremo­nies of their Divine Service, hath also power much more, To prescribe, mo­derate and appointe their Apparell, Diet, and manner of maintenance. So that it is cleare, That the King may [Page] without sinne disanull the authorities, dignities and prerogatives of Bishops. Any of which shalbe (if it bee denied) prooved to be matters of greater indif­ferencie, and therefore more appertay­ning to his Supremacte, then the pre­scribing of Formes of Divine Service and mysticall Rites of Religion. For let the King take from the Bishop all in­different things (which he may doe by their owne doctrine) and a Bishop will be no Bishop, as shalbe prooved, if it be denied. 4. There is no true and sober Christians but will say that the Churches of Scotland, Fraunce, the low Countries, and other places (that re­nounce such Archbishops & Bishops (as ours are) as Antichristian and usur­ping Prelates) are true Churches of God: which they could not bee, if the authorities & prerogatives they claime to them selves, were of Christ, and not usurped. For if it were the ordinance of Christ Iesus, That in every King­dom, [Page] that receaveth the Gospel, There should bee one Archbishop over the whole Kingdome: One Bishop over many hundred Pastors in a kingdome, and all they invested with that autho­ritie and iurisdictiō Apostolicall which they claime iure Divino, to be due vnto them, and to reside in them, by the or­dināce of Christ, certainly that church that should renounce and disclaime such an authoritie, ordayned in the Church, cannot be a true Church but a Synagogue of Sathan. For they that should renounce and denie such, must needes therein renounce and denie Christ him selfe. Thus the Assumpti­on, is cleared.

• All humane Traditions and Rites enioy­ned to bee performed in Gods Worship, as necessarie to Salvation, are unlawfull.
• These Ceremonies in controversie, beeing but Humane Traditions, are enioyned to bee performed in Gods worship, as neces­sarie to Salvation.
• Ergo, These Ceremonies are unlawfull.

The Proposition is freely graunted of all our Adversaries hitherto. If anie heereafter bv reason of some difficul­ties, the cause may bee thrust into by graunting the same, shalbe desperate as to denie the same: we shalbe readie to make it good at any time.

The Assumption is thus prooved.

• What soever, Humane Tradition, Cere­monie, or Action, That may without sinne, or inconvenience to any part of the Worship of God, bee omitted in the same, and yet notwithstanding are inioyned and urged as more necessarie, then those Actions that are by the woord of God necessarie to Salvation: I saye, such hu­mane Ceremonies and Traditions, are inioyned as necessarie to Salvation.
• But these Ceremonies are such, as may without any sinne, or any inconvenience to any part of the Worship of God, bee o­mitted in the same, and yet notwithstan­ding are inioyned as more necessarie for Christians to doe, then those Actions that are necessarie to Salvation by the Woord of God.
• Ergo, These Ceremonies in controversie are in­ioyned, &c. as necessarie to salvation.

He hath no blood of shame running in his veines, that will deny the Propo­sition.

The Assumption hath two partes:

The first is this.

This is evident: For 1. if they could not bee omitted without sinne in Di­vine Worship, they were Divine & not Humane Ordinances. For example: Though to go clothed to the Congre­gation be a Civill action, yet because it is a sinne, for any to goe naked to the Congregation, It is a Divine Ordi­nance, That men should goe clothed thither. And in this case (as in any o­ther case of sinne) a man ought rather never Worship God publicklie, then to goe naked to the Congregation. For the omission of a Good action is [Page] no sinne, when it can not be done, but by committing of a sinne? 2. Divine Worship consisting in Prayer, the Sa­craments, and the Word, no witt of man can shew wherein the bare omis­sion of any one of these Ceremonies is inconvenient to any one of these partes. For what inconvenience can a man (that is not drunk with the dreggs and lees of popish superstition) finde it to publike prayer, to bee saide in the Congregation without a Priestes Sur­plice? The omission of ordinarie Pawses & Accentes pointes & stoppes, the suppressing of the voice, or a lowd whopping and hollowing out of the words, or an undistinct soundinge of them, were such Actions as common reason will teach are inconvenient, for prayer, and so inconvenient that a man ought never to praye publikelie in the Congregation, as the voyce thereof, that should by Canon be tied thereto: And the Magistrate (though there [Page] were no Canon to the cōtrarie) ought to turne such out of the Ministery that should omitt such matters in prayer. But for a Minister to pray without a Surplice, can be in reason no more in­convenient, then for him to pray with­out booke, without a paire of Specta­cles upon his nose. And there may bee as good reason given to proove it con­venient, for a man that saith a thinge without booke, to putt on a paire of Spectacles, as there can be to prove it convenient for him that is to praye in the Church, to putt upon him selfe a white linnen garment.

The second part of the Assumption is this:

Which I proove by this collection of Reasons;

• 1. If the whole Solemne Worship and Mi­sterie of Iesus must stoupe and yeelde to these; And these must not stoupe or yeeld to them.

  2. If those that will yeeld to these are dispen­ced with for omissiō of some duties that God requires of the Minister to be per­formed as necessarie to Salvation, and those that are willing to doe all necessarie Services tending to the Salvation of Man, can not be dispenced with for the Omission of these, but must bee turned out of Christes Service.

  3. If those that refuse onely Conformitie to these are worse then Idolatrous Papistes.

  4. If the bare omission of these, though upon tendernesse of Cosscience, bee Sedition, Scisme, Disloyaltie, Rebellion, a deniall of the Kings Supremacie, Anabaptistrie, Frenzie, Worthie imprisonment, Ba­nishment, losse of Goods and living.

  5. If all that professe these to bee unlawfull, are to be delivered up to Sathan, and a­nathematized as men holding wicked & [Page] damnable errours.

  6. If a man beeing in that Church, ought not to be of it where these Ceremonies are omitted.

  7. If the bare omission of these, make a Mi­nister by our law: more subiect to depri­vation and suspension, then the commis­sion of the foulest Crimes, even Drun­kennes, Blasphemie, grosse Ignorance, Vncleannesse.

  8. If her late Excellent Ma. Religion con­sisted in these: I say, If all these Asserti­ons bee true, then are they inioyned as more necessarie to bee done, then those Actions that by the worde of God are ne­cessarie to Salvation.

• But all these 8. pointes are to bee iusti­fied.
• Ergo, These Ceremonies are enioyned as more necessarie to bee done, then some Actions that are necessarie to Salvation.

The Proposition can not be gaine­sayed. It being a Topick Axiom. Cuius privatio est deterior, illud ipsum est melius: to wit, The worse the Privation of a thing is, the better the thing is. For ex­ample: If blindnes be worse thē deaf­nesse: Then is the positive habit of see­ing better then that of hearing. So, if Non-Conformitie be worse then drū ­kennes, blasphemie, Idolatrie, Filthines of body, &c. It must needs follow, that Conformitie is a more excellent thing in it selfe, then Sobrietie; the true wor­ship of God; the glorifying of the name of God, then a chaste and honest life: But all these are urged by the worde of God, as necessarie meanes to Salvatiō. For the holy Ghost saith: No Murderer, Adulterer, Vncleane person, Idolator, &c. shall enter into the kingdome of heaven. If therefore Conformitie be more urged by our lawes, then these, and the Pri­vation more punished. If this be more strictly required of Christians, yea of [Page] principall Christians, even the Mini­sters of the word, then the other, They must needes bee urged more necessarie to Salvation, then the other. For of the more excellencie a Christian vertue is, the more necessarie to Salvation it is.

The Assumption in every part and parcell thereof may be iustified by the practise and Assertions of our Adver­saries, not onely privately but in pu­blique. For the 1. God must not by Canon bee Worshipped solemnely in England, except these be mingled with it, Though without them he might be never so well worshipped. For the 2. Those that yeeld to these, neede not preach at all in our church except they will, No nor to doe any other parte of Divine Service in their owne person, if they will maintayne a Curate, that will keepe the Ceremoniall Law, and faire­ly Read or Sing the Kings Service, as they call it: And yet if preaching were not necessarie to Salvation, Paule that [Page] was above an Archbishop, should not haue been under a woe, if hee had not done it. For no Minister of the Gospell is under a woe That performeth all ser­vices to the Churches of God, that are necessarie to Salvation. Neither was Paules preaching, A reading of Homi­lies, or of a Service booke. For the 3. Nothing is more notorious then for us that make scruple of these things to be reputed worse then Papistes: One that is a great Iudge in these causes Ec­clesiasticall, affirmed it unto my selfe. Another openly at Paules Crosse in myne owne hearing, made no doubt but the Papistes were in the Church, but he made great doubt whether the Puritanes were. And yet we are Puri­tanes for nothing els but for refusinge Cōformitie to their Ceremonies: For howsoever they sclaunder us with ma­nie other grosse imputations, yet they can not laye any thing to our charge but our Conscience in this. For all o­ther [Page] matters concerning their own estats, and dignityes, cōsidering how desperate they are, and unreformable we can be content to leaue them to the Iudgment of God, who (as it seemes) intendeth to gloryfie himself by some other meanes, then by then conversion. For the 4. Read Scottish. Genevat. The Survey, Remonstraunce etc. And yea shal find all this laid to their charge. Also their practise sufficiently proveth it, for the ministers that are of late susspended and deprived, on­ly refusing to use these Ceremonies, beare their cōdemnation vnder these names and Titles.

The 5 and 6 is proved by their owne late Canons, ffor yf they bee to bee excommunicated ipso sacto as hould­ing damnable & wicked errours, that shall Professe any of these Ceremonies to bee vnlawefull, a man ought not to acknowledge himself a mem­ber of any such Churche, as doth [Page] affectedly cast them out of gods wor­ship: ffor for what error a perticular person is not to bee reputed a mem­ber of the Churche but as a heathen and publican, ffor the same a whole church is not to be reputed a church but a Sinagoge of Sathan.

The 7 may be iustified by many ins­tances of many vile and impious per­sons of those kindes tolerated in the ministry.

The 8 is proved by him that answers the Plea of the Innocent. Whoe Saith that they that call in questiō the law­fulnes of these Ceremonies, call in question hir late Maiesties Religion, which they could not doe, except (at the least) parte of hir religiō consisted in them.

Further yf this doth not sufficiently proue the maine assumption, let these reasons following be wayed.

1 If the Church be necessary to sal­vatiō, and yf the pillars of the church [Page] be necessary to the Church, and if the lord Bishops be the Pillars of the Church, and these or such like Cere­monies be the maine Supporters of L. Bishops: then are these Ceremo­nies in the iudgment of the prelates, necessary to Salvatiō. For no Church no Salvation, no pillor of the church no Church, no L. Bishop no pillar of the Church, No ceremony no Lord Bishop. Ergo no Ceremonie of this kinde, no Salvation.

2 All divine constitutions binding conscience are necessary to Salvatiō: But by the late doctrine of the Pre­lates and others, these Ceremonies (being not vnlawefull) when they ar commanded by the Church, are said not to be humane but divine Consti­tutions, binding conscience; therfore they (as they are vrged) are necessary to Salvation. For all divine constitu­tions binding conscience, are neces­sary to Salvation, or [...]ls nothing on [Page] our part can be said in any sence to be necessary thereunto.

3 It is necessary to Salvation, that men should not only worship God, but worship him in a comly decent and orderly manner, it being a mat­ter of damnation to worship God in a confused vnseemely and disordered manner, but by the doctrine of our Prelates, comelines, decencie, and order consists, in the vse of these Ce­remonies, Ergo in their Iudgment, they are necessary to Salvation.

Ob. The Church doth not intende to vrge these thinges as necessary to Saluation. Ergo, They are not urged, [...]s necessary to Salvation.

Ans. 1 The Churche vrgeth not these things at all, but onely 3 or 4 Bishops in the Churche, whiche (if theyr owne doctrine be true (are Vsurpers over our Churches, & not so much as any true members of a Church.

2 what if the Synode should decree [Page] that the Kinge should hould the arch bishop stirrop, and the Prnce & Nobles kisse his Toe, once or twice a year and withall they should protest, that they doe not require this as a worship or honor to the Archbishop but only for Comelines Order & Edification were not this a shamefull shift as bad, as the thing it self.

• All actions, not required by the word of God (though commanded by humane authoritie) that are apparent meanes of the Damnation of the Soules of infinite numbers of men, are directly against the Lawe of charitie, and therefore Sin.
• But these Ceremonies are such Actions
• Ergo

The Proposition is without question. For if without commandiment from God, I may vpon the sole will and pleasure of the Magistrate, or go­vernors [Page] of the Church, doe that by which I shalbe a means of the dam­nation of my brothers Soule, which is the greatest breach of the lawe of charitie that can bee. Then may I do any sinn at theyr Commaundement without sinn, for what greater sinne can there be against the 2 Table then this, to be a witting instrument of my Neighbours Damnation. Which though it be but a matter of Iest to our greate Doctors that haue many Cures, and no care of Soules, yet to them which know the price of a soul it is more then if vpon the more will of the Magistrates they should be forced to kill their owne Children and d [...]rest b [...]loveds, with their owne hand.

Answ. 1 Though the Subiect ought to obey his Magistrate in all Indif­rent actions imposed vpon him what soever, yet I desier that it may be pro­ved, that God in his word hath given to any Power or Potentate vpon Earth, any such absolute authoritie. The Magistrate is Gods Leifetenaūt, and the glorie of the Magistrate con­sists in this, in that vnder God hee beareth a sword, to punish those that transgresse his Lawes, but hee is by Gods Ordinaunce to be the procu­rer and protector of the christian li­bertie, of his subiects, That therfore he hath power graunted him of God (vpon his owne pleasure) to take a­way the same, especially insuch a case requires profe out of the word of God.

2. If he have such a power, yet those things that God leaues to his will to commaund, or not to commaund, he cannot commaund vnder a greater [Page] penaltie then bodily death; for his sword can cutt no deeper, and then in the case of Scandall a christian subiect ought rather to suffer the Ma­gistrate to take away his life, then to doe that which shall procure the Damnation of his Brothers Soule. And in thus doing, he is noe contem nor of the Magistrates Lawe, but a [...] fulfiller of the Lawe of Charitie, in not distroying his brothers Soule vp­on the mere [...] pleasure of a mortall man.

An. This is a nother desperate shift As though the conscience of the weake brother that iudgeth a thing indifferent to be a Sinne wilbe ever the more satisfied and releeved in the matter by the authoritie of the Magistrate, nothing but the authori­tie of God either can or ought to sa­tisfie [Page] a doubting conscience. And as for them that put superstitiō in things Indiffrent, and are that way scanda­lized the authoritie of the Magistrate or church commaunding them, their scandall is increased, and not remo­ved by the same.

Ans. 1 The thing commanded is not Indiffrent, then when it is a scandall, and stumbling block to our brother. 2: Wee must obay the Magistrate only in the Lord, but this is not to obay him in the Lord, onely vpon his plea­sur to destroy a soule for whō Christ died. 3. An obedience to the Magi­strate so far as to the condemnation of our brothers soule, must be a spe­ciall obedience, in some speciall good and iust commandiment which can­not be verified of a commaundiment [Page] that requireth onely a thing indiffe­rent, much les such an indifferent, as is a scandall and meanes of distructi­on to mens soules

4 Such a forbeareing of obedience onely in loue to the salvation of our brothers Soule, being without appa­rent contempt of the Magistrate, and having adioined with it, a meeke sub­mission to the mercie of the Magi­strat [...], cannot be called a dissobedi­ence. but is in deed a better obedienc then theirs, that doe contrarie, whoe in their obedience bring the bloud of the soules they destroy, both vpon their owne heads and the Magistrate which is a sinn in the eyes of God wors then rebellion.

Ans. 1 Wee must not distroy the soules of some, that we may saue the [Page] soules of other, wee must doe that which is iust, though the world goe to wreck for it.

2. The greatest good that a man can doe, cannot counteervaile the least evill, much les so great an evell as to bee a witting instrument of the damnation of a brothers soule.

3 Hee that preacheth cannot assure himself of the salvation of one soule by the same, for that is wrought by the worke of the spirite of God And he hath litle cause to hope for a bless­ing vpon that preaching, which hee purchaseth with the price of blood, yea of the blood of soules.

Ans. 1. For his Maiestie, we doubt not but (if the prelates would) hee would easily yeald to the removall of [Page] them, and therfore he cannot be scandalized at the refusall, when it is of meere conscience, though of consci­ence deceived. 2 The States and In­feriour Magistrates of the kingdome, have in all Parliaments shewed them selues willing, and ready, to set their handes to the removall of them. 3 If the King & State wilbe scandalized, because upon their mere will & plea­sure, I will not doe that which I am perswaded will be a meanes of the destruction of their soules for whom Christ died. They wilbe much more scandalized at me if I doe it, For such an obeydience as this, must needs be a meanes of begetting or confirming straing sinns in their soules, for as it is a kind of deifiyng of themselues, To require (even in the case of scandall) a thing indifferēt to be done; so they that shall in such a case obey, cannot but nurish exceedingly that corruption from wh [...]ch such a cōmaudement [Page] shall proceed. 4 The soule of the mea­nest and poorest in a kingdom cost as great a price, and is as dear to Christ, as the soule of the Noblest, and in the matter of scandall as great heed is to be taken to them, as to any other: And it shewes of what spirit these men are of, that thinke they may be­tray the soules of Christs little ones. rather then displease a mortall man.

Aunsw. Yea, such lawes as commaūd onely thinges indifferent, in cases of ge­nerall scandall are to be chaunged, of particular scandall, are (at the least) to be dispenced withall; For if laws that commaund things necessary are som times to be dispenced with, and if of them it is said. Extreeme right, is Ex­treme wrong. Much more then such lawes as require onely such things as are indifferēt. 1 Such things that (but [Page] for the cōmaunders pleasure) makes noe matter whether they be done or noe. Which are indeed vnworthy to be commaunded of worthies. 2 A pretended scandall in humor is easily discerned by those that are wise and not malicious, for they that are ready to performe all obedience to the Magistrate in all other heavier & greater thinges, are ready in his service to spend their goods & lyues, that think nothing to deare for the redeēyng of his safety, that are in all other things as obedient, and more obedient then any other of his subiects: It is not to be supposed of any, (that are not pos­sest with the malicious spirit of Anti­christ.) That such should refuse to o­bey the Kings pleasure in a toye, and a trifle, (such as are all things indiffe­rēt) except that in obeying him, they were perswaded that they should sin against their own conscience, which next vnto God, they haue cause to [Page] please, farr aboue all the Kings of the earth, for it hath greater power to torment them, then they haue.

But I proue the Assumption.

• All apparent meanes of confirmyng mē in Scisme, Superstition, and Idolatry, by meanes wherof many haue profesedly li­ved, and dyed therein, without repen­taunce: are apparent meanes of the dā ­nation, and destruction of many soules amongst us:
• But These Ceremonyes are such.
• Ergo.

The proposition canot be denyed, for what action of man can be sayde to be a meanes of the damnation and destruction of anothers soule: If thes actions be not that confirme men in suche foule Sinnes: So that either a man can doe nothinge that shall de­stroy his brothers soule (which is dy­rectly against the expresse wordes of St. Paule,) Or els such a conformitie, in such actions as Confirme men in such Damnable Sinnes, doth destroy [Page] his soule.

The Assumption is as evident as any such matter can be. For

1. The Papists not onely amongst vs (which are innumerable) but others also doe professe, that by our vse of thes Ceremonies) which are conse­crated mysteryes of their owne Reli­gion) they are confirmed in the truth of their Religion, and the falshood of ours. And good reason they haue so to iudge: For if the broth be good that the Divill is sod in, sure the Di­vill himself must needs be good also. 2 Those christians of the Seperation that are called Brownists being many hundreds, professing the same faith that we doe, are by the retayning of Reliques, confirmed in their Scisme, and Seperation from vs; And liue & dye in this opinion: That our Churches are noe true Churches, and that a man cā ­not without sinn communicate with them. And the maine ground of this is, for [Page] that we mingle with Divine worship these base & vile inventions of men, Yea, of the accurssed Anti-christ. What? Is a linnen ragg, and a christs crosse &c. to be reputed of so great value & price, that the fellowship & spi­rituall communion of so many chri­stians, (as sound in religion as any prelate in the Realme) should be contē ­ned and reiected for them?

3 Common experience teacheth us, that there are infinit numbers in this realme, ignorant & superstitious folk, that place as much, or more holynes in these thinges, then in the holy Or­dinaunces of God; And how can it be otherwise, when they shall see the Rulers of the Church, mingle Hea­ven, Earth, and Hell together in this manner about them. Cursing and a­nathematizing all that shall not im­brace them. How can they but ima­gin, that the sight of a surplice upon a preists back shall bring them to hea­ven, [Page] when they shall see those that keep Heaven Keyes, send a man, for want of such a wedding garment, ipso facto, to Hell?

4 If it be but considered, that all o­ther Protestant Churches haue reie­cted them as menstrous clothes, that more then the greatest number of Pastors in our owne Land, that desires the name of faithfull & painfull Tea­chers, either count them impious, or at least the burdens, or reproches of our Churches: that the first appoyn­ters of them, (after our seperation frō Rome) intended only a toleration of them, that the most scandalous and lewd persons in our congregations, are the hottest for them, that every Parliament since hir Maiesties raigne hath been forward in the removing of them, that the defence of them hath driven men to runne into the broching of many grosse and popish e [...]o [...] And that so many ministers, [Page] (a catalogue of whose names and states, I could wish were published to all posterity, that it may see the won­derfull milde & moderate govermēt of prelates) haue indured and expec­ted daylie to indure the greatest ex­tremityes for the same: I say, if these thinges be duely considered, a man shall easily see, that these ceremonyes are stumbling blocks, layd by the Devill and his Agents in the wayes of all the people of this Realme, to hinder the progresse of the Gospell, and to make all men stumble in the wayes of Salvation.

NOt onely our Conformers unto Rome, but they also that abhorre the same, can hardly indure to heare, that these ceremonyes are parts of divine worship, for whose further satisfaction I ad this one Argument.

• Whatsoever being vsed in dyuine worshipe is directly contrary to the .2. Commaundement, is a part of dyuine w rshipe.
• The [...] Ceremonies are vsed in Dyuine Worship & are directly contrary to the 2. commaūde­ment.
• Ergo

The Proposition is evident, for all outwarde Idolatry is Dyuine worshipp & nothing but Outwarde Idolatry is directly forbidden in the .2. Commaundement.

The .2. part of the Assumptiō is thus proued,

• All inventions and devises of man, groun­ded only vpon the will of man, and not upon any necessitie of nature, or civility, set a part [...] God outward wo [...]ship are contrary to the s [...]c [...]d [...] c [...]mmaund [...]m [...]nt.
• These c [...]m [...]nye are such,
• Ergo.

The proposition we proue thus.

• Either all such devises and inventions are contrary vnto t [...]e second commaundement, [...]r el [...] their is no
  A trope or figure o [...] s [...]each wherin vnder o e k [...]nde of Idola [...] a [...]ts dden.
  Synechdoche theirin,
• But ther is a Synechdoche in the 2 commaunddement.
• Ergo.

The Assumption or latter part of this Syllo­gysme cannot be denyed of any, but such as shall desperatly sett themselues, against the truth of God. For if their were no figure or Trope in the commaundement, then to bowe downe vnto, & to worship the Sunn, Moone and Starrs, or any other of Gods creatures, yea, or any image made by any other, should be no breach of this commaundement, much les to offer Iewish Sacrifices of sheep & Ox­en, to circumcise, to goe a pilgrimage to Saīts, to kisse the Paxe, to sprinckle with holy wa­ter, to Baptise Bells, or to use any other Po­pish rites, in which if a man sinne not against the second commaundement, he sinneth not against any. Againe, it would be demaunded, against what commaundement, Nadab and Abihu sinned, when they offred strang fire. The Israelits when they abused Gideons E­phod, Iudg. 8 27. The Corinthians in eating meate offred to Idols in the Idols temples, 1 Cor. 9. Either they sinned not again [...] this commaundement, and by consequent against none, or els there must needs be, a wonderfull large Trope in the same, which I think never any divine Iew or Christian, Protestant or Papist ever denyed before now.

The proposition is as evident if it be conside­red, that in the 2 commaundement, literally [Page] a [...] o [...] speach, nothing is forbid­d [...]n [...] o [...] im [...]ge [...] [...]or worship, [...] vnto them, and wor­s [...] [...] the [...], now i [...] there be a Synechdoche [...] co [...]ndement, ther must of ne­c [...] [...] not onely other kindes of false out­ [...] a [...]d wor [...]p of Id [...]latry, different in forme from making, & bowing downe unto Images & Ido [...], but their mu [...]t be a [...]so some common ca [...] or ground, u [...]on which makeing & bo­ [...] unto Images is [...]dden, which must [...] Argument, and reason by which [...] outward worship are [...] images, and con­ [...]e [...] [...] at, els [...]t were sencelesse to make a [...]y thinge t [...]at attempt a bowinge downe vnto [...]ges t [...] [...] [...]der that name & [...] is condemned vn­d [...] an [...]ther, it is [...]c [...]e that thing doth [...]ate with i [...] i [...] the same cause for [...] it is c [...]mned [...]tor example i [...] un­ [...] [...] vnto Images▪ Iew [...]h C [...] [...] for a [...] [...] an [...] [...]n [...]e be called [...] some [...] f [...]r­ [...] [...] vnto t [...]m [...] wh [...]ch mu [...] be as it [...] vnto it [...]n [...] them. Now [Page] let all the witts in the world lay theyr heades together & they shall neuer be able to devise any such common g [...]nu [...] that shalbe the com­men cause why not only b [...] w [...] downe t [...] ma­ [...]s, but why un [...]er it an other [...]nde or Idola­try and false worships is condemned, but this. for that they were [...]mane devices, & inventi­ons, and therefore under the most u [...]uall and generall receaved invention of man, God condemneth all other [...] v [...]ed to the same end. If this be not the reason then ther are & may be infinite, Out [...]ar [...]e Idolatries & Su­perstitions that cannot with any reason be re­ferred to this commaundement. Therfore it must needs follow that either ther is no tr [...]e in the commaundemente or that all such in­v [...]ntions of man are forbid [...]en in the same.