they please upon the 〈◊〉〈◊〉: but they are partly determined by the general precepts of God, partly by the nature of the things themselves, and partly by those circumstances which doe offer themselves upon oc∣casion.
26.
For divers circumstances of order and decency are such, as though there be no publique institution of them, yet they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to be observed of every one, neither can men forbid them without sin.
Unto this adde another place in his
〈◊〉〈◊〉 soit against Ceremonies, disput. pag. 29.
We never said, or thought, that all particular rites pertaining to order and decency are punctually deter∣mined in the Scripture. We never dreamed, that all such 〈◊〉〈◊〉 being beside the particular determination of the Scripture, are against it, we speak of double, or treble rites as the Rejoinder 〈◊〉〈◊〉 them, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 no meer order and decency doth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 require, but onely the meer will of man 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
That which is instituted by God in his worship,
〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 well to be a part of Gods worship; but that decency
〈◊〉〈◊〉 no part of Gods worship,
Ames in his disput. pag. 176. proves by a Reason quoted out of
〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Def of Mr.
〈◊〉〈◊〉. pag 844
Order and comeliness (saith the Popish Bishop) is some part of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 worship. But (saith Dr. Abbot) who taught him this deep point of Philosophy, that an accident is a part of the subject, that the beauty or comelinesse of the body is a part of the body, order and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 pro∣perly and immediately respect men, and therefore can be no parts of the worship of God.
To be instituted by God, if we speake
〈◊〉〈◊〉 & properly, is to be injoyned by a divine positive Law superadded unto the law of
〈◊〉〈◊〉; and in conformity hereunto it is that our Author
Ames divides Gods worship, Med. lib. 2. cap. 5.
into natural and instituted: Now if this be your meaning, when you impute unto
Ames and me, that our opinion is, that nothing is decent in
〈◊〉〈◊〉, which is not instituted by God, as the charge is false in it self, so it proveth not that which you bring it for,
viz. that in our sense decency in the Apostle, is only that decency which the law of nature prescribes; but
〈◊〉〈◊〉 the clean con∣trary, because that which is instituted by a positive law superadded to the law of nature, is not prescribed
〈◊〉〈◊〉 and
immediatè by the law of nature.
You are by this time, I hope, conscious of the great injury you have done unto poor Dr. Ames, in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 unto him so irrational an opinion, and hereupon I shall be bold to give you this advertisement, that however you may despise him as a mean Author, unworthy of your perusal, yet, if you undertake to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and refute him, you must read him, or else you will be very lyable unto the breach of the ninth Commandement, Thou shalt not bear false witnesse against thy neighbour.
But you will perhaps say in defence of your self, that if it were not the opi∣nion of Ames, it is the sequele of his words; and for this you have two reasons.
The 1. because the mode or manner agreeable unto the dignity of sacred things is instituted by God, as the sacred things are instituted by God: But this proposition, if it be particular, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 nothing, and if it be universal, is false, as you might have seen in the next reason of Ames, but that you cannot see wood for trees, as the Proverb is; There is a mode or manner in the use of sa∣cred things agreeable unto their dignitie, that is not adequate, proper, and peculiar to them, but common unto civill matters of a grave nature together with them; and this is a matter inculcated by Dr. Ames in many places,