The booke of common prayer, and administration of the sacraments and other rites and ceremonies of the Church of England.

Of Ceremonies, why some be abolished, and some reteined

Of such Ceremonies as be vsed in the Church, and haue had their beginning by the inssitutiō of man: some at the first were of godly intent & purpose de∣uised, and yet at length turned to vanity & supersti∣tion: some entred into the Church by vndiscreet de∣uotion & such a zeale as was without knowledge, and for because they were winked at in the begin∣ning, they grew dayly to more and more abuses, which not only for their vnprofitablenes, but also because they haue much blinded the people, and obscured the glory of God, are worthy to be cut a way, and cleane reiected. Other there be, which although they haue been deuised by man, yet it is thought good to reserue them still, as well for & decent order in the Church (for the which they were first deuised) as because they pertaine to edification, whereunto all things done in the Church (as the Apostle teacheth) ought to be refer∣red. And although the keeping or omitting of a Ceremony, in it selfe considered, is but a small thing: yet the wilfull and contemptuous transgression, and breaking of a common order and discipline, is no small offence before God.

Let all things be done among you, faith S. Paul, in a seemely and due order. The appointment of the which order, pertaineth not to pri∣uate men: therfore no man ought to take in hand, nor presume to ap∣point or alter any publike or common order in Christs Church, except he be lawfully called and authorised thereunto.

And where as in this our time, the minds of men are so diuers, that some thinke it & great matter of conscience to depart frō a piece of the least of their ceremonies, they be so addicted to their old customs: and againe on y^e other side, some be so new fangled, that they would inno∣uate all things, & so despise the old, that nothing can like thē but that is new: it was thought expediēt, not so much to haue respect how to please & satisfie either of thefe parties as how to please God, & profit them both. And yet lest any man should be offended, whō good reason might satisfie, here be certaine causes rendred, why some of the accu∣stomed Ceremonies be put a way, and some reteined and kept still.

Some are put a way, because the great excesse and multitude of them hath so increased in these latter dayes, that the burden of them was intollerable, whereof S. Augustine in his time complained, that they were growen to such a number, that the state of Christian people was in worse case, concerning that matter, then were the Iewes. And he counselled, that such yoke and burden should bee ta∣ken a way, as time would serue quietly to doe it.

But what would S. Augustine haue said, if he had seen y^e ceremo∣nies of late daies vsed among vs whereunto y^e multitude vsed in his time was not to be compared, This our excessiue multitude of Cere∣monies.

was so great, and many of them so darke, that they did more con∣found and darken, then declare and set forth Christs benefits vnto vs

And besides this Christs Gospel is not a ceremoniall law (as much of Moses law was) but it is a religion to serue Gob, not in bondage of the fi∣gure or shadow, but in the freedome of the spirite, being content onely with those ceremonies, which doe serue to a decent order, and godly disct∣pline, and such as bee apt to stirre vp the dull minde of man to the remcm∣brauce of his duety to God, by some notable & special signification, where∣by he nught be edified.

Furthermore, the most waightr cause of the abolishment of certaine ce∣remonies was, that they were so farre abused partly by the superstitious blindnesse of the rude and vnlearned, and partly by the vnsatiable auarice of such as sought more their owne lucre, then the glory of God, that the a∣buses could not well be taken away, the thing remaining still. But now as concerning those persons, which peraduenture wil be offended, for that some of the old Ceremonies, are retained stil: if they consider, that without some Ceremonies, it is not possible to keepe any order, or quiet disipline in the church, they shal easily perceiue iust cause to reforme their iudgments. And if they thinke much that nay of the old do remaine, and would rather haue all deuised anew: Then such men granting some Ceremonies con∣venient to be had, surely where the old may be wel vsed, there they cannot reasonably reprooue the olde, oncly for their age, without bewraying of their owne folly For in such a case, they ought rather to haue reuerence vnto them for their antiquitie, if they willdeclare themseluse to be more studious of vnitie and concord, then of innouations and newfanglenesse, which (as much as m may be, with true setting forth of Christs religion) is alwayes to bee eschewed. Furthermore, such shall haue no tust cause with the Ceremonies reserved, be offended. For as those be taken away which were most abused, and did burden mens conscrences wiyhout any cause: so the other that remain are retained for a discipline and order, which (vponiust causes) may bee altered and changed, and therefore are not to bee esteemed equal with Gods Law. And moreouer they be neither darke nor dumbe ceremonies, but are set forth, that euery man may vn∣derstand what they doe meane, and to what vse they doe serue. So that it is not like, that they in time to come, should be abused as other haue been. And in these our doing we condemne no other nations nor prescribe any thing, but to our owne people onely. For we thinke it conuenient, thate∣uery countrey should vse such Ceremonies, as they shall thinke belt to the fetting forth of Gods honour and glory, and to the reducing of the people to a most perfect and godly liuing, without errour or suoerstition: And that they should put a way other things, which from time to time they perceiue to be most abused, as in mens ordinances it often chanceth di∣uersly, in diuers countreys.