Institutions of Christian religion framed out of Gods word, and the writings of the best diuines, methodically handled by questions and answers, fit for all such as desire to know, or practise the will of God. Written in Latin by William Bucanus Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Lausanna. And published in English by Robert Hill, Bachelor in Diuinitie, and Fellow of Saint Iohns Colledge in Cambridge, for the benefit of our English nation, to which is added in the end the practise of papists against Protestant princes.

What should we thinke of the tradions of men, which are not ordained of God?

Wee must haue respect to the written word of God alone, in whatsoeuer concerneth his worship, and not vnto the traditi∣ons of men: For God hath reuealed vnto vs the manner how he will be both knowne and worshipped. And therefore there is no obedience due to constitutions which concerne doctrine, or the spirituall gouernment, which are eyther directly, or indirectly contrarie to the word of God, and doe drawe men from Christ: or else to such rites and ceremonies, whereof some bee foolish vaine, and verie toyes: others eyther in themselues, or by some other accident superstitious: other some impious and wicked, as the selling of Masses, praying to Saints, vowes of single life, the differences of meates, the supremacie of the Bishop of Rome, the making of Idoles, and the crosses, the opinions of freewill, of merits, and of Indulgences, of transubstantiation, of the Chrisme, of fasting in Lent, of holy-water, of the consecra∣tion of Altars, the determinations of Councils, monasticall vowes, prayers for the dead, the dreame of Purgatorie, the wor∣shipping of reliques. Math. 16.6. Beware of the leauen of the Pha∣risees: and 15.9. In vaine doe they worship me vvith commaunde∣ments of men. And Ezech. 20.18.19. VValke ye in my precepts, and not in the precepts of your Fathers. ƲƲee ought rather to

obey God, then men, Act. 5.29. If any man preach another Gospell let him be accursed, Gal. 1.9.

But lawfull ceremonies ordained by an Ecclesiasticall Synode, without all opinion of worship, and of necessitie, but that all things might be done in the Church comely, and according to order. 1. Cor. 14.40. although not of themselues, yet by the law of charitie ought to be obserued. So as he which doth contemne them, and obstinately refuse them with offence, is guiltie before God, of violating order, and breaking the bond of charitie. But where there is no scandall, not obstinate disobedience, they do not sinne which omit such ceremonies.

Furthermore some humane rites are not in themselues impious, but yet little, or nothing auailing to edification, which it were good if they were cleane taken away. In the vsing of these, or in the omitting of them, wee must haue regarde of of∣fence.