cency is neceffary,that fome fuch there fhould be.

But in the next place there is an Objection, fuppofed to be of much greater force, and that is this; That the Ceremonies are fignificant : And here I must needs confess, that if they could have alledged, that the Ceremonies had been infignificant, the Objection had been much more worthy of having fome notice taken of it; because that the very nature and whole ufe of Ceremonies doth confift in being fignificant. And in this I appeal to all Mankind, whether in any one Action Sacred or Civil, any one Ceremony was ever inftituted, unless it were in order to the fignifying, denoting or expreffing fomething by it. Nor is this all; for the Church hath taken care not only to vindicate the Innocency, but withal to declare the usefulness of the fignificancy of her Ceremonies in the fore mentioned Preface; That they are neither dark nor dumb Ceremonies, but are fo fet forth that every man may understand what they mean and to

what

what ufe they do ferve: So that it is not like that in time to come they should be abused.

And after all this, methinks, our Brethren of the Prefbytery should for their own fakes have had a great care of making use of this Objection, as being themselves as liable to it as any other Perfons. The Authors of the Admonition to the Parliament in Queen Elizabeths days, Part 2. have recommended Sitting at the Sacrament, upon this very fuperftitious fcore of Significancy (as in our Cafe they always call it) in these words: As in the Old Teftament eating the Paf chal Lamb ftanding, fignified a readineß to paß; even fo in the receiving it now fitting, after the example of Christ, we fignifie Reft, that is, a full finishing thorough Chrift of all the Ceremonial Law, and a perfect Work of Redemption wrought, that giveth reft for ever.

And in our own dayes, in that which by them was looked upon as a confiderable Act of Divine Worship and Religious Adoration, the entring into a Publick Solemn National Co

venant with Almighty God, as they phrafe it: The doing of this was prefcribed with feveral Ceremonies uncommanded in Scripture and by themselves intended to be very fignificant; as is to be found by every one who pleaseth to look in theOrdinance of Febr. 2. 1643. In this Cafe without referring us to any Book, Chapter, or Verfe; they thought it fufficient to fay, That it is ordered and ordained by the Lords and Commons in Parliament, that the faid Covenant be folemnly taken in all places, and for the better and more orderly taking thereof, that thefe Directions enfuing are appointed and enjoyned to be ftrictly followed: Of which Directions the thirteenth is this, the manner of taking it to be thus; The Minister to read the whole Covenant diftinctly and audibly in the Pulpit, and during the time of reading thereof the whole Congregation to be uncovered (which by the way is a much greater fhew of Reverence than they have taken care for, either at the reading of the Ten Commandements, or our Saviour's

Sermon

Sermon upon the Mount) and at the end of reading thereof all to take it Standing, lifting up their Right Hand bare. Now I think that it is highly requifite for these men to confider with themselves, whether every one of all their own Pleas of the Purity and Simplicity of the Gospel way of Worship without the mixture of humane Inventions, and their bold furmises of invading theThrone of Christ by determining those things which Christ hath left free, have any the least force against the Ceremonies of the Church, which they have not against this prescribed Formality of their own,in taking the Covenant.

But after all which is poffible to be said in order to the clearing of the mistakes about the Ceremonies, there is an Objection which is fuppofed not to be capable of any answer to be made unto it; and that is this, That be they what they will in themselves, good men are offended at them, they grieve thousands of the Godly Brethren, and though we should grant fuch men to be miftaken, yet we must

not

not offend our weak Brethren.

The Cafe of Scandal hath been fo often and fo clearly stated, that I fhall fay the lefs upon it; and therefore, instead of the Argument, I shall rather choose to fay fomething to the Perfons who use it. In the first place I shall readily grant, that if any Persons are really offended at the use of the Ceremonies, in their own way of understanding that word, they must needs be very weak Brethren, and I shall only ask them the old Question, How long they will be weak? And I fhall profefs my felf to have no very honourable Opinion of the means of Knowledge, the Opportunities of choyce Attainments which are to be had in the Conventicles: If fo be that thofe, who are fuch weak Brethren as not to be got above fuch filly Scruples, are looked upon to be fufficiently gifted to be Publick Teachers amongst them.

In the next place I fhall ask, who taught the People to be offended at a few harmless Ceremonies? Who raised all their cauflefs Scruples, in

fufed