An account of all the proceedings of the commissioners of both persuasions appointedAn accompt of all the proceedings of the commissioners of both persvvasions appointed

And it being doubtful whether God hath given power unto men, to institute in his Worship such mystical Teaching signs, which not being necessary in genere, fall not under the Rule of doing all things decently, orderly, and to edification, and which once granted will upon the same reason, open a door to the Arbitrary ⟨p. 9⟩Imposition of Numerous Ceremonies of which St. Augustine complained in his days; and the things in controversy being in the judgement of the Imposers confessedly indifferent, who do not so much as pretend any real goodness in them of themselves, otherwise than what is derived from their being imposed, and consequently the Imposition ceasing, that will cease also, and the Worship of God not become indecent without them.

And it being doubtful whether God hath given power unto men, to institute in his Worship such mystical Teaching signs, which not being necessary in genere, fall not under the Rule of doing all things decently, orderly, and to edification, and which once granted will upon the same reason, open a door to the Arbitrary ⟨p. 9⟩Imposition of Numerous Ceremonies of which St. Augustine complained in his daies; and the things in controversie being in the judgement of the Imposers confessedly indifferent, who do not so much as pretend any real goodness in them of themselves, otherwise than what is derived from their being imposed, and consequently the Imposition ceasing, that will cease also, and the Worship of God not become indecent without them.

Whereas on the other hand in the judgement of the Opposers they are by some held sinful, and unlawful in themselves, by others very inconvenient and unsuitable to the simplicity of Gospel-Worship, and by all of them very grievous and burdensome, and therefore not at all fit to be put in balance with the Peace of the Church, which is more likely to be promoted by their removal, than continuance: Considering also how tender our Lord and Saviour himself is of weak Brethren, declaring it much better for a man to have a mill-stone hanged about his neck, and be cast into the depth of the Sea, than to offend one of his little ones: And how the Apostle Paul (who had as great a Legislative Power in the Church, as any under Christ) held himself obliged by that Common Rule of Charity, not to lay a stumbling block, or an occasion of offence before a weak Brother, choosing rather not to eat flesh whiles the world stands (though in it self a thing lawful) then offend his Brother for whom Christ died: We cannot but desire that these Ceremonies may not be imposed on them, who judge such Impositions a Violation of the Royalty of Christ, and an impeachment of his Laws as in insufficient, and are under the holy awe of that which is written,