Five disputations of church-government and worship

And yet on the other side, lest the constant disuse of all convenient forms, should lead the people into the contrary extreme, to think them all unlawful (and so to be guilty of the like uncharitable censures and evils as aforesaid) I think it safest, that the ablest men should sometime use them. And this Indifferent use of them, will lead the people to indifferent thoughts of them, and so they will not provoke God by blind worship, nor be so ready to fly in the faces of their Ministers when they cross them herein, as now they are. For example, what a stir have we if men may not kneel at the Sacrament, or ⟨p. 384⟩if the dead (in case of Ministers absence, or other hinderance) have not somewhat said over them at the grave; and in some places, if Ministers go not in procession in Rogation week, and many such like customs. If these were sometime used (in a good and lawful way) it would keep men from mistaking them to be unlawful; and if they were sometime disused, people would not take them as things necessary, nor so hate and reproach both Ministers and brethren that neglect them, or do not always humour them herein, yea or that were against them: nor would men separate on these accounts.

And yet on the other side, lest the constant disuse of all convenient forms, should lead the people into the contrary extream, to think them all unlawfull (and so to be guilty of the like uncharitable censures and evils as aforesaid) I think it safest, that the ablest men should sometime use them. And this Indifferent use of them, will lead the people to indifferent thoughts of them, and so they will not provoke God by blind worship, nor be so ready to fly in the faces of their Ministers when they cross them herein, as now they are. For example, what a stir have we if men may not kneel at the Sacrament, or ⟨p. 384⟩if the dead (in case of Ministers absence, or other hinderance) have not somewhat said over them at the grave; and in some places, if Ministers go not in procession in Rogation week, and many such like customs. If these were sometime used (in a good and lawfull way) it would keep men from mistaking them to be unlawfull; and if they were sometime disused, people would not take them as things necessary, nor so hate and reproach both Ministers and brethren that neglect them, or do not alwayes humour them herein, yea or that were against them: nor would men separate on these accounts.