The grand debate between the most reverend bishops and the Presbyterian divines appointed by…

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 Imposition of numerous Ceremonies of which St. Aug. complained in his days, and the things in Controversy being in the Judgement of the Imposers confessed indifferent, who dare not so much as pretend any real goodness in 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 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 to be much better for a man to have a Millstone to be hanged about his neck, and to 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 cat flesh while the world stands (though in it self a thing lawful) than offend his Brother, for whom Christ dyed; 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 insufficient, and are under the holy Law of that which is written, Deut. 12. 32. What thing soever I ⟨p. 10⟩command you, observe to do it, thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it; but that there may be either a total abolishion of them, or at least such a liberty, that those who are unsatisfied concerning their lawfulness, or expedency, may not be compelled to the practice of them or subscription to them;

And it being doubtfull, whether God hath given power unto men to institute in his worship such mysticall 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 Imposition of numerous Ceremonies of which St. Aug. complained in his dayes, and the things in Controversie being in the Judgement of the Imposers confessed indifferent, who dare not so much as pretend any real goodness in themselves, otherwise than what is derived from their being imposed, and consesequently 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 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 to be much better for a man to have a Milstone to be hanged about his neck, and to 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, chusing rather not to cat flesh while the world stands (though in it self a thing lawful) than offend his Brother, for whom Christ dyed; 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 insufficient, and are under the holy Law of that which is written,