The divine right of church-government and excommunication

Ans. As Sacramental worship is lawful essential worship, so that this element, bread and wine, and this water is not Arbitrary; Ergo, If decency be of divine institution, and Gods approving will, then that Surplice or Crossing, or not Surplice and Crossing be decent, is not Arbitrary, and only from Gods permitting will: If the general must be warranted by the word, so also specials under the general, else mens will may make a horned Bullock a decent Sacrifice to represent Christ already come in the f••sh; for if the written word warrant not the specials of Religious observances, a door is open for all humane inventions: The uniting of these two (The Crossing of the finger in the Air above a child's face) and (the dedication of the child to Christs service) are every way like to the uniting, Of Bread and Wine eaten and drunken, and the souls nourishing by Christ crucified and apprehended by Faith: If there be odds, it is in the Authority of the institutors: Our Formalists say, the one is essential, because ordained by Christ, and so bindeth the conscience, and the other Arbitrary, accidental and of less authority: We owe them thanks indeed, the sin is the greater that the Authority is the less, but the external worship is alike. There be odds betwixt the kissing of a wife by a stranger, and the kissing by her own husband, and odds betwixt an act of Royal Majesty performed by the King, and that same Act performed by a Traitor feigning the same Act, as there be odds betwixt money stricken by a Tinker, and by the Kings master of Coin; will this distinction serve the whorish woman, the kisses of a strange man be Arbitrary, indifferent and accidental: but the kisses of my own husband be essential and kindly. And the Tinker might save his head for his false coin, the Kings money is essentially Legal and currant, but money stricken by me, is Arbitrary and of less Authority, then the Kings Lawful Coin. 2. If it be necessary and good to honour God by decency and order, the particular goodness and holiness of Surplice and Crossing is also good and holy. But God hath particularly, Micah 6. 8. Showed thee what is good O man; Ergo, he hath also showed what is particularly holy. But God hath not showed us in his Word any goodness in Crossing, Surplice, because they are of mans devising:

Ans. As Sacramentall worship is lawfull essentiall worship, so that this element, bread and wine, and this water is not Arbitrary; Ergo, If decency be of divine institution, and Gods approving will, then that Surplice or Crossing, or not Surplice and Crossing be decent, is not Arbitrary, and only from Gods permitting will: If the generall must be warranted by the word, so also specials under the generall, else mens will may make a horned Bullock a decent Sacrifice to represent Christ already come in the fsh; for if the written word warrant not the specials of Religious observances, a door is open for all humane inventions: The uniting of these two (The Crossing of the finger in the Air above a childes face) and (the dedication of the childe to Christs service) are every way like to the uniting, Of Bread and Wine eaten and drunken, and the souls nourishing by Christ crucified and apprehended by Faith: If there be oddes, it is in the Authority of the institutors: Our Formalists say, the one is essentiall, because ordained by Christ, and so bindeth the conscience, and the other Arbitrary, accidentall and of lesse authority: We owe them thanks indeed, the sin is the greater that the Authority is the lesse, but the externall worship is alike. There be oddes betwixt the kissing of a wife by a stranger, and the kissing by her own husband, and oddes betwixt an act of Royall Majesty performed by the King, and that same Act performed by a Traitor faining the same Act, as there be oddes betwixt money stroken by a Tinker, and by the Kings master of Coyne; will this distinction serve the whorish woman, the kisses of a strange man be Arbitrary, indifferent and accidentall: but the kisses of my own husband be essentiall and kindely. And the Tinker might save his head for his false coyne, the Kings money is essentially Legall and currant, but money stroken by me, is Arbitrary and of lesse Authority, then the Kings Lawfull Coyn. 2. If it be necessary and good to honour God by decency and order, the particular goodnesse and holynesse of Surplice and Crossing is also good and holy. But God hath particularly,