m partem, uti Deum externis obsequiis velit colere._ But what will
some say? Do we allow of no external rites and ceremonies in divine
worship?

Saravia tells us,(316) that _dum vitia vitant stulti, in contraria ruunt_,
and that he is no less in the fault, _qui nullas in externo Dei cultu
ceremonias admittit, quae tantum decori serviunt, hominesque sui admoneant
officii, quam qui quasvis citra, delectum recipiunt, &c._ Wherefore,
because a transition from idolatry and superstition is more easy to
Atheism and the profanation of holy things, than to the golden mediocrity,
he saith, he could have wished that Beza had not generally condemned all
ceremonies without making any difference.

_Ans._ Neither Beza, nor any other, who dislike the English ceremonies,
condemneth such rites and circumstances in the external worship of God as
serve only for decency, but those sacred and significant ceremonies which
admonish men of their duty are not of this sort. What shall we say then of
such a conjunction as this, _quae tantum decori serviunt, hominesque sui
admoneant officii_? Why would not Saravin write a chronology; I say not
_magnarum_ (as others), but _mirandarum conjunctionum_, and record that at
such a time he found out the conjunction and compatibility of two things
which were ever thought incompatible in former ages, namely, rites serving
only for decency, and holy significant ceremonies admonishing men of their
duty in God's worship? Had there been no moralist (trow we) then to note,
that decency and things serving only for decency, have place in civility
and all moral actions, in which notwithstanding there is no significant
nor admonitory sacred signs of men's duty in God's worship? And thus
should these two things be severed, which he hath conjoined and
confounded.

To conclude, we condemn the English controverted ceremonies which are
regarded as holy and significant, as most inexpedient, because they
derogate from the true inward and spiritual worship; for man's nature,
saith Camero,(317) "is delighted in that which is fleshly and outward,
neglecting that which is spiritual and inward." And this is the reason why
least spiritual, lively, and holy disposition hath followed upon the
addition of unnecessary ceremonies; and why there was never so much zeal,
life, and power of religion inwardly, in the church of Christ, as then,
when she was freest of ceremonies. This much(318) a Formalist of great
note is forced to acknow