VI. The first thing therefore which is of force to cause approbation with good conscience towards such customs or rites as publicly are established, is when there riseth from the due consideration of those customs and rites in themselves apparent reason, although not always to prove them better than any other that might possibly be devised, (for who did ever require this in man’s ordinances?) yet competent to shew their conveniency and fitness, in regard of the use for which they should serve.
Now touching the nature of religious services, and the manner of their due performance, thus much generally we know to be most clear; that whereas the greatness and dignity of all manner actions is measured by the worthiness of the subject from which they proceed, and of the object whereabout they are conversant, we must of necessity in both respects acknowledge, that this present world affordeth not any thing comparable unto the public duties of religion. For if the best things have the perfectest and best operations, it will follow, that seeing man is the worthiest creature upon earth, and every society of men more worthy than any man, and of societies that most excellent which we call the Church; there can be in this world no work performed equal to the exercise of true religion, the proper operation of the Church of God.
Again, forasmuch as religion worketh upon him who in majesty and power is infinite, as we ought we account not of it, unless we esteem it even according to that very height of excellency which our hearts conceive when divine sublimity itself is rightly considered. In the powers and faculties of our souls God requireth the uttermost which our unfeigned affection towards him is able to yield1. So that if we affect him not far above and before all things, our religion hath not that inward perfection which it should have, neither do we indeed worship him as our God.
That which inwardly each man should be, the Church outwardly ought to testify. And therefore the duties of our religion which are seen must be such as that affection which is unseen ought to be. Signs must resemble the things they signify. If religion bear the greatest sway in our hearts, our outward religious duties must shew it as far as the Church hath outward ability. Duties of religion performed by whole societies of men, ought to have in them according to our power a sensible excellency, correspondent to the majesty of him whom we worship2. Yea then are the public duties of religion best ordered, when the militant Church doth resemble by sensible means3, as it may in such cases, that hidden dignity and glory wherewith the Church triumphant in heaven is beautified.
Howbeit, even as the very heat of the sun itself, which is the life of the whole world, was to the people of God in the desert a grievous annoyance, for ease whereof his extraordinary providence ordained a cloudy pillar to overshadow them: so things of general use and benefit (for in this world what is so perfect that no inconvenience doth ever follow it?) may by some accident be incommodious to a few. In which case, for such private evils remedies there are of like condition, though public ordinances, wherein the common good is respected, be not stirred.
Let our first demand be therefore, that in the external form of religion such things as are apparently, or can be sufficiently proved, effectual and generally fit to set forward godliness, either as betokening the greatness of God, or as beseeming the dignity of religion, or as concurring with celestial impressions in the minds of men, may be reverently thought of; some few, rare, casual, and tolerable, or otherwise curable inconveniences notwithstanding.
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Footnotes
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John iv. 24; Wisd. vi. 10; 1 Chron. xxix. 17. ↩
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2 Chron. ii. 5. ↩
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Ἐκκλησία ἐστὶν ἐπίγειος οὐρανός. Germa. (Germanus, Patriarch of C. P. 715-30.) περὶ τω̑ν ἱερουργουμένων. [ap. Bibl. Patr. Colon. viii. 53.] “Delectatio Domini in Ecclesia est; Ecclesia vero est imago cœlestium.” Ambros. de Interpel. Dav. [l. ii. c. 2. t. i. 641.] “Facit in terris opera cœlorum.” Sidon. Apol. (430-488.) Epist. lib. vi. [Ep. 12. ap. Bibl. Patr. Colon. iii. 988.] ↩