clesiastical law, without any other reason than the will and pleasure of
men, be made to restrain practice, then is Christian liberty taken away.
Junius saith,(83) that _externum opus ligatur_ from the use of things
indifferent, when the conscience is not bound; but in that same place he
showeth, that the outward action is bound and restrained only _quo usque
circumstantiae ob quas necessitas imperata est, se extendunt_. So that it
is not the authority of an ecclesiastical law, but the occasion and ground
of it, which adstricts the practice when the conscience is left free. 2.
When the authority of the church's constitution is obtruded to bind and
restrain the practice of Christians in the use of things indifferent, they
are bereaved of their liberty, as well as if an opinion of necessity were
borne in upon their consciences. Therefore we see when the Apostle, 1 Cor.
vii., gives liberty of marriage, he doth not only leave the conscience
free in its judgment of the lawfulness of marriage, but also give liberty
of practice to marry or not to marry. And Col. ii. 21, when he giveth
instances of such human ordinances as take away Christian liberty, he
saith not, _you must think that you may not touch_, &c., but "touch not,"
&c., telling us, that when the practice is restrained from touching,
tasting, handling, by the ordinances of men, then is Christian liberty
spoiled, though the conscience be left free. Camero, speaking of the
servitude which is opposed to Christian liberty, saith,(84) that it is
either _animi servitus_, or _corporis servitus_. Then if the outward man
be brought in bondage, this makes up spiritual thraldom, though there be
no more. But, 3. The ceremonies are imposed with an opinion of necessity
upon the conscience itself, for proof whereof I proceed to the next point.

CHAPTER IV.

THAT THE CEREMONIES TAKE AWAY OUR CHRISTIAN LIBERTY PROVED BY A SECOND
REASON, NAMELY, BECAUSE CONSCIENCE ITSELF IS BOUND AND ADSTRICTED.

_Sect._ 1. Bishop Lindsey hath told us,(85) that the will of the law must
be the rule of our conscience, so that conscience may not judge other ways
than the law determines. Bishop Spotswood will have the sentence of
superiors to direct the conscience,(86) and will have us to esteem that to
be best and most seemly which seemeth so to them. Bishop Andrews, speaking
of ceremonies,(87) not only will have every person inviolably to observe
the rites and cust