before alleged His proofe out of Scripture Psal. 118.8 1. Cor. 7.8 are very weake for the first testimonie is applyed to euery Lords Day is not to be restrained to Pasche day The other testimonie imports not a CelebratioÌ„ of Easter Feast vpoÌ„ any Anniuersary day but rather the Apostle teaches vs to celebrate this Feast of the Passeouer all the yeare long His last proofe is taken from the custome of Baptisme and the Eucharist ministred vpon Pasche day as if they had beene ministred only vpon that day ANS Ye turne your selfe now against the learned Sermon preached at Whiâ—e Hall by the Bishop then of Elie now of Winchester who prouing the obseruatioÌ„ of Easter to haue bin an old custom obserued in the Church since the Apostles daies yea by the Apostles themselues hits the marke whereat he shoots directly while as ye will proue these Epistles of Polycrates and Irenaeus counterfeit ye shoot short indeed The testimonie of the 118. Psalme yee say should be applyed to euery Lords Day but seeing he rose on the first day of them as yee cannot deny doubtlesse when that day returnes by course once euery yeare vnto it all the prototype and architype of them all of euery congruity saies the Bishop the Resurrection is to be applyed somwhat more This by example he makes plain His Maiesties deliuerance vpon the fift dayes of August and Nouember being Tuesdayes both wee keepe for their remembrance a Sermon on Tuesday euery week of the yeare but when by course of the yeare in their seuerall moneths the very originall dayes theÌ„selues come about shal we not doe wee not celebrate them in much more solemne manner what question is there weigh them well ye shal find the case alike one cannot be but the other also must bee Apostolike These are the words of the learned Bishop which proue his intent so cleerly that ye are forced to flye to another shift as your custome is say If the Prophesie should be applyed to any precise day it should bee applyed to the Lords day But seeing the words are to be vnderstood aswel of Dauid as of Christ the day is taken ye say for the time indefinitely wherin Dauid was made King the corner stone of Gods people This is your shift which cannot auaile you for if it be taken indefinitely for the day wherin Dauid was made the typick corner Stone then much more must it bee taken for the definite day whereon Christ the Veritie was made the true corner Stone of the Church of God If of Dauids Coronation it might be said This is the day which the Lord hath made Let vs reieyce and bee glad in it much more is it to be said of that day whereon CHRIST rose againe from the dead and was crowned with glory and honour and set ouer the workes of Gods hands and had all things put vnder his feet For this day hath euer beene esteemed since the resurrection of our Lord a day made by God not by creation onely but also by institution Thus doe yee not escape the Bishops hand flie where you can When ye entered into combate with such an Antagonist yâ— were not wel aduised Infoe lix puer atque impar coÌ„gressus Achilli In the other testimonie I grant with S. Augustine that by the Feast the course of our Christian Life is to bee vnderstood yet the allusion would import that a Paschall Feast was kept amongst them and the Sacraments celebrated The last proofe that Baptisme and the Eucharist were on this day solemnely ministred yee cannot denie And the Bishoppe affirmes not that they were onely ministred on that day Tertull. de Baptis Diem Baptismo solenniorem Pascha praestat cum passio Domini in qua tingimur adimpleta est c. Exinde Pentecoste ordinandis lauacris laetissimum spacium est quod Domini resurrectio inter Discipulos frequentata est gratia Spiritus sancti dedicata spes aduentus Domini subâ—stâ—nsa c. Caeterùm omnis dies Domini est omnis hora omnâ— tempus habilâ— baptismo Si de solennitate interest de gratia nihil refert that is Easter is the most solemne Day for Baptisme seeing the Passion of our Lord wherein wee are dipped is thereon fulfilled after that Whitsonday is a most ioyfull time for the lauacre of Regeneration because on that Day the resurrection was frequently shewed to the Disciples the grace of the Holy Ghost dedicated and the hope of Christs comming againe insinuated Otherwise euerie day is the Lords euerie houre and euerie time is meete for Baptisme The solemnitie may be lesse but the grace is not diminished So that which ye say that Baptisme was tied of olde to Pentecost and Easter is false But that which the Bishop sayes is true that on these daies the Sacraments were lwaies solemnely ministred PP I will now frame one argument against this conceit of Apostolicall tradition and obseruation of Pasche The Apostles were led all their life-time by the infallible direction of the Spirit If they had accorded on the obseruation of Easter they had not dâ—sagreed on the day But their most ancient Records the baâ—tard-Episâ—les aboue mentioned report that Philâ—p and Iohn kept the fourteenth day of the Moone as the Iewes did And Peter the Lords Day following the fourteenth day of the Moone ANS In these Epistles there is no mention of Peâ—er and so by these Epistles ye cannot proue that Iohn and Peter disagreed on the day It is said that Polycarpus and Aâ—icâ—tus disagreed on the day yet they accorded in the obseruation of the Feast which is directly contrarie to your argument But ye say the Apostles who were gouerned by the Spirit could not disagree on the day Did not Paul and Barnabas agree in planting of the Gospell yet they disagreed in chusing of their Fellow-Labourer Paul Peter agreed on this ground that a man is not iustified by the workes of the Law but by the Faith of Iesus Christ yet in the practise of the workes of the Law they disagreed Gal. 2. They agreed in the substance yet in the matter of circumstance and vse of things in their owne nature indifferent they disagreed But for these diuersities of opinion neither did they cast the substance away nor broke they the bond of charitie amongst themsâ—lues as ye doe who can brooke no man but him who will be sworne to your opinions as if they were Oracles But to be short this argument is answered by the learned Bishop in that Sermon so fully as may giue contentment to any that delights not in contention His words are these Pag 25. Iames Bishop of Ierusalem and others who â—ucceeded him the sooner to win their Brethren the Iewes condescended to keepe Easter 14. Lunae the 14. of the Moone as they did That which by them was done by way of condescension was after by some vrged as a matter of necessitie So we see S. Paul when he came vp
the body of all these shadows is and next the libertie giuen by God to the Christian Church mentioned by Isaiah as ye heard before For as by the first we are freed from the bondage of the Law and the obseruation of the set times therein prescribed so by the second all times are sanctified to the worship of God in so farre that the Christian Church may make choyce of any time in the weeke any day in the moneth or yeere for their publique meetings to his worship And as for the Lords Day which hath succeeded to the Iewish Sabbath albeit God hath coÌ„manded to sanctifie it by the publike exercise of religioÌ„ yet neither is the whole publike worship nor any part of it appropriated to that time but lawfully the same may be performed vpoÌ„ any other conuenient day of the weeke of the Moneth or of the yere as the Church shall think expedient Vpon this ground Zanchius affirmed Ecclesiae Christi liberuÌ„ esse quos velit praeter dominic dies sibi saÌ„ctificaÌ„dos deligere And by this warrant did the primitiue Church sanctifie these fiue anniuersarie dayes of Christs Natiuitie Passion Resurrection Ascension and the Descent of the Holy Ghost Where it is obiected that it is onely proper to God to make holidayes I answer That it is onely proper to God to make times and places holy by appropriating to them a diuine worship which may not bee performed lawfully but in these places and on these times such as the Tabernacle and Temple and the Iewish Festiuities vnder the Law were for vnto them was appropriated by God a worship which might not be performed on another day and so these dayes did not only belong to the worship as meere circumstances but were proper parts or points thereof and could not bee omitted without marring of the whole action In which respect these dayes were holier then other dayes because a part of Gods worship consisted in obseruation of them Such holy dayes the Church cannot make But to make times and places holy by consecration of them to an holy vse the Church hath power for the dayes that she appoints are obserued only for order and policie and haue no relation to the worship performed on them as any Rite or religious Ceremonie belonging necessarily to the integritie thereof The Natiuitie of our Sauiour may bee remembred and publike thankes giuen to God therefore vpon any other time as well as vpon the twentie fiue of December likewise the Passion Ascension and the rest of these benefits yet wee remember them at certaine set-times not because the times require such a worship or the worship such a time to the integritie and lawfulnesse thereof but to the end the worship may be performed orderly once euery yeare in euery place vpon one day that all people wheresoeuer they be at home or abroad may bee instructed and admonished to prayse and magnifie the grace of God and goodnesse of their Sauiour Herein the reformed Churches differ from the Papists who Iudaize in obseruation of those Festiuities because they professe to obserue them not for order only but esteeme them to be sacratiores sanctiores alijs diebus pars diuini cultus which we doe not For the Lords Day it hath succeeded to the Sabbath and is holy by diuine Institution hauing for euidence and confirmation thereof both a morall Precept and the exemplarie practice of Christ and his Apostles in Scripture In the forth command after the labour of six dayes the seuenth is appointed to bee sanctified in memoriall of Gods rest from his six dayes worke and the particular day not being expressed in the command was notified to the people either by the exemplary practice of Moses and the Church in the Wildernesse or by tradition of the Fathers going before if so it be that from the Creation that day was obserued Now after the legall shaddowes are abolished whereof the Iewish Sabbath was one if any will demand what day must bee obserued in the Christian Church wee answere that questionlesse for the quotient of the number the day cannot bee altered which by the Law is appointed Heauen and Earth shall perish but one iot of the Law shall not perish Our Sauiour came not to dissolue the Law but to fulfill it In the Law wee heare that God rested the seuenth Day that he blessed and sanctified it and there is a libertie giuen to labour six dayes but the seuenth is commanded to be kept holy so howbeit the Iewish Sabbath which was the shaddow be materially abolished as touching the particular Day yet the Day commanded in the Law formally must remayne and euer be the seuenth after six dayes worke But if yee will aske seeing the seuenth Day in particular is not expressed in the Law and that day which the Iewes obserued is abolished by Christ as the shaddow by the body how the particular and materiall Day may bee knowne that the Christian Church should obserue Vnto this we answere that the particular Day was demonstrated by our Sauiours Resurrection and his Apparitions made thereon by the Apostolicall practice and the perpetuall obseruation of the Church euer since that time of the Day which in Scripture is called the Lords Day as that which the Iewes obserued was called the Lords Sabbath because as the one was appointed by the Lord for a memoriall of his rest after the Creation so the other was instituted by the Lord for a memoriall of his Resurrection after the Redemption For this wee must hold as a sure ground whatsoeuer the Catholike Church hath obserued in all Ages and is found in Scripâ—ure expresly to haue beene practised by Christ and the Apostles such as the sanctification of the Lords Day the same most certainly was instituted by the Lord to bee obserued and his practice in that is exemplar and hath the strength of a particular precept Hereby it is manifest that the sanctification of the Lords Day is of diuine Institution as well by reason of the diuine Precept commanding the seuenth Day in generall to bee obserued as of the diuine practice of Christ and the Apostles their specifying the Day which hath the force of a particular diuine Precept In respect whereof the obseruation of this Day is a point of diuine Worship and is holy not by Ecclesiasticall Constitution but by diuine Institution Moreouer this Day is holy by appropriation of it to a certaine religious vse whereunto no other Day can be applyed namely to bee a memoriall of the Lords rest after the Creation and of his Resurrection after the Redemption As also to be a signe of our sanctification here and of our glorification hereafter as is manifest by the words of the holy Ghost Exod. 31.13 It shall be a signe betweene me and you that I the Lord doe sanctifie you and that of the fourth to the Hebrewes A rest is left to the people of God wherein we should studie to enter For this wee must hold
hee that doubts is damned for whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne Rom. 14. These are the rules of conscience set downe in the Word concerning which it is to be obserued that the first rule is absolute and the second and third subiect to it The Lawes of men and their opinions must be tryed and iudged by the Law of God for as the Apostle sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is We must obey God rather then men As for the priuate iudgement of euery mans conscience it is subiect to both the two former rules That the iudgement of our minde must giue place to Gods Law no man doubts And that it ought to giue place vnto Constitutions Ciuill or Ecclesiastical no man should doubt that knowes how God by his Word hath ordayned that euery soule should be subiect to superiour powers It may be obiected What if wee doubt whether the thing commanded in the law of man bee lawfull and expedient may wee obey thus doubting seeing the Apostle sayes that Whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne Vnto this the answer is easie first touching the lawfulnesse of that which is commanded in a Law no man ought to doubt except hee bee able to proue euidently that the Law is vnlawfull by the Law of God which if hee doe hee must follow the first rule and rather obey God then men Next as for expedience Rom. 14 The things committed to the iudgement of our conscience and which according to our faith and perswasion wee ought to doe or omit are not things determined or concluded by any diuine or humane Constitution but such things as are free and indifferent which a man may freely elect or reiect doe or leaue vndone without transgression of any Law Diuine Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall In such things the Apostle willeth euery man to follow that which hee thinks most expedient for edification and eschuing of scandall Where a man hath not a Law his iudgement is the rule of his conscience but where there is a Law the Law must be the rule As for example before that Apostolicall Canon that forbad to eate bloud or strangled things euery man might haue done that which in his conscience he thought most expedient according to the circumstances of times places and persons In presence of the Iewes hee might haue abstayned from these things if in his heart hee thought it most expedient for eschuing their offence Contrariwise in presence of conuerted Gentiles he might haue eaten if hee esteemed that by his abstinence they would haue taken offence and doubted of their Christian libertie but after the making and publication of the Canon that inioyned abstinence the same was to rule their consciences And therefore after that time albeit a man had thought in his owne priuate iudgement that to abstayne from these things was not expedient because some by his abstinence might haue taken offence as before yet in that case he ought not to haue eaten because now the will of the Law and not the iudgement of his owne mind was the rule of his conscience Neither was hee now to respect the scandall because it was remoued by the Law for by obedience to a lawfull Ordinance no man giues scandall and if any take offence both the cause and occasion thereof is the peruersnesse onely of the person offended Tertullian saith well Res bona neminem offendit nisi malam mentem that is A good thing such as obedience can offend no man but an euill minde which must bee reformed by good information and not by disobedience which confirmeth errour and causes rebellion Caluin in his 363. Epist. written to Oleuian giues many reasons wherefore the comfort of the Sacrament ought not to be refused to the sicke in time of extremitie and declares that in his owne iudgement he thought it expedient not to refuse the same yet he subioynes Scis frater alium esse apud nos morem fero quia non est vtile contendere that is Yee know Brother wee haue another custome I beare with it because I thinke not good to make contention Here Caluin preferreth the custome of Geneua to his owne iudgement and will leaue that vndone which he thought expedient to be done rather then by doing it and infringing the custome of the Church to make contention What then shall wee doe ill that good may come of it for is it not euill to omit that which we thinke expedient to bee done and that ought not to be refused to the end good may come of it namely peace preserued and contention eschued To this I answer The euill which the Apostle forbids is a thing simply vnlawfull in it selfe and not that which in one respect may be expedient and in another inexpedient As to giue the Sacrament to the sicke is expedient for their comfort but to giue it contrary to the order of the Church is not expedient In things of this nature Ex duobus malis minus eligendum est that is Of two euils the least must be chosen It is euill to refuse the comfort of the Sacrament to the sicke but it is worse to giue it against the custome of the Church and make contention I must therefore in this case choose the least euill and not giue the Sacrament because thereby the greater euill being eschued the lesse ceasseth to bee euil and becommeth good It is doubtlesse an euill thing to cast our goods in the Sea but it is worse to lose our liues Here the least euill is to bee chosen for the eschuing the greater and in that respect it ceasses to be euill Thus the rule holds in all things of this quality when that which is euill is not vnlawfull and vnhonest but vnexpedient and vnprofitable And so to returne Caluine for this cause preferres the custome of Geneua to his owne iudgement in a matter of expediencie for it is euer more expedient to obey a Law and keepe a lawfull Custome then to doe a thing thought more expedient if it cannot be done but by an open breach of the Law because thereby the Law must be brought in contempt priuate opinion preferred to publike authoritie and so confusion contention and Schisme brought in and order peace and vnitie shoot to the doore To conclude in matters of expediencie where a Law is set downe if wee make not the Law the rule of our obedience and conscience but our owne priuate opinions and conceits then must we with the Anabaptists disproue and condemne all sorts of Gouernment and liue like lawlesse Libertines euery man following his owne conceite whereunto it is certaine the peruersenesse of our nature carryes vs that is alwayes prone to rebellion and therefore easily drawne thereto with any shew of reason pretext of conscience and religion which the Penner of this pestilent Pamphlet considering intends with Lyes Calumnies Falshoods craftie Cauillations Threatnings and Terrours of Oathes Promises and Subscriptions to deceiue the simple stirre vp the Seditious confirme the
est vniuersae Ecclesiae â—amersi ipsa fidei vnitas quiâ—usdam diuersis obseruationibus ceâ—ebratur quibus â—ullo modo quod â—n â—ide verum est impeditur â—mnis enim pulchritudo siliae Regis intrinsecus â—llae autem obâ—eruationes quae variae obseruantur in â—ius veste entelliguntur vnde illi dicitur in fimbrijs aureâ—â— circumamicta varietate that 〈◊〉 The Faith of the vniuersall Church is one albeit the Vniâ—ie of the Faith it selfe bee celebrate with some diuers obseruations whereby the Veritie of the Faith is not impedit for all the beautie of the Kings daughter is within but these obseruations which are variantly obserued are vnderstood to be in her apparell therefore it is said of her That shee is clothed with varietie in vestures of gold Psal. 45. In this veritie of Faith whereby the Church standeth her estate consisteth this must bee euer kept one and the same albeit of the obseruations and ceremonies wherewith it is clothed â—t may sometime be said as God said of IOSVA Take away â—he filthy garments from him I will clothe thee with a change of rayment Tertull. de Virginibus Velandis Regula quidem fidei vna omnino est sola immobilis irreformabilis c. Hac lege fidei manente caetera iam disciplinae conuersationis admittunt nouitatem correctionis operante scil cet proficiente vsque in finem gratia Dei The rule of Faith is altogether one onely vnchangeable and such as cannot be reformed c. This Law of Faith standing firme the remanent things that concerne discipline and conuersation admit the noueltie of correction by the grace of God which worketh and maketh a profitable progresse euen to the end Augustines sentence which yee cite is not repugnant to this for in that place he speaketh not of such a mutation as proceedeth from the instant and lawfull desire of a Prince and after due deliberation is concluded by the body of the whole Church but of such a nouation as is vrged contentiously by some curious spirits who being strangers to the Church wherein they presse to make the nouation would haue the customes thereof changed according to the formes of their owne Countrey or being trauelled abroad would make a reformation according to that which they see in their peregrination Aut quia in sua patria sic ipse consueuit aut quia ibi vidit vbi peregrinationem suam quo remotiorem à suis eo doctiorem factam putat In such a case saith Augustine the nouation helpeth not so much by vtilitie as it hurteth by noueltie such was the alteration that was intended and vrged by some Innouators at Hampton Court Where notwithstanding some few particulars were explayned in the Liturgie of the Church of England as is set downe in the third dayes Conference by D. William Barlow as followeth 1. Absolution or remission of sinnes in the rubricke of absolution 2. In priuate Baptisme that a lawfull Minister bee present 3. Examination and Confirmation of Children 4. Iesus said vnto them twice to bee put in the Dominicall Gospels in stead of Iesus said to the Disciples Thus his Maiesty who had wisely said before in that Conâ—erence Rather a Church with some fault then still a change declared that where the fault might bee redressed without change of the estate of the Church the fault was to be mended and the estate â—reserued The second Article PP The receiuing againe of these Articles so iustly â—eiected and so carefully and long kept forth of the CHVRCHâ— grieueth reformed Professours tenderly affected to our reformation and giueth occasion to our Aduersaries to reproue our separation from them of rashnesse leuitie and inconstancie and not only hindereth their conuersion but strengthneth their hope of our further conformitie with them quoties non mutarunt suam quisque sententiam c. ANS The receiuing againe of these Articles neuer reiected as vnlawfull giueth no iust occasion of griefe to any who are not superstitiously affected to externall Rites and Ceremonies and such are not to be followed but should be better informed And as for the Aduersaries it grieueth them that by this change their mouthes are stopped who before took occasion to slander our Church of prophanenesse for fitting at the Sacrament of impious ingratitude for neglecting the solemne commemoration of the inestimable benefits of our Redemption of contempt of the Sacraments and crueltie for refusing in cases of necessitie Baptisme to Infants and the Supper of the Lord to these who desire the comfort thereof 〈◊〉 the time of their death which things being now restored in our Church they are afraid that many who before of their â—ect did not so much abhorre our profession for the substance of doctrine as for the precise excluding of these religious Rites may now bee moued to adioyne themselues to our Church But to be short what can bee so well done by vs whereat they will not take occasion to slander vs either of inconstancie or prophanenesse and impietie Therefore our actions must not depend on their constructions but we must doe that which is most expedient and best for the estate of our owne Church and not regard their hopes conceits calumnies and lyes whereby they maintaine their Kingdome of darknesse The third Article PP They cannot stand in one profession with brotherly kindnes peace and loue which must bee tenderly kept amongst the members of Christs body as the same consisteth of stroÌ„ger and more infirme as may appeare in the Apostolicall Rules following c. Things indifferent put the case mans inuention were of that nature in the case of scandall ceasse to be indifferent and are as things morall Perkins Gal. 2.3 ANS Vnto this Article Augustine answereth in his 118. Epistle to Ianuarius cap. 2. in these words Saepe sensi dolens gemens multas infirmorum perturbationes fieri per quorundam fratrum obstinationem superstitiosam timiditatem qui in rebus huiusmodi quae neque sacrae Scripturae authoritate neque vniuersalis Ecclesiae traditione neque vitae corrigendae vtilitate ad certum possunt terminum peruenire c. Tam litigiosas excitant contentiones vt nisi quod ipsi faciunt nihil rectum existiment I haue often thought with sorrow and sighing that the perturbations and offences of many weake ones come by the contentious stubbornnesse of some Brethren and by their superstitious feare who for such matters as neither by authoritie of the holy Scripture nor by the tradition of the vniuersall Church nor by vtilitie for amendment of life can be determined and brought to some certaine point stirre vp contentions that they esteeme nothing right but that which they doe themselues This is it that breaketh the bonds of kindnesse peace and loue amongst Brethren As to things inâ—ifferent it is true indeed that they become not only scanâ—alous and morally euill as Perkins sayth but superstitious â—nd Rites of wil-worship when they are vrged as necessary â—o be vsed
for parts of Gods worship instituted by himselfe as ye vrge sitting at the Table in the Sacrament of the Supâ—er or when it is vrged â—hat they be reiected and excluded â—rom the worship of God as simply vnlawfull and which may be vsed without breach of some diuine Ordinance as â—ou will haue kneeling and the commemoration of Gods â—nestimable benefits â—pon the fiue Anniuersary dayes the â—ebration of â—he Sacraments in cases of necessity in priuate places and the examination and blessing of yong Children â—y the Bishop in his Visitation â—he contentious maintenance of such points against the order of the Church can neither stand with Pietie nor Charitie nor with the Apoâ—tolicall Rules Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Giue no offence neither to the â—ew nor to the Grecian nor to the Church if God Let all things be done honestly and in order The fourth Article PP They giue way to humane â—nuentions and bring the wrong key of mans wit within the house of God whereby â—oves and â—rifling Ceremonies in number and force are mulâ—iplyed as mens wits are variable to inuent Who requireth those things at your hands ANS The determination of the circumstantiall Ceremonies belonging to the formes times places and persons by whom where when and how God should bee worshipped concluded by the Assembly at Perth giue no way to humane inuention nor bring within the house of God any key but that which God hath giuen to his Church for pieâ—y and edification and for establishing of order and decencie to beâ—â—ed â—n his worship which things God requireth at our hands The fift Article PP The admitting of some openeth the doore to the rest the multitude of such make vs inferiour to the Iewes in two respects First Their Ceremonies were all diuine Secondly In number fewer then rituall Christians do obserue betwixt the Pasche and Pentecost Gerson complayneth Quod multitudine leuissimarum ceremoniarum vis omnis Spiritus sancti quem in nobis vigere oportuit vera pietas sit extincta that with the multitude of friuolous Ceremonies true pietie was extinguished and the force of the Spirit which ought to bee powerfull in vs. Iewell Apollog p. 116. Sed quamuis hoc neque inueniri possit c. Aug. Epist. 119. Howbeit it cannot bee found how they are contrary to the faith yet they presse downe Religion it selfe with seruile burthens so that the estate of the Iewes is more tolerable who howbeit they did now acknowledge the time of their liberty are subiect notwithstanding to the burthens of the Law not to the presumptions of man Quanto magis accedit cumulo c. Confess Orthodox cap. 27. that is The more that the heape of Rites and Ceremonies in the Church increaseth the more is derogated not onely from Christian libertie but also from Christ and his faith learned graue men may like better of the single forme of Policie in our Church then of the many Ceremonies of the Church of England Epist. before Basilicon Doron ANS Some Ceremonies must bee admitted otherwise neither order nor decencie can be obserued in the worship of God and the admission of such as be lawfull and profitable is not â—he cause of introducing vnnecessary burthens but when â—he Church extendeth her libertie beyond the bounds assigned thereto of order and decency and moderateth not the â—se of her power according to the â—â—ostolicall Rules of pieâ—â— and charity 1. Cor. 10. â—1 Whatsoeuer yee doe doe all to the â—lory of God 1. Cor. 14.26 Let all things â—e done to edification Rom 14.10 Let 〈◊〉 therâ—ore follow after the things which make â—or peace and things wherewith one may edifie another Gal. 5. â— Stand in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free and â—e not intangled againe with the 〈◊〉 of bondage When â—hese rules are noâ— looked to and thereby the power of the Church moderated and keened within the limits of circumstantiall things belonging only to the manners times and places of diuine worship wâ—ereof some of necessitie must be determined and appointed to bee vsed in the worship of God vnnecessary burdens are laid vpon the Church as it was in Papistrâ— Against this abuse the complaints of Gerâ—on and Augustine are directed which ye shall neuer be able to apply truly against the Ceremonies determined and conâ—luded at Perth which are all within the compasse of the Apostolicall Canons and concerne only circumstantiall â—hings and there be farre more learned and graue men who â—ike better of them then of our former order as after shall be cleered in the dispute The sixt Article PP Matters of that nature bring ineuitably with them disputations diuisions contentions as may be seen in all Churches where such coales of contention get entrie The Pascha of the Primitiue Church c. ANS It is not the nature of the matters but the nature of contentious persons that for such matters take occasion to make question and strife The seuenth Article PP They hinder edification for how much time and zeale shall bee spent vpon the in-bringing and establishing of these as much leisure and oportunity Satan getteth to sow and water the tares of Athâ—isme Schisme Popery and Dissention Consider the senâ—â—nce following Let vs proceed by one rule that we may minde one thing c. ANS This is a prophetical Article easie to bee diuined by these who had already concluded by their opposition and contradiction to hinder the peaceable in-bringing therof to open a gate of dissention wherby Satan might enter to sow the tares of Schisme Atheisme and Popery in the Church yet obedient and peaceable Pastors haue in their Congregations brought in practice all these things without losse of time or trauell And Satan Schisme Atheisme and Popery had bin debarred and the work had pleasantly and profitably gone forward had the rest concurred with them according to the golden senteÌ„ces following First Let vs proceed by one rule that we may mind one thing Secondly Let vs follow the truth in loue Thirdly Giue no place to the Deuill Fourthly Let no root of bitternesse spring vp to trouble you Fiftly Fulfill my ioy that yee bee like minded hauing the same loue being of one accord and one iudgement that nothing bee done through contention or vaine glory but that in meeknesse of minde euery man esteeme other better then himselfe Sixtly Doe all things without murmuring and reasoning The eighth Article PP They bring a sensible blot either vpon the happie memory of our godly and wise Predecessors in so farre as wee depart from that reformation so wisely brought in appointed established by them or else vpon our selues by resuming againe of dangerous superfluities without reason reiected by them for weighty and necessary causes Magnum est hoc Dei munus c. Beza Epist. to Master Knox. This is a great benefite of God that yee brought into Scotland true religion and good order the bond that retayneth doctrine at one time So I
of Religion might take thus abused by people vnto superstition this is one pregnant reason wherefore the alteration should haue beene made As to that which they speake of the credite of Pastors the same ought not to be maintained by â—ostering an errour in the hearts of people namely that the Ministers taught that which they neuer taught or at least should not haue taught As by example that the obseruation of the fiue Holy dayes to the commemoration of Christs benefits is vnlawfull This I am assured was ne-neuer done by any well aduised Preacher for it had bin a condemning of the Primitiue Church and all the Reformed Churches now in the world Likewise to haue taught that kneeling in the acte of receiuing the Sacrament is vnlawfull were to haue contradicted the best and most learned Diuines we haue Beza saith of it Speciem habet piae ac Christianae venerationis ac proinde olim potuit cum fructu vsurpari That is to say kneeling at the Sacrament hath a shew of holy and Christian worshippe and therefore of old might haue been fruitfully vsed Whereby yee see he condemneth not simply the ceremonie but witnesseth that there was a time when the same did edifie and profite Caluine before him called it Cultum legitimum that is a Lawfull adoration being vsed in the action of the Supper and directed to Christ. Petrus Martyr saith Multi piè genua flectunt adorant that is Many in receiuing the Sacrament doe bow their knees religiously and adore Christs flesh Paraeus speaking of the same gesture esteemes it an indifferent ceremonie And that which so great and learned Diuines iudged to bee lawfull what are we to condemne Next I answere That the credite of the Pastours should not be maintained with the discredit of the Prince amongst his Subiects for if they who should be patternes of reuerence and obedience to others shall in their owne persons withstand the lawfull desires godly intention 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 wee become 〈…〉 the contrary This is an high 〈…〉 we contrauene our oath 〈…〉 â—n the contrary â—herafter 〈…〉 â—ath â—s â—uritanisme If sincere and 〈…〉 â—â—albe still â—ursued for their constanâ—◠〈◊〉 their â—rofession and the conscience they make of 〈…〉 â—oe we not expone the whole Nation to a woâ—ull â—engeance and perpetuall ignominy ANS Our assertory Oath touching the Articâ—es controâ—erted condemneth those onely in the guilt of periury who hold that policy and order in ceremonies may not be altered when necessity requireth and being altered ought not to bee obeyed And indeede it is a profound point of infernall policy not only by an exemplary practise of disobedience against the lawes of Ecclesiasticall Discipline to contrauene the Oath in your owne Person but also vnder pretext of constancy of Profession and conscience of the Oath to perswade others for feare of periury to periure themselues Whereby yee both expose your selues to the fearefull iudgement of Gods vengeance and drawe others with you to the same perdition Your sophisticke cauillations whereby yee intend seditiously to proue the vnlawfulnesse of the Articles concluded at Perth shall now bee answered and the truth cleared to the satisfaction of all men who are not contentious An answere to the arguments brought against kneeling in the act of receiuing of the holy Communion PP IT hath been the vniforme and constant order of this Church since the Reformation that the Communicants should receiue the Sacramentall elements of Bread and Wine sitting at the Table In the second head of the first booke of Discipline are set downe these words The Table of the Lord is then rightly ministred when it approacheth most neere to Christs owne action But plaine it is that at that Supper Christ Iesus sate with his Disciples and therefore we doe iudge that sitting at that Table is most conuenient to that holy aâ—tion In the generall Assembly holden in Decemb. 1562 it was ordained That one vniforme order should be obserued in the ministration of the Sacraments according to the order of Geneua And in December 1564 It was ordained That of time and confirmed by oathes and subscriptions as is euident by the former deduction It is notwithstanding expedient to descend further in opening vp the vnlawfulnesse of kneeling First as it is a breach of the Institution Secondly as it is a breach of the second Commandement Thirdly as it is without the example and practise of the ancient Church Fourthly as it disagrees from the practise of the Reformed Churches ANS After yee haue laid downe your grounds some for sitting and some against kneeling yee subioyne the tenor of the acte concluded at Perth but most corruptly as we haue noted in the margine and then yee forme this argument That which hath been established by so many lawes Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall by so long custome and prescription of time and confirmed by oathes and subscriptions we may not lawfully alter But so it is that sitting at Table in the acte of receiuing hath beene established by lawes customes long prescription of time and confirmed by oathes and subscriptions A man that had heard the proposition only would expect some great matter in the assumption belonging to some article of Faith or precept of obedience set downe in Gods Word and all resolues in an indifferent ceremonie of sitting at the Sacrament But yet to make simple people beleeue that it were some necessary or substantiall point of Religion that might not be altered ye make a great shew of lawes customes c which being examined shall vanish as smoake before the winde And where yee beginne with a strong alleageance that it was established with so many lawes Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall I aske you first by what Ciuill lawes Yee say so many yet in your deduction whereby you affirme the assumption to be euident yee cite not one law neither can yee albeit yee are not ashamed to say so many For your Ecclesiasticall lawes yee cite first the words set downe in the second head of the first booke of Discipline the Table of the Lord is then rightly ministred c. These words are not a law for that booke of Discipline was neuer receiued nor confirmed either by the Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall estate some of the Nobility subscribed it but others who had the chiefe authority as Master Knox complaines in his History reiected the same calling it Deuout imaginations Next yee cite the ordinance of the generall Assembly 1562 appointing the order of Geneua to be obserued this Act cannot establish your sitting for in Geneua they stand or passe as they Receiue and sit not at Table The last Acte which yee cite in anno 1564 ordaineth Ministers in the ministration of the Sacraments to vse the order set downe in the Psalme book In that Act there is no mention of sitting and by the order set downe in the Psalme bookes that may be meant which before was called the order of Geneua How soeuer it be there is no particular law for
a profitable change without losse therefore hee who makes this change according to the Proclamation is not spoyled of his liberty but maketh vantage by the right vse thereof Here it shall not bee amisse to recite Zanchius opinion in this purpose who defending their opinion that esteeme the words to contayne a command moues a doubt and answers it after this manner Verùm enimuerò videtur cum hac sententia pugnare c. That is But this fights against their opinion that hold the words to be a command that it was euer lawfull to Gods people to assemble themselues on other dayes beside the Sabbath to heare Gods Word to bee present at Prayers to offer Sacrifices and such other things belonging to outward worship which farre lesse can bee denyed to vs and therefore beside the Lords Day other dayes are instituted in the Church ad feriandum ab operibus seruilibus to rest from seruile workes if not for the whole day yet for the morning time He answeres Facilis est horum conciliatio sicut opera diuini cultus praeponenda sunt operibus seruilibus ita haec sunt omittenda quando illis vacandum est c. that is These things may be easily reconciled as the workes of Gods worship are to bee preferred to seruile workes so these must be omitted when those are to bee performed And a little after We sinne not against this precept sayes hee when wee ceasse from our seruile labour to waite on Gods worship quoties ordo Ecclesiae aut necessitas postulat so often as the order of the Church and necessitie requires This is Zanchius iudgement vpon the fourth precept of the Law in the sixe hundred sixty two page of that Worke. And if a precept cannot impede the appointing of solemne times for the worship of God farre lesse can a permission The Muscouites saying that it is for Lords to make Feasts and abstaine from labour is true yet amongst them Festiuall Dayes are obserued That the Citizens after diuine Seruice on these Dayes betake themselues to their labour wee doe not reproue because it is agreeable to their policie PP It may be obiected that Constantine the Emperour made a Law that none but the Prince may ferias condere erect an idle day The Prince then may enioyne a day of cessation Answ. The Lawes of the Cod. are not Rules of Theologie A Prince may not enioyne cessation from Oeconomicall and Domesticke workes but for weapon-shewing exercise of Armes defence of the Countrey or other publike workes and affaires But that is not to enioyne a day of simple cessation but to enioyne a politicke worke in place of the Oeconomicall ANS Though the Lawes of the Cod. bee not Rules of Theologie yet where they are not contrary to Scripture they are good Rules of Gouernment to Princes and of obedience to Subiects That the Prince may enioyne a day of cessation from seruile worke for the worship of God is not only not contrary but most agreeable to Scripture The Festiuall Dayes of Purim kept by the Iewes were confirmed by the Decree of Queene Esther Esth. 9.32 It is written in the Booke of Ionah the third Chapter and seuenth verse That ye the Decree of the King of Niniue and his Nobles a Fast was proclamed The Feast of Dedication graced with the presence of our Sauiour was instituted by Indas Machabaeus and the people 1. Mach. 10. And if the King may command a cessation from Oeconomicall and priuate workes for workes ciuill and publike such as the defence of the Crowne the liberty of the Countrey c. What reason haue yee why hee may not enioyne a day of cessation from all kind of bodily labour for the honour of God and exercise of Religion Is hee not custos vtriusque tabulae If the one may be done as yee grant for the weale of the politicall body much more may and should the other bee done for the weale of the Mysticall especially when the order of the Church so requires PP ANS 〈…〉 dayes agrees with Pâ—etie and Charitie but to enioyne the obâ—eruation of a weekly day besiâ—es the Sabbath were against Chaâ—â—tie Euâ—â—tie Is this a good Argumentâ— The Câ—urch may not doe that which is vnlawfull therefore shee may not enioyne that which is lawfull or this The Kâ—â—g may neyther banish not put to death an honest and peaceable Subiect therefore he may not execute a Traytor or banish a seditious man This kinde of reasoning is more then childish PP I say further that the poore Crafts-man cannot lawfully bee commanded to lay aside his Tooles and goe passe his time no not for an houre let be for a day And yet farther that he ought not to be compelled to leaue his worke to goe to diuine Seruice except on the day that the Lord hath sanctified ANS This is a strong argument confirmed with the great authoritie of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I say further But what say yee to that which is ordayned in the first Booke of Discipline out of which yee tooke your first argument in this dispute of daies In the ninth Chapter thereof we haue these words In euerie notable Towne we require that one day beside the Sonday be appoynted to Sermon and prayers which day during the time of Sermon must be kept free from all exercise of labour aswell to the Maister as to the seruant When yee discussed the oath yee cited the ordinances of this Booke as poynts of Discipline sworne vnto and subscribed If it bee not lawfull to commaund and compell a man to goe to diuine Seruice except vpon the Lords day why did yee sweare in the assertorie oath that it was lawfull But yee will say I sware not that he might be compelled but if he may be lawfully commanded to cease from his labour during the time of diuine seruice he may be as lawfully compelled to obey the coÌ„mand Necessitie ye know excuses the breach of the Sabboth it selfe But the precepts of this Booke ye vse or vse not as they may serue to your purpose Such of them as yee allow must all be obserued vnder the paine of periurie others that are contrarie to your opinion must be reputed reiected as vnlawfull PP It is the priuiledge of Gods power to appoynt a day of rest and to sanctifie it to his honour as our best Diuines maintaine c. If the speciall sanctification of a day to an holy vse depends vpon Gods commandement and institution then neither King nor Church representatiue may make a Holy day ANS Dayes are sanctified and made holy as are places two manner of wayes some places were made holy by annexing to them a peculiar worship instituted by God which lawfully could not be performed in another place such were the Tabernacle and the Temple which were also holy by reason of the typicke and mysticall signification wherewith they were clothed by diuine institution These places did appertaine to the worship not as mere circumstances
Worship For albeit the Lords Day be consecrated to the Worship of God yet the Worship is not tied to it but from one Sabbath to another and from one New-Moone to another all flesh may appeare before the Lord. That which ye speake of diuiding Christs actions and the appointing of mysticall dayes is partly foolish and partly false Is it not a folly to thinke that the actions of Christ ought not to bee diuided and seuerally remembred in Lectures and Sermons seeing the Spirit of God hath diuided them in this Storie and that it is impossible at once to remember them all And it is false also because for rememberance of them no day is appointed to bee kept mystically as a part of the worship but only circumstantially for order and commoditie which kinde of obseruation is not a superstitious wil-worship but a lawfull determination of commodious times for the worship of God belonging to the power and policie of the Church PP It is thirdly obiected that Paul kept the Feast of Pentecost Act. 20. 1. Cor. 16. I answere it was the Iewish Pentecost c. ANS If it was the Iewish Pentecost then Saint Paul did not only obserue an Anniuersary Day but such also as was legall and abrogated by the Gospell and such as hee discharges the Church to obserue Yet I hope yee will not say that his obseruation was Superstitious or Pedagogicall because he obserued it not as a necessary part of Gods worship prescribed in the Law in respect whereof only it was Pedagogicall but as a fit circumstance and opportunitie for the worke of his Ministerie like as he did often obserue the Iewish Sabbaths which was not onely lawfull but in those times verie expedient to be done by him Hereby it is manifest that the obseruation of dayes is not condemned by the Apostle as a Iewish Rite because Anniuersarie Monethly or Weekly but because it was conioyned with opinion of necessitie and vsed as a Legall worship therefore although vpon the Iewish Sabbath or vpon their Pentecost diuine worship was performed as the Euangell preached the Sacraments celebrated Prayers publikely conceiued c. If these things were done without any mysticall relation or respect had to the day but only because the time was opportune and happily fit for Gods Worke the exercise was lawfull and could not bee condemned So wee finde in some churches that on eueryday the sacrameÌ„t was ministred that on the Iewish Sabbath they had an ordinarie Fast and no well aduised Christian did euer thinke these to be vnlawfull by reason of the day For if to the cleane euery thing be cleane all dayes are cleane and sanctified to euery lawfull exercise of the man who is himselfe made cleane by the bloud of Christ Consequently euery day whether it be Weekly or Anniuersarie is cleane and sanctified by Christ to the exercise of any part of his Worship which shall bee thought meete by the Church to be performed to his honour and the edification of her selfe The Legall Sabbath and Pentecost which were abrogated could not make the Euangelicke Worship which was performed on them by the Apostles vnlawfull farre lesse can the Lords Day such as the Christian Pasche and Whitsonday are or any other day of the Weeke Moneth or Yeare which were neuer legally obserued make the Doctrine Prayers and Sacraments administred on them vnlawfull and superstitious To conclude I finde in this Obiection a Solution to all your Arguments for here I find that there may be a lawfull obseruation of dayes which are abrogated let be of dayes which are not discharged so the obseruation bee not legall with opinion of necessâ—tie or of any mysterie in the time but Euangelicall with knowledge of our Christian libertie and for opportunitie of time onely which both may bee lawfull and expedient So Saint Paul keeped many Sabbaths and the Pentecost whereon Saint Peter also conuerted three thousand by his first preaching This is the obseruation for which only we stand against which ye haue neuer concluded a contradictory but either against the Legall of the Iewish or superstitious of the Gentiles So all your Arguments fall vnder one forme of Caption which wee call ignorantia Elenchi when a contradiction seemes to bee where there is none because the tearmes in the apparant contradiction are not taken in the same sâ—nse PP It is fourthly obiected out of the Epistles of Polycarpus and Polycrates extant in the Historie of Eusebius and out of Beda following Eusebius that the Apostles kept the Feast of Easter Answ. Beda was but a Fabler and a follower of fabulous Reports Eusebius was a little better c. ANS Thus it pleaseth your pride to disdaine these ancient learned and holy Writers because they crosse your Nouelties by the truth of Antiquitie not vnlike the Painter of whom Sadeel writes Qui cum gallum gallinaceum infeliciter pingeret verum gallum á tabula abigebat Hauing drawne a Cocke vnskilfully that his errour should not bee perceiued he chased away the liuing Cocke that stood by him so the Papists forbid the vse of Scriptures that their Errors should not be discouered Nouators cannot sustain the authority of the Ancients But ye make mention of Polycarpus Epistle extant in Eusebius and in Eusebius there is no Epistle of Polycarpus onely Irenaeus in a Letter that hee sends to Victor mentions him The Epistles of Polycrates yee affirme to bee counterfeit and vpon what reason Because ye say that it is said in the Epistles that Saint Iohn bore on his fore-head pontificale petalum that is the golden plate or the High Priests Mitre Polycrates ye thinke would not haue written so because Scaliger sayes that no man will grant that eyther Iohn or Iames did beare it who vnderstand that none of Christs Apostles was a Priest and that it was lawfull to none but the High Priest to beare the golden plate It is true that Polycrates in propertie of speech would not haue written so but what is more frequent amongst the Ancients then by such flowers colours of Rhetorick to describe the Euangelick Ministers amoÌ„gst whom such as Polycarpus Thrasias and others by him named Iohns authoritie was as great as was the High Priests aboue the inferiour vnder the Law Therfore to distinguish him froÌ„ them Polycrates attributes to him the name and ornament of the High Priest So Tertullian de Baptismo distinguisheth the Bishop from the Elder and the Deacon calling him the High Priest Dandi quidem habet ius summus Sacerdos qui est Episcopus dehinc Presbyteri Diaconi Shall wee esteeme this Treatise of Tertullian counterfeite because hee calleth the Bishoppe an High Priest This is too weake a warrant whereon to build an improbation against so strong a partie as Eusebius PP The Bishop of Elie in his Sermon takes needlesse paines to proue the Antiquitie of Easter but when he proues it to be Apostolicall he shoots short his eldest Antiquitie is the counterfeit Epistles