Kirke There is another reason to proue that there were no other dayes appoynted in the Apostles times The Apostle had occasions to treat of holy dayes reasoning against the observation of Iewish dayes they direct them to no other as the purpose required The Apostle condemneth not onely the observation of the Iewish daies nor the Iewish observation of the Iewish daies to a typicall use For the converted Iewes did not obserue them as shadowes of things to come for then they had denied Christ but he condemneth observation of dayes as a Iewish custome and rite as a pedagogicall and rudimentary instruction not beseeming the Christian Kirke Zanchius speaketh to this purpose after this manner Magis consentaneum est cum prima institutione cum scriptis Apostolicis ut unus tantum dies in septimana sanctisicetur It is more agreeable to the first institution and the writings of the Apostles that one day of the weeke onely be sanctified Against this Argument is first alledged that the Apostle compareth with the observation of dayes Rom. 14.5.6 Answ. The Apostle beareth with the infirmity of the weake Iewes who understood not the fulnesse of the Christian liberty And the ceremoniall law was as yet not buried But the same Apostle reproveth the Galatians who had attained to this libertie and had once left off the observation of daies Next the Iudaicall dayes had once that honour as to be appointed by God himselfe but the anniversary dayes appointed by men haue not the like honour It is secondly obiected that seeing the Lords day was instituted in remembrance of Christs resurrection the other notable acts of Christ ought likewise to be remembred with their severall festivities Answer It followeth not that because Christ did institute in remembrance of one benefite therefore men may institute for other benefites 2. Christs resurrection was a benefite including the rest as an accomplishment of the worke of redemption and answered anagogically to the common benefit of creation by the beginning of a new creation 3. We deny that the Lords day was appointed to celebrate the memory onely of Christs resurrection For then the Lords resurrection the proper subiect of all Homilies Sermons Gospels Epistles Collects Hymnes and Psalmes belonging to the Paschall seruice should be the proper subject of deuine seruice euery Lords day Then the Lords day shovld be a festivall day and it were vnlawfull to fast on it It was instituted for the remembrance of all his actions and generalie for his worship Athanasius sayth In Sabathâ— conuenimus ut Dominum Sabathi Iesum adoremus Wee conuene on the Sabboth that wee may adore Iesus the Lord of the Sabboth Augustin sayth Domineus hic dies idâ—irco dicitur quia eo die Dominus resurrexit vel ut ipso nomine doceret illuÌ„ Domino consecratum esse debere It is called the Lords day because the Lord rose that day or that the name might teach us that it ought to be consecrate to the Lord. It is called the Lords day either becase the Lord did institute it as the dayes of Purim are called Mordecaies dayes in the second of the Maccabees and the communion is called the Lords Supper Or els because it was instituted to the Lords honour and worship The Iewish Sabboth was the Sabboth of the Lord our God The Christian sabboth is the Sabboth of Christ our Lord God and Man The name of Lord was more frequent in the mouths of Christians in the Apostlick times then the name of Christ as Rhenanus hath obserued When it is called commonly the Lords day it is all one as if it were commonly called Christs day Changeing the title but not the purpose If the ordinary sabboth be Christs day appointed by himselfe or his Apostles at his direction for the remembrance of all his actions and for his worship in generall to diuide his actions and appoint anniversary and mysticall dayes for their remembrance is superstitious wil-worship and a Iudaicall addition to Christs institution Christs day answereth analogicallie to the morall sabboth It may be applied to the remembrance of Christs resurrection seeing he rose that day and in some sort to bâ— a signe of the heavenly rest But that is typus communis factus A common type fitted to resemble such things But not typus distinâ—â—us appointed by God for that end It resteth then that Christs day or the Lords day is the Christian sabboth a continuation of the morall sabboth and to be obserued in a morall maner for all the paise of Gods worship in and through Christ and not in a misticall maner for the joyfull remembrance of Christ resurrection onely It is thirdly objected that Paul kept the feast of Pentecost Act. 20. 1. Cor. 16. I answer It was the Iewish Pentecost whereof mention is made in these places Paul needed not to haue travelled to Ierusalem for he might haue observed the Christian Pentecost euery where Bellarmin himself wil not be so bold as to affirme that it was the Christian Pentecost Francolinus putteth it out of doubt and sayth it is against the common exposition of the interpreters for sayeth he Tune temporis non erant celebres christianorum festivitates cum Euangelium non esset ad huc plenè promulgatum the festiuities of Christians were not as yet celebrated for the Gospell was not yet fully published It is fourthly objected out of the Epistles of Policarpus Pollycrates extant in the history of Eusebius and out of Beda following Eusebius that the Apostles kept the feast of Easter Answer Beda was but a fabler and a follower of fabulous reports Eusebius was little better treading vnknowne foot-steps as himself confesseth in the beginning of his storie The Epistles alledged are counterfeit for it is said in these Epistles that Iohn was a Priest and bare on his forehead the Patalum that is the golden plate like that of the high Priests Exod. 37.36 But no man will graunt sayth Scaliger Neutrum concedit quisciverit nullam Christi Apostolum sacerdotem fuisse nulli preterquam Summo Sacerdoti Petalon gestare licuisse That either Iohn or Iames bare it who vnderstand that none of Christs Apostles was a priest and that it was lawfull to none but the hie priest to beare the golden plate And yet these Epistles are the eldest records that Eusebius can ground vpon The Bishop of Elie in his sermon taketh needlesse pains to prove the antiquity of Ester But when he proveth it to be Apostolicall he shooteth short His eldest antiquity is the counterfeit Epistles before alledged His proofe out of scripture Psalm 118.8 1. Cor. 5.7.8 are very weake For the first testimonie is applyed to euery Lords day and is not to be restrained to Pasche day Christ crucified and refused of the builders was demonstrate to be the corner stone For that day he was demonstrate to be the son of God by his resurrection according to Dauids Prophesie To
to keepe their Station there was no intermission of the daily sacrifice no interruption of the courses till the destruction of the Temple as Scaliger proveth in the end of his booke By the calculation from the 22. of November at the dedication made by Maccabeus he maketh Iohn the Baptist to be conceived after the 28. day of Iuly and consequently Christs birth to fall out about the end of September an hot time of the yeare when the Shepheards were watching in the field Casaubon saith That the custome of the Kirke of Alexandria doth wonderfully confirme the calculation of Scaliger The day of the weeke when Christ was borne can no mortall man know sayth the same Scaliger They who were of one family diuided the services among themselues as it fell by lot some fell to offer Incense some to dresse the lampes some to order the wood on the Altar 1. Chron. 23.28.29.30.31 And the booke of the Iewish Liturgies testifies the same So you see how it fell Zachary to offer up incense and that he was not high Priest If antiquitie erred so grossely in the matter it selfe that is in taking the 25. day of December for the day of Christs nativity might they not haue erred as grossely in appointing any day at all Nay let us utter the truth December-Christmas is a iust imitation of the December-Saturnall of the Ethnicke Romans and so used as if Bacchus and not Christ were the God of Christians It is commonly obiected that we may as well keepe a day for the nativity as for the resurrection of Christ. We haue answered already that Christs day or the Lords day is the day appoynted for remembrance of his nativity and all his actions and benefites as well as for the resurrection Next the one is morall and weekly the other is mysticall and anniversary The Lords day it selfe is no longer to us mysticall but morall sayth Willet and therefore Pasâ—h-day is a mysticall Sabboth and anniversary whereas the Lords Sabboth should be onely morall It is still objected the benefits of God ought to be remembred specially Christs notable benefits Answ. It is one thing to remember another thing to remember with solemne festivities To remember is a morall duety and perpetuall for we ought to keepe not onely an anniuersary but also a weekly and dayly remembrance But to celebrate an anniversary solemnity and to keep a sabboth of rest in remembrance it is a pedagogicall ceremonie of the Iewes The Lord helped there vnderstanding with types and figures their affections with instruments of Musick Their memories with frontelets and Phylacteries to put them in mynd of Gods Law But wee are to keepe sayeth lerome not a literall by outward signes but a spirituall memorie of Gods law Euery thing set vp for remembrance of God is not acceptable to him for so the Lutheran shall defend his images As oft as the Gospell is preached Christ is remembred When the word is preached Christ is crucified and by the same reason hee may be said to be borne to rise againe to ascend c. When the sacrament is ministred Christs death and Passion is remembred and that with solemnity Wee cannot worship Christ privatly or publickly but we must remember his birth and his passion Pope Alexander 3. gaue this reason wherefore the Romane Kirk kept not a holy day to the Trinity Quoniam Ecclesia Romana in usu non habet quod in aliquo tempore buiusmodi celebret specialiter festivitatem cum singulis diebus gloria Patri fâ—â—io Spiritui Sancto coetera simitia dicantur ad laudem pertinentia Trenitalis because faieth hee Glorie to the father and to the Sonne and to the holy Ghost and other such like things belonging to the praise of the trinity are uttered daily The Popes reason is grounded vpon this rule Whatsoeuer is intreated or remembred in the ordinary divine service ought not to haue one speciall holy day to celebrat the memory of the same beside the day already discerned by the Lord. We assume Christs nativity death resurrection c. Are not only the continuall meditation of a Christian in private but also are remembred and intreated in the ordinary and publick service Every communion sunday is a passion holy day Euery sabboth that Christs nativity is preached is a time of remembrance of his Natiuity But to ordain an anniversary day or houre of rest for commemoration of his nativity or passion and specially vpon a weeke day is a Iewish rudiment and a prejudice to Christian libertie As for the 5. day of November it is not an holy day It is not a day of cessation from work which is one of the chiefe elements of an holy day The bonefires set out in token of joy are no part of Christian sanctification of the day Bellarmine telleth vs Ignis accendi solet ad letitiam significandam etiam in rebus prophanis that fire vseth to be kindled even in ciuill and prophane things Scaliger calleth the candels and torches lightned vpon Midsomer even the foote steps of auncient gentility Anniversary commemoration of a benefite with a cessation from worke suppose for a part of a day is Iewish To praise God with publick thankesgeving in the instant tyme of receiueing the benefit was our duetie But to appoint an anniuersary houre of cessation and publicke commemoration is not competent to the times of the new Testament Willet compareth this day to the daies of Purim Be it so But these dayes were of a ceremoniall nature as we haue said The seventh Reason Grant the keeping of holy dayes to haue been at the beginning a matter indiffrent and setting aside all the former reasons yet ought they to be abolished because according to the rule of the Fathers commended to us by Zanchius Non malè igitur fecerunt qui omnia praeter diem Dominicum aboleverunt Things indifferent when they are abused and polluted with superstition ought to be abolished In this ranke he placeth holidayes and therefore inferreth that they haue not done evill who haue abolished all other holidayes but the Lords day When he sayth They haue not done evill it is all one as if he had sayd They had done well for they haue done according to that laudable rule Sure it is that in former times holidayes haue not onely been abused to iâ—lenesse and licentiousnesse but also polluted with the opinion of worship merit necessity and Iudaicall conceit that the Divell did not tempt on these dayes as he did on other dayes Therefore the same Zanchius faith in the place aforesayd If any feasts were celebrate before religiously and holily but thereafter were contaminate with superstition and Idolatry that worthily they were taken away by our Reformers who imitate herein the example of Hezekias brusing to powder the brasen Serpent when it was abused to idolatry And againe he sayth The number the abuses the superstitions the false worships the will-worships
word participation of the sacraments Commemoration of divine misteries may be performed upon the ordinary sabbath but to make up a festival day Bellarm. requireth a determination of a day signification and representation of the misteries wrought on such dayes Scaliger observeth that the ordinary sabbothes were never called Chaggim as the anniversarie solemnities were 1. Reason against festivall dayes Six dayes shalt thou labour and doe all that thou hast to doe These words are either a command to doe the works of our calling as many both Iewish and Christian divines doe interprete or els a permission as others doe interpret If they contein a command no countremand may take it away If a permission no human authority may spoile men of the liberty that God hath granted unto them as long as they haue any maner of worke to doe for the sustentation of this life The Muscovits therefore say very well that it is for Lords to keepe feasts and abstien from labour The Citizens and Artificers amongst them upon the festivall dayes after divine service do betake themselues to their labour and domestick affaires as Gaguinus reporteth It may be objected that Constantine the Emperour made a law that none but the Prince may ferias coÌ„dere erect an idle day the Prince then may inioyne a day of Cessation Answer The Lawes of the â—od are not rules of theologie A Prince may not inioyne Cessation from Oeconomicall and domestick works but for weapon shewing exercise of armes defence of the country or other publick works and affaires But that is not to injoyne a day of simple Cessation but to inioyne a politick work in place of the oeconomicall Every particular member ceassing from their particular work exerciseth another work serving for the preservation of the whole bodie The curse that Adam shall eate with the sweate of his browes is mitigated by the permission of six dayes labour The Lord permitteth unto man six lest he devoure the seventh day which is sanctified What if the Kirk representatiue injoyne a weekly holy day as another sabboth ought the Kirke to be obeyed what power hath the Kirk representatiue to inioyne an anniversary day more then a weekly or hebdomadary holy day If a day of simple Cessation from all maner of work Oeconomicall and politicall may not be inioyned a festivall day may not be inioyned I say further that the poore craftsman can not lawfully be commanded to lay aside his tooles and goe passe his time no not for an houre let be for a day as long as he is willing to worke and perhaps urged with the sharpnes of present necessity And yet farther that he ought not to be compelled to leaue his worke to goe to divine service except on the day that the Lord hath sanctified The second Reason It is the priuiledge of Gods power to appoint a day of rest and to sanctifie it to his honour as our best Divines mainteine Zanchius affirmeth that it is proper to God to choose any person or any thing to consecrate and sanctifie it to himselfe as it belongeth to him alone to justify Catechismus Hollandicus saith no wise man will deny that this sanctification belongeth onely to God that it is manifest sacriledge to attribute these things to men which are onely of divine ordination Willet sayth It belongeth onely to the Creator to sanctifie the Creature In the booke of Ecclesiasticus cap. 33.7.8 it is demanded Why doth one day excell another when as the light of every day of the yeare is of the Sun It is answered By the knowledge of the Lord they were distinguished and he altered seasons and feasts Some of them hath he made hie dayes and hallowed them Some of them he hath made ordinary dayes The common tenent of the Divines was acknowledged by the pretended Bishop of Galloway in his Sermon at the last Christmas It may offend you sayd he that this is an holy day I say there is no power either civill or Ecclesiasticall can make an holy day no King no Kirk onely the Lord that made the day and distinguished it from the night he hath sanctified the seventh day The like was acknowledged by M. P. Galloway in his Christmas Sermons If the speciall sanctification of a day to an holy use dependeth upon Gods commandement and institution then neither King nor Kirke representatiue may make an holy day The observers of dayes will say they count not their anniverserie daies holier then other dayes but that they keep them only for order and policie that the people may be assembled to religious exercises Answer The Papists will confesse that one day is not holier then another in its owne nature no not the Lords day for then the Sabboth might not haue been changed from the last to the first day of the weeke But they affirme that one day is holier then another in respect of the end and vse And so doe wee They call them holy dayes and so doe wee They vse them as memoriall signes of sacred mysteries whereof they carie the names as Nativitie Passion Ascension c. And so doe wee The presence of the festivitie putteth a man in minde of the mysterie howbeit he haue not occasion to be present in the holy Assembly We are commanded to obserue them in all points as the Lords day both in the publick Assemblies and after the dissoluing of the same Yea it is left free to teach any parte of Gods word on the Lords day but for solemnitie of the festiuall solemne texts must be chosen Gospels Epistles collects Psalmes must be framed for the particular service of these dayes and so the mysticall dayes of mans appointment shall not onely equall but in solemnity surpasse the morall sabboth appointed by the Lord. Doth not Hooker say that the dayes of publick memorials should be cloathed with the outward robes of holines They aledge for the warrant of anniversary festivities the Ancients who call them Sacred and misticall dayes If they were instituted only for order and policie that the people may Assemble to religious exercises Wherefore is there but one day appointed betwixt the Passion and Resurection fortie dayes betwixt the Resurrection and Ascension Ten betwixt the Ascension and Pentecost Wherefore follow we the course of the Moone as the Iewes did in our moveable feasts making the christian Church cloathed with the Sunne to walk vnder the Moone as Bonauentura alludeth Wherefore is there not a certain day of the moneth kept for Easter as well as for the nativitie Doth not Bellarmine giue this reason out of Augustine that the day of the Natiuity is celebrate only for memorie the other both for memorie and for sacraments Ille celebratur solum ob memoriam ideo semper die 25. Decembris at lâ—fe celebratur ob memoriam sacramentum ideo variatur If the anniversarie commemorations were like the weekely preachings as the two forenamed preachers made the comparison why
make up a bastard Sacrament the Sacrament of confirmation which we haue condemned not only in the confession of faith but also in the confession of Helvetia approved in the generall Assembly holden at Edinburgh Anno 1566. And thirdly because this gesture of personall prayer is omitted in other cases as reconciling of Penitents Schismatiks and Converts even where Confirmation is used that the world may see it is not used by them in confirmation as a gesture of personall prayer and blessing but to a further intent Imposition of hands was not called Confirmation vntill it was turned into a sacrament This name of Confirmation was giuen of old not only to the action of anoynting the forehead of the baptized with chrisme in the forme of a crosse but also to the giving of the cup to the communicants But at this day it is vsed only in the first sense and howbeit the oylie crosse be remoued yet the corruptions which came in with it remaine still with the imposition of hands the only sensible matter that is the essence of this Sacrament in the opininion of many Schoolemen It is said that hy imposition of hands and praier the baptized receaue strength and defence against all temptations to sinne and the assaults of the world and the devill in confirmation And againe that it is a signe to certifie the confirmed of Gods favour and gratious goodnes toward them is it not then a seale let be a signe indicant or a simple gesture of praer Bellarmine maketh Imposition of hands and prayer but one sensible signe in the Sacrament of confirmation doeth not Mr. Hutton say likewise that Imposition of hands is one of the external means by the which the H. Ghost is giuen and howbeit that prayer haue the cheefe force yet Imposition of hands hath some also otherwise saith hee What needed Peter and Iohn to haue travelled to Samaria they might haue prayed in Ierusalem for the holy Ghost to the Samaritans The grace receaued in confirmation is called strength and defence against all temptations to sin and the assaults of the woâ—ld and the deuill In baptisme the grace receaved is for the fâ—rgiuâ—nes of sinnes Doe not the papists distinguish after the same maner betwixt baptisme and confirmation that the holy ghost is giuen in baptisme to remission of sinnes life and Sanctifiâ—ations and in confirmation for force strength and corroboration to fight against all our spirituall enemies and to stand constantly in confession of our faith even to death in times of persecution either of the heathen or of hereticks with great increase of grace Hooker sayeth that in baptisme infants are admitted to liue in Gods family but in coÌ„firmation they are inabled to fight in the army of God and bring forth the fruits of the holy Ghost Doctâ—r Hackwel saith that as in baptism they beleue remission of sins vnto justificatioÌ„ so in confirmation they are imboldned to make open profession of this beleefe vnto salvation doth not his opposition between baptisme and confirmation jumpe just with the opposition made by the Papists who make the principall grace of confirmation strengh to professe the faith in time of persecution The Papists say the comforter promised by Christ to his Kirk was bestowed in the Sacrament of confirmation Is not the like said in the prayer before Confirmation The papists say that in confirmation they receiue the seuen fold grace of the holy spirit wisedom counsell strength knowledge vnderstanding godlines feare is not the like said in the praier before the laying on of hands D. Hackwell sayeth that which the grace of the spirit hath alreadie begun in baptisme is confirmed and perfited in confirmation Is not this iust the popish opinion that he is not a perfite Christian who is not confirmed That Novatus because he was not confirmed had not all his Christendom that the vnuction of confirmation is the perfitting vnction and are not all these oppositions derogations from baptisme and the Lords Supper Christian valour and courage to resist the divill and to professe the trueth is it not a part of that life and Sanctification giuen in baptisme are not the giftes of the holy spirit given after baptisme as a continuall performance of the promise of Gods assistance sealed vp in baptisme In baptisme we put on Christ and all his benifits we enter into Gods armie as well as into his familie abrenuncing the world and the devill Concilium Mileuitanum m sayeth Qui dicit baptismum in remissionem peccatorum dari tantum non etiam in adjutorium gratiae anathema sit Let him be anathema who sayth that baptisme is giuen to the remission of sinnes and not to the help of future grace Chrisostome saieth the baptized was anoynted as one that was to enter into a â—ace Is not the Lords Supper the true Sacrament of confirmation of our faith as well as confirmation of Charity If imposition of hands were onely a gesture of prayer for strength then it might and ought to be reiterate according to Augustine saying Manus auteÌ„ impositio non sicut baptismus repeti non potest quid enim est aliud nisi oratio super hominem For we haue often need to be strengthned The Papists say that impositions of hands in confirmation is an effectuall signe of grace imprinting an indeleble charactar and therefore it may not be reiterate neither do they reiterate it In the catechisme before confirmation it is said that there are two only Sacraments generally necessary to salvation Is there other Sacraments beside howbeit not necessary Estius sayeth that the custome of the universall Kirk doth proue sufficiently that confirmation is not necessary to saluation otherwise the godly and carefull mother the Kirk would not neglect to see this sacrament Ministred to the baptized at the point of death The Sacrament of confirmation was given of old immediatly after baptisme to all of whatsoeuer condition or estate euen to infants when the litle ones were confirmed they had godfathers godmothers as they haue yet in papisticall Kirkes Aug. saith Quando imposumus manus ist is infantibus altendit unusquisque vestrum utrum linguis loquerentur When we layd hands on their infants ye waited whether they would speak with tongues The Papists themselues will not imitate this toy of antiquity and yet they are little better in deferring confirmation onely to the seventh yeare of their age Our late act made at the last pretended assembly ordeineth children of eight years of age to be catechised and presented to the Bishop to lay hands vpon them We must be like our neighbours whether there be reason or no. Is it time to enter the Societie of the communicants and doctrine of perfection as soone as they can rehearse like parrots a little catechisme we must haue god-fathers and god-mothers in confirmation also well as our neighbours When the neoterick writers speak of confirming the catechised by the