pleased with such voluntary service no more is God pleased with the wil-worship of men 4. We are not bound in our prayers to say the Lords Prayer at all times in the precise words of the Text for Matthew chap. 6. at the fift petition saith forgive us our debts Luke chap. 11. hath other words viz. forgive us our sins The LORD and his Apostles oftimes thereafter prayed in the New Testament not using the words of this form of prayer Wee may either say this prayer as a perfect rule of prayer or we may conceave our own prayers after this manner as Matthew saith that is we should seek both heavenly and earthly things only so far as is needfull for setting forth Gods glory and for our own well salvation and seing in scripture none are bound to use the precise forme of the Lords words far lesse are we bound to be thralled with humane formes As for the set formes that we use for the weak memories of the infirmer sort we have libertie to change them also and we should change them if we think it needfull for the weak ones The Lords Prayer and the x. Commands are short compends the one of prayer the other of the contents of Gods Law both were ordeined chiefly for weak memories as the primitive kirk ordeined the articles of the Apostles Creed that weak memories might have perqueer a short summe of the historie of our salvation which is also a plaine kinde of preaching unto the ignorant explicating the chief passages of Scripture that concerne our faith Neither is it needfull at all times to rehearse and confesse the precise words thereof for in Act. 8. the Eunuch said only I beleeve that Jesus Christ is the Son of God And in John 20. Thomas said My Lord and my God Qu. 15. Is not the masse book as lawfull as catecheticall doctrine Ans 1. Catecheticall doctrine is for a memorandum to Preachers in catechising the people and for people to answere it hindereth not Preachers to propound and the people to answere other questions as GODS Spirit shall assist them 2. It is a preaching of the word by questions Preaching is commanded Matthew 28. vers 19 20. Luke 24.4 Act. 1.8 GODS word and the orthodox preaching thereof are both of Divine authoritie because God commanded both to be in his kirk but they are not of equall dignitie As by the same authoritie a man commandeth his treasure and the ark that containeth it to be keept in a strong house but the treasure is of greater dignitie So GODS word is of greater dignitie then the preaching of it The word is the light of a heavenly candle the Preacher is the candlestick preaching is a holding out of that light that men may see spiritually the masse book is a bushell under which the light of Gods word is hide and obscured Matthew 5. vers 6 7. Qu. 16. Did not God give liberty unto his Kirk to 〈◊〉 indifferent things as they please Ans Not as that thereby men shall obscure his glory pollute his worship corrupt his word or hurt the consciences of his people nor to persecute the professors of his truth nor to hinder his word to have free passage in reading printing preaching practising and professing it If indifferent things be thus abused they are no more indifferent but deadly unto Christian religion all these evils are effected by the masse book Civile magistrats have neither power nor authoritie to make indifferent things hurtfull unto Christian religion If any say that the royall authoritie is disobeyed when men obey not such hurtfull lawes I answer It is not disobeyed for there is not such a royall authority that may hurt Christian religion neither may the lawes of men be essentiall points of Christian religion GOD alone decreeth such lawes to be keept GOD giveth no power nor authoritie unto men but to defend Divine lawes and to make humane lawes conforme and subordinate unto the lawes of God and by the sword of justice to defend such lawes Hee will not give authoritie to men to command or do any thing against the law of God no more then a Prince will give power to a subject to spit upon his face If Magistrats ignorantly or by misinformation make lawes hurtfull to true religion if they repent amend God will forgive them albeit he approve not their sin Qu. 17. When then do lawfull rites and ceremonies become unlawfull Ans When opinion of necessitie or holinesse is known to be annexed to them either by such as impose them or by the people on whom they are imposed They then become unlawfull because they confirme and harden the people in their superstition Therefore Hezekiah rejected the brasan serpent which wont to be a divine ordinance much more should rites which never were ordeined of GOD be rejected in this case If thou say when Magistrats command indifferent things then they become necessare Ergo they should be obeyed I answer If they be hurtfull to true religion they are neither necessare not needfull to be obeyed but altogether to be rejected because they are contrary both to the commandment worship of GOD the supreme Magistrate 2. When the use of them is urged more or as much as the ordinances of GOD It is time to put the slave out of the house when he is obeyed as much or more then the Master of the house Absalon should not now live when he is more obeyed and respected then David the King 3. When the omission of them causeth men who otherwise agree with GODS kirk in matters of faith and manners to be esteemed shismaticks and sectaries and so are contemned as men of a contrary religion 4. When the omission of them is accounted and punished as a sin even out of the case of scandal 5. when they are hurtfull to true religion and to the professors thereof as was said in the preceeding question Qu. 18. Did not God without Scriptures teach the Patriarks as Adam and Abraham Sometimes with few Scriptures as in the dayes of the Judges May not God do the like now albeit we diminish the Scriptures Ans Who made thee wiser then GOD to diminâ—â—â—â—â— the Scriptures which he hath registrat for the good of his kirk He may give lawes unto thee thou may not do so unto him he may abrogat thy lawes thou may not altar nor diminish his lawes neither restraine nor hinder the free passage of them 2. May as little food and rayment susteene men of a perfect age as susteeneth infants GODS kirk in the Old Testament was in the infancie when they had no written word yet in substance they had the same word of life which we have they had it by the traditions of their fathers which they heard of GOD personallie appearing and revealing his will unto them Sometimes he sent his Angels and prophets working miracles for their edification Afterwards the manner of revealing his wiâ—â— was written and enlarged now wee want these
sworne lawfull albeit they pretend true religion and divine worship yet oftimes it subverteth both 20. By obscuring the evidency of the visible word to wit Christs sacraments both by forging confirmation and other popish sacraments and in giving privatly baptisme and the communion when as the Sacraments should be publict badges of our Christian profession and by adding unto the true Sacraments superstitions which Christ never ordained as crossing unto baptisme altars unto the LORDS supper 21. By confounding the signes with the thing signified as in affirming the bread and wine to be the naturall body and bloud of Christ 22. By confounding humaine traditions with divine ordinances for they observe as strictly crossing the saying of Ave Maria praying for the dead c as any point of Christian religion 23. By equalling in honour the creatures with the Creator as in appointing fixed dayes of the year unto Saincts and observing them as solemnly and religiously as they do the LORDS Sabboths as in praying to Saincts and Angels in dedicating religious places to Saints and Angels as the temple of Ierusalem was dedicate unto GOD. 24. By attributing divine vertue unto creatures unto actions and unto imagenarie things as unto works of charitie that they merite any thing from GOD as believing that Saints and Angels can heare our prayers or interceed for us and that crossings relicts holy water altars and masse cloathes have power to sanctifie other things as by giving Divine vertue to Baptisme and the Lords Supper saying Opus operatum the work done may save or sanctifie that purgatory can purge from sin or satisfie for sin 25. By forged and lying miracles and other lies in Popish legends 26. By miraculous things in nature calling them supernaturall and saying they are done of GOD to confirme some points of superstition and idolatrie Upon a Christmas day about the yeer 1606. in London a woman handled her apron rudelie oftimes it did cast out fire like flint Some said It was a divine miracle proving thereby that this superstitious day should be keept holy But the truth was that the apron was dipted into melted suggar and thereafter it was dryed at the fire and so hardned and then when any did touch the apron or smite it rudelie fire came out of it It is the nature of well dryed suggar if it be not mixed with other matter to cast fire when it is smitten violentlie 27. By misinterpreting the terrors of GODS judgements for the defence of antichristian errors In the yeer of GOD 1621. in a Parliament holden at Edinburgh it was concluded that these superstitious articles should be embraced and observed in Scotland to wit Geniculation to the Sacrament private Baptisme private Communion Confirmation and some holy Dayes At the very moment of concluding this Parliament there was heard such terrible thunder with raine that the LORDS within the Parliament house and the Citizens without were striken with great fear astonishment Some taking it for a signe GODS anger for the superstitious errors that were â—â—â—â—â—blished that day Neverthelesse some Time-serveâ—â— blasphemouslie said that GOD was shooting his Gunnes and Canons from heaven for a show and a signe of approbation that these articles were then concluded 28. By deluding Kings and Princes perswading them that their dignities and estates can not be established except the bastard offices of Bishops be also established Some of them presumptuouslie affirm that no Bishop no King and so sacrilegiouslie by treasonable vsurpation they ascribe unto themselves that honour which belongeth unto Christ who Prover 8.15 saith By me Kings reigne Princes decree justice The antichristian prelats say no lesse then By Bishops Kings reigne and Princes decree justice By what Bishops were David Salomon and Hezekia c. established Whether did the Bishops of Rome reigne or the Kings when some kings led the Popes horse bridle When the Pope did cast down with his foot the crown off some Kings head when the Popes usurped both civile and ecclesiasticall government c. 29. By spoiling the people with oppression and by povertie they must want the meanes of learning and so they shall be ignorant not knowing the Scriptures neither perceiving the craftinesse of the clergy The prelates themselves both doe spoile the people and also they cause civile Magistrates oppresse them with taxations and heavy burdeins 30. By denying the morall observation of the Lords Sabboths and by giving libertie unto men to spend the halfe of the Lords day in games playes and civile exercises saying â—his should bee the refreshment from their bodily labours of the week Iudge you if this bee a hallowing of the Sabboth The Pagans did keepe all the LORDS Sabboths and many of them did keep all the dayes of their life with this kinde of holinesse The antichristians hereby do hinder the light of the Sun of righteousnes to shine upon GODS People in interpreting the Scriptures and preaching the same the one half of the day and also indirectly the other half for they who look for a liberty of playing and games c. in the after-noone can hardly affixe their mindes upon the reverent hearing of GODS word before noone their thoughts before the time will bee so exercised upon the after-noone Playes c. 31. By beguiling mens senses at Divine service with outward vaine objects as with tapers torches candles and with their gesticulations c. to exercise the sight By the sounding of Organs and musicall instruments to exercise the hearing Faith is bred and increased in mens hearts by hearing of the word preached and not by the hearing of Musick When the Priests offered sacrifice in the old Testament there was great need of Musick because killing of beasts was a melancholious exercise But now the Preaching of the glad tydings of Salvation should be more delightsome then all the Musick of the world The damned people in hell would think it ten thousand times sweeter then all instrumentall musick The vocall musick of the Psalmes not only is a praising of GOD which dead instruments can not doe but also it expresseth the Gospell in the very proper termes thereof Quest 4. I see all that is conteined in this masse bâ—â—â— is wil-worship For the using of the Scriptures themselves as this booke prescribeth is wil-worship that is as they are fixed to the solemne dayes of Sancts and determinate times of the yeer and as they are cutted diminished and incorporated with errors and superstitions they are made a matter of wil-worship but what evidences of idolatrie finde you in this book Ans If you take idolatry in a generall sense for such worship as men used to give to idols and false Gods then all the will worship foresaid is idolatrie The most part of all idolaters did worship their idole Gods according to humaine inventions and as they pleased themselves because their idols being dead stocks could not direct nor teach them in any manner of worship If a wife rule and governe
Gelasius brought in the respondes and the collects to be said at mateins Durandus 11. Pope Damasus appointed this sentence Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the holy Ghost as it was in c. to be said at the end of every Psalme and at the mass He other Popes caused these words of praising God to be said frequently that thereby the idolatrous worship might seeme a very holy and religious thing having such holy sentences in it This hideth the sacrilegious wayes whereby they rob God of his glory see Volateranus This Pope appointed also what prayers and how many Psalmes shall be said every day of the week Gulielmus Durandus He also ordeined that the Priest before the altar should say the confession standing and that the people should say Misereatur vestri and thereafter the Priest should pronounce the Absolution before he go to the altar Platina Polidorus 12. Pope Stephanus the 1. ordeined the Preists at Divine service to use no other but hallowed garments Sabellicus 13. Pope Silvester the 1. commanded the Priest at the masse to we are no silk nor coloured clothing but a white linnen alb only for Christ saith he was buried in a fine white linnen cloath Platina 14. Pope Adrian the 1. ruling it was deâ—â—â— in a popish councell at Frankford that every man shoâ—â—â— weare a surplice upon his back at service time Mossaeus 15. Pope Anacletus put to the masse this salutation Dominus vobiscum The Lord be with you and this answere of the people cum Spiritu tuo and with thy Spirit Some say it was Pope Sotherus Gratianuus de consecrat distinct 1. can Hoc quoque c. Ioannes Laziardus writâ—tâ—h That Dominus vobiscum was taken out of the book of Ruth I know not saith he by whom And cum Spiritu tuo was brought saith he by the councell of Arles 16. Pope Gregorie the 1. ordeined the Kyrie Eleison That is Lord have mercie upon us and that it should bee sung nine times openly of the Clergie onely at the masse Which Pope Silvester before commanded the Clergie and the people to sing together Durandus Platina 17. Pope Gregorie the 1. added to the masse the Alleluia That is Praise ye the Lord Platina 18. Pope Marcus ordeined the Clergie and the people to sing the Creed together with a loud voice to confirme their faith Platina this loud voice then is as good as a sacrament 19. Pope Pelagius the 1. ordeined funerall exequies or dirigies with masses of requiem to be sung or said for the dead Platina Gratianus This booke also hath funerall devotion and service 20. Pope Pius the 1. ordeined the keeping of Easter holy on the Sunday 21. Pope Gregorie the 1. appointed the feast of Trinitie Durandus 22. Pope Gregorie the 9. appointed the feast of the nativitie of S. John Baptist called Midsomer Chronica Germanica 23. Pope Silvester the 1. ordeined the feast of Lammes called ad vincula Petri Gratianus Polidorus 24. Pope Felix the 3. ordeined the feast of the archangel Michael lib. conciliorum 25. Pope Gregorie the 4. ordeined the feast of all Sancts on the first of November Platina 26. Pope Sergius ordeined candlemasse day feast called the Purification of Marie Sigebertus 27. Pope Boniface the 8. ordeined the feasts of the four Evangelists Matthew Mark c. 28. Pope Innocent bearing rule it was ordeined in a Popish councell at Lyons what holy dayes in the year should be specially observed viz. All Sundayes The feast of the Nativitie of Christ Of S. Steven Of S. Iohn the Evangelist Of the Innocents Of Silvester Of the Circumcision Of the Epiphany Of Easter with the whole weeks that goe before and after Of the Rogation dayes Of the Ascension of Christ Of Whitsuntide with the two dayes following Of S. Iohn Baptist Of the twelve Apostles Of S. Laurence Of blessed Mary Of the dedication of the Temple Of all Sancts Of S. Martine Of all such canonized Sancts as every Bishop of his Diocesse with consent of the Clergie and people appoint to keep holy Polidorus Durandus 29. Durandus saith after the minde of S. Gregorie de consecrat dist 5. Lent is counted to begin on the first Sunday in Lent and to end on Easter even which is 42 dayes of which taking away the six Sundayes there remaines only 36. dayes Therefore that the number of 40. dayes that Christ fasted might be perfected this Pope Gregorie added to Lent foure dayes of the week that go before viz. Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Durand in rational divinâ—â— offic Pope Telesphorus first ordeined Lent to be fasted and that more by the Priests then by laicks for they should be holier show more abstinence then others 30. Pope Silvester the 1. ordeined the Wedinsday Friday and Saterday should be fasted every week thorow the whole year Bergomensis 31. Pope Gregorie the 1. ordeined neither flesh nor other thing that hath affinitie with flesh as chiese milk egges c. should be eaten in such dayes as are appointed to bee fasted Polidorus Gratianus There is not a dog in the kitchin but it can keep these holy fasts as precisely as the Papists do if they can get their bellies filled with fishes bread and sweet meats and sauces and such delicats as Papists use in Lent But when will the Papists bee as abstinent in their fasts as horses are who are content neither to eat fish nor flesh all their lifetime The papists doe brag that they keep Christs fast when they can not reach to the fasting of horses no not in Lent 32. Pope Gregorie the first devised the anthems and made the tune or song unto them Guilielmus Durandus Ioan. laziardus Yet some write that in the time of pope Euaristus anthemes were brought into the kirk by Ignatius the disciple of Iohn the Evangelist Phil. Bergomensis Tripartita histor 33. Pope Damasus foresaid ordeined the order of the Queer that the Queer being divided into two parts they should sing one verse of the psalmes on the one side and an other on the other side Durandus Polidorus 34. Pope Gregorie the 1. appointed this service book which is now used and keept in Europe but â—ope Damasus first began the book when as the service book made by Ambrose was first more used in kirks but Charles the Great with the Popes in his time caused the service book of Gregorie to be made common through Europe and the book of Ambrose to be only used at Millaine where Ambrose was Bishop Of this writeth Iacobus de voragine In vita Gregorii primie Guilielmus Durandus 25. Pope Nicolas the third decreed that the Bread and Wine which are set upon the Altar are not onelie after the consecration the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ but they are also the very selfe same body and blood of the LORD Jesus Christ that was born of the virgin so that his very body is truely handled with the Priests
the presbyter being sufficiently provided alreadie when many of the clergie are present not only so many as might be for help but all must first communicat The cause then is only pride for they will be first in all things and yet they say that men should receive the Sacrament with greatest humilitie Qu. 23. What use have they of a communion table Ans They appoint a table neverthelesse they take it from the people in two respects 1. In respect of the people who kneele at the act of receiving the elements what use have they of a table when they neither sit at it to eat their meat neither take they their meat off from the table 2. In respect of the minister â—â—at giveth the elements the ministers hands are only their table from which they receive their sacramentall food The communicants even when they kneele not yet they sit at the table not like feasters but like beggars at a dyke side waiting for the distribution of their almes The beggars may turne their backs as well as their faces towards the dyke for any use they have of it so may the communicants turn their backs to the table for any use they have of it Qu. 24. May not the table stand for the elements to abide on it untill that the Minister take them for to distribute unto the people Ans Then it is a table for the ministers attendance but not for the peoples feasting Some have byboards whereon vessels and meat stand untill they be placed on the feasting table and when the tables are drawn all is put on the byboard again that they may be put in order and taken away The antichristians make a by-board of the Lords table and the hands of the ministers are only their feasting table Qu. 25. Should not the Ministers give the elements to every one out of their own bands seeing it is their calling and Christ did so give them unto the Apostles and it may be that the laicks who sit neerest me be witches or profaine persons so it is not comely to take the elements from laicks Ans 1. It is the calling of ministers to consecrat blesse the elements by the word and prayer but no Scripture can prove it to be their calling to give alwayes the elements with their own hands more then by the hands of others it is alike if he give them by whose hands soever it bee He giveth not the Bible which is the audible word to every one out of his oâ—â—â— hands albeit he explicateth and preacheth the meaning end uses and application of both the visible word of the sacraments and the audible word of the Scriptures and albeit both the doctrine of the word sacraments are written in one canon if thou say that he giveth not except he do it with his own hands Thou may as truely say that Christ giveth not except he do it with his own hands 2. No Scripture proveth that Christ gave the elements to every one out of his own hands neither at Baptisme nor at the Lords Supper As for Baptisme John 4. 1. saith that the Pharisees heard that Jesus baptised mo disciples then John and in vers 2. he saith that Iesus baptised not but his disciples the first verse showeth that he gave the Sacrament by his authority and blessed it the 2. verse showeth that he gave it not with his own hands but by his apostles and at the Lords supper Luke 23.17 saith Take this and divide it among you this is meant of the cup of the Lords supper 1. because the same words which are subjoined to this cup here are subjoined to the cup of the Lords supper in Math Mark these are I will not drink of the fruit of the vine untill the kingdome of God shall come 2. If these words were of the cup of the Passeover they should be false for they drank wine after the Passeover at the Lords Supper Luke speaks twise of this cup in vers 17 20 In the vers 17. he speakes of it with the speach of the passeover because alike speach is subjoined to both for after the passeover he said words that were not mentioned by other Evangelists viz. I will not eat any more thereof untill it be fulfilled in the kingdome of God â—hat is I did eat oftimes the Passeover before but the thing signified by the Passeover was never fulfilled It shall not be so now for I will eat no Passeover after this untill it be fulfilled in my sufferings in the kingdome which GOD hath in his kirk on earth and albeit I never drank the wine of this new instituted supper before neither will I drink any more of it untill I drink the thing signified by it viz. I must drink the wine of the cup of GODS wrath by my suffrings He prayed his Father to take this cup from him if it were possible the bread and the wine of this new supper signified unto Christ the bread of affliction and the cup of the wine of GODS wrath which now should be his food in his suffrings as in his lifetime it was his meat to do the will of GOD so now at his death he feedeth in suffring Gods will for he saith not my will but thine be done This bread and wine signified to the apostles the body and bloud of Christ not as he was in health rest and peace but as he suffred tribulation and GODS wrath for our sins he was like a nurse that eateth bitter things for the health of the infant The wine of GODS wrath is mentioned in Revel 14.10 he drank it with the apostles not only because they were with him in the garden when he did sweat blood and water but as when the head drinketh the whole man is said to drink because of the union between the head and the members and because strength and comfort cometh to the members by the drinking of the head He drank personally they drank spiritually by faith in his suffrings and by imputation for his suffrings are counted their suffâ—ings but their sins were counted his he being their cautioner The taste of this cup was bitter to both for Christ prayâ—â—â— against it and the elect pray dayly to GOD to save them from it the fear of the danger of Gods wrath is bitter the effect of Christs drinking of this cup was sweet to both it was sweet comfortable to them to get mercy it was sweet and delectable to Christ to show mercy though he bought it with his bloud he drank this cup new with them because never man drank the like of it before and hee himself drank never such a measure of GODS wrath before the Elect under the gospel drinks it new by faith for the nature of the cup of Gods wrath which Christ suffered was never so cleerly known before the comforts of Gods Spirit given to the elect by faith in his sufferings were never so sweet before they are now sweet like new wine
prelates the authors and urgers of the oath why may not we also forbeare the practise of the rest Qu. May not subjects make a religious solemne covenant with God with the approbatioÌ„ of their civile rulers albeit neither the subjects themselves nor their progenitors have made such a covenant before Ans May not the children of a great man without the libertie and consent of his chamberlane make a solemn covenant and promise of loyall service and obedience to their loving father 〈◊〉 Lord All governors kings and princes are GODS chaâ—â—rlanes the eâ—ect are Gods children by creation and regeneration they may and should offer service and obedience to their Lord and heavenly Father though all the world be against it Christian magistrats if they be well informed will be the first practisers thereof and cause their subjects do the like 2. Joseph of Arimathea sought libertie of Pilate to burie the body of Jesus but hee sought not libertie to believe in Christ and turn a Christian Moses sought libertie and did supplicat Pharao to let the Israelits go out of Egypt but Pharao reâ—ected it contemned the messagâ— GOD without supplication brought his people out with a high hand 3. When Christ called his apostles converted Zicheus Marie Magdalene and others He bad them not seek libertie from any ruler When the 3000 converts received baptisme the seal of the covenant Act 2 they sought not libertie from Pilate nor Caesar Rulers are ordeined of GOD to take care that the people binde themselves by the strictest bands that can be to do such loyall dueties unto GOD and they should not hinder the same 4. Our Lord said Matth. 18.19 If two of you agree on earth touching any thing that you shall ask it shall be done for you and where two or three are gathered together in my name I am in the mids of them shall two or three have greater libertie then many thousands Quest May they make a Covenant of mutuall defence from the injuries of their enemies if their rulers consent notwith them Ans They are false Christians if they be not united God by faith and among themselves by mutuall love The Lord said Iohn 13. A new Commandment I give you that you love one an other c. They neither have Christian love neither can any man know it if it be not expressed in such loving acts and mutuall dueties which men should both swear and performe for these dueties are the righteous judgements and commandments of God The summe of Gods law is the love of God and of our neighbours which is practized in such dueties Psal 119.106 I have sworne and will performe that I will keep thy righteous judgement Qu. Should not men obey their rulers in all things either by doing or suffring whether they coÌ„mand good or evill Ans Yes if a more lawfull cannot be found how to eschew their evill then good lawes should be obeyed actively evill lawes passively But oftimes Christ lawfully fled away from his persecutors so did the Prophets and Apostles Elias had a warrand from God to kill Baals Prophets the people justly hindered King Saul to execute his rash intention in killing Jonathan we should not resist evill in revenging our own particulars for it is a robbing of Gods glory who saith Vengance is mine I will repay But when Gods glory and worship is tred under foot then the zeale of Gods house should consume his servants cheefly when no Magistrat will continuance and assist Gods matters Thus Iesus did scourge the buyers and sellers in the temple Samuell killed king Agag Phineas killed Zimri and Cosbi Samson slew the Philistims Qu. GOD saith honour thy father and mother Ergo we should obey them in all their precepts Ans The scribes and pharisees sat not in the chair of Moses Gods Prophet when they taught against his law so magistrats are not in station of parents but of Gods enemies when they coÌ„mand things contradictory to his word when men then obey them they honour them not as parents but as Gods enemies and thereby they professe themselves to be the children of Gods enemies when men dissobey such precepts they honour their parents because when governors return again unto the true station of parents they will allow and command unlawfull precepts to be dissobeyed But if men suffer by unlawfull judges they should doe it patiently because Christ hath commanded it Qu. Some orthodox fathers approved kneeling and the service book Ergo we should do so Ans Origene said the devils should be saved Tertullian and Hieronymus condemned second marriages Ambrose condemned the children of the faithfull who died unbaptized should we do so because they were orthodox fathers 2. Sundrie councels ordeind kneeling to the sacrament but albeit all councels and fathers had ordeined it seing it hath beene unto mens Soules oftimes deadly evermore hurtfull and never profitable it should bee abolished The like I say of this book 3. Act. 15. the Apostles ordeined the Christians of Antiochia to absteine from meats offred to idols from blood and from things strangled shall we therefore be burdened with these things Some legall rites were permitted to Christians in the new Testament untill they were better instructed and then they would willingly forsake them The ceremoniall law was not smothered down suddanly but it evanished by little little and so it was honourably buried The ark and mercy seat and the Urim and Thumim were abolished before the birth of the Messias for they were not in the second temple FINIS Answers to the censures of some in certaine particulars of this book SOme alleadge that the answeres of the question 33. disswade men to kneele unto Kings and Monarchs because it is said there that kneeling is most proper unto God and that by kneeling God is discerned from all creatures Ans Kneeling and all kinds of honour with their gestures are most proper unto God because he is God Civile adoration and the gestures thereof is a honour that secondarly belongeth unto men because they are inferiour unto God 2. God is discerned from all creatures by kneeling either by itself alone or conjunctâ—â—e with other gestures 1. When some admit other sorts of bowing and adoration but they leave kneeling unto God only 2. When some admit kneeling with one knee leaving unto God kneeling with both the knees 3. When some kneele unto men with their knees cloathed and covered but unto God with naked and bare knees 4. When some with their kneeling unto God conjuctlie hold their faces and hands unto heaven thereby acknowledgeing his glory or with Elias holding their faces on the earth acknowledging their owne unworthinesse 5. When some kneeling unto men doe but touch the earth and suddainly they rise up againe but they continue a long time kneeling unto God at prayer and thanksgiving 6. When some kneele unto men only 〈◊〉 they seeke a great benefite or deliverance but unto God alwayes in their dayly worship All gestures