this precise qualm over our Enquirers heart that he is so skittish at the word Sabbath because forsooth it 's not given the Day in the New Testament They have some singular priviledge and prerogative surely that may institute what Officers what Offices they please though neither Name nor Thing be found there nor print nor mark of the least Foot-step when the poor Non-conformists may not use indifferently an innocent word which signifies no more in it self then he will acknowledge to be found there But how is this a point of Judaism or how one of the nearer causes of separation If it be we may confidently say we have imbibed both from the Liturgy of the Church which teaches the Minister to rehearse the Fourth Commandment Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it Holy and then enjoins us all to pray Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keep this Law but if this Word this Dactrine be of such pernicious a contagion as to insect us with Judaism and Non-conformity we have need of another miserere â—…i Deus for keeping it That this name Sabbath applyed to the Christian Holy-day of Rest is found in Ancient Writers I shall not urge Ignat. Epist. ad Magnes Let every one of us keep the Sabbath spiritually not in bodily case only but in the study of the Law Not the Author of the Sermons de Tempore none of Austins for any mans word will go further then his for so we rightly sanctifie the Lords Sabbath as the Lord hath said In it thou shalt do no manner of work but this I shall say that he that denies it to be a Day of Holy Rest it 's no great matter what he calls it And he that owns it such must be most rediculously obstinate that denies it may properly be so called 2 We come to the dispute De Re. And first he charges the N. C. That the Lords-day amongst them must have all the Nicety of Observation that the Iewish Sabbath had and which is yet worse such Observation thereof is made one of the principal parts of Religion What the Non-conformists hold and practise in this point is so well known from their Writings and Conversations that no man can possibly slander them but he must do it against his Conscience which had the Enquirer attended to it would have tought him other Language what was the practice of the best Christians who lived up in any good measure to the Holiness of their Profession that is the practice of the Non-conformists and wherein they come short have cause to be humbled in the sight of God If any Indâ—…viduals have added any Jewish Austeriâ—…ies or invented any Superstitious severities to make the day a Legal Yoke we wish they may be no more favouraâ—…ly dealt with then those other Additions that have been made to Religion For the publick Service of the day I shall give the Reader a piece of Clemens Rom. lib. 2. cap. 59. On the Lords-day frequent more carefully the Temple of the Lord that ye may praise God who made all things by Iesus Christ whom he sent unto us and suffered him to dye for us and raised him from the dead for what can excuse him with God who meets not to hear the saving Word of God concerning the Resurrection On which day we pray thrice standing remembring him who after three days rose again For the private observation of the day the same Author lib. 5. cap. 9. thus We admonish you Brethren and Fellow-Servants that you fly vain words and filthiness pleasant jests 〈◊〉 for on the Lords days which are our days of Rejoicings we do not permit you to do or speak any thing not savoury for the Scripture sâ—…h serve the Lord with fear St. Hierom commends the Aegyptian Monks that they designed the Lords days wholly to Prayer and reading the Holy Scriptures The Author of the Sermons De tempore This day is called the Lords-day that in it abstaining from all earthly works and worldly pleasures we should only give our selves to the service of the Lord Let us therefore Brethren observe the Lords day and sanctifie it as it was commanded them of old concerning the Sabbath If our Enquirer had the trimming up of this Author he had dressed him up for a Marane a baptized Jew Chrysost. on Gen. 2. God from the beginning did insinuate unto us this instruction to set apart and separate one whole day in the Circle of every Week for spiritual exercises And in Homil. 5. on Math. Let us prescribe this as an unmoveable Law to our selves to our Wives and Children to set aside one day of the Week and that wholly to hearing and laying up of things heard Isidore Hispalensis The Apostles therefore ordained the Lords-day to be kept with Religious Solemnities because in it our Redeemer rose from the Dead which was therefore called the Lords-day that resting on the same from all Earthly â—…ts and temptations of the World we might intend Gods holy Worship giving this day due Honour for the hope of the Resurrection we have therein But because our Enquirer admires the Piety of former Ages in this our Britain I shall come a little home and see what were the publick Constitutions of our own Nation Leg. Inae cap. 〈◊〉 An. 692. Si servus operetur die Dominied per praecepâ—… domine sui sit liber Dominus emendet 308. ad Witam siâ—…servus sine testimonio Domini sui operetur Corium perdat i. e. vapulet si liber operetur ipso die sine iussu Domini sui perdat libertatem If a Servant work on the Lords-day at his Masters Command let him be free and his Master be fined thirty shillings If a Servant without his Masters Order do any work let him be whipped If a freed Man work on that day without the Command of his Master let him lose his Freedom Concil Bergham cap. 10. An. 697. Si in vesperâ praecedente Diem solis postquam sol occubuit autin vesperâ praecedente Diem Lunae post occasum solis servus ex mandato Domini sui opus aliquod servile egerit Dominus factum octaginta solidis Luito If a Servant on the Evening before Sunday after Sun-set or on the Evening before Monday after Sunset shall do any servile work by Order of his Master let his Master pay for his fault 4 pounds c. 11. If a Servant on those days shall travel let him pay to his Master siâ—… shillings or be whipped c. 12. If a Free-man be guilty of the same offence let him be liable to the Pillory Excerpt Egb. Archiepiscopi Eborac An. Chr. 750 c. 36. God the Creatour of all things made Man on the sixth d'ay and upon the Sabbath he rested from all his Labours and sanctified the Sabbath for the future signification of the sufferings of Christ and his rest in the Grave He did not rest because he was weary who made all things without Labour whose Omnipotency cannot be wearied and
for had they been guided by the Counsels and Interests of such Divines we must have Renounced ours too long ago 3. That Church in lieu of the Scriptures gives them Traditions Nay do not wrong the Grave Tridentine Fathers it was but Pari pietatis affectâ—… veneramur The Church of England abhors indeed that Sacriledge in her 34 Article Whosoever through his private judgement willingly and purposely doth openly break the Traditions and Ceremonies of the Church which be not repugnant to Gods word ought to be rebuked openly And I am confident the Roman Church will allow us openly to break any of hers when she shall confess them to be repugnant to the word of God 4. Instead of such things as were from the Beginning it prescribes those things that had their beginning from private Interest and secular Advantages It has been a piece of policy of our Duellers to escape the Laws to cross the Channel and fight it out upon Callice Sands If our Enquirer will go with me thither I would dispute it fairly with him whether the Terms of Communion be the same that were from the Beginning If the Church of Rome be warrantably deserred because her matters stand not in the Primitive posture They that can make the plea will expect the same priviledge The Learned Author of the Irenicum p. 121. assures us that it is contrary to the practice and moderation then used to deprive men of their Ministerial functions for not conforming in Habit Gestures and the like and he adds his pions wishes That God would vouchsafe to convince the Leaders of the Church of this Truth It will be less material therefore whether the things so â—…ifly insisted on had their beginning from private Interests and secular Advantages for if they were not from the beginning is 't little to us where they had their rise The Canons of 1640. leave bowing towards the Altar indifferent and prohibit Censuring and Iudging Extend but the same Moderation to all other things as far from the beginning as they and of â—…o greater Importance or confine them to Cathedrals as Organs once were where they that have little else to do are at more leasure for such operous services and we shall be secure as to Schism which the Enquirer will certainly yield to since he equalizes that sin to the most horrid crimes of Idolatry Murther and Sacriledge 5. They make seven Sacraments And at our Equirers Rates may make sevenscore What is a Divine Sacrament but an outward visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us ordained by Christ himself as a means whereby we receive the same and a pledge to assure us thereof And let him define a humane Sacrament more appositely if he can Then an outward visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace ordained by man himself as a means whereby we receive the same grace And wherein does a Mystical Ceremony come short of this Description whose declared end is To stir up the dull mind of man to the remenbramce of his duly to God by some notable and special signification whereby he may be edified Nor is there any thing wanting but the Royal assent the Divine stamp of Authority to make it a Sacrament as accomplisht at all points as those which are declared Generally necessary to salvation And if the Papalins erroneously judge their five ordained of God and we confess ours are not so all the difference is this That they are mistaken and act proportionably to their mistake and we see better and yet act disproportionably But the truth is many of their most Learned Writers freely own their five Sacraments to be no more then Ecclesiastical Traditions and Mystical Ceremonies such as the Sign of the Cross though to set them off to the eye they honour them with the August Title of Sacraments Thus Petrus a Soto Omnes illae Observationes sunt Traditiones Apostolicae quarum principium Author origo in Sacris Scripturis inveniri non potest Cujusmodi sunt Oblatio sacrificii Altaris unctio Chrismatis in vocatio Sanctorum Orationes pro defunctis totum Sacramentum Confirmationis ordinis Matrimonii Paenitentiae â—…nctionis extremae Merita Operum necessitas satisfactionis enumeratio peceatorum facienda sacerdoti We are to account all those Observations Apostolical Traditions whose Beginning Author and Origine are not found in the Holy Scriptures Such as are the Oblation of the sacrifice of the Altar the Anointing with Chrisme Invocation of Saints Prayers for the Dead The whole Sacrament of Confirmation of Orders of Matrimony of Penitance of extreme unction the merits of Good Works the necessity of satisfaction and Auricular confession 6. They have taken away one of the ten Commandments and have Arts of evacuating all the rest And why may they not evacuate the second as well as our Author the fourth Commandment All were equally promulgated in Mount Sinai all have the same Signature of Divine Authority and he that can make Schism equal to Idolatry may when he sees his time throw off the second as he has done the fourth for a piece of Judaical Superstition 7. They have brought in Pageantry instead of Piety and Devotion effaced the true lineaments of Christianity and instead thereof recommended and obtruded upon the world the dictates of Ambition the Artifices of gain He may safely talk his pleasure at this distance though it would not be so prudent to preach this Doctrine where the Popes great Horse sets his foot All the use I shall make of it is this little That if the introduction of Pageantry instead of Piety and Devotion be a good warrant to justifie our Separation from Rome Let them judge who have to do with it whether it were Fellony to remove a mans Quarters ten miles from some Cathedrals 8. Lastly says he these things could not be submitted to without grievous sin and manifest danger of Damnation No! now observe how the Romanist will belabour him with his own Cudgel p. 122. It s the custom of those that have a mind to quarrel to aggravate and heighten the Causes of discontent to the end that the ensuing mischief may not be imputed to the frowardness of their temper but to the greatness of the provocation And passion is such a magnifying glass as is able to extend a Mole-hill to a Mountain If men would be perswaded to lay aside their passions and calmly consider the nature of those things that they divided from the Catholick Church upon they would be so far from seeing Reason to perpetuate the Schism that they would on the contrary be seized with wonder and indignation that they have been imposed upon so far as to take those things for great deformities which upon mature Consideration are really nothing worse then Moles which may be upon the most beautiful face But the Reader will easily see that these are nothing but some ill gathered shreds out of your Formulâ—… Oratoriae or Clarks Transitions which will
Monsieur de la Motte In his late Motives to his conversion p. 108. 109. D'oâ—… vient done disent ils qu'il y a si peu de personnes qui quitent la Religion Romaine que de ceux qui l'ont quitée pour embrasser la Protestante on en voit une grando partie qui y retonrnent qui font comme on dit leur Recantation Whence comes it say the Romanists that so few quit the Roman Religion and that of those who have forsaken it to embrace that of the Protestant we see many that Return back and as we say make their Recantation To which he gives this Answer Ie pourrois â—…lleguer mille Raisons particuliers pour lesquelles plusiturs illustres Protestans ont 〈◊〉 Religion en France quin'est plus à la mode dit on â—…n ce Païs-là â—…nt embrassé la Romaine je dis seulement en general ce qu'il est facile de remarquer dans les particulieres que â—…'est l'interest qui les ment les retient qui les fait changer quiles empeche de rechanger I could give a thousand particular Reasons for which some eminâ—…nt Protestants have â—…uited their Religion in France which say they is Now no longer the mode in our Country and have Embraced the Romain Faith But I only say this in general which is very easy to Observe in the particulars That it is meer Interest that Allures them first and then fixes them That makes them change and then hinders them from a Rechange The pension of a thousand Crowns as he goes on which they promise to a Minister in Case he will renounce his calling is a most violent temptation § 3. I could tell the Enquirer of those that have deserted their station in the Church of England and have given their Reasons for it and embraced a persecuted Reformation I could tell him of many young Schollers eminent for piety and learning who have rather chosen a retired estate and mean Condition then those allurements which would make many a mouth water at them But let every man stand or fall to his own Master I am not qualified to judge either way but this I will say that whosoever shall Reason the one way or other will find his Argument Inconclusive and I have known so much in my small Observation and known some men too well then either to be much Confirmed in my judgment by their presence or stagger'd by their Absence 3 There are men of as clear understanding as good life and as Comfortable consciences in the society of this Church as are any There else to be found And if I should say there are Persons of as clear understanding as good life end as Comfortable consciences in the society of the Non-conformists as are any where else to be found I should discover a vanity equal to that of the Enquirer I cannot be of every mans Religion that is of a much clearer understanding then my self unless I resolve to be of twenty Contradictory Religions at once Nor can I judge it my duty to Imitate every one of a holy life further then in his Holiness Nor of every mans way that pretends to a Comfortable Conscience in his way because I see some fitch in Comfort to their Consciences from the greatest provocations or grossest delusions Besides it 's no part of the clearness of mens understandings to be wiser then the Scriptures or to study Reasons why they ought to destroy all that are not of the same Intellectual stature with themselves Nor does it add to their Holiness that they can persecute others whose lives are Holy Nor to the solid Comsort of their Consciences that they endeavour to weaken the Comfort of other mens and I will further add that since my own Conscience can only directly witness to my self it can never be allowed Credence with Another if I deny it its proper work and Office in Another But we have met with this Braggadochian Pyrgopolinias before whether the Reader is referred if at least he shall judge so inconsiderable a Trifle to merit further Consideration 4 The things objected against this Church are but at most disputable Matters because all wise and good men are not Agreed upon them but that which is sub judice and yet under dispute cannot be called evil till the dispute is ended and the decision made against it To which I crave leave to Answer 1. That then some of the greatest and most important points in Religion must be called disputable seeing all wise men and some good men are not Agreed upon them 2. If the matters he still sub judice and cannot be called evil till the dispute be ended why are the Non-conformists Executed before condemnation for I hope he arrogates no such partial Tribunal to himself that the things in controversy shall be reputed undecided when he would justify the one and yet decided when he would Condemn the other 3. We say the things are already decided by Scripture long ago if that may be Judge and if any other Judge be set up the Condemned party will appeal thether as the Highest Court of Judgment in matters relating to Conscience and the Immediate worship of God where alone they ought to be Judged 5 The things scrupled in this Church are such as the like may be found and Complained of in any Church of the whole world at least since the Apostles times To which I say 1. That I have been too much beaten to the Game then to be Overborn by the Enquirers Daring Confidence and do smoothly deny the Matter of Fact Many particular Churches may be found at this day where Mystical Ceremonies are not found much less made the Terms of Communion But he has two wide Creep holes at which he will escape 1. That we choose wath National Church we will It seems then A particular Church and a National Church are Terms that Measure each other And thus if we instance in the Ancient Albigenses Waldenses or the present French Churches he may reject the issue because they are not National Churches And all the Churches for three hundred years after Christ because they were not National 2. He will undertake this taske If he may have the History and knowledg of that Church whatever it be or was since the Apostles times as we have of this I Commend his discretion 〈◊〉 knows it difficult to get the Church-History of other National Churches so full as we have of our own 2. If the Churches in the Apostles times had none of these things now scrupled we shall rather chuse and such choise is our Duty to Conform to their patterns then any junior and more green-headed Constitutions They are the Apostolical times and Churches of whose constitutions we have infallible Records which we propound for our Exemplars and he will be tryed by Any Others if we will bate him them for which we thank him I am now expecting a serious Proposition and he
sends us this offer That since there is no Grand Master of Religion concerned in the Controversies between us nor any violation of the Laws of God in our Complying with the Laws of this Society and since Mahomet must either go to the Mountain or the Mountain must come to Mahomet i. e. one side or other must yeeld we will be perswaded to think it reasonable that the subject should submit to the Governour and opinion give place to ancient Custom and Novelty to the Laws in being This is his friendly Motion and one so Modest that we would be perswaded to think it reasonable If he had given us Reasonable arguments to be perswaded which that he has not I think is Evident from what has been already said with these further Considerations § 1. That his motion is grounded on a false suggestion That there 's no grand matter of Religion concern'd in the Controversie nor any Law of God violated by our Complyance for the Perfection of the Scriptures as the Rule of Faith worship and Church-Government is a Grand matter of Religion and greatly concern'd in this Dispute The soveraignty of Christ over his Church His compleat discharge of all his Offices His Kingly Office in Making Laws his Prophetical in revealing the whole mind of God is no small matter of Religion and greatly concern'd also in this dispute which Law-giver by his Express Law and Royal Edict has Commanded all his true Ministers 28. Math. 19. 20. To Disciple all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost Traâ—…hing them to Observe whatsoever he has Commanded them Adding a gracious promise of his special asssisting presence in this work That he would be with them always unto the end of the world we think that the Terms of enjoying all the Ordinances of Christ is but Observing whatsoever Christ has Commanded which Law is apparently exprâ—…sly palpably violated to use his own expressions when any thing else or less or more is made the Condition of our admittance into the Kingdom of Christ. § 2. I know no Reason why any party should be the Immoveable Mountain that is too stiff in the hams to Come to Christ I have ever judged Christ him self to be that Mountain to which Mahomet and all Pretenders ought to move It was Noted as a piece of arrogant Moroseness in Austin the Monk that he would stir no more then a Mountain to meet the British Christians half way in an Amicable Association But if the Church will needs be the 〈◊〉 yet let her remember that Christ is set upon that Holy hill and if she will not Move in Deference to his Authority He that touches the Mountains and they smoak and makes the Hills to tremble can by his Almighty power send such an Earth-quake in her bowels as may cause her to yeeld to Reason § 3. Though Opinion and Custom may fight it out for me yet let the proudest Ancient Custom bow down to the institutions of Christ. It has ever been as a Common so a successful Peliey to clap hoary Periwigs upon juvenile innovations to conciliate some Reverence to their Antique Looks Errour has often a more wrinkled face then Truth but Truth alway's Carries the Graver aspect They that Imp their pin-feather'd inventions wich plumes borrowed from Time's wings do not Teach them to fly but flutter Antiquity is like Romulus his Assylum where all pursued Corruptions take sanctuary 'T is the grand Borrough and safe Retreat of superstition when fetretted out of her Lurking-holes of Counterseit Reason He can say very little for his opinion that cannot plead Antiquity Custom and such like Mormo's Thus the Aquarian Hereticks pleaded Custom to use water mingled with wine in the Eucharist whose folly Cyprian thus Censures Victi ratione opponunt consuetudinem quasi Consuetudo Major esset veritate Being beaten at the weapon of Reason they fetch out the old Rusty sword of Custom As if such aBilbao sword durst try its edge against the tryed scimitar of Truth such a roat does Tertullian give these childish pretences Consuetudo ab aliqua ignorantiâ vel simplicitate initiam sortita in usum per successionem Corroboratur it a adversus veritatem vindicatur sed Dominus Noster Jesus Christus veritatem se non Consueâ—…udinem cognominavit Haereses non tam Novitas quam veritas revineit quodcunque adversus veritatem sapit erit haeresis etiam vetus consuetudo A Custom of Base and dunghil Extract yet gaining some Repute by Long usage and prescribing for it's gentility time out of mind grows sawcy and Malapert against Truth it self But our Lord Iesus Christ called himself by the Title of Truth not of Custom The clearest conviction of Heresy is not by the leaden Lesbian Rule of Practise but by the Golden Rule of the Scriptures Errour is Errour still and will be so of plebeian Breâ—…d and Ignoble parentage though it has purchased a coat of Armes scrapes acquaintance with some Ancient families and would make it out that it came in with the Conquerour The Gibeonites Acted very subtlely when they came to Ioâ—…na with Old sacks upon their Asses and wine-bottles old and reut and bound up and â—…ld shooes and clonted upon their feet and all their provision dry and mouldy as if they had come from far when all this while they were but their Next Neighbours It 's a pretty sight doubtless to see the State which the great Czar of Muscovy uses upon publick Festivals and Entertainments The great Chamber all beset with grave Personages Adorned with Ermines and Gold from head to foot dazling the weak eyes of vulgar spectators and yet perhaps you shall find some of these Knezzes next day in their Blue Aprons who shall think it no Empeachment of their late Glories to sell you a penny worth of Pepper such a Masque we have presented to us of old Customs all gorgeously attired like the Antediluvian Patriarchs and when we come to examine them they are little better then to use our Authors expressions The Dictates of Ambition the Artifices of gain and a colluvies of almost all the superstitions errours and Corruptions of former Ages § 4. Since there must be a yeelding in order to peace then surely they have all the Right and Reason on their sides to have the Honour of the Condescension Who Consess that the Matters in difference are Indifferent in themselves such as where in no grand Matter of Religion is concerned rather then they who ate bound up by immoveable persuasions that they are sinful 2. They who are most Remote from the primitive simplicity and not they who have no higher Ambition then to perform all things which and as Christ has Commanded 3. They who have made the Additions which Cause the Divisions and not they who only take up their Religion as near as they can as they found it delivered and recommended to them by the unerring word of God 4. They who have enough
of this sort there are several Casus reservati cases kept in Gods own hands which cases when they are put the Controvention of that precept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no violation of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is some things seem to enterfeire with the Letter of the Law which are allowed in the equitable construction of it Thus God Commanded the Jews to do no servile work on the Sabbath and yet in case of assaults from Enemies they migt Lawfully fight without violation of the Law 〈◊〉 Prophanation of the day From what hath been said the Reader may be furnisht with an Answer to those little attempts of the Enquirer endeavouring to extort from us these two things first that God laid very litle stress upon Circumstantials in the Old Testament Secondly That he lays less weight upon them under the New 1 That God laid very little stress upon Circumstantials under the O. T. he proves § 1. By the instance of the Jews Who have now generally received that Maxime Periculum vitae dissolvit Sabbatam though they were a great while before they understood it and sondly smarted for their Ignorance To which I shall need to say no more then 1. This Instance was as ackwardly applied as can be imagined He would prove that things Commanded may become no duty and he instances in that which never was Commanded He undertakes to prove that God lays very little stress upon a positive Command and he brings an instance that God lays very little stress upon their Superstitions 2. I would seriously enquire of this serious Enquirer whether God did really allow them the liberty of self preservation and Defence upon that day If he did then it was their own superstitions ignorance and foolish fancy that debarre'd them the use of their liberty If not then whenever they defended themselv's they sinned for sin is the Transgression of a Law And then let the Question be new Modelled whether God lay any stress upon sin 3. If ever the Jews had such light into that Maxime as to Interpret it thus The danger of life dissolves the Sabbath that is disannuls the Command their light was gross darkness And they ran from Superstition to Prophaness the common Reel of those who to avoid one extream run into the opposite The true intent of the Maxime being no more then this That self-defence on the Sabbath seem'd to be a violation of the Holy Rest of the day but really was none It being Casus reservatus an Exception not from the Law but in the Law thus our Saviour 12. Math. 5. Have you not read in the Law that the Priests in the Temple prophane the Sabbath and are Blameless Now it cannot be that a real prophanation of Gods Ordinance should be free from all Blame but the meaning is That the Priests by virtue of their Office were obliged to do such Acts of bodily Labour on that Day which in their general Nature were servile works And as they had an appearance of prophanation in them so they had really been so had not the special Command of sacrificing on that day secured them from the contracting of guilt by such bodily Labour wherein there was no violation of any obligation but only Minor Debilior obligatio cessit majori fortiori And for this he is loaden down with Authorities in our Synops. Critic in Loc. Polluunt non verè sed impropriè quo ad speciem so Maldonate Violâsse Dicuntur quia ea fecerint quae nisi cultus Dei excusaret facere non lieuisset opera nempe genere suo servilia cujusmodi sunt sacrificia mactare so Menochius And Grotius fastens the Interpretation with this Reason Quia licet Polluant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contra legis tamen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nihil admittunt § 2. But his fullest instance is out of Master Selden That in case of sickness a Iew might not only eat such meats as were otherwise forbidden but say they for the Recovery of his Health or avoydance of any great danger he might break any Precâ—…pt save only those three great ones against Idolatry Murder and Incest The answer to which is very obvious 1. For the eating of meats for the recovery of health which otherwise were forbidden That word otherwise supposes them Lawful in this case though not in other cases And is it not a learned proof that God lays little stress upon the violation of a Law because he lays little upon that which is none An exception in the Law implies no violation of the Law 2. That they might break any other precept after except one of those three great ones Master Selden says not only he says the Iews lay so who were very favourable Casuists sometimes for their own ease and convenience This was indeed a prophane Gloss of the Looser Rabbines but no ways warranted by the Law-giver It seems they might swear soundly to recover their health for that might open their pipes if they were Asthmatical or Commit Adultery ad purgandos Renes as the Popish Gloss has it And I once heard a Catholick Doctor Advise his Patient in another case to be Drunk once a Moneth though for some it must be once a week or 't will not do or they might lye or steal to procure a soveraign Remedy for these are none of the three great ones either Idolatry Murther or Incest And by this Rule if Schism would any way have contributed to the Avoidance of any great danger they might have separated without sin But these Instances he confesses come not home to his purpose which I agree to but withal tell him they come as home as any of the rest which now we must undergo the penance to hear § 1. His first instance that comes home to his purpose is in the Passeover And the summe of his Reasonings from thence is thus much This was a great Sacrament instituted by God himself upon weighty Reasons perhaps to awe Mens childish minds into a greater Reverence of the Deity Made a statute for ever throughout their generations and the soul that observed it not was to be cut of from among his people 12. Exod. 11. And the most minute Circumstances are defined amongst other that they should eat it with slaves in their hands shooes on their feet and their loyns girt By which expression is plainly intimated and accordingly they understood and practised that they should eat it in the posture of standing yet when thâ—…y were come into the Land of Canaan they ate it sitting 〈◊〉 lying according to the usual Custom of feasting in those Countries And this change continued till the times of our Saviour without any reproof from God And our Saviour himself conformes to them herein and in the same posture eats the Passeover with his Disciples I shall only offer these few things in answer 1. That there appears nothing in the institution of acommand to eat the passeover standing that which carries