A01760:170
A dispute against the English-popish ceremonies, obtruded upon the Church of Scotland Wherein not…A dispute against the English-popish ceremonies, obtruded vpon the Church of Scotland Wherein not…
A dispute against the English-popish ceremonies, obtruded upon the Church of Scotland Wherein not only our own arguments [sic] against the same are strongly confirmed, but likewise the answers and defences of our opposites, such as Hooker, Morton ... Forbesse, &c. particularly confuted.A dispute against the English-popish ceremonies, obtruded vpon the Church of Scotland Wherein not only our ovvne argumemts [sic] against the same are strongly confirmed, but likewise the ansvveres and defences of our opposites, such as Hooker, Mortoune ... Forbesse, &c. particularly confuted.
Leiden: printed by W. Christiaens, 1637
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Secondly, the Ceremonies are impediments to the inward and spiritual worship, because they are fleshly and external. iIn the second Sect. II commandment are forbidden omnes Ritus, qui a spirituali Dei cultu discrepant. The Kingdom of God is within you, ksaith Christ. Now if the Apostle, 1. Tim. 4. 8. say, that bodily exercise such as fasting, watching, &c. which are requisite as helps and furtherances to the humiliation of the soul, do but profit a little, then may we say of our unnecessary and unprofitable Ceremonies, that they are exceedingly nocent and harmful to true and spiritual worship. The Apostle is not speaking of plays and pastimes, as Bellarmine would have us to think. Who can believe that Timothy was so much addicted to play, that the Apostle had need to admonish him, that such exercise profiteth little? He is speaking then of such bodily exercises, as in those primitive times were used religiously, as fasting, watching, lying on the ground, and such like; and he would have Timothy, rather to exercise himself to the life and power of Godliness, & to substantial worship, then to any of these outward things. Neither doth the Apostle, condemn only the superstitious use of those exercises, as lCalvin well observeth: alioqui in totum damnaret: Whereas he doth only extenuate & derogate from them, saying, that they profit little. Ergo (saith he) ut maxime integer sit animus, & rectue finis, tamen in externis actionibus nihill reperit Paulus quod magnifaciat. Valde necessaria admonitio, nam semper propendet mundus in illam partem, uti Deum externis obsequiis velit collar; But what, will some say? Do we allow of no external Rites and Ceremonies in Divine worship?
Secondly, the Ceremonies are impediments to the inward and spirituall worship, because they are fleshly and externall. iIn the second Sect. II commandement are forbidden omnes Ritus, qui a spirituali Dei cultu discrepant. The Kingdome of God is within you, k