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…

7. I will now apply this Argument taken from superstition, particularly to holy dayes. Superstitiosum esse docemus saith ^kBeza, arbitrary Sect. 7 unum aliquem diem altero sanctiorem. Now I will show that for malists observe holy days, as mystical and holier then other days: howbeit ^lB. Lindsey thinks good to dissemble and deny it. Times saith he, are appointed by our Church for morning and evening prayers in great towns, hours for preaching on tuesday, thursday, &c. hours for weekly exercises of prophesying, which are holy in respect of the use whereunto they are appointed; and such are the five days, which we esteem not to be holy for any mystic signification, which they have, either by Divine, or Ecclesiastical institution, or for any worship which is appropriated unto them, that may not be performed at an other time, but for the sacred use whereunto they are appointed to be employed as circumstances only, and not as mysteries. Answ. this is but falsely pretended, for as ^mDidoclavius observeth aliud est deputare, aliud dedicare, aliud sanctificare. designation or deputation is when a man appoints a thing for such an use, still reserving power and right to put it to an other use, if he please, so the Church appointeth times and hours for preaching upon the week days, yet reserving power to employ those times other wise, when she shall think fit. Dedication is when a man so devotes a thing to some pious or civill use, that he denudes himself of all right and title, which thereafter he might claim unto it: as when a man dedicates a some of money for the building of an Exchange, a Judgment-hall, &c. or a parcel of ground for a Church, a Churchyard, a Glebe, a School, a Hospital; he can claim no longer right to the dedicated thing. Sanctification is the setting apart of a thing for a holy or religious use, in such sort, that thereafter it may be put to no other use, Prov. 20. 25. Now, whereas times set apart for ordinary and weekly preaching, are only designed by the Church for this end and purpose, so that they are not holy, but only for the present they are applied to an holy use; neither is the worship appointed as convenient or beseeming for those times, but the times are appointed as convenient for the worship: festival days are holy both by dedication and consecration