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…

As for the examples alleged by our Opposites out of Scripture, Sect. 9 for Justifying their significant Ceremonies; they have been by our Propugners of Evangelical simplicity, so often & so fully answered, that here I need do no more but point at them. Of the days of Purim, and Feast of Dedication I am to speak afterward. In the mean while, our Opposites can not by these examples, strengthen themselves in this present Argument, except they could prove that the feast of Dedication was lawfully instituted, & that the days of Purim were appointed for a religious festivity, and that upon no such extraordinary warrant as the Church hath not ever and always. The rite which Abraham commanded his servant to use, when he sware to him namely the putting of his hand under his thigh, Gen. 24. 2. maketh them as little help: for it was but a moral sign of that civill subjection, reverence, and fidelity, which Inferiors owe unto Superiors, according to the judgment of Calvin, Junius, Pareus, and Tremellius, all upon that place. That Altar which was built by the Reubenites Gadites, & half Tribe of Manasseh, Jos. 22. had (as some think) not a religious, but a moral use, and was not a sacred, but a civill sign to witness that those two Tribes and the half, were of the stock and linage of Israel: which if it were once called in question, then, their fear (deducing the connection of causes and consequents,) led them in end to forecast this issue, In time to come, your children might speak unto our children, saying, what have you to do with the Lord God of Israel, for the Lord hath made Jordan a border betwixt us and you, &c. Therefore to prevent all apparent occasions of such doleful events, they erected the pattern of the Lords Altar, ^hut vinculum sit fraternae conjunctionis.

As for the examples alledged by our Opposites out of Scripture, Sect. 9 for Iustifying their significant Ceremonies; they have been by our Propugners of Evangelicall simplicity, so often & so fully answered, that here I need doe no more but point at thē. Of the days of Purim, and Feast of Dedication I am to speake afterward. In the meane while, our Opposites can not by these examples, strengthen thēselves in this present Argument, except they could prove that the feast of Dedication was lawfully instituted, & that the dayes of Purim were appointed for a religious festivity, and that vpon no such extraordinary warrant as the Church hath not ever and allwayes. The rite which Abraham commanded his servant to vse, when he sware to him namely the putting of his hand vnder his thigh,