Furthermore consider the decay of the towns nigh the seas, which should be most ready by the number of the people there to repulse the enemy, and we which dwell further of upon the land, having them as our buckler to defend us, should be the more in surety. If they be our neighbours, why should we not wish them to prosper? If they be our defence, as nighest at hand to repel the enemy, to keep out the rage of the seas which else would break upon our fair pastures, why should we not cherish them? Neither do we urge ⟨p. 188⟩that in the ecclesiastical policy, prescribing a form of fasting, to humble our selves in the sight of almighty God, that that order which was used among the Jews, and practised by Christs Apostles after his ascension, is of such force and necessity, that that only ought to be used among Christians, and none other, for that were to bind Gods people unto the yoke & burden of Moses policy, yea, it were the very way to bring us which are set at liberty by the freedom of Christs Gospel, into the bondage of the law again, which God forbid that any man should attempt or purpose. But to this end it serveth, to show how far the order of fasting now used in the Church at this day, differeth from that which then was used. Gods Church ought not, neither may i• be so tied to that or any other order now made, or hereafter to be made and devised by the authority of man, but that it may lawfully for just causes, alter, change, or mitigate those ecclesiastical decrees & orders, yea recede wholly from them, & break them, when they tend either to superstition, or to impiety, when they draw the people from God, rather then work any edification in them. This authority Christ him self used, and left it unto his Church. He used it I say: For the order or decree made by the elders for washing oft times, which was diligently observed of the Jews: yet tending to superstition, our saviour Christ altered and changed the same in his Church, into a profitable sacrament, the sacrament of our regeneration or new birth. This authority to mitigate laws and decrees ecclesiastical, the apostles ⟨p. 189⟩practised, when they, writing from Jerusalem 1unto the congregation that was at Antioch, signified unto them that they would not lay any further burden upon them, but these necessaries:
Furthermore consyder the decay of the townes nye the seas, whiche shoulde be most redy by the number of the people there to repulse the enemie, and we whiche dwell further of vppon the lande, hauing them as our buckler to defend vs, should be ye more in suretie. If they be our neighbours, why should we not wish them to prosper? If they be our defence, as nyest at hand to repell the enemie, to kepe out the rage of ye seas whiche els woulde breake vpon our faire pastures, why should we not cherish them? Neither do we vrge ⟨p. 188⟩that in the ecclesiasticall pollicie, prescribing a fourme of fasting, to humble our selues in the sight of almightie God, that that order whiche was vsed among the Jewes, and practised by Christes Apostles after his ascention, is of suche force and necessitie, that that onlye ought to be vsed among Christians, and none other, for that were to binde Gods people vnto the yoke & burthen of Moyses pollicie, yea, it were the verye way to bring vs whiche are set at libertie by the freedome of Christes Gospel, into the bondage of the law againe, which God forbid that any man shoulde attempt or purpose. But to this ende it serueth, to shewe howe farre the order of fasting nowe vsed in the Churche at this day, differeth from that which then was vsed. Gods Churche ought not, neither may i• be so tied to that or any other order nowe made, or hereafter to be made and deuised by thaucthoritie of man, but that it may lawfully for iust causes, alter, chaunge, or mitigate those ecclesiasticall decrees & orders, yea recede wholy from them, & breake them, when they tende eyther to superstition, or to impietie, when they drawe the people from God, rather then worke any edification in them. This aucthoritie Christ him selfe vsed, and left it vnto his Church. He vsed it I say: For the order or decree made by the elders for washing oft times, which was diligently obserued of the Jewes: yet tendyng to superstition, our sauiour Christe altered and changed the same in his Church, into a profitable sacrament, the sacrament of our regeneration or newe birth. This aucthoritie to mittigate lawes and decrees ecclesiasticall, thapostles ⟨p. 189⟩practised, when they, wryting from Hierusalem 1vnto the congregation that was at Antioche, signified vnto them that they would not lay any further burthen vppon them, but these necessaries:
- 1Acts. 15.Actes. 15.
