A reply to an answer made of M. Doctor Whitgifte Against the admonition to…A replye to an ansvvere made of M. Doctor VVhitgifte Against the admonition to…

The holy days follow / of which M. Doctor saith / that so they be not used superstitiously or unprofitably they may be commanded. I have showed before / that they were. If they were so indifferent as they are made / yet being kept of the papists which are the enemies of God / they ought to be abolished. And if it were as easy a matter to pull out the superstition of the observing of those holidays out of mens hearts / as it is to protest and to teach that they are not commanded for any religion to be put in them / or for any to make conscience of the observing of them / as though there were some necessary worship of God in the keeping of them: then were they much more tolerable. But when as the continuance of them doth nourish wicked superstition in the minds of men / and that the doctrine which should remedy the superstition through the fewness & scarcity of able ministers / can not come to the most part of them which are infected with this disease / and that also where it is preached / the fruit thereof is in part hindered / whilst the common people attend oftentimes rather to that which is done / than to that which is taught / being a thing indifferent (as it is said) it ought to be abolished / as that which is not only not fittest to hold the people in the sincere worshipping of God / but also as that which keepeth them in their former blindness and corrupt opinions which they have conceived of such holy days. And if they had been never abused neither by the Papists nor by the Jews (as they have been and are daily) yet such making of holy days is never without some great danger of bringing in some evil and corrupt opinions into the minds of men. I will use an example in one / and that the chief of holy days / & most generally & of longest time observed in the church / which is the feast of Easter / which was kept of some more days of some fewer. How many thousands are there / I will not say of the ignorant papists / but of those also which profess the gospel / which when they have celebrated those days with diligent heed taken unto their ⟨p. 152⟩life / and with some earnest devotion in praying and hearing the word of God / do not by and by think / that they have well celebrated the feast of Easter / and yet have they thus notably deceived them selves. For S.

The holy dayes folow / of whych M. Doctor sayth / that so they be not vsed superstitiously or vnprofitably they may be commaūded. I haue shewed before / that they were. If they were so indifferent as they are made / yet being kept of the papistes whych are the enemies of God / they ought to be abolished. And if it were as easy a matter to pull oute the superstition of the obseruing of those holydayes out of mennes heartes / as it is to protest and to teache that they are not commaunded for any religion to be put in them / or for any to make conscience of the obseruing of them / as thoughe there weresome necessary worshyp of God in the keping of them: then were they much more tollerable. But when as the continuance of them doth norishe wicked superstition in the mindes of men / and that the doctrine whych shuld remedy the superstition through the fewnes & skarcitye of able ministers / can not come to the most part of them whych are infected wyth this disease / and that also where it is preached / the frute therof is in part hindred / whylest the common people attend oftentymes rather to that whych is done / thē to that whych is taught / being a thyng indifferent (as it is sayd) it ought to be abolyshed / as that whych is not only not fittest to holde the people in the sincere worshypping of God / but also as that whych keepeth them in their former blindnes and corrupt opinions whych they haue conceyued of such holy dayes. And if they had bene neuer abused neyther by the Papistes nor by the Iewes (as they haue bene and are daily) yet suche making of holy dayes is neuer wythout some great daunger of brynging in some euill and corrupt opinions into the mindes of men. I will vse an example in one / and that the chefe of holy dayes / & most generally & of longest time obserued in ye church / whych is the feast of Easter / whych was kept of some more dayes of some fewer. How many thousands are there / I will not say of the ignorant papistes / but of those also whych professe the gospell / whych when they haue celebrated those dayes wt dilygent heede taken vnto their