11. In the last place, upon occasion of our disliking all the significant Ceremonies, brought in by the Pharisees, it pleased the Def. to tax us for being too like the Sadducees, in refusing such Ceremonies. Now of this accusation the Replier only desired the Def. to consider, if it did not touch our blessed Saviour himself, who by his example, and doctrine opposed the same Ceremonies? Hereupon the Rejoinder answereth, that our Saviour walked a middle path, betwixt the excess of the Pharisees, and the preciseness of the Sadducees, in Ceremonies, observing many humane significant Ceremonies in religion, as the Feast of Dedication, embalming at burials, sitting at burials, sitting at the Passover, and the Synagogues, with their formalities. In which answer, the Rejoinder hath showed, that upon occasion, he dare go as far, and say as much for humane Ceremonies, as any that went before him, if not more, and that with such confidence as is not abated with reverence of our Saviour himself, whom this passage doeth concern. But beside this audaciousness, I find no trueth in these words, For. 1. That which he saith of the Sadducees preciseness in flying all human Ceremonies, is not true. The Sadducees (saith Epiphanius lib 1. c. 14.) omnia aequabiliter cum Samaritis observant. i. e. they observe all that the Samaritans observe: and who can doubt but the observations and Ceremonies proper to the Samaritans, were all inventions of men, with the Devils help. The Sadducees also were sometime high Priests at Jerusalem, as for example, Annas is noted by Josephus (l. 20. c. 15.) and by like historians, to have been a Sadducee. Now it ⟨p. 221⟩is not credible, that any high Priest in those times, did abstain from all humane Ceremonies, used commonly by all the Jews Mar. 7.3. At the least the high Priest did observe the feast of Dedication, sitting at the Passover, and such like (in the Rejoinder his account) humane Ceremonies. 2. The Sadducees were profane beasts, not hoping for Heaven, nor fearing Hell, and so were always ready to observe any Ceremonies that made for their temporal advantage, of what kind soever they were. 3.
11. In the last place, upon occasion of our disliking all the significant Ceremonies, brought in by the Pharisies, it pleased the Def. to taxe us for being too like the Saduces, in refusing suche Ceremonies. Now of this accusation the Replier onely desired the Def. to consider, if it did not touche our blessed Saviour himself, who by his example, and doctrine opposed the same Ceremonies? Heerupon the Rejoynder answereth, that our Saviour walked a midle path, betwixt the excesse of the Pharisies, and the praecisenes of the Saduces, in Ceremonies, observing many humane significant Ceremonies in religion, as the Feast of Dedication, embaulming at burialls, sitting at burialls, sitting at the Passover, and the Synagogues, with their formalities. In which answer, the Rejoynder hath shewed, that upon occasion, he dare goe as farr, and say as muche for humane Ceremonies, as any that went before him, if not more, and that with suche confidence as is not abated with reverence of our Saviour himself, whome this passage doeth concerne. But beside this audaciousnesse, I finde no trueth in these words, For. 1. That which he sayth of the Saduces praecisenesse in flying all human Ceremonies, is not true. The Saduces (sayth Epiphanius lib 1. c. 14.) omnia aequabiliter cum Samaritis observant. i. e. they observe all that the Samaritans observe: and who can doubt but the observations and Ceremonies proper to the Samaritans, were all inventions of men, with the Divels helpe. The Saduces also were sometime high Preistes at Ierusalem, as for example, Annas is noted by Iosephus (l. 20. c. 15.) and by like historians, to have been a Saducen. Now it ⟨p. 221⟩is not credible, that any high Preist in those times, did absteyne from all humane Ceremonies, used commonly by all the Iews Mar. 7.3. At the least the high Preist did observe the feast of Dedication, sitting at the Passover, and suche like (in the Rejoynder his account) humane Ceremonies. 2. The Saduces were prophane beastes, not hoping for Heaven, nor fearing Hell, and so were allways ready to observe any Ceremonies that made for their temporall advantage, of what kinde soever they were. 3.
