A fresh suit against human ceremonies in God's worship. Or a triplication unto. D.…A fresh suit against human ceremonies in God's vvorship. Or a triplication unto. D.…

Whereupon he concludeth, that the Church may lawfully make use of an human Ceremony, for her good; though the same kind of Ceremony, have been notoriously abused, by, and to Idolatry. And in the parting, he giveth us gentle thanks for these Witnesses. Now 1. for his thanks, the matter is not so much worth. We can afford him (without any damage ⟨p. 433⟩to our cause) ten times as many witnesses, who in their practise have confuted that, which sometime in their doctrine they have taught concerning Ceremonies. 2. I will grant him also, that it was not the in•ention of that Council, wholly to abolish the Celebration of Martyrs birth or death-days. Yet those Feastings (Convivia) which were used at them, in imitation of the Heathen, they did (in all probability) labour to abolish. For Augustine, who was then alive, and is likely to have had a hand in the Decree, did wish them abolished. This •ppeareth every where in his writings: As Epist. 64. and •19. And great reason there was for that, and more also. For the superstition, and luxury of them was intolerable. Those luxurious banquets (saith he▪ Epist. 64.) are supposed of the sorry people to be as well the solace of the dead as •he honour of Martyrs, whosoever carry their meats thither which the better sort of Christians do not and almost all the World over is neglected) yet whosoever doth that will have •hen sanctified by the merits of the Martyrs. ¹And as for •he Celebrations themselves, they were partly used by Christians, as the same Augustine saith (cont. Faustum.) For the Prayers and merits-sake of the Martyrs. If the Rejoinder holdeth this a due observation of a human Ceremony, and so teacheth, we have no cause to thank him for it.

Whereupon he concludeth, that the Church may lawfully make use of an human Ceremonie, for her good; though the same kinde of Ceremonie, have beene notoriously abused, by, and to Idolatry. And in the parting, he giveth us gentle thankes for these Witnesses. Now 1. for his thankes, the matter is not so much worth. We can affoord him (without any damage