1That Calvin hath any where so determined this Prefacer hath not proved, but shamefully dismembered him, thereby to make him to deliver something absolutely which he delivers only conditionally, and that in opposition unto Papists, who will have the Lords Day to be kept not only for order and policy sake but by reason of some mystery; and this Calvin professeth to be Jewish. Aquinas his words are these, Haber aliquod tempus deputatum ad vacandum Divinis, cadit sub praecepto morali: sed in quantum in hoc praecepto determinatur special tempus in signum creationis Mundi, sic est praeceptum ceremoniale. To have some time deputed (wherein) to rest for things Divine, falls under the moral precept. But for as much as in this precept is determined a special time in sign of the Creation of the World, so it is a precept ceremonial. Where I do observe first, that this ceremoniality is apparently ascribed to the seventh day, and that considered as a sign of the Creation, and not to one day in seven. And this indeed may well be the concurrent opinion of School Divines. As for Abulensis, of what authority is he to preponderate any one of our Divines? nay, I appeal to every humane conscience, whether no more be moral in this precept, then to set some time apart for Gods service. For what? is it nothing material, whether we set apart for divine Service, one day in a week, or one day in a month, or one day in a year, or one day in twenty years, or one day throughout the whole course of a mans life? what conscience can be found so cauteriate as to justify this? If so, then let him proceed and say, it is nothing material whether we consecrate unto God one hour in a day, or one hour in a week, or one hour ⟨p. 45⟩in a month, or one hour in a year, or but one hour throughout the whole course of a mans life. So that I presume every sober man by the very light of nature, will be driven to confess that not only some time ought to be set apart for Gods worship (as the Schoolmen commonly teach) but that a convenient proportion of time ought to be destinated unto this. Now let reason it self judge, whether any more convenient proportion of time can be devised for this then the proportion of one day in seven.
1That Calvin hath any where so determined this Prefacer hath not prooved, but shamefully dismembred him, thereby to make him to deliver something absolutly which he delivers onely conditionally, and that in opposition unto Papists, who will have the Lords Day to be kept not onely for order and policy sake but by reason of some mystery; and this Calvin professeth to be Jewish. Aquinas his words are these, Habere aliquod tempus deputatum ad vacandum Divinis, cadit sub praecepto morali: sed in quantum in hoc praecepto determinatur speciale tempus in signum creationis Mundi, sic est praeceptum ceremoniale. To have some time deputed (wherein) to rest for things Divine, falls under the morall precept. But for as much as in this precept is determined a speciall time in signe of the Creation of the World, so it is a praecept ceremoniall. Where I doe observe first, that this ceremoniality is apparently ascribed to the seventh day, and that considered as a signe of the Creation, and not to one day in seven. And this indeed may well be the concurrent opinion of Schole Divines. As for Abulensis, of what authority is he to preponderate any one of our Divines? nay, I appeale to every humane conscience, whether no more be morall in this precept, then to set some time apart for Gods service. For what? is it nothing materiall, whether we set apart for divine Service, one day in a weeke, or one day in a month, or one day in a yeare, or one day in twenty yeares, or one day throughout the whole course of a mans life? what conscience can be found so cauteriate as to justifie this? If so, then let him proceed and say, it is nothing materiall whether wee consecrate unto God one houre in a day, or one houre in a weeke, or one houre ⟨p. 45⟩in a month, or one houre in a yeare, or but one houre throughout the whole course of a mans life. So that I presume every sober man by the very light of nature, will be driven to confesse that not only some time ought to be set apart for Gods worship (as the Schoolemen commonly teach) but that a convenient proportion of time ought to be destinated unto this. Now let reason it selfe judge, whether any more convenient proportion of time can be devised for this then the proportion of one day in seven.
- 1Exam.
