Sermon 17 November 1599, Apology · Part 2 · Answer 4 – Section 8
Anſvvere to the accuſation.
Summarily I anſwere in this forme, to this 4. generall accuſation.
Obſerue firſt of all that this Accuſer vniteth and cōioyneth togither the day of the Queenes Nativity, and the day of her Highneſſe attaining of the Imperiall crowne of this Realme. Nicholaus Saunders calleth the firſt of them the day of her Nativity, the other the day of her Inauguratiō or Coronatiō. And although that the rites of her H…ghnes Coronation actually were performed in Ianuary following yet in this diſcourſe the 17. of Novēber is continually nominated the day of the Coronation, fi…ſt for that I f…ow Sanders de Schiſm. Pag. 302. who doth cal the 17. of November diem inaugurationis R. Secondly for that al our ſolemne celebrities are performed that day. Thirdly for that, that day is called ſo vſually by the common people …las land. Fourthly and laſtly for that in lineall and lawful diſcent of her famous progenitors. God gaue vponupon that …ay being the 17 of November. Q. Elizabeth the ſcepter of the Crowne of Englād, her fi…te Mary being deceaſed about 4.2. Obſervation. of the clocke that preſent morning.
Secondly obſerue how cunningly this Accuſer hath interlaced the feaſt of Chriſts Nativity and Aſcenſion with the cōtroverſed feaſts, & by the Proteſtants abrogated, to wit, the feſtivities of the Nativity, & Aſſumption of the B. V…gine. In this imitating that cuſtome which ſeditious citizens vſually practiſe, who to make their ovvne partes good,Mar Tul…. Lib …. Aca Quaeſt. bluſh not to abuſe the names of perſons of approved honeſty and behaviour, as though ſuch had bene Patrons of that tumultuous ſedition, wherof the ſaide rebells are onelyonly authors So in this action,A…ſt lib 1 cap 4 E…n h…ſo. phiſt foreign Multa in vno …ogare. 2. Reg … 18 v 4 Vide l…u… cenſur in … E…le Aug. Feſt …h… diem A…g c… Catalog … 94 3 Ob…. An…ad pri… …uius te tij memori 2 An 3 mē bri 3 an. … mē namely the celebritie of the Nativity and Aſcenſion of our Saviour Ieſus Chriſt, the feſtivity of the B. Virgine & her Aſſum. are a dio…ed by the adverſaries; for that they hope by this ſophiſme to make the one as ſmoothly to runne for currant, as the other; knowing well that the church of England obſerueth the two …i…ſt ordinarily and religiouſly, and that by good authority the ſaide Church hath abrogated the tvvo latter.
Thirdly obſerue how this Accuſer taketh exception againſt the ringing of bells that day, the bone-fires, and other ſignes of ioy vſed by the faithfull people of the land, what other exerciſes he meaneth I know not, vnleſſe the triumphs vſed now yeerely before White-Hall come into the bedroll of theſe ſignes of ioy, which for theſe 3. reaſons he taketh exception againſt.
Firſt that theſe exerciſes upon a window to reduce people backe againe to heatheniſh Paganiſme, extinguiſhed already by the light of the goſpell.
The ſecond exception is, that theſe actions or celebrities are meere paraſitical deviſes, and voide of religion, as they are performed in th…s Realme.
Thirdly that theſe celebrities hauehave no better grounde, then the …dolatrous rites and paſtimes exhibited by the Heathen to Iupiter, Mars, Hercules, &c.
Fourthly obſerue here how hee proveth this by places collecte but of the booke of Wiſdome cap. 14. v. 14.15.16.17.4. Obſerva. wh… I hauehave cited before.5. Obſerva.
Fift… …ny Catholicke ſhould doe this vponupon the feſtival daie… … Saviour his Nativity, the B. Virgins Nativity, o… ſtump…, hee ſhould be thought of the Engliſh nat… ow… daies to be
1 A ſuperſtitious Papiſt.
2 A perſonall affected to the Queene.
3 An enemy to the Gospell of Ieſus Chriſt.
4 That he ſhould therefore not only endure impriſonment, but ſhould be ſeaſed at a great fine.
The firſt cavillation is concerning the ringing of Bels,If this cenſurer had ioyned bag pipes with Bells, it might hauehave ſerued the former Anonymiſt Legēdaryographer in his recitall of B. Hughs life. Saunders de Sciſmate… Pag: 302 and bonefires made that day through this Realme in divers places.
Concerning the firſt I deny not but that the 17. of November in all Pariſhes of thi… Realme, or in moſt, there is great pract…ſe of ringing. This accuſation is alſo touched in the former place cited by Nichola…s Sāders, & welmoſt in the ſame maner: Qua etia ratione &c. At the time of the alteration of religion Bels were reſerved by publike authority in the Churches of England, that at what time ſoeuer the Q. ſhould p…ſſe through any cit…y or country, or pariſh, ſhee might be receiued with greater ioy & applauſe of people But eſpecially & principally Bels were reſerved, that theſe … of her Nativ…ty, and the day of her Highnes comming to the crowne might bee celebrated with greater honour and triumph.
To them both I anſwere in this ſort: and namely firſt to Sanders. I mervaile how privy Sanders was to the Queenes minde, and to the minde of the Convocation and Parliament then called. Beſides I mervaile what remembrance he had, when hee wrote this,Mat: …: v: 12: of that place ſpecified by our Saviour in the 7. of S. Matthew. Iudge not, and you ſhall not be iudged: & how well he followed the councel of thoſe places before ſpecially cited out of the 1…. to the Romaines 1. Tim 2.1. 1. Pet. 2.Rom. 13. 1. Tim. 2. 1. Pet. 2. Honour to whom honor belongeth. Exo. 28.34.35. Elias Levit. Thisb He…ych. lexicon. Phavorin. Lexicon. D…ra… …at divin… …ffi. lib. 1. cap 4. obſerverveth ſi…e kindes of bels. 1 Squilla 2 Cimbalū 3. Nola. 4. Nolula. 5. Cāpana 6 Si …. Vide H…piniā de o…ig Cum…e 14 libri … eine tēplo…u… Ioſep lib. 3. c. 11. A…t…q. Iuda… Ioh. Bel…th de expli divin offi… ca 24. Sop…, in A…ac I mervaile what honour N. Saunders performed to his Soveraigne, when he wrote this, which I hauehave briefly mentioned here.
Secondly I aunſwere the maine accuſation in this ſort; which I ſhall more perfectly by Gods grace accompliſh, if with patience you will beare with me, if ſummarily I doe recapitulate ſome points of the things ſpecified in this accuſation; and firſt of Bels. Bels in Heb…ew are named foreign radically ſignifying contundi, concuti, percelli, hereupon fit…y foreign is ſaide a percuſſione nomen habere. In the Chaldee tongue it is nominated foreign …de El…am levitem in Thi…be. In Greeke foreign: yet it ſhould ſeeme by H…y h…u… that it is not alwaies taken for a Bell, but ſometimes for a ſubiect of like condition foreign, a trumpet, or a ſounding Cymbal. Phavorinus in the word foreign, giveth a pretty Etymologie of it, foreign, when it moueth, it ſingeth, of ſoundeth …ome other ſignifications foreign hath in Greeke, wherein the Reader may bee inſtructed in the places marginally cited, where he ſhall finde them ſufficiently deſcribed. In Latine, Bels are named Campanae, or Nolae. The one the greater, the later the ſmaller ſorts. Durandus defineth them in this ſort: Campanae ſunt vaſa aenea in Nel… Campaniae pr…mum inventa: ſignificativa is left out. Maiora vaſa dicuntu… Campanae, a Cā paniae regione, minor a Nolae, a Nola civitate. Bels are braſen veſſels firſt invented in Nola a citty in the country of Campania. The greater veſſels are called greate bels, taking their names of the whole region Campania: the leſſer are called little bels, taking their names of Nol… a citty in the ſaid country. Another defineth thē in this order, Campana inſtrumentum ad…lſandum idoneum. A bell is an inſtrumen… fit for ringing. In which note there wants alſo ad ſignificandum. The time of the invention of Bels in generall is of great antiquity, as it appeareth by Moiſes Exod. 28. and by Ioſeph lib. 3. Antiqui. cap. 11. This in generall only, it ſhould ſeeme the Greekes had them in ſome vſe. But I ſuppoſe they were only ſmal Bels.foreign. Sephecles in A…x attributeth is …pa…het to them foreign The br…ſ…n-mouth B…ll. In S. Hieromes time it ſhould ſec…re that they were alſo vſed, whoſe words are theſe,S Hieron. ad Euſtochium. Vide Vine: ſpe hi… 23. T…uc…: …9: Phit: Symp 4: Paulinus the invē er of bels as ſome ſay, & as the epithet of the name of Nola inforceth: Gilbertus Cognat. l: 4 Nariation: hiſtoriam lupi Epiſ. Aurel: perterr… facion in hac arte exercitum Reg. Gall: Cloth: qui Aur: obſer: Hug: Ca…d: 10: c: in Nū: writing ad Euſtochium quo…ſ que Campanula in clauſtre pulſabitur? How long ſhal the bell be roung in the cloiſter. But concerning theſe huge bels now vſed in Churches to cal people togither to divine ſervice, and to ſome other rites Eccleſiaſticall and Civill; the practiſe of them beganne but in the later times of the Church in reſpect of Chriſtes Incarnation, as ſome ſay by Paulinus Biſhop of Nola Ann. Dom. 420. or about the year of the Lorde 610. The invention of them ſerveth fitly for many Eccleſiaſticall and Civill vſes. Gilbertus Cognatus in his 4. booke of narrations affirmeth, that the good B. ſh. of Nola in Italy Paulinus cauſed them firſt to be vſed in that ſort as they bee now; namely that they ſhoulde ſerue for ſignes to call all the inhabitantes farre and neere in a certaine compaſſe to ſermons, or divine ſervice: which opinion I dare not gaine ſay, only this I doe aſſeuere by ſuppoſall, and by good probability, & by the opinion of men of great learning, that the firſt vſe of bels ſerved to that end, euer ſince their inventiō amongſt Chriſtians, vntounto which the ſilver trūpets, in Moyſes Numeri the 10. ſpecified were ordained by Gods commandement, ſome few particulars of time and place excepted. Thoſe ſilver trumpets preſcribed to Moyſes in the time of the Law ſerving for 4. vſes: 1 Adconvocandum multitudinem. 2. Admovendum caſtra. 3. Ad bella. 4. Ad feſta 1. To aſſemble Iſraell. 2. To the removal of tents. 3. To proclaime times of warre. 4.Numeri: to Silver trumpets ſerved for 4. vſes. To ſignifie the certaine ſeaſons of the ſolemne feaſts. Laſtly, concerning feaſts in this manner they were vſed. Si quando habebitis gaudium, & dies feſtos, & calendas cavetis tubis, &c. Alſo in the daies of your gladneſſe, and in your feaſt daies, and in the beginning of your moneths, yee ſhall blow the trumpets over your burnt ſacrifices, and over your peace offerings, that they may be a remembrance for you before your God, Conradus Pellicanus in Numer.I am the Lord your God. Which words Pelican learnedly paraphraſeth and expoundeth in th…s manner, Etiam in letitijs, aclautitijs ſolemnitatum vtel antur Iſraelitae tubis, velut nos Campania; in ſacrificijs quo que &c. ceremonijs einſmodi non ſolum delect abatur populas, ſed iuvab itur, & ordinabat tur. The Hebrew readeth it &c. foreign Et in die laeticia veſtrae. Which ſenſe alſo the Thargum of Onchelas fol…oweth ſincerely,Tharg: Ion: 72: Interp: the Septuaginte Interpreters cōfor…ing alſo in materiality in this forme of reading foreign. Pelican m…y be thus Engliſhed: In the feſtivall daies of ſolemnities, and in the feſtivities of their ſacred celebrities, the children of Iſraell did vſe trumpets, in ſuch forme as we doe now vſe bels, with which, and ſuch like ceremonies the people was delighted, recreated, and d…ſciplinally ordered. By this I gather, that ſince by the validity of theſe places bels hauehave both a ceremonious, and a civill vſe, as the trumpets preſcribed to Moyſes by God had, that this adverſary wrongfully chargeth the church & common wealth of England for theſe actions before ſpecified, namely for ringing yearly the 17. of November in theſe times, and in performing other outward ſervices in honour of her Highneſſe Coronation, being a ſigne of their inward ioy of heart. And this I doubt not, by Gods grace, ſhall clearely appeare by the iſſue of the anſweres conſequent. The making of bonefires, or any other exerciſes in regard of our publike ioy that day demonſtrated, perfourmed, in honour of her Highneſſe, and namely Courtlike Triumphes, which queſtionleſſe are repined at ſecretly by the adverſe parte; I bind vp al theſe in one bundle, & reckon the… vnderunder one head: … ſince they be vſed by the people of this land, only as ſignificant arguments to expreſſe their ſincere affections in ioy to their Soveraigne nowe raigning, in regard of the manifolde bleſſings that hauehave beene powred plēteouſly vpō this floriſhing Realme ever ſince Q. Elizabeth receaued from God the regall ſcepter therof: And ſithence ringing of Belles, making of bonefires, running at Tilte ſome hundred years agoe hauehave bin reputed to-kens of ioy in matters of like nature (as former ages report) & ar vſed this day by the adverſaries themſelues, and ſuch as applaude their doinges in other countreys, and exhibited in the honour of thoſe Princes, vnderunder whom they liue in farre greater meaſure outwardly.Rome. Antwerpe. Paris &.c Yet becauſe their principall obiection is againſt the Engliſh ringing in honor of her Highneſſe Inauguration day the 17. of November; I breefly inquire this of the Accuſer,Lib Pontifical vide Iohn Bren. apol conf. Witen… c. omitting all ſuperſtitious & impious practizes cōcerning Bels in their churches dayly vſed vponupon cauſe offred concerning the baptizing of Bells, the bleſſing of Bells, their hope by ringing of Belles to diſperſe tempeſts, to extinguiſh lightnings, to driue away evill ſpirits &c. I deſire thē to anſwere to this pointe,Du and l. 1. rationat. di. vin. offictor. whether Belles hauehave a civill vſe or not? if they hauehave, vvhichwhich they cannot deny, if Bells, I ſay, ſucceeded in the place of the trumpetts in Moſes, why may they not bee runge in ſignum laticiae for a ſigne of ioy, as the trumpets were ſounded in Moſes time? ſince the nature of the affection laetitia foreign in Hebrew is ſuch that it muſt needes,M. Tullius Tuſc. Laetitia vehementer appertitus ſe offerens in praeſenti bon…. By all convenient ſignes. Rupertus Abbas. efferri in praeſētibono triumph in her preſent happineſſe. And ſince, as Rupertus hath obſerued in the former place, it is natural to the minde of man to be raviſhed with great ioy by the notes and harmony of muſicke (which thing Belis well rūg commonly effect in mens harts, firſt being wel tuned by a skilfull Artizan, and experimentall practicioner) herevpon I may truely and ſincerely inferre, that whereas this this Accuſar, as I hauehave obſerued in the animadverſion premiſed, termeth the performances of theſe ſolemnizations and celebrities actions or fruits not of Religion, but ſervices of fooliſh paraſitical ridiculous ſlattery &c. that in this vehemency of bitterneſſe he doth either vnadviſedly patronize barbarous, ſtoicall impaſſibility: or that his hearte,Queſtion. Tuſcula l. 4. when he wrote this, was poſſeſſed with the ſpirit of an incurable vlcer of malice and envy. I may adioyne herevnto, how vncharitably and viperouſly this adverſary endevoureth by theſe wordes to blemiſh the greateſt parte of this flouriſhing kingdome wherin he was borne and bred, with the ſowre ſweere poyſon, and invenomed baite and by conſequent blotte of ſervile or Gnathonicall flattery.
Wheras in the 3. animadverſion he affirmeth that theſe ſolemn zati…ns and celebrities hauehave noe better grounde then thoſe games and paſtimes exhibited by the Heathen to Iupiter, Iupiter. Mars. Hercules. O…ympia. Nemaei Iudi Martiales.Mars, Hercules: and to heatheniſh Idolatrie &c. I would willingly learne by what Induction, reaſon, Argument, or teſtimony the Accuſer can averre it: ſince honeſt mirth is an affection in her ſelfe irreprehenſible, vvhichwhich Chriſtian religion hath ever honoured, never condēned, ſo that extravagantly it doth not rang out of thoſe boūds, which the holy ſcripture hath prefixed vntounto it; ſince theſe ringing of Bells, who ſucceeded the vſe of ſilver trumpets, had no originall in Paganiſme, but among faithfull Chriſtians, and hath beene onelyonly vſed by them vniverſally: ſince the greateſt & ſtrongeſt nation now knowne in the world this day, namely the Turkes, abhorreth frō all practize of Bels,Calvinotur. Lib. 2. and caſt them out of their Moſquyes, vvhichwhich thy devote to their Mahumetry (as this Accuſer hath other wiſe inſinuated in theſe wordes cited out of Bartholmaeus George: By the Prieſts crying it appeareth they hauehave no Bells at all Io locus. Me…g. In …eregrinatione Hieroſolymi…ia.Habent Turcae templa ſatis amplae, in quibus nullas prorſus imagines vidi &c. luxtatemplum turris eſt mirae altitudinit, quam corum ſacerdos tempore orationis aſcendens &c, voce aliâ &c. haec verba repetit, Venite ad orationem. The Turkes hauehave temples large enough, in the which I ſawe noe images at all: Beſides the church or temple there is a tower of a marveilous height, the which the Prieſt aſcending in the time of ſervice with a lowde voice repeateth theſe wordes: Come vntounto praier. To this conſorteth that vvhichwhich another hath alleadged in expreſſe wordes; Campanis Turcae non vinutur. The Turkes vſe no Bells: yet nevertheleſſe they doe vſe Campanitibus ſteeples, or Bellfrees, in places neere adioyning to their Moſquys, or temples) ſince alſo Bonfires in ſignes of ioy may bee warranted by the ancient & dayly practiſe of this honorable Realme, ſince courtly and triumphant diſp…rts well vſed their own Canoniſts cannot …tly diſſalow: ſin… their Carnivalles yeare by yeare, and in their late Iubilee… in honour of their Pope, and ſeverall Princes, at Rome, and in other Romiſh Iuriſdictions theſe or ſuch like celebrities hauehave beene ſolemnely performed, and are ready vponupon every ſmall vanity to be renewed.
Yea (ſaith the Accuſer) but it ſhall bee proued out of the booke of Wiſdome, that theſe celebrities by you performed are of this nature, namely meere Idolatrous. I anſwere to this in this ſort; I deſire to know by what validity of Argument the adverſary can inforce this.Lib Sapien tiae c 14. v. 14.15.16.17 Summarilie (ſaieth the Accuſer) I proue it by theſe verſes before cited. Pardon me (Accuſer) I find not that this iſſue may be proved out of the verſes marginallie quoted: nay, I finde rather that theſe verſes vtterlie confound the Idolatrous Imagerie daily in your Church to Gods greate diſhonour practiſed, & defended. But, omitting that argumēt, I onlie at this time examine how aptlie the nature & circumſtance of this place concerning the matter betweene mee and the Accuſer travized doth agree.
The publike exerciſes vſed in the church & commonwealth of England are either Eccleſiaſticall, or Civill, as it appeareth in the firſt reaſon. The Eccleſiaſticall ſolemnitie, (as it is proved in the anſwere to the firſt Accuſation) hauehave warrant out of Gods word & by approved practiſe of the church. The Civill exerciſes & celebrities publike, are their …nging of Bells, Bone-fires, Triumphes &c. I dem…nd n…w what coherence there is betweene theſe actions …e…ore nominated, and thoſe that are mentioned in the 14. of the booke of Wiſedome, which in this forme are ſpecified?
Sap. 14 v 14. &c. Gr…bertu Cognat. ſuppoſeth this …ather to be N…n. that Grāt of Babilō, who whe… hee had loſt in ſuch maner his ſonne Iupiter Belus, orderned thoſe things in this place ſpecified. But whēce cil. cor. aſſe vereth this I know not. For neither Beroſus hath it, neither Me. aſt. For they ſhewe that Belus raigned after hi… Father, vnles Nimrod had another ſonne of that name. I omitte heere Ioſ. Scal cenſure & Poſſe… Lib 1. Bibliothee of thoſe bookes: the latter borrowing it out of Melch Cane Lib de human: hiſtor. Robert H…ot in his prelectiōs Pret. 164 vponupon that place affi…meth that this Fathers name was Syrophants a rich Aegyptian &c. Syrophants familia in adul…tione Domini ſtores eſſerebat Idolo, coronas plectebat, odotamenta ſuccendebat: Re… etiam ad ſimulaclira fug…entes veniam ſunt adepti.The fi…ſt part of that place breefly toucheth how a father made an image for his ſonne that was ſuddenly taken away, whome now he worſhippeth as a God, and ordeined to his ſervants ceremonies and ſacrifices.
In the 15. verſe it is ſaide, that in proceſſe of time this wicked cuſtome prevailed, and Idolls vvere worſhipped by the commaundent of Tirants.
In the 16. verſe it is ſpecified that ſuch as were a farre of, and might not worſhippe them in preſence, did draw a counterfeite reſembling in Phiſio…nomy the feature of the perſon abſent, deliniating it to the gorgeous Image of a king.
In the 17. verſ. it is alſo ſpecified of the Crafteſmen, who thruſt forwardes the ignorant to increaſe ſuperſtition.
I beſeech thee, Chriſtian Reader, what coherence is this betweene theſe 2. kindes of Actions? what correſpondence or reſemblance? Firſt it is manifeſt, that by no direct courſe of Reaſoning one thing here is by neceſſary ſtation conſequent to the other: This place of Wiſedome material…y ſheweth, whence originally Idolatry iſſued: our actions that day Eccleſiaſticall only are directed to Gods ſervice, & hauehave ſincere warrāt out of Gods word &c. as I hauehave before proved. in this narratiō a father preſcribeth Idolatrous ceremonies & ſacrifices to bee performed. In our Act the 17. of Novēb. there is no preſcriptiō vſed; al things are volūtarily done cōcerning the outward performāce. Theirs either effected for feare, or for flattery: ours warranted by holy and Chriſtian duety, and meerely de voide of flattery,God only being a knower of the hearte. Apoc. 2.23. as it hath beene before proved, vnleſſe this Acc. vvere a ſearcher of mens harts, and knew their thoughts, which is onelyonly appropriate to God, and to his infinite Maieſty.
But admitte that there were a Reſemblancē, or a mutuall correſpondency betweene thoſe two Actions: yet wee know in all reaſoning, ſimilitudes proue nothing, but ſerue onelyonly to illuſtrate, as perhappes this way Rome, and Babylon are in correſpondency, the Actions of Rome, and the Actions of Babilon: the confuſion of Rome, & the confuſion of Babilon: the marchants of Rome, and the marchants of Babilon: the vpholders of Rome, & the vpholders of Babylon: the people of Rome, and the waters of Babilon: the cuppe of abhomination that the vvhore of Babilō made the Princes of the earth drunke with, & the cuppe of the Pope: the deſolation that was in Babilon, to that that was prophetically not many hundred years ago prophecied of Rome, and is beleeved of many, that Rome ſhall hauehave in fine, if Rome repent not before the end of the world. Theſe things, and ſuch like perhaps may by ſimilitude, and by mutuall reference be firly compared. But the circumſtances of this hiſtoricall narration ſpecified in the booke of Wiſedome can no more ſubſtantially proue the matter controverſed, then thoſe Praedicable formes termed by the Logicians diſparata can be alleadged in mutuall probation: The chiefe things of theſe 2. actions being materially as neere in nature (according to the Engliſh Proverbs) as the Chalke is to Cheeſe, an Apple to an Oiſter, H…mo to Eqnu…, a man to a horſe.
Laſtly, obſerue where it is obiected that if any Catholicke ſhould ring in the celebrity of the feaſts before mē tioned, namely in the feaſts of the Nativity of our Saviour his Aſcenſion, the feaſt of the Bleſſed Virgines Nativity, or Aſſumption, that he ſhould be reputed a Papiſt, a man evill affected to the Religion and ſtate, and for the which he ſhould immediatly be impriſoned, and deepely fined.
To this I differre mine anſwere, til inſtance be given in any ſuch one: who for this action hath be…ne dealte w…th in this manner, according as it is laid downe in the Accuſation: vntill which time I repute this ſlaunder of no other validity to blemiſh the graue wiſedome of this Realme, & Iudiciall forme of proceeding in like caſe,…eſopi fab. thē Aeſops Cato accuſation was againſt the Cocke for crowing in the morning,M. Tullius pro Roſcio Philip of Maced. againſt Demoſthenes foreign Therſites againſt Agamemnō. as the tale goeth: then Chryſogonus accuſation was againſt Roſcius Amerinus: then C. Finbria his complaint was againſt Q. Scavola, quoa non totum telum in c…pore recepiſſet: Then Phillip of Macedon was againſt Demoſtheres and the reſt of the orators, that mightely perſwaded the ſafety of the ſtate of Athens: then the malicious accuſatiōs of Sauls paraſites contrived againſt righteous David; no more thē the accuſations of robbers, when they cannot rifell Innocent clothiers vponupon Salisbury plaine, or any paſſengers painefully and harmeleſly traveling in the Queenes high way.
The retorting of the argument.That Church-ſervice which is materially holy, & thoſe exerciſes and diſports which are lawfull, diſcreete in performance, not repugnant to Gods word, voide of all ſuſpition of flattery, no waies opening any window to the reducing againe of heatheniſh ſuperſtitiō, nor polluted with abomination thereof, may …el be performed and tollerated in any Chriſtian Common wealth.
But the Eccleſiaſticall ſervice of the Church, and the triumphant exerciſes vſed in the Church of England now yearely the 17. of Novem. are of this nature and quallity.
Ergo, the Eccleſiaſticall ſervice, and the triumphant diſportes vſed that day may be performed, and may be tollerated in any Chriſtian Common wealth, &c.
Having ſufficiently in any ſimple opinion handled the 4. maine accuſations, it remaineth (by the grace of God) that I ſhould briefly touch the Accuſations that appertaine to the ſecond generall head being derived from the firſt. Which although they be materially confuted in the anſwers premiſed, yet becauſe in particularity they preſſe neere the point of the argument controverſied, giuegive me leaue I beſeech thee (good Reader) ſeverally to diſcuſſe and examine them to thy contentation, and to the ſatisfying of ſuch as hauehave beene contrarily perſwaded.
Wheras it may be preſuppoſed by the Adverſaries that the Proteſtants wil deny that they obſerue the 17. of November for an Holly day, (as they doe in truth) the Accuſers doe labor to proue the contrary by theſe 2. cavils, hoping thereby to ſhew that our deniall herein is meere vntrue.
Their firſt charge in this maner they indevour to proue good againſt vsus (namely that our denial that we celebrate the 17. of November now in the nature of an holly day is meere vntrue) by theſe illations.
Firſt for that all the properties of an hollyday are given by vsus to this day, and are by vsus vponupon this day performed.Sanders. pag. 302. 303. de ſch.
Theſe are expreſſed by Nich. Saunders in theſe wordes. For that Bels were reſerved in Churches by the Proteſtāts of England in theſe times, Vi celebrior a reddātur Nativitatis & Inaugurationis Regina feſta: That the feſtivall daies of the Nativity and Coronation of the Queene might be the more gloriouſly celebrated,
2. For that,Reginae i… leſt out. If a man ſhould ſpeake to the Pope without Sanctiſſime what offēce would bee conceived. Solen niſſimè celebrant Elizabetha Natalem diem ſeptimum Septembris. They doe celebrate the 7. of September the birth day of Elizabeth moſt ſolemnely.
3. For that, E…us (nempe Reginae) nativitatem mainſculis & rubris l…eris notant. They marke the day of their Queenes Nativity with greatered letters.
4. For that, Antiphones and Himnes in Paules at London vſed in the end of divine ſervice in ſuch forme as it is ſpecified in the bandling of the ſecond Argument.
5. For that, Dies Nativitatis & Inaugurationis Reginae Eliſabethae omnibus alijs Chriſto & Sanctorum celebritatibus longè devotiùs per vniverſum Regnum Angliae obſervantur. The daies of the Nativity and Coronation of Q. Elizabeth are obſerved much more devoutely then all the ſolemnities of Chriſt or the Saints through the whole kingdome of England. To this may be added that before cited out of Calvino…urciſm. Hos dies feſtivè celebratis, &c. Theſe daies yee ſolemnly celibrate.
A ſummary collection of all their reaſons.
Becauſe
Feſtivitas dicta a feſtis dicbus quaſi feſtiditas eò quòd in eis ſola res divina fit …ſid. orig lib. …. Cap. 18.1 The Engliſh Church & ſtate ſheweth greater devotion herein, and greater ſhewes of feſtivity
2 Theſe daies in all their Cal…nders are eminently expreſſed by great Red letters.
3 Of their ringing, being the vſual ſigne of an holly day.
4 Of the Antiphone or Antheme (ſpokē of before) ſung that day in Paules in the end of divine ſervice.