Apology of Certain Christians, Chapter 5 – Chapter 6
CHAP. V. Of Holy-dayes.
IT seemeth not without all leven of superstition, that the Duch reformed Churches do observ certain dayes consecrated as holy to the Nativity, Resurrection, and Ascention of Christ, and the same also (as it commonly comes to passe where humain devices are reared up by the side of divine institutions) much more holy then the Lords day, by him himselfe appoynted.
And for this, first we are taught by Moses, thus speaking unto the people of Israel in the name of the Lord.Exod. 31, 13 Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep for it is a signe between me and you thoroughout your generations that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctifie you, that it appertayns unto God alone (and to no man, or Angel) as to sanctifie whether person, or thing, so to institute the signes, or means of sanctification, of which number holy dayes are. I ad, if the Lord as lehovah, and the God of his people Is…ael, and supream Lawgiver,Exod. 20. do ordeyn the sanctification of a day in the decalogue, how far should Gods servants be, eyther Magistrates from takeing this honour of God unto themselves by commaunding a holy day; or subjects by observing it to give the same unto any other save God alone?
2. It was not the least part of Israels defection, first in the wildernes, afterwards under Ieroboam; that they ordeyned a …east to Ichovah, whom they represented to themselvs by the goulden calvs which they had made.
3. Seeing that every first day of the weeke (called by Iohn the Lords day) is consecrated by Christ himself and his Apostles to the memoriall of Christs resurrection, and Gods solemn worship; it seems too much for anie mortall man to appoint, or make an anniversarie memoriall (and the same most solemn and sacred) of the same resurrection, or so to observe it.
Lastly, that you may see it was a man, from whom this device came, and so erred, as one saith (not to meddle with the uncertaintie either of the day of the month, or month of the yeare in which Christ was born, as it is most certain on the contrarie that, this 25 of December cannot be the time, what good reason (I would know) can be rendred, why a day should be consecrated rather to the birth, circumcision, and ascension of Christ, then to his death, seeing that the Scriptures every where do ascribe our redemption and salvation to his death, and passion in speciall manner?
CHAP. VI. Of the celebration of Mariage by the Pastours of the Church.
SIxtly, and lastly, we cannot assent to the receaved opinion and practise answerable in the Reformed Churches, by which the Pastours thereof do celebrate marriage publiquely, and by vertue of their office:…. 3, 16, …. because
1 The holy S…r…pture divinely inspired, that the man of God, that is the minister, may be perfitly furnished to every good work, doth no where furnish or oblige the minister to this work.
2. Marriage doth properly and imediately appertein to the family, (which is primarily framed of man, and wife) and Citties,K…ch…m. cu…s phyl. d…p. 28, c. 6. and other politicall bodies consisting of manie familyes. Secondarily, and mediately to the common wealth, and publique governers of the same: who therefore weighing their office, and what concerneth them doe accordingly, in the low countries, comelily, and in good order…y that knott of marriage amongst such theire subjects, as require it at their hands.G…n. 1, 27. & 2, 22. Chem. …xam. part. 2 of mar. Neither did God as a minister joyn in marriage our first parents (as some would make him) but as their common father by right of creation, and the chief maister of the marriage: neither ought the Pastours office to be streched to anie other acts then those of religion, and such as are peculiar to christians:Bu…anu… in Commo… places. amongst which marriage (common to Gentiles as well, as to them) hath no place.
Lastly, considering how popish superstitition hath so far prevailed, that marriage in the Romish church hath gott a room amongst the sacraments, truly, and properly so called, …and by Christ the Lord instituted; the celebration, and consecration whereof the patrons, and consorts of that superstition will have so tyed to the priests fingers, that, by the decree of Evaristus the first, they account the marriage no better then incestuous, which the priest consecrates not; it the more concerns the reverend brethren, and Pastours of the reformed Churches to see unto it, that by their practise they neither doe, nor seem to advantage this popish errour. And these are the points of our difference frō the Belgick churches: which are nei…her so small; as that they deserv to be neglected, especially of them unto whom nothing seemeth small; which proceeds from the gracious either mouth or spirit of the Lord Iesus: nor yet so great, as to dissolv the bond of brotherly charitie, and communion.
If any now shal object, that there are yet other things beside these, in which we consort not so well with them, nor they with us; as for example, 1. In the sanctification of the Lords day, in which we seem even superstitiously rigid. 2. In a certain popular exercise of prophesi amongst us: 3. In our dislike of the publique Temples, and sundry other indifferent things, as they are termed; besides, that we are accused by some for not having in due estimation the magistrates authoritie in matters of religion; I do answere, and first, that in the two first of these, the same Churches do not differ from us in judgment, but in practise: as appears evidently by the Harmonie of the Belgick Synods lately published by S. R. Of the former of those two, the author of the same book, testifieth in his Preface to the Reader, pag. 11, 12.that the Synod held at Middleborough in Zeland, 1581. did supplicate unto the magistrate, that by his authoritie he would decree the sanctification of the Lords day, abolishing the manifould abuses thereof. That sanctification then of the Lords day which the reformed churches do endeavour unto, and desire to have fortified by the magistrates authoritie, that we (considering it as immediately imposed by Christ upon his churches) by the grace of God, labour to perform, being thereunto induced by these, amongst other reasons.