spiritu qui per prophetas suos __ loquitur portenda
est_, saith Calvin.(161) We will not then call any man rabbi, nor _jurare
in verba magistri_, nor yet be Pythagorean disciples to the church
herself, but we will believe her and obey her in so far only as she is the
pillar and ground of truth.

CHAPTER VII.

THAT FESTIVAL DAYS TAKE AWAY OUR LIBERTY, WHICH GOD HATH GIVEN US, PROVED;
AND FIRST OUT OF THE LAW.

_Sect._ 1. That which hath been said against all the controverted
ceremonies in general, I will now instance of festival days in particular,
and prove, both out of the law and gospel, that they take away our liberty
which God hath given us, and which no human power can take from us. Out of
the law we frame this argument: If the law of God permit us to work all
the six days of the week, the law of man cannot inhibit us. But the law of
God doth permit us to work all the six days of the week, therefore our
opposites deny not the assumption, which is plain from the fourth
commandment, "Six days shalt thou labour," &c. But they would have
somewhat to say against the proposition, which we will hear. Hooker tells
us,(162) that those things that the law of God leaves arbitrary and at
liberty, are subject to the positive ordinances of men. This, I must say,
is strange divinity, for if this were true, then might the laws of men
prohibit marriage, because it is left arbitrary, 1 Cor. vii. 36. Then
might they also have discharged the apostle Paul to take wages, because
herein he was at liberty, 1 Cor. ix. 11-13.

_Sect._ 2. Talen lendeth the cause another lift, and answereth,(163) that
no sober man will say, _permissionen Dei, principibus suum circa res
medias jus imminuere, num enim ob permissum hominibus dominium in volucres
coeli, in pisces maris, et bestias agrii, impiae fuerint leges principum,
quibus aucupii, piscationes, et venationis libertatem, sebditis aliis
indulgent, aliis adimunt. Ans._ That case and this are very different. For
every particular man hath not dominion and power over all fowls, fishes,
and beasts (else, beside that princes should have no privilege of
inhibiting the use of those things, there should be no propriety of
heritage and possession among subjects); but power over all these is given
to mankind. Pareus observeth,(164) _hominem collective intelligi_ in that
place, Gen. i. 26; and Junius observeth,(165) _nomen Adam de specie esse
intelligendum._ But eac