d their salvation. That they observed them with opinion of
necessity, as things which had been instituted by God, it is most likely,
but that they observed them with opinion of necessity, as things necessary
for God's worship and their salvation, is more than can be made good, it
is more probable that they observed them merely and simply for that they
had the honour to be instituted by God in his law. For to say that they
observed them to the same use and end for which God did institute them, is
false, because then they had observed them as types and shadows of the
coming of Christ, and so had denied Christ. 3. If the Apostle condemn the
observing of days instituted by God, with opinion of necessity, much more
doth he condemn the observing of days instituted by men with such an
opinion. And such is the observation of days urged upon us. Though the
Bishop pretend that the observing of our holidays is not imposed with
opinion of necessity, shall we therefore think it is so? Nay, Papists do
also pretend that the observation of their ceremonies is not
necessary,(202) nor the neglecting of them a mortal sin. I have proved
heretofore, out of their opposites' own words, that the ceremonies in
question (and, by consequence, holidays among the rest) are urged upon us
with opinion of necessity, and as their words, so their works bewray them,
for they urge the ceremonies with so exorbitant vehemency, and punish
refusers with so excessive severity, as if they were the weightiest
matters of the law of God. Yet they would have us believe, that they have
but sober and mean thoughts of these matters, as of circumstances
determined for order and policy only. Just like a man who casts firebrands
and arrows, and yet saith, Am not I in sport? Prov. xvi. 18, 19. They will
tell us that they urge not the ceremonies as necessary in themselves, but
only as necessary in respect of the church's determination, and because of
the necessity of obeying those who are set over us. But, I pray, is not
this as much as the Rhemists say,(203) who place the necessity of their
rites and observances, not in the nature of the things themselves, but in
the church's precept?

CHAPTER IX.

SHOWING THE WEAKNESS OF SOME PRETENCES WHICH OUR OPPOSITES USE FOR
HOLIDAYS.

_Sect._ 1. Since it hath been evinced by unanswerable reasons that
holidays, as now urged upon us, take away our Christian liberty, I will
now pull off them th