es, who is thus falling down
and succumbing to me, a silly stripling? Yet let us see if there be any
more force in the remnant of his reasons.

For a third, he tells us that it is expressly termed a _rite_ and a
_ceremony_, at verses 23 and 28, as the fathers read them.

In the 23rd verse we have no more but _susceperunt_, as Pagnini, or
_receperunt_, as Tremellius reads it: but to read, _susceperunt in
solemnem ritum_, is to make an addition to the text.

The 28th verse calls not this feast a rite, but only _dies memorati_, or
_celebres_. And what if we grant that this feast was a rite? might it not,
for all that, be merely civil? No, saith the Bishop, "rites, I trust, and
ceremonies, pertain to the church, and to the service of God."

_Ans._ The version which the Bishop followed, hath a rite, not a ceremony.
Now, of rites, it is certain that they belong to the commonwealth as well
as to the church. For _in jure politico, sui sunt imperati et solemnes
ritus_, saith Junius.(846)

Fourthly, saith the Bishop, they fast and pray here in this verse (meaning
the 31st), fast the eve, the fourteenth, and so then the day following to
be holiday of course.

_Ans._ The Latin version, which the Bishop followeth, and whereupon he
buildeth this reason, readeth the 31st verse very corruptly, and no ways
according to the original, as will easily appear to any who can compare
them together. Wherefore the best interpreters take the fasting and prayer
spoken of verse 31, to be meant of the time before their delivery. Now,
after they were delivered, they decreed that the matters of their fasting
and crying should be remembered upon the days of Purim, which were to
solemnise that preservation, _quam jejunio et precibus fuerant a Deo
consequenti_, as saith Tremellius.

But Fifthly, saith he, with fasting and prayer (here), alms also is
enjoined (at ver. 22), these three will make it past a day of revels or
mirth.

I have answered already, that their fasting and praying are not to be
referred to the days of Purim, which were memorials of their delivery, but
to the time past, when, by the means of fasting and prayer, they did
impetrate their delivery, before ever the days of Purim were heard of, and
as touching alms, it can make no holiday, because much alms may be, and
hath been given upon days of civil joy and solemnity.

If the Bishop help not himself with his sixth reason, he is like to come
off with no great credit. May we then