are in the fault, 1 Tim. 6. 4. Now our Opposites doe farre overmatch us and overstride us in contention. For, 1. They harbour a invete∣rate dislike of every course and custome which we like well off; and they carpe at many deeds, words, writings, opinions, fashions, &c. in us, which they let passe in others of their owne minde. Whereas we (God knowes) are glad to allowe in them, any thing which wee allow in others, and are so farre from nitimur in vetitum semper cupi∣musque negata, that most heartily we condescend to apply our selves by all possible meanes to observe them, please them, and entertaine peace with them, who impose and urge upon us, a unconscionable observation of certaine Ceremonies, and to doe as much for them as any ground of conscience or reason can warrant. So farre as we have attained, we walke by the same rule with them, and so ex∣ceed not in the measure. 2. It may be seen, that they exceed in con∣tending with us, if we be compaired with the Papists: against them they contend more remissely, against us more intensively. Saravia professeth, that he thinketh worse of us, then of Papists. He hath rea∣son who complaineth of Formalists their desire not to sturre and contend against the Papists, and their fiercenesse against their owne bretheren. This (saith he) is ill provided for, and can have no excuse; that some not to contend with Papists should contend with their bretheren, and displease the sonnes of their owne mother, to please the enimies of their Father, and beate not the dogge before the Lyon, but the Lyon for favour of the dogge, and make the natu∣rall childe to weepe, while the sonne of the bondwoman doeth triumph. 3. That they exceed, appeareth from the effects of their contending: hurt & dam∣nage is a maine effect of contention. Calvine, Perkines, & Pareus observe upon Gal. 5. 15. that contentions breed hurtfull & pernitious effects, which tend to consumption and destruction. Now wherein doe we injure or harme our Opposites, in their persons, callings, places, &c? yet in all these and many other things doe they wrong us, by de∣famation, deprivation, spoliation, incarceration, &c. How much better were it, to remove the Babylonian baggage of Antichristian Ceremonies, which are the mischievous meanes, both of the strife and of all the evill which ariseth out of it? Put away the Ceremo∣nies, cast out this Ionus, and beholde, the storme will cease. A wise Pilot, will in a urgent storme, cast out even some pretious wares; that the rest may be safe. And shall vve then saith Park•…•…, cast out the Pilots of the ship themselves, and all to spare the wa•…•… of Ro•…•… which are no lavv∣full trafficque?
3. Let the matter be looked to, for which each side contendeth; [Sect. IV] Bretheren saith the Archb. of Sainctandrews, to contend is not a fault, if so it be for a weighty matter, but to be contentious in a light busines this is faultie. Now I wish it may please him to understand, that when we contend about the removall of the Ceremonies, we contend for a very waighty matter, for we prove the removall of them, to bee neces∣sary