THE DISCOVERY OF A GREAT PLOT INTENDED Against the City of LONDON, to have rob, and murdered the Citizens and Inhabitants: And the Names of the Actors.  
ALSO, The victory at Arundel Castle, obtained by Sir WILLIAM WALLER;  
And the taking of: 

2. Ladies.  
4. Colonels.  
3. Sergeant Majors.  
12. Lieut. Colonels and Captains  
90. New Captains for the Commission of Array.  
100 Gentlemen.  
50. Gentlewomen.  
4000 pound in money.  
25. Barrels of Gunpowder.  
1000 Common soldiers, with other rich commodities.    
TOGETHER WITH A Full Satisfaction, concerning the three Queries about the great Controversy and different Opinions of the Observing of Holy days.  
Published according to Order.  
jan: 8. London, Printed for AND: COE. 1644.   

Full Satisfaction concerning the three Queries about the great Controversy and different opinions of the observing of Holy days.  
1. Quer. Whether the Institution of other Holy days besides the Sabbath, be of Divine Right?  
Answ. THat which is of divine Right, is recorded in holy Scripture to be expressly commanded by God, or warrantably practised by his people. But so are none of our Holy days. Ergo, not of Divine Right.  
2. Quer. Whether there by any Precept or example Apostolical, to warrant or condemn the celebrating of any such days, or neither.  
Answ. This Quere is needless: but to give further satisfaction. In Scripture there is no such precept, but the superstitious observation thereof is so fare forbidden, that Paul would have us so to carry ourselves herein, that no man may condemn us for the superstitious respect of an Holy day. Coloss. 2.16. But the third is the main Query intended.  
3. Quer. Whether the Church and Civil Magistrate, have Authority to iustitute any such yearly Festivals?  
Answ. We are here to understand who is meant by the Church and Civil Magistrates; and that first negatively, not such as the Apostles in the primitive Church, for they were spoken of in the former queries: but affirmatively the Church now remaining, and the Governors and Officers thereof: To which we answer. That in respect of civil obedience they may impose lawful commands on certain days, but have no power to consecrate a day, or make it holy. The syllogism is this.  
If we find that the Church and Civil Magistrate, or either have authority in godly policy and civil respects to appoint the solemnity of yearly Festival days, the Holy days by them appointed may be observed: but they have authority (if they see it expedient) Ergo, they may be observed.  
But this argument of theirs proves nothing, to impose a necessity, or that the conscience is bound to observe such days, as more holy than others: no more than if one should say, We are bound in conscience to spend all we have in house-keeping this Christmas: For if the Ministers and Churchwardens have authority to beg our charity for the poor, we may give them all we have. But they have such authority, therefore in conscience we must give away all: this proves nothing, but to search the particulars more exactly.  
1. The Major they prove thus. That the Church or Civil Magistrate have Authority to appoint and institute yearly Festivals in policy and civil respects, is warrantable by the example of Purim. Esther. the 9 Mordecheus and Esther, appointed a new Festival day, not instituted of God and bind every one to the observing thereof, that none should fail to observe it. Verse 27. From this Bellarmine concludes, That men are bound in conscience to observe Festival days. Bellar. cap. 10. So also our Douai Men. pag. 1050.  
Answ. 1. Though we do not utterly reject Festival days yet we acknowledge none necessary (saith Doctor Willet) more than are of the Holy Ghosts appointing in the Scripture. 2. We deny that the constitutions of the Church do bind christians, in respect of the days themselves, in conscience to keep them, otherwise than they may give offence by their contempt and disobedience to the wholesome decrees of the Church: for itself in its own nature is indifferent: nothing bindeth absolutely in conscience but that which is warranted by did Word. Wherefore keeping of Holy days being not enjoined, but left indifferent in the Word, bindeth not otherwise, then as we have said. 3. The example of Esther, did bind the observer in conscience, not in regard of the day, but of the promise, which was made for themselves and their seed, to keep it: but first their consent was required: and therefore there was no feast instituted for that so miraculous a passage over Jordan: none for the walls of the fall of Jericho: nor for the slaughter of the Midianites in the time of Gideon: nor for that other no less admirable of the Ammonites and other people confederate in the days of Jehoshophat, neither for that of the Assyrians when the Angel of God destroyed the whole host. And who can reckon up those so many the like miraculous deliverances, for remembrance whereof notwithstanding there were no solemn days dedicated. Ser. 25. on Esther. 9.4. Mordecheus besides his ordinary authority as a chief Governor, had also some Prophetical directions to institute this day of rejoicing (being held to have written also that Book of Esther) which cannot now be drawn to an ordinary precedent. 5. Lastly, it seemeth rather to have been appointed as a Festival day of rejoicing, and thanksgiving, for the joyful remembrance of that deliverance, then as a new Holy day to be kept with that strictness, as the Holy days appointed by the Law: for they kept it with joy and feasting, and sending presents one to another. v. 19 Like as now in the Church of England, the 5. of Novemb. is appointed by Act of Parliament to be celebrated, not as a new holy day, with Injunctions of abstinence from work the whole day, but only to assemble together in the Congregation, to give God thanks for so great a deliverance. 2. They bring in the example of the dedication of the Temple, to which I answer.  
Answ. 1. There was no yearly memory thereof kept nor instituted; neither for the restitution of the Temple by EZekiah, after the profanation thereof by Ahaz and Urias, nor by josias after the same had been most horribly polluted by Manasses and Amon. Nor by Zerobbabel, Esdras, or Nehemiah, after it was re-edified: when it had been utterly destroyed by the Chaldees. 2. These were shadows of the things to come, but the body is in Christ. The first Argument you see is nothing worth: The minor they prove thus:  
If the Church or Magistrate may celebrate Festivals for temporal mercies, they may do it for spiritual mercies, and appoint days for the one, as well as for the other.  
Answer. The difference is not in the cause, but in the thing: not about the matter for which the days are celebrated, but how fare the celebration itself is superstitious, and what is binding, and therefore we shall proceed to the ensuing considerations  
1. Whether an holiness may be ascribed to these days, or whether they be only indifferent, and merely civil and political. But assuredly no holiness is to be ascribed, and therefore not necessary, though some times expedient.  
That they are indifferent is proved already, and holiness not to be ascribed to the day. And therefore it is recorded in the confession of Augsburg. Art. 4. That concerning Festival da●es etc. they are things indifferent, which where is no danger of giving offence, may be well omitted. And let them therefore be pleaded never so expedient binding to the conscience, they cannot be.  
So than it will necessarily follow (as themselves cannot deny) that these days being no more holy than others to be observed (except for some civil obedience temporals to the Magistrate) or in some cases for some thankful remembrance, to praise God for some deliverance or mercy received, Christians are not bound in conscience to observe them, nor in the observing thereof to attribute holiness to these days above others.  
So that in some respects we agree in the general rule, that in all different things, of civil use, (in temporal respects) the Magistrate may command and we are bound to obey, either for the observing a day, or the not observing a day, (where the Scripture is silent and conscience free) But in things of Religious use in the worship of God: we are to obey nothing by the pretended Authority of the the Church. But what Gods word expressly commands, or for which we have express precept, in things of Religion, and worship, the Scripture must command the Church and Magistrate.  
But whereas they say in civil indifferent things the Church and Magistrate, may command us.  
Answers. This must exactly be observed; that without authority from the word of God, they cannot bind the conscience. And therefore according to their own rule, we are to inquire, wherein, or in what cases, the observing of such days may be expedient, and in what cases not expedient. It is expedient, as before upon the receiving of some blessing from God. The remembrance of which should be kept not by attributing holiness to the day, as hath been formerly the custom: Whereby 1. Arose an opinion of a necessity even with fear of sin for the breaking of them, which is contrary unto the Christian liberty. 2. The holiness of one day was accounted greater than of another, as though God's grace was most easily found, and more largely granted on the festival days, then on others, and in this feast, rather than in that. 3. There was also joined an opinion of merit even by the work itself wrought, as though by the ceasing on such days from work they, had done an holy Act. 4. There followed a neglect to hear God's word on other days. 5. And lastly, There issued a careful and scrupulous ceasing from all handiwork, after the manner of the jews, and the observation of the time of the Feast, from one twilight, unto the other. And therefore by the common Laws: Ad animae periculum pertinent superstitiosa temporum observationes: superstitious observation of days bringeth danger to the soul.  
Neither indeed was it Mordicheu's purpose, to institute any new worship of God: and to ascribe unto the days of Purim, (which example is so much alleged) any greater holiness, then unto other days, neither to bind any man's conscience to the observation of this Ordinance, as they are to those things which God himself hath commanded; But whereas God hath granted unto man six days of labour, and hath left it to his will, either to labour, or to employ it in holy things, as saith Merlin. Mordicheus only respected this, that these days should rather be bestowed in the remembrance of the benefits of God: and in giving thanks for such a deliverance, then to bind the conscience so from handy work, the rest of the day as if God himself had commanded it out of absolute necessity. And thus the nativity of Christ: the Epiphany etc. are to be observed. We have now many holy days in our Calendar, but of old; for the space of four hundred years after Christ, these were the only solemn Feasts in the Church. Easter, Whitsuntide, the nativity of jesus Christ the Ascension and the Epiphany.  
2. And therefore to conclude with the last consideration, consider that when by observing any such day: God is either by superstition or profaneness dishonoured: (although the remembrance of the mercy of God be required) yet the day is not to be kept; except such abuses be taken away, but necessary to be suppressed, and forbidden. Therefore the Church, and Magistrate, have power to suppress and forbid them, when they are either instituted to a superstitious use, or used profanely, and so, though the nativity of Christ, and other Festivals may be celebrated, yet as they were instituted to a superstitious use, and are frequently abused to a carnal liberty, and profaneness, it is necessary, they should be reform: in name, end, and use. For, 1. No day dedicated to an Idol is lawful to be observed, but Christ-mas day is dedicated to the Idol of the Mass, and others, dedicated to Saints, and therefore ought be reform. 5. The end is to give power to the Prelates, to trample upon our consciences. 3. And lastly, the use is very profane, to dedicate days to Saints, is to ascribe that to the creature, which is only proper to the Creator: which is Idolatry. And every Protestant is bound, so fare as the celebration of Christ's nativity or other Festival days are Idolatrous, or Heathenish to the endeavour to have them purged.