Sub-prior. Will ye bind us so strait that we may do nothing without the express Word of God? What! If I ask a drink, do you think that I sin? I have not God's Word for this. (It would appear that he gave this answer to shift over the argument upon Friar Arbuckle.)
Knox. I would we should not jest in so grave a matter; neither would I that ye should begin to elude the truth with sophistry; but, if ye do, I will defend myself as best I can. As to your drinking, I say that, if ye either eat or drink without assurance of God's Word, in so doing ye ill-please God, and ye sin in your very eating and drinking. For, says the Apostle, speaking even of meat and drink, "the creatures are sanctified unto man, even by the Word and by prayer." The word is this: "All things are clean to the clean," and so forth. Now, let me hear thus much of your ceremonies, and I shall give you the argument; but I wonder that ye compare profane and holy things so indiscreetly. The question was not, and is not of meat and drink, wherein the Kingdom of God consists not, but the question is of God's true worshipping, without which we have no society with God. It is doubtful if, in the use of Christ's Sacraments, we may take the same freedom as we may do in eating and drinking. One meat I may eat, another I may refuse, and that without scruple of conscience. I may change one for another, as often as I please. May we do the same in matters of religion? May we cast away what we please, and retain what we please? If I recollect aright, Moses, in the name of God, says to the people of Israel, "All that the Lord thy God commands thee to do, that do thou to the Lord thy God: add nothing to it; diminish nothing from it." By this rule, I think, the Kirk of Christ should measure God's religion, and not by that which seems good in their own eyes.
Sub-prior. Forgive me, I spake but in mows,[98] and I was dry. And now, Father (said he to the Friar), follow the argument. Ye have heard what I have said, and what is answered unto me again.
Arbuckle, Greyfriar. I shall prove plainly that ceremonies are ordained by God.
Knox. Such as God has ordained, we allow, and with reverence we use them. But the question is of those that God has not ordained, such as, in Baptism, are spittle, salt, candle, cuid[99] (except to keep the bairn from cold), hardess, oil, and the rest of the papistical inventions.
Arbuckle. I will even prove that these ye damn be ordained of God.
Knox. The proof thereof I would gladly hear.
Arbuckle. Says not Saint Paul, that "another foundation than Jesus Christ may no man lay. But upon this foundation some build gold, silver, and precious stones; some hay, stubble, and wood." The gold, silver, and precious stones are the ceremonies of the Church, which do abide the fire, and consume not away. This place of Scripture is most plain.
Knox.—I praise my God, through Jesus Christ, for I find His promise sure, true, and stable. Christ Jesus bids us "not fear, when we shall be called before men, to give confession of His truth;" for He promises that "it shall be given unto us in that hour what we shall speak." If I had sought the whole Scripture, I could not have produced a place more proper for my purpose, nor more potent to confound you. Now, to your argument. The Ceremonies of the Kirk, say ye, are gold, silver, and precious stones, because they are able to abide the fire; but I would learn of you, what fire is it that your Ceremonies abide? And in the meantime, until ye be advised how to answer, I will show my mind, and make an argument against yours upon the same text. First, I have heard the text adduced for a proof of purgatory; but for defence of Ceremonies, I have never heard or yet read of its use. Omitting whether ye understand the mind of the Apostle or not, I make my argument, and say, that which may abide the fire may abide the Word of God. Your Ceremonies cannot abide the Word of God: ergo they cannot abide the fire; and if they cannot abide the fire, they are not gold, silver, nor precious stones. Now, if ye find any ambiguity in the term "fire," which I interpret to be the Word, find me a fire by the which things builded upon Jesus Christ should be tried, other than God and His Word, which are both called fire in the Scriptures, and I shall correct my argument.