add, “that neither flesh nor fish of itself doth defile, but the breach of the church’s precept defileth.” Aquinas(457) defendeth that trin-immersion is not _de necessitate baptismi_, only he thinks it a sin to baptise otherwise, because this rite is instituted and used by the church. Do not Formalists place the same necessity in the ceremonies, while, as they say, they urge them not as necessary in themselves, but only as necessary in respect of the determination of the church, and the ordinance of those who are set over us? Nay, Papists place not so great necessity in many ordinances of their church as Formalists place in the ceremonies. If the cause be doubtful, Aquinas(458) sends a man to seek a dispensation from the superior. But _si causa sit evidens, per seipsum licite potest homo statuti observantiam praeterire_. What Formalist dare yield us such liberty, as by ourselves, and without seeking a dispensation from superiors, to neglect the observation of their statutes, when we see evident cause for so doing? They think that we have no power at our own hand to judge that we have an evident cause of not obeying those who are set over us; yet this much is allowed by this Papist, who also elsewhere acknowledged(459) that there is nothing necessary in baptism but the form, the minister, and the washing of water, and that all the other ceremonies which the church of Rome useth in baptism are only for solemnity. Bellarmine saith,(460) that the neglecting and not observing the ceremonies of the church, with them is not a mortal sin, except it proceed _ex contemptu_. And that he who, entering into a church, doth not asperge himself with holy water, sinneth not,(461) if so be he do it _circa contemptum_. Now, to be free of contempt will not satisfy our Formalists, except we obey and do that very same thing which we are commanded to do. Cornelius Jansenius,(462) commenting upon these words, “In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men,” saith, that the commandments of men there forbidden and condemned, are those which command nothing divine, but things merely human; and therefore he pleadeth for the constitutions of the church about feasts, choice of meats, festivities, &c., and for obedience to the same upon no other ground than this, because _pius quisque facile videt quam habeant ex scripturis originem et quomodo eis consonant, eo quod faciant ad __ carnis castigationem et temperantiam, aut ad fidelium unionem et edificationem_. I know it to be false which this Papist affirmeth; yet in that he thus pleadeth for those constitutions of the church from Scripture and reason, forsaking the ground of human authority, he is a great deal more modest and less superstitious than those our opposites, who avouch the ceremonies as necessary, and will have us bound to the practice of them upon no other ground than the bare will and authority of superiors, who have enjoined