A CHRISTIAN CAVEAT To the OLD and NEW SABBATARIANS. OR, A Vindication of our GOSPEL-FESTIVALS. Wherein is held forth,

  • I. That THE FEAST OF CHRISTS NATIVITY is Groun­ded upon the Scriptures; was Observed in the pure, antient, Apostolique times; and is Approved by all Reformed Churches.
  • II. That CHRIST was borne on the 25th. day of December; and all Objections to the contrary refuted.
  • III. An Answer to XVI. Quaeres, touching the Rise and Observation of CHRISTMAS, propounded by Mr. JOSEPH HEMING of UTTOXETER.
  • IV. The Originall and true Ground of the LORDS DAY.
  • V. The just meaning and nature of the SABBATH.

By a Lover of Truth; a Defender of Christian Liberty; and an hearty Desirer of Peace, internall, externall, eternall, unto all men.

Zanch. in 4. Praecept. de diebus Festis, q. 1.

Aequum est & pium, ut in Ecclesia sint certi dies Festi: iniquum est & impium, aut nullos esse, aut qui sunt contemnere: sic docent sacrae Literae; sic Patres; sic nostri seculi pii Doctores; sic deni{que} vetus consuetudo atque usus in omnibus omnium{que} locorum & Gentium Ecclesiis, receptus & approbatus confirmant.

It is just and pious, that set Feast daies be in the Church: It is unjust and impious, either to have none, or to despise those that are: so say the holy Scriptures; so the Fathers; so the godly Teachers of our age: Finally, so the antient custome, and the received and approved use in all the Churches of all places and Nations, doe confirme.

LONDON, printed for E. Blackmore, at the Angel in St. Pauls Church-yard. 1650.

A CHRISTIAN CAVEAT TO THE Old and New SABBATARIANS.

SECTION I. The Occasion and Method of this Treatise.

EVer since the establishment of an uniformity of Doctrine Anno Do. 1562. 3 Eliz. and Publique Service in the Church of England, See the Act be­fore the Common-Prayer booke. many zealous and godly Mini­sters have from time to time greatly bewailed the increase of Sectaries. Ecclesiasticall union, Pag. 4, 5, 14. Rogers Articles, in the Preface. The Epist. of the Translat. of the Bible to K. James. Queen Eliza­beth, finding that no admonitions nor threats could silence their bitter and envenomed tongues, was forced to Anno Do. 1593. April 10. ba­nish them; King James, after a judicious and patient hearing of their weak and slender objections, See the Confe­rence at Hampton-Court. enjoyned them to con­forme, and by Ecclesiasticall censures restrained the disobe­dient. Proclam. 5. Mart. 1603. Proclam. 16. Jul. 1604.

But now, it is strange to conceive, what liberty they take unto themselves; What tempests of railing and disgraces they heap upon those who crosse their ficklenesse with constant vindi­cations, and assertings of the true doctrine of faith & life: where­by they verifie that of S. Paul, 2 Tim. 3. 13. Evill men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

It makes me (saith a worthy Divine) M. Obad. Sedgwike, in his Treatise, enti­tuled, Christs couns [...]li to his languishing Church of Sardis, pag. 229, 230. to pity this great and famous City, when I behold a COLLUVIES, A VERY RABBLE OF ALL OPINIONS, and such a going and comming, touchings at, and saylings off from the land of upright­nesse: One week this is a truth, and almost an Article; the next [Page 2] week it is no such matter, but some other thing is the right. And truly, what else can be expected, whilst men doe use their liberty, not as the servants of God, but for a cloak of malici­ousnesse; 1 Pet. 2. 16. intermixing and sowing the teares of errour and division with the seeds of truth and peace? Permiscent recta perversis; ut osten­dendo bona, auditores a [...] sc [...]trahant: & exhibendo mala, la­t [...]nti cos peste cor­rumpa [...]t. Greg. Mag. Mo [...]l. l. 5. [...]. [...]1. Error p [...]r scips [...]m non [...]nditur, [...] d [...] ­ [...]tus deprehenda­tur. Irenae [...]s advers. Hae [...]t [...]n Prooemio.

Take a tast of their new, fiery-new Divinity. They say, that the Church of England hath not the Sacraments duly ad­ministred, nor the word truly preached, and so wants the markes of a true Church. Protestation pro­tested, pag. 8. They deny the Baptisme of Infants to be lawfull. See Mr. Spels­b [...]rr [...]s True subject of Bapt [...]sme. They call the Liturgie and Publique service of our Church ranke Atheisme, a proud inveigling strumpet, a cursed Masse of superstition, full of serpents, bathed in the blood of bodies, souls, and estates; the reliques or leavings of the Po­pish dr [...]gs; not the stump or limb, but the head of the Dragon, no better then the conjuring or jugling of Magicians: The Anatomy of the Service-book. pag. 2, 3, 13, 17. 25, 26. The Character of Antichrist or Antichristianisme. Protestation pro­tested. pa [...]. 7. They say that a set forme of Publique Prayer is a main branch of Po­pery: Protest. ibi [...]em. Smectymnuus, Sect. 2. yet we find that set formes of Prayer have ever been used and approved in Gods Church. Exod. 15. 1. 1 Chron. 16. 7. unto verse 37. Psal. 44. & 85. & 92. & 102. as appeareth by the ti­tles of those Psalmes. Joel 2. 17. Luk. 11. 2. J [...]st. Mart. Apol. 2. Tertul. advers gentes, c. 39 Euseb. de vit. Constant. l. 4. c. 18. p. 106. Calv. ad p [...]o [...]ect. Ang [...]. ep. 87. Muscul. in Psal. 95. The book of Hom. Tom. 2. Hom. 9. pag. 138. Dr. Preston in his Setmon styled, The Saints daily exercise. They say, that the thirty nine Articles of our Church are stuffed with Popery and Arminianisme: Saltmarsh his Examinat. of Mr. Fullers Ser­mon, pag. 2. and they have so vilified the booke of Homilies, that the very name of them is unto the vulgar become contemptible. Whence is it too too evident (let them make what pretence they please) that their aime is to confound and root out our Religion. For (as Mr. Prynne once well observed) the whole body of our Religion is included in our Common-Prayer Booke, our Articles, and our Homilies. A survey of Cozens Co [...]z. Devot. in the Epist. Ded.

No marvaile then, if THEY refuse to celebrate the Nati­vity of Christ; who (by their own confessions) have revolted from the Church of Christ; who disgrace, hate, slander, and persecute Gal. 4. 29. the most Orthodoxe, the most eminent, and chiefest of all the Reformed Churches, the Church of Eng­land. See Mr. Smiths Treatise, called, Gods Arrows against Atheists, Chap. ult. No marvaile, if THEY revive those old, rotten [Page 3] errours of the PETROBRUSIANS In vita Bernard. l. 3. c. [...]., (affirming, that Christians ought not to keepe or observe Feasts) who have a long time endeavoured to bring in all manner of Heresies and Schismes, and consequently Atheisme, which in milder speech is called Libertinisme Videl. de Arcan. Armin. l. 1. c. 1.. No marvaile, if they reject the tradition of our Church touching the day of our Savi­ours Nativity, who dare wilfully and impiously reject The Lords Prayer pleading for better en­tertainment, p. 28. that most absolute, most excellent, most Divine Divino plane arti­ficio constans. Pola. Synt. Theol. l. 9. c. 17. Prayer; which, Gods Word recordeth Luke 11. 2., was taught the Disciples even by our Saviour himselfe.

Now for the perfect discovery of the perversnesse, grosse mistakes, and ignorance of these men; and also for the full and cleare vindication of our Church from this foule asper­sion of maintaining a superstitious Novelty Quia isti disserunt, & disputant n [...]scio quas impias novitates, etiam & nos (Ecclesiae Anglicanae filios) conantur arguere, quod aliquod novum dicamus. August. de verb. Apost. Serm. 14.; we shall set downe these two Positions.

  • 1. That Christian Magistrates may lawfully constitute and ordaine Feast-daies, or daies of solemne Thanksgiving; and require O­bedience unto such Constituti­ons.
  • 2. That the Church of England doth upon just and good grounds cele­brate the NATIVITY OF OUR LORD, on the 25. day of December.

In the discussing of the latter Position, we shall shew:

  • 1. The severall names and titles of this Feast.
  • [Page 4]2. That the Feast of the Nativity is grounded upon the Scriptures.
  • 3. That this Feast was duly Celebrated by the Christians in all ages.
  • 4. That our Saviour was borne on the 25. day of De­cember.
  • 5. The worke of the day.

After which, we shall (God willing) conclude with a pa­theticall exhortation unto the true sonnes of the Church of England.

SECTION II. That Christian Magistrates may lawfully constitute and ordain Feast-daies, or daies of solemne Thanksgiving, and require obedience unto such Constitutions.

THe truth of the former part of this Position (to wit, That Christian Magistrates may lawfully constitute and ordaine Feast-daies) is cleared by foure reasons.

THE FIRST Reason. They that by Gods Word have power to limit things indifferent, may lawfully constitute Feast-daies. Because Feast-daies are in themselves things indifferent, as S. Paul testifieth, Rom. 14. 6. He that regardeth a day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it.

But Christian Magistrates by Gods Word have power to limit things indifferent. 1 Cor. 14. 40. Res adiaphorae sunt quae à DEO, nec prae­ceptae, nec vetitae sunt. Polan. Syntag. Theol. lib. 6. cap. 38. Becan. loc. com. 33. sect. 13. For the power given unto Magistrates by Gods Word, Mat. 17. 27. & chap. 22. 21. Rom. 13. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Heb. 13. 17. 1 Pet. 2. 17. is not over such things as are precisely commanded or forbidden by God Praecepta huma­na sunt determinationes circumstantiarum necessariae & utiles ad servanda praecepta moralia primae vel secundae Tabulae. Ursin. explicat. Catechet. part. 3. quest. 96..

Therefore Christian Magistrates may lawfully constitute Feast-daies.

THE SECOND Reason. They that set apart speciall times to meditate on the goodnesse of GOD in Christ Jesus, [Page 5] and render thankes for the same, doe that which is law­full Mr. Perkins Comment on the Galatians, c. 1. v. 24. Festorum veteris Testamenti genus, quod morale & naturale est, abrogatum in novo non est, ut nemirum homo deputet aliquod tempus vitae suae ad vacandum Divinis; sed species tantum, quatenus fest [...] illa expresso mandato Dei ad certas circumstantias temporum determinata & alligata craut, sub p [...]ccato mortali & poena damnationis. Hospin. de orig. fest. Christian. c. 1..

But Christian Magistrates when they constitute Feast-daies, set apart speciall times to meditate on the goodnesse of God in Christ Jesus, and to render thankes for the same Polan. Syntag. Theol. l. 9. c. 35. Willets Synops. in the 9. generall controver­sie, quaest. 7. p. 494, 495. & quaest. 8. p. 506. Fulk. annot. A­pocalyp. 1. sect. 6. The Pract. of Piety, printed by R. Y. pag. 364..

Therefore Christian Magistrates when they constitute Feast-daies, doe that which is lawfull.

THE THIRD Reason. In times of Gods extraordinary Judgements upon a Nation, Christian Magistrates may law­fully constitute extraordinary daies of solemne mourning, or Fast-daies Iudg. 10. 26. 1 Sam 7. 6. 2 Chron. 20. [...]. Ezra 8. 21, 22, 23. Neh. 9. 1. 36, 37. Hest. 4. 3. Ioel 2. 12, 15. Mat. 6. 16, 17, 18. 1 Cor. 7. 5..

Therefore (by the rule of Contraries) in times of Gods ex­traordinary blessing upon a Nation, Christian Magistrates may lawfully constitute extraordinary daies of solemne thanksgiving, or Feast-daies.

THE FOURTH Reason. That which may be lawfully observed, may be lawfully ordained.

But Feast-daies may be lawfully observed. For our Sa­viour kept not onely the Legall Feast Iohn 2. 13, 23. & 5. 1. &. 2. 14.; but the Feast of Dedication Iohn 10. 22, 23. which Judas Maccabeus instituted 1 Maccab. 4. 59.. The Apostles also observed Feast-daies Act▪ 2. 1. 1 Cor. 16. 8.; and Saint Paul saith, That he hasted if it were possible for him to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost Acts 20. 16.. And in another place, I must by all means keepe this Feast that commeth in Jerusalem [...]. Acts 18. 21..

Therefore Feast-daies may be lawfully ordained.

Seeing then that Christian Magistrates may justly and law­fully constitute Feast daies, it followes undeniably, that they may require obedience unto such constitutions: for they are the Ministers of God, and beare not the sword in vaine Rom. 13. 4, 5.. Nay we must needs be subject, not onely for wrath, but also for Con­science sake. Men are bound by God in their Consciences (saith [Page 6] Amesius) to observe the just lawes of men in a just manner Ad justas leges humanas justo modo observandas obligan­tur homines in conscientiis suis à Deo. Ames. cas. consc. li. 1. c. 2.. The neglect of obedience is an offence to God Harum legum obedientia necessario praes [...]atur, nec sine offensione Dei negligitur propter ipsum mandatum Magistratuum. Ursin. explicat. Catechet. quaest. 96..

Here three Objections are commonly brought.

THE FIRST Objection is taken out of the words of Saint Paul to the Galatians; After that ye have knowne God, (saith he) or rather are knowne of God, how turne ye againe to the weake and beggarly elements, whereunto you desire againe to be in bondage? ye observe daies; and monthes, and times, and yeares; I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vaine Gal. 4. 9, 10, 11.. Where the Apostle seemes to condemne the observation of all daies whatsoever.

THE Answer. These words must not be understood in so large a sense; for then the Apostle should condemne both himselfe in observing Feasts Acts 20. 16. 1 Cor. 5. 8. & 16. 8:, and also all good Christians in observing daies unto the Lord Rom. 14. 6.; which were impious to imagine, and implies a contradiction: But (as Augustin, Jerome, Theodoret, Brun [...], Zanchy, and others, ex­pound the place) he reproveth the Galatians for observing daies after that Jewish superstitious manner August. ad Ia­nuarium, Ep. 118. & ad Adamant. cap. 16. Theodoret, Bruno in dd. locum. Non simpliciter abro­gati sunt dies festi; sed tantum ex parte, qud [...]cnus legales erant, & per Mosen populo Israelitico prae­scripti. Zanch. in 4. praecept. de diebus Festis, q. 1. Hookers Eccles. Polic. l. 5. sect. 70., giving reve­rence unto them Nos non similiter observamus: non enim calendas colimus, nec dies festos, sicut illi in luxuria & [...]pulis, sed in sinceritate azima [...]pulamur. Hieron▪ in Epist▪ ad Galat. c. 4., as if they had beene expresly com­manded by God, whereby they brought themselves under the Law, and were entangled againe with the yoke of bondage. Galat. 4. 21. & 5. 1..

THE SECOND Objection is of the Anabaptists, who al­leadge, That the Magistrates power of making things in­different to become necessary, destroyes Christian liberty, in which, we are commanded by the Apostle to stand fast Galat. [...]. 1.. Ther [...]fore such power is unlawfull.

THE Answer. Necessity is two-fold; Externall, Internall. [Page 7] Magistrates power neither does nor can make things indif­ferent to become absolutely necessary in themselves: For that were to destroy the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free Act [...] 15. 9, 10, 28. Rom. 14. 14. 1 Cor. 3. 22. 1 Tim. 4. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Coloss. 2. 16.. But the Magistrates power makes things indifferent to be necessary in respect of externall necessity, for the avoyding of the contempt of authority, and for the avoyding of scandall or offence Master Perkins Comment on the Galat. Chap. 5. Willets Synopsis, 9. generall controversy, q. 7. pag. 495. Becan. loc. Commun. 33. Sect. 15. Obligant tantum scan­dali & contemptus ratione. Hospin. de orig. Fest. Christian. c. 2. Wolleb. Theol. Christianae. l. 2. c. 7. Sect. 14.. And in this, our Christian Liberty does not con­sist; For in all things indifferent GOD commands us to yeild obedience unto the Magistrate Actions indifferent in the case of offence, cease to be indifferent, and come under some Commandment of the Morall Law. Perkins cases of Cons. l. 1. 6. 5. Sect. 5..

THE THIRD Objection▪ Feast-daies are Holy-daies In the end of the Calendar before the Booke of Common-Prayer.: But no Magistrates can make Holy-daies: (because to san­ctifie daies, or make them holy, is the priviledge of Gods power Perth Assembly refuted. p. 66, 67, 68.. Therefore no Magistrate can make Feast-daies.

THE Answer. 'Tis true; no Magistrates can so sanctifie daies unto holy uses, as to impose them upon the Church neces­sarily and perpetually to be observed of all and every Christian▪ under Pain of damnation of soul and body: For this is the privi­ledge of Gods power Compare Gen. 2. 2, 3. & Exod. 20. 10, 11. with Deut. 27. 26.. But Christian Magistrates, in their own Dominions, have authority from God to sanctifie or appoint daies unto holy uses, so that the snare of absolute necessity be not laid upon mens consciences Modo conscientiis absolutae necessitatis la­queus non inj [...]ciatur. Wollob. Theol. Chri­stianae, ibidem.. Wherefore Feast-daies are Holy-daies, not in themselves, (by a quality of holinesse inhe­rent, and under the Paine of the great curse [...]. G [...]l. 1. 8, 9. to be observed, as the Papists fondly imagine Concil. Trident. Sess. 7. Can. 13. Bel [...]arm. c. 10. propos. 2. Apoc. 1. Sect. 6. Rhemist. Apoc. 1. Sect. 6.) but in respect of their holy use. In which sense also, the Temple, the Water in Ba­ptisme, the Bread and Wine at the Communion, are often cal­led holy Aug. quaest. 57. super Levit. Basil. Moral. Reg. 30. U [...]sin. explicat. catechet. quaest. 77. & quaest. 122. Sect. 2. Willets Synops▪ pag. 494..

Thus much for the first Position. We come now unto the second, (to wit, That the Church of England doth upon just and good grounds celebrate the Nativity of our Lord on the 25▪ [Page 8] day of December) which will evidently appeare, when the forementioned particulars are discussed and proved.

SECTION III. The severall names and titles of this Feast.

HIgh and excellent were the titles which the Christian Churches gave unto this Feast.

The Greeke or Easterne Church called it, 1. [...], vel [...] Gods appearing; because God appeared unto them by the Nativity [...]. G [...]eg. Naz. Orat. 38. Basil. de humana Christi generat.; or (to use the Apostles phrase) God was manifested in the flesh [...]. 1 Tim. 3. 16.

2. [...], Naz. Orat. in S. Lumin. Chrysost. Hom. de Epiph. Do. THE appearing, [...]; implying that this appearing excelled all other whatsoever. But here two things are worthy to be noted: The one is, That the Churches in Egypt, because they celebrated Christs birth, and also his Baptisme, upon one and the same day, called both those Feasts promiscuously, Epiphania In argumento E­p [...]ae Theophili etiam Epiph [...]iorum appell [...] ­ [...] accommodatam in Aegypto fuisse ad diem natalis Domini o­stenditur: qu [...] nomine et diem Baptismi Chri­sti nun [...]uparunt & u­tram{que} festivitatem una eadem{que} simul dic so­lemni celebrarunt. Magdeb. Cent. 4 c. 6. Beroald chro. l. 4. c. 2.. The other is, That the Moderne Churches have through use and custome of speech, restrained this word, Epiphany, unto the Feast commonly called, Twelfth-day: which is celebrated in me­mory of the miraculous appearing of a starre [...], Mat. 2. 7.; by the lea­ding whereof, God did manifest his onely begotten Sonne to the Gentiles See the Collect, Epistle and Gospel for the Feast of the Epiphany..

3. [...] Naz. Orat. 38.; The Birth-day of THE Sa­viour.

4. [...] Chrysost. Orat. de Philogon.; The grea­test Feast, and the Mother or chiefe of all Feasts.

The Latine or Westerne Church called it, 1. Dies Nativi­tatis Amb. Serm. 12, 13, 14, 15., The day of THE Nativity, by way of eminency and dignity.

2. Luminaria, The Feast of light; because they used many Lights and Candles at this Feast: or rather, because Christ, the light of all lights, that true light John 1. 5, 9. then came into the world.

3. Dies n [...]t [...]bis Domini Hieron. Tom. 9. 82., v [...]l Nataliti [...] Domini, The Birth day of our Lord.

The Church of England, as she is seated in the West, so she imitates the Latine, styling this Feast Christs Birth day, The Nativity of Christ, or Christmas day Booke of Homil. Tom. 2. Hom. 12. See Proper Psalms and Lessons in the Booke of Common-Prayer.. The significa­tion of which word, Christmas, because the name is by some much excepted against, we shall briefly unfold.

The word Masse without all question comes from the La­tine word Missa: but whether Missa be derived from the Hebrew tongue, or be a Latine word corrupted, is no small controversy Bucan. loc. com. 48. Sect. 1. Ursin. ex­plic. catechet. qu. 80. [...].

They that derive Missa from the Hebrew, conceive that it comes from [...] Missah, which signifies an oblation or of­fering Oblationem sponta­neam manus tuae. Deut. 16. 10.; and is framed by adding the letter [...] unto the end of [...], a word signifying Personall service or tribute. Reuchlin. de Ru­diment. Hebr. lib. 2..

They that account Missa to be a Latine word corrupted, conceive that the Fathers used it in stead of Missio, which signifies a sending away: For in antient times, when the Li­turgie or Publique service was ended Post [...] publicam. Ursin. Ex­plicat. Gatechet. quaest. 75. sect. 1., and the Commu­nicants addressed themselves to be partakers of the Lords Supper, it was a custome (as it is unto this day) to send away the younger sort, such as were not yet fully instructed and Catechised Ambr. epist. l. 5. epist. 33. Fit Missa Catechumenis. Aug. de Temp. Serm. 237.. Hence it came to passe, that Missa was taken for, and signified the Lord [...] Supper; and so a sacrifice, an ob­lation or offering. 1. Because the Lords Supper is an Eucha­risticall sacrifice; being a solemne remembrance and cele­bration of the Propitiatory sacrifice of Christ. 2. Because in the Lord [...] Supper we present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God Rom. 12. [...].. 3. Because when the Lords Supper is celebrated, we offer up almes for the reliefe of the needy members of Christ; which is a kinde of spirituall sacri­fice Phil. 4. 18. Heb. 13. 16. Est enim Elcemosyna hostia quaedam, quam DEO offerimus, be­nefaciendo [...]genis Chri­sti membris. Pasor. Lex. pag. 297..

We see then however the derivation of the word Missa may be disputed, yet on both sides it is agreed, that the sig­nification thereof is a sacrifice, an oblation, or offering. And if so, why may not the day on which we solemnize Christs birth, be properly and fitly called Christmas day; it being a day full of Offerings, full of Sacrifices Sacrificale opus est annunciare Evangeli­um. Orig▪ in Epist. ad Rom. li. 10. [...]. Rom. 15. 16. Ipsum mihi sacerdotium est praedicare & evan­gelizare: hanc off [...]ro oblationem. Chrysost. in Epist. ad Rom. Ho­mil. [...]9. unto Christ? On this day we Offer up spirituall sacrifices 1 Pet. 2. 5.: we offer sacrifices of [Page 10] praise Heb. 13. 15.; we offer sacrifices of thanks-giving Psal. 107. 22. & 116. 17. Amos 4. 5.; we offer sa­crifices of joy Psal. 27. 6.; we offer sacrifices of righteousnesse Deut. 33. 19. Psal. 4. 5. & 51. 19.; and the Scriptures tell us, with such sacrifices God is well pleased Heb. 13. 16..

SECTION IV. That the Feast of the Nativity is grounded upon the Scri­ptures.

THe Scriptures, as well the Old as the New Testament, abundantly set forth the great esteeme we ought to have of the Birth day of Christ.

GOD promised this day, when He said unto the Serpent, The seed of the woman shall bruise thy head Gen. 3. 14, 15..

The Patriarch Abraham (saith our Saviour) rejoyced to see this day Iohn 8. 56..

The Patriarch Jacob foretold this day, saying, The Scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a Law-giver from betweene his feet, untill SHILOH (that is, CHRIST) come Gen. 49. 10. See The Scriptures Harmony, pag. 44, 45..

The Prophet Isaiah markes out this day as a speciall Quoad dies, a­quales omnes; quoad res, quae in iis p [...]ragun­tur una est praestantior alia. Hospin. de orig. Fest. Christian. c. 2. and wonderfull day; BEHOLD, a Virgin shall conceive and beare a Sonne, and shall call his name Immanuel Isa. 7. 14.. Nay, so ravished is he with the consideration thereof, that he re­joyces with the Church, as if the day of Christs birth were then come: The People (saith he) that walked in darknesse, have seene a great light: they that dwell in the land of the sha­dow of death, upon them hath he shined. They joy before thee, ac­cording to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoyce when they divi le the spoile. For unto us a Child Is borne, unto us a Sonne Is gi­ven Isa. 9. 2, 3, 6..

In the Prophecy of Zechariah Zech. 3. 8, 10., Thus saith the LORD of Hosts, BEHOLD, I will bring forth my Servant (Christ) the BRANCH Cujus nomen est Germen: hoc est quod alii prophetae praedixe­runt, vocarunt{que} Ger­men ut Isa. 4. 2. Ger­men Domini; & Ier. 33. 15. Germen Da­vid, vel Germen Ju­stitiae. Quibus locis Chaldaeus Paraphr. vertit Messiam. Vatab. in dict. locum.. In that day shall ye call every man his neigh­bour under the vine, and under the figge-tree. For at the Birth of our Saviour the Prince of Peace, there was peace through­out the whole world Isa. 2. 4. & 9. 6, 7, 8. & 11. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Paul. Oros. l. 6. c. 21. Isidor. Pelusiota, li. 4. Ep. 203. Nata [...]is Do­mini, Natalis est pacis. Leo. Mag. in Solemn. Nat. Ser. 6. c. 5. Vict. Strigel. Schol. Hist. in Chro. Melanct. l. z. de 3. Mon. p. 419. Func. Chro. f 91. Genebr. Chro. p. 479..

This day the Apostle cals the fulnesse of time [...]. Gal. 4. 4. U­nu [...] & idem Spiritus Dei, qui in Prophetis quidem praeconavit, qui & qualis esset adventus Domini, in s [...]nioribus autem interpretatus est bene, quae bene prophe­tata fuerant: ipse & in Apostolis annuncia­vit plenitudinem temporum adoptionis venisse, & proximasse regnum coelorum, & inhabitare intrae ho­mines credentes in eum qui ex Virgine natus est Immanuel. Iren. advers. Haeres. l. 3. c. 25.; when this day came, men and Angels were filled with unspeakable joy and admiration. BEHOLD, (said the Angel of the Lord unto the Shepherds) I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is borne THIS DAY, in the City of David, a Saviour, which is CHRIST THE LORD. And suddenly there was with the Angela multitude of the heavenly host praising GOD, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men Luk 2. 10, 11, 13, 14..

Having then the Patriarchs, Prophets, the people of GOD, and the very Angels themselves for an example of our re­joycing at the day of Christs Birth: It is agreeable to the Word of God, and manifestly grounded thereon, that the Feast or day of our Saviours Birth, should be celebrated with all possible joy and publique thanksgiving unto God.

SECTION V. That this Feast was duly celebrated by the Christians in all ages.

THough we cannot with some Perhibent, Aposto­los, ut omnes illi dies quibus Servator noster ad salutem at{que} disci­plinam nostram aliqua peregissei mysteria, sacri essent, at{que} apud poste­ro [...] majori haberentur vencrationi, eos pri­mum religiose colu­isse quamdiu vixis­sent. Cujusmodi sunt dies Dominici, Natalis, &c. Ployd. Virgil. de invent. rerum, lib. 6. c. 8. peremptorily affirm, that the Feast of the Nativity was kept by the Apostles; yet will we not with others Perth Assembly refuted, pag. 79, 80. obstinately deny it: Because the Apostles and other Christians, as they used other things in­different, so also they freely used Feasts Apostoli & alii Christioni, ut aliis rebus adja­phoris, ita etiam festis libere usi funt. Magdeb. Centur. l. 1. c. 6., and might in pro­bability use this; it being a Feast observed in the times of the Apostles. For CLEMENT, a glorious Martyr of Christ Jesus, (whom S. Paul reckons As Eusebius saith, Eccles. Hist. lib. 3. cap. 4. amongst his fellow [Page 12] labourers in the Gospel, whose names are in the Books of life Philip. 4. 3.) writes thus unto the Christian Church; Brethren, keepe d [...]ligently Feast daies, and truly in the FIRST place the day of Christs Birth Dies Fest [...]s agi­tate fratres, ac primum quidem Dicm Natalis. Clement. Const. Apost. lib. 5. cap. 12. This Author is cited by Mr. Ley, in his Sunday a Sabbath, p. 167. and by Mr. R. Byfield, in his Doctrine of the Sabbath, p. 150. Why should any grudge us the same liberty?.

In the second age. From the yeare 100. unto 200.

TELESPHORUS in his Decretall Epistle saith Statutum est, nocte sancta Natlvitatis D [...] ­mini Salvatoris, Litur­gias celebrent, & hym­num Angelicum in eis solemniter decantent, quoniam & eadem n [...]cte ab Angelo pasto­ribus nunciatus est, si­cut ipsa veritas testa­tur. Telesph. Epist. de­cret. Tom. 1. Concil. pag. 117. It is ordained, that in the holy night of the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour, they doe celebrate Publique Church services, and in them solemnly sing the Angels Hymne, because also the same night he was declared unto the Shepherds by an Angel, as the truth it selfe doth witnesse Luke 2. 8. unto verse 20..

THEOPHILUS Bishop of Cesarea in Palestine, saith, that We OUGHT to celebrate the Birth-day of our Lord, on what day soever the 25. of December shall happen Domini natalem quocunque die 8. Ca­lend. Jan. venerit, de­bem ut celebrare. Mag­deb. Centur. 2. c. 6. Hospin. de orig. Fest. Christ. Mens. De­cemb. die 25. Theoph. Approved by M. Per­kins 2. Vol. In his Demonstrat. of the Probleme, p. 597..

In the third age. From the yeare 200. unto 300.

CYPRIAN begins his Treatise on the Nativity in this manner; The much wished for, and long expected Nativity of Christ is come, the famous solemnity is come; and in the pre­sence of her Saviour the holy Church throughout the world does render thankes and praises unto her Visitour Adest Christi mul­tum desiderata & diu expectata Nativitas, a [...]est solemnitas in­clyta; & in praesentia Salvatoris grates & laudes visitatori suo per orbem terrarum sancta reddit Ec­clesia. Cypr. de nativit. Christi, Tom. 3. Approved by Zanchy in 4. praecept. q. 2. Thes. 2. and Mr. Perkins dd. ll. p. 492..

In the fourth age. From the yeare 300. unto 400.

At NICOMEDIA (a City of Bithinia) when the Festi­vall day of Christs Birth came, and a multitude of Chri­stians of all ages, had assembled together in the Temple to celebrate that Birth-day, Dioclesian the Tyrant, having gotten as it were a fit time, and an advantageous occasion, whereby he might accomplish his madnesse and fury, sent men thither to inclose the Temple, and to set it on fire [Page 13] round about; and so consumed them all to ashes, even twenty thousand persons Apud Nicomediam quum natalis Christi festus adesset dies, & multitudo aetatis omnis, quae Christi nomine censetur, in Templo Natalem eum celebratura convenisset, Dioclesianus tyrannus veluti opportunum tempus & lucrosam occasionem nactus, per quam vesaniam & furorem suum adimpleret, misit eo qui templum clauderent, & ignem circuncirca accenderent; & sic eos omnes viginti millium numcrum explentes in cinerem redegit. Niceph. Hist. Eccles. l. 7. c. 6..

NAZIANZEN in an Oration upon the day of Christs Na­tivity, saith, I am confident that the heavenly powers doe also this present day celebrate the Feast together, and leap exceeding­ly for joy; if verily they be endued with the love of GOD and men Virtutes coelestes quoque hodicrno die si­mul Festum celebrare, ac laetitia gestire con­fido; si quidem homi­num Dei{que} amore pra­ditae sint. Greg. Naz. Orat. 38..

AMBROSE hath left us fix most Divine Sermons which he preached on the Anniversary day of Christs Birth Ambr. Serm. 12. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17..

EPIPHANIUS recordeth this day among the solemne Feasts of the Catholique Church Epiph. libro, cui ti [...]ulus est, Compendi­aria vera doctrina de side Cathol. & Apost. Eccles..

HIEROME saith, that the day kept in memory of our Lords Nativity, is the day on which the antient report runnes he was borne Dies, qua traditur natus. Hieron. Tom. 9. pag. 82. G..

VALENTINIAN, Emperour of the West; THEODO­SIUS the Great, and his sonne ARCADIUS, Emperours of the East by Imperiall decrees authorized the Feast of the Nativity Zaga Zabo, quo­ted by Willet in his Synops. 9. gen. con­trovers. q. 8. p. 406..

In the fift age. From the yeare 400. unto 500.

CHRYSOSTOME hath one Homily or Sermon on the day of Christs Birth Vide Chrysost. opera, post exposit. cap. 1. Lucae.. MAXIMUS Bishop of Tours in France hath six Vide Homil. Hyem [...]les Maximi Episc. Turonens.. LEO the Great hath ten Leo. Mag. in so­lemnit. Nativ. Dom.. CHRYSOLO­GUS one Chrysol. sect. 175.. FULGENTIUS one Fulgent. Hom. l. 1.. Hitherto are the daies of the Pure and Apostolique Church Ecclesiae Aposto­licae nomine intelligo, us{que} tempora Gelasii Episc. Rom. Zanch. in 4. praecept. Thes. 2. de dieb festis..

Now that the Birth day of Christ was duly solemnized from the first 500 yeares downward Justin Emperour of the East, about the year of salvation, 523 decreed, that the Feast of the holy Nativity of Christ should be observed. Niceph. Hist. Eccles l. 7. c. 28., even to the times of Reformation, is as cleare as the Sunne at noone day See the Magde­burg Centuriatours in every Century, c. 6.: And therefore we shall omit the proofe thereof, (esteeming it no lesse ridiculous then unprofitable, to insist on that [Page 14] which no man denies) and come directly unto the Reformed Churches, whose judgement and practice in this particular, we shall faithfully deliver; that the mouthes of all such may be stopt, who under a false and vaine pretence of seek­ing an Ʋniformity in Discipline with other Reformed Chur­ches Perth Assembly refuted, pag. 85, 86., doe defame and endeavour to suppresse the most antient and commendable observation [...] of this and all other Feast daies whatsoever.

The Churches of HELVETIA, or Switzer-land. If (say they) the Churches doe religiously celebrate the memory of the Lords Nativity according to Christian liberty, we doe very well allow of it The latter con­fession of Helvetia, chap. 24..

The Churches of BOHEMIA. Many of the antient Cere­monies (say they) and such as were brought in by custome, so neare as may be, are retained among us even at this day: of this sort be certaine daies appointed for Feast-daies and Holy-daies; as the Lords day, the Nativity of Christ, &c. Confes. of Bohe­mia, chap. 15.

The Church of BREMEN keepes the Festivall day of Christs Birth See the second Register in the end of the Psalms, translated by Ambr. Lobwasser..

The Church of AUSPUR G. As for us we teach that those traditions are not to be condemned, which command nothing a­gainst the Lawes of God, and have a civill use and end; namely, such as are ordained to this end, that things might be done or­derly in the Church. Of which sort are the traditions about Holy­daies, the Lords-day, the Nativity, &c. Conf. of Au­spurg, Art. 4.

The Churches of SAVOY, POLAND, HUNGARY, SCOTLAND, FRANCE and THE LOW-COUNTRIES, doe allow the Feasts that belong to Christ; his Nativity, Cir­cumcision, Passion, &c. Dr. Rainolds conf. with Hart. c. 8. d. 2.

The Churches of DENMARK, SWEDEN, and all other LUTHERAN Churches, doe solemnely observe the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, and on that day use proper Hymnes of thanksgiving, made by Martin Luther him­selfe See the Psalmes, Hymnes, and spiritu­all songs of Dr. Mar­tin Luther, commonly used in their Churches.

The Church of GENEVA, does celebrate the day of the Nativity Perth Assembly refuted, pag. 85..

In FRANCE their most notable Preachers give the Com­munion on that day; as did also the antient Primitive [Page 15] Churches throughout the world Ambros. Serm. 17. Alii quotididie com­municant corpori & sanguini Dominico, alii certis diebus ac­cipiunt; alibi nullus dies intermittitur, quo non offeratur, alibi Sab­bato tautum & Domi­nico, alibi tantum Do­minico: Et si quid ali­ud hujusmodi animad­verti potest, totum hoc genus rerum liberas ha­bet observationes. Aug. Ep 118.. So did the SCOTTISH Church also for 800. yeers after Christ, before ever it was pollu­ted with Popery See the life of Will: Cowp [...]r Bishop of Gallo [...]ay. p. 12..

ZUINGLIUS, Rectour of the Church of Zu [...]ich, ac­counts the Birth day of our Lord amongst those Holy-dayes, which he would have observed Zuingl. Tom. 1. Art. 25..

ZANCHY, Professour of Divinity in the University of Heydelberg, and an eminent Father of the Protestant Church, expressely affi [...]meth, Though the Church of Christ be at li­berty to choose unto her selfe what dayes she would have to be sa [...]ctified, or set apart unto holy uses; yet it is better, more worthy of praise, and more profitable to sanctifie those which the Ancient, the Apostol [...]que, and the purer Church hath also accu­stomed to sanctifie. Of which number he accounts the day of Christs birth to be one Quanquam Ec­clesiae Christi liberum est, quos velit, dies sibi sanctificandos eligere; honestius tameu est, landabilius, at{que} utilius, cos sanctificare, quos e­tiā vetus at{que} Apostolica puriorque Ecclesia san­ctificare solita est. Zanch. in 4. praecept. de diebus Festis, quaest. 2. Thes. 2. & sequent..

POLANUS, Professour of Divinity in the University of Basil, placeth the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, under the title of The anniversary Feasts of the New Testament; which he defines to be, Holy times appointed among Christians for the worship of God in publique; That is, For to maintaine the consent of faith amongst themselves by the preaching of Gods Word, and the use of the Sacrament [...], and with one accord to yeeld due worship unto God, in the sacrifice of thanksgiving, prayers and almes Tempora sacra cul­tui divino inter Chri­stianos destinata pub­lice,—ad alendum fidei consension inter ipsos per praedicatiouem verbi Dei & usum Sacramentorum, & exhibendum una­nimiter cultion Deo debitum in sacrificio gratiarum actionis praecum & elcemosiuarum. Polan. Syn­tag. Theol. lib. 9. c. 35..

JOHN GERHARD, Professour of Divinity in the Uni­sity of Jena, hath gathered together many excellent and godly sentences out of the Fathers for the furtherance and help of our meditations on the day of Christs Nativity Ex veteribus Ecclesiae doctoribus collegi. Gerhard. Aphoris. Epist. Ded. & pag. 63. usque ad pag. 70.

We see then apparently that the Celebration of this Feast, is confirmed by the judgment and practice of the Christian Church in all Ages.

SECT. VI. That our Saviour was borne on the 25. day of December.

FOr the right understanding of this Position, we must know, that Julius Caesar, 44. yeares before the birth of Christ, Bucholz. Ind. Chronol. pag. 114. 1 [...]5. observing the falsenesse of the Accompt then in use, ordained the year to consist of 365. dayes and 6. houres, which 6. houres in 4. yeares made 24. houres, or a day Civill, and were added unto the end of February: By reason whereof every fourth yeare contained 366. dayes, and was called. Annus Bissextilis, the Bissextile or Leap­year, because the sixth of the Calends of March was twice written Nam. 24. Februar. divi Matthiae vigilia c [...]ebratur, atque it festus dies 25. [...]iffer­tur, nihilo secius tam die vigiliae, quam die festo 6. Calond. Mar­tias dicitur. Vide Compendium Pier. Valerian Bellunnes. in sphaeram. pag. 223..

This Accompt for many yeares seemed to have no sensible errour; Sol abs [...]indit cir­culum signorum in 365 diebus, & quarta unius diei praeterrem modi­cam, quae nullius est sensibilitatis. Sphaer. Johan. a Sacrobosco. c. 4. yet in progresse of time it was discovered to be not so exactly agreeable with the naturall motion of the Sun. For the Julian yeare exceeding the true Solar year 10. minutes and 48. seconds, caused the Equinoxes and Sol­stices yeerly to change their places and fly back so many minutes and seconds. Whereupon Pope Gregory the XIII. by the advice and direction of Antoninus Lilius, and other excellent Mathematitians, in the year of Christ 1582. did correct the Calender; making the year to consist of 365. dayes, 5. houres, 49. minutes, 12. seconds: Eustach. Phyl. parte 2. Tract. 1. de Mundo & Coelo. quaest. 6. And that the Vernall Equinoxe, when then was on the 11. day of March, might be reduced unto the 21. of March, as it was at the time of the first Nicene Councell, An. Dom. 325. according to Buchol­zerus, but 320. or 322. according to others. he commanded 10. dayes in the month October, viz. from the 4. day to the 14. to be left out; so as the 4. day of the month was accompted for the 14. day Jussit Papa in mense Octobri à 4. us{que} ad Octob. 14. praete­riri dies 10. ita ut quartus mensis dies ba­beretur pro decimo quarto die: ut aequinictiorum ac Solslitiorum dies reducerentur ad antiquas illas metas, quaes in Concilio Niceno detorminarunt S. S. Patres. Bucholz. Ind. Chron. pag. 714.. Hence it comes to passe, that the new Accompt is alwayes 10. dayes before the old.

But as to the precise day of Christs Nativity, both Ac­compts are [...]erroneous: For if we summe up the excesse of the Julian year (which is, as we said, 10. minutes and 48. [Page 17] seconds) from the time of Augustus Caesar, when our Saviour was borne, untill the yeare 1643. we shall finde that the Winter Solstice is gone back from the 25. day of December, Tempore Augusti Octaviani, ut observat Plinius, brumae dies vi­gessmo quinto Decemb. crat: quo die tiatus est Christus assertor noster. Valer. Bellunen. com­pend. in Sphaeram, p. 224. In the time of Augustus Octavian, as Plinie observeth, the shortest day was on the 25 of December, on which day Christ our Redeemer was borne. 12. dayes 7. houres, 44. minutes, 24. se­conds: And therefore the Gregorian Accompt (being groun­ded on the Nicene Councell, when as it should have been re­duced to the time of Christs Nativity) erreth almost 2. days; but the Julian Accompt more then 12 dayes; and which is so much worse, is going every year farther and farther from the truth Nisi annus aliquando corrigatur futurum olim est, ut salutis nostrae uatalitii dies, qui brumales olim crant, in vernum tempus invadant, Paschae in aetatem. Valer. Bellunens. dd. l.. Neverthelesse we grant that the Julian Ac­compt, though it remaine un-reformed, may yet for some hundred of yeares be used without any grosse and palpable disordering of the times.

Having now laid open, wherein and why these Accompts differ, as also how they may with ease be reduced unto the just and exact day of Christ Nativity; we proceed to the proof of that wherein both Accompts agree, Vide Calend. Ju­lianum & Rom. Ba­ron. apparat. ad an­nal. Eccles. sub finem. Genebr. Chron. l. 3. pag. 479. Gualterius. Tab. Chronograph. a Christo nato, fol. 2. Gordon. Lesmor. Chron. Tom. 2. in Apparat. c. 4. to wit, That Christ was borne on the 25. day of December, which we shall we shall evidence by the clear testimonies of the Fathers and other approved Writers, Ancient and Moderne.

AMBROSE his expression is divine and elegant, Occupaverat totam diem noctium longitu­do, nisi in ipsa dicrun [...] brevitate Christi reful­sisset adventus: qui si­cut ortu suo humani generis peccatorum tenebras discussit, ita & dic Nativitatis suae caliginian tenebras amputavit, & into eodemque ortu lucem pariter intulit & hominibus & dicbus. Unde non est mirum si crescit dies, que gemino fulgoris splendore vestitur. Ambros. Ser. 13. Length of nights had possessed the whole day, had not the comming of Christ shined gloriously in the very shortnesse of dayes: who, as by his Birth he dispelled the darknesse of mens sins, so also in the day of his Nativity he cut off the darknesse of night; and by one and the same rising brought light as well to men as days. Whence it is no marvaile if the day encreaseth, which is cloathed with a double spendour of brightnesse.

AUGUSTINE saith Joannes natus est, sicut tradit Ecclesia, Octavo Calendas Julias, cum jam incipiunt minui die: Dominus autem natus Octav [...] Calendas Januarias quando jam incipiunt crescere. Audi ipsum Joannem confitentem: Illum opportet crescere, me autem minui. August. in Psal. 132. & de Trin. lib. 3. c. 5. John was borne as the Church by [Page 18] tradition teaches, on the 24. day of June, even when the dayes begin to shorten; According to the true accompt; from which▪ the Julian hath varied more then 10. dayes, as we shewed before. but our LORD was born on the 25▪ day of December even when the dayes begin to l [...]ngthen. Hear John himself confessing; He must increase, but I must decrease John 3. 30..

CHRYSOSTOME, that wise Interpreter of the secrets of God, the eye of the Church in Byzantium (now called Con­stantinople) and of all other Churches [...]. Isid. Pelu­sic [...]. lib. 1. Epist. 156., after an inquisite debate of this point, concludeth thus. Christ, who at the Nativity of John had now been conceived three months in the pure and undefiled womb; to the end that he himself also should fulfill nine months according to the course of humane birth, there remained for him six moneths more; which six moneths are from the 24. of June unto the 25. of December. And when nine months were ended, in the beginning of the tenth, CHRIST was borne in the world Christ [...] qui in nativitat [...] Joannis j [...] trium mensium inccorruptae vulvae fuerat conceptus, supererant ei, ut & ipse secundum humanam nativi­tatem suppleret menses novem, alii menses sex, qui nunc ex octavo Calendas Julias in Octavo Calendas Januarias sunt menses sex. Quibus suppletis novem mensibus, initiante decimo Christus mundo natus est. Vide Chrysost. expos. cap. 1. Lucae.

OROSIUS saith, Christ was born on the 25. day of Decemb. when all increases of the ensuing yeer do first begin Natus est Christus VIII. Kalend. Janu­arii, quando primum incrementa omnia anni venientis incipiunt. P. Oros. lib. 7. cap. 2..

BERNARD saith, Christ was born in winter, he was born in the night Hieme natus est, nocte natus est Christus. Bern. in Nat. Dom. Serm. 3..

NICEPHORUS saith, Vigesi­mus & quintus tum mensis Decembris er [...]t dies, quam ineffabile pietatis & amoris erga genus humanum tuae, Verbum Dei, maxi­mum qu [...] i [...]narrabilis partus perficitur myste­rium. Niceph. Hist. Eccles. l. 1. c. 12. It was then the 25. day of Dec. when, O thou WORD OF GOD, the unspeakable mystery of thy goodnesse and love towards mankind, and the exceeding great mystery of thy marvailous birth was accomplished.

CHEMNITIUS saith, It is the common opinion that the 25. day of December should be hallowed for a remembrance of the day of our Lords nativity.

GENEBRARD hath shewed out of their own Accompts and Kalenders, that the Egyptian and Greek Churches did cele­brate the Birth-day of Christ as we doe, on the 25. day of De­cember Genebr. Chron. l. 2. p. 266. 267..

And though concerning this matter the Scriptures have given no peremptory determination, (for then dispute were(t) Vulgaris opinio est, 25. diem Decembris esse m [...]moria Natalis Domini sacr [...]. Chem▪ Harm. Evangel. c. 8. impious, and tradition needlesse) yet so farre are they from [Page 19] being repugnant, that upon a judicious examination they will appear very consonant thereunto.

When our Saviour was baptized of John, he began to be about thirty years of age, saith Saint Luke Luk. 3. 21. 23., Had he onely said he was about thirty yeares, we might have conceived him to have been as well somewhat more as lesse: but by adding these words, He began to be, the Evangelist implies, that he was not full thirty years, and yet that he wanted but little, perhaps one day or two; for he was well nigh, he BEGAN (saith he) to be about thirty years of age. And indeed the en­tring into his Ministery at the time of his Baptisme (which all men grant he did Beroald Chron. lib. 3. c. 1. Chemni [...]. Harm. Evangel. in Prolegom. c. 3. Po­lan. Syntag. Theol. lib. 6. c. 55. Becan. Loc. commun. 47. sect. 37.) is a sufficient proofe that he wanted very little and no considerable time of being Thirty yeares old Numb. 4. 23. 30. 47. Si qui [...] triginta aetatis annos non impleverit, nullo modo presbyter ordinctur, etiam si valde sit dignus: quia & ipse Dominus tricesimo anno baptizatus est, & coepit docere. Mart. Brach. lib. can. Graec. c. 20.

  • After this Baptisme immediately the spirit driveth him into the wildernesse
    Mark 1. 12.
    . And though beyond Jordan
    John 1. 28.
    there were ma­ny Wildernesses at hand: yet let us admit for his jour­ney 5 dayes.
  • He was there in the Wildernesse
    Mat. 4. 1. 2. Mark 1. 13. Luke 4. 2.
    40 dayes.
  • When those dayes were ended the Devil taketh him up into the holy City, and setteth him on a pinacle of the Temple: Af­terwards, taketh him up into an exceeding high mountaine, and sheweth him all the Kingdomes of the world, and the glory of them in a moment of time
    Mat. 4. 5, 8. Luke 3. 5.
    . For which (though for ought we know these temptations might be within the space of one day) yet we admit 2 da.
  • The Devill having left him, Christ returneth unto Betha­bara beyond Jordan, where John was Baptizing
    John 1. 28.
    . For which let us admit, as we did for his progresse 5 da.
  • He was with John
    The first day is ex­pressed, Joh. 1. ver. 26. The second, ver. 29. The third, ver. 35.
    3 da.
  • The day following, he began his journey towards Cana of Galilee
    Compare Joh. 1. 43. with chap. 2. 1.
    ; a Towne distant from Bethabara 66 English miles
    According to the description of Canaan set forth by Mr. John More, and Mr. John speed, which are of all others the exactest.
    . For which let us admit 6 da.
  • [Page 20]There was a marriage in the said Cana
    John 2. 1.
    , after his comming thither 3 da.
  • And because we read of a marriage-feast that lasted seven dayes
    Judges 14. 10, 17.
    , we shall admit that this feast also, (though proba­bly it was not so long) lasted 7 da.
  • After this marriage feast, that is, when this feast was en­ended, Christ went downe to Capernaum
    John 2. 12.
    ; a Town distant from Cana of Galilee neer 30 English miles. For which jour­ney let us admit 3 da.
  • He continued not there many dayes
    John 2. 12.
    : let us grant 6 da.
  • Then the Jewes passeover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem
    John 2. 13.
    ; distant from Capernaum, 72 English miles. For which journey let us allow 8 da.
  • He was at Jerusalem some certaine dayes before the Feast of the Passeover
    Compare John 2. ver. 14. with ver. 23.
    : let us admit 4 da.
    • In all 92 dayes.

These summed up, amount unto 92 dayes, or 3 months; so that (if conjectures guided by reason doe not very much fail) our Saviour at the first Passeover after his Baptisme was 30 yeares old, and about 3 monthes: At the second Passeover John 5. 1. was 31 yeares old, and about 3 moneths: At the third Passeover John 6. 4. was 32 years old and about 3 months: At the fourth Passeover John 13. 1. was 33 yeares old, and about 3 moneths See the Scriptures Harmony, p. 46, 47.: on the eve whereof he was crucified, which the Jewes call the Preparation day Mat. 27. 62. Mar. 15. 42. Joh. 19. 31. 42.; and was the 25 day of March Octavo Calendas Aprilis conceptus, quo & passus. Aug. de Trin. l. 4 c. 5. Con­ceptus & passus Chri­stus [...]se Martio 8. Calend. Aprilis. Chrosost. Expos. c. 1. Lucae. Two things we must note. One is, that the 25. day after the true Accompt, is on the 13. day of our March here in England; because the Julian which we follow, doth erre somewhat more then 12. dayes. The other is, that the Hebrew Month, Abib, alias Nisan, doth begin on the last day of our February: but on the 12. of March, according to the true Accompt.. Now accompting 92 dayes backward from the 25 day of March, the Birth-day of our Saviour will fall neer the 25 day of December according to the testimonies of the Fathers and Writers before alledged, and the tradition of the Churches of God.

Howbeit of late there are risen up a sort of wild-braind Zelots; who carried on with an earnest desire of intro­ducing [Page 21] all manner of novelties (whereby the antient and A­postolicall Church of England Usserius Archiep: Armach. de Britan. Eccles. primordiis. c. 1. might be rendred contempti­ble) have buzzed into the heads of some ignorant people, that Christ was born in the month of September, when the Sun en­tring into Libra makes the second Equinoctiall. An opinion not dreamed of, untill Beroaldus published his Chronology Anno Dom. 1577.: and it is worth our paines to observe, how well the Master and Schollars doe agree touching the age of our Saviour.

Beroaldus saith, that Christ lived 32 yeares and an half Certe mortuum illum fuisse pro nobis in cruce oportet anno Tiberii 18. tum quum aetatis annum ageret 33. id est, quum annos complevisset tri­gintae duos & dimidi­um. Beroald. Chro. l. 3. c. 8.: And by those words of Saint Luke, Jesus began to be about thirty yeares of age [...]. Luk. 3. 23., he understands he was almost 29 yeares old: As if when the Scriptures expresse about 5000 [...]. John 6. 10.. their meaning was, almost 4000. But his prime Schollar noting the absurdity of this exposition, grants Christ to be 30 years old at his Baptisme; yet by coyning one Passeover, he out­runs the truth, and makes him to have lived 34 yeares and an halfe Scalig. de emendat. temporum, l. 6. Others affirme, that he was about 33 yeares old when he suffered Wolph. Chron. l. 1. H. Broughtons Con­sent of Scripture.: which expression does best please these Doctours; for whether he were 32 and an halfe, or 33 and a quarter, or 33 and an halfe; yet still they are in the right who say, he was about 33.

And because they cannot produce so much as one poore-stumbling Writer for the countenancing of their paradoxes, they endeavour to subvert the common and Orthodox opi­nion by cavils, halfe-reasons, and forgeries: whereof we shall here by way of objection, deliver a just and exact cata­logue, faithfully collected.

THE FIRST Objection. In the midst of the weeke, he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease Dan. 9. 27.. The Prophet speaketh here of the last weeke, which if you divide into two e­quall parts, you shall finde the middle of it to be in the seventh month of the fourth yeare, because the weeke ends in the month MARCH, wherein our Lord suffered In dimidio hebdoma­dae cessare faciet sacrifi­cium & oblationem. Loquitur hic Propheta de ultima hebdomeda, quam quia disinit in mense Nisan, quo passus est Dominus, si dividas in duas partes aquales, medietatem suam in an­ni quarii mense Tisri habere d [...]prehendes. Be­roald. chron. l. 4. c. 2.. Therefore our Saviour was baptized, and consequently borne in September.

THE Answer. Christ may be said to cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, two manner of waies: either by way of consummation, or, by way of preparation. 1. By way of consummation; and this was not in the midst, but in [Page 22] the end of the last weeke by the sacrifice of himselfe Heb. 9. 26. & chap. 7. 18. 19. & chap. 8. 13. Coloss. 2. 17. Sacrificia externa ac typica omnia Christus su [...] sacrifici [...] implevit & abrogavit. Polan. Syn. Theol. l. 9. c. 30. U [...]sin. explicat. cate­chet. quaest 92 sect. 3.: implied in those words, Consummatum est, It is finished John 19. 30.; and also by the vaile of the Temple rent in twaire Mat. 27. 51. Mark 15. 38. John 4. 23. Velum Templi fissum est in du [...]s par e à summo us{que} adimum ut indi [...]retur abrogatam esse typicam ingressio­nem Summi Sacerdotis Levitici in sanctum san­ctorum & deinceps in­utilem fore, una cum aliis ceremoniis Legalis sacerdo [...]i. Polan. Syn­tag. Theol. lib. 6. cap. 18.. 2. By way of Pre­paration; and this was either Immediatly, by himselfe, when he was bap [...]ized and entred into his Ministery; being neare the midst The Scriptures Harmony, pag. 48., but not precisely in the midst of the last weeke. For by the fore-going particular examination of the daies, we have sufficiently shewed, that the time betwixt the Baptisme of Christ, and the next Passeover, cannot with any probabi­lity be extended beyond the space of 3 months. Or ME­DIATLY by his fore-runner, herald, and messenger, John the Baptist, who preaching the Baptisme of repentance Mark 1. 2, 3, 4., did so pre­pare the way of the Lord, that all sacrifices, oblations, Legall rites and ceremonies, were afterwards without scruple for­saken and abandoned. Hence our Saviour saith, The Law and the Prophets were untill John Matth. 11. 13. Luke 16. 16. Joa [...]nis Baptista Anno 15. Tiberii Caes. vo [...]atione divina excitatus poenitentiam praedicare incipit; veteris Testamenti abrogationem instituto Baptismo orditur. Bulchoz. Ind. Chronol. pag. 145.: and thus in the midst of the last weeke, Christ preparatively by John caused the sacrifice and the oblation to cease; For John the Baptist began to preach in the month September, soone after the Feast of Trumpets Levit. 23. 24. Numb. 29. 1. Func. Comment. in Chronolog. lib. 2..

THE SECOND Objection. John was conceived presently after Zacharias had executed the Priests office before GOD in the order of his course Luke [...]. 8. 23, 24.; who was of the course of Abia Luke 1. 5., the eighth course of the Priests 1 Chr. 24. 10.: But the eighth course of the Priests fell in the end of June; for every course continued a fortnight, and eight fortnights make foure months; which four months (accounting from the beginning of Abib, now called March, the first month of the yeare Exod. 12. 2.) will end in June: Therefore John was conceived in June; and by consequence, not Christs Birth, but his Conception (which was six months after Johns Luke 1. 36.) must be in December.

THE Answer. We grant the Major; but the Minor is notoriously false: For First, The Priests course was weekly, and continued from Sabbath to Sabbath 1 Chr. 9. 25. Joseph. Antiqu. Jud. l. 7. c. 11. Godwins Moses and Aaron, l. 1. c. 5. The Annot. of the Assembly of Div. on 1 Chron. 24. 9..

Secondly, It supposeth that the Priests courses and the yeare began together; which is against common sense; for there being but 24 courses 1 Chr. 24. 18. [...], it must needs be that at the end of the 24th. course, the first began, and so could have no re­lation to the month or time of the yeare.

Thirdly, It supposeth that the month Abib, was wholly the same with our March, which is contrary to all Writers; who doe at the most admit that Abib tooke part of March, and part of April See the Vulgar Notes on Exod. 12. 2. Godwins Moses and Aaron, l. 3. c. 1.; And sometimes (saith Willet) it may be all without March; as, when the Hebrewes every third yeare put in a month to make the yeare agree with the course of the Sunne Willets six-fold Com. on Exod. c. 12. q. 5..

Wherefore the said Argument being built upon so many falsities and uncertainties, can conclude nothing.

And, herein out Opposite Beroaldus speakes very ingenu­ously, both himselfe and his faction; We (saith he) doe neither understand when the course of Zacharias was, nor how long it lasted. Zacharias ad Abiae familiam pertinebat, cui sorte octavo loco ministerium obeun­dum erat in Sacrario: sed quando aut quam­diu, non intelligitur à nobis. Beroald. Chro­nic. l. 4. c. 2.

THE THIRD Objection. Clemens Alexandrinus wri­teth, that they who very curiously have sought after the yeare and day of our Lords Birth, have referred it some unto the 25. day of the month of May, some unto the 25. day of April Eos qui curiosius an­num nati Domini & diem requisierunt, par­tim retulisse ad vigesi­mum quintum diem mensis [...] Ae­gyptiorum, partim r [...]tu­lisse ad vigesimum quintum diem [...], s [...]ribit. Clem. A­lexandr. strom. lib. 1.. Therefore in his time About the yeare of the Lord, 195. the day of Christs Birth was not cer­tainly knowne Beroald. Chron. lib. 3. c. 8. Scalig. de e­mendat. Temp. lib. 6▪ Calvis. Isag. Chro­nolog. c. 46..

THE Answer. If this argument be good, then there is no point either in Divinity or Philosophy certainly knowne; because there is no point which is not through ignorance, wilfulnesse, or an itching affectation of singularity by some contradicted; at least questioned. Howsoever, had these curious searchers shewed us where S. Luke saith, that Christ was conceived in the sixth month of the Legall yeare, we would have concluded with them, that Christ was borne either in May, by reckoning from August exclusively; or in April, by accompting from August inclusively: but there can be no­thing more certaine then that they are mistaken. For the Angell Gabriel does directly say, this is the sixth month (not from the beginning of the year, but) with her, who was called barren Luke 1. 36.; that is, from the conception of John the Baptist. [Page 24] Nor does Clemens Alexandrinus afford these scar [...]ers any more credit then the bare mentioning of their groundlesse phansies; which truly is more then they deserved.

THE FOURTH Objection. Bede affirmes, that the Iudi­ctions began on the 24. day of September Incipiunt Indict [...]o­nes ab VIII. Calendas Octobris, ibidem{que} ter­minantur. Beda libro de ratione Tempo­rum, c. 46.; and that our Lord was borne (Indictione quarta ineunte) when the fourth Indi­ction began: Therefore Christ was borne on the 24. day of September Beroald. Chron. lib. 3. c. 8..

THE Answer. Bede does not say, that our Lord was borne when the fourth Indiction began, but in the fourth Indiction, according to Dionysius Quarta indictione secundum Dionysium natus est Dominus. Beda lib. dd. c. 47.; which words are too generall for us to conclude thence the yeare of Christs Birth, much lesse the month, least of all the day. And yet considering that an Indiction is the space of 15. yeares Indictio est spaci­um quindecim ann [...]rum. Bulchoz. Chronol. pag. 131., he might very well have said so; though Christ were not borne till the end of 3. months after the first day of the Indiction: As we say fre­quently, that such a thing was or hapned in the beginning of our Kings reigne, though it were 3. 6. or 10. months after the first day of His reigne.

THE FIFTH Objection. Taxes and Collections of Tri­bute began on the 24. day of September; as appeares by the Indictions, which were instituted to beare accompt of the pay­ment of tribute Hoptons Concor­dancy of yeares, c. 32.: Therefore Augustus Casars Decree at our Saviours Birth, that all the world should be taxed, went out Luk. 2. 1. on the 24. of Sept. and so Christ was born on that day Beroald. ibib. m..

THE Answer. We deny the Argument: For it is a most abs [...]rd inference, viz. because the ordinary and yearly taxes, collections of tribute, and Indictions (which were invented in the time of Constantine the Great, and ordained by Him 312. yeares after Christ Aera indictionum Caesares, in scriptoribus Graecis usitatissima, in­cipit 24. Septembris, Anno Christi, 312. in­stituta fuit à Constan­tino Magno. Bulchoz. Ind. Chronol. p 212. Calvis. Isag. Chron. c. 9. Cyclus indictionum in­stitutus est in Concilio Nic [...]no, qui post quin­decim annos in orbem redeat. Romani hanc [...] indictionum inceperunt à Calendis Jan. sequen­tibus: quos, & nos bodie sequi [...]tur. Alsted. 2. Chronol. Epocha­rum. sect. 6.) began on the 24. day of Sep­tember; therefore that extraordinary and most remarkable taxe decreed by Augustus Caesar when our Saviour was born, began on the same day. Nay, here is a cluster of absurdities: For if the issuing forth of C [...]sars decree, and our Saviours Birth were on the selfe-same day, then was the decree sent from Rome to Nazareth, above a 100 miles distant, and from Nazareth Joseph with Mary his espoused Wife great with child Luk. 2. 4, 5., and expecting every houre to be deli­vered, [Page 25] must forthwith post 95. English miles unto Bethlehem, all in one day. But who knowes not that Errour begets Er­rour?

THE SIXTH Objection. A Jew No marvaile if these Septembrians op­pose the tradition of Christs Church, when the Jewes beliefe is the rule of their do­ctrine. would not soone be­lieve that a wise Emperour as Augustus was, would command poore men to come in Winter to their owne Townes. Neither was it the fit time for the Shepherds to be in the field. And as Ba­ptisme was according to his Birth-month, it was not wholsome for men to goe up to the head in water in mid-winter. Therefore Christ was not borne in December Beroald. lib. dd. c. dd. Hospinian. de orig. fest. Christ. mens. Decemb. Calvis. Isag. Chron. c. 46. Brough­tons Advertisement of Corruptions. p. 43, 44..

THE Answer. The land of Canaan (now called Pale­stine Quasi terra Pa­lestin [...]rum, the land of the Philistines. Vide Vatabl. translat. Bibl.) is found to extend it selfe from the degree 30. and 52. scruples, unto the degree 33. and 44. scruples of La­titude or Elevation; And for Longitude, it is placed be­twixt the degree 64. 32. minutes, and the degree 69. and 10. minutes According to the observation of Mr. John More, and Mr. John Speed.: so that it is included fully and wholly with­in the third Climate Eustach. in Ap­pend. Tract. 1. part. 2. de Phys.: the same Climate in which Fez and Mor [...]cco Note, that Africa tooke its name from [...] & [...], that is, without cold. are scituate; where the winter-season (as every Geographer and Mariner will tell us) is hotter then our May here in England: and yet Palestine in heate ex­ceed [...] Fez and Morocco, because it lyeth above 40. degrees nearer the East then they doe Carpenters Geo­graphy. lib. 2. c. 3. Theoreme. [...] 10..

This also may be collected out of the Scriptures; For in regard that a sh [...]af [...] of the first fruits of harvest was yearly of­fered on the second day after the Passeover Levit. 23. 5, 6, 10. compared with Deut. 16. 1, 9, 10., which was the 16. day of the Jewes month Abib, alias Nisun Secunda [...]zym [...]rum die, quae est mensis hujus decima sexta, frugibus de­missis & ha [...]tenus intactis incipiunt frui: [...]quumque rati Deum bujus ubertatis authorem per gra­titudi [...]m▪ honorari, hordei primi [...]us [...]fferunt. Joseph. Antiqu. Jud. lib. 3. cap. 10. See Per­kins 2. volum. pag. 680. In Palestina Mess [...]m b [...]rd [...]aceam incboatam fuisse stat [...] post Pascha, & ante Pentecoste [...] absolutam fuisse etiam triticeam m [...]ssem certum & manifestum est. Chem­ [...]it. Harm. Evang. Prolegom. cap. 3., and is with [...]s the 27. of March After the Ge [...] and vulgar acco [...]prs., (which 27. ac­cording to the true accompt, falls on the 15. of our March) It must necessarily follow, that the tempera­ture of the month December in the land of Canaan, is answerable to our May, if not June: Though therefore [Page 26] a disobedient and gain-saying Rom. 10. 21. Jew will not believe, yet an un­derstanding Christian cannot but grant, that the season of the year did no way hinder the convenient execution of Caesars decree; nor the Shepheards being in the fields, nor our Saviours going into the River Jordan in December.

THE SEVENTH Objection. The Church of England does not celebrate the true day of Christs Birth: therefore the Church of England is erroneous.

THE Answer. We deny the Antecedent; for though the Church of England does not celebrate the true day ex­actly and precisely taken, as we said before: yet she cele­brates the true day according to the Julian Accompt, which Accompt is yet generally embraced by the Protestants, and not to be despised Ea est a [...]ni forma Julians, cui omnes as­suevimus: haec sola est certissimum temporis v [...]hiculū, cum omnibus sit notissima, familia­rissima, cognitu & observ [...]tu facillima, & ad temporum a creatione mundi huc usque labe [...]ti [...]on s [...]riem deducendum accomodatissima. Galvis. Isag. Chron. cap. 8.. Neverthelesse it is not the day, but the benefit we remember, which no good Christian will deny should be done See the life and death of William Cooper, Bishop of Galloway. pag. 8..

THE EIGHT, and last O [...]jection. Christ was borne in the night Luke 2. 8.: Therefore he was not born on the 25. day of December.

THE Answer. The day is of two sorts; Naturall or Ci­vill; The Naturall day is the time from Sun-rising unto Sun-setting; whose opposite is the night, from Sun-set un­to Sun-rising. The Civill day is the space of 24. houres, in which time the Sunne is by the first orbe carried round a­bout the world: It containes as well the night as the true day; and is therefore termed by the Greeks Quanquam Johan­nes [...] Sar [...]bosco & qui cum scquuntur no­mi [...], perut [...]t [...]us, & quem nos natural [...]a, illi civilem seu artifi­cialem; quem nos ci­vilem, illi naturalem diem vocant; no [...] ve­ritatem scquimur. Pol [...]n. Syntag. Theol. lib. 1. c. 45. & lib. 5. c. 16. Hanc diei naturalis & artificialis appellationem. [...]itionemque, novam & barbaram semper credidi, quisquis cam primus nobis tradiderit. Vide scholion. Eliae Vin [...]ti in sphae [...]am Joan. a sacrobosco. c. 3. [...], and may in Latine be aptly translated noctidium. The former is meant when God called the light, day: The latter, when it is said, the evening and the morning made the first day [...]. 2 Cor. 11. 25.. And of the latter we ought here to be understood when we speake of the 25. day of December; For our Saviour was borne present [...]y after 12. a clock in the night Gen. 1. 5., at which(x) Luke 2. 8. [Page 27] time the Civill day began according to the custome of the Romans Morc Romano dies a media nocte inci­pit, & sequentis no­ctis media parte fini­tur: Itaque quicquid in his viginti quatuor horis (id est quabus, & luce media) actum est, perinde est quasi quavis bora lu­cis actum esset. Paulus I Ctus Digest. jur. Civil. l. 2. tit. 12..

The vanity and weaknesse of all objections to the contra­ry being discovered we conclude that the 25. day of December is the just, true, and exact day of our Saviours Birth.

SECT. VII. The work of the day.

O How good, how pleasant, how kind a thing it is to remember the work of the day in its own day Opus diei in die suo..

This worke, whether at home or in publique consists of three parts or duties. The first is, a reverend expla­nation;

1. OF THE PERSON INCARNATED: which was Christ the Lord Luke 2. 11.. The Word, the eternall Sonne of God, the second person of the most glorious Trinity, was made flesh [...]. John 1. 14.; not by the conversion of the Godhead into flesh Vide Symbolum Athanasii., but by assuming unto the Godhead the nature (not the per­son Wolleb. Christ. Theolog. lib. 1. c. 16.) of man, and all the naturall infirmities thereof, sinne excepted Heb. 2. 17. & 4. 15. [...]. Damascen. Ortho­doxa fide [...]. lib. 3. c. 20.: which nature the Father formed in the Sonne by the Holy Ghost, of the substance of the blessed Virgin Mary, who was of the Tribe of Judah, of the Roy­all Family of David Luk. 1. 32.. Wherefore Christ was perfect God, and so equall to the Father Joh. 10. 30. Phil. 2. 6.; perfect man, and so inferi­our to the Father Joh 14. 28..

2. HOW CHRIST WAS BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY: and that was by opening of the womb Luk. 2. 7. 23. after the ordinary way; not utero Clauso, the womb being, shut, as the Papists imagine Catechism. Rom. parte. 1. cap. 4. Respons. ad quaest. 4..

3. WHERE HE WAS BORN: to wit, In the land of Judah, in Bethel [...]hem Mat. 2. 6. which signifies, the house of bread Pas. Lexicon.; [Page 28] teaching us, that Christ was the true bread of life which came downe from heaven Joh. 6. 33. 35. In a stable; and was laid in a manger; because there was no roome for them in the Inne; Luke 2. 7. teaching us by his example to beare corporall poverty with pa­tience.

4. WHEN HE WAS BORNE: and that was 1. when a Decree went out from Augustus Caesar that all the world should be taxed. 2. When Cyrenius was Governour of Syria Luke 2. 1. 2.. The Evangelist sayes not of Judea, because Judea was at that time joyned unto the province of Syria Jes [...]phus calleth him Quirinius; and in placing this Taxe after the degrading of Ar [...]helaus, erreth 4. yeeres. Sec Joseph Antiq [...]. Iud. lib. 17. [...] ult. & lib. 18. c. 1.: teaching us, that the true Messiah, Christ, was come; For the Scepter was then departed not onely from the tribe of Judah Gen. 49. 10. but even from the Jews. 3. In the night Luke 2. 8.; signifying that the day spring from an high visited us, to give light to them that sate in darknesse and in the shadow of death Luke 1. 78, 79..

5. OF GODS GRACIOUS AND MIRACULOUS DISCOVERY OF HIS BIRTH. 1. To the poore Shep­heards, neer Bethlehem, by an Angel Luke 2. 8, 9, 10, 11.. 2. To the rich Wise­men in the East by a Star Mat. 2. 1, 2, 11.: teaching us, that poore and rich, simple and wise, Jew and Gentile, neere and farre off, are all alike accepted by God, in, through, and for Christ.

6. Of the glorious celebration of Christs nativity by a multitude of the heavenly host praising GOD Luke 2: 13, 14.

The second part is a pious meditation on the END and NECESSITY of Christ Birth; and that was threefold. 1. That Gods promises Gen. 3. 15. & 12. 3. & 18. 18. & 22. 8., and the predictions of his ser­vants the Prophets Psal. 22. 18. Isa. 7. 14. & 9. 6, 7. Jer. 23. 5. Micha. 5. 2. Hos. 11. 1. Hag. 2. 9. Zech. 8, 9, 10. & 6. 12. & 9. 9., might be accomplished. 2. That God might thereby manifest his love towards mankind John 3. 16, 17. 1 John 4. 9, 10.. 3. That redemption might be to them that were under the Law Gal. 4. 4, 5.: otherwise eternall death had passed upon all men, for that all have sinned Rom. 5. 12..

The third and chiefest part is, an humble and sincere thanksgiving unto GOD for those great and unestima­ble benefits which we receive by the sacred Birth of our Lord CHRIST, the Saviour of the world John 4. 42.: outwardly expressing our thankfulnesse. 1. In Psalmes and Hy [...]nes, and spirituall songs 1 Chron. 16. 7. Ephes. 5. 19.. 2. In a larger and more liberall use of Gods Creatures then at ordinary times Gen. 21. 8. 1 Chron. 12. 39, 40. & 16. 3.. 3. In [Page 29] our charity unto the needy members of Christs Luke 14. 13..

Whosoever therefore regardeth this day aright, must re­gard it unto the Lord, giving God thanks Rom. 14. 6.: and not spend it in rioting and drunkennesse, nor in chambring and wanton­nesse Rom. 13. 13. The daies which are chosen out to serve as publique memorials of Gods mercies, ought to be cloathed with those outward robes of bolinesse, whereby their difference from other daies may be made sensible. Hook. Eccles. Policy. lib. 5. sect. 70. as too too many have done, to the high dishonour of Almighty God, the reproach of our Church; and the fearfull hazard of their own soules.

SECT. VIII. A patheticall exhortation unto the true Sonnes of the Church of England.

ARe these things so? May Christian Magistrates con­stitute Feast-daies, and require obedience unto such Constitutions Sect. 2.? Has the Church of England ordained that the Birth-day of Christ should be yearly kept festi­vall See the Act for Uniformity: Proper Lessons, and the Col­lects for that day.? Is this Ordination grounded upon the Scri­ptures Sect. 4.? Is it confirmed by the practice of the Christian Church from the time of the Apostles unto this day Sect. 5.? Is the 25. day of December the Birth-day of our Saviour Sect. 6.? Does the worke of the day tend to the glory of GOD, the honour of Christ, and comfort of his Church Sect. 7.? What wretched Herodians are they then, who revile and envy the solemnization of Christs Birth, calling it Judaisme Nequc damnari potest Ecclesia quasi Judaizarit quia di­em Dominicum jara inde ab Apostolorum temporibus sanctificavit, & certos alios dies festos paulo post Apostolorwn tem­pora sibi delegerit ad sanctificandum. Zanch. in 4. Praecept. de Diebus Festis, q. 1., and most blasphemously perswading the people, These words, or to the same effect, were uttered in the Church of S. Mich. Cornhill, on the Lords day, the 25. of February, 1643. God give the speaker repentance to the acknowledging of the truth, 2 Tim. 2. 25. That a Feast celebrated unto the honour of CHRIST, is no better then that Feast which the Israelites made unto the molten Calfe Exod. 32. 4, 5, 6.?

But let us, Brethren, who have not so learned Christ Ephes. 4. 20., be subject to Principalities and Powers: let us obey Magi­strates, and be ready to every good worke Titus 3. 1.: let us be­ware [Page 30] of those who are presumptuous▪ self-will [...]d▪ not afraid to speake evill of Dignities; who are spots in our feasts of charity, wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; while they promise liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption, to whom the mist of darknesse is reserved for ever. 2 Pet. 2. 10. 13. 17, 19. Jude 8. 12, 13.. Let us stand fast, and h [...]ld the traditions which we have been taught 2 Thes. 2. 15.: let us make them knowne to our children, that the generations to come may know them, even the children which shall be borne; who shall aris [...] and declare them to their children, that they may not forget the workes of GOD Psal. 78. 5, 6. 7.; And principally, may keepe the memoriall of CHRISTS Nati­vity See Willets Synop­sis. 9. generall Con­troversie. quaest. 8. pag. 505.; continuing the celebration of this Feast, unto the second comming of SHILOH.

Hallelu-jah.

AN ANSWER To sixteen QUAERES, Touching the Rise and Observation of CHRISTMAS, Propounded by Mr JOSEPH HEMING of Ʋttoxeter.

THough, if we consider the time since the fore­going Treatise was published, it being five years compleat last April 1649, we might rather in­sist upon an Answer from our Opponents, then take notice of their Quaeres, which to multi­plie into scores or hundreds, is nothing diffi­cult, even to the meanest Sophister: Yet least our Christian Solemnity should suffer by our silence, and for the satisfaction of this Quaerist and all others whom the Spirit of contradi­ction and by-ends have not made uncapable of the truth, we shall briefly and clearly return our Resolution to each parti­cular; With reference, as occasion shall be and that often is, to what hath been above delivered; it being altogether im­proper and needlesse to make repetition.

QUAERE I. Whether such Religious Customes as are binding to all the Churches of Jesus Christ, ought not to have sure footing upon the Word of GOD, or Apostolical Practice?

ANSWER.

WE must here distinguish of Religious Customes: Some are Religious Absolutely, some Respectively. Customes ab­solutely religious, have sure footing upon the Word of GOD, either in expresse termes or by evident consequence; as, The peoples assembling to GOD'S Service, the Celebration of the Sacraments, and the like: These are absolutely and ever bind­ing to all the Churches of Jesus Christ. Customes respectively religious, are such as in respect of their Matter, Manner, End are Religious, but have their Institution from the Practice and Authority of GOD'S Church; Of which number is this Observation of the Nativity; The Matter whereof is our Sa­viours Birth; The Manner is with preaching, prayers, thanks­giving, almes, and a liberal yet sober use of GOD'S Crea­tures; The End is the Honour of Christ and our own Edifi­cation: These Customes though in themselves things indif­ferent, yet in respect of the Churches Authority become bind­ing; and the wilfull contempt of them is a contempt of Au­thority, a scandal and offence to the Church, which by the joynt consent of all Protestant-Divines is a fin against the Mo­ral Law. See our second Se­ction. Also Harmon. Confess. fidei. Sect. 16. Acts and Mon. Vol. 1. page 5. Col. 8. Mr Edwards Treatise against Toleration. p. Your Quaere then containes a double errour:

First, it implies a misunderstanding of the Nature of our Festival; for we esteem it not (as you propound) amongst Customes absolutely religious.

Secondly, by the Disjunctive Or you insinuate, that such Cu­stomes as have sure footing upon Apostolical Practice, are absolutely re­ligious and binding to all Christian Churches; Which is false; For it is the Apostolical Precept, not Apostolical Practice, that [Page 3] makes a Custome absolutely religious and universally bind­ing. The Practice of our Saviour himself, and of his Apo­stles with him, and of the Church to boot, As Mr Scudder would have in his Christians daily walk c. 6. p. 158. did not change the Nature of things indifferent; but as they used them free­ly, so they left them free: We read, that the holy Commu­nion was celebrated at the time of Supper, by our Saviour and his Disciples, Matt. 26 20. 26. by the Disciples and the Church at Tr [...]as, Acts 20 6. 7. by the Church at Co [...]th: 1. Cor. 11. 21. and yet who will say; that the Celebration of the Communion at that time is a Custome absolutely religious, hath Authority of Divine Precept, and bindeth all the Churches of Christ?

QUAERE II. Whether you can substantially prove that Christ was born on the 25 of December? and what your proofes are?

ANSWER.

If the full consent of clear and undoubted Records, if the Te­stimony of the ancient Greek & Latin Churches, if the general Acknowledgement of those that professe Christianity, be sub­stantial proofs; (which no man of common sense wil deny) then have we substantially proved that Christ was born on the 25 of December. See our sixth Se­ction. And truly, upon the like reasons as our Op­ponents make scruple at this, may they question what ever is chronicled: Admit, we should affirm, that William the Con­querour was crowned at Westminster on the 25 of December, and for the Authority thereof quote Roger de Hoveden, Matthew Pa­ris, and others; Might not one ask, as they do of Christs Birth-day, how could this be? King Herold was high and puis­sant in October before; and a Souldier cannot soon beleeve that a wise Prince as Duke William was, would in winter with his Southerne peo­ple, wage warre in a Northerne Countrey. Neither was it the fit time for Armies to be in the field; And it is not probable, that this Kingdom was conquered in the space of two winter-moneths. Com­pare this with Be­roaldus Chron. l. 3. cap. 8. & Brough­tons Ad­vertise­ment of Corrupti­ons, p. 43. 44. But, what sense is in such kind of arguing, we leave to the Judgement of any rational man; and for perfect solution of this Quaere re­ferre you to our sixth Section.

QUAERE III. and IV. Whether the Celebration of that day can be clearly warrant­ed by you from Scripture? and what your Scriptures are? Or, Whether you can clear it by sound consequence from the New Testament, though not set down there in toti­dem verbis?

ANSWER.

Both these Quaeres arise from a mistaken Principle; For the Observation of this Feast (as we said before) is not a Custome absolutely religious, whose warrant indeed is from Scripture, ei­ther expresly, or by sound Consequence. Howbeit we must note; Though this Anniversary Festival hath no particular and Spe­cial Scripture-warrant, whereby this very day is set apart to this very end; yet it may have and hath a General Scripture-warrant, under which it is authorised: For the Observation of such Anniversary Feasts is just and warranted from the Equity and sense of the Ceremonial Law, which the Apostle (1 Cor. 9. 10.) sheweth to be still in force; and therefore the Legal Anniversary Feasts do in Equity require and even now teach, that there ought to be Gospel-Anniversary Feasts, as­signed for extraordinary Thanksgivings and rehearsals of GOD'S extraordinary benefits to his people. Ames. Medul. Theol. l. 2. c 15. n. 16. As then from the grounds and reasons of GOD'S commanding the weekly Feast of the Sabbath, (though the Sabbath be now abo­lished, Gal. 4. 4. 5. 9. 10. Coloss. 2. 14, 15, 16, 17. our Church hath good Authority and warrant to ordain one day in seven to be kept holy; and guided by the example of the Primitive Churches, and constant practice of Christians in all ages, observeth and to that purpose ordaineth the first day of the week, under the title of the Lords Day: So, from the grounds and reasons of GOD'S commanding the Legal Anniversary Feasts, (though those Feasts be now abo­lished,) our Church hath good Authority and warrant to or­dain solemn dayes of thanksgiving for GOD'S extraordi­nary benefits; and guided by the example of the Primitive Churches and constant practice of Christians in all ages, ob­serveth and to that purpose ordaineth (amongst other Feasts) [Page 5] the 25 day of December, under the title of the day of Christs Na­tivity.

QUAERE V. Whether you can clear the Celebration of that day by Ʋni­versal tradition?

ANSWER.

This Word Ʋniversal must here be taken in a safe sense: For, as of Doctrine, so say Divines of Tradition; to make it Ʋni­versal, it is not requisite, that all Christians should professe it throughout every age; for then, no Doctrine can be stiled Ca­tholick or Ʋniversal, because there is no Doctrine which hath not at some time or other, through weaknesse of Judgement, pride of wit, or self-ends, been drawn into question, if not opposed; Proco­pius lib. 3. Goth. there must be Heresies, 1 Cor. 11 19. and false Prophets ever were and will be. 1 John 4. 1. But that Tradition is truly termed Ʋniver­sal, unto which the Fathers, Martyrs and godly men of the Christian Church have in all ages to this present time born witnesse, Vincen. Ler. con­tra haeres. cap. 3. both by exhortations and examples: And such is the Tradition of Solemnizing our Saviours Birth-day; as we have abundantly proved in our fifth Section, whereto we referre.

QUAERE VI. Whether (in case it can be evidenced by none of these, viz. plain Text, solid Inference, universal Tradition) it be not a meer humane invention, and so Will-worship? And how you will one day acquit your selves before GOD, for placing and crying up mens Inventions, instead of the Institutions of Jesus Christ? And whether it were not faithfull dealing with poor simple people to tell them that you have neither of these to warrant it?

ANSWER.

False it is and slanderous, that we crie up the Celebration of this day as an Institution of Jesus Christ: And yet, we do and must denie it to be a meer humane invention and Will-worship; be­cause [Page 6] the Observing thereof is not onely approved by Ʋniver­sal Tradition, but (as we shewed before) hath Sacred Authority and Scripture-warrant in the General, though not in Special; See our Answer to the third and fourth Quaere. Of which kind are, Set-Fasts, weekly or monethly Lectures, daily Prayer with our Families, the singing of Davids Psalmes in meeter by a whole Congregation, and divers other Christian practices: Ursin. Explicat. Catechet. quast. 91. Sectio 1. & quaest. 96. Whereas that worship which the Apostle calleth Will-worship and condemneth, is wholly destitute of Scripture-warrant as well General as Special, and hath no other ground and original but the vain opinion, will and phansy of men; as, The worship­ping of Angels, and placing an absolute holinesse and necessitie in things indifferent. Colos. 2. 18, 21, 22. We desire therefore our Quaerist and his fol­lowers to consider well and lay to heart, how they will one day acquit themselves before GOD, for slandering their Bre­thren, for calling good evil, Isa. 5. 20 and crying down that for a meer humane Invention and Will-worship, which hath Scripture-Au­thority and the consent of the Christian Church in all ages. And were it not faithfull dealing in these men and their appa­rent duty, to tell poor simple people that they have unawares slipt into errour and misled them, and will hereafter (like Saint Paul) labour the more abundantly 1 Cor. 15. 10. in asserting and divul­ging the Truth.

QUAERE VII. Since dayes and times commanded by GOD himself to be ob­served under the Law, were and are unlawfull under the Gospel; Whether dayes and times commanded by men, and not by GOD, under the Gospel, are not lesse lawfull?

ANSWER.

This scruple is easily removed, if we consider the different natures of those dayes under the Law and these under the Gospel: They were absolutely necessary, these in themselves are things indifferent; They were parts of GOD'S publick Worship, these are attendents and subservient to GOD'S Worship; Ursin. Explicat. Catechet. quaest. 92. Sect. 2. & quaest. 103. de Ceremon. Sect. 2. They were instituted by GOD himself, these are established by Chri­stian [Page 7] Magistrates, GOD'S Minister▪s; Rom. 13. 4. 6. They as a grievous and unsupportable Yoke Matth. 23. 4. Acts 25. 10. were abolished at Christs death, Mark. 15. 38. John 19. 30. Heb. 9. 10. these as things tending to Decency and Order in the Church are retained by Christs warrant. 1 Cor. 14. 40. Now, what ground or Rea­son there is, to inferre the unlawfulnesse of the latter, from the unlawfulnesse of the former; To conclude Gospel-dayes of thanks-giving, allowed by Christ and set apart by Christian Magistrates, to be unlawfull; because Legal Feasts, abolished by Christ and which to re-admit is to make Christ of no effect, Gal. 5. 1. 2, 3, 4. are unlawfull; Let men of sobriety determine. And here necessary it is to take notice; though after the Ascension of Christ we find the Apostles at some of the Jewish Feasts, as The Sabbath and Pentecost; Acts 2. 1. & 13, 14. 42. & 17. 2. & 18. 4. 21 & 20. 16. Yet did not they observe them as Legal Ordinances, but as things indifferent: All dayes were to the Apostles alike; Rom. 14 3. 5. 6. 17. Col. 2. 16. They made no valuation or difference of first or last, but every day of the week they came together, every day they prayed, preached, administred the Sacrament of the Lords Supper. Acts 2. 46. & 5. 46. Indeed Saint Paul in a time of famin, Cornel. Tacit. lib. 12. did exhort the Corinthians (according as he had given Order to the Churches of Galatia) that upon the first day of the week, every one should put aside by himself, and lay up as GOD had prospered him, for the relief of their distressed brethren at Jeru­salem: 1 Cor. 16. 1, 2, 3. But this exhortation gives no preheminence to the first day of the week, nor implies a command, that all Christians should weekly meet on that day to GOD'S publick Service: The Text speakes onely of giving almes, every one apart by him­self; not a syllable of meeting, or an universal command, or of GOD'S publick Services, Prayers, Preaching and Sacraments. For by the very words and scope of the Apostle, it is evident; that his Order and Exhortation was particular and temporary, to particular Churches, upon a particular and temporary oc­casion, As was that in the 20th verse of the same chap. Greet ye one another with an holy kisse. See May­ers▪ Com­mentary upon, Ro­man. 16. 16. and therefore such regard of the day did onely con­cern those particular Churches, and that for a time. Who will say, when the famin was over, that the Galatians and Co­rinthians were still bound to send almes to their brethren at Jerusalem? And might not the Church at Antioch on the second day of the week, the Saints at Philippi on the third, and the Bre­thren in Cilicia on the fourth, give almes to relieve the wants [Page 8] of their Brethren at Jerusalem, notwithstanding this Order and exhortation of Saint Paul to the Churches of Galatia and Corinth? May not we on other daies, as well as the first day of the week; yea, on other daies and not on the first; yea, but once a fortnight or moneth (as occasion shall be) contribute to the relief of our distressed Brethren? Assuredly wee may. Modi­cam unus­quis{que} sti­pem men­strua die, vel quan­do velit, & li modo possit, apponit. Nam nemo compellitur, sed sponte confert. Haec quasi deposita pie­tatis sunt. Nam inde non aliis quam egenis alendis dispensatur. Tertul. advers. Gentes. cap. 39.

QUAERE VIII. Whether the true and genuine Interpretation of Christ­mas be Christ-man? And whether to perswade people 'tis so, be not to abuse and delude them? And whether we may not as well interpret Candlemas Candle-man, Michaelmas Michaelman, as Christmas Christman?

ANSWER.

That Masse and man are words of the same root and mea­ning, is (we grant) an absurd, vain and groundlesse conceit; nor doe we suppose the allegation of so perswading people, to be any other then a slanderous figment of our Quaerist. For (as we have shewed above) See our third Se­ction. our English-Saxon Most words of one sylla­ble in English are Saxon originally. word Masse, is borrowed from the Latine word Missa, and signifies Publique service, The Lords Supper, An Offering; whereby there appears an excellent and remarkable significancy in this Title CHRIST­MAS DAY, implying THE day of Christ's Publique service, THE day of celebrating Christ's holy Communion, THE day of offering up our selves, and thankfulnesse unto Christ; for that Christ, the son of GOD, the brightnesse of his Fathers glory, and ex­presse image of his Person, Heb. 1. 2. 3. in whom dwelleth all the fulnesse of the God-head bodily, Col. 2. 9 did vouchsafe for our sakes, so low a con­descension as to take upon him the form of a servant, Philip. 2. 7. and this day to be born of a pure Virgin. And as for the use of this word Masse, we have (by the Confession even of those that wave it) the example of Christians in the very time of the Apostles, Vide Observat. in Harm. Confess. Sect. 14. Ad August. Act. 1. the ancient custome and approbation of GOD'S [Page 9] Church, Ursin. Expl. Catachet. quaest. 80. the Authorities of Tertullian, Lib. 4. ad­versus Mar­cionem. Cyprian, Lib. 3. E­pist. 14. Am­brose, Lib. 5. E­pist. 33. Augustin, De Tem­por. Sermon. 237. and other eminent Fathers who flou­rished long before the dayes of Popery: Perkins. vol. 2. De­monstrat. of the Problem. Juel. Apolog. pag. 42. Yea, in a Sermon on Easter-day translated out of Latin into the Saxon tongue Anno 996, and in divers Saxon Epistles, Acts and Mon. vol. 2. fol. 448. 30. and fol. 451. 60. and fol. 452. 20. 60. before ever the Popish Doctrine of Transubstantiation was heard of in this Island, we find the word Masse, sometimes expressing Publick Service, sometimes The Lords Supper; and Holy-dayes were by the Saxons called Masse-dayes, because on those dayes GOD'S Publick Service and usually the holy Communion was celebrated. Testimon. Antiqu. p. 79. Wherefore this word Masse is neither Popish nor invented by Papists; And is used not onely in the Church of England, but hath the testimony of those glorious and renowned Churches of Germany, whose zeal in Protesting for the Faith first ac­quired to themselves the name of Protestants; Sleidan. Comment. lib. 6. fol. 101. 102. 109. Our Churches (say they) are falsly accused that they abolish the Masse; For the Masse (meaning the Lords Supper) is retained with us, and celebrated with highest reverence. Vide Harm. Conf. Sect. 14. August. Confess. Artic. 1. And if words must be therefore cast out and abominated, because they are profaned by Papists; then must these words Scripture, Church, Baptisme, Lords Supper, Prayer, Preaching, Sacrament, Almes, Penitence, and many more be cast out, which are by them no lesse abused unto superstition, profanenesse, idolatrie, then the Masse.

QUAERE IX. Whether the Saints are bound to rejoyce in the Birth of Christ on that day men superstitiously call Christmas, more then at other times? And whether the Lords day be not THE day appointed for them to rejoyce on?

ANSWER.

It is false, that men superstitiously call this day Christmas; for though they cannot without solid conviction of the unlaw­fulnesse, reject the use thereof, yet doe they not place any Re­ligion in, or esteem of that Title more then of Christs Birth-day [Page 10] the Nativity of Christ, the day of the Nativity, or the like; which they ever did and doe use as names indifferent. But for our speciall joy in that day; if it be the duty of Christians to hear the Church, (Matth. 18. 17.) if in things just the Magistrates commands be obligations, and men must needs be subject thereunto, not onely for wrath, but also for conscience sake Rom. 13. 5. which no Saints or Chil­dren of GOD will deny; Then are Saints bound to expresse their rejoycing in the Birth of Christ, more especially on this day set a part for this end, then at other times: Doe not we on every fifth of November, [as the Jewes did on the daies of Purim] Esther 9. 18. 19. 28. more especially then at other times, declare our joy in GODS temporall deliverance of our State? And if a corporall and temporary mercy unto a Nation may be yearly recorded with Publique joy and thanksgivings unto GOD; much more may wee with rejoycings, prayer and praises record GOD'S spirituall, everlasting and unspeakable mercy in Christ's Birth, the good tidings of great joy unto all People. Luke 2. 10.

Indeed, the Lords day is appointed for us to rejoyce on; yet is it not THE day, so as to extinguish or lessen our duty on other daies appointed also to GODS Service. For by whom and when was the Lords day appointed? Throughout the Old Testament we have no intimation of it. Cyprians saying, that Circumcision was a type or figure of Christs Resurrection, and our so­lemnity on the eight day, Lib. 3. Ep. 10. ad Fidum. Circumcision was on the eighth day, because the child was un­clean till the eighth day. Levit. 12. 2. 3. & 15. 19. 24. is rather his conceit then judgement; for in that Sacrament neither sign nor actions, bear the least analogy or similitude with Christs Rising from the dead. And to speak truly, how can the day of Christs Resurrection be termed the eight day? In reference to the week it was the first day, Mark. 16. 9. in reference to his death and buriall the third day, Matt. 12. 40 John 2. 19. in reference to the moneth the seven and twentieth day; August. de Trin. l. 4. c. 5. Chrysost. ex­posit. in cap. 1. Lucae. and it can no otherwise be termed the eight, then because it next fol­lowes the seventh; just as one is thirteen a clock, because it is the next hour after twelve. Besides, should we admit this Typicall phansy, then must the day of Christs Resurrection be no solemne or Holy-day, but a common ordinary day, as was the day of Circumcision; else the type and thing typified will not correspond.

As for the day of the fourth Commandment; that things [Page 11] may be clearly understood, we must note that the Morall Law and the Law of Nature are one and the same; Polan. Syn­tag. Theol. l. 6. cap. 10. fol. 2267. Bucan. Loc. com. 19. Sect. 11. Ju­nius Thes. Theol. loc. 23. Sr W. Ral. Hist. l. 2. c. 4. Sect. 9. and it is called the Morall Law, that is to say the Law of manners, because it is an everlasting rule for the manners and duties of men, both to­wards GOD and towards their Neighbour.

Next, we must know, that a sabbath, is a set time appointed by just Authority to GOD'S publique service: (Ursin. Expl. Cat. quaest. 103) The Sabbath is a sabbath under the Law by GOD'S command to be weekly observed on the seventh day: The Lords day is a Sab­bath under the Gospel by the Churches Authority See our proofes at the end of our answer to this Quaere. to be weekly observed on the first day; so that the Sabbath and the Lords day differ specifically, that is, are of distinct natures and kinds. Hence it is, that the fourth Commandment is partly Morall, partly Ceremoniall. Pol. Synt. Th. lib. 6. c 10 Ursin. Expl. Catech. quaest. 103. M [...]rall and Naturall, in that it com­mandeth a sabbath or set time to be appointed for GOD'S publique service: unto which by the secret instinct of nature all people and Nations, though never so heathenish, barbarous and ignorant of the true GOD, did and doe by their cu­stomes and practice here witnesse. Rom. 2. 14. 15. Aristot. l. 7. Polit. c. 9. & [...]. 1. Topic. c. 11. Fenest. cap. de Sacer­dotiis. Rosin. Antiqu. Rom. l. 3 & 4. Grimstons Estates, fol. 254. 255. 758. 759. 771. 778. Ceremoniall, in that it com­mandeth The Sabbath or seventh and last day of the week, on which GOD rested from his work of Creation, to be kept holy: Compare Luke 23. 56. with Exod. 20 11. And that this was Ceremonial appeareth. First, Because the Lord himself numbring the ceremoniall Feasts, placeth the Sabbath in the very front and head of them. Levit. 23. Secondly, Because the Sabbath was a particular remembrance to the Israelites of their deliverance from Egyptian bondage. Deut. 5. 15. Thirdly, Because the Sabbath was to distinguish and divide the Jewes from the Gentiles; Exod. 31. 17. which middle wall of partition Christ, our peace, hath broken down. Ephes. 2. 14 Fourthly, Because the Sabbath was a type or signe of sanctification and spirituall rest by the promised Messiah, Exod. 31. 13. Hebr. 4. 4. 5. 9. 10. 11. the substance and accomplishment of what was shadowed. Col. 2 16. 17. Lastly, The Apostles prohibition of the necessary observance and Divine esteem of the Sabbath-daies, Col. 2. 14. 16. 17. without excepting the Seventh day, is a clear proof against the old Sabbatarians; And as well that prohibition as the lawfull change of the Sabbath [Page 12] or Seventh day of the week, which was our Saterday, into the Lords day or first day of the week which is our Sunday, are ma­nifest proofs against the New Sabbatarians, that the Sabbath day was Ceremoniall: For we must not, we cannot suppose that the Apostle should perswade Christians to a light esteem of any part of the Morall Law; nor could that which is mo­rall be changed. Polan. Synt. Theol. lib. 6. c. 10. sol. 22. 63 D.

Groundlesse then and erroneous is the Opinion, as well of the Old Sabbatarians, who teach that THE seventh day is mo­rall, as of the New Sabbatarians who would have a seventh day morall; See the Pra­ctice of Piety. Dr Twisse, Walker, Ley, Shepard, Ni­colas & Rich. Byfield, Mar­tindale, Ab­bot in their Treatises of the Sabbath. Scudder in his Christians daily walk. &c. For by the dictates and discourse of meer natural reason, neither the seventh nor a seventh has more evidence to be kept holy then the or a fifth, sixth, eigth, tenth, twentieth day: And we challenge all Sabbatarians, Old or New, to de­liver freely their Judgement and Conscience, whether if they had never seen or heard of the Scriptures, they could by the Book of Nature have found out, that GOD in six dayes finish­ed the Creation, rested on the seventh, and therefore ordained the or a seventh day to be weekly kept holy; If they say, they could, let them shew it, and the learned will for ever do them homage. If they say, they could not, as most certainly they cannot, then is neither the nor a seventh dayes Observation Morall: Much lesse Morall is the first day of the week or Lords day, of which there is not the least title or glimpse in the fourth Commandment. 'Tis true, in this age and land of Novelty, some Reasons and far fetch't circumstances have been dispersed among the people, to perswade the Morality of the or a seventh, and thence to insinuate the Morality of the Lords day; but the shallownesse and ill composure of their Argu­ments is so obvious, even to men of indifferent capacity, that we shall onely touch upon the chief, whereby the rest may be judged.

REASON I. If the Observation of the nor a seventh day be Morall; then are there but nine Commandments in the Morall Law.

ANSW. The inference is false; For (we have proved) the Morality of the fourth Commandment consists not in ob­serving the or a seventh day, but in keeping holy a sabbath day or [Page 13] time set apart to GOD'S publick Service, which is our bounden and perpetual duty.

REAS. II. The Sabbath was instituted in Paradise, whilest Adam retained his innocencie and perfection; There­fore the Sabbath is not Ceremonial.

ANSW. This is often urged by our New Sabbatarians; though duly considered, it m [...]kes nothing at all to their pur­pose; For should we grant, the Sabbath or seventh day of the week to be Morall and unchangeable, then what would be­come of their New Sabbath? But indeed, the Antecedent is false; For GOD did not institute the Sabbath till he rested, and that was on the seventh day: Gen. 2. 2. 3. whereas Adam fell on the day of his Creation, which was the sixth day, Compare Gen. 2. 7. 21. 22. &c. 3. 1. with chap. 1. 27. 28. and at evening was cast out of Paradise. Chap. 3. 8. 24. See the Practice of Piety, printed by R. Y. p. 274 Willet his six­fold Com­ment. on Gen. c. 3. q. 32. The Annot. of the Assemb. of Divines on Gen. 3. 24.

REAS. III. The Sabbath was appointed before Moses his time; Therefore the Sabbath was not Ceremonial.

ANSW. We denie the consequence; For Sacrifices and Circumcision were appointed long before Moses, Gen. 4 3. 4. & 8. 20. & 17 9. 10. yet were they Ceremonial and abolished in Christ. Acts 15. 24 28. 29. Galat. 5. 2. Hebr. 9. 9. 10.

REAS. IV. Heathens observed the seventh day as an holy day; Therefore the seventh dayes observation is Morall and Natural.

ANSW. This Argument is likewise false; for such hea­thens had not the seventh dayes observation by instinct of Na­ture, but by imitation from the Jews, as some amongst them had and still have Circumcision and Sacrifices: Joseph. contra Ap. l. 1 Brerewoods Enquiries chap▪ 12. And that is not Natural which some people, but what all observe; Jus natu­rale est quod apud omnes ho­mines eandem habet poten­tiam. Aristot. l. 5. Ethic. which never was nor will be proved of the seventh day.

REAS. V. The word sabbath signifies rest; The Lords day is a rest; Therefore the Lords day may be called THE Sabbath.

ANSW. This is a syllogisme of the fourth Figure, absurd and ridiculous; For in the same way, John might be called Adam, because the word adam signifies man, in the Hebrew tongue, as sabbath signifies rest: Whence as the Latines from the Greek, so the English from the Latines, have a sabbatisine, to sabbatize, which signifie a resting, to rest. And did Printers distinguish the noune Appellative sabbath from the proper Name The Sabbath, by a great letter, as in all languages they ought to do: Our New Sabbatarians might find the Lords day, called sabbathum, a sabbath or rest; seldom or never, Sabbathum, The Sabbath. and John is a [Page 14] man: So might St. Du [...]stans, be call'd The Temple, because the word temple signifies Chu [...]ch▪ and St. Dunstans is a Church. But we [...]ist not to spend time in breaking strawes, and therefore we shall not pursue this p [...]int, nor take any strict survey of the manifold contradictions, falsities and notorious riff-raff, wherewith most of our New Sabbatarian Treatises abound: On [...]ly, we desire these profound Sophisters to study well the first leaf of their Accidence, and they will find a difference be­twixt Proper Names and Common. Now from the foregoing premises this conclusion is evident; That since the Morall part of the fourth Commandment enjoynes onely a sabbath, not any particular and precise day to GOD'S publick Service; And the Ceremonial part enjoyned only The Sabbath or seventh day on which GOD rested from his work of Creation: Therefore the Lords day or first day of the week on which Christ rose from the grave, is not by the fourth Command­ment appointed to be kept holy.

Nor doe the Gospels make any mention of the observing the Lords day. Those propheticall words of our Saviour, Pray ye that you [...] flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day Matth. 24. 20. though we could prove them undeniably to be Figurative, August. de consens. E­vangel. lib. 2. c. 77. and are so understood by some of the new Sabbatarians: Rich. By­field. Doctrine of the Sab­bath, p. 212. yet taken literally, import no more but that the Sabbath or seventh day, was kept at the time of Jerusalems destruction, Compare Matth. 24. v. 3. with v. 20. about thirty nine years after the death of Christ; Joseph. de Bel. Jud [...]ico, l. 7. Jun. com­ment. in Chronol. l. 5. Which is most true; As also to this very day the Jewes observe it with other Mosaicall Rites and Ceremonies. But what is their superstitious and unwarranted keeping The Sabbath or seventh day of the week, to the Christians Celebration of the Lords day or first day of the week? Indeed, the Evangelist Saint John specifies two severall times wherein Christ after his Resur­rection appeared to his Disciples, when they were assembled. One was, at evening the same day he rose from the dead, being the first day of the week: John 20. 9. 19. But this Text affords no foundation at all for their conceit, who would have the Disciples then assem­bled to celebrate the day of Christs Resurrection; For,

1. The day was spent, or very little of it remaining, before they assembled. Compare Luke 24. 29. 33. with John 20. 19.

2. The Scriptures expresly tell us, why they met, they were assembled for fear of the Jewes; John 20. 19 and what they did being met, they supt together, and their meat was broiled fish and an hony-comb: Luke 24. 33 41. 42. Here's not a word of Praying, Preaching, and other solemn duties requisite to a solemne day.

3. The coming of Mary Magdalene and others to the Sepul­chre, and bringing spices, with intent to anoint our Saviours bo­dy; Mark. 16. 1 And the travelling of the two Disciples from Jerusa­lem to Emmaus upon their private occasions, Luke 24. 13 are clear testi­monies that that day was in their repute a common ordinary day.

4. And lastly, The Disciples at their first assembling, did not believe the Resurrection of Christ; Luke 24. 11 and therefore when Christ appeared unto them as they sat at meat, he upbraided them here­in with their unbeliefe and hardnesse of heart. Mark. 16. 14 How then could it be, that the cause of their assembling was to celebrate the day of Christs Resurrection? The other time wherein Christ did appear to his Disciples assembled, was (saith the foresaid E­vangelist) after eight daies; John 20. 26 Note, that Christ saith, Matth. 16. 21. the third day I will rise a­gain; Not, af­ter 3 dayes, as Matth. 27. 63. Which shews how hard a thing it is for the wicked & natural man, to understand GOD'S Word aright. which word after shewes that the eight daies were fully compleat and ended, and so this meeting of the Disciples fals on the ninth day; Now accompt Nine, either including the day of Christs Resurrection, and their meeting was on the second day of the second week; Or nine from the time of his former appearance to his Disciples, excluding the day of his Resurrection [which is more proba­bly the sense of the Gospel] then was their meeting on the third day of the second week; and it can no way be assigned to the first day of the week, unlesse we say as our new Sabba­tarians, that after eight daies must be interpreted, before eight daies, to wit, on the seventh, which is most ridiculous.

Come we to the Acts, and we read not there, that the Apo­stles did practice or appoint the Observation of the first day of the week above the rest: It seems good [say they unanimously in that famous Synod at Jerusalem] to the Holy Ghost and to us, to lay NO FURTHER BURTHEN upon you THEN THESE NECESSARY THINGS, that ye abstain from things offered to Idols, and from bloud, and from things strangled, and from fornication. Acts 15. 28. 29. As for that meeting of Paul and the Dis­ciples [Page 16] of Troas; Acts 20. 6. 7. whether we respect the time or the end of their meeting, it makes nothing at all to the celebration of the Lords day. The time is exprest to be upon the first day of the week when the Disciples came together to break bread, which all Di­vines grant to be at evening Matth. 26. 20. Mark. 14. 17. on Sunday night; and, saith the text, they cantinued together ti [...] break of day. Acts 20. 7. 11. Now what is this to the Lords day? Did the first Christians or must we keep our weekly Feasts from the evening on Sunday-night till break of day on Munday? certainly, none will say it: Besides, it is a sacred principle with some of the New Sabba­ta [...]ians, Shepards Doctr. of the Sab. part. 3. Thes. 76. 77. 90. that the time of celebrating the Lords day, does continue no longer then till the evening, according to the old Leviticall rule, from even unto even shall ye celebrate your Sab­bath: Levit. 23. 32. How then can it be said without a contradiction to themselves, that this meeting of the Disciples at or in the eve­ning, when the time of celebration was past, was to celebrate the Lords day? And for the end of their meeting, prayer, preaching, receiving the Lords Supper, heavenly conference; these were to the Disciples (not [...]eekly, but) daily-ordinary exercises; Acts 2. 42. 46. & 5. 42. and if from thence should follow a necessity of keeping the day holy, then must every day be kept holy, which is repugnant to GOD'S commandment, Exod. 20. 9. the Doctrine of the Apostles, Ephes. 4. 28. 2 Thes. 3. 10, 11, 12. common reason.

In all those Sacred Epistles of P [...]ul, That place in the 1 Cor. 16. 1, 2, 3. is cleared in our Answ. to the 17th Qu [...]re. James, Peter, John, Jude, we have not one syllable of the Lords day. That of the Apo­stle Hebr. 4. 9. is not spoken of a weekly temporary rest, but of another; vers. 8. 9. a rest which he exhorteth us to strive to enter into by faith; vers. 11. a rest in the heavens into which Christ Jesus our high Priest is passed before us. verse 14. This rest (say Interpreters) is a Spi­ritual rest, Bez. annot. in locum. Bucan. loc. com. [...]9. Sect. 16. begun in this life by ceasing from sin and doing righteousnesse; but perfectly and everlastingly continued in life eternal: Ursin. Ex­plicat. Cat. q. 103. Sect. 1. Which is so clearly the true sense of the A­postle, that it is confessed by some of our New Sabbata­rians. R. By fields Doctrine of the Sabbath. pag. 210.

'Tis true, St. John, who wrote his Book called The Revela­tion about the year of Christ 96, Irenaeus contra Haeret. lib. 5. which was long after the decease of the rest of the Apostles, saith, that he was in the spirit, or, (as some translations have it) he was ravished in the spirit on [Page 17] the Lords day: Revel. 1. 10 fui spiritu cor­reptus. So Be­za. Which shewes indeed that the Lords day was of note at that time in the Christian Church; but for the ce­lebration thereof, he neither commands it nor commends it to us; As he found it, so he leaves it, a thing indifferent.

Wherefore we conclude, that the Observation of the Lords day hath no precept, no practice, throughout the Scriptures; and consequently is no day appointed by GOD, Christ, or his Apostles to be kept holy.

Here some may ask; When then began the Lords day to be observed? Who appointed it? and upon what grounds was it appointed? We answer to the first; though the exact time be not recorded, when Christians began to keep holy the Lords day; Quo tem­pore Christiani diem Domini­cum feriari coeperint, non est memoriae proditum. Magdeburg. Cent. 1. l. 2. cap. 6. yet from that of John Revel. 1. 10 we may gather, the observing thereof is very ancient, & was sometime before John wrote that Book: Ley. Sun­day a Sabbath chap. 4. And it hath been undeniably observed by GODS Church in all succeeding ages to this day. To the second we answer; The Observation of the Lords day is appointed by the Christian Church. The Church (saith Ʋ [...]sin) out of her own will and pleasure chose the first day of the week for certain reasons. Ex arbitrio elegit. Ursin. Expl. Cat. q. 103. Sect. 1. The Church (saith Napier) transported the exercises of Saterday to the Sunday. See Napiers Notes on the Revel. chap. 1. The Church (saith Willet) changed the holy day of rest from the seventh day to the first, which is the Lords day. Willets six-fold Com. up­on Exod. c. 20 quaest. 14. But, we shall not insist upon the testimonies of particular men, since we have herein the concurrent Judgement of all Protestant Churches, as may be seen at large in The Harmony of Confessions: Sect. 16. & 17. Take thereout one [...]nstance; It is apparent (saith Auspurg) that the Church appointed the Lords day to the end, that people should know when to meet together; and whosoever do think that by the C [...]urches Authority, the Observation of the Lords day was ordained in stead of the Sabbath, as necessary, do very much erre. See the Auspurg Con­fess. in the Appendix to the Harm. of Confess. To the third Demand we answer; That the Church upon just Grounds hath appointed the Lords day to be kept holy; Which Grounds are these. First, The Morality of the fourth Commandment requireth, set dayes and times to GODS publick Service; and therefore the Chri­stian Church for the performance of this Commandment and according to the liberty wherewith Christ hath made her free, Gal. 5. 1. did amongst other dayes, set apart the Lords day to GODS Ser­vice: Func. Com. in Chron. lib. 3. Anno 32 [...]. And in respect of this General Warrant it is, that Di­vines [Page 18] do frequently say, the Observation of the Lords day hath Au­thority from GODS Commandment. Secondly, The Equity of the seventh dayes Observation under the Law, obliged the Church to set apart the seventh day under the Gospel: For it were dis­proportionable and an utter shame, that Christians in their duties and thanks-givings to GOD, should come short of those that were under the Law, when their benefits are much greater. Bernard in his Treatise of the Chri­stian Sabbath, chap. 9. Thirdly, The Church, not placing any holinesse in d [...]yes, nor from an opinion of the necessity of keeping one day rather then another, did out of her own judgement, free­ly and voluntarily chuse the first day of the week for our se­venth dayes Solemnity: and this free choice of the Church is in part acknowledged by some New Sabbatarians; I professe (saith one of them) Ley. Sun­day a Sabbath, pag. 12. that I do not conceive there is any morall ne­cessity, that that day of the week on which Christ rose from the grave, should be kept holy in the Christian Church, rather then the day wherein he was born, or the day wherein he suffered on the Crosse, or the day wherein he ascended into heaven. Howbeit, though no injunction or necessity be laid on the Church, yet she wanted not certain perswasive reasons and inducements, for refusing the last day of the week and making choice of the first. Two reasons she had for refusing the last day of the week; One was, that by not-observing the Sabbath-day Christians might understand, they are now freed from the Yoke of the Ceremonial Law: t The Other was, that hereby a difference and distinction might be put betwixt us and Jews. Polan. Synt. Theol. l. 9. c. 35. Likewise, the Church had two reasons for making choice of the first day of the week; One, In memory of the Worlds Creation, which work GOD began on that day: Gen. 1. 1. 5. The Other, In memory of Christs Re­surrection, who on the first day of the week rose from death: Luk. 24. 5. 6 Conventus hos die Solis faci­mus, quod hac die Deus mun­dum creavit, & eadem die Christus re­surrexit a mortuis. Just [...] ­nus. Apol. 2. pro Christia­nis. And in regard that Christ by his rising again, did mightily de­clare himself to be the Lord; Rom. 1. 4. Therefore the Church called the day of Christs Resurrection the Lords day. Inde a re­surre [...]tione Christi Eccle­sia vocavit Do­minicum. Junius de Ec­cles. l. 1. c. 4. But here three things are to be noted; First, That the saying, that Christ by his rising again did mightily declare himself to be the Lord, and the calling of Christs Resurrection-day the Lords day, are spoken by way of affir­mation; not by way of appropriati [...]n, as if Christ did at no other time save at his Rising declare himself to be the Lord, and no [Page 19] day save that of his Resurrection were the Lords day; for this is false. Christ (we know) by his birth of a pure Virgin, Matth. 1. 18. 23. did mightily declare himself to be the Lord, and therefore the day of Christs Nativity is also the Lords day; yea, [...]ur Lord himself expresly calleth it His day, John 8. 56. See the An­not. of the As­sembly of Div. on this place. Again, Christ by his sustaining the wrath of GOD for the sins of the whole world, John 1. 29. & 12. 47. & 19. 17. 18. did mightily declare himself to be Lord, and therefore the day of Christs Passion is also the Lords day; Yea, many of the Primitive Churches for the space of 290 years after Christ, observed this day as their weekly Solemni­ty, untill Constantine by Imperial Decree limited the Christians (for unity sake) to the observation of the first day of the week onely. Anno Dom. 324. Vide Func. Com. in Chron. l. 6. Again, Christ by his ascending into heaven, in the presence and sight of his Apostles, Mark 16. 19. Acts 1. 9. 10. did mightily de­clare himself to be the Lord, and therefore the day of Christs Ascension is also the Lords day: So that had the phrase and speech of the Christian Church so determined, the day of Christs Nativity, Passion, Ascension, or the like, might have been called the Lords day as well as Christs Resurrection-day is thus called. Our next Observation is, that Christ by his Resurre­ction caused or occasioned the first day of the week to be kept holy, and hence it is, that some ancient Writers have said, that Christ changed the Salbath into the Lords day, Athanas. in Homil. de se­mente. Christ set the Lords day apart; A Domino sacratus. Aug. de verb. Apost. serm. 1 [...]. Not that Christ was the Authour of the said change and institutour of the Lords day, but that Christ by his Resurrection was the cause or occasion wherefore it was changed and set apart: August. Epist. 119. ad Jan. As we usually say of the fifth of No­vember, The Papists made this an Holy-day; not that Papists or­dain'd it to be kept holy, but that the Papists by their Pow­der-plot were the cause or occasion, wherefore the Church and State of England so ordained it. The third thing to be noted is, that Christs Rising again is a part of that work, not the whole work, which he performed for mans Redemption; and is in it self no greater nor more beneficial unto us then his Incarnation, Birth, Passion, and the like: For, had Christ onely Risen again, and not suffer'd for our sins, what would his or our Resurrection have availed? Nay, had Christ both suffer'd and Risen again, and not been Incarnate by the Holy [Page 20] Ghost of a Virgin and made man, what had his Suffering and Rising again been to us? Nay, grant all these, yet if Christ had not Ascended, we could never have attained the end of our hope which is heaven; for where the head is, there also must be the members; and if Christ our head were not in heaven, nei­ther should nor could we expect it.

The result then and sum of all is, that seeing the Feast of Christs Nativity hath like warrant and allowance from Scri­pture as the Lords day [...], hath the same authority for its Insti­tution, is celebrated in memory of as great and wonderfull a work of Christ and as beneficial unto us, as His Resurrection; Therefore the Lords day is no more nor otherwise THE day appointed for us to rejoyce on, then the day of Christs Nativity.

QUAERE X. Whether Christmas day ought in any respect to be esteemed above another of the week-dayes? And whether people may not without offence to GOD follow their lawfull vo­cations on that day?

ANSWER.

From what we have already proved, the solution of this Quaere is easy and obvious; For, in respect that Christmas day, being the day of our Lords Nativity, is the Lords day; and by his Spouse, Cant. 4. 9. the Church, set apart to GODS publick wor­ship and our souls edification, it ought clearly to be esteemed above any of the common week-dayes: And for people on this day wil­fully and contemptuously to follow their ordinary (though at other times lawfull) vocations or callings, is, in the first place, a breach of the fourth Commandment; for the day of Christs Nativity is a sabbath or rest unto the Lord, See the de­finition of a sabbath in our Answ. to the last foregoing Quaere. and GOD will have us to keep holy the sabbath or rest-day. Next, it is a despising and dishonouring of their Mother the Church, which whosoever are guilty of, not onely sin against the fifth Commandment; Perkins Cases of Con­scil. l. 1. c. 5. Sect. 5. but by our Saviour himself we are enjoyned to account all such as revolters from the Christian Faith, heathen men and pu­blicans. Matth. 18. 17. Lastly, it is a ground and in let to the violation of [Page 21] all orders and decencie in GODS service, which is expre [...] [...] ­demned in Holy Scripture. 1 Cor. 14. 40. And if to break GODS [...] ­mandments, to contemne his Churches authority, to [...]me heathens and publicans, and to overthrow all order and de­cencie in GODS services, be offences to GOD; Then mu [...] we conclude, that to work or follow our vocations on Christmas-day, is a great and high offence unto GOD.

QUAERE XI. Whether you think the Parliament and Assembly have erred and played the fooles in condemning and rasing out Ho­ly-dayes not warranted in the Word? And whether to observe them be not highly to dislike, and flatly to con­tradict (in point of practice at least) their proceedings in order to a Reformation?

ANSWER.

Thoughts are free, and every mans mind is to himself; yet for satisfaction hereunto, no [...]ing by the way the incivility of the term Fooles, we answer, that the Parliament is not tru­ly alleaged in this point; For, First, our Quaerist grounds his allegation upon an Order of the House, whereas the Day of Christs Nativity and the like are appointed Hol [...]-dayes by Act of Parliament; 5. & 6. Ed. 6. c. 3. 1 Eliz. c. 2. and an Order cannot rase out an Act; for it is a Maxime (as well in our English Lawes, as in the Civil) that what ever it be, the same way it is made, the same way it is dis­solved. Nihil est ra­tioni magis consen [...]aneum quam eodem modo unum­quodque dis­solvere quo conslatum est. Judge Dode­ridge his Eng­lish Lawyer, pag. 123. Secondly, by our Quaerists own confession the Or­der alleadged condemns Holy-dayes, not warranted in the Word; which does nothing at all concern the Day of Christs Nati­vity; the Observation of this day being warranted by the ho­ly Scripture, See our Answ. to Quaere 3 & [...] instituted by the Apostolick Churches, and practised throughout the Reformed: See our 5. Section. And therefore to ob­serve this day and the like is not to contradict but to further the Parliaments proceedings in order to Reformation; they having often testified, and still do testifie to the world, that their guide in [Page 22] the work of Reformation shall be the Word of GOD and the best Reform­ed Churches. The Pa [...]l. D [...]cl. Sept. 27. 1649. pag. 10. Thirdly, The Procurers of the said Order have been since detected, secluded the House, and by full consent of Parliament decl [...]red, to be no other then a party and faction, acted by the power of darknesse, Apostates from their first principles, bear­ing onely the name of Patriots and Lovers of Religion, and such Re­formers of Popery and prophan [...]nesse as stood themselves in need of Refor­matien: [...] the a­foresaid Decl. pag. 5. 7. 10. Now, of what price or esteem these mens Votes and condemnings ought to be, let either conscience or reason determine. As for the Assembly of Divines, it is well kown, how they were chosen, and that their number does not much ex­ceed 80 persons; Edwards his Antapol [...]gia, pag. 256. Unto which we shall say no more but what one of their Abe [...]tans and Favourites has long ago been forced to acknowledge; There is (saith he) no resolution from any Apostolical primitive pattern of the Churches erected by the Apo­stles, of an Assembly SO CHOSEN BY MAGISTRATES, For the Parl. did no­m [...]nate the Divines o [...] the Assembly. to draw up a Government and Direction in worship for so many Churches, There are above 10000. Parish-Churches in thi [...] Common­wealth. many of which Churches have not so much as one of their members there. Edwards his Antapolo­gia, pag. 83.

QUAERE XII. Whether (since most men and women in England do blind­ly and superstitiously believe, Christ was born on that day) preaching on it doth not nourish and strengthen them in that belief?

ANSWER.

'Tis true; most men and women in England, and indeed all Christian Churches throughout the world do believe that Christ was born on the 25 day of December; but this they do neither blindly nor superstitiously. Not blindly; For they have plenty of ancient Records and the clear Testimonies both of the Greek and Latine Fathers, and other Ecclesiastical Writers, which bear witnesse thereunto: See our 6th Section. Nor superstitiously; For they hold it no point of Religion or Article of faith; and therefore our Quaerist need not fear that preaching on this day [Page 23] will nourish any matter of dangerous consequence. But, Good GOD! how quick-sighted are our Oppon [...]nts in other mens wayes, and how pur-blind in their own? What talk they of superstition? Was there ever read or heard of a more superstitious generation then themselves? Do not most of them teach, that it is unlawfull to administer the Sacraments on any other day then the Lords day, and in any other place then the Church? Do not most of them teach, that it is unlaw­full to receive the Communion, without being confessed and approved by the Priest and his Consistory? alias the Minister and his Eldership. Do not most of them teach, that it is unlawfull to ring the Bels in peale upon the Lords day; To eat Mince-pies, Plumb-por­rage, or Brawn in December; To trim the Church or private house with Holly and Ivy about Christmas, or to strew it with Rushes about Midsummer; To stick a rosting piece of Beef with Rosemary; or to stick a sprig of Rosemary in a Collar of Brawn when it is brought to the table; To play at Cards or Bowles; To hawk or hunt; To give money to a servants or apprentises Box, or to send a couple of Capons or any other present to a friend in the Twelve-dayes; To use a ring in the Solemnization of marriage; To cover a herse with a white sheet; and a thousand such like foppish­superstitious conceits, which to reckon up would be long and needlesse.

QUAERE XIII. Whether this Feast had not its rise and groweth from Chri­stians conformity to the mad Feasts Saturnalia, (kept in December to Saturne the Father of Gods) in which there was a Sheaf offered to Ceres Goddesse of Corne; a hymne in her praise called [...]? And whe­ther those Christians by name, to cloak it, did not afterwards call it Yule, and Christmas, as though it were for Christs honour? And whether it be not yet by some (more ancient then truly or knowingly reli­gious) [Page 24] called Yule, and the m [...]d playes or sports (where­with 'tis celebrated, like those Saturnalia) Yule­games? And whether from the offering of that Sheaf to Ceres; from that song in her praise; from those gifts the Heathens gave their friends in the Calends of January, ominis gratia, did not arise or spring our Blazes, Christmas Kariles, and New-years gifts?

ANSWER.

This Quaere containeth a pack of grosse errours and vain imaginations, taken out of a new phantastical Almanack; The Alma­nack is enti­tuled, A Scri­pture Alma­nack. The truth whereof our Quaerist should have done well to have examined, before he had swallow'd it. As for our Feast of the Nativity; it had its rise from the practice of the pure, ancient, and Apostolick Church; and its growth from Christians con­formity to the said practice; which we have fully and at large proved in our fifth Section. Those Feasts to Saturne, which began on the 17th of December, & lasted three dayes, Vid. Giral­di Calenda [...]i­um ad finem lib. Fast. concern not us; unlesse our Opponents will say, that Christians may not set a day apart to GODS Service in that moneth that Hea­thens had Feasts; and if so, we must bid adiew to all publick Services of GOD. The story of offering a Sheaf to Ceres and of a hymne in her praise at the Feast of Saturne, is down-right false; for that offering and hymne to Ceres was at her own Feast, which was in April: Ante ta­men, quam summa dies spectacula si­stat; Ensiser Orion aequ [...]re mersus erit. Proxima vi­ctricem cum Romam in­spexerit Eons—Circus e­rit pompa ce­leber—hinc Cereris ludi. Ovid. Fasto­ [...]um l. 4. And by consequence those derivations of Yule from [...], and Kariles from Ceres are ridiculous; and sa­vour of as much wit, as that of Tarleton to the School-boyes of Westminster, when he told them, that Nap [...]in came from Ne­ptune, and Trencher from his Trident. The Trea­sure of Wit. pag. 35. But no marvaile, these men should be so ignorant from whence the words come, when they know not how to spell them; for in true spelling it is not Yule, but Ʋle; not Kariles, but Catolles: And that our Opponents may have the just Original of these words, they must understand, that the French call Christmas, Nouël, from the Latine word word Novu [...] which signifies New, because the New-year begins at Christmas. vid. David. Chytraei Dis­posit. Epist. sub initio. From Nouël the people of [Page 25] Normandy, who speak a corrupt kind of French, have their word Nuel; And from Nuel together with the Norman con­quest, the English had Nule or Ʋle; both which words are indeed used at this day in some of the Northerne parts of this Land. The other word Caroll, comes from cantate which si­gnifies to sing, and Rola an Interjection expressing joy; for heretofore in the Burden of delightfull songs and when men were jocund, they were wont to sing Rola, Rola; as, some­times we do Heyda, Heyda, or Derry, Derry. Now, where lies the impiety of those words? Where lies their Heathen­isme? But we find, this is no new trick; we have examples enough (and too many some will say, when they must give an account) of slandering GODS▪ people and Services in this kind: Plutarch tels us, that the ancient Jewes (with whom no doubt was GODS true Religion) did sacrifice to Ceres & Bacchus; and that from Sabafios, one of the names of Bacchus, they called their Feasts Sabbaths. Plu [...]arch. in symposia­cis. Josephus tels us of a sigment no lesse monstrous; That when the Jews came out of Egypt, at the end of every six dayes journey, they were troubled with ulcers and sores in their groines, and for that cause rested the seventh day; and being setled and sound in the land of Judea, they called that day, the Sabbath, from the Egyptian word Sabba [...]osis, which signified a disease in the groine: Joseph. contra Ap. lib. 2. And certainly, one egge is not more like ano­ther, then these are to the conceits of our Opponents. As to their four superstitious scruples propounded in the close of this Quaere; We answer to the First, concerning Ʋle-games or Christmas-sports, that the body is GODS; as well as the spirit; 1 Cor. 6. 20. and therefore why should not GOD be glorified by shewing forth the strength, quicknesse, and agility of our body, as well as by declaring the endowments of our spirit? Provided al­wayes, the said exercises be according to Christian modesty and in due seasons. To the Second, concerning Blazes, we answer, That a great fire, little fire, no fire, are equally ma­terial to the Celebration of Christmas; and yet, why may not Blazes be then allow'd in our chymneys▪ as well as Bonefires in our streets on the fifth of November? To the Third, con­cerning Christmas-Carolles, we answer, That it was an ancient custome amongst the Christians in their Feasts, to bring every [Page 26] one into the midst and incite him to sing unto GOD as well as he could, either out of the holy Scriptures, or of his own wit and invention: U [...] quisque de Scripturis sanctis, vel de proprio inge­nio potest, provocatur in medium DEO canere. Ter­tul. lib. ad­ver [...]us gentes, cap. 39. And why was this course of singing more lawfull in those dayes then now? To the Fourth, concerning New-years gifts, we answer, That we have Scripture-example for sending gifts or portions one to another on dayes of Feasting: Esther 9. 19. 22. And this use then was (say the Assembly of learned Divines) for the maintenance of mu­tual friendship. See their Annotat▪ on Esther 9. 22. How come such gifts to be since unlawfull.

QUAERE XIV. Whether conformity to, and retention of Heathenish Cu­stomes be commendable in Christians, sutable or agree­able with Gospel-principles, though under pretext of Christs Honour and Worship?

ANSWER.

It is a most wicked slander, that we solemnize the day of Christs Nativity under a pretext onely and shew of Christs honour and worship; For with all sincerity and singlenesse of heart we dedicate both the day and our selves on that day to the publick worshipping of GOD, the honouring of Christ, and to a thank­full contemplation of those infinite and unestimable benefits, which accrue unto us by Christs marvellous Birth of a Virgin: Nor is this from any Heathenish Customes, but from the evi­dent examples of GODS Church throughout all ages, ever since Christianity hath been professed. See our fifth Section. And here we shall give our Opponents a Lesson which would be well learned and remembred, that it does not straightway follow, because Hea­thens do it, the thing done is Heathenish, and not sutable with Gospel­principles: For, the principles of the Gospel do confirm, not destroy the principles of nature; and therefore Heathens by the light of natural reason have done and do many excellent things and commendable in Christians. Rom. 2. 14. 15. We find upon Re­cord, the Temperance, Chastity, Prudence, and other Virtues [Page 27] of Heathens; and yet no man can say, that Temperance, Chastity, Prudence, are Heathenish, and not sutable to Gospel-prin­ciples. We read that Heathens do Marry, Bury, Build Churches; and yet no man can say, that Marriage, Burial of our dead, Building of Churche, are Heathenish and not sutable to Gospel­principles. Yea, manifest it is, and some of the New Sabbata­rians confesse, Rich. By­fields Doct [...]. of the Sab. pag. 81. 82. that the Heathens observed the seventh day for a Holy-day and Festival; Joseph. contra Ap. l. 1. & Philo Ju­daeus l. 2. de vita Mosis. and yet they will not say, that the observation of the seventh day is Heathenish and not sutable to Gospel-principles.

QUAERE XV. Whether you are not bound to prove your practice for the conviction and satisfaction of your Brethren, whose du­ty it is to walk with you in things agreeable to the mind of Christ? And in case you cannot; Whether you ought not to acknowledge your errour, lay down your practice (as others have done theirs) no longer befooling and misleading the People?

ANSWER.

Indeed, putting the case as our Quaerist doth, that we can­not prove the lawfulnesse of our practice; 'tis granted, we ought to acknowledge our errour, and lay down our practice: But in Ca [...]e we can prove, as it is manifest we have proved, that our practice hath the approbation of GODS Word, the example of Chri­stians in the Primitive and purest times, the witnesse of the ancient Fathers, the consent of all Reformed Churches; (with which if any thing there be that ever can or will con­vince and satisfie, men ought to rest satisfied,) then, out of our Quaerists own mouth do we inferre, that it is the duty of him and all other our Opponents to walk with us in these things so clearly agreeable to the mind of Christ. And if yet, the good which we have set before them will not prevaile; let our Opponents take into their saddest and most serious thoughts the mani­fold [Page 28] evil which by their non-conformity to our practice ariseth both to themselves and the Churches of GOD. First, It a­bets and gives countenance to Blasphemers; and those so horrid and execrable, that the bare rehersal of their frequent reproaches against our Christian Solemnities would be unto modest eares offensive: You have a taste hereof in our last Se­ction. Secondly, It is a dangerous fore-runner of mens Apostacy from Christ; For, the said non-conformity is a great and manifest schisme in the Catholick Church, and schisme (as we know by heavy experience) produceth Here­sie, Haeretici plerumque siunt Schisma­tici, & vicissim Schismatici plurimum siunt Haeretici. Polan Syntag. Theol. lib. 7. c. 22. and Heresie (without GODS extraordinary preventing Grace) endeth in Apostacy. Thirdly, It condemns and ca­steth dirt on the face of the pure, ancient, Apostolick Church­es. Fourthly, It is directly against the Solemne League and Co­venant, which obligeth every one in his place and calling to act according to the Word of GOD and the example of the best Reformed Churches. Article 1. Fifthly, It is an argument of superstition; For, to account dayes holy or unholy in themselves, is equally superstitious. Sixthly, It teaches disobedience unto, at least a neglect of, the Magistrates power in matters Ecclesiastical. Seventhly, It is a contempt of Ʋniversal Tradition; which hath ever been held a sure mark of truth, Vincent. Le­rine [...]s. contra H [...]res. cap. 3. and one of the best testimonies that the Scriptures be the Word of GOD. Bucan. loc. com. 4. q. 13. Hooker. Eccl. Pol. lib. 4. Yea, we desire our Opponents to consider, that upon no other ground then this of Ʋniversal Tradition, do Christians believe that Matthew, Luke and John, wrote those Gospels, in which is declared the Birth of Christ: Matth. 1. 18. Luke 2. 7. John 1. 14. And, if the Ʋniversal Tradition of GODS Church be a necessary and certain foundation, whereon to build ou [...] belief of the said Gospels from which we have the relation of Christs Birth; It must likewise be yielded, that Ʋni­versal Tradition is as certain a foundation, whereon to build our belief, that Christ was born on the 25th day of December, and that that day is to be yearly celebrated by all Christians in memory there­of; For both these are no lesse assured unto us by Ʋniversal Tradition, See our 5th and 6th Sect. then the former. Lastly, It is an inlet to all con­fusion and disorder in the Churches of Christ; For if no­thing must be admitted, but what hath Special Scripture-warrant, [Page 29] either in expresse termes or by sound consequence; See Quaere 3. & 4. Then it followes undeniably, that the Lords day and all set dayes of GODS worship, set Fast-dayes, set Le­ctures, daily prayers with our Families, singing one Psalm all together, Bucan. loc. com. 43. [...]. 10. erecting Churches, Parochial Congrega­tions, publique catechizing of youth, asking Banes and the Ministers solemnizing of Matrimony, Exhortations at burials, must not be admitted; for no [...]e of these nor many things more, now in practice amongst us, have any Spe­cial Scripture-warrant at all.

QUAERE XVI. Whether in case you return no answer to these Quaeres, I have not ground sufficient to conclude you utterly unable to give any rational account of your practice, now put upon it?

ANSWER.

Sir, You have an account of our practice; and how ratio­nal it is, we appeale to your own conscience and the judge­ment of the Christian World. Now for conclusion, take here the words of a most eminent Divine whose learning and piety hath placed him beyond exception; There is (saith he) B. Andrewes in his serm. upon John 8. v. 56. no day so properly Christs as his Birth-day; which may ap­pear, if we set it in comparison with other dayes of most memo­rable note, as the day of his Passion, Resurrection, and Ascen­sion: for the day of his Passion, that was not so properly his, be­cause two theeves suffered with him at the same time, in the same place, after the same manner: Luke 23. 32. 33. Nor the day of his Resurre­ction; for as he rose from the dead, so did others the same day, and went into the holy Citie: Matth: 27. 52. 53. Nor the day of his Ascension; for Enoch and Elias had their Ascension too, and that long be­fore his: Gen. 5. 24. 2 Kings 2. 11. But his Birth-day was HIS without a fellow; none [Page 30] ever SO borne, none ever borne SUCH a one; and therefore (as no Festivity is besides it) it is attended, as Christ himself, with an Apostolical retinue of Holy-dayes.

Halelu-Jah.

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal licence. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.