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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A25462	Mysterium pietatis or The mysterie of godlinesse wherein the mysteries contained in the incarnation circumcision wise-men passion resurrection ascension. Of the Son of God, and comeing of the Holy-Ghost, are unfolded and applied. At Edinburgh. By Will. Annand, M.A. one of the ministers of that city, late of University Coll. Oxon.	Annand, William, 1633-1689.	1671 (1671)	Wing A3220; ESTC R218527	157,174	382

Nativity The Synod smelling a Rat refused the motion Leo having been cited before them for Censure yet Censured not the request nor hissed at the purpose adjacent Ministers being easely obtained Synod Dordre sess 36. and 45. How would some of our Precisians have ranted dissented to let the world know them to be no small fools it is probable they had protested against such Actings VEIW these Churches in their severall precincts it shall be found Dayes of this fort are not condem'd as unholy or superstitious but honourably mentioned those of Suitzerland Decently observing the Incarnation the Circumcision c. The like is done by the Churches of Germany Hungaria Transilvania those of the great Dukedome of Lituania the greater and lesser Polonia the Fratres Bohemi those of Moravia Holland France in Genevah its true they are not observed yet it 's as true that she condemns not these that do approving and commending thereof as her subscription to the Helvetick Confession apparently evinceth Durells veiw p. 25.26 THE practices of the Reformed Kingdomes of Denmark Norway and Sweden is Known which appended to what hath been declared may strick an aw Creat a terror in the bosome of that Malapert whose rigid conceptions are wraping to a tendency of disrelishment disrespect or Censure THE Fairest Daughters of the Church Reformed being our own three Kingdomes are not to want their due respect the particular judgement of each one being equivalent to many extraneous or beyond Sea provinces as the Judicious among those will declare we begin with Ireland as farthest off whose Clergy in a numerous Convocation in Dublin Anno Dom. 1615. agreeth in their Confession that every particular Church hath Authority to institute Change put away Ceremonies and other Ecclesiasticall rites c. Constituting others making more to seemlinesse or edification Art of Irel. 77. Vpon which firme basis stands fixed her obedience in pleading for and standing to the observance of these dayes England in her Confession drawn up Anno Dom. 1562. speaketh the samething both agreeing to the Reformed Churches abroad saying Every particular or nationall Church hath Authority to ordaine change and abolish Ceremonys and rites of the Church so that all things be done to edifying adding that whosoever through his privat judgement willfully and purposely doth openly break the Traditions and Ceremonies of the Church not repugnant to the word ordained by Authority ought to be rebuked as he that offendeth against the Common ordor of the Church thus fare the Article Now though neither of these be so expresse as are the Confessions of the Helvetian Churches allowing the Celebration of the Lords Nativity Circumcision c. nor as that of Ausburgh the standart of the Reformed Churches abroad retaining the traditions of about holy dayes the Lords day the Nativity the Passeover c. Yet upon these pillars stood that Arch of her Law and Church constitution Anno Dom. 1630. viz. All manner of persons shall from henceforth Celebrate and Keep the Lords day and other holy dayes according to Gods holy will and pleasure that is in hearing the word c. And where is that Church Rome excepted in the whole world Regularly constitute did ever presume to Censure England in this particular nay where is that Church except as above excepted but blesseth her as a Daughter and prays for her as a Mother SCOTLAND is behind none of the Reformed Churches in defence of the matter questioned for she in her Reformation which truly in this was according to the best Reformed Churches by the Lords of the Congregation after mature deliberation for raising bulwarks against Popery concluded that in all parishes the lessons of the Old new Testament should be read on Sundayes and other FESTIVAL DAYES Spots Hist. lib. 3. Ann. Dom. 1558. the sence of the word FESTIVAL determineth the Authors exemption from obloquy upon the account of this works were any of these noble Patriots alive to peruse his discourcess but least any suspend belief of the thing out of prejudice to that most Reverend Historian I hope Mr. Knox will have some influence upon the weak in faith who records the same thing to be done by the same persons whom he calls Lords and Barons professing Christ Jesus Reformed preachers rejoyceing and much encouraged thereby the Popish Clergy being on the other hand much Incensed Knox Hist. lib. 1. Was not our old League with England in our new dayes and Vniformity thereto in the mouths of many which was begun by subscription and consenting to the rites and service of that Church by which the French was here overthrown the Pope the most Christian and Catholick King being angry thereat Buchan Scot. Hist. lib. 19. All which put together with the legall procedure of Future times demonstrateth those bug-bare ordinances Votes and Resolves contrary to those proceedings which hath troubled our Lands were not Nationall decrees but Falacious opinions And beheld by the Churches abroad as could be proved by numerous instances not so much the Doctrine of our Reformed Churches as the Dodder of our Churches Reformed i. e. weeds growing about them excrescences of the Earth occasioned by showers and Tempests of popular commotion and in seren sky cast over the wall and Empalement of our Congregations BVT yet if any man be contentious and still hold this youngling as Popishly affected its Father the Author from these vndenyable records smiles at the expression pittys their mistake justifying himself against such selandarous taunts in St. Pauls words we have no such custome that is so to speak neither the Churches of God But for peace sake do wish the dissenter to cognosce before he condemn For as the Erecting of the Altar of Ed. Ios. 22.10 Occasion'd a surmise of Rubens Apostacy and Idolatry was upon search found otherwise so a right stateing of the Question and a seasonable distinction as with them may make us blesse pray for and part from each other to the laying aside contention and debate which the sense of the Reformed Church about these things when hearkned unto shall happily procure MYSTERIUM PIETATIS OR THE MYSTERIE OF THE INCARNATION OF THE SON of GOD Unfolded and applied Christmas Sunday Tolbooth Church 1670. YVLE Sunday Tolbooth Church 1670. JEREMIAH XXXI XXII How long wilt thou go about O thou back-sliding Daughter For the Lord hath created a new thing in the Earth A woman shal compass a man VICE and Folly are so congenit with the Essence and soul of man since his fall that Aristippus counted a good or temperate man to be the most admirable thing in the World and the Orator beholding the proclivity of most unto that which by the torch-light of Nature was to be condemned chused rather then be led by them to become a Victime or Sacrifice unto Reason and perish with good men wherefore GOD superadding to those un-audiable censures motives and documents suggested vigorously by the Spirit into the hearts of people as perswasives unto vertue hath

Ancestors bequeathed ample legacies one is that whatever savors of that Ancient Doctrine established in the Church who for her age and Religious hoarinesse ought to be accounted venerable Invidiously is by some foolishly is by many houted upon as Superstitious Idolatrous and Anomolous to verity and Truth atteesting yet without ground that whatever in Divinis cannot be found in express text as Fornication should not be named among Saints Obtruding this upon some Disciples it cannot be supposed but this smal treatise because an ofspring of Antiquity shall be deemed scandalous and as a misshappen birth in the Midwifery of their forestalled fancy be smother'd as soon as parted from the womb of the Press and not buried but cast forth through the dung-gate of Obloquie or into the Kidrone of disdain NOT considering that if the question should be put concerning some approved practises and strongly pleaded for Resolves the legitimating of many Acts should be found to emerge from Scripture Logically that is Rationally understood conform to that rule a Minore ad Majus The Iewes appointing feasts as that of Dedication one great Jew instituting a feast as that of Purim the Zealous separating dayes from civil use to commemorat mercy the devout Magistrate designing such and such hours o● dayes for publick preaching Colledges Halls Hospitalls Schools solemnizing dayes in memory of their pious Founders Religious Benefactors exempteth the Church from Censure in enacting festivitys for her Lords birth passion or Resurrection SINCE the world could not contain the books had all things been writen which were done or said concerning it by Christ the world I inferr is to rest satisfied when any thing is done not contrary to the things in that one Book taught and delivered by him or at least not to condemn it which so much the less ●s to be done that the Judges of these exercises seldome if ever were they exactly scann'd are found seriously to reflect upon any one day in the year the matter wherefore these dayes were set apart which they condemne because fixed principaly upon one day ANABAPTISTS infringe that liberty our Lord hath procured for us in denying infant-baptism as if they were without the Covenant in which more higher priveledges are tacitly granted to the Jew then Christian he wanting the other enjoying the comforts of admitting his Son into that promise made of old unto the people the Almighty styling himself Lord God of your Fathers whereas the Baptized by them stands in a particular or personall Relation to the Same Lord from which there doth not flow so eminent Consolation in case of Death in Infancy AND such who will not allow the Church in separating times of worship for dazeling that is singular acts of Grace ought to reflect how the vesture of the Christian under Gospel-dispensation is our-tail'd being made more short more bare more thinn that is the Churches freedom more impared by the Death of he● Saviour then amplified and enlarged we b●●fore seeing the Phylactery of the Iew so extensively broad large honourably gracefull under Typicall oblations Synagogue and Temple-service the removeall of which discharging to the now Believer that piece of true devotion wherein the Faithfull of old appeared before God with joy haveing Roome that is liberty to make to keep Holy-day IT S granted that neither Jew nor Gentile men or Angel ●an dare or make offer to make a day holy now but to observe a day Holily or to separate a Civil day that is one of the six for a Holy use a Saint-like encompassing the throne of God for Celebrating praise or powring forth prayer as by many it is held good and performed in the week so ought it not to be judged supperstitious if done by others in the Return of the year IVDICIOUS Calvin expoundeth those places of St Paul Orthodoxly genuine Let no man judge you in meat or drinke or in respect of a holy day 2 Cal. 16. Ye observe day●s and months and times and years Gal. 4.10 One man esteemeth one day above another Rom. 14.5 For quis nisi Furioso who saith he but Mad-men will here understand any observation condemned save what ritualy shadowed Christ to come neque Ecclesias damnavero neither shall I censure marke the words those Churches who have instituted other solemn dayes for the Congregations Conveening together they Keeping from superstition of which they shall be free when appointed purely for good order and Discipline not as shadows of the Law c. Institut lib. 2. c. 8. S. 33. Whence its deducible that feasts so observed are not to be accounted either Jewish or Popish they being purely to Commemorat Christ already come and appointed for that end before either Pope or Romish Antichrist that is to say before the usurpation of the Bishop of Rome above all called gods FOR when the Records of the Church shall be exactly viewed and when again more diligently inspected and a search made after that then for greater security if once more there be a tumbling over the monuments of Ancient times the Time the Place the Persons by whom the dayes here marked were distinguished and first instituted shall never be found never be heard of so that it was a puzling and thorny question and for ought we find an Unanswered one proposed by our Late Soveraign April ● 1647. of blessed memory in these words I desire to be resolved why the new Reformers discharge the keeping of Easter the Celebration wherof being of the same Authority which changed the Iewish Sabbath into the Lords-day Saturday being no where discharged wherefor it must be the Churches Authority that changed the one and instituted the other therefore my opinion is that those who will not keep this Feast may as well return to the observation of Saturday and refuse the weekly Sunday when any body can shew me that herein I am in an error I shall not be a shamed to confesse and amend it till when you Meaning the Comissioners and Ministers treating in the Isle of Wight Know my mind C. R. THERE is no foot-steps of Antiquity indeed declaring the rise either of the one or other and those Arguments from proportion touching the vndenyed one wants not their influence in approving the other controverted the old Church by her own power abolishing the Iewish Sabbath though expresse law and Divine sanction for its observance is scattered throughout Moses the Prophets the present Church abrogating by not using Apostolical constitutions though enjoyned by the holy Ghost in proper terms as not abstaining from blood not anointing the sick not tarrying one for another before the Sacrament of the Supper in St. Pauls sense not having Deaconesses to attend the poor Clinick sick and bed-rid Against which such as are not distracted foameth not nor at the Churches desuetude thereof being convinced at the Reasonablnesse of her omission and her Authority so to doe which in the case under debate is also to be acquiesed in and

Natalitials of our Saviour Greg. Naz. Orat. 38. Whence the Golden-mouthed Father prefaceth a Sermon in upbraiding such whose zeal and fervour excited only to Communicat upon such dayes which yet might be often and not upon others pathetically shewing how each day might be made a Festival Chrys. in Fide Ane Hom. 5. Which them● by Origen who was Famous Anno Dom. 226. was closely followed in his writting in defence of the Gospel against the cavils of subtile Philosophers affirming that to Keep a feast was but to attend dutifully offering up Prayer and praise as unbloody sacrifices unto God and he who believed the death of Christ and lived by his word did Celebrate the Pasch such who went to an upper Chamber to pray with one accord Keeped the Pentecost c. Contra Cels. lib. 8. WHAT more for Paper would faile if exact rehearsal of the practise of the most fam'd most Ancient most edifying most Religiou● Sermons Orations Persons Churches and Nations touching these things were in Individuo Specified without boasting what hat● been said as light may Conjure those Spectrum Phantasmes Phasmes and Apparitions of pretended supperstition though walking in 〈◊〉 heavenly garb by a holy vogue to disappeare as Impostors airey vanitys possessing nothing of the substance of solid piety not having th● true body of Refined Reason Laws Edicts and Authority regulating Christianity in this exercise by uniting Churches for observing in the Circumstance of time that for the doing whereof they had Authority from Apostles or Apostolick men I say Circumstance of time there being a while disagreement among the Churches when but never about whether these dayes should be observed the difference in our own Churches about Easter after Austine the monks enstalment being removed by Theodorus Bishop of Canterbury a Citizen of no mean City born in Tarsus in Cilicia St Pauls Countrey who appointed the feast of Easter to Commence according to our present Computation Anno Dom. 662. Ful. Eccles. Hist. Cent 7. WHEREBY Vnity was beheld in the Churches of Palestine that Conforming with the Churches of Antioch of the greater and lesser Asia of Egypt Thessalonica Athens and Corinth the Churches of the Isle St. Thoms of Iberia the Mengrellians bordering on the black Sea those of Phrigia Galathia Bythinia Lydia Caria Paphlagonia Magnesia Lycia Alepo Damascus Tripoly Cyprus Candia Zant. those of Media Persia India those of the Abyssins Babylon Syria and those of the once great Kingdom of China For a learned Author shewing how all these Churches though under the Dominion of the Turk Rome or Pagans agree with us in the great matters agitat against our Romish adversaries as in the Supremacy Purgatory halfe Communion Transubstantation c. Discovers also their disagreement from us in severall points to Instance onely in the case in hand some beginne their Lent ten dayes before ours some fast nine dayes before the Ascension in regard of Christs absence from the Apostles which to them they reckon a time of sorrow Paget Christian ograph 146. and 150. Which exception from our observance evidenceth their agreement with us in the matter under proof according to that Known rule exceptio firmat in non exceptis SHOULD we say in all this they inclin'd to Popery waspishly they would sting and frettingly would they be angry having against that so great an aversness that the Patriarch or Archbishope of Constantinople when Elected by his Clergy and confirmed by the Barut or Patent of the Grand-Segnior in the Government of the Churches of Greece Macedon Epirus Thrace Mosina Maldavia Corsu in the Egean Se● c. having under him seventy four Archbishops I say this great Patriarch yearly upon the Sunday called Dominica Invocavit solemnly excommunicats the Pope and all his Clergy for Schismaticks its true of late his seat hath been oft at Musco where to this day if a Roman priest by chance should officiat upon any of their tables or Altars as polluted or accursed they break it into pieces Paget ut sup c 29. A Learned Critick and Antiquary viewing the severall Churches of the world finds that part of the Greek Church in Armenia Celebrating the Nativity not as wee but upon the sixth of January Bree●woods inquir 124. as if that had been his birth day which indeed is an old opinion being received by some but neither so universaly nor so rationaly believed Chrys. Hom. de Nat. led thereunto through a mistake of the word Epiphania signifying manifestation they concluded the time of his birth and baptisme to be one for which cause it may be yet the Ethiopicks sprinkle themselves in the Epiphany in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost yet not as essential unto Faith but as Historicall a remembrance of our Saviours baptisme Barrets travells p. 146. YET the received opinion by the Current Testimony of all Antiquity from the first and primitive times was the feast of Christmas that is with the old Saxon Christs feast computed and appointed to be observed as it is now being Inclyta solemnitas a Famous Festivity over all the world Cyp. de Nat. Ser. giving it as genuine Characters of true profession to observe the Lords-day and Festivals Tert. de Idol c. 15. TO make yet a doubting Thomas believe the existence of no Popry in this codicle let him thrust his hand into the side and looke upon the Prints of these things in the body of the Church Reformed he shall or may be ascertained of its Innocency in this matter or be forced to exalt himself above all in our Israel accounting none to be so wise so pure so knowing so holy as he in all our Congregations when put together BEHOLD Eminent Emissaries of those Churches chosen as messengers from Holland Gilderland Zealand Vtrech Frizland Transylvania Groning from the Palatinate Landgrave of Hesse Helvetia Genevah from the Republick of Brem and that of Embden and from the Kingdom of great Britaine met together at Dort to Censure Remove and Rebuke opposers of their peace and Corrupters of the Doctrine of the Reformed Church for preventing of Error Heresy and Division And see them all seated debating for this end yet unanimously agreeing in full Synod to Intermitt for a while untill the feast of the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour which then approached was performed and over The foraigne Divines being desired not to remove from Towne for more convienency of meeting the solemnity being done This motion freely obeyed and by none disputed may put some stop to the grumbling Zelot not to say the Censorious Hypocrite whose Religion perhaps should altogether not only be questioned but his prophannesse attested had he not the salvo of twitting others in the teeth as Formalists to buoy up his Credit with the headless Vulgar And when the Magistrats of Bommel writ requesting that Henricus Leo their Minister might be allowed to repare to his congregation to preach Administer c. with his own people upon the feast of the