Apostles age is the first that writes about it and all he says is from certain Epistles received by Tradition n. 3. he sayes All the Provinces of Asia observed it on the fourteenth day as from a more ancient Tradition and a custome long before delivered to them which says the Doctor considering the time wherein this question was agitated at the end of the second Century can amount to little less then Apostolical But more then this in the Epistle of Pollycrates to Victor he says Many Biships of Asia observed the fourteenth day according to the Gospel keeping exactly the Canon of faith no way wavering from it A good while after comes Nicephorus no very credible Authour and says n. 10. Following the Apostolical tradition upward or from the beginning and that expresly from Saint Peter the Apostle which says the Doctor most confidently still leaves the matter most evident and irrefragable that this feast of Easter which sure is a Christian Festival was observed and celebrated by the Apostles c. This was spâ—ken for the practice of the Western Church whâ— kept on the Lords day but the Eastern observation might fall on any other day of the week as the Jewish Pasch did But Socrates in his time observed n. 16. That several nations had their several customes of observing Easter That is as his words are As in many other things so also the Feast of Easter by custome in every nation had a peculiar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 private observation because none of the Apostles gave to any a Law about it Now these things hang not well together I shall propound some considerations to cool the Doctors confidence to weaken if not to break this his standard of all other Festivals and to make it more then probable that it is not Apostolicall 1. The best and onely ground he findes to pitch his Standard on is but Tradition unwritten Tradition not the least title of Scripture consequence but that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which by and by The plea is the very same with Papists for their Festivals and other Ceremonies Socrates who relates the debate between the Eastern and Western Churches and their plea on both sides from several Apostles addes But not a man of either side could produce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a written demonstration of these things They all plead unwritten uncertain Tradition Whereas a standard for all Festivals should have at least one foot standing upon a written word It is too much though too ordinary for the Doctor to comply with Rome in the countenancing of unwritten Traditions 2. Traditions Apostolical do sometimes imply their written Institutions and instructions Hold the Traditions * Traditiones vocat doctrinae institutu Religionis Christianae c. Estius in locum which ye have been taught by word or our Epistle 2 Thes 2.15 which no doubt were both the same But the Doctor though in the Authorities pleaded he is content they shall use the words Apostolical Tradition often yet himself waves it and never calls his Festivals an Apostolicall Tradition but an Apostolical observation * The words of Nicephorus in the margine p. 242. n. 5. are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apostolical Authority which is more then custome practice c. not Englished by the Doctor custome practice n. 10.17 18 19. The reason is because an Apostolical Tradition to the Churches to keep might well infer an Institution and so Divine Authority which he knew he could never prove and therefore pleads Onely the Practice Apostolical and not their commanding it by Law n. 17. But say I Apostolical Practice onely makes it more uncertain and more unable to bear his Standard because they practised many things not as Christians or to be conveyed to Christian Churches but meerly too comply with the Jewes their countrey-men to win them the better as was said above 3. p. 242. n. 5 6. Yet what is that less then an Apostolical Divine Institution which Polycrates and his fellows plead for their custome All which saith he observed the fourteenth day according to the Gospel not at all transgressing but following the Canon of Faith But then it might be feared and inferred that Peter and Paul transgressed both against the Gospel and Canon of Faith in their contrary custome Let him see to that Is it not very probable that Paul who was often and long in Asia would have withstood Philip and John to their faces as he did Peter the prime Apostle in a like case Gal. 2. for judaizing and complying with the Jews in the Festival who had set up another Day in the Western Church or rather had cryed down the observation of such dayes in other Churches Rom. 14. Gal. 4. 4. If it were I say not of Apostolical Divine institution of Apostolical observation and practice as a Christian Festival would they have differed so in their Tradition of it to the Churches being guided all by the same Spirit would Philip and John observe and leave to the Eastern Churches the Jewish day and Peter and Paul the Lords day all of them jointly having appointed in all Churches a weekly day for the commemoration of the Resurrection which is also made the foundation of Easter day It 's nothing probable 5. If the Eastern observation of Easter was according to the Gospel and Canon of Faith how came it to pass that that custome was abolished as it was and the Western was established was not this to set the Churches together by the eares both of them pleading Apostolical Tradition 6. The Romish plea for their custome from Peter and Paul may reasonably be judged to be forged as their primacy of the Pope is For 1. it's most probable that Peter was never at Rome but uncertain and false Tradition so would have it as our best Divines do make it appear 2. It s most improbable that Paul who was so vehement against all observation of Feasts except the Lords day should institute or practice the same Festival and that at Rome and so build again what he had destroyed Rom. 14.6 Gal. 4. 7. It s no way credible that the Apostles all or any of them would first cry down the Festivals as Jewish and presently set it up as Christian or 2. set up an annual day for the commemoration of the Resurrection the Lords day being before set up for the same end 3. Or lay such a ground of difference to the succeeding Churches by different timeing of it Credat Judaeus apella Non ego 8. How came that contest between Victor and the Afiaticks about the day when the same difference was between him and the French and Brittain Churches No less then a threefold different observation of Easter in the Western Churches as was noted 9. Why does not the Dr. endeavour to recover the day which Philip our Apostle and first planter by some sent hither by him endowed us with and that according to the Gospel and
I dare not be so confident as he is to boast in a manner That this hath been the onely aim of all hitherto publisht by him and so fully satisfied in himself thereof that he doubts not to approve it to any that can make question of it What even to God himself Is not the heart deceitful above all things Did not Paul think he aimed at Gods glory in persecuting the Truth Do not the Advocates of Rome confidently pretend the same end with him in propagating their Errors and Superstitions Is not the Doctor himself a man animal gloriae Does not much learning and knowledge puff up and cause the owners to start up new marks of self-reputation and vain-glory But this I can freely grant That in such Doctrines as these before us which have immediate influence upon practice it is charity to endeavour the disabusing of all and not to suffer any fruitful and noxious Errour upon my neighbour which if my heart deceive me not was one ground of my undertaking his three Treatises 8. As for his Discourse of Infant-Baptism both what he hath written and what he intends to publish more I shall wish it good speed but I fear it will little prevail with his adversary who is tenacious of Scripture evidence but little moved by Customes of the Church either Jewish or Christian And his way of proving it waving the Scripture grounds whence it may fairly be deduced may tend to weaken those Arguments of Scripture and in the end may serve to strengthen Traditions wherein the Scripture is silent And this I fear was the Doctors Design in his first Quaere for Resolving Controversies 9 He does very well to wish the Reader the ease of a spectator that it may be his lot to live peaceably and quietly with all men But I am sure this will not be long of him who does what he can to give some of his Readers my self and some others the labour of some moneths if not years if our Replies be prolonged to the measure of his Answers wherein how ambitious soever they be of Peace it is violently wrested from them by his drawing out the Saw of Contention by multitude of words 10. That he hath fortified himself with what patience I know not for the present undertaking is visible enough by the bulk of his Book which will make it but little supportable to his Readers For though he have not transcribed the several Sections of my Diatribe's which had been equal and fair to have done but rather omits to take notice several times of four or five leaves together where it was too hot or too heavy yet hath he poured out a flood of words as the Sepia her inbie stuff to delude the Fisherman to drown a poor little Tract of fourteen with well nigh forty sheets of paper If I should hold proportion in my Reply the volume will swell so big that we may write upon it Quis legethaec Onely this may be added That as if he wanted employment to set himself on work and to trouble his Reader he catches at every little oversight See his Superst sect 32. intention or extention whether of my self or the Printers as for instance sometimes he complains of Figures too many or too few sometimes the mistake of a Letter Intention for Intension c. whereof I shall give him an account in due time by shewing the same mistakes in his own saying onely now It becomes not so grave a Doctor to catch flies having so much greater work to do 11. Lastly This I thought good to give the Reader notice of That the Doctor hath obscured the business by a new obstruse method of answering both concealing my particular Sections which he might easily have followed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as I did his and also devising a new method of Chapters Sections Numbers that his Reader must needs be put to much trouble to finde out mine and more to compare them with his Whereas if he had followed me Section by Section as I did him every thing had been visible in its place and easier to judge of I shall not trouble the Reader to go seek for Chapter Section Number in his discourse but onely point him to the page and number where he may readily finde what is excepted to Onely first I am engaged to follow him in his Chapter that concerns my Title Page for that hath not escaped his censure and then that which takes notice of my Preface and with all due speed to come to his Animadversions upon my particular Diatribe's 2. Of my Title pages 1. HE spake afore in his Preface of my little partiality in examining his Tracts pag. 1. n. 1. but himself is more scrupulous in examining my very Title Pages and the Scriptures themselves by me prefixed are called to Account for standing there especially that of Col. 2.4 8. as intended for an Antidote against that Philosophy c. which Paul forewarns men there to take heed of To which I shall onely say that I see no reason why it might not be as lawful for me to set this Scripture before my Tract of Superstition as for him to set the very same Scripture after his Tract of Superstition for so it is Take heed that no man deceive you with vain words no doubt intended for a Antidote against Philosophy c. And what unkindness to Num. 2. and jealousie of Phylosophy I shewed therein was the very same which himself shewed in his yea the same which Saint Paul then had amongst his Colosians Not I suppose the Gnosticks Divinity who were not then hatched but that Phylosophy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of False Apostles risen newly out of the Sects of Phylosophers whom the Divel stirred up to corrupt Religion with partly Phylosophycal notions and partly Judaical genealogies and Fables as almost all Interpreters besides himself do understand those texts by him cited n. 3 pag. 2. And how conveniently this text was accommodated to any to all my discourses will be discerned by my answer to his 4 questions 1. The text had no relation to Gnostick principles and therefore none of theirs are charged upon any of his Tracts But enticing words and subtle perswasions with Phylosophycal notions and reasons wherewith many say the Doctor is as well furnished as any man may there be found 2. Thereupon it is not charged upon him as Heretical or Heathenish or as Gnosticisme to maintain the celebration of Christs Nativity to have nothing criminous in it But this is charged upon him To make that day more holy and a part of worship as some with the Doctor have done and is not yet denied in all this discourse of his is justly censurable as criminous either under the Head of Superstition or Will-worship or both 3. No blameless Institutions of the Church no not of Rome it self are charged by any that I know for Despoiling of Christians or Sacriledges keeping them within Scripture bounds But
for the sense of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Vulg. Lat. and others must signifie an excess So much of that Section Section 23 24. The second Inconsequence he sayes is this That the use of Ceremonies or Rites in the Worship of God if not distinctly prescribed c. THis I said I believed was a mistake but rather thus That what Rite c. is made a part of Worship c. is superstitious Now sayes he This is brief p. 77. n. 1. but very considerable and might well make an end of this debate between the Diatribist and me 'T is the yielding me the whole cause and I have no more to contend for but onely peace n. 3. But then why did he say just now The question must be set not of Vncommanded Worship but of Ceremonies c. And he being certified of this my sense long ago why hath he contended thus long about nothing to violate that pretended peace Do I or any of our Divines say that Vncommanded Rites c. are superstitious unless they be made parts of Worship c. Yes he would perswade me that I know some who condemne uncommanded Rites as superstitious p. 77. n. 2. because super statutum such as kneeling at the Eucharist Cross in Baptisme c. Truly I can safely profess I know none that do condemn those as superstitious but that they conceived them to be made by some parts of Worship He should have done well to name some of them That he will by and by but first he askes Why then did he undertake the confutation of the Tract of Superstition which he must know intended no more then this c. But I believe he intended more than this in that Tract viz. to plead secretly for some Vncommanded Worship which he newly made the onely matter of contest between us Yet if he will needs know the reasons of my undertaking that Tract these they were 1. To vindicate the truth from his interpolutions and obscurations in Thesi of the full sense of the word Superstition 2. Because I saw he pleaded for Vncommanded Worship as well as Circumstances c. 3. Because in Hypothesi I saw he makes some of his Rites c. parts of Worship as his Festival in particular which yet elsewhere he calls but a Circumstance of Worship These were some of my reasons if I have any more he shall hear them anon But though I know none that condemne Vncommanded Rites or Ceremonies as superstitious c. yet he may know some p. 78. n. 5. Who have abstained from the use of some Ceremonies meerly upon this score because commanded by their Civil and Ecclesiastical Superiors I fear this is as he calls such charges a calumny They were conscientious godly men and gave all due Honour and obedience to their Superiors in all Indifferent things and that they should abstain from some Ceremonies meerly upon this score because Commanded c. is to me incredible They might and did abstain from some Ceremonies as too many and burthensome but especially as they esteemed them to be made parts of Worship which they have I think proved some of them to be The Doctor himself condemns the number and burdensomeness of them and as made new sorts of Worship and so they are agreed and pity it is he and they should fall out again But he will break the peace what ever it cost him Instead of naming those men without their consent for that must now be the vilifying them c. as not understanding Christians in the Diatribist censure he will name one upon whom he may pass what judgement he please the Diatribist himself p. 31. Where first he hath these words If men may judge what are fit for number and wholesomness every after-comer may think himself as wise as he that went before till they have loaded the Christian above the Jew 2. That the Learned Chamier c. How will he hence prove his calumny against me and learned Chamier glad I am of so good company Why thus If the objection be because men are Judges of the number c. as they are when they command then they that abstain from Indifferent Ceremonies upon this score most abstain because commanded by lawful Authority Oh the Doctors conscience Do any men abstain from Indifferent Ceremonies it is from Uncommanded Worship at least as they suppose He hath therefore varied the question And if he had but looked back to the former page of mine p. 29. he had found that which might have silenced all this vain and false discourse There I say If men or any number of men may be competent Judges in the Worship of God in the Worship not in the Circumstances of Worship will not the wisdom and wit of man expatiate here and grow wanton But if we extend it to his Ceremonies are not my words every way true Does not long experience of all ages make it evident that the Wisdome and Wit of men hath herein grown wanton Let the Church of Rome be the instance have not they loaded the Christian above the Jew and the * See p. 38. Greek Church as much And I retort it upon the Doctor If the Judges of Ceremonies for number and wholesomness have such large unquestionable Authority to appoint what Ceremonies they shall judge most useful most for edification and most agreeable to the analogy of faith As he asserts they have of Fest s 9. Then the Judges of the next age having the very same power with their predecessors may add as many more and the next after them as many more as they shall think useful to those ends till they have made the number great and burthen intollerable This consequence is unavoidable upon his Antecedent It therefore concerns him as well as me to expedite himself out of this snare How shall this be done to free us both I conceive one of these wayes 1. That the power of the Church reaches onely to Circumstances of Worship respecting Order and Decency and then as any Wise-man can easily determine them by the Light of Reason as Time Place Gesture in Worship so they will be very Few and cannot well be Multiplied being the same or like in all ages of the Church And this I think is most suitable to the Simplicity of Gospel Worship 2. Or else that if the Church take upon her to appoint new Ceremonies above what the Scripture holds out she makes them parts of Worship as the Church of Rome does all her Ceremonies and some did some of ours which is unlawful And this was the opinion of those who abstained from our Ceremonies that they were made parts of Worship and therefore unlawful These things satisfie me If they do not please the Doctor let him take his own way to expedite himself Sure if he were but constant to himself and did not confound Circumstances and Ceremonies putting one for another as if they were the same he might remember
Doctor with that he sayes The Apostle does not speak of Commands but Doctrines Whereas I say he speaks of Commands as well as Doctrines both the words are here commands I say not of the Magistrate that I disclaim as well as he but of False-Teachers See my 4. s and his own acknowledgment p. 104. n. 1. who laid those Abstinencies upon their Disciples as their Doctrines and Commands but were nothing but Traditions and commands of men who had no Authority in point of Worship so to impose upon the people of God and then all his labour in the 3. and 4. numb is utterly lost What the meaning of Commands here is and whether the same with Doctrines as the Doctor sayes we shall consider anon But one thing must here be remembred he sayes That the Seducers spoken of in that Chapter were the Gnostick Hereticks p. 103. n. 5. This is once afore said by him and many times more hereafter I know not well how oft I shall here speak to it once for all and but point at it when ever it comes again 1. The Gnostick Hereticks were not yet hatched when Paul writ this Epistle to the Colossians I finde no newes of them till the time of Basilides Carpocrates and Valentinian who all lived in the second Century about 120. or 130. These were the first that cal'd themselves Gnosticks as men of greater knowledge then any others So Iraeneus lib. 1. Of Heresie c. 34. Ex his c. from these Basilides Carpoor c. Who were formerly cal'd Sinoniani the multitude of the Gnosticks did arise So Tertull. Advers Valentin Atque ita insolescentes doctrinae Valentiniorum in sylvas jam exoleverunt Gnosticorum Upon which words Rhenanus thus Valentiniani superbo nomine se Gnosticos appellabant Horam principem facit Irenaeus Valentinianum I know how the Doctor will evade by saying The name indeed began then but the Doctrines were the same with those of Nicholas and Simon c. who lived in the Apostles times So Epiphan and Austin seem to say But that 's but an equivocation or evasion to say the Gnosticks were in that time and meant here by the Apostle because they suckt some of their poyson from those Hereticks Saint Paul therefore could not properly intend the Gnosticks 2. This is Estius a Papists gloss upon 1 Tim. 6.20 Oppositions of science falsly so called a fitter text to be applied to the Gnosticks then this of ours Quamvis credi potest Gnosticorum nomen non statim cum haeresi emersisse sed aliquantò post tamen Apostolorum temporibus rem ipsam jam tum à Simone Nicolao originem accepisse certum est But in that sense the Gnosticks may be said to have their Original from the ancient Baalites and Heathens who were as abominable in their filthy worships of their Gods as the Gnosticks lightly could be 3. The best Commentators on this place never dream'd of the Gnosticks but generally say the Apostle opposes himself against two Sects then troubling the Church First some Philosophers turn'd Christians who brought in Philosophical speculations at these he strikes verse 8. and 18. in Worship of Angels Secondly some Judaizing Christians who would keep up the Ceremonial Law with the Gospel against these are the 16.20 21 22. verses In particular the 21 verse hath clear reference to the Abstinencies formerly commanded the Jews but now abolished by Christ Touch not taste not c. as some say However there is little or no colour to bring in the Gnosticks here who though they agreed with others in abstaining from such meats and drinks yet the chief poyson of that Sect was in abandoning and vilifying of Marriage and in other abominable filthinesses for which they had not the least pretence from the Jewes with whom the Doctor sayes they joyn'd to abstain from Marriage that being never prohibited to the Jewes as some meats and drinks were yet the Doctor speaks hereafter See p. 109. n. 3. n. 10. as if the Apostle here intended them that forbad Marriage as the Gnosticks after did And I do a little wonder how he mist a Criticisme in the 21. ver Ne attigeris touch not that is Marry not so the Gnosticks said for which he had a fair text of Scripture 1 Cor. 7.1 It 's good for a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to touch a woman that is not to Marry So in the text here Touch not first Marry not Taste not first such or such a meat c. But enough of this at present for it will often meet us again For the rest in this his third Section it will come to be condered in a fitter place onely saying now That a shew of wisdom is applyable to * No justifiable humility p. 112. n. 10. And austerity is of the same kinde there humility and the rest as well as to Will-worship all being equally naught and condemned Sect. 4. That we have not mistaken the Doctors meaning will appear by that which he addes c. THe chief business in this Section is to speak to the instance of David appointing the Levites to serve from the age of 20. years whereas God by Moses had appointed it but from 25. p. 105. n. 6. The Doctor sayes he made this alteration upon prudential reasons as a King not as a Prophet or by inspiration as my places of Scripture import 'T is true there are prudential reasons given for what he did but prudence of man is not sufficient to alter the institutions of God It 's this prudence that hath undone the Church that men will be wiser then God in altering and adding to the Rule of his Worship See 2 Chron. 29.25 for so was the commandment of the Lord by his prophets Let the Doctor look once more upon the text 1 Chron. 28.12 13. In the 12. verse it 's said David gave to Solomon his Son the pattern of all that he had by the Spirit c. and 13. vers Also for the courses of the Priests and the Levites and all the work of the service of the house of the Lord. If the Doctor saw not this he was negligent for I pointed to the place if he saw them he willfully winked against the light resolv'd belike to maintain what ever he once sayes right or wrong Sect. 5. The full importance of the words vers 22. he says is this That when those abstinencies are imposed c. COncerning the sense of those words p. 107. n. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I know no reason why the Dr. should forsake the Interpretation of almost all Interpreters unless because he loves to be singular He says the Apostle speaks not of the meats but of the commands of abstaining I granted this might be the sense but yet it might well be rendered as our Translation and all but the Doctor do Which all are to perish with the using that is That now being out-dated they perish
ancient Church Dr. Ham. of Infant Bapt. p. 97. n. 5. Yet not one word of Christmas in the end of the second and beginning of the third Century Tertullians and Origenes time 2. The Analogy holds not in these two Festivals For first Easter had a solemne Feast of the Jews to plead either its Institution or observation but there was no Feast of the Jews at the time of his Christmas but it seems rather to be taken up in imitation of the Gentile Saturnalia a good while after 2. Easter day the day of Christs Resurrection is particularly set down and by the Asiaticks observed according to the Jewish account or Lunary year in all the four Evangelists But the day of Christs Nativity as it cannot be discovered out of Scripture so is observed according to the Romish or Solary year 3. Easter day in the Western Church observed on the Lord day may seem to carry some Antiquity in the face of it But the observing of Christmas according to the Romish year doth fairly shew it was not observed in the Apostles time nor by men that came from Jerusalem 4. The Church of England observed Easter day as a Lords day but Christmas as a peculiar Festival and therefore the Analogy is small between them Whereupon the argument is of no force That the laying aside this Festival of Christmas of Easter enough is said afore is a separation from the Apostolick and purest time When it can never be proved that it was in use in those times or some good while after The Analogy holds onely upon Supposition That if the Apostles did institute and observe Easter as a Christian Festival which is proved most improbable or uncertain they might proportionably institute and observe his Christmas which is more uncertain if not certainly false But what say we p. 256. n. 7. To the Solemnities and Festivities of Ignatius and Polycarp two Bishops that lived in the Apostles times observed from the very times of their deaths and that in compliance with other the like Festivals of the Church before them which must needs come home to observation of Festivals in the * When as these Martyrs died not till after all the Apostles many years and there is not the least mention of the Festivities of any of the Apostles till many ages after Apostles days To this I say many things 1. The Dr. pittifully and poorly begs that those Feasts were instituted in compliance with other the like Festivals of the Church before them Whereas if those were Feasts as after they were used they had better Antiquity then not onely his Christmas but his Easter also and had none before them unless he will plead St. Stephens day who was a Martyr before them long after put to attend upon Christmas day 2. If these Feasts of Ignatius which he often mentions here and after were observed so near the Apostles days as he asserts does not the Doctor 1. cast dirt in his Mothers face for abolishing those Feasts putting them out of the Calendar and separating from the Apostolick and purest times 2. Does he not also much gratifie the Church of Rome which he sometimes causlesly casts upon me as more conformable to the purest times in observation of those Festivals then his Mother the Church of England 3. Is not he himself a Separatist and Schismatick in his compliance with his Mother in his separation from the Apostolick purest times in casting off Holy-days of above fourteen hundred years standing from the very Apostles days Let him see what he will answer And I shall onely adde If the Church of England in King Edwards days in rasing out of the Calendar those Feasts did not separate from the Apostolical Universal Church nor does it follow that in laying aside his other Festivals she hath made any separation from that Church the rather because he cannot prove his Christmas Apostolical as he would believe he hath proved those Feasts of Ignatius and Polycarp n. 7. to be Oh but there 's no analogy betwixt the Church of Englands departing from Rome and the Diatribists departing from the Church of England Where it s observable that he takes the Church of England to be onely the Superiours that is the Bishops the Fathers of the Church as Romanists do those of the inferiour Clergy are none of the Church no nor the Parliament of England But if I remember aright his Superiours the Bishops were laid aside even by the King himself excluded the Lords house before his Festivals and so had no Superiority in things agitated in Parliament and then we made no Separation from our lawful superiours in this particular And so his first difference is nothing The second is this n. 8. Those things wherein the Church of England departed from the Romish opinions and practices were none of them such as this of Festivals common usages of the universal ancient primitive purest Church but innovations unduely brought in and imposed upon all Christians Yes just the same usages of the ancient primitive Church the Feasts of Ignatius and Polycarp observed near the Apostles days as he says and where is then the difference If then this be any advantage to the Romish Church n. 9. she may thank the Doctor for it who pleads so much for some Festivals to be in the Apostles days and purest times that he hath made his Mother a Schismatick in rasing them out of the Calender c. as was said above But I shall enter my protestation of discent to this proposition also It is an easie thing for the Doctors great learning to slight all that comes from others p. 257. n. 1. as worthy no reply How solidly I have proved the observation of this Festival by many among us to be superstitious is already evident and will be more ere long though the Doctor will wink and pass it all by as if he saw it not 2. That contrary extremes of Superstition and profaneness n. 2. may meet in the same person may indeed seem a wonder and very strange but is too often exemplified I have known and I believe the Doctor too some Sons of this Church superstitious to admiration who have been as profane as almost the times yielded any As if they had intended to make good that speech of Socrates cited by me Fest pag. 171. There are some who think all whoredome and drunkenness c. to be a thing indifferent that do contend for Festival dayes as for life Nor is it such an irrational thing in these times to call the same man Papist first and then Socinian For as much as some that are Papists in some opinions and practices are also Socinians in other points as might be proved That I derive Superstition from super statutum is proved false by his own confession above The rest in numb 3. hath been spoken to afore and that of the Creed and Catechisme is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and I pass it by Who
a Religious Feast Truly he must be very partial whom this will convince All these may be found in a civil Feast A day of rest from ordinary labours An assembly at the Common Halls or places of meeting or places of the vulgars recreations A day of Feasting and gladness c. Onely one thing the Doctor would insinuate which certainly was not at Shuphan portions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as in a Sacrifical Feast Which Sacrifices might be onely at Jerusalem This he did to make it seem a Religious Feast which had it been done would not make the Feast Religious as was said above 2. If it was a Religious Feast others answer Mordecai was a Prophet and so directed by God to make it so which the Doctors Festival wants If that Feast of Purim had not such Divine Authority and yet made a Religious Feast as the Doctor will needs have it I dare still say they went beyond their commission and the Doctor shall justifie my assertion who condemnes all new sorts of Worship as unlawful Concerning the Institution of the Lords-day to be Divine whether by Christ himself or the Apostles enough hath been said in another place and I shall not renew that debate at this time And how odious the frequent comparisons if not preferment of his Festivals with the Lords-day were hath been manifested above The Doctor cannot yet forbear but he must either level the Lords-day to his Festival or advance his Festivals into the same Chair of Estate with the Lords-day for thus he says p. 284. n. 5. He teaches his Catechumene thus from Acts 20.7 That the Lords day was the time so early set apart to the Lords Supper and such holy duties and for collections Pract. cat 2. ed. p. 273. The parallel that I set betwixt the Lords-day and Christmas was onely this that as neither of them was found prescribed or by law commanded in Scripture so the want of such law should be no prejudice to the one more then to the other as long as by some other way it appeared of the one that it was derived from the Apostles or the succeeding Church as of the other that it came immediately from the Apostles Now 1. These last words spoil his parallel that the Lords-day came immediately from the Apostles and that as an Institution Divine whereas his Festival came not at all from any Institution of the Apostles but from the usage of the succeeding Church 2. That the Lords-day had a law to found it on the fourth Commandment for one day of seven of Divine appointment as was shewed above and needed onely a Divine designation which was done by Christ or his Apostles but his Festival had no law to found it on but rather a prohibition if made a part of Worship But yet the Doctor goes on If the Apostles usage gave to one a Divine Authority the usage of the succeeding Church must be next to that though not Divine and the latter lawfull yea and obligatory as well though not in so high a degree as the former Here are misadventures enough for so few lines 1. He now secretly waves the Apostles Institution of the Lords-day and brings it to their usage that so it might be equal to his Festival an usage onely 2. Then he would have it supposed for he is excellent at suppositions that will not be granted him that the usage of the Apostles will make any thing Divine which is most unreasonable unless he will again recal and establish as Divine the old Sabbath and other Jewish Ceremonies 3. He hath much ado to forbear to say The usage of the succeeding Church must be Divine also next to that and lawful and obligatory almost as much as that of the Apostles as well though not in so high a degree 4. If the Authority for instituting of the Lords-day and his Festivals be the same as he hath asserted often and both derived from the Apostles then either the usages and Festivals of the succeeding Church are Divine or those of the Apostles are but humane and Ecclesiastical And then the usages of the succeeding Church are not onely lawful and obligatory as well as those of the Apostles but as much and in as high a degree also the Authority being the same But the Doctor is engaged and cannot fairly go back that the Lords-day is of Apostolical Institution and their Institution also Divine and does not that carry in it Divine prescrition or Law He will help himself by a distinction n. 6.284 If by institution be meant giving law for the observation of it then there is no doubt of his proposition n. 7. But 't is possible that Institution of the day by the Apostles may signifie that the Apostles practice in assembling weekly on the Lords day should have the force of an Institution or Law with the succeeding Church though the Apostles gave no law for it or no such law appears from them Never I think was it heard that an Apostolical usage was called by the name of an Apostolical Institution Or that the Apostles practice was ground sufficient to make an Institution or Law to the succeeding Church Yes sayes he n. 8. The Aposiles examples are the onely way of conveying some usages to us without any their prescript Law and in this sense I consent to the Diatribist that their Institutions carry in them Divine prescription or a Law But I shall not thank him for this consent and shall enter my discent against this last proposition That the Apostles examples c. He should have instanced in some such usages onely that carry in them a Divine Law and have no other grounds of Scripture to import a Divine Institution And if such usages carry in them a Divine Law why hath he not spoken out and told us that his Festivals being derived from the Apostles or the succeeding Church are Divine Institutions and not onely Apostolical usages Yet he growes confident to demand this as granted n. 9. That whatsoever else shall be in the same manner derived to us through all ages of the Church from the times of the Apostles themselves may be acknowledged also to carry a Divine impression upon it He means as well as the Lords-day This this is the Helena the Doctor so contends for to stablish by Tradition that which cannot be proved from Scripture But I would say 1. There are not many things so derived to us from the Apostles through all ages except the Lords-day and Infant Baptisme though this latter hath not in Scripture Apostolical practice as the former hath But had not both of them sufficient grounds in Scripture to infer a Divine Institution Infants communicating in the Lords Supper continued six hundred years in the Church sayes Dr. Morton Appeal l. 2. c. 13. s 3. I for my part should not be much perswaded by a meer Apostolical usage through many ages from the Apostles themselves For it s known the Apostles