himself are guilty of an affected departure from the Universall Church If the Church of England at her first Reformation saw cause and had Power to throw away some may not the same Church of England having the same power upon just the same or like reasons cast off the rest If he say Hee speaks it of the Universall Church of all Ages and especially of the first age wee shalll joyne issue with him therein and and say If he can prove which I am confident he cannot that in rejecting or not observing these Festivalls wee have departed from the Universall Church in all ages wee shall be content to let his censure fall upon us till then we are safe And for a closure of the whole matter we shall take into consideration his Rule prescribed in his first Quaerie abour Resolving controversies and be judged by it It is this Quaere 1. Sect. 35 What ever hath the concordant attestation of the Christian Church of the first ages the Scripture remaining obscure or silent in the matter that it was the Doctrine or practise Apostolicall there remains not to any that now lives any imaginable ground of sober or prudent doubting or questioning the truth of it This resolution and Case the Doctor beginns with and intends it as a Rule applicable to all the following cases against Socinians and other Hereticks and Schismaticks Sect. 40. Hee means we thank him those that reject this Festivall as Sect. 12. and 45. of this Quaerie appears But is this Rule universally true Are there no cautions nor exceptions yes three at least 1. It must be in cases where the Scripture is either obscure or silent in the matter 2. That it be not extended any further than to the primitive Antients 3. And again to an accordance of those Testimonies without any considerable opposition that this or that was delivered from the Apostles We shall by his leave apply this rule to the case in hand and dare venture to be judged by it First considering the Rule and then the cautions And first for the Rule it selfe we desire to know again what he means by the Church of the first ages If he take it inclusively to take in the Churches of the Apostolicall time while they were yet alive wee should not stick to grant his rule to be good What ever doctrine or practise hath the concordant attestation of that Church it was Apostolicall The Negative whereof being a surer Rule to jvdge by What ever doctrine or practise wants such concordant universall uniform Attestation is not Apostolical For they being all guided by on Spirit would all agree uniformly in the same Doctrine or practice But there are not many things so attested by the Church of that age On the other side if he meane it exclusively of that age and to include onely the after ages it will prove a Crooked Rule Many Doctrines and practises being taken up which were not Apostolicall but meer Inventions of men which like a Gangreen soon overspead the face of the Church And by the different Timing and observation of them proved by the best Divines not to be Apostolicall Secondly for the concordant attestation of the primitive Antients of the second or third Age without considerable opposition which is one of the Cautions that this was delivered from the Apostles I shall put in a just exception in the words of the learned and honoured Lord Falkland in his discourse Of the infallibility of the Church of Rome who plead the universall Tradition of the Church for their Religion as the Doctor does for his Christmas Thus he writes If the Relation of one Pappias could cozen so farre all the prime Doctors of the Church Christian into a beliefe of the celebration of a thousand years after the Resurrection so as that not one of those two first ages oppose it marke that till Dionysius Alexandrinus who lived at least 250. yeares after Christ nay if those first men did not onely believe it as probable but Justin Martyr saith he holds it and so do all that are in all parts Orthodox Christians Irenaeus sets it down directly for a Tradition and relates the very words that Christ used when he taught this which is plainer than any other Tradition is proved or said to be out of Antiquity by them of Rome If I say these could be so deceived why might not other of the Antients as well be deceived in other points And then what certainty shall the learned have when after much labour they thinke they can make it appear that the Antients thought any thing a Tradition that indeed it was so c. The Doctors wisdome can easily apply this to the case in hand And I perceive he was aware of such an objection and therefore labours to prevent it by saying That Justin Martyr Quaer 1. sect 38. the prime assertor of it that 's a mistake for he and Irenaeus also had it from Pappias who was their Senior confesses other Christians of pure and pious intentions to he otherwise minded But for that let him answer his friend the Lord Falkland Lo. Falk reply p. 73. who saies That Justin Martyr saies that in his time all all Orthodox Christians held it and joynes the opposers with them who denyed the resurrection and esteems them among the Christians like the Saduces among the Jewes and again saies It found no resistance in above two Ages by any one known and esteemed person And what now is become of the Doctors Rule Thirdly the Rule applyed to the case in hand will prove more then the Doctor intended a light to discover his Christmas far from an universall Apostolicall usage For. 1. The Rule must hold onely in things wherein the Scripture is obscure or silent But for Institution of Feasts particularly this of Christmas the Scripture is neither obscure nor silent For the Scripture is cleare and speaks aloud against it both in the Law the fourth Commandement which requires peremptorily but one of seaven for God allowing six for mens occasions and also in the Gospell which clearly speaks against observation of daies except the Lords day the the Christian Sabbath whither Jewish Heathenish or Christian Festivalls of old were part of the Ceremoniall yoke upon the Jewes and therefore to give the Church a power to institute Holydaies is to reduce the yoke again 2. They have not the concordant Testimonie of the Primitive Antients neither of the Apostles themselves nor of those that lived in the same age with them as of Ignatius nor in the second Centurie of Pappias Justin Martyr Irenaeus c. which may the better be believed because the Doctor brings not one instance of any of those so much as mentioning this Festivall except out of the Constitutions of the Apostles falsely so called which Isodorus by Gratians report of him Dist 16. saies Where known to be corrupted by Hereticks under the name of the Apostles This Chemnitius further proves because the
DIATRIBE TRIPLEX OR A Threefold Exercitation Concerning 1. Superstition 2. Will-worship 3. Christmas Festivall With the Reverend and Learned Dr HAMMOND BY Dauiel Cawdrey Preacher of the Word at Billing-Magn in Northampton-shire Col. 2.4.8 4. This I say least any man should beguile you with enticing words 8. Beware least any man spoyle you through Philosophie and vaine deceit after the Tradition of men after the rudâ—ments of the World and not after Christ LONDON Printed for John Wright at the Kings-Head in the Old-Bayley 1654. The Preface WHat was said of old That in the accusation of Heresie no man ought to be silent may well be applyed to a charge of Superstition and Wil-worship The one is a crime against the Truth of God the other two against the worship of God and the question is which is the greater sinne To corrupt the Doctrine or the worship That Heresie is a great and a damnable sinne all men confesse That Superstition and Will-worship are as criminall and abhominable to God though some men accompt them rather their vertues than their crimes is as demonstrable and hath been demonstrated else-where The words and things imported by them have so long heard ill in the Reformed Churches that men must either deny themselves guilty of the things or study to defend and vindicate the words from the evill sense and savour put upon them Pref. to 6. tracts The Reverend Doctor with whom I deale takes it very hainously that the crimes of Superstition and will-worship should bee charged upon the late Government and Discipline of the Church and the ceremonies and observances either prescribed or customary among us Particularly Of Fest s 26. that any should charge his Christmas Festivall as it was of late observed with those two crimes besides the Riot attending on it He will not by his good will grant that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Superstition and wil-worship in the Scriptures are to be taken in an ill notion much lesse to bee accounted crimes or if they be so to be justly charged upon his Christmas Festivity And no mervail if the matter be as he makes it seem to be For first Of Superst sect 2. for Superstition he saies it is most clearly according to the use of the word Superstitum cultus the worship of some departed from this World alive in another which though hee grants justly charged on Heathens and Papists and properly called Superstition Yet not on Protestants at all Or if Protestants be guilty of any Superstition it is onely of one kind that is To affirm as a false Teacher God to command Sect. 46 47 48. when he doth not command or to forbid when he doth not forbid And secondly as for VVil-worship that 's far from a crime in his opinion it s nothing but voluntary worship as innocent as the Freewill-offerings allowed by God in the time of the Law Sect. 9. the more voluntary the more acceptable Which assertions if they be true it will be easie for him to vindicate his Festivities from those charges laid agaiâ—st them as the grounds of laying them aside But that I may at once and together both shew and remove the grounds of the Reverend Doctors mistâ—kes and facilitate the way to the reading of the following Discourses I shall here very briefly recapitulate what I suppose to be the causes of his Miscarriages in this whole businesse And they are these four misprisions 1. That a man cannot be too Religious This he confidently asserts Sect. 33. both of the intention or degree and of the extension or number of rites and ceremonies taken into the worship of God sect 34. A distinction or two will cleare the way A man may be said to be too Religious either because he gives more to God than he deserves but so he cannot be too Religious or because he gives more than he requires by the rule of worship and so a man may be too Religious 2. In regard of worship commanded especially naturall worship a man cannot be too Religious in reference to the intention of the Devotion as in love fear trust in God though in instituted worship a man may be too Religious as if he pray or Fast to the wasting of his health or neglect of his calling c. Put in uncommanded worship the least Addition to the Rule of Worship is too much and such a man may be said to be too Religious This I prove 1 If a man or Church may adde to the Rule of Religiâ—n then he or they may by too Religious But a man or Church may adde to the Rule of Religion ergo The consequence is clear The assumption is proved by Deut. 4.2 where all Additions to the word are prohibited 2. Religion saies the great Schoolman is a morall virtue or very like is and stands betweene 2. extremes ergo a man may as well be too much Religious as too little 3. The Doctor himselfe grants there may be a Nimiety or excesse of Religion in adding to the commands of Christ the Gospell rule those things which belong not to it and so is not an exceeder in the feare and service of God Of Superst sect 46. And this is the first ground of the Doctors mistake 4. The second is That excesse in Religion is not wel called Superstition or that Superstitiis on not an excesse of Religion Sect. 27. c. which is proved to be so 1. Because it is an Addition to the Rule of worship and so an excesse as Super statutum Though the originall of the Word was Heathenish to signifie Superstitum cultus yet it s well applyed by Divines to those Additions made to the Rule of worship That which the old Testament calls Addition to the word the new calls Doctrines traditions of men VVil-worship and Superstition 2. As the defect in Religion is called prophanesse so the excesse is called Superstition as standing in opposition to it 3. By the Doctors own concessions For first hee grants Superstitious may denote such an excesse Sect 31.2 The worship of Angells is an excesse or Addition to the object of worship and by him stiled that crime of Superstition 3. Superstitum cultus the worship of the worthies departed by Heathens or of Saints and Angells by Papists is called Superstition Sect. 3. most properly why but that it addes to the Rule of worship 4 Slavish fear of God is granted to be Superstition because Feare of God being worship commanded in the first Commandement Slavish fear is an excesse of that Feare sect 24.25 4. To affirm God to command when he doth not is granted to be Superstition under the notion of Nimiety or excesse because that man addes to the commands of Christ Sect 46.5 To place more vertue in things than God or nature hath put in them is granted to be an excess because it addes to the promises of Christ and called Superstition sect 45. That 's the second ground of mistake
In the Greek they are more significant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Put upon you Sophisticall Paralogismes In locum The word Philosophy seems to me to be all one with worshiping of Angels v. 18. saies the Doctor Superstition Sect. 7. probabilitate sermonis by probable arguments as Beza by Rhetoricall insinuations or sophisticall subtleties as D. Davenant explaines it to lead you away from Christ Now the Apostle goes on to discover some of those toiles and waies whereby Seducers did beguile their followers 1. Philosophicall speculations having a shew of much wisdome ver 8. Beware least any man spoil you through Philosophie an instance whereof is given in the 18. ver in voluntary humilitie and worshiping of Angells 2. Traditions and Inventions of men superadded or continued in the worship of God an instance wherof is in the 20.22 ver Why are yee subject to Ordinances after the Commandements Doctrines of men 3. Mosaical Ceremonies revived after they were abrogated by Christ of which he speakes ver 16.17 His scope in all is to dispute against all rites and Ceremonies obtruded upon the Church as parts of Divine worship D. Daven in locum as necessary duties of holiness and righteousness and as binding Conscience As that learned and judicious Professor expresses it And the Apostle opposes this onely against them ver 8. They are not after Christ but invented and imposed by men Not after Christ i. e. not after the Doctrine or Commandement of Christ in the Gospell which he expressâ—s in another phrase ver 19. Not holding the head but after the Commandements and Doctrines of men ver 22. Whence it appeares that the Reverend Doctor seemes mistaken when hee saies Where yet you must observe he doth not speake of Commands but Doctrines i. e. not of the prohibition of the Magistrate c. but of false teachers imposing them as the commands of God For the Apostle speakes expresly these impositions Touch not tast not c. were after the Commandements and Doctrines of men ver 22. and ver 8. after the Traditions of men to worship God by the observation of them The worship of God did once consist in these observations and Abstinencies and the false Teachers put them upon their followers as still usefull to this end Having done this hee sets an ill Character upon those Doctrines of worship which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in Willworship c. But are after the Commandements and Doctrines of men not any Doctrines or Commands of Christ and so no better than Willworship c The Doctor seemes to place the illnesse of this practice in this That they urging some abolisht ceremonies as still in force by divine precept should thereby deny Christ to be come in the flesh Which though it bee true in part yet is not all that the Apostle here intended but this he also addes that they placing the worship of God in those observances not after Christ but after the Commandements and traditions of men did fall into Willworship which had a shew of wisdome but no more For it is not onely sinfull Willworship to teach and observe the Old Ceremonies as parts of Gods worship when they are abolished but also to inuent a new way of worship as that of worshiping Angells was for certain ver 18. and to put it upon God as an acceptable worship § 4. That wee have not mistaken the Doctors meaning will appear by that which he addes about the difference betwixt making of positive humane Lawes in indifferent things and urging or teaching things for Divine commands which either never were commanded by God or else are now outdated by Christ The Apostles discourse proceeds of the latter c. This is true the Apostle hath here no reflection on the Magistrates making lawes in indifferent things but yet if the Magistrate or Church should invent and impose any new way of worshiping God as the Church of Rome hath done many would not the Apostles arguing conclude them to be Will-worship as well as if they had urged and taught some antiquated ceremonies to be observed as a part of the worship of God The Doctor grants and asserts Sect. 3. That if the Magistrate should teach or impose Doctrines of men upon others as the Commands of God when they are not he should thereby incurre the censure of a false teacher also And if he should teach or impose some antiquated worship upon his people though not as the command of God would he not be a Teacher of false worship also As for his instance of David who appointed the Levites to serve from the age of 20. years whereas God by Moses had appointed it but from 25. years old c. It is first Impertinent for hee brings it as an instance of a Magistrates power in a thing indifferent whereas this was in a matter of Religion and more then so in a matter formerly Commanded by God wherein what he did is not imitable by any Magistrate now who hath no power to order any thing in Religion against a former Order of God as in the case in hand there was What then may be said for Davids altering the appointment of God as in some other things besides Divines do answer that David was a Prophet inspired by God or directed by some other Prophet how to Order the affaires of the Temple and worship of God And this to mee is evident by texts of Scripture 1 Chron. 28.19 All this said David the Lord made me to understand in writing by his good hand upon me even all the works of this pattern which hee ascribes to the Spirit of God ver 12 13. cap. 23.27 by the last words of David the Levites were numbred from 20 years old of which he saies the spirit of the Lord spake by me 2 Sam. 23.2 3. But this by the way § 5. The full importance of the words ver 22. hee saies is this That when those abstinencies are imposed and taught as divine obliging precepts this is an abuse of them which were otherwise innocent things and that abuse of them dangerous or destructive But 1. why doth he refuse our Translation of those word which all are to perish with the using For the verb from whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is derived signifies sometimes simply to use Estius in locum And the Civill Lawyers take Abusus for the consuming use ordinarily 2. Whither the Apostle speaks of the meats or of those ordinances of abstaining both may be said to perish in the using The meates apparently and the Ordinances themselves in this sense that whereas whilst they were under Gods command they were profitable to the observers now being outdated they perish with the using without any spirituall advantage 3. There is little or nothing in the text to import that they were imposed and taught by the False Treachers as Divine obliging precepts though if so that had beene an abuse of them but rather that they
were the Commandements and Doctrines of men as the next words following are and herein the Doctor places the danger Sect. 6. as we shall see Just as that Doctrine ver 18. concerning worshiping of Angels in a voluntary humility c. was the Doctrine or command of a man vainly puft up in his fleshly mind but could not be pretended much lesse imposed as a Divine command So the Doctrines and Traditions of the Pharisees were not pleaded to be the Commandements of God but expresly called the Commandements of men Math. 15.9 and opposed to the Commandements of God ver 3.6 And in this Chapter ver 8. Those Doctrines are called the Traditions of men and rudiments of the World 4. I would ask the Doctor whither the placing of the worship of God in observation of those Ordinances of Abstinence though not taught nor imposed as Gods Commands upon a mans selfe or others were not an abuse of them and being a self-devised Willworship were not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as destructive as the urging them still as Gods Commands His great mistake is that this was the onely abuse of them and that otherwise they were innocent things for so he sayes which now he may see they were not And lastly the following words ver 23. seem to imply the abuse to have beene not that they imposed them as Divine Commands but as parts of Divine worship which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports in a pretended humility and not sparing of the body c. For he saies they have a shew of wisdome not as the Commands of God but in Will-worship c. § 6. Yet let us hear wherein the Doctor places the danger and destructivenesse of them That they were after the Commandements and Doctrines of men which words point out that wherin the danger doth consist to wit imposing on men humane Ordinances or Doctrines Stay there a while Then say I they did not impose them as Commands of God nor did the danger lye in that But I desire to know what it was that they imposed by those Ordinances and Doctrines was it not a way of worshiping God by those Abstinencies touch not c. The abstinences they teach Sect. 7. I think the Doctor will not deny it For it is not to be meant of imposing of Humane Ordinances about indifferent things by the Magistrate he hath cautioned against that Sect. 3. 4. but of Teachers imposing them as Ordinances of worship in Religion and therein the danger did consist because they imposed on men humane Ordinances and Doctrines to worship God by The Doctors glosse of his own former words will now prove his own that is singular when he addes i. e. those things which though they were not commanded by God are yet by men affirmed pretended and taught though without proof to be so commanded The danger and destructivenesse rather consisted in this that they were but the Commandements and Doctrines of men placing the worship of God in those observances which either he never Commanded or were now outdated § 7. And now we are come to the 23. Verse which the Doctor makes to be A description of the doctrines themselves or the abstinences they teach abstracted from all such accidental abuse But this may prove a mistake for the words rather contain a description of the reason of that danger and destructivenesse in them viz. because they were no other no better than Willworship wâ—th a fair pretence of Wisdome because the Worship of God was lately placed in them and they carry a great pretension of Humility and Selfdeniall in abstaining from things pleasing to the body which they thought no doubt would be pleasing unto God and an acceptable service The words indeed may be variously rendered by Interpreters but without any great difficulty or difference For the most part they agree in the sense though they differ in words And I beleeve the Doctors Interpretation of it is singular without any precedent either Antient or Modern Protestant or Papist Thus he paraphraseth the words Which things have some true at least appearing notion of wisdom in them wisdom in Scripture signifying piety i. e. have either some reall matter of piety in them for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies and this would be more clear if we should read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in two words thus which things have somewhat of piety in them or being considered in some respect have piety in them or as the Fathers rather understood it some colour some appearance of piety to wit in voluntary worship and humility c. But this is a strange Liberty in Interpreting scripture not onely that it waves the Interpretation of all our own Translators of all the Antients and even of Papists themselves for the most part whom this glosse would much please but also that he doth not bring his mind to the Scripture but straines the Scripture to speak his sense and meaning To examine it a little 1. That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here signifies some reall matter what ever it doth elsewhere is gratis dictum and against the stream of Interpreters Some render it Imaginem as Jerome some speciem some pretextum And the Greek Fathers oppose against it truth and power what is it then but a shew or appearance 2. That hee renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by piety is as strange in this place however in these Proverbs and elsewhere D. Davent in locum it may signifie so when most interpret it 1. by Wisdome that is a shew of some excellent doctrine rather brought from Heaven than found out by men Which to be the sense here is most probable upon these grounds First from the context ver 8. the Apostle calls it Philosophy and ver 18. hee saies the Worshiper of Angels was puffed up in his fleshly mind that is in a carnall conceit of his own wisdom in finding out that way of worship For Superstition and Willworship ever pretends to Wisdom Vid. Irenaeum lib. 3. c. 2. to bee wiser than God in prescribing his worship and this makes it so dangerous and destructive that men set their wisdom against and above Gods Secondly it may very well be parallell to that place 1 Cor. 2.4 5 6. where the Wisdom of God and men are so flatly opposed in preaching of the Gospell Not with entising words of mans wisdom but in the demonstration of the spirit and power the wisdom of God c. And this pretext of wisdom in Willworship arises from a double ground 1. From the fraud of Impostors who alwaies boast that their Traditions proceed from the Spirit of wisdom as the Pharisees and Montanus did 2. From the carnall minds of Superstitious men who are much pleased to seek for righteousnesse and salvation and to put holinesse in externall rites and exercises as that learned professor on the place hath well observed 3. To assert that those things those Abstinences as a worship of God have
without offence to God follow their lawful vocations on that day Rest is made an oblation to God placing the worship of God in the observation of the day as a voluntarie oblation and parallel with the Freewill-offerings in the Law which the Doctor takes speciall notice of * were parts of Gods worship Offer it up a voluntary oblation to Christ in the service and to the honour of Christ c. Sect. 28. Fourthly Forbidding labours on that day with greater zeal and severer penalties than on the Lords day It was held and accordingly censured as more Piacular to worke upon this day than on the Lords day Fifthly In the necessitie of the observation of it in so much as hee was esteemed no good Christian that did not observe it Sixthly It became a note of discrimination of people as more or less Religious Just as the Doctor observed * Willworship s 28. of the Hasidaei and makes it part of their Superstition or Will-worship That they first began to add to the law of God voluntary performances of their owne then they made them necessary and laid the obligation of them on others to doe as they did and then not being obeyed discriminated themselves from all others as the onely obedient servants of God and so called themselves Pharisees And was not this exemplified in the Institution of this Festivall At first after an Age or two from the Apostles some began to set up this and other days as a voluntary oblation to Christ and a pious Addition to the Lords day others in time made it necessary as Socrates observed and then laid the obligation of it upon others to doe as they did And if they were not obeyed they discriminated themselves from such as refused as the onely pious and Religious men of the Times That good Father Saint Austin was a little faulty here if that worke was Austins All that acknowledge themselves sonnes of the Church observe the Festivalls of the Church cited by the Doctor § 35. Serm. de Temp. 250 To which the Dr. adds 'T is consequent to this that they which observe them not disclaime this sonship and cast themselves out of this family Pract. Cat. And hear the Doctors owne discrimination of himselfe and his party by the censure of himselfe and his party by the Censure of the Refusers The fastidious rejecting or not observing the Festivalls of the Church universall the great dayes c. must certainly be looked upon by every man as an act of affected departure from the universall Church of Christ in all ages as well as from the reformed Church of England his mother Sect. 45. Which Sect. 12. he had called an Act of Division and Separation from that Church of the first and purest times How justly or truly let the Reader judge by that which hath and shall be said In the meane time the Doctor hath handsomely given or taken the name of Pharisees to himselfe and his parties as volunteeres in worship above the law of God and left the name of honest modest Karaej unto others who dare not venture to goe beyond or before the Law in worship Obj. But he starts an objection It hath a semblance of that Mat. 5.9 Teaching for doctrines the Traditions of men He answers Doctrines there is the affirming a thing to be the pleasure and command of God as if I should put the Kings broad Seale to a deed of my owne but this is no waies chargeable on those that acknowledge this an Ecclesiasticall institution and pretend it not to be prescribed by Christ I reply 1 Teaching for Doctrines here is not the affirming a thing to be a command of God or not that onely but is expounded by Col. 2.22 after the commandements and doctrines of men That is men out of their wisdome prescribe and by their authority command such and such doctrines either as very pious and pleasing or more acceptable to God as a voluntary worship not alwaies affirming them to bee the commandements of God but holding them out as the Traditions of the Elders as the Pharisees did 2. It s so much more chargeable on them that acknowledge it an Ecclesiasticall Institution as a kind of Superstition because those Pharisees and false Teachers as he saies pleaded Gods Command for their doctrines for what they did in matter of worship But these pretend onely the Churches command which is worse then putting the Kings seale to a deed of their owne For it usurps the very throne of God to appoint his worship which is the highest Treason Other things there are concerning this controversie which we shall take notice of hereafter In pract Catechism and now come to consider how he can vindicate this Festivall from the Riot and excesse commonly found there which he acknowledges a sin and a greater sin in a Christian than in a Jew whose promises were of an earthly plenty c. To which we say § 17. The Jewish promises being for the most part of earthly plenty not onely for they had also spirituall promises they were permitted like children fed with milke and hony a weeke of earthly joyes and pleasures But the promises and exhibitions of them by Christ being all Spirituall to Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Spirituall joyes are as the Doctor sayes well the Christians eminent if not onely portion but these are not limited to one or twelve dayes in a year but daily joyes every day is a Christmas to a godly heart Rejoyce in the Lord alwaies againe I say rejoyce § 18. Festivity and hospitality its true are separable from riot but very hardly And if gluttony and drunkennesse were the prescribed worship in Heathenish Feasts wee have found by long experience they were the practised intertainement of this Festivall which many yeares preaching could not reforme The heathenish usages in it almost yeelded sect 2. as they doe imply that the Festivall it selfe was instituted to gratifie the Heathens by imitation of their feasts at the same time of the yeare so God to shew his dislike if not his detestation of it hath fuffered these Humane inventions and institutions in his service to be attended and celebrated with the two extremes of true worship Superstition and Prophanesse we shall heare anone Sect. 21. That in the ancient Church on dayes of Festivitie men began to adorne themselves sumptuously to shew their pride to fare deliciously to surfeting drunkennesse So soone these abuses got into them and all this while for so many hundred years could not be gotten out by all the Fathers Children of the Church The spirituall dainties of a Christian peace with God and joy in the holy Ghost the quotidian Festivall are free from these excesses Be not drunke with wine wherein is excesse but be filled with the Spirit speaking to your selves in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs making melody in your hearts to the Lord. Those that have most of these care least for