is the husbandman forced to leaue his plough at the one and not at the other Why hath the one proper service and not the other Why did not M. Galloway curse the people for absence froÌ„ the one as wel as from the other Whey are the dayes of the one changeable and not the other To make solemne commemoration of Christs nativitie vpon any other day then upon the putatiue day of his nativity would be thought a great absurdity siclike of his Passion Ascension c. And last how could M. Galloway affirme that the evidence of Gods Spirit appeared in the Christmas Sermons that are extant more liuely then in any other Sermons Next it may be objected that the people of God might haue indicted dayes of fasting at their owne determination and an interdiction of all kynd of work Answer They had a generall warrant from God Ioel. 2.15 to proclaime a generall fast according to the occurrence of their calamities and other affaires of the kirk The light and law of nature leadeth a man to this observation of an occasionall fast nature teacheth him presently to withdraw his hand and heart from worldly affaires and to lift them up to God to deprecate his wrath when his judgement is aboue our heads The like may be said by analogie of thanksgiuing that we ought to praise God in the mean time wheÌ„ we receiue the benefit But to make of the occasionall dayes of fasting or feasting aniversarie and set festivall and fasting daies is without warrant It remaineth therefore that it is the Lords soueraignty to make or ordaine a thing to be holy God first sanctifies by commandement and institution man sanctifieth thereafter by observation applying to an holy use the time sanctified by God It was a part of the Idolatry of the golden calfe to proclaime a holy day It is numbred among one of Ieroboams sins that he ordained a feast after the deuise of his own heart 1. King 12 33â— Musculus sayeth If any man shall attempt to make holy at his pleasure the things that God hath not Sanctified is not only Superstitious but challengeth vnto himself that which belongs onely to God When God blesseth and sanctifieth a day then may man looke for a blessing in sanctifieing it The third Reason Wee come from priuiledge to fact As de jure none may so de facto None did appoint holy dayes vnder the law but God and that either by himself or by some extraordinary direction Therefore none can be allowed vnder the Gospell without the like warant Seeing the tymes vnder the Gospell are not so ceremonious as the tymes under the law Against this reason two instances are commonly alledged the one of the dayes of Purim instituted by Mordecai the other of the feast of dedication instituted by Iudas Maccabeus and graced with Christs presence as is alledged Ioh. 10. But the answer is easie The dayes of Purim were simply called the dayes of Purim not the holy dayes of Purim They are neither called Chag nor Mogned nor Gnatsarah as the other anniuersarie feasts are called in the old Testament No mention is made of holy conuocations on these dayes nor divine service proper to them notwithstanding of their returne to the temple and promise that the memoriall of the dayes of Purim should not fall from among them nor perish from their seede Ester 9.27.28 It is true that now a daies they read the booke of Ester And therefore call it the feast of Megilla after the reading wherof they spend the rest of the time in revelling more madde then the Gentiles were in their Bacchanalis This reading was not the first institution but an addition of the later Iewes The dayes of Purim were instituted onlie for ciuill dayes and the ordinance required no farther but that they should make them dayes of feasting and joy and sending of portions one to another and gifts to the poore Ester 9.19.22 to be documents and testimonies of their fasting and crying that is in remembrance of their fasting and prayers by which they obtained that deliverance At the instant time of their deliverie it is sayd they rested but in the Edict when the daies were made anniversarie rest from all kind of worke was not forbidden therefore Hospinian sayth In festo Phurim operari prohibitum non est they were not forbidden to work And Willet compareth it with the fift of November and affirmeth the like Next it is to be considered that Mordecai is thought to be the pen-man of the book of Ester and consequently a Prophet He was one of the 120. masters of the great Synagogue amongst whom were both Priests and Prophets Ezra and his society Daniel his companions Zachary Malachy c. Thirdly it appeareth Ester 9.28 that it was an order to endure as long as the feast dayes appointed by the Lord himself and in no case to be altered Holy daies of Ecclesiasticall constitution are not of such a nature as D. Fulk acknowledgeth Whatsoever therefore was the quality of these dayes whether holy or civill the warrant was more then ordinary The feast of Dedication whereof mention is made Iohn 10. some take for the dedication of the Temple in Zorobabels time as the Magdeburg Centuries So likewise Chrysostom Theophilactus Cajetanus Abulensis Euthymius and others as Barradius reporteth But let it be meant as is alledged If the feast of dedication in Salomon and Zorobabels time was anniversary then the Maccabees did follow the example of these who had Propheticall direction If they were not anniversarie as indeed Toletus leaveth it as uncertaine then this annuall memory was an addition of the Pharisees who enlarged the glory of this feast as they did their Phâ—lacteries Iunius relateth out of the Talmud that the wise men decreed that the eight dayes of that feast should be yearly dayes of ioy By the wise men are meant the Pharisees who were called Sapientes Israelis The renewment of the Altar and of certain other decayed places was honoured by them with an annuall memory whereas the whole Temple with all the implements and furniture thereof in Salomon and Zorobabels time had not the like honour Neither doe we read that any annuall memory was instituted by Hezekias after the prophanation of the Temple by Ahaz and Prias nor by Iosias after that it was polluted by Manasses Amon. Christs walking in Salomons Porch maketh nothing for approbation of this feast He had remained in Ierusalem from the feast of the Tabernacles and came not up of purpose to keepe that feast He taketh old of the present opportunity to thrust his sickle into a thicke harvest Wee haue to consider for a generall answer to all instances alledged from the Iewish Kirk first that they had extraordinary directions which wee want They had prophets by office or commission who ended in Malachi They had prophets who were only prophets by the Spirit as Daniell David and Salomon who
to keepe their Station there was no intermission of the daily sacrifice no interruption of the courses till the destruction of the Temple as Scaliger proveth in the end of his booke By the calculation from the 22. of November at the dedication made by Maccabeus he maketh Iohn the Baptist to be conceived after the 28. day of Iuly and consequently Christs birth to fall out about the end of September an hot time of the yeare when the Shepheards were watching in the field Casaubon saith That the custome of the Kirke of Alexandria doth wonderfully confirme the calculation of Scaliger The day of the weeke when Christ was borne can no mortall man know sayth the same Scaliger They who were of one family diuided the services among themselues as it fell by lot some fell to offer Incense some to dresse the lampes some to order the wood on the Altar 1. Chron. 23.28.29.30.31 And the booke of the Iewish Liturgies testifies the same So you see how it fell Zachary to offer up incense and that he was not high Priest If antiquitie erred so grossely in the matter it selfe that is in taking the 25. day of December for the day of Christs nativity might they not haue erred as grossely in appointing any day at all Nay let us utter the truth December-Christmas is a iust imitation of the December-Saturnall of the Ethnicke Romans and so used as if Bacchus and not Christ were the God of Christians It is commonly obiected that we may as well keepe a day for the nativity as for the resurrection of Christ. We haue answered already that Christs day or the Lords day is the day appoynted for remembrance of his nativity and all his actions and benefites as well as for the resurrection Next the one is morall and weekly the other is mysticall and anniversary The Lords day it selfe is no longer to us mysticall but morall sayth Willet and therefore Pasâ—h-day is a mysticall Sabboth and anniversary whereas the Lords Sabboth should be onely morall It is still objected the benefits of God ought to be remembred specially Christs notable benefits Answ. It is one thing to remember another thing to remember with solemne festivities To remember is a morall duety and perpetuall for we ought to keepe not onely an anniuersary but also a weekly and dayly remembrance But to celebrate an anniversary solemnity and to keep a sabboth of rest in remembrance it is a pedagogicall ceremonie of the Iewes The Lord helped there vnderstanding with types and figures their affections with instruments of Musick Their memories with frontelets and Phylacteries to put them in mynd of Gods Law But wee are to keepe sayeth lerome not a literall by outward signes but a spirituall memorie of Gods law Euery thing set vp for remembrance of God is not acceptable to him for so the Lutheran shall defend his images As oft as the Gospell is preached Christ is remembred When the word is preached Christ is crucified and by the same reason hee may be said to be borne to rise againe to ascend c. When the sacrament is ministred Christs death and Passion is remembred and that with solemnity Wee cannot worship Christ privatly or publickly but we must remember his birth and his passion Pope Alexander 3. gaue this reason wherefore the Romane Kirk kept not a holy day to the Trinity Quoniam Ecclesia Romana in usu non habet quod in aliquo tempore buiusmodi celebret specialiter festivitatem cum singulis diebus gloria Patri fâ—â—io Spiritui Sancto coetera simitia dicantur ad laudem pertinentia Trenitalis because faieth hee Glorie to the father and to the Sonne and to the holy Ghost and other such like things belonging to the praise of the trinity are uttered daily The Popes reason is grounded vpon this rule Whatsoeuer is intreated or remembred in the ordinary divine service ought not to haue one speciall holy day to celebrat the memory of the same beside the day already discerned by the Lord. We assume Christs nativity death resurrection c. Are not only the continuall meditation of a Christian in private but also are remembred and intreated in the ordinary and publick service Every communion sunday is a passion holy day Euery sabboth that Christs nativity is preached is a time of remembrance of his Natiuity But to ordain an anniversary day or houre of rest for commemoration of his nativity or passion and specially vpon a weeke day is a Iewish rudiment and a prejudice to Christian libertie As for the 5. day of November it is not an holy day It is not a day of cessation from work which is one of the chiefe elements of an holy day The bonefires set out in token of joy are no part of Christian sanctification of the day Bellarmine telleth vs Ignis accendi solet ad letitiam significandam etiam in rebus prophanis that fire vseth to be kindled even in ciuill and prophane things Scaliger calleth the candels and torches lightned vpon Midsomer even the foote steps of auncient gentility Anniversary commemoration of a benefite with a cessation from worke suppose for a part of a day is Iewish To praise God with publick thankesgeving in the instant tyme of receiueing the benefit was our duetie But to appoint an anniuersary houre of cessation and publicke commemoration is not competent to the times of the new Testament Willet compareth this day to the daies of Purim Be it so But these dayes were of a ceremoniall nature as we haue said The seventh Reason Grant the keeping of holy dayes to haue been at the beginning a matter indiffrent and setting aside all the former reasons yet ought they to be abolished because according to the rule of the Fathers commended to us by Zanchius Non malè igitur fecerunt qui omnia praeter diem Dominicum aboleverunt Things indifferent when they are abused and polluted with superstition ought to be abolished In this ranke he placeth holidayes and therefore inferreth that they haue not done evill who haue abolished all other holidayes but the Lords day When he sayth They haue not done evill it is all one as if he had sayd They had done well for they haue done according to that laudable rule Sure it is that in former times holidayes haue not onely been abused to iâ—lenesse and licentiousnesse but also polluted with the opinion of worship merit necessity and Iudaicall conceit that the Divell did not tempt on these dayes as he did on other dayes Therefore the same Zanchius faith in the place aforesayd If any feasts were celebrate before religiously and holily but thereafter were contaminate with superstition and Idolatry that worthily they were taken away by our Reformers who imitate herein the example of Hezekias brusing to powder the brasen Serpent when it was abused to idolatry And againe he sayth The number the abuses the superstitions the false worships the will-worships
materiall geniculation of the blessed Saints in heaven all creatures in heaven in earth and under the earth are said to bow their knee at the name of Iesus that is to acknowledge his soverain authority howbeit the celestiall Angels blessed soules and infernall spirits haue not knees to bow with The everlasting felicity of the children of God is the Supper of glory doe they drink continually of that felicity upon their knees thowsand thowsands stand before him many shall come from the East and from the West and sit at the heavenly table with Abraham Isaak and Iacob may we not then conclude sitting and standing as well as they doe kneeling if we looke to the letter of parables visions allegories and prophesies But Symbolicall Theologie is not argumentatiue Last how will they proue evidently that the falling of the 24. Elders before the lambe is to be interpreted of the Kirk triumphant rather then of the Kirke Militant REASONS AGAINST FESTIVALL DAYES FRom the beginning of the Reformation to this present yeare of our Lord 1618. the Kirk of Scotland hath diverse waies condemned the observation of all holy dayes the Lords day onely excepted In the first chapter of the first booke of discipline penned anno 1560. the observation of holy dayes to Sancts the feast of Christmasse Circumcision Epiphanie Purification and other fond feasts of our Ladie are ranked amongst the abhominations of the Romane religion as hauing neither commandement nor assurance in the word It is farther affirmed that the obstinate maintaineres teachers of such abomination should not escape the punishement of the ciuill Magistrate The book aforesaid was subscrybed by the Lords of secret Councell In the generall Assemblie holden at Edinburgh anno 1566 the latter confession of Hâ—lvâ—tia was approued but with speciall exception against some holy dayes dedicated to Christ these same very dayes that now are urged In the Assemblie holden anno 1575. complaint was made against the Ministers and Readers beside Aberdine because they Assembled the people to prayer and preaching vppon certain patron and festival dayes Complaint likewise was ordained to be made to the Regent vpon the Town of Drumfraies for vrging and convoying a Reader to the Kirke with Tabret and Whistle to read the prayers all the holy Dayes of Yoo le or Christmas vpon the refusall of their own Reader Item an article was formed to be presented to the Regent craving that all dayes heretofore keeped holy in tyme of Papistrie beside the Lords day such as Yoo le day Saints dayes and other like feasts may be abolished a civill penaltie appointed against the observers of the said dayes Banquetting playing feasting and such other vanities upon the dayes foresayd is condemned In the Assembly holden in Aprill anno 1577. it was ordained that the Visitor with the advice of the Synodal Assembly shall admonish Ministers preaching or ministring the communion at Pasche Yoo le or other like superstitious times or Readers reading to desist under the paine of deprivation Dedicating of dayes was abjured in the confession of faith penned anno 1580. An Article was formed in the Assembly anno 1581. craving an act of Parliament to be made against observation of feast dayes dedicated to Saints and setting out of bone-fires In the Assembly holden in February anno 1587. it was humbly moved to his Maiesty that Pasche and Yoo le was superstitiously observed in Fyffe and about Drumfrets In the Assembly holden anno 1590. his Maiesty in open audience of the Assembly praised God for that he was borne to be a King in the sincerest Kirk in the world sincerer then our neighbour Kirk of England for their service was an evill-sayd Masse in English Sincerer then Geneva it selfe for they observed Pasche and Yoo le In the Parliament holden anno 1592. the act of King Iames the third anent the Saturday and other vigils to be kept holy from Even-song to Evensong was annulled Item the act made by Queen Regent granting licence to keepe Yoo le and Pasche In the Assembly holden anno 1596. when the covenant was renewed superstition and Idolatry breaking forth in keeping of festivall dayes setting out of bone-fires and singing of Carrols is reckoned amongst the corruptions which were to be amended The Pulpits haue sounded continually against all festivall daies The Censures of the Kirk haue been put in execution in all due form against the observers In the pretended Assembly holden at Perth in August last past it was concluded that hereafter every Minister shall make commemoration of the inestimable benefits received from God by and through our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ his Birth Passion Resurrection Ascension and sending down of the Holy Ghost upon the dayes appoynted for that use That they shall make choyce of severall and pertinent Texts and frame their Doctrine and exhortation accordingly This their conclusion was ratified and allowed by act of Councell and proclamation was made thereupon commanding cessation and abstinence from all kinde of labour and handy-worke upon the fiue dayes aboue written that every one may the better attend the holy exercises which are to be kept in the Kirke at these times But first we will premit the proper description of a festivall day The description of a festivall day PIscator describeth a Festivall day in this manner Festum proprii loquendo est publica solennis ceremonia mandata à Deo ut certo anni tempore cum singulari loetitia obeatur ad gratias agendum Deo pro certo aliquo beneficio in populum suum collato A feast in proper speech is a publick and solemne ceremonie commanded by God to bee celebrated a certaine time of the yeare with singular gladnesse to giue thankes to God for some certaine benifit bestowed on his people Hooker intreating this argument intituleth the subiect festivall dayes Hee maketh festivall solemnity to be nothing els but the due mixture as it were of these three elements Praises set forth with chearefull alacritie of mind delite expressed by charitable largenes more then common bounty and sequestration from ordinary labors By these descriptiones wee may see that the sabboth day is not properly a festiuall day The ordinary sabboth is weekly the festivall is anniversary We may fast upon the ordinarie sabboth but we cannot fast and mourne upon a festivall day Nehem. 8.10 for that were to confound fasting and festivall dayes The Councill of Laodicea inhibited to celebrate the feasts of martyres in Lent for the same regard upon the ordinary sabboth all the parts of Gods worship may be performed as occasion shall offer Vpon the festivall dayes we are bound to the commemoration of a particular benefite Proper texts Epistles Gospels Homilies and sermones are framed for the misterie of that day So that the ordinary sabboth is morall and for the worship of God in generall the festivall is misticall Esentialia festi the esseÌ„tiall parts of a festivall day are cessation from work hearing of the
word participation of the sacraments Commemoration of divine misteries may be performed upon the ordinary sabbath but to make up a festival day Bellarm. requireth a determination of a day signification and representation of the misteries wrought on such dayes Scaliger observeth that the ordinary sabbothes were never called Chaggim as the anniversarie solemnities were 1. Reason against festivall dayes Six dayes shalt thou labour and doe all that thou hast to doe These words are either a command to doe the works of our calling as many both Iewish and Christian divines doe interprete or els a permission as others doe interpret If they contein a command no countremand may take it away If a permission no human authority may spoile men of the liberty that God hath granted unto them as long as they haue any maner of worke to doe for the sustentation of this life The Muscovits therefore say very well that it is for Lords to keepe feasts and abstien from labour The Citizens and Artificers amongst them upon the festivall dayes after divine service do betake themselues to their labour and domestick affaires as Gaguinus reporteth It may be objected that Constantine the Emperour made a law that none but the Prince may ferias coÌ„dere erect an idle day the Prince then may inioyne a day of Cessation Answer The Lawes of the â—od are not rules of theologie A Prince may not inioyne Cessation from Oeconomicall and domestick works but for weapon shewing exercise of armes defence of the country or other publick works and affaires But that is not to injoyne a day of simple Cessation but to inioyne a politick work in place of the oeconomicall Every particular member ceassing from their particular work exerciseth another work serving for the preservation of the whole bodie The curse that Adam shall eate with the sweate of his browes is mitigated by the permission of six dayes labour The Lord permitteth unto man six lest he devoure the seventh day which is sanctified What if the Kirk representatiue injoyne a weekly holy day as another sabboth ought the Kirke to be obeyed what power hath the Kirk representatiue to inioyne an anniversary day more then a weekly or hebdomadary holy day If a day of simple Cessation from all maner of work Oeconomicall and politicall may not be inioyned a festivall day may not be inioyned I say further that the poore craftsman can not lawfully be commanded to lay aside his tooles and goe passe his time no not for an houre let be for a day as long as he is willing to worke and perhaps urged with the sharpnes of present necessity And yet farther that he ought not to be compelled to leaue his worke to goe to divine service except on the day that the Lord hath sanctified The second Reason It is the priuiledge of Gods power to appoint a day of rest and to sanctifie it to his honour as our best Divines mainteine Zanchius affirmeth that it is proper to God to choose any person or any thing to consecrate and sanctifie it to himselfe as it belongeth to him alone to justify Catechismus Hollandicus saith no wise man will deny that this sanctification belongeth onely to God that it is manifest sacriledge to attribute these things to men which are onely of divine ordination Willet sayth It belongeth onely to the Creator to sanctifie the Creature In the booke of Ecclesiasticus cap. 33.7.8 it is demanded Why doth one day excell another when as the light of every day of the yeare is of the Sun It is answered By the knowledge of the Lord they were distinguished and he altered seasons and feasts Some of them hath he made hie dayes and hallowed them Some of them he hath made ordinary dayes The common tenent of the Divines was acknowledged by the pretended Bishop of Galloway in his Sermon at the last Christmas It may offend you sayd he that this is an holy day I say there is no power either civill or Ecclesiasticall can make an holy day no King no Kirk onely the Lord that made the day and distinguished it from the night he hath sanctified the seventh day The like was acknowledged by M. P. Galloway in his Christmas Sermons If the speciall sanctification of a day to an holy use dependeth upon Gods commandement and institution then neither King nor Kirke representatiue may make an holy day The observers of dayes will say they count not their anniverserie daies holier then other dayes but that they keep them only for order and policie that the people may be assembled to religious exercises Answer The Papists will confesse that one day is not holier then another in its owne nature no not the Lords day for then the Sabboth might not haue been changed from the last to the first day of the weeke But they affirme that one day is holier then another in respect of the end and vse And so doe wee They call them holy dayes and so doe wee They vse them as memoriall signes of sacred mysteries whereof they carie the names as Nativitie Passion Ascension c. And so doe wee The presence of the festivitie putteth a man in minde of the mysterie howbeit he haue not occasion to be present in the holy Assembly We are commanded to obserue them in all points as the Lords day both in the publick Assemblies and after the dissoluing of the same Yea it is left free to teach any parte of Gods word on the Lords day but for solemnitie of the festiuall solemne texts must be chosen Gospels Epistles collects Psalmes must be framed for the particular service of these dayes and so the mysticall dayes of mans appointment shall not onely equall but in solemnity surpasse the morall sabboth appointed by the Lord. Doth not Hooker say that the dayes of publick memorials should be cloathed with the outward robes of holines They aledge for the warrant of anniversary festivities the Ancients who call them Sacred and misticall dayes If they were instituted only for order and policie that the people may Assemble to religious exercises Wherefore is there but one day appointed betwixt the Passion and Resurection fortie dayes betwixt the Resurrection and Ascension Ten betwixt the Ascension and Pentecost Wherefore follow we the course of the Moone as the Iewes did in our moveable feasts making the christian Church cloathed with the Sunne to walk vnder the Moone as Bonauentura alludeth Wherefore is there not a certain day of the moneth kept for Easter as well as for the nativitie Doth not Bellarmine giue this reason out of Augustine that the day of the Natiuity is celebrate only for memorie the other both for memorie and for sacraments Ille celebratur solum ob memoriam ideo semper die 25. Decembris at lâ—fe celebratur ob memoriam sacramentum ideo variatur If the anniversarie commemorations were like the weekely preachings as the two forenamed preachers made the comparison why
questions extant among Iustinus workes the learned do not acknowledge them for his In Augustins rule there is no mention of the nativity day As for the other foure daies mentioned put the case they were universally observed in Augustines time that is in the fift age after the Apostles yet except they were perpetually observed Augustines rule will not helpe them If If they cannot proue Pasche to be Apostolicall how will they proue the Penticost the Passion Ascension day to be Apostolicall There is Sermons extant amongst Cyprians workes upon the Passion and Ascension dayes But Bellarmine himselfe confesseth these Sermons of Christs cardinall workes to be suppesitions The observing of the passion day brought into the kirk set dayes of fasting the Friday fast Lenton fast and a number of superstitions accompanying the said fastings together with the opinion of merit by fasting Set anniversary fasts are condemned by our Divines The right manner of fasting is to fast when some iudgement is imminent some great worke to bee performed And as for the private man when hee is greatly tempted to sin and cannot overcome his tentation then is it fittest time for him to fast The Paschall fasts were also abused for the Paschall communion following as if Easter communion required greater preparation then any other communion in the yeare The sixth Reason If it had been the will of God that the severall actes of Christ should haue been celebrate with severall solemnities the Holy Ghost would haue made known to us the day of his Nativity Circumcision presentation to the Temple Baptisme Transfiguration and the like For it is kindly to remember Opus diâ—i in die sua the worke of the day in the own day This was the custome of old under the Law Hooker sayth That the wondrous works of God advanced the dayes times wherein they were wrought Bellarmine sayth That Christs acts did consecrate the dayes and times wherein they were wrought If the principall workes of God advance some dayes above other all the dayes of the yeare should be holy If we should honour the memory of Christs actes all dayes likewise should bâ— holy because every one of them is full of his miracles as Leâ— sayth Christ by his actions did no more consecrate the times wherein they were wrought then his body did the Mangâ—r or the Crosse. Not Christs action on a day but his institution maketh a day holy If Christs actions advance consecrate the dayes whereon they were wrought the dayes ought to be known Otherwise it will fall out that we shall keepe the dayes holy that were never advanced noâ— consecrated either by Christs action or institution But so it is that the day of Christ nativity and consequently the other dayes depending upon the calculation of the same is hid from mortall men That Christ was born the 25. day of December is grounded upon an erroneous conceit that Zachary the father of Iohn Baptist was an high Priest when as he was a Priest of one of the 24. orders that is of the order of Abijah The Auncients made Iohn the Baptist to be conceiued the 24. of September when Zachary as high Priest should haue offered up incense And from the conception of Iohn they counted six full moneths to the conception of Christ that is to the 25. of March when as they should haue counted but fiue full moneths This opinion of Christs nativitie on the 25. day of December was bred at Rome Scaliger sayth Post seculum Constantini Romae haec observatio instituta tempore Chrysostomi Constantinopolin derivata est That this observation was instituted at Rome after Constantines time Chrysostom in his Homilies upon the Nativity saith That ten yeares agoe before the making of the sayd Homily the 25. day of December was made known to the Orientall Kirkes by the Occidentall to haue been the day of Christs Nativity Epiphanius testifieth that hee was ignorant that the Occidentall Kirk had ordained the 25. day of December to haue been the day of the Lords nativity a little before hee made his booke against heresies All the Kirkes of the East and of Egypt observed one day for the nativity and baptisme of Christ upon the Epiphany day Ambrose is the most ancient who maketh mention of the 25. day of December sayth Scaliger The diversity of the Ancients observing some the 6. of Ianuary Some the 19. of Aprill Some the 19. of May. Some the 25. of December argueth that the Apostles never ordained it Bellarmine nor no other can produce a writer for 300. yeares to testifie that the Nativity day was keept Clemens Constitutions are known to be counterfet and late as Scaliger proveth in the same place Because they make mention of the 25. day of december which was not receaved in his time namely in the Orientall Kirk By the same argument may the counterfeit Epistle of Theophilus be rejected for it maketh likewayes the nativity to fall on the 25 day of December as a matter out of all doubt Cyprians sermon on the Nativity is acknowledg by Bellarmine himselfe to be suppositious as I haue said before Yee se then as God hid the body of Moses so hath he hid this day and other dayes depending on the calculation of it wherein he declared his wil concerning the other daies of his notablâ— acts To wit that not Christs action but Christs institution maketh a day holy Bellarmine sayth Dies dominica refert nobis memoriam natalis Christi et resurrectionis ejusdem et adventus Spirit us Sancti nam Christ us die dominica nat us est Christ was borne vpon the Lords day If this be true what needeth vs an anniuersarie day after a Iewish manner They will not suffer the ordinary sabboth that is Christs day serue in a morall maner for vnknown dayes but they will set vp a mysticall day vncertain and vnknown and equall it with the Lords day that is the true Christs day institute by himself Why should we follow antiquity blinded in this point fostâ—r a grosse error of Zacharius hie priesthood against the expresse word of God He was a Priest of the eight order every order kept their course and station about the Temple from sabboth to sabboth 1. Chron. 9.25 None of them incrhoched vpon othâ—r but kept the order set down by David and to that effect was made a severe Cannon Euery Priest or Levit that medled with the function of another let him die the death as Scaliger reporteth out of their ancient lawes Omnis sive Sacerdos sive Levita qui sese immiseuerit function alterius capite luat This order was so observed that if any of the 24. families had failed either by famine or by the sword the daily sacrifice ceased in the time of their function and no other family would supply the roome But from the instauration and dedication made by Iudas Maccabeus the 22. day of November when the first family began
of feasts so increased that there is nothing in the Kirke so unsavoury to God so pernicious to men as to sanctifie such and so many dayes We pretend that we place no part of Gods worship in the observation of dayes But how can wee obserue a day to the honour of Christ and not worship him by that observation That were to make his honour no honour Wee vse to reason against the Papists after this manner To dedicate daies to Saints is religious worship Is it not then religious worship to dedicat a day to Christ yea surely and wil-worship And so they were not onely polluted with wil-worship but are at this houre of themselues a meere wil-worship The 8. Reason That which lawfully hath been abolished by civile and Ecclesiasticall lawes and by consent and uniforme practize in the contrary without interruption and beyond the prescription of time allowed to things moueable put the case holy dayes were things moueable and indifferent and hath been borne downe by sermons of all the most reverent Preachers since the reformation corrected with censures and abjured by publick oaths of Preachers and professors cannot lawfully be received and put in practize againe Hooker and Saravia urged for maintenance of their ceremonies Law custome prescription and craveth that the impiety and unlawfulnes of their ceremonies be proved or els that the non-conformists conforme May we not plead after the same manner for our former order so long established and that they proue it was impious and unlawfull before we make a change And so much the rather because we haue sworn Our oath by it selfe bindeth more then Law custome and prescription farre more when it concurreth with them The assumption is evident by that which I haue already set downe in the beginning If Zanchius aproved the abolition of holy dayes in some Kirks where they were because they haue been poluted and grossely abused much more would he and other divines knowing the trueth of our case think it unlawfull to reinduce them amongst us The iudgement of the Reformed Kirkes Of the ancient Kirks I haue spoken before Some excuse the Ancients with good intention because to winne the Gentiles they converted their dayes into Christian holy dayes Others excused them with the circumstance of time that dwelling among Paganes they made profession before their eyes of Christs birth Passion resurrection c. by observing such dayes But the wisdome of their intention has proven folly as the 7. reason maketh manifest The like circumstance of time is not offered Therefore we may not be excused It is grosse ignorance to say that holy dayes were so many hundreth yeares before Papistry For Papistry hath been in the Kirk ever since the dayes of the Apostles yea the mystery of iniquitie was working in their times The errors of the Orthodoxe Kirk were the beginnings of Papistry at length they grew to a great masse So how beit the whole lump was not formed till the Antichrist came to his full strength yet many particulars were entered before and like brooks came into the great river As the Antichrist was borne and did grow in yeares so did Papistry As for the reformed Kirks except our neighbour Kirke they haue abandoned dayes dedicate to Saints Some admit dayes dedicate to Christ some two some fiue But not with the full consent and good liking of the learned But either forced by the authority of the Magistrate or wilfulnes of the people or because remaining in the midst of their enimies they are not permitted otherwayes to do Farrellus and Viret removed all holy dayes out of the Kirk of Geneva as Calvin testifies The same decree which banished Farellus and Caluin out of Geneva brought in other holy dayes They were all again abrogate except the sabboth day Howsoever after came in the keeping of Pasche and the Nativity Caluin was so far from liking of holy dayes that he was flandered of intention to abolish the Lords day The Belgick Kirks in their Synod holden at Dost anno 1578. wished that onely the Lords day might be celebrate Yea Luther himselfe in his booke de bonis operibus set forth anno 1520. wished that there were no feast dayes among Christians but the Lords day And in his booke to the Nobilitie of Germanie he saith Consultum esse ut omnia festa aboleantur solo Dominico die retento It were expedient that all feast dayes were abrogate the Lords day only retained Howsoever forraigne divines in their Epistles Councels speak somtime sparingly against holy dayes when their advice was sought of Kirks newly risen out of Popery and greatly distressed they never advised a Kirke to resume them where they were removed neither had they leasure to consider narrowly the corruption of every errour that prevailed in their time the work of reformation was so painfull to them I wish therefore that the judicious Reader would ponder the reasons set down in this treatise As for our neighbour Kirk standing in the midest betwixt the Roman and reformed Kirks as Bucerus once said is more liberall in their feasts as in other ceremonies then the other reformed Kirks as Gretzerus the Iesuit hath observed Calvino-Papistae Angli ut in aliis quae ad ritus et ceremonias pertinent longe liberaliores sunt quam puritani in Gallia Germania Belgia ita et in festis retinendis longe largiores They obserue not onely the fiue holy dayes already mentioned but other dayes also dedicate to Christ. The feast of circumcision was not remembred in the Kalendars but within this 500. year Nazianzen is the first that maketh mention of the Epiphanie day Neither was it institute at the first for the wise men There is no homily of any farther extent for the feast of purification before the dayes of Iustinian The feast of the Trinitie was not keept at Rome it selfe in the dayes of Alexander the 3. They keepe also a number of Sancts dayes so that their dayes in number are moe then the Iewes themselues observed The reasons already alledged against dayes dedicate to Christ may serue also against dayes dedicate to Sancts and Angels We may looke assuredly that the fiue dayes presently urged will bring in all the rest to make up our Conformity with our neighbour Kirk which to us is not lawfull They were never remoued from amongst them we haue abandoned and abjured them If the Apostle reproved the Galatians so sharply that beginning in the spirit they returned to the flesh that is to the ceremonies of Moses Law some time ordained by God what reproofe deserue we after wee haue begun in the Spirit and runne so well and so long if we returne to human traditions superstitiōs To cōclude then to esteem one day aboue another in respect of any mystery certainly known or commonly reputed to haue been wrought upon that day To testifie this estimation by cessation from worke To devise a particular service to be done upon it accounting that forme or
day haue I begotten thee applied to the resurrection by the Apostle Act. 13.33 The Lords day is the day that the Lord hath created let us exult and reioyce in it Christ instituted it David prophecied of it Psal. 110. where it is called the day of the Lords Assemblies Many memorable things were done under the old Testament upon this day to declare that it should be an excellâ—nt day under the new Testament specially Circumcision was commanded on the eight day as a sacrament of that day saith Iunius Quia Sacramentum fuit diei illius octavi quo dominus Iesus Christus resurrexit following in this conceit the Ancients Cyprian Ambrose c. If it be true that is affirmed by the Councill of Constantinople it would appeare that the Lord hath of purpose heaped his wonderfull works upon this day for there it is said that Christ was born on it The star shined to the wise men on it Christ fed 5000. with 5 loaues and 2 fishes on it Christ was baptized on it rose on it sent down the H. Ghost on it one it the light was created Pope Leo likewise saith Dies dominica tantis disâ—â—nsationuÌ„ mysteriis est consecrata ut quicquid insigne admodum est constitutum in terris in hujus diei dignitatem sit gestum id est that the Lords day is consecrate with so manie misteries dispensed on it that it appeareth that whatsoever potable thing was done on earth was done to the honour of this day So if the prophey of David should be aplied to any precise day it should be applied to the Lords day But seeing the words are to be understood as well of David as of Christ the day is taken for the time indefinitely wherein David was made King and the Corner Stone of Gods people The other testimony importeth not the celebration of Ester feast upon any anniversary day but rather the Apostle teacheth us to celebrate this feast of the Passover all the yeare long with the vnleavened bread of sincerity and turth Doctor Fulk in his answer to the Rhemists upon the same place citeth Augustine referring this feasting not to the celebration of Ester nor to the receiuing of Pasche communion but to our whole life It is therefore onely the Bishops conjècture that the incestuous person was cut of against the feast of Ester that a little leaven might not leaven the whole lump His last proofe is taken from the custome of baptisme and the Eucharist ministred upon Pasch day as if they had been ministred only on that day It was the decree of Pope Innocentius in the Lateran Councill that all should communicate at Ester The Christian Sabboth was called the Lords day the day of light and the day of Bread The day of light because of baptisme ministred ordinarily on the Lords day for the Ancients called baptisme Light or illumination The day of bread because of the administration of the Supper ordinarily upon the Lords day as Iunius proveth out of Chrysostome baptisme was tyed of ould to Pentecost as well as Ester It was an evill custome disallowed both by ancient and moderne Divines It was not so in the Primitiue Kirk as Cassander beareth witnes Apostolorum doctrinae consentientes nullo temporum aut locorum delectu statim post fidei professionem ab Apostolis vel Apostolorum discipulis baptismi sacramento in Ecclesiam Christi captabantur I will now frame an argument against this conceit of Apostolicall tradition and observation of Pafch The Apostles were led all their life time by the infallible direction of the Spirit If they had accorded on the observaton of Ester they had not disagreed on the day But their most ancient records the bastard Epistles aboue mentioned report that Philip and Iohn kept the fourtenth day of the moone as the Iewes did and Peter the Lords day following the fourteenth day of the moone It is well said in the preface to the harmony of confessions that the old contention about the celebrating of Ester tossed very hotly the space of two hundred yeares or thereabout betwixt the Greeks and the Latines was long since of us thought worthy of laughter Whitaker saith Magnam quidem de hoc re olim fuisse contentioneÌ„ sed sine causa ut miruÌ„ sit de re tantilla et pene nullius momenti tantas et tam graves fuisse dissentiones wondring at their frivolous contention The golden number invented to find out the new moone for observing the right day after that they accorded upon one day hath often failed and notwithstanding of all the rules set downe by the Councill of Nice for uniformity in keeping the day it hath been differently observed through mistaking as Bellamine himselfe confesseth So God suffered the Christian world to wander notwithstanding of their golden number to let the world see such customes had not his allowance He suffered not the Iewes to wander in such incertainties after he had appointed them unto the keeping of their Passeover Lastly they reason with Augustine á posteriori that seeing the Lords Passion Resurrection Ascension comming down of the holy Ghost is celebrated with anniversarie solemnity through all the world they must needs haue been ordained either by the Apostles or by generall Councels But so it is that those dayes were solemnly kept before there was any generall Councell It must follow therefore that the Apostles ordained them Answer Augustines dis-junction is not necessary For many customes crept in and prevailed thereafter universally which were neither ordained by the Apostles nor generall Councels Socrates in his History sayth I am of opinion that as many other things crept in of custome in sundry places so the feast of Easter to haue prevailed among all people of a certain private custome and observation insomuch that not one of the Apostles hath any where prescribed so much as one rule of it to any man The successe event hath manifestly declared unto the world that of old it was observed not of Canon but of custome And a little after They that keepe Easter the 14. day of the moneth bring forth Iohn the Apostle for their Authour Such as inhabite Rome and the West parts of the world alledge Peter and Paul for themselues that they should leaue such a tradition yet there is none of them that can shew in writing any testimony of theirs for confirmation and proofe of that custome Thus farre Socrates translated by Doctor Hanmer a formalist for answer to Augustines rule In the dayes of Iustinus Martyr that is in the midst of the second age after the Apostles there is no mention made of any other holy day then the Lords day In his second Apologie he seemeth to affirme that the Christians had onely two times of publicke meetings the one ordinary upon the Lords day the other extraordinary and uncertaine viz. when any was converted to the Christian faith and baptized As for the