A Reexamination of the Five Articles Enacted at Perth in 1618, Section 2 · Part 3

A Reexamination of the Five Articles Enacted at Perth in 1618 · Section 2 · Part 3

p. 187THE DEFINITION OF A FEstivall day.

IUdicious Piscator defineth thus a festivall day, Gala…. 4. 10.… stum propriè loquendo est publica & folennis ceremonia mandata à Deo, ut certo anni tempore, cum singulari letitia obeatur, ad gratias agendum. Deo pro certo aliquo beneficio in populum suum collato. that is, A feast or festivall day is a publike or solemne ceremonie, commanded by God to be executed at a certaine time of the yeare, with singular gladnesse, to give God thankes for some certaine benefite bestowed on his people. Hooker the master of ceremonies, Policie 5. book sect. …2.maketh festivall solemnitie to be nothing els, but the divine mixture, as it were, of these three elements, praises set forth with cheerefull alacritie of minde, delight expressed by charitable largenesse more then common bounty, and sequestration from ordinarie workes.

The sabbath under the law was never called jom tob, The Lords day not a festivall.a good, that is, a merrie day, as were the solemne anniversarie feasts. Other dayes also, which were not solemne feasts, were so called, as dayes of banketing and feasting. Drusius in his annotations upon Ester 9. citeth Elias Thesbite to this purpose. Master Aiusworth in his annotations upon Exodus 16. citeth the Chaldee paraphrase, speaking of the sabbaths and good dayes, that is, the solemne feasts as distinct things. Puxtorsius also in abbreviaturis. So the Lords day succeeding to the old sabbath, should not be ranked among the festivall dayes or feasts, as the word is taken in our common language. p. 188The definitions agree not to the Lords day. It is not an anniversarie, but a weekly day. It is not instituted for the commemoration of a particular benefite, but for the worship of God at large, as the morall law requireth, and as the old sabbath did. For howbeit that day, was made choise of, which was the day of Christs resurrection, yet it was not instituted onelyonly for the commemoration of that particular benefit, but for the worship of God in generall. It hath no peculiar service of epistles, gospels, collects, or sermons and homil…es for Christs resurrection. The Church invented afterward a feast or festivall day, to wit, Easter, for that purpose, which is called the feast of the resurrection. S…rez having reckoned the many prerogatives of the Lords day, as that Christ rose that day, the holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles, &c. hee willeth us to observe, that howbeit all these prerogatives might have beene considered in the determination of the day, yet the day of it selfe, and directly was not instituted for the peculiar commemoration of these …rkes of God, but to worship God for himselfe and his owne exellencie. De festis c. 4.Nihilominus per se ac directè non referri vel istitui hunc diem ad peculiaerem commemorationem illorum operum Dei, sed ad Deumipsum propter se colendum, & propter suam excellentiam & majestatem. It wee had no dayes but festivall for some particular benefits, we should have no day for the worship of God in generall. The Lords day therefore may justly bee called the schoole-day of Christians, as Petrus Ramus calleth it. Thirdly, as the sabbath of old was distinguished from the yearly feast, which were called good, that is, merrie dayes, so is the Lords day from the yearly feasts, invented afterwards by men. VponUpon the anniversarie p. 189feasts called good dayes, they might not fast as yee have heard before. Mirth and mourning could not stand together. But upon the sabbath they might lawfully fast. Epist. 86. ad Casulanum.Ne quando sanctifica…it De is diem septimum, quia in illo requievit ab omnibus operibus suis, aliquid de jejunio vel prandio expressit, nec cum postea populo Hebra… de ipsius dici observatione mandavit, aliquid de alimentis sumendis vel non sumendis locutus, saith August…ne. that is, God enjoyned nothing concerning fasting or eating, either the first time that he sanctified the seventh day, or afterward when he gave the manna. The Lords day succeeding in the roome of the old sabbath, as it standeth in the decalogue, is of the same qualitie. Wee may lawfully fast upon the Lords day, which were absurd to dee upon our anniversarie feast dayes. It is true, that in the ancient Church it was thought a hainous thing to fast upon the Lords day. So did they also forbid to pray kneeling that day, to signifie their joy for Christs resurrection. This use of signification or testification was the fountaine of much superstition, and brought in a heap of ceremonies, some of which the Papists themselves were …shamed of long since. The same ceremonie of not kneeling in time of prayer upon the Lords day, De cultu… sanctorum cap. 11.is worne out of use nigh 500 yeares since, sai…h Bellarmine. If the reason of the institution had beene solide, it should become us no lesse then them to pray standing upon the Lords day. But the ground was naught. The like may bee said of not fasting upon the Lords day. Some reason they had indeed not to fast upon this day, when the Manichees and Priscillianists fasted; for the Manichees fasted ordinarily upon the Lords day, lest they should seeme to rejoyce for the resurrection of Christ, which p. 190they be…eeved not. The Priscillianists fasted likewise ordinarily upon the Lords day, and the nativitie day. But when there are no knowne Manichees, nor Priscillianists, there is not the like reason for not fasting. But the extremities should be avoided. To thinke it unlawfull to fast that day, or unlawfull to dine and breake our fast, are both without warrant, and superstitious. But to fast upon occasion, or in time of any imminent judgement, is lawfull. When Paul continued preaching upon the sabbath till midnight at Troas, before the tasted any thing, or the rest were refreshed with meat, this conceat of not fasting upon the Lords day, had not entred in the Church. Was Paul a Manichaean, saith Hierome, because hee and those who were with him fasted on the Lords day. Di… 76. c. 11.His words are extant in Gratians decree, Atqui utinam omni tempore jejunare possimus; quod in Actibus Apostolorum diebus Pentecostes, & die dominico Apostolum Paictum, & cum eo credentes fecisse legimus. Non tamen Manicheae haereseos accusandit sunt. If any had resolved to fast seven dayes or moe, he might have fasted upon the Lords day included, as ye may see in Balsamo and Zonaras upon the constitutions falsly called apostolicall, and Augustine epist. 86. ad Casulanum. Whitaker defending the occasionall fas…s of our Church, telleth Duraeus, that the respects the ancients had, concerne not us. C…erum to… …1. p. 227.Etsi illîs temporibus die dominica jejunare nefas fuit, propter haerelices & Judaeos, qui Christi resurrectionem impugnabant, jam dudum tamen illa offensio nullum in ecclesia locum habet, ut planè nugatorum sit quod tu de nostris in Anglia & Scotia… … calumniaris, quasi eò spectent, ut his cuniculis resur…cti… fidem evertamus. In a pronounciall synod holden at Dort anno 1574 it was ordained, that there bee p. 191three sermons on the Lords day, Tom. 3. l. 29 cap. 6. num. 6when a fast is to be keeped on …. It is to observe a day, to say, the morne is the Lo…ds day, therefore it is unlawfull to fast, Theolog polemica, p. 509saith Chamter. Alstedius, Jejunandum etiam die dominica, si necessitas flagitet. What need I multiply testimonies, that is sufficient, which Augustine saith What dayes wee ought to fast, and what not, I finde it not defined by any precept given by our Lord, or any of the Apostles. Quibus diebus non oporteat jejunare, & quibus oporteat praecepto Domini vel Apostolorum non havenio definitum, epist. 86. But if the Lords day were a festivall day, it should follow, that we should not not fast on it at all.

Now we proceed in our reasons against festivall dayes.

THE II. REASON.

NOne appointed holy festivities under the laws when the times were more ceremonious, but God himselfe.

The dayes of Purim were called simply the dayes of Purim, The dayes of Purimnot the holy dayes of Purim. They were not called Chaggim… No peculiar sacrifice was appointed, nor any holy convocation of the people enjoyned. The ordinance required but feasting and joy, and sending of portions to other. The rest mentioned Esther 9. was onelyonly from their enemies. So much worke as might stand with a feasting day was not forbidden. Suppose they had rested altogether from worke, that would only prove an idle day, but not an holy day. Our Doctour therefore hath no warrant to say, pag. 18.that they were made holy dayes by Mordecay. Afterward, it … true, wh…n the Jews become more superstitious, they read the book p. 192of Esthe…, after the reading whereof they sp…nt the rest of the day in revelling and riotousnesse. Next these dayes were instituted by Mordecai, and therefore were called Mordecai's dayes, 2 Maccahab. last chap. vers. 37. Sixtus Senensis saith, Biblioth li. p. 20.he is thought to be the penman of the booke of Esther, he was one of the 120. of which the great synagogue consisted, of which number were Zacharie, Daniel, Ezra, De sacram. pag. 206.and Malachie. Whitaker thinketh Mordecai did this, God inspiring him, or perhaps by the advice or warrant of some Prophet, and doubteth not, but it was done by divine authoritie. Many things might have beene done then by their direction, the like whereof wee have not now. Thirdly, it appeareth Esther 9. 28. that this custome was to bee observed as long as the feasts appointed by the Lord himselfe. Holy dayes of ecclesiasticall constitution are not of such a nature as Doctour Fulk acknowledgeth. Fourthly, it was not done without consent of the people of the Jewes themselves, Against the Rhem. Apoc. 1. 10. Contr. 3. l. 4. cap. 17. …. 5.Rev 1:10as Junius observeth. The Jewes tooke upon them and their seed to keepe these two dayes, Esther 9. 27. Howbeit they were not religious, but politike dayes, 3 part. decre. …i dist. 3. c. 2. De …etal. titulo de Faeriis cap. Conquestus.Mordecai would not impose them without their consent. The equitie of this is seene in the Canon law, where bishops are forbidden to appoint any particular festivall dayes within their diocies without consent of the people. And there is good reason, seeing they are to be withdrawne from their calling, I put now the case they had power to make a holy or festivall day. Lastly, can any prince or state make the like ordinance for the posteritie, to feast, and send portions and gifts one to other, or were it seemly to command feasting in a Christian common-wealth, howbeit allowed, and in a p. 193manner commanded to the Jewes. Alstedii polemic. p. 399.Alstedius denieth that the Christian Church can imitate the Jewes in the like.

The memoriall dayes of the dedication mentioned, The dayes of dedication.Joh. 10. 22. serve as little for their purpose, for first, they are not called, either 1 Macchab. 4. or here; the feast of dedication, howbeit the English translatours without warrant have translated the word dedication so, which the Rhemists retaine without such a supplement. If any supplement were needfull, it may be translated the dayes of dedication, as the former were called the dayes of Purim. And so they are called 1 Maccab. 4. 59. and in the testimonie cited by Junius out of the Talmud. Joh. 10. If yee will call them the feast of dedication, because of their bodily feasting, yet unlesse there was holy convocations to divine service upon them, and cessation from worke, they cannot bee made a president for holy festivities composed of Hookers three elements, nor a…e they anniversarie holy dayes added to those the Lord himselfe appointed. There was offering of sacrifices, singing and playing upon instruments at the time of dedication of the altar eight dayes, but not enjoyned at the yearly memoriall. Thirdly, Judas Maccabaeus and his brethren, had the consent and assistance of the whole congregation of Israel to this ordinance, 1 Macc. b. 4. 59. which is wanting to our festivall dayes, But Junius citeth a testimonie out of the Talmud, bearing, that the wise men for the time instituted eight dayes of dedication, in memorie, that a little quantitie of oil, which was found in the temple scarce sufficient to enterta…ne the lamps one day, vet sufficed eight dayes, till new oil was pressed out of the olives. By the wise men are meant the p. 194Pharisees. … in Marc. 2. 18.Mark 2:18Nam sapientes & Pharisaei synomina sunt, saith Drusius. We are not to imitate the inventions of Pharisees, or of such corrupt times as those of the Maccabces. There was no yearly remembrance by solemnitie of feast, not so much as of one for the dedication of the whole temple, either the first under Salomon, or the second under Zorobabel, nor for restoring of the temple by Ezekias, after it was prophaned by Ahaz and Vrias, or by Josias after it was polluted by Manasses and Amon. But now there was an annuall memorie appointed for renewing of the altar only, and other decayed places of the temple. As for Christs conference in the porch of the temple in the dayes of dedication, it proveth not that he honoured that feast, as they call it, with his presence. Only the circumstance of the time is pointed at, when that conference was, as the dayes of the shewbread, Act. 20. and of the fast, Act. 27. are mentioned, to note a circumstance of time, but not that Paul observed them. Christ came up to the feast of the tabernacles before, and stayed in Jerusalem. In the meane time the dayes of dedication fell forth, De emendat. temp.as Scaliger hath observed. So Christ came not up to Ierusalem for this feast, and went away in the time of it immediatly after this conference. Further, Christ and his Apostles tooke occasion of frequent meetings to thrust their sickles in thick harvests.

In a word the dayes instituted to Gods people, beside such as God himselfe appointed, were either appointed by extraordinarie warrant, or were not holy dayes, or were the inventions of the pharisees, and corrupter times.

p. 195THE III. REASON.

NEither Christ nor his Apostles appointed festivall dayes to be observed by Christians, The third reason against. festivall dayes.but rather inhibited the observation of them, and changed onelyonly the old sabbath to the first day of the weeke. The anniversarie solemnities were not changed but abrogated, because ceremoniall.

Wee finde not the Apostles or Christian Churches in their time observed any festivall or anniversarie dayes. The Apostles observed no festivall dayes. Bellar. de cultu sanctor. cap. 13.That pentecost mentioned 1 Corin. 16. and Act. 20. was the Iewes Pentecost. Bellarmine himselfe dare not affirme, that it was the Christians. The Apostle having occasion to treat upon this subject, condemneth observation of dayes, Gal. 4. Coloss. 2. Suppose, which is more likely, that the Galatians embraced the observation of the Iewish dayes, Whitak. cont. 1. quest. 6. cap. 12.Galate potius Judaizabant quam astrologicas regidas servabant. Yet the Apostle reasoneth against all observation of such like dayes as judaizing. As if he had said, the observation of ceremoniall dayes, moneths and yeares, was convenient for Gods people under the law for their instruction, and to shaddow things to come, because of their non-age, and was a pedagogicall and rudimentarie instruction, which beseemeth not the state of a Christian Church, and clear light of the Gospell. These dayes were all ceremoniall, yea, the very dayes of Purim, and the dayes of dedication. Doctour Mortoun saith, Defence of the ceremonies. pag. 64.were of a ceremoniall …a…re. To celebrate the memorie of any particular act of p. 196Christ at a set time in the yeare with cessation from worke, sermons, gospels, epistles, collect, and hymnes belonging thereto, with mirth and gladne…e, without admitting of a fast at any time, is not to observe a day morally, but ceremonially. Not to fast when such a day of the yeare or weeke returneth, but to hold it festivall, is to observe a day, as to fast yearly upon another day. No doubt the Galatians observed not these dayes with the Iewish worship of sacrifices and oblations, or as shadowes of things to come, for then they had denied Christ. Neither is it likely, that they neglected the Iewish Easter and Pentecost, but yet the Apostle calleth it a returning to the Iewish rudiments, that is, Iudaizing. He instructeth the Corinthians, how they shall observe Easter, to wit, all the yeare long with the unleavened bread of sinceritie and truth, not after the Iudaicall manner. If there had beene other festivall dayes, which might have beene observed by Christians, the Apostle having so faire occasion, would have directed them to the observation of them, and not spoken so generally. Chamieraom. 3. l. 19. c. 6. embraceth a more generall exposition, that the Apostle condemneth both Iewish and Ethnick observation of dayes. Decanone lib. 9. cap. 21. num. 15.Non est verisimile Apostol um adeo incaut… locutum, ut generaliter observationem damnare videtetur, si aliquam excipiebat, saith Chamierus. Or is it likely, that the dayes appointed by God himselfe being abol…shed, the Apostles would have brought in other in their roome. Is it reason then, that others should bring them in. Zanchius confesseth, That it is more agreeable to the first institution and writings of the Apostles, that one day of the weeke onelyonly bee san ctified. …om…. col. 671.Magis consentaneum est cum prima institutione & cum p. 197scriptis Apostolicis ut unus tantum dies in septimana sanctificetur. There was but one day observed in the Apostles times, and called the Lords day. If other dayes had beene dedicated to Christ, they should all have beene the Lords dayes. Beatus Rhenanus in his annotations upon Tertullian, De corona militis, observeth, that in the primitive times, the word Lord was more familiar and frequent in the mouthes of Christians, then the name of Christ. So it was as much as to say, Christs day. The Lords day then was Christs day, and Christ had no other dayes, of nativitie, passion, &c.

Eusebius treading unknowne footsteps, as himselfe confesseth in the beginning of his storie, filleth up his booke with some old fables. Among the rest he maketh mention of an epistle of Polycrates bishop of Ephesus, to Victor bishop of Rome, …5. c. 24, 25.wherein he reporteth, that hee and his predecessours, even upward to John the Evangelise, celebrated Easter upon the fourteenth day of the moone. That epistle may be marked for a counterfite, for it beareth, that Iohn was a priest, and bare in his forehead the petalum, that is, the golden plate like that of the high priests. The Doctour calleth such gay tales Rhetoricall flowres. pag. 53. Elench. trihaeresi… c. 2….But saith Scaliger, Neutrum concedet, qui sciverit nullum Christi Apostol um sacerdotem fuisse & nulli praeterquàm summo sacerdoti petalum gestare licuisse. Augustine, who lived in the fift age after the Apostles, could not resolve upon the originall of our five festivall dayes, but floated betweene two opinions, and not one of them sure. For they were neither instituted by the Apostles, nor by generall Councel. Socrates in his historie commeth nearer to the point, lib. 5. c. 21.I am of opinion (saith …e) that as many other things crept in of custome in sundrie p. 198places, so the feast of Easter to have prevailed among all people of a certaine privat custome and observation, in so much that not one of the Apostles hath any where prescrived so much as one rule of it to any man. A little after, They that keepe Easter the fourteenth day of the monethmonth, bring forth Iohn the Apostle for their Authour. Such as inhabite Rome and the west parts of the world, alledge Peter and Paul for themselves, that they should leave such a tradition: yet there is none of them that can shew in writing any testimonie of theirs for confirmation and proofe of that custome. It hath beene an old refuge, when any countrie or province could not finde the beginning of their customes, to father them upon the Apostles. A notable exemple whereof wee had in this same Ile, when there was hote contention about the formes of shaven crownes. Hier… himselfe saith, Epist. ad Luci…um.Vnaquaeque provincia pracept a majerum leges Apostolicas arbitretur. Let every province esteeme the traditions or precepts of their forefathers to bee Apostolicall lawes. It will rather follow, that the Apostles observed not, nor appointed Easter to be observed at all. For the Apostle being directed infallibly by the spirit, had agreed upon the day as well as upon the thing it selfe, and not left occasion of contention to the Christian world. Chamier. com. 3. l. 19. cap. 7. n. 37.Quae aliter atque aliter observabantur non possunt ab Apostolis esse instituta, quorum ab eodem spiritu eruditorum non potuit non esse individuus consensus. Neque unquam piis fuit persuasum ab Iohanne institutum pascha decima qua ta Luna, à I etro autem post eam, quomodo jactabant veteres. It is well said in the preface to the harmonie of confessions, that the old contention about the celebrating of Easter tossed very hotly the space of two hundred yeares or thereabout, betwixt the Greekes and p. 199the Latines, was long since of us thought worthy of laughter. Whitaker wondereth at their frivolous contentions, Whitak. de scriptura quaest. 6. c. 9. Tom. 3. l. 19. c. 7. num. 9.and he saith, there was no necessitie to observe it any day. Chamierus saith, Si institutum fuisset ab Apostolus eodem ubique modo fuisset institutum & observatum, quod falsum esse jam olim observavit, Socrates. Seeing they have no sooting for the Apostles appointing of the observation of Easter, farre lesse will they be able to prove the Christians pentecost, and other festivities that came in after, as of Christs nativitie, ascension, &c. to have beene instituted by the Apostles. Iustinus questions Clemens constitutions, some sermons ascrived to Cyprian, all suppositious workes are the most ancient proofes they alledge for them.

THE IIII. REASON.

IF it had beene the will of God, The fourth reason against festivall dayes.that the severall acts of Christ should have beene celebrated with severall solemnities, the holy Ghost would have made knowne the day of his nativitie, circumcision, presentation to the temple, baptisme, transfiguration, and the like. For it is kindly, say they, to remember opus diei in die suo, the notable worke of a day in the owne day. Bellarmine saith, that Christs acts did consecrat the dayes and times wherein they were wrought. Hooker saith, that the wonderous workes of God did advance the dayes and times wherein they were wrought. There is not a day in the yeare, wherein some wonderous worke of God hath not beene wrought. All the dayes of the yeare, Epist. 4.saith Leo, are full of Christs miracles. If Christs actions advance and consecrate the dayes where on they p. 200were wrought, they ought to have beene made knowne, lest we keep holy such dayes as were never consecrated or advan…ed. But it is confessed, that the day of Christs nativitie, and consequently of the rest depending thereupon, as of his circumcision, presentation, baptisme, have beene hid from mortall men. And therefore the day of Christs nativitie was observed diversly of old, by some in one monethmonth, by some in another. The 25. of December was grounded upon an erroneous conceat, that Zacharie the father of Iohn the Baptist was high priest, which errour is yet fostered by observing that day. Yee see then, as God hid the bodie of Moses for avoiding of idolatrie, so hath he the day of Christs nativitie for avoiding superstition. And this is sufficient to declare the will of God concerning other notable acts, which were knowne, to wit, that not the act, but divine institution maketh a day holy. Gods resting upon the seventh day made it not holy, but his sanctifying of it, and instituting it to be observed as holy. Ratio convenientiae non fuisset sufficiens, nisi praecessisset mandatum divinum. Rivetus in Decalogum, pag. 167. Christs actions did no more consecrate the times, wherein they were wrought, then his body did the manger, or the crosse by touch. And suppose this might have beene, it would not follow that all mangers and crosses are consecrated, no more would it follow that every 25. day of December should bee consecrated and made holy, because that whereon he was borne (I put the case it were true) was consecrated. Verum etiam non est, dies illos fuisse consecratos per actiones aut passiones, quae talibus diebus acciderunt. Idenim si verum esset nullus fuisset dies, qui aliqua Christi actione non esset nobilitatus & consecratus, Rivetus in p. 201Decalogum, pag. 204. As for remembring of Christs nativitie no man denieth but it is needfull, and so it is, wheresoever the Gospel is preached. But we deny that the memorie of it must be celebrated with the solemnitie of a festivall holy day, with cessation from worke, with feasting or forbearance of fasting, and a proper service.

THE V. REASON.

SUppose the observing of holy dayes had at the first beene a matter indifferent, The fifth reason against festivall daye.yet seeing they have beene abused and polluted with superstition, they ought to bee abolished. Upon this ground Z…nch… us inferreth, Tom. 4. col. 678.Non ma è igitur f'cerunt, qui omnia pro…er diem dom nicum aboleverunt. They have therefore not done am…sse, who have abolished all other holy dayes but the Lords day. If Ezekias fact in breaking the brazen s…rpent belandable, by which he confirmeth that pule, then their fact is laudable also. But sure it is, that in former ages holy dayes have not onelyonly beene abused with prophane and licentious revelling and surfetting, but also polluted with the opinion of worship, merite, necessitie, and a judaicall conceat, that the devill is not so bold to tempt men on these dayes as at other times. And therefore, saith Zanchius, Col. 679.Magicians observe holy dayes to exercise their mag…call feats with the greater efficacie. The Lords day it selfe may bee abused, but because the observation is necessarie in respect of divine institution, it cannot bee removed for the abuses of men. But the festivall dayes were not appointed by God. Col. 678.The number, the abuses, the will-worships of feasts so increased, that p. 202there is nothing so unsavourie to God, so pernicious to men, as to sanctifie such and so many dayes, faith the same Zanchius. Holy dayes devised for the honour of Christ, …resh … 2. …art. pag. 84.drew on holy dayes to saints. Easter brought on a superst…tions lent to attend upon it, made baptisme wait for her moone, conformed our Lords supper unto the Jewish passeover in unleavened bread. It was the first aple of contention among. Christians, the first weapon wherewith the bishop of Rome played his pr…ses against other Churches; and after flew so many Britons with, by Austin the Monke, saith Doctour Ames. Even in Chrysostomes time, the people would forbeare to communicate at other times. But at Easter they would communicate, howbeit they had committed recently some hainous sinne, Homil. 61. 2d populu…n Antioche…um:whereupon he exclameth, O consuetudinem! o presumptionem! O custome! O presumption! Because people ranne superstitiously to that holy action at Easter, as if the time gave vertue to the sacrament, and were careles…e the rest of the yeare, our reformers appointed other times free of superstition, as ye may see in the first booke of discipline. pag. 58, 59.

Therefore seeing the observation of festivall dayes is not commanded by God, and it cannot be denyed, but it hath beene much abused, it ought not to be continued, farre lesse introduced where it hath beene disused, suppose it might be now used without these abuses, because it may degener after the same manner as before. But what if it be not, nor cannot be free of abuse and superstition.

They say, they esteeme them not holier then other dayes, or place any worship of God in the observation of them, but only keep them for order and policie, that the people may be assembled to religious exercises, and p. 203instructed in the mysteries of religion. But that is false, howbeit an old shift. The Papists themselves confesse, that one day is not holier then another in the owne nature, no not the Lords day, but in respect of the use and end. And in this respect our Formalists esteeme their festivall dayes holier then other dayes, call them holy dayes, and maintaine, as yee have heard before, that they may be observed as holy dayes. If the observing of a day holy for the honour of a saint be a worshipping of the saint, the observing of a day to the honour of Christ cannot bee without opinion of worship. If the observing of the Lords day as a festivall, as it is in their accompt, be worship, the observing of their holy dayes is worship. Whereas they alledge, that it is not worship, because they hold not the like necessitie in observing the one as the other, it will not helpe them. For that doth not alter the nature of worship, but maketh the one necessarie, because God instituted it, the other arbitrarie and voluntarie, and consequently will-worship. The same matter, forme, and end is in both, but God institute…h the one, and therefore lawfull, the other is instituted at the pleasure of man, so it is worship, but a vicious worship. Further, some other Formalists have of late maintained the mutabilitie of the Lords day it selfe. What our Doctour will doe now, let any man judge who knoweth him to be temporiz…r and a sceptike. Master Dow, p. 58. saith, as other holy dayes, it goeth paripassu in their canons and ancient statutes, which require the same observances under the same penalty. Th…y are not only holy dayes but also mysticall, howbeit the Doctour denieth it. For els he must disclaime his ancien…s, who call them so. Are they not appointed for the solemnitle p. 204of some mysterie of religion? Doe they not carrie the names of Christs nativitie, passion, ascension? &c. Are they not ordered according to the knowne or supposed times, when such things fell forth? If it were for order and policie, they were observed, that the people may assemble and be instructed, wherefore is there but one day betweene the passion and the resurrection, fourty betwixt the resurrection and ascension, and then againe, but ten betwixt the ascension and whitsontide. Wherefore follow wee the course of the moone in our moveable feasts, and observe not a certaine day in the monethmonth, as we doe for other. If we observed dayes only for order and policie, then wee would not sticke to dayes, as we doe, for the commemoration of Christs nativitie; passion, pag. 18. 23.ascension, &c. The Doctour saith, we do not observe festivall dayes as the Jewes did, which were holy, not only for the use whereunto they were appointed to serve as circumstances, but by reason also of their mystik signification, and of the worship appropriated to them, which might not bee performed at another time. But that will not save the ma…ter. For a day is called mystike, not onelyonly for shadowing things to come, but also for the mysteries solemnely remembred. And as for appropriation, doe wee not appropriat to the day of Christs nativitie a peculiar kinde of service, of epistles, gospels, collects, hymnes, homilies belonging to Christs nativitie, and thinke it absurd to performe the like service upon another day, with the like solemnitie of cessation from worke, and sup…rstitious forbearing of fasting. Wee thinke it likewise absurd to performe upon the nativitie day that peculiar service which belongeth to easter. Yea, pag. 25.the Doctour saith, the commemoration appointed p. 205to bee made upon the five dayes, must not bee omitted on these dayes. If it bee absurd to celebrate another day after the same manner with the same service, and no other service will serve on these dayes; is there not a peculiar service appropriated to our festival dayes, as of old among the Jewes? pag. 23. 18.That shift is of no weight, that a minister may preach, or wee may meditate upon Christs passion another day, then the nativitie. For that is not to celebrate with solemnitie. To use another day with the like solemnitie in the place of it, or both, would be thought very absurd. The Jewes themselves without the service appropriated to their feasts, might remember these same benefites and mysteries upon other dayes, but not with the like solemnitie and peculiar service. And so the solemnitie is tyed to the time. To observed dayes after this manner is not like the appointing of houres, for preaching or prayers on weeke dayes or times for the communion, according to the policie and order set downe by everie particular congregation, we tye not our selves to them, not any peculiar service to any of them. Wee use time then onelyonly as a circumstance, and for order, and not as a sacred time, let be as a holy festivitie. Wee observe dayes after the same manner that the Jewes did, howbeit not the same dayes, nor with the same kinde of worship. The change of the circumstance, the day and manner of wotship, doth not free us of Judaizing. Non sublata sed mutata est significatio dierum, saith Bellarmine. and so it is with the Formalists. Wee doe not say that the anniversarie revolution made the Jewish festivals ceremoniall, for in the revolution of time there was no mysterie, but the tying of such a peculiar service to the time of anniversarie resolution p. 206with such solomnitie. To performe the same duty in substance upon the morall sabbath, as occasion served, had not beene ceremoniall.

What then, they say, ought not Christs inestimable benefites and notable acts to be remembred? I answer, Yes, and so they are, for where the gospell is preached, his acts are published. Christ is set forth crucified by the preaching of the word, every communion day, his passion and death is and will be remembred to his comming againe. De eucharist. l. 3. c. 9.The Eucharist, saith Bellarmine, est memoriale omnium miraculorum & quasi compendium vitae, passionis, & resurrectionis Domini. In the written word, sermons, prayers, creeds, catechismes, his nativitie, passion, ascension, &c. are remembred. It followeth not, they should bee remembred, therefore their memorie should be celebrated severally with the solemnity of a festivall day. For the Lord hath appointed an holy day, which we call the Lords day, and may call Christs day, as I said before, for publishing all Christs acts and benefites. Pope Alexander the 3. gave this reason, wherefore the Romane Church doth not observe an holy day to the Trinitie, to wit, because glorie to the Father, and to the Sonne, and to the holy Ghost, and other like things belonging to the praise of the Trinitie, are published daily. Decretal. l. 2. tit. 9. cap.Ecclesia Romana in usu non habet, quòd in aliquo tempore hujusmodi celebrat specialiter festivitatem, cum singulis diebus, gloria patri & filio & spiritui sancto, & catera similia dicantur ad laudem pertinentia trinitatis. The Popes ground must bee this. Whatsoever is treated on or remembred in the ordinarie divine service, needeth not a speciall holy day to celebrat the memorie of the same. I assume. The nativity, passion, resurrection, p. 207ascension of Christ, and sending downe the holy Ghost, are not only remembred in privat, but also in publike, and in the ordinarie service, specially on the Lords day. Concil. Constantinop. 6. Can. 8.If all be true that is affirmed by a councell holden at Constantinopl…, that Christ was borne on this day, the starre shined to the wisemen on it, Christ fed 5000. persons with five loaves and two fishes on it, that hee was baptized, rose and sent downe the holy Ghost on it, the light was treated on it, and which Pope Le… affirmeth, that the Lords day is consecrated with so many mysteries dispensed on it, that whatsoever notable thing was done on earth, was done to the honour of this day, it appeareth that the Lord would have us to observe only this day, as holy and sanctified by himself for the proclaiming of all his worthy acts, and not to presume to institute holy festivities upon our owne heads. There is no danger but the memorie of Christs nativitie, &c. will be preserved to the end of the world without observing such solemnities, and making holy dayes which lyeth not in the power of man. This pretext of remembring and putting in minde, hath beene a cloak to bring in crosses, images, surplices, and other popish garments, with much other superstition, and among the rest these memoriall dayes.