A Christian Caveat to Old and New Sabbatarians, Tract 2
AN ANSWER To sixteen QUAERES, Touching the Rise and Observation of CHRISTMAS, Propounded by Mr JOSEPH HEMING of Ʋttoxeter.
THough, if we consider the time since the foregoing Treatise was published, it being five years compleat last April 1649, we might rather insist upon an Answer from our Opponents, then take notice of their Quaeres, which to multiplie into scores or hundreds, is nothing difficult, even to the meanest Sophister: Yet least our Christian Solemnity should suffer by our silence, and for the satisfaction of this Quaerist and all others whom the Spirit of contradiction and by-ends have not made uncapable of the truth, we shall briefly and clearly return our Resolution to each particular; With reference, as occasion shall be and that often is, to what hath been above delivered; it being altogether improper and needlesse to make repetition.
QUAERE I. Whether such Religious Customes as are binding to all the Churches of Jesus Christ, ought not to have sure footing upon the Word of GOD, or Apostolical Practice?
ANSWER.
WE must here distinguish of Religious Customes: Some are Religious Absolutely, some Respectively. Customes absolutely religious, have sure footing upon the Word of GOD, either in expresse termes or by evident consequence; as, The peoples assembling to GOD'S Service, the Celebration of the Sacraments, and the like: These are absolutely and ever binding to all the Churches of Jesus Christ. Customes respectively religious, are such as in respect of their Matter, Manner, End are Religious, but have their Institution from the Practice and Authority of GOD'S Church; Of which number is this Observation of the Nativity; The Matter whereof is our Saviours Birth; The Manner is with preaching, prayers, thanksgiving, almes, and a liberal yet sober use of GOD'S Creatures; The End is the Honour of Christ and our own Edification: These Customes though in themselves things indifferent, yet in respect of the Churches Authority become binding; and the wilfull contempt of them is a contempt of Authority, a scandal and offence to the Church, which by the joynt consent of all Protestant-Divines is a fin against the Moral Law. aSee our second Section. Also Harmon. Confess. fidei. Sect. 16. Acts and Mon. Vol. 1. page 5. Col. 8. Mr Edwards Treatise against Toleration. p.Your Quaere then containes a double errour:
First, it implies a misunderstanding of the Nature of our Festival; for we esteem it not (as you propound) amongst Customes absolutely religious.
Secondly, by the Disjunctive Or you insinuate, that such Customes as have sure footing upon Apostolical Practice, are absolutely religious and binding to all Christian Churches; Which is false; For it is the Apostolical Precept, not Apostolical Practice, that makes a Custome absolutely religious and universally binding. The Practice of our Saviour himself, and of his Apostles with him, and of the Church to boot, bAs Mr Scudder would have in his Christians daily walk c. 6. p. 158.did not change the Nature of things indifferent; but as they used them freely, so they left them free: We read, that the holy Communion was celebrated at the time of Supper, by our Saviour and his Disciples, cMatt. 26 20. 26.by the Disciples and the Church at Tr…as, dActs 20 6. 7.by the Church at Co…th: e1. Cor. 11. 21.and yet who will say; that the Celebration of the Communion at that time is a Custome absolutely religious, hath Authority of Divine Precept, and bindeth all the Churches of Christ?
QUAERE II. Whether you can substantially prove that Christ was born on the 25 of December? and what your proofes are?
ANSWER.
If the full consent of clear and undoubted Records, if the Testimony of the ancient Greek & Latin Churches, if the general Acknowledgement of those that professe Christianity, be substantial proofs; (which no man of common sense wil deny) then have we substantially proved that Christ was born on the 25 of December. fSee our sixth Section.And truly, upon the like reasons as our Opponents make scruple at this, may they question what ever is chronicled: Admit, we should affirm, that William the Conquerour was crowned at Westminster on the 25 of December, and for the Authority thereof quote Roger de Hoveden, Matthew Paris, and others; Might not one ask, as they do of Christs Birth-day, how could this be? King Herold was high and puissant in October before; and a Souldier cannot soon beleeve that a wise Prince as Duke William was, would in winter with his Southerne people, wage warre in a Northerne Countrey. Neither was it the fit time for Armies to be in the field; And it is not probable, that this Kingdom was conquered in the space of two winter-moneths. gCompare this with Beroaldus Chron. l. 3. cap. 8. & Broughtons Advertisement of Corruptions, p. 43. 44.But, what sense is in such kind of arguing, we leave to the Judgement of any rational man; and for perfect solution of this Quaere referre you to our sixth Section.
QUAERE III. and IV. Whether the Celebration of that day can be clearly warranted by you from Scripture? and what your Scriptures are? Or, Whether you can clear it by sound consequence from the New Testament, though not set down there in totidem verbis?
ANSWER.
Both these Quaeres arise from a mistaken Principle; For the Observation of this Feast (as we said before) is not a Custome absolutely religious, whose warrant indeed is from Scripture, either expresly, or by sound Consequence. Howbeit we must note; Though this Anniversary Festival hath no particular and Special Scripture-warrant, whereby this very day is set apart to this very end; yet it may have and hath a General Scripture-warrant, under which it is authorised: For the Observation of such Anniversary Feasts is just and warranted from the Equity and sense of the Ceremonial Law, which the Apostle (1 Cor. 9. 10.) sheweth to be still in force; and therefore the Legal Anniversary Feasts do in Equity require and even now teach, that there ought to be Gospel-Anniversary Feasts, assigned for extraordinary Thanksgivings and rehearsals of GOD'S extraordinary benefits to his people. hAmes. Medul. Theol. l. 2. c 15. n. 16.As then from the grounds and reasons of GOD'S commanding the weekly Feast of the Sabbath, (though the Sabbath be now abolished, iGal. 4. 4. 5. 9. 10. Coloss. 2. 14, 15, 16, 17.our Church hath good Authority and warrant to ordain one day in seven to be kept holy; and guided by the example of the Primitive Churches, and constant practice of Christians in all ages, observeth and to that purpose ordaineth the first day of the week, under the title of the Lords Day: So, from the grounds and reasons of GOD'S commanding the Legal Anniversary Feasts, (though those Feasts be now abolished,) our Church hath good Authority and warrant to ordain solemn dayes of thanksgiving for GOD'S extraordinary benefits; and guided by the example of the Primitive Churches and constant practice of Christians in all ages, observeth and to that purpose ordaineth (amongst other Feasts) the 25 day of December, under the title of the day of Christs Nativity.
QUAERE V. Whether you can clear the Celebration of that day by Ʋniversal tradition?
ANSWER.
This Word Ʋniversal must here be taken in a safe sense: For, as of Doctrine, so say Divines of Tradition; to make it Ʋniversal, it is not requisite, that all Christians should professe it throughout every age; for then, no Doctrine can be stiled Catholick or Ʋniversal, because there is no Doctrine which hath not at some time or other, through weaknesse of Judgement, pride of wit, or self-ends, been drawn into question, if not opposed; kProcopius lib. 3. Goth.there must be Heresies, l1 Cor. 11 19.and false Prophets ever were and will be. m1 John 4. 1.But that Tradition is truly termed Ʋniversal, unto which the Fathers, Martyrs and godly men of the Christian Church have in all ages to this present time born witnesse, nVincen. Ler. contra haeres. cap. 3.both by exhortations and examples: And such is the Tradition of Solemnizing our Saviours Birth-day; as we have abundantly proved in our fifth Section, whereto we referre.
QUAERE VI. Whether (in case it can be evidenced by none of these, viz. plain Text, solid Inference, universal Tradition) it be not a meer humane invention, and so Will-worship? And how you will one day acquit your selves before GOD, for placing and crying up mens Inventions, instead of the Institutions of Jesus Christ? And whether it were not faithfull dealing with poor simple people to tell them that you have neither of these to warrant it?
ANSWER.
False it is and slanderous, that we crie up the Celebration of this day as an Institution of Jesus Christ: And yet, we do and must denie it to be a meer humane invention and Will-worship; because the Observing thereof is not onelyonly approved by Ʋniversal Tradition, but (as we shewed before) hath Sacred Authority and Scripture-warrant in the General, though not in Special; oSee our Answer to the third and fourth Quaere.Of which kind are, Set-Fasts, weekly or monethly Lectures, daily Prayer with our Families, the singing of Davids Psalmes in meeter by a whole Congregation, and divers other Christian practices: pUrsin. Explicat. Catechet. quast. 91. Sectio 1. & quaest. 96.Whereas that worship which the Apostle calleth Will-worship and condemneth, is wholly destitute of Scripture-warrant as well General as Special, and hath no other ground and original but the vain opinion, will and phansy of men; as, The worshipping of Angels, and placing an absolute holinesse and necessitie in things indifferent. qColos. 2. 18, 21, 22.We desire therefore our Quaerist and his followers to consider well and lay to heart, how they will one day acquit themselves before GOD, for slandering their Brethren, for calling good evil, rIsa. 5. 20and crying down that for a meer humane Invention and Will-worship, which hath Scripture-Authority and the consent of the Christian Church in all ages. And were it not faithfull dealing in these men and their apparent duty, to tell poor simple people that they have unawares slipt into errour and misled them, and will hereafter (like Saint Paul) labour the more abundantly s1 Cor. 15. 10.in asserting and divulging the Truth.
QUAERE VII. Since dayes and times commanded by GOD himself to be observed under the Law, were and are unlawfull under the Gospel; Whether dayes and times commanded by men, and not by GOD, under the Gospel, are not lesse lawfull?
ANSWER.
This scruple is easily removed, if we consider the different natures of those dayes under the Law and these under the Gospel: They were absolutely necessary, these in themselves are things indifferent; They were parts of GOD'S publick Worship, these are attendents and subservient to GOD'S Worship; tUrsin. Explicat. Catechet. quaest. 92. Sect. 2. & quaest. 103. de Ceremon. Sect. 2.They were instituted by GOD himself, these are established by Christian Magistrates, GOD'S Minister▪s; uRom. 13. 4. 6.They as a grievous and unsupportable Yoke wMatth. 23. 4. Acts 25. 10.were abolished at Christs death, xMark. 15. 38. John 19. 30. Heb. 9. 10.these as things tending to Decency and Order in the Church are retained by Christs warrant. y1 Cor. 14. 40.Now, what ground or Reason there is, to inferre the unlawfulnesse of the latter, from the unlawfulnesse of the former; To conclude Gospel-dayes of thanks-giving, allowed by Christ and set apart by Christian Magistrates, to be unlawfull; because Legal Feasts, abolished by Christ and which to re-admit is to make Christ of no effect, zGal. 5. 1. 2, 3, 4.are unlawfull; Let men of sobriety determine. And here necessary it is to take notice; though after the Ascension of Christ we find the Apostles at some of the Jewish Feasts, as The Sabbath and Pentecost; aActs 2. 1. & 13, 14. 42. & 17. 2. & 18. 4. 21 & 20. 16.Yet did not they observe them as Legal Ordinances, but as things indifferent: All dayes were to the Apostles alike; bRom. 14 3. 5. 6. 17. Col. 2. 16.They made no valuation or difference of first or last, but every day of the week they came together, every day they prayed, preached, administred the Sacrament of the Lords Supper. bActs 2. 46. & 5. 46.Indeed Saint Paul in a time of famin, cCornel. Tacit. lib. 12.did exhort the Corinthians (according as he had given Order to the Churches of Galatia) that upon the first day of the week, every one should put aside by himself, and lay up as GOD had prospered him, for the relief of their distressed brethren at Jerusalem: d1 Cor. 16. 1, 2, 3.But this exhortation gives no preheminence to the first day of the week, nor implies a command, that all Christians should weekly meet on that day to GOD'S publick Service: The Text speakes onelyonly of giving almes, every one apart by himself; not a syllable of meeting, or an universal command, or of GOD'S publick Services, Prayers, Preaching and Sacraments. For by the very words and scope of the Apostle, it is evident; that his Order and Exhortation was particular and temporary, to particular Churches, upon a particular and temporary occasion, eAs was that in the 20th verse of the same chap. Greet ye one another with an holy kisse. See Mayers▪ Commentary upon, Roman. 16. 16.and therefore such regard of the day did onelyonly concern those particular Churches, and that for a time. Who will say, when the famin was over, that the Galatians and Corinthians were still bound to send almes to their brethren at Jerusalem? And might not the Church at Antioch on the second day of the week, the Saints at Philippi on the third, and the Brethren in Cilicia on the fourth, give almes to relieve the wants of their Brethren at Jerusalem, notwithstanding this Order and exhortation of Saint Paul to the Churches of Galatia and Corinth? May not we on other daies, as well as the first day of the week; yea, on other daies and not on the first; yea, but once a fortnight or monethmonth (as occasion shall be) contribute to the relief of our distressed Brethren? Assuredly wee may.wModicam unusquis{que} stipem menstrua die, vel quando velit, & li modo possit, apponit. Nam nemo compellitur, sed sponte confert. Haec quasi deposita pietatis sunt. Nam inde non aliis quam egenis alendis dispensatur. Tertul. advers. Gentes. cap. 39.
QUAERE VIII. Whether the true and genuine Interpretation of Christmas be Christ-man? And whether to perswade people 'tis so, be not to abuse and delude them? And whether we may not as well interpret Candlemas Candle-man, Michaelmas Michaelman, as Christmas Christman?
ANSWER.
That Masse and man are words of the same root and meaning, is (we grant) an absurd, vain and groundlesse conceit; nor doe we suppose the allegation of so perswading people, to be any other then a slanderous figment of our Quaerist. For (as we have shewed above) eSee our third Section.our English-Saxon fMost words of one syllable in English are Saxon originally.word Masse, is borrowed from the Latine word Missa, and signifies Publique service, The Lords Supper, An Offering; whereby there appears an excellent and remarkable significancy in this Title CHRISTMAS DAY, implying THE day of Christ's Publique service, THE day of celebrating Christ's holy Communion, THE day of offering up our selves, and thankfulnesse unto Christ; for that Christ, the son of GOD, the brightnesse of his Fathers glory, and expresse image of his Person, gHeb. 1. 2. 3.in whom dwelleth all the fulnesse of the God-head bodily, hCol. 2. 9did vouchsafe for our sakes, so low a condescension as to take upon him the form of a servant, iPhilip. 2. 7.and this day to be born of a pure Virgin. And as for the use of this word Masse, we have (by the Confession even of those that wave it) the example of Christians in the very time of the Apostles, kVide Observat. in Harm. Confess. Sect. 14. Ad August. Act. 1.the ancient custome and approbation of GOD'S Church, lUrsin. Expl. Catachet. quaest. 80.the Authorities of Tertullian, mLib. 4. adversus Marcionem.Cyprian, nLib. 3. Epist. 14.Ambrose, oLib. 5. Epist. 33.Augustin, pDe Tempor. Sermon. 237.and other eminent Fathers who flourished long before the dayes of Popery: qPerkins. vol. 2. Demonstrat. of the Problem. Juel. Apolog. pag. 42.Yea, in a Sermon on Easter-day translated out of Latin into the Saxon tongue Anno 996, and in divers Saxon Epistles, rActs and Mon. vol. 2. fol. 448. 30. and fol. 451. 60. and fol. 452. 20. 60.before ever the Popish Doctrine of Transubstantiation was heard of in this Island, we find the word Masse, sometimes expressing Publick Service, sometimes The Lords Supper; and Holy-dayes were by the Saxons called Masse-dayes, because on those dayes GOD'S Publick Service and usually the holy Communion was celebrated. sTestimon. Antiqu. p. 79.Wherefore this word Masse is neither Popish nor invented by Papists; And is used not onelyonly in the Church of England, but hath the testimony of those glorious and renowned Churches of Germany, whose zeal in Protesting for the Faith first acquired to themselves the name of Protestants; tSleidan. Comment. lib. 6. fol. 101. 102. 109.Our Churches (say they) are falsly accused that they abolish the Masse; For the Masse (meaning the Lords Supper) is retained with us, and celebrated with highest reverence. uVide Harm. Conf. Sect. 14. August. Confess. Artic. 1.And if words must be therefore cast out and abominated, because they are profaned by Papists; then must these words Scripture, Church, Baptisme, Lords Supper, Prayer, Preaching, Sacrament, Almes, Penitence, and many more be cast out, which are by them no lesse abused unto superstition, profanenesse, idolatrie, then the Masse.
QUAERE IX. Whether the Saints are bound to rejoyce in the Birth of Christ on that day men superstitiously call Christmas, more then at other times? And whether the Lords day be not THE day appointed for them to rejoyce on?
ANSWER.
It is false, that men superstitiously call this day Christmas; for though they cannot without solid conviction of the unlawfulnesse, reject the use thereof, yet doe they not place any Religion in, or esteem of that Title more then of Christs Birth-day the Nativity of Christ, the day of the Nativity, or the like; which they ever did and doe use as names indifferent. But for our speciall joy in that day; if it be the duty of Christians to hear the Church, (wMatth. 18. 17.) if in things just the Magistrates commands be obligations, and men must needs be subject thereunto, not onelyonly for wrath, but also for conscience sake xRom. 13. 5.which no Saints or Children of GOD will deny; Then are Saints bound to expresse their rejoycing in the Birth of Christ, more especially on this day set a part for this end, then at other times: Doe not we on every fifth of November, [as the Jewes did on the daies of Purim] yEsther 9. 18. 19. 28.more especially then at other times, declare our joy in GODS temporall deliverance of our State? And if a corporall and temporary mercy unto a Nation may be yearly recorded with Publique joy and thanksgivings unto GOD; much more may wee with rejoycings, prayer and praises record GOD'S spirituall, everlasting and unspeakable mercy in Christ's Birth, the good tidings of great joy unto all People.zLuke 2. 10.
Indeed, the Lords day is appointed for us to rejoyce on; yet is it not THE day, so as to extinguish or lessen our duty on other daies appointed also to GODS Service. For by whom and when was the Lords day appointed? Throughout the Old Testament we have no intimation of it. Cyprians saying, that Circumcision was a type or figure of Christs Resurrection, and our solemnity on the eight day, aLib. 3. Ep. 10. ad Fidum. Circumcision was on the eighth day, because the child was unclean till the eighth day. Levit. 12. 2. 3. & 15. 19. 24.is rather his conceit then judgement; for in that Sacrament neither sign nor actions, bear the least analogy or similitude with Christs Rising from the dead. And to speak truly, how can the day of Christs Resurrection be termed the eight day? In reference to the week it was the first day, bMark. 16. 9.in reference to his death and buriall the third day, cMatt. 12. 40 John 2. 19.in reference to the monethmonth the seven and twentieth day; dAugust. de Trin. l. 4. c. 5. Chrysost. exposit. in cap. 1. Lucae.and it can no otherwise be termed the eight, then because it next followes the seventh; just as one is thirteen a clock, because it is the next hour after twelve. Besides, should we admit this Typicall phansy, then must the day of Christs Resurrection be no solemne or Holy-day, but a common ordinary day, as was the day of Circumcision; else the type and thing typified will not correspond.
As for the day of the fourth Commandment; that things may be clearly understood, we must note that the Morall Law and the Law of Nature are one and the same; ePolan. Syntag. Theol. l. 6. cap. 10. fol. 2267. Bucan. Loc. com. 19. Sect. 11. Junius Thes. Theol. loc. 23. Sr W. Ral. Hist. l. 2. c. 4. Sect. 9.and it is called the Morall Law, that is to say the Law of manners, because it is an everlasting rule for the manners and duties of men, both towards GOD and towards their Neighbour.
Next, we must know, that a sabbath, is a set time appointed by just Authority to GOD'S publique service: (fUrsin. Expl. Cat. quaest. 103) The Sabbath is a sabbath under the Law by GOD'S command to be weekly observed on the seventh day: The Lords day is a Sabbath under the Gospel by the Churches Authority gSee our proofes at the end of our answer to this Quaere.to be weekly observed on the first day; so that the Sabbath and the Lords day differ specifically, that is, are of distinct natures and kinds. Hence it is, that the fourth Commandment is partly Morall, partly Ceremoniall. hPol. Synt. Th. lib. 6. c 10 Ursin. Expl. Catech. quaest. 103.M…rall and Naturall, in that it commandeth a sabbath or set time to be appointed for GOD'S publique service: unto which by the secret instinct of nature all people and Nations, though never so heathenish, barbarous and ignorant of the true GOD, did and doe by their customes and practice here witnesse. iRom. 2. 14. 15. Aristot. l. 7. Polit. c. 9. & …. 1. Topic. c. 11. Fenest. cap. de Sacerdotiis. Rosin. Antiqu. Rom. l. 3 & 4. Grimstons Estates, fol. 254. 255. 758. 759. 771. 778.Ceremoniall, in that it commandeth The Sabbath or seventh and last day of the week, on which GOD rested from his work of Creation, to be kept holy: kCompare Luke 23. 56. with Exod. 20 11.And that this was Ceremonial appeareth. First, Because the Lord himself numbring the ceremoniall Feasts, placeth the Sabbath in the very front and head of them. lLevit. 23.Secondly, Because the Sabbath was a particular remembrance to the Israelites of their deliverance from Egyptian bondage. mDeut. 5. 15.Thirdly, Because the Sabbath was to distinguish and divide the Jewes from the Gentiles; nExod. 31. 17.which middle wall of partition Christ, our peace, hath broken down. oEphes. 2. 14Fourthly, Because the Sabbath was a type or signe of sanctification and spirituall rest by the promised Messiah, pExod. 31. 13. Hebr. 4. 4. 5. 9. 10. 11.the substance and accomplishment of what was shadowed. qCol. 2 16. 17.Lastly, The Apostles prohibition of the necessary observance and Divine esteem of the Sabbath-daies, rCol. 2. 14. 16. 17.without excepting the Seventh day, is a clear proof against the old Sabbatarians; And as well that prohibition as the lawfull change of the Sabbath or Seventh day of the week, which was our Saterday, into the Lords day or first day of the week which is our Sunday, are manifest proofs against the New Sabbatarians, that the Sabbath day was Ceremoniall: For we must not, we cannot suppose that the Apostle should perswade Christians to a light esteem of any part of the Morall Law; nor could that which is morall be changed.sPolan. Synt. Theol. lib. 6. c. 10. sol. 22. 63 D.
Groundlesse then and erroneous is the Opinion, as well of the Old Sabbatarians, who teach that THE seventh day is morall, as of the New Sabbatarians who would have a seventh day morall; tSee the Practice of Piety. Dr Twisse, Walker, Ley, Shepard, Nicolas & Rich. Byfield, Martindale, Abbot in their Treatises of the Sabbath. Scudder in his Christians daily walk. &c.For by the dictates and discourse of meer natural reason, neither the seventh nor a seventh has more evidence to be kept holy then the or a fifth, sixth, eigth, tenth, twentieth day: And we challenge all Sabbatarians, Old or New, to deliver freely their Judgement and Conscience, whether if they had never seen or heard of the Scriptures, they could by the Book of Nature have found out, that GOD in six dayes finished the Creation, rested on the seventh, and therefore ordained the or a seventh day to be weekly kept holy; If they say, they could, let them shew it, and the learned will for ever do them homage. If they say, they could not, as most certainly they cannot, then is neither the nor a seventh dayes Observation Morall: Much lesse Morall is the first day of the week or Lords day, of which there is not the least title or glimpse in the fourth Commandment. 'Tis true, in this age and land of Novelty, some Reasons and far fetch't circumstances have been dispersed among the people, to perswade the Morality of the or a seventh, and thence to insinuate the Morality of the Lords day; but the shallownesse and ill composure of their Arguments is so obvious, even to men of indifferent capacity, that we shall onelyonly touch upon the chief, whereby the rest may be judged.
REASON I. If the Observation of the nor a seventh day be Morall; then are there but nine Commandments in the Morall Law.
ANSW. The inference is false; For (we have proved) the Morality of the fourth Commandment consists not in observing the or a seventh day, but in keeping holy a sabbath day or time set apart to GOD'S publick Service, which is our bounden and perpetual duty.
REAS. II. The Sabbath was instituted in Paradise, whilest Adam retained his innocencie and perfection; Therefore the Sabbath is not Ceremonial.
ANSW. This is often urged by our New Sabbatarians; though duly considered, it m…kes nothing at all to their purpose; For should we grant, the Sabbath or seventh day of the week to be Morall and unchangeable, then what would become of their New Sabbath? But indeed, the Antecedent is false; For GOD did not institute the Sabbath till he rested, and that was on the seventh day: uGen. 2. 2. 3.whereas Adam fell on the day of his Creation, which was the sixth day, wCompare Gen. 2. 7. 21. 22. &c. 3. 1. with chap. 1. 27. 28.and at evening was cast out of Paradise.xChap. 3. 8. 24. See the Practice of Piety, printed by R. Y. p. 274 Willet his sixfold Comment. on Gen. c. 3. q. 32. The Annot. of the Assemb. of Divines on Gen. 3. 24.
REAS. III. The Sabbath was appointed before Moses his time; Therefore the Sabbath was not Ceremonial.
ANSW. We denie the consequence; For Sacrifices and Circumcision were appointed long before Moses, yGen. 4 3. 4. & 8. 20. & 17 9. 10.yet were they Ceremonial and abolished in Christ.zActs 15. 24 28. 29. Galat. 5. 2. Hebr. 9. 9. 10.
REAS. IV. Heathens observed the seventh day as an holy day; Therefore the seventh dayes observation is Morall and Natural.
ANSW. This Argument is likewise false; for such heathens had not the seventh dayes observation by instinct of Nature, but by imitation from the Jews, as some amongst them had and still have Circumcision and Sacrifices: aJoseph. contra Ap. l. 1 Brerewoods Enquiries chap▪ 12.And that is not Natural which some people, but what all observe; bJus naturale est quod apud omnes homines eandem habet potentiam. Aristot. l. 5. Ethic.which never was nor will be proved of the seventh day.
REAS. V. The word sabbath signifies rest; The Lords day is a rest; Therefore the Lords day may be called THE Sabbath.
ANSW. This is a syllogisme of the fourth Figure, absurd and ridiculous; For in the same way, John might be called Adam, because the word adam signifies man, cin the Hebrew tongue, as sabbath signifies rest: Whence as the Latines from the Greek, so the English from the Latines, have a sabbatisine, to sabbatize, which signifie a resting, to rest. And did Printers distinguish the noune Appellative sabbath from the proper Name The Sabbath, by a great letter, as in all languages they ought to do: Our New Sabbatarians might find the Lords day, called sabbathum, a sabbath or rest; seldom or never, Sabbathum, The Sabbath.and John is a man: So might St. Du…stans, be call'd The Temple, because the word temple signifies Chu…ch▪ and St. Dunstans is a Church. But we …ist not to spend time in breaking strawes, and therefore we shall not pursue this p…int, nor take any strict survey of the manifold contradictions, falsities and notorious riff-raff, wherewith most of our New Sabbatarian Treatises abound: On…ly, we desire these profound Sophisters to study well the first leaf of their Accidence, and they will find a difference betwixt Proper Names and Common. Now from the foregoing premises this conclusion is evident; That since the Morall part of the fourth Commandment enjoynes onelyonly a sabbath, not any particular and precise day to GOD'S publick Service; And the Ceremonial part enjoyned only The Sabbath or seventh day on which GOD rested from his work of Creation: Therefore the Lords day or first day of the week on which Christ rose from the grave, is not by the fourth Commandment appointed to be kept holy.
Nor doe the Gospels make any mention of the observing the Lords day. Those propheticall words of our Saviour, Pray ye that you… flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day cMatth. 24. 20.though we could prove them undeniably to be Figurative, dAugust. de consens. Evangel. lib. 2. c. 77.and are so understood by some of the new Sabbatarians: eRich. Byfield. Doctrine of the Sabbath, p. 212.yet taken literally, import no more but that the Sabbath or seventh day, was kept at the time of Jerusalems destruction, fCompare Matth. 24. v. 3. with v. 20.about thirty nine years after the death of Christ; gJoseph. de Bel. Jud…ico, l. 7. Jun. comment. in Chronol. l. 5.Which is most true; As also to this very day the Jewes observe it with other Mosaicall Rites and Ceremonies. But what is their superstitious and unwarranted keeping The Sabbath or seventh day of the week, to the Christians Celebration of the Lords day or first day of the week? Indeed, the Evangelist Saint John specifies two severall times wherein Christ after his Resurrection appeared to his Disciples, when they were assembled. One was, at evening the same day he rose from the dead, being the first day of the week: hJohn 20. 9. 19.But this Text affords no foundation at all for their conceit, who would have the Disciples then assembled to celebrate the day of Christs Resurrection; For,
1. The day was spent, or very little of it remaining, before they assembled.iCompare Luke 24. 29. 33. with John 20. 19.
2. The Scriptures expresly tell us, why they met, they were assembled for fear of the Jewes; kJohn 20. 19and what they did being met, they supt together, and their meat was broiled fish and an hony-comb: lLuke 24. 33 41. 42.Here's not a word of Praying, Preaching, and other solemn duties requisite to a solemne day.
3. The coming of Mary Magdalene and others to the Sepulchre, and bringing spices, with intent to anoint our Saviours body; mMark. 16. 1And the travelling of the two Disciples from Jerusalem to Emmaus upon their private occasions, nLuke 24. 13are clear testimonies that that day was in their repute a common ordinary day.
4. And lastly, The Disciples at their first assembling, did not believe the Resurrection of Christ; oLuke 24. 11and therefore when Christ appeared unto them as they sat at meat, he upbraided them herein with their unbeliefe and hardnesse of heart. pMark. 16. 14How then could it be, that the cause of their assembling was to celebrate the day of Christs Resurrection? The other time wherein Christ did appear to his Disciples assembled, was (saith the foresaid Evangelist) after eight daies; qJohn 20. 26 Note, that Christ saith, Matth. 16. 21. the third day I will rise again; Not, after 3 dayes, as Matth. 27. 63. Which shews how hard a thing it is for the wicked & natural man, to understand GOD'S Word aright.which word after shewes that the eight daies were fully compleat and ended, and so this meeting of the Disciples fals on the ninth day; Now accompt Nine, either including the day of Christs Resurrection, and their meeting was on the second day of the second week; Or nine from the time of his former appearance to his Disciples, excluding the day of his Resurrection [which is more probably the sense of the Gospel] then was their meeting on the third day of the second week; and it can no way be assigned to the first day of the week, unlesse we say as our new Sabbatarians, that after eight daies must be interpreted, before eight daies, to wit, on the seventh, which is most ridiculous.
Come we to the Acts, and we read not there, that the Apostles did practice or appoint the Observation of the first day of the week above the rest: It seems good [say they unanimously in that famous Synod at Jerusalem] to the Holy Ghost and to us, to lay NO FURTHER BURTHEN upon you THEN THESE NECESSARY THINGS, that ye abstain from things offered to Idols, and from bloud, and from things strangled, and from fornication. rActs 15. 28. 29.As for that meeting of Paul and the Disciples of Troas; sActs 20. 6. 7.whether we respect the time or the end of their meeting, it makes nothing at all to the celebration of the Lords day. The time is exprest to be upon the first day of the week when the Disciples came together to break bread, which all Divines grant to be at evening tMatth. 26. 20. Mark. 14. 17.on Sunday night; and, saith the text, they cantinued together ti… break of day. uActs 20. 7. 11.Now what is this to the Lords day? Did the first Christians or must we keep our weekly Feasts from the evening on Sunday-night till break of day on Munday? certainly, none will say it: Besides, it is a sacred principle with some of the New Sabbata…ians, wShepards Doctr. of the Sab. part. 3. Thes. 76. 77. 90.that the time of celebrating the Lords day, does continue no longer then till the evening, according to the old Leviticall rule, from even unto even shall ye celebrate your Sabbath: xLevit. 23. 32.How then can it be said without a contradiction to themselves, that this meeting of the Disciples at or in the evening, when the time of celebration was past, was to celebrate the Lords day? And for the end of their meeting, prayer, preaching, receiving the Lords Supper, heavenly conference; these were to the Disciples (not …eekly, but) daily-ordinary exercises; wActs 2. 42. 46. & 5. 42.and if from thence should follow a necessity of keeping the day holy, then must every day be kept holy, which is repugnant to GOD'S commandment, xExod. 20. 9.the Doctrine of the Apostles, yEphes. 4. 28. 2 Thes. 3. 10, 11, 12.common reason.
In all those Sacred Epistles of P…ul, zThat place in the 1 Cor. 16. 1, 2, 3. is cleared in our Answ. to the 17th Qu…re.James, Peter, John, Jude, we have not one syllable of the Lords day. That of the Apostle Hebr. 4. 9. is not spoken of a weekly temporary rest, but of another; zvers. 8. 9.a rest which he exhorteth us to strive to enter into by faith; avers. 11.a rest in the heavens into which Christ Jesus our high Priest is passed before us. bverse 14.This rest (say Interpreters) is a Spiritual rest, cBez. annot. in locum. Bucan. loc. com. …9. Sect. 16.begun in this life by ceasing from sin and doing righteousnesse; but perfectly and everlastingly continued in life eternal: dUrsin. Explicat. Cat. q. 103. Sect. 1.Which is so clearly the true sense of the Apostle, that it is confessed by some of our New Sabbatarians.eR. By fields Doctrine of the Sabbath. pag. 210.
'Tis true, St. John, who wrote his Book called The Revelation about the year of Christ 96, fIrenaeus contra Haeret. lib. 5.which was long after the decease of the rest of the Apostles, saith, that he was in the spirit, or, (as some translations have it) he was ravished in the spirit on the Lords day: gRevel. 1. 10 fui spiritu correptus. So Beza.Which shewes indeed that the Lords day was of note at that time in the Christian Church; but for the celebration thereof, he neither commands it nor commends it to us; As he found it, so he leaves it, a thing indifferent.
Wherefore we conclude, that the Observation of the Lords day hath no precept, no practice, throughout the Scriptures; and consequently is no day appointed by GOD, Christ, or his Apostles to be kept holy.
Here some may ask; When then began the Lords day to be observed? Who appointed it? and upon what grounds was it appointed? We answer to the first; though the exact time be not recorded, when Christians began to keep holy the Lords day; hQuo tempore Christiani diem Dominicum feriari coeperint, non est memoriae proditum. Magdeburg. Cent. 1. l. 2. cap. 6.yet from that of John iRevel. 1. 10we may gather, the observing thereof is very ancient, & was sometime before John wrote that Book: kLey. Sunday a Sabbath chap. 4.And it hath been undeniably observed by GODS Church in all succeeding ages to this day. To the second we answer; The Observation of the Lords day is appointed by the Christian Church. The Church (saith Ʋ…sin) out of her own will and pleasure chose the first day of the week for certain reasons. lEx arbitrio elegit. Ursin. Expl. Cat. q. 103. Sect. 1.The Church (saith Napier) transported the exercises of Saterday to the Sunday. mSee Napiers Notes on the Revel. chap. 1.The Church (saith Willet) changed the holy day of rest from the seventh day to the first, which is the Lords day. nWillets six-fold Com. upon Exod. c. 20 quaest. 14.But, we shall not insist upon the testimonies of particular men, since we have herein the concurrent Judgement of all Protestant Churches, as may be seen at large in The Harmony of Confessions: oSect. 16. & 17.Take thereout one …nstance; It is apparent (saith Auspurg) that the Church appointed the Lords day to the end, that people should know when to meet together; and whosoever do think that by the C…urches Authority, the Observation of the Lords day was ordained in stead of the Sabbath, as necessary, do very much erre. pSee the Auspurg Confess. in the Appendix to the Harm. of Confess.To the third Demand we answer; That the Church upon just Grounds hath appointed the Lords day to be kept holy; Which Grounds are these. First, The Morality of the fourth Commandment requireth, set dayes and times to GODS publick Service; and therefore the Christian Church for the performance of this Commandment and according to the liberty wherewith Christ hath made her free, qGal. 5. 1.did amongst other dayes, set apart the Lords day to GODS Service: rFunc. Com. in Chron. lib. 3. Anno 32….And in respect of this General Warrant it is, that Divines do frequently say, the Observation of the Lords day hath Authority from GODS Commandment. Secondly, The Equity of the seventh dayes Observation under the Law, obliged the Church to set apart the seventh day under the Gospel: For it were disproportionable and an utter shame, that Christians in their duties and thanks-givings to GOD, should come short of those that were under the Law, when their benefits are much greater. rBernard in his Treatise of the Christian Sabbath, chap. 9.Thirdly, The Church, not placing any holinesse in d…yes, nor from an opinion of the necessity of keeping one day rather then another, did out of her own judgement, freely and voluntarily chuse the first day of the week for our seventh dayes Solemnity: and this free choice of the Church is in part acknowledged by some New Sabbatarians; I professe (saith one of them) sLey. Sunday a Sabbath, pag. 12.that I do not conceive there is any morall necessity, that that day of the week on which Christ rose from the grave, should be kept holy in the Christian Church, rather then the day wherein he was born, or the day wherein he suffered on the Crosse, or the day wherein he ascended into heaven. Howbeit, though no injunction or necessity be laid on the Church, yet she wanted not certain perswasive reasons and inducements, for refusing the last day of the week and making choice of the first. Two reasons she had for refusing the last day of the week; One was, that by not-observing the Sabbath-day Christians might understand, they are now freed from the Yoke of the Ceremonial Law: t The Other was, that hereby a difference and distinction might be put betwixt us and Jews. uPolan. Synt. Theol. l. 9. c. 35.Likewise, the Church had two reasons for making choice of the first day of the week; One, In memory of the Worlds Creation, which work GOD began on that day: wGen. 1. 1. 5.The Other, In memory of Christs Resurrection, who on the first day of the week rose from death: xLuk. 24. 5. 6 Conventus hos die Solis facimus, quod hac die Deus mundum creavit, & eadem die Christus resurrexit a mortuis. Just… nus. Apol. 2. pro Christianis.And in regard that Christ by his rising again, did mightily declare himself to be the Lord; yRom. 1. 4.Therefore the Church called the day of Christs Resurrection the Lords day. zInde a resurre…tione Christi Ecclesia vocavit Dominicum. Junius de Eccles. l. 1. c. 4.But here three things are to be noted; First, That the saying, that Christ by his rising again did mightily declare himself to be the Lord, and the calling of Christs Resurrection-day the Lords day, are spoken by way of affirmation; not by way of appropriati…n, as if Christ did at no other time save at his Rising declare himself to be the Lord, and no day save that of his Resurrection were the Lords day; for this is false. Christ (we know) by his birth of a pure Virgin, aMatth. 1. 18. 23.did mightily declare himself to be the Lord, and therefore the day of Christs Nativity is also the Lords day; yea, …ur Lord himself expresly calleth it His day, John 8. 56. bSee the Annot. of the Assembly of Div. on this place.Again, Christ by his sustaining the wrath of GOD for the sins of the whole world, cJohn 1. 29. & 12. 47. & 19. 17. 18.did mightily declare himself to be Lord, and therefore the day of Christs Passion is also the Lords day; Yea, many of the Primitive Churches for the space of 290 years after Christ, observed this day as their weekly Solemnity, untill Constantine by Imperial Decree limited the Christians (for unity sake) to the observation of the first day of the week onelyonly. dAnno Dom. 324. Vide Func. Com. in Chron. l. 6.Again, Christ by his ascending into heaven, in the presence and sight of his Apostles, eMark 16. 19. Acts 1. 9. 10.did mightily declare himself to be the Lord, and therefore the day of Christs Ascension is also the Lords day: So that had the phrase and speech of the Christian Church so determined, the day of Christs Nativity, Passion, Ascension, or the like, might have been called the Lords day as well as Christs Resurrection-day is thus called. Our next Observation is, that Christ by his Resurrection caused or occasioned the first day of the week to be kept holy, and hence it is, that some ancient Writers have said, that Christ changed the Salbath into the Lords day, fAthanas. in Homil. de semente.Christ set the Lords day apart; gA Domino sacratus. Aug. de verb. Apost. serm. 1….Not that Christ was the Authour of the said change and institutour of the Lords day, but that Christ by his Resurrection was the cause or occasion wherefore it was changed and set apart: hAugust. Epist. 119. ad Jan.As we usually say of the fifth of November, The Papists made this an Holy-day; not that Papists ordain'd it to be kept holy, but that the Papists by their Powder-plot were the cause or occasion, wherefore the Church and State of England so ordained it. The third thing to be noted is, that Christs Rising again is a part of that work, not the whole work, which he performed for mans Redemption; and is in it self no greater nor more beneficial unto us then his Incarnation, Birth, Passion, and the like: For, had Christ onelyonly Risen again, and not suffer'd for our sins, what would his or our Resurrection have availed? Nay, had Christ both suffer'd and Risen again, and not been Incarnate by the Holy Ghost of a Virgin and made man, what had his Suffering and Rising again been to us? Nay, grant all these, yet if Christ had not Ascended, we could never have attained the end of our hope which is heaven; for where the head is, there also must be the members; and if Christ our head were not in heaven, neither should nor could we expect it.
The result then and sum of all is, that seeing the Feast of Christs Nativity hath like warrant and allowance from Scripture as the Lords day…, hath the same authority for its Institution, is celebrated in memory of as great and wonderfull a work of Christ and as beneficial unto us, as His Resurrection; Therefore the Lords day is no more nor otherwise THE day appointed for us to rejoyce on, then the day of Christs Nativity.
QUAERE X. Whether Christmas day ought in any respect to be esteemed above another of the week-dayes? And whether people may not without offence to GOD follow their lawfull vocations on that day?
ANSWER.
From what we have already proved, the solution of this Quaere is easy and obvious; For, in respect that Christmas day, being the day of our Lords Nativity, is the Lords day; and by his Spouse, iCant. 4. 9.the Church, set apart to GODS publick worship and our souls edification, it ought clearly to be esteemed above any of the common week-dayes: And for people on this day wilfully and contemptuously to follow their ordinary (though at other times lawfull) vocations or callings, is, in the first place, a breach of the fourth Commandment; for the day of Christs Nativity is a sabbath or rest unto the Lord, kSee the definition of a sabbath in our Answ. to the last foregoing Quaere.and GOD will have us to keep holy the sabbath or rest-day. Next, it is a despising and dishonouring of their Mother the Church, which whosoever are guilty of, not onelyonly sin against the fifth Commandment; lPerkins Cases of Conscil. l. 1. c. 5. Sect. 5.but by our Saviour himself we are enjoyned to account all such as revolters from the Christian Faith, heathen men and publicans. mMatth. 18. 17.Lastly, it is a ground and in let to the violation of all orders and decencie in GODS service, which is expre… … demned in Holy Scripture. n1 Cor. 14. 40.And if to break GODS … mandments, to contemne his Churches authority, to …me heathens and publicans, and to overthrow all order and decencie in GODS services, be offences to GOD; Then mu… we conclude, that to work or follow our vocations on Christmas-day, is a great and high offence unto GOD.
QUAERE XI. Whether you think the Parliament and Assembly have erred and played the fooles in condemning and rasing out Holy-dayes not warranted in the Word? And whether to observe them be not highly to dislike, and flatly to contradict (in point of practice at least) their proceedings in order to a Reformation?
ANSWER.
Thoughts are free, and every mans mind is to himself; yet for satisfaction hereunto, no…ing by the way the incivility of the term Fooles, we answer, that the Parliament is not truly alleaged in this point; For, First, our Quaerist grounds his allegation upon an Order of the House, whereas the Day of Christs Nativity and the like are appointed Hol…-dayes by Act of Parliament; o5. & 6. Ed. 6. c. 3. 1 Eliz. c. 2.and an Order cannot rase out an Act; for it is a Maxime (as well in our English Lawes, as in the Civil) that what ever it be, the same way it is made, the same way it is dissolved. pNihil est rationi magis consen…aneum quam eodem modo unumquodque dissolvere quo conslatum est. Judge Doderidge his English Lawyer, pag. 123.Secondly, by our Quaerists own confession the Order alleadged condemns Holy-dayes, not warranted in the Word; which does nothing at all concern the Day of Christs Nativity; the Observation of this day being warranted by the holy Scripture, qSee our Answ. to Quaere 3 & …instituted by the Apostolick Churches, and practised throughout the Reformed: rSee our 5. Section.And therefore to observe this day and the like is not to contradict but to further the Parliaments proceedings in order to Reformation; they having often testified, and still do testifie to the world, that their guide in the work of Reformation shall be the Word of GOD and the best Reformed Churches. sThe Pa…l. D…cl. Sept. 27. 1649. pag. 10.Thirdly, The Procurers of the said Order have been since detected, secluded the House, and by full consent of Parliament decl…red, to be no other then a party and faction, acted by the power of darknesse, Apostates from their first principles, bearing onelyonly the name of Patriots and Lovers of Religion, and such Reformers of Popery and prophan…nesse as stood themselves in need of Reformatien: t… the aforesaid Decl. pag. 5. 7. 10.Now, of what price or esteem these mens Votes and condemnings ought to be, let either conscience or reason determine. As for the Assembly of Divines, it is well kown, how they were chosen, and that their number does not much exceed 80 persons; uEdwards his Antapol…gia, pag. 256.Unto which we shall say no more but what one of their Abe…tans and Favourites has long ago been forced to acknowledge; There is (saith he) no resolution from any Apostolical primitive pattern of the Churches erected by the Apostles, of an Assembly SO CHOSEN BY MAGISTRATES, wFor the Parl. did nom…nate the Divines o… the Assembly.to draw up a Government and Direction in worship for so many Churches, xThere are above 10000. Parish-Churches in thi… Commonwealth.many of which Churches have not so much as one of their members there.yEdwards his Antapologia, pag. 83.
QUAERE XII. Whether (since most men and women in England do blindly and superstitiously believe, Christ was born on that day) preaching on it doth not nourish and strengthen them in that belief?
ANSWER.
'Tis true; most men and women in England, and indeed all Christian Churches throughout the world do believe that Christ was born on the 25 day of December; but this they do neither blindly nor superstitiously. Not blindly; For they have plenty of ancient Records and the clear Testimonies both of the Greek and Latine Fathers, and other Ecclesiastical Writers, which bear witnesse thereunto: zSee our 6th Section.Nor superstitiously; For they hold it no point of Religion or Article of faith; and therefore our Quaerist need not fear that preaching on this day will nourish any matter of dangerous consequence. But, Good GOD! how quick-sighted are our Oppon…nts in other mens wayes, and how pur-blind in their own? What talk they of superstition? Was there ever read or heard of a more superstitious generation then themselves? Do not most of them teach, that it is unlawfull to administer the Sacraments on any other day then the Lords day, and in any other place then the Church? Do not most of them teach, that it is unlawfull to receive the Communion, without being confessed and approved by the Priest and his Consistory? aalias the Minister and his Eldership.Do not most of them teach, that it is unlawfull to ring the Bels in peale upon the Lords day; To eat Mince-pies, Plumb-porrage, or Brawn in December; To trim the Church or private house with Holly and Ivy about Christmas, or to strew it with Rushes about Midsummer; To stick a rosting piece of Beef with Rosemary; or to stick a sprig of Rosemary in a Collar of Brawn when it is brought to the table; To play at Cards or Bowles; To hawk or hunt; To give money to a servants or apprentises Box, or to send a couple of Capons or any other present to a friend in the Twelve-dayes; To use a ring in the Solemnization of marriage; To cover a herse with a white sheet; and a thousand such like foppishsuperstitious conceits, which to reckon up would be long and needlesse.
QUAERE XIII. Whether this Feast had not its rise and groweth from Christians conformity to the mad Feasts Saturnalia, (kept in December to Saturne the Father of Gods) in which there was a Sheaf offered to Ceres Goddesse of Corne; a hymne in her praise called foreign? And whether those Christians by name, to cloak it, did not afterwards call it Yule, and Christmas, as though it were for Christs honour? And whether it be not yet by some (more ancient then truly or knowingly religious) called Yule, and the m…d playes or sports (wherewith 'tis celebrated, like those Saturnalia) Yulegames? And whether from the offering of that Sheaf to Ceres; from that song in her praise; from those gifts the Heathens gave their friends in the Calends of January, ominis gratia, did not arise or spring our Blazes, Christmas Kariles, and New-years gifts?
ANSWER.
This Quaere containeth a pack of grosse errours and vain imaginations, taken out of a new phantastical Almanack; bThe Almanack is entituled, A Scripture Almanack.The truth whereof our Quaerist should have done well to have examined, before he had swallow'd it. As for our Feast of the Nativity; it had its rise from the practice of the pure, ancient, and Apostolick Church; and its growth from Christians conformity to the said practice; which we have fully and at large proved in our fifth Section. Those Feasts to Saturne, which began on the 17th of December, & lasted three dayes, cVid. Giraldi Calenda…ium ad finem lib. Fast.concern not us; unlesse our Opponents will say, that Christians may not set a day apart to GODS Service in that monethmonth that Heathens had Feasts; and if so, we must bid adiew to all publick Services of GOD. The story of offering a Sheaf to Ceres and of a hymne in her praise at the Feast of Saturne, is down-right false; for that offering and hymne to Ceres was at her own Feast, which was in April: dAnte tamen, quam summa dies spectacula sistat; Ensiser Orion aequ…re mersus erit. Proxima victricem cum Romam inspexerit Eons—Circus erit pompa celeber—hinc Cereris ludi. Ovid. Fasto…um l. 4.And by consequence those derivations of Yule from foreign, and Kariles from Ceres are ridiculous; and savour of as much wit, as that of Tarleton to the School-boyes of Westminster, when he told them, that Nap…in came from Neptune, and Trencher from his Trident. eThe Treasure of Wit. pag. 35.But no marvaile, these men should be so ignorant from whence the words come, when they know not how to spell them; for in true spelling it is not Yule, but Ʋle; not Kariles, but Catolles: And that our Opponents may have the just Original of these words, they must understand, that the French call Christmas, Nouël, from the Latine word word Novu… which signifies New, because the New-year begins at Christmas. fvid. David. Chytraei Disposit. Epist. sub initio.From Nouël the people of Normandy, who speak a corrupt kind of French, have their word Nuel; And from Nuel together with the Norman conquest, the English had Nule or Ʋle; both which words are indeed used at this day in some of the Northerne parts of this Land. The other word Caroll, comes from cantate which signifies to sing, and Rola an Interjection expressing joy; for heretofore in the Burden of delightfull songs and when men were jocund, they were wont to sing Rola, Rola; as, sometimes we do Heyda, Heyda, or Derry, Derry. Now, where lies the impiety of those words? Where lies their Heathenisme? But we find, this is no new trick; we have examples enough (and too many some will say, when they must give an account) of slandering GODS▪ people and Services in this kind: Plutarch tels us, that the ancient Jewes (with whom no doubt was GODS true Religion) did sacrifice to Ceres & Bacchus; and that from Sabafios, one of the names of Bacchus, they called their Feasts Sabbaths. gPlu…arch. in symposiacis.Josephus tels us of a sigment no lesse monstrous; That when the Jews came out of Egypt, at the end of every six dayes journey, they were troubled with ulcers and sores in their groines, and for that cause rested the seventh day; and being setled and sound in the land of Judea, they called that day, the Sabbath, from the Egyptian word Sabba…osis, which signified a disease in the groine: hJoseph. contra Ap. lib. 2.And certainly, one egge is not more like another, then these are to the conceits of our Opponents. As to their four superstitious scruples propounded in the close of this Quaere; We answer to the First, concerning Ʋle-games or Christmas-sports, that the body is GODS; as well as the spirit; i1 Cor. 6. 20.and therefore why should not GOD be glorified by shewing forth the strength, quicknesse, and agility of our body, as well as by declaring the endowments of our spirit? Provided alwayes, the said exercises be according to Christian modesty and in due seasons. To the Second, concerning Blazes, we answer, That a great fire, little fire, no fire, are equally material to the Celebration of Christmas; and yet, why may not Blazes be then allow'd in our chymneys▪ as well as Bonefires in our streets on the fifth of November? To the Third, concerning Christmas-Carolles, we answer, That it was an ancient custome amongst the Christians in their Feasts, to bring every one into the midst and incite him to sing unto GOD as well as he could, either out of the holy Scriptures, or of his own wit and invention: kU… quisque de Scripturis sanctis, vel de proprio ingenio potest, provocatur in medium DEO canere. Tertul. lib. adver…us gentes, cap. 39.And why was this course of singing more lawfull in those dayes then now? To the Fourth, concerning New-years gifts, we answer, That we have Scripture-example for sending gifts or portions one to another on dayes of Feasting: lEsther 9. 19. 22.And this use then was (say the Assembly of learned Divines) for the maintenance of mutual friendship. mSee their Annotat▪ on Esther 9. 22.How come such gifts to be since unlawfull.
QUAERE XIV. Whether conformity to, and retention of Heathenish Customes be commendable in Christians, sutable or agreeable with Gospel-principles, though under pretext of Christs Honour and Worship?
ANSWER.
It is a most wicked slander, that we solemnize the day of Christs Nativity under a pretext onelyonly and shew of Christs honour and worship; For with all sincerity and singlenesse of heart we dedicate both the day and our selves on that day to the publick worshipping of GOD, the honouring of Christ, and to a thankfull contemplation of those infinite and unestimable benefits, which accrue unto us by Christs marvellous Birth of a Virgin: Nor is this from any Heathenish Customes, but from the evident examples of GODS Church throughout all ages, ever since Christianity hath been professed. nSee our fifth Section.And here we shall give our Opponents a Lesson which would be well learned and remembred, that it does not straightway follow, because Heathens do it, the thing done is Heathenish, and not sutable with Gospelprinciples: For, the principles of the Gospel do confirm, not destroy the principles of nature; and therefore Heathens by the light of natural reason have done and do many excellent things and commendable in Christians. oRom. 2. 14. 15.We find upon Record, the Temperance, Chastity, Prudence, and other Virtues of Heathens; and yet no man can say, that Temperance, Chastity, Prudence, are Heathenish, and not sutable to Gospel-principles. We read that Heathens do Marry, Bury, Build Churches; and yet no man can say, that Marriage, Burial of our dead, Building of Churche, are Heathenish and not sutable to Gospelprinciples. Yea, manifest it is, and some of the New Sabbatarians confesse, pRich. Byfields Doct…. of the Sab. pag. 81. 82.that the Heathens observed the seventh day for a Holy-day and Festival; qJoseph. contra Ap. l. 1. & Philo Judaeus l. 2. de vita Mosis.and yet they will not say, that the observation of the seventh day is Heathenish and not sutable to Gospel-principles.
QUAERE XV. Whether you are not bound to prove your practice for the conviction and satisfaction of your Brethren, whose duty it is to walk with you in things agreeable to the mind of Christ? And in case you cannot; Whether you ought not to acknowledge your errour, lay down your practice (as others have done theirs) no longer befooling and misleading the People?
ANSWER.
Indeed, putting the case as our Quaerist doth, that we cannot prove the lawfulnesse of our practice; 'tis granted, we ought to acknowledge our errour, and lay down our practice: But in Ca…e we can prove, as it is manifest we have proved, that our practice hath the approbation of GODS Word, the example of Christians in the Primitive and purest times, the witnesse of the ancient Fathers, the consent of all Reformed Churches; (with which if any thing there be that ever can or will convince and satisfie, men ought to rest satisfied,) then, out of our Quaerists own mouth do we inferre, that it is the duty of him and all other our Opponents to walk with us in these things so clearly agreeable to the mind of Christ. And if yet, the good which we have set before them will not prevaile; let our Opponents take into their saddest and most serious thoughts the manifold evil which by their non-conformity to our practice ariseth both to themselves and the Churches of GOD. First, It abets and gives countenance to Blasphemers; and those so horrid and execrable, that the bare rehersal of their frequent reproaches against our Christian Solemnities would be unto modest eares offensive: You have a taste hereof in our last Section. Secondly, It is a dangerous fore-runner of mens Apostacy from Christ; For, the said non-conformity is a great and manifest schisme in the Catholick Church, and schisme (as we know by heavy experience) produceth Heresie, rHaeretici plerumque siunt Schismatici, & vicissim Schismatici plurimum siunt Haeretici. Polan Syntag. Theol. lib. 7. c. 22.and Heresie (without GODS extraordinary preventing Grace) endeth in Apostacy. Thirdly, It condemns and casteth dirt on the face of the pure, ancient, Apostolick Churches. Fourthly, It is directly against the Solemne League and Covenant, which obligeth every one in his place and calling to act according to the Word of GOD and the example of the best Reformed Churches. sArticle 1.Fifthly, It is an argument of superstition; For, to account dayes holy or unholy in themselves, is equally superstitious. Sixthly, It teaches disobedience unto, at least a neglect of, the Magistrates power in matters Ecclesiastical. Seventhly, It is a contempt of Ʋniversal Tradition; which hath ever been held a sure mark of truth, tVincent. Lerine…s. contra H…res. cap. 3.and one of the best testimonies that the Scriptures be the Word of GOD. uBucan. loc. com. 4. q. 13. Hooker. Eccl. Pol. lib. 4.Yea, we desire our Opponents to consider, that upon no other ground then this of Ʋniversal Tradition, do Christians believe that Matthew, Luke and John, wrote those Gospels, in which is declared the Birth of Christ: rMatth. 1. 18. Luke 2. 7. John 1. 14.And, if the Ʋniversal Tradition of GODS Church be a necessary and certain foundation, whereon to build ou… belief of the said Gospels from which we have the relation of Christs Birth; It must likewise be yielded, that Ʋniversal Tradition is as certain a foundation, whereon to build our belief, that Christ was born on the 25th day of December, and that that day is to be yearly celebrated by all Christians in memory thereof; For both these are no lesse assured unto us by Ʋniversal Tradition, sSee our 5th and 6th Sect.then the former. Lastly, It is an inlet to all confusion and disorder in the Churches of Christ; For if nothing must be admitted, but what hath Special Scripture-warrant, either in expresse termes or by sound consequence; wSee Quaere 3. & 4.Then it followes undeniably, that the Lords day and all set dayes of GODS worship, set Fast-dayes, set Lectures, daily prayers with our Families, singing one Psalm all together, xBucan. loc. com. 43. …. 10.erecting Churches, Parochial Congregations, publique catechizing of youth, asking Banes and the Ministers solemnizing of Matrimony, Exhortations at burials, must not be admitted; for no…e of these nor many things more, now in practice amongst us, have any Special Scripture-warrant at all.
QUAERE XVI. Whether in case you return no answer to these Quaeres, I have not ground sufficient to conclude you utterly unable to give any rational account of your practice, now put upon it?
ANSWER.
Sir, You have an account of our practice; and how rational it is, we appeale to your own conscience and the judgement of the Christian World. Now for conclusion, take here the words of a most eminent Divine whose learning and piety hath placed him beyond exception; There is (saith he) yB. Andrewes in his serm. upon John 8. v. 56.no day so properly Christs as his Birth-day; which may appear, if we set it in comparison with other dayes of most memorable note, as the day of his Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension: for the day of his Passion, that was not so properly his, because two theeves suffered with him at the same time, in the same place, after the same manner: zLuke 23. 32. 33.Nor the day of his Resurrection; for as he rose from the dead, so did others the same day, and went into the holy Citie: aMatth: 27. 52. 53.Nor the day of his Ascension; for Enoch and Elias had their Ascension too, and that long before his: bGen. 5. 24. 2 Kings 2. 11.But his Birth-day was HIS without a fellow; none ever SO borne, none ever borne SUCH a one; and therefore (as no Festivity is besides it) it is attended, as Christ himself, with an Apostolical retinue of Holy-dayes.
Halelu-Jah.
End of the text · Edward Fisher, A Christian Caveat to Old and New Sabbatarians (1650)