Christmas Day the Old Heathens Feasting Day, Title page – Dedication
CHRIST-MAS DAY,
The old Heathens feaſting Day, in honour to Saturn their Idol-God.
The Papiſts Maſſing Day.
The Prophane mans Ranting Day.
The Superſtitious mans Idol Day.
The Multitudes Idle Day.
Whereon, becauſe they cannot do Nothing: They do worſe then Nothing.
Satans, That Adverſaries Working-Day.
The true Chriſtian Mans Faſting-Day.
Taking to Heart, the Heatheniſh Cuſtomes, Popiſh Superſtitions, Ranting Faſhions, Fearful Provocations, Horrible Abhominations committed againſt the Lord, and His Chriſt, on that Day, and Days following.
Ezek. 11. 12. Ye have done after the manner of the Heathen.
Jer. 7. 31. Which I commanded not, neither came it into my heart.
Gal. 4. 10. 11. Ye obſerve days, I am afraid of you, leſt I have beſtowed upon you labour in vain.
Hoſ. 2. 17. compared with Exod. 23. 13. Deut. 12. 3. I will take away the Names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they ſhall no more be remembred by their name.
London, Printed for Henry Cripps, and are to be ſold at his Shop, in Popes-Head-Alley, neer Lumbard Street, 1656.
TO THE READER.
WE muſt give out reaſon, though haply you may gueſſe at it, why we put the third Section firſt. Pleaſe you to conſult the Epiſtle to the Reverend Miniſters, there you will find an account of our buſineſs, and Method of our proceſſe therein; and that this of Chriſtmaſs, for we muſt ſpeak that we may be underſtood, is the third part of enjoyned task. But conſidering that Day is now approaching, whereon the God of this world (as a world of men have made him, and do now as God honour him) will be together with the Belly another God (of the ſame make) moſt ſtudiouſly ſerved with a ſervice well becomming ſuch Gods, Riotting and Drunkenneſs, Chambering and Wantonneſs: conſidering this time, as we ſaid, together with thy good now and hereafter, we have offered this to thee firſt, leaſt you ſhould run with the multitude that keep Holy-day into all exceſs of riot, whereunto you will feel your ſelfe driven by a cunning Satan within, and another without, if a glorious Arm interpoſe not: For ſo it muſt needs be, where two Gods are ſerved, The onelyonly True One is blaſpheamed and abhorred. Conſidering, we ſay, all this we have done as you ſee, deſiring heartily, it may be a word well Timed, ſpoken in ſeaſon, and ſet as upon the Wheel, Prov. 15. 23. 25. 11. 12. It is not proper for us now to Charge or to Counſel, But wo to that man that will not hear the Charge of the Lord, and Counſel from his mouth, for ſo ſaith the Lord. Therfore indeed of that wo let us pray That we may hear this charged upon us, by truely learned and Godly Miniſters as deeply as Paul chargeth Timothy upon another account 1. 5. 2. 11. we charge you before God, and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, & the Elect Angels, That ye enquire into the mind of Chriſt, in reference to the obſervation of thoſe dayes, we very ignorantly, and then as boldly, if not preſumptiouſly, call the Day of his Nativity and Circumciſion-No more.
Then ſecondly, that we hearken what God ſaith by the ſaid Meſſengers of the Churches and glory of Chriſt, and as dear children be followers of them, as they follow Chriſt, and thoſe truely called Chriſtians, who thorow faith and patience inherit the promiſes. And for other guides follow them, as they lead to Chriſt, and be commanded by them, as they command for him: For there is One and but One, a Leader & Commander for his people, Iſa. 55. 4. He that rules over men ſhould be juſt, and command in the Lord; But be that at his peril. Look we well to this, that we obey in the Lord. The greateſt Rulers in the world then much more our petty Rulers in our Towns (we will go no higher, that we may not out compaſs our knowledge) O how croſſe and contrary they are, and as they are they run, ſome of them clean croſſe to that OnelyOnly Leader and Commander, ſtretching out the hand againſt God, and ſtrengthning themſelves againſt the Almighty, they run upon him. Some, yea too many of them, even on his neck, upon the thick Boſſes of his bucklers. So Job deſcribes a wicked man in his natural courſe, ch. 15. 25. 26. Even ſo our Rulers in ſome of our Towns do, what they do in Cities we enquire not. But we were ſaying, the greateſt Rulers in the World are but Rules ruled. Jeſus Chriſt alone is the Rule Ruling, Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not, for he will not pardon your tranſgreſſions: for my Name is in him, ſaith the Lord, Exod. 23. 21. If you ſhall obſerve this with all obſervation, you ſhall do well.
Farewel.