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A92206
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Christmass revived: or An ansvver to certain objections made against the observation of a day in memory of our Saviour Christ his birth. By John Reading. M.A. And one of the prebends of Christs-Church in Canterbury.
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Reading, John, 1588-1667.
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1660
(1660)
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Wing R445; Thomason E1053_9; ESTC R207981
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15,390
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23
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demand Is dedicating of a thing to Gods service in that act a making it holy or is a counting a consecrated thing holy concluded will-worship in your Schools nay but it doth not universally conclude any worship we suppose that you will grant the elect Angels are holy that supposition concludes no adoration of Angels at all due Sect. 15. I Suppose these Queries duely weighed will satiâ—fy any ingenuous Spirit that man was the founder of this festival To argue by such often queries may breed doubts rather then resolve them how you come to lay claim to ingenuous or witty who are satisfied by these questions we wish that we were satisfied seeing that the more we weigh them the lighter and more frivolous we find them your consequence from your supposed ingenuous sence is another begging the question which wise men account the most foolish of all fallacies Sect. 16. Ans. 1. WHere ever the Magistrate appoints such days c. we remit you to the former answer Sect. 5. to which we onely add Was the Magistrate or Power appointing that half the day Novem. 5. should be kept holy in memory of Gods great mercy that day shewed in delivering us from eminent destruction of our bodies authors of will-worship or the due observation of that statute such which you seem ingenuously to suppose if not why had not former Magistrates and Parliaments as much power in the days of old to appoint or consecrate unto the same Lord days of thanksgiving and solemn commemoration for their deliverance from eternall destruction of body and Soule as they had for the other in these last times and why may not we without offence observe them still our consciences being not satisfied how any authority or consent of men may lawfully recall impropriate or in your phrase take down that which they have with a general and unanimous consent of lal parties interessed once dedicated to the service of God the same reason end and use thereof still remaining Sect. 17. Ans. 2. BVt where we are directed how and when to celebrate the remembance of our blessed Saviour for us to supâ—radd c. How and when If you mean in praising God by Christ preaching him hearing his word adminstration and receiving the holy Sacraments which represent and remember us of our ever blessed Saviour we are so far from superadding that we onely desire free liberty of doing those very things which Gods word evidently directeth us to do in his service consider well whether it be not a superaddition of yours to permit remembrance of our blessed Saviour adding this exception onely upon the 25. of December it is a sin so to do and whether in your sence this be not like that sin taxed Ezâ—k 43. We understand not why we may not remember our Saviours birth-day and coming into the world without which he had not suffered for our salvation or why it should be estemed good on any day of the year but evil on the 25. of December if you can solidly teach us we shall indeed think you ingenuous and our selves your debters but in the mean time we confess that a day prohibited time and place we cannot understand Sect. 18. LIke whereto is that sin taxed Ezek. 48. 8. c. We suppose you mean Ezek. 43. 8. which is as much unlike this business as your self to a sound Interpreter shew us that there is any abomination which in that place is charged on Israel in remembring that we had a Saviour born on the 25 of December in preaching on those texts of holy Scriptures which either foretold or declared the truth of God accordingly fulfilled concerning the same or to praise pray sing â—salmes and read Scripture or to administer the holy Sacraments this is all we desire should on that day be permitted us if your weak stomacks cannot bear the smell of superstitious pyes or pottage we will forbear them rather then lose your company at Church But to the matter That place of the Prophet teacheth how Isreal sinned in defiling the temple of the Lord by setting up idols therein or in places and chappels neer to the place which God had set apart to his own service this is jdolatry is there and else where called whoredome which he said ver. 7. should be no more which was litterally fulfilled after their return from their Babylonish captivity and to so this day they have no idols though they worship not the true God aright because they beleive noâ— in Christ whom they do not think yet to be born and therefore would willingly accord with you in forbidding a day in remembrance of Christs nativity But to your parallel like whereto c. it is easily and truly refuted by saying unlike whereto is that sin taxed c. for there Israel defiled Gods house by idolatry is it so when we preach pray or communicate your ingenious application is admirable and 't is strange that whatsoever you think the bells must ring Sect. 19. YEt where it is never otherwise but the devil hath more service that time c. We answer concerning this Cup put into Benjamins Sack with whomsoever it be found let him die and bear his sin but we desire the calumniator to read and well consider Deut. 19. 16 17. c. Sect. 20. I Think it concerns the Magistrate to look to it It doth so if you mean the abuse of it but that you say is never otherwise is a calumny which would suit with the accuser of the brethren but such untruths ill become a Christian here your own concession is answer enough were your assumption true abusus non tollit usum you may know howmuch prayer preaching c. are abused should they therefore be used no more Sect. 21. LEe him read Mr Cawdryes c. Let him for us who knows no no better use of preceious hours Sect. 22. WHich is the case in hand Still begging the question 't is not the case in hand here is no following the inventions of man in the worsâ—â—p of God what a silly combatant would you judge him who instâ—ad of using his armes would only intreat his Antogonist to give him that which is contended for Sect. 23. ANy of the ten Commandments in so doing c. We retort your argument and shoot your bolt back again asking you Who blame the obseruation of this festivial whether he that keepeth this day in memory of our Saviours nativity doth thereby break any of the ten Commandments and if not then sure it is no sin to observe it and what ground then have all your clamors against so constant a custome of the Church of Christ but to come neerer to you this your Quaere is not much more rationall then that ridiculous question What part of speech is Qui ante non â—avet post dolebit what if one should ask you doth he that violateth charity and the unity of the Church of Christ break any of the ten Commandements would you not readily answer that he breaks them all because you know that Charity is the sum and end of the law Math. 22. 36 37. 1 Tim. 1. 5. without which whatsoâ—ver else we do is nothing worth 1 Cor. 13. 1. c. and therefore the Apostle saith Rom. 14. 1 2. c. speaking of things in their own natuâ—e indifferent whereof he instanceth in two choice of meats and observation of days that God may be glorified on this ground that he giveth God thanks ver. 10. and earnestly blameth judging or censuring a brother in such things ver. 15. concluding that if thy brother be greived c. now walkest thou not charitably or according to charity and if I by thanksgiving am partaker of Christian liberty and freedome to serve God and to give him thanks and praise him on any day why is my liberty judged of another mans conscience and why am I evil spokâ—n of for that for which I give thanks Have you for these and other like respects so much rent the sacred unity of the late happy Church of England that we now seem like those dry and scattered bones in the Prophets vision Ezek. 37. whereof the question may be Can these dry bones live have these quarrels caused the English to be a scorn and derision to foriagn nations hath the contempt of the holy Churches authority opened the door to so many ridiculous irrationall and impious heresies which all know were at first but your off-sets hath the bloody sword so often disputed these unhappy questions undone so many noble and good families and Sed praestat motos componere fluctus I say no more but do you question whether they by whom these offences come do therein break any of the commandments please your selves conclude Sure it is no sin for our part we look upon these prodigious divisions with greif of heart and fear of the issue being truly sensible that these breaches are too wide already and heartily desire their happy closure as for many reasons of greatest moment so for that which the holy Ghost recordeth Gen. 13. 7. to mark the dangerous importunity of that strife between Abraham's and Lot's pastors The Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land Let us therefore entreat all in the Apostles words Phil. 2. 1. c. If there be therefore any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit be likeâ— minded having the same love being of one accord of one minde c. And now joyn in petition with us unto the God of peace that he would be pleased to breath the Spirit of unity and life upon our divided parts and to give a right understanding to all parties that with one heart and tongue we may glorifie him and live to him that we may be saved by him Amen FINIS