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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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To my honoured kinsman Mr. William Rooke SIR YOu know the occasion of my medling with this controversy It remaineth that I give account of my permitting these rude papers to the publike view which is first because all good Christians are not satisfied herein if I may hereby undeceive some of them I have so much of my end next I conceive it the duty of every good son of our sacred Mother the Church of England to defend her rites and holy decrees against the calumnies of turbulent spirits possessing so many in these times whose study is to cavil at all but the vain Minerva's of their own brains If my endeavour may happily contribute any thing to peace I shall think my labour well bestowed Lastly the candid Reader may be advertised that the satisfaction which he receives herein he oweth to you The God of peace compose all our unhappy differences which is the constant prayer of Your affectionate Kinsman I. R. An answer to certain Crudities and frivolous Objections made against the observation of a day in memorie of our Saviour Christ his Birth A true coppy of the objections THe Question concerning the Observation of a day in memorie of Chriâ—â—'s birth is the same which our Saviour put to the Pharisees Whether Johns Baptism were of heaven or from men Luke 20. So the observation of this day if it be of God it is a duty and a sin to omit it But if it were set up by man all men do acknowledg That what man shall set up man may take down Therefore first 1. Have we any command in scripture for it if not then 2. Did the Apostles or Disciples ever observe it 3. Would they have omitted it if it had been a duty 4. Was it observed in the Primitive Church for fifty years after the Apostles were all dead search the Scripture and Ecclesiasticall history 5. How came it to be Christs day tell us the Original of this duty that we may know whether it be Divine or humane Is it like to be a duty and no footsteps at all left in the word either Precept or Example looking that way 6. Whether the Papists may not say as much for all their heaps of Traditions as we can say for this And if we once follow traditionall Divinity where shall we stop 7. Give us a definition of that sin which the Scripture calls Will-Worship I supposâ— these Queries duely weighed will satisfy â—ny ingenuous spirit That man was the founder of this Festivall Object Do we not celebrate days of thanksgiving at the appointment of the Magistrate as the 5. of November and may we not this day as well as those Answer 1. Where-ever the Magistrate appoints such days it is lawfull for him to forbid them again when he will Answer 2. If God had not appointed what memorial he would have of his Son Christ man had the greater liberty But where we are directed how and when to celebrate the remembrance of our blessed Saviour for us to superadd we have cause to fear lest we become guilty of that sin which Scripture calls Will-worship Like whereto is that sin taxed Ezek. 48. 8. setting our threshold by his threshold and our posts by his posts which is there called a defilement Besides consider the constant abuse of this solemnity and though I know abusus non tollit usum yet where it is never otherwise but the devil hath more service at this time then God I think it concerneth the Magistrate to look to it He that would read more on this Subject let him read Mr Cawdrys book against Dr. Hamond concerning holydays and Superstitious worship Consider that there is nothing more often blamed in Scripture then this to follow the inventions of man in the worship of God which is the case in hand I would ask that man who blames the neglect of this Festival whether he that will not keep this memorial doth break any of the ten Commandements in so doing and if not then sure it is no sin to omit it Sect. 1. THe Question concerning observation of a day in memory of Christs birth is the same which our Saviour put to the Pharisees Whether John's Baptism were of heaven or from men Luke 20. In all orderly diâ—putes the Question should necessarily be stated now by your strict prohibition of our solemn commemoration of our Saviours nativity it seemeth the question is Whether it be lawful on any day to remember our Saviours birth and therein to meet in holy assemblies to preach and hear the word of God to sing Psalms pray give thanks administer and receive the holy Saeraments we affirme your sect deny it as if some Act of amnestie had passed upon that day as Job 3. 〈◊〉 c. and it were resolved upon the Question The day of Christ's birth shall be no more had in remembrance This Opponent not so much as repeating the question as in some sudden passion when furor arâ—a ministâ—at snatcheth up that which first comes to hand and so precipitaâ—ely rusheth on to the encounter that he stumbleth in his on-set saying The Question concerning the observation of a day in memorie of Christ's birth is the same which our Saviour put to the Pharises c. We answer 1. in the Scrâ—pture which you cite Luk 20. 1. there is no mention of the Pharises neither Math. 21. 23. Mark 11. 30. where the same history is recorded We read {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the Cheif Priests and or with the Elders of the people Consider whether you do well translate that the Pharisees c. 2. We say that the â—ord answered their question by another question which was concerning the Baptism of â—ohn there is not a word concerning the day of his nativity now to say that things so much differing are the same consider what you would call it if another had said so what a filly animal would you deeme him who would admit such conclusions In many respects this pretended parallel runs uneven 1. â—hrists dilemma was necessary to shew that if they had believed John Baptists testimony they would have known by what authority Christ did those things but your objection is unnecessary as will appear 2. That was an holy refutation of Jewish uâ—beliefe but yours a Schismatical caption to the contempt of the Christian Churches customes But to pass by these first over-sights of yours we may use Goliahs sword to cut him shorter and thus retort the point of your argument The prohibition of our observation of a day in memory of Christs n tivity is it from heaven or of men if from heaven shew us anâ— place of holy Scripture forbidding the same If you say that prohibition is of men we shall with good conscience follow venerable anâ—iquity rather then trouble the Sacred peace of the Church about things of such nature Sect. 2. SO the observation of this day What supplement is here necessary for your elliptical speaking we would
that in things of that nature you must acknowledge that the Church of Christ hath power to determin if at least you will allow her any Sect. 7. DId the Apostles or disciples ever observe it We answer doth it appear that they did not observe it further we say that all that which our Lord Jesus did is not recorded in Scripture John 20. 30. John 21. 25. And can we reasonably think that all things which the Apostles or disciples did are written in holy Scripture we read not that all the Apostles were baptized where when and by whom will you therefore conclude that they were not at all baptized In things simply necessary to Salvation the general precept was sufficient to shew it so and for things subordinate to decency unity order it was left to the Church to determin conveniently in respect of times places and persons hence appeareth a sufficient answer to your next Quaere Sect. 8. VVOuld they have omitted it if it had been a duty To dispute ex non concessis either presupposeth much igrance in the Respondent or bewrayeth it in the Opponent Who ever granted you that the Apostles c. omitted it or when did you or ever shall be able to prove that they did what vain trilling use you in such a frequent begging of the question Sect 9. VVAs it observed in the Primitive Church for fifty yeers after the Apostles were dead search the Scriptures and Ecclesiastiall history We answer again that you found us in possession of many hundred years prescription and therefore it rests on your parts to shew us that it was not observed in and from the Apostles times except untill now of late days which when you attempt to do or to shew that any consent of the uniuersall Church ever annulled the observation thereof we shall begin with you upon a new score If your argument lie thus It is not found in Scripture nor in Ecclesiastical history c. Therefore in the Apostles times and Fifty years after the Apostles were dead it was not observed The consequence is lâ—me for A non Scripto ad non factum non valet argumentum how absurd is it to say It is not found written therefore it was not done all is not written which Christ did as hath been said before if therefore you finde any thing to the contrary in your search of the Scriptures c. proclaime your {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in open streets and sacrifice to your invention We finde that good and antient authors spake of the observation of that day as of a thing long before their times accustomed and in use See Ammianus Marcellinus l. 21. who lived about Three hundred and sixty years after Christ Gregorie Nazianz Orat. 32. who lived about the same age Augustin and many others And we further say that the reason why little or no mention of this days observation not onely for Fifty but many more years can be found in the antient Ecclesiastical writers may be and most probably is because so long none opposed that rite and custome of the Church So was it in case of paedobaptisme unto Cyprian time and the Conncils of Carthage and the Milevetan An. 416. 417. in which Pelagius and Caelestius were condemned because no opposition did before that for some hundred years give the Orthodox Fathers occasiâ—n to dispute or write in defence of it indeed to what end should any write in defence of that which none opposed But when some pretenders to Christian religion opposed the truth or raised schismes dangerous to the unity of the Church or the wholsome Rites and customes of the same then the Orthodox wrote and many of their works are yet extant and so are divers of their Sermons and godly Orâ—tions delivered to the people on the same day which sufficiently testify the custom of the Church of Christ concerning the observation of the day in memory of our Saviours nativity Lastly it is well known that there were some obscure ages wh erein few or none writ or none so eminent and known as that there writings were transmitted to posteritie Sect. 10. HOw came it to be Christs day If you beleive that which the Angel told the shepherds Luke 2. 10 11. that Christ was on that day borne this quere is superfluous marke the words The Angel said unto thâ—m fear not for bâ— hold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all pâ—ople for unto you is born this day in the City oâ— David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord You posâ—ibly will say what is that to us what cause of joy or commemoration have we Certainly the same that all the people of God then had if Christ were born your Savior for in that he saith which shall be to all people he includeth us Gentiles as well as the Jews for he is not only the Saviour of the Jews but of the bâ—lâ—iving Gentiles also Rom 3. 29 neither of those only who lived that day but of all ages you may say how know we whether he were born on that day which we observe we answer how know you the contrary One day of the year he was born you that so obstinately deny the day which we observe to be it assigne us one other which you will affirme was the day of his nativity except you think he was not born in any time You will say again â—ut why should we yearly observe a day we say first for the same reason which Moses gave Israel for the yearly observation of the Passover When your Children shall say unto you what mean you by this service you shall say As this day by the computation of the Church of England was our Saviour Christ born whom God sent into the world to deliver us not from a temporall bondage but from the eâ—ernall misery of hell and damnation to which sin had inslaved us Again Secondly you may as rationally say Why should we at all or any time be thankful to God for this his greatest mercy conferred on the elect considering the end of his incarnation his suffering and mans redemption which Paul reciteth under the motion of a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation 1. Tim. 1. 15. and our Saviour recounteth as a principal specimen of Gods love to mankind John 3 16. indeed it was the cheif non enim prodesset nasci nifi redimi profuisset Ambros. And is it not worth thanks in your sence Sect. 11. â—ell us the originall of this duty They who will not learne of Christ the onely Mediatour between God and man through whom and by whose merits onely they can be heard to say thy will be done in earth as it is heaven c. may possibly doubt concerning the originall of this duty not knowing or not beleiving the practice of an holy Angel or a multitude of the heavenly hoste praysing God on the day of Christ's nativity Luke 2. 10. 13. to be a