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<DATE>6-13-14</DATE>
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<NAME>John Latta</NAME>
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<STC T="W">F994</STC>
<BIBNO T="oclc">[ocm]12028204</BIBNO>
<VID>196640</VID>
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<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="frontispiece">
<PB REF="1">
<P><FIGURE>
<FIGDESC>nativity</FIGDESC>
<HEAD>The Shepheards. <HI>lu:</HI> 2.</HEAD>
<P>8 And there were in the &s;ame countrey Shepheards abiding in y^e feild keeping watch ouer y^e flocke by night.</P>
<P>9 And loe y^e Angell of y^e Lord came vpon them etc.</P>
<P>16 And they came with ha&s;t and found Mary and Io&s;eph, and y^e babe lying in a manger.</P>
<P>20 And y^e &s;hepheards returned glorifying and pray&s;ing God. etc.</P>
</FIGURE></P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>The Fea&s;t of Fea&s;ts.</P>
<P><HI>OR,</HI> THE CELEBRATION Of the Sacred NATIVITY <HI>OF</HI> Our Ble&s;&s;ed LORD and SAVIOUR, <HI>JES&V;S CHRIST;</HI> Grounded upon the Scriptures, and con|firmed by the practice of the Chri&s;tian Church in all AGES.</P>
<Q><BIBL>Zanch. in 4. Praecept. de diebus Fe&s;tis, q. 1.</BIBL>
<P>Aequum e&s;t &amp; pium, ut in Eccle&s;ia &s;int certi dies Fe&s;ti: iniquum e&s;t et impium, aut nullos e&s;&s;e, aut qui &s;unt contemnere: &s;ic docent &s;acrae Literae; &s;ic Patres; &s;ic no&s;tri &s;eculi pii doctores; &s;ic deni&abque; vetus con&s;uetudo atque u&s;us in omnibus, omnium&abque; locorum et Gentium Eccle&s;iis, receptus et approbatus confirmant.</P>
<P>It is ju&s;t and pious, that &s;et Fea&s;t-dayes be in the Church: It is unju&s;t and impi|ous either to have none, or to de&s;pi&s;e tho&s;e that are &s;o &s;ay the holy Scriptures; &s;o the Eathers; &s;o the godly Teachers of our age; Finally, &s;o the ancient cu|&s;tome and the received and approved u&s;e in all the Churches of all places and Nations, doe confirme.</P></Q>
<P>OXFORD: Printed by LEONARD LICHFIELD, Printer to the <HI>Vniver&s;ity.</HI> 1644.</P>
</DIV1>
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<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="treatise">
<PB REF="2">
<PB N="1" REF="2">
<HEAD>THE Fea&s;t of Fea&s;ts.</HEAD>
<DIV2 N="1" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>SECTION I.</HEAD>
<HEAD>The Occa&s;ion and Method of this Treati&s;e.</HEAD>
<P>_EVer &s;ince the e&s;tabli&s;hment of <HI>an uniformity of Doctrine</HI> <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Anno Do. 1562. 3. Eliz.</NOTE> and <HI>Pub|lique &s;ervice in the Church of Eng|land</HI> <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">See the Act be|fore the Common-Prayer booke.</NOTE>, many zealous and godly Mini&s;ters have from time to time greatly bewailed the increa&s;e of Sectaries. <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg"><HI>Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall Union, Pag. 4, 5, 14. Rogers Articles,</HI> in the Preface. The Epi&s;t. of the Tran&s;lat. of the Bible to K. <HI>James.</HI></NOTE> Queen <HI>Elizabeth,</HI> find|ing that no admonitions nor threats could &s;ilence their bitter and envenomed tongues, was forced to bani&s;h them <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Anno Do. 1593. April 10.</NOTE>; King <HI>Iames,</HI> after a judicious and <HI>patient hearing</HI> of their <HI>weak</HI> and <HI>&s;len|der</HI> objections <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">See the Confe|rence at <HI>Hampton-Cou<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">t.</HI></NOTE>, <HI>enjoyned them to conforme,</HI> and <HI>by Ec|cle&s;ia&s;ticall cen&s;ures</HI> re&s;trained the di&s;obedient <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">Proclam. 5. Mart. 1603. Proclam. 16. Jul. 1604.</NOTE>.</P>
<P>But now, it is &s;trange to conceive, what liberty they take unto them&s;elves; <HI>What tempe&s;ts of railing and di&s;|graces they heap upon tho&s;e who cro&s;&s;e their ficklene&s;&s;e with con&s;tant vindications, and a&s;&s;ertings of the true doctrines of faith and life:</HI> whereby they verify that of S. <HI>Paul</HI> <NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 3. 13.</NOTE>, <HI>Evil men and &s;educers &s;hall wax wor&s;e and wor&s;e, deceiving and being deceived.</HI></P>
<PB N="2" REF="3">
<P><HI>It makes me</HI> (&s;aith a worthy Divine <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Mr. <HI>Obadia<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> Sedgwike,</HI> in his Treati&s;e, enti<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">uled, <HI>Chri&s;ts coun&s;ell to his langui&s;hing Church of Sa<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">dis.</HI> pag. 229, 230.</NOTE>) <HI>to pity this great and famous City, when I behold a <HI>Colluvies, a very rabble of all opinions,</HI> and &s;uch a going and com|ming, touchings at, and &s;aylings off from the land of up|rightne&s;&s;e: One week this is a truth, and almo&s;t an Arti|cle; the next week it is no &s;uch matter, but &s;ome other thing is the right.</HI> And truly, what el&s;e can be expected, whil&s;t men do <HI>u&s;e their liberty,</HI> not <HI>as the &s;ervants of God,</HI> but <HI>for a cloak of maliciou&s;ne&s;&s;e</HI> <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 2. 16.</NOTE>; intermixing and &s;owing the tares of errour and divi&s;ion with the &s;eeds of <HI>truth and peace</HI> <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg"><HI>Permi&s;cent recta perver&s;is; ut o&s;ten|d<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">nd<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> bona, auditores ad &s;e trahant: &amp; exhibendo mala, la|tent<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> cos p<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;te cor|rumpant.</HI> Greg Mag. Moral. l. 5 c. 11. <HI>Error per &s;cip&s;um non o&s;tenditur, ne de|nudatus deprehenda|tur.</HI> Ir<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">naeus adver&s;. Hae<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">t. in Pro<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">mio.</NOTE>?</P>
<P>Take a ta&s;te of their new, fi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ry-new Divinity. They &s;ay, that <HI>the Church of England hath not the Sacra|ments duly admini&s;tred, nor the Word truly preached,</HI> and &s;o <HI>wants the markes of a true Church</HI> <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg"><HI>Prote&s;tation pro|te&s;ted.</HI> pag. 8.</NOTE>. <HI>They deny</HI> the Bapti&s;me of Infants to be lawfull <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">See Mr. <HI>Spels|be<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">es True &s;ubject of Bapti&s;me.</HI></NOTE>. They call the <HI>Li|turgie and Publique &s;ervice</HI> of our Church <HI>ranke Athe|i&s;me, a proud inveigling &s;trumpet, a cur&s;ed Ma&s;&s;e of &s;u|per&s;tition, full of &s;erpents, bathed in the blood of bodies, &s;oules, and &s;tates; the reliques or leavings of the Popi&s;h dregs; not the &s;tump or limb, but the head of the Dragon, no better then the conjuring or jugling of Magicians</HI> <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">The Anatomy of the Service-Book. <HI>pag. 2, 3, 13, 17. 25, 26.</HI></NOTE>: <HI>The Character of Antichri&s;t or Antichri&s;tiani&s;me</HI> <NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg"><HI>Prote&s;tation pro|te&s;ted.</HI> pag 7.</NOTE>. They &s;ay that a &s;et forme of Publique Prayer is <HI>a main branch of Popery</HI> <NOTE N="h" PLACE="marg"><HI>Prote&s;t. ibidem. S<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">ectymnuu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">,</HI> &sect;. 2.</NOTE>: yet we find that &s;et formes of Prayer have ever been u&s;ed and approved in Gods Church <NOTE N="i" PLACE="marg">Exod. 15. 1. 1 Chron. 16 7. unto ver&s;e 37. P&s;al. 44. &amp; 85. &amp; 92. &amp; 102. as appeareth by the titles of tho&s;e P&s;almes. Joel 2. 17. Luk. 11. 2. Ju&s;t. Mart. Apol. 2. Tertul. adver&s;. gentes, c. 39. Eu&s;eb. de vit. Con&s;tant. l. 4. c. 18. p. 106. Calv. ad Protect. Angl. ep. 87. Mu&s;cul. in P&s;al. 95. The book of Hom. Tom. 2. Hom. 9. pag. 138. Dr. <HI>Pre&s;ton</HI> in his Sermon &s;tyled, <HI>The Saints daily exerci&s;e.</HI></NOTE>. They &s;ay, that <HI>the thirty nine Articles</HI> of our Church are &s;tuf|fed with <HI>Popery and Arminiani&s;me</HI> <NOTE N="k" PLACE="marg"><HI>Saltma<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;h</HI> his <HI>Examinat. of Mr. Fullers Sermon,</HI> pag. 2.</NOTE>: and they have &s;o vilified <HI>the book of Homilies,</HI> that the very name of them is unto the vulgar become contemptible. Whence it is too too evident (let them make what pretences they plea&s;e) that their aime is to confound and root out
<PB N="3" REF="3"> our Religion? For (as <HI>Mr. Pry<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ne once</HI> well ob&s;erved) <HI>the whole body of our Religion is included in our Com|mon-Prayer Book, our Articles, and our Homilies</HI> <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">A &s;urvey of <HI>Co|zens</HI> Couz. Devot. in the Epi&s;tle Ded.</NOTE>.</P>
<P>No marvaile then, if <HI>they</HI> refu&s;e to celebrate <HI>the Na|tivity of Chri&s;t;</HI> who (by their own confe&s;&s;ions) have revolted from <HI>the Church of Chri&s;t;</HI> who di&s;grace, hate, &s;lander, and <HI>per&s;ecute</HI> <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Gal. 4. 29.</NOTE> the mo&s;t Orthodoxe, the mo&s;t eminent, and chiefe&s;t of all the Reformed Churches, <HI>the Church of England</HI> <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">See Mr. <HI>Smith<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> Treati&s;e, called, <HI>Gods Arrow again&s;t Athe|i&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s, Ch. ult.</HI></NOTE>, No marvaile, if <HI>they</HI> revive tho&s;e old, rotten errours of the <HI>Petrobru&s;tans</HI> <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">In vita Bernard. l. 3. c. 5.</NOTE>, (affirm|ing <HI>that Chri&s;tians ought not to keep or ob&s;erve Fea&s;ts</HI>) who have a long time endeavoured to bring in all man|ner of Here&s;ies and Schi&s;mes, and con&s;equently <HI>Athe|i&s;me, which in milder &s;peech is called Libertini&s;me</HI> <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">Vi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">el. de Arcan. Armin. l. 1. c. 1.</NOTE>. No marvaile, if <HI>they</HI> reject the tradition of our Church touching the day of Our Saviours Nativity, who dare wilfully and impiou&s;ly reject <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg"><HI>The Lo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ds Prayer pleading for better entertainment,</HI> p. 28.</NOTE> that <HI>mo&s;t ab&s;olute, mo&s;t excellent, mo&s;t Divine</HI> <NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg"><HI>Divino plane ar|tificio con&s;tans.</HI> Pola. Synt. Theol. l. 9. c. 17</NOTE> <HI>Prayer;</HI> which, Gods Word re|cordet<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> <NOTE N="h" PLACE="marg">Luke 11. 2.</NOTE>, was <HI>taught the Di&s;ciples</HI> even by our Savi|our him&s;elfe.</P>
<P>Now for the perfect di&s;covery of the perver&s;ne&s;&s;e, gro&s;&s;e mi&s;takes, and ignorance of the&s;e men; and al&s;o for the full and cleer vindication of our <HI>Church</HI> from this foule a&s;per&s;ion of <HI>maintaining a &s;uper&s;titious No|velty</HI> <NOTE N="i" PLACE="marg"><HI>Quia i&s;ti di&s;&s;e|runt, &amp; disputant ne&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> qu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s impias no vitates, etiam &amp; nos (Eccle&s;iae Anglicanae filios) conantur arguere, quod aliquod no vum dicamus.</HI> Augu&s;t. de verb. Apo&s;t. Serm. 14.</NOTE>; we &s;hall &s;et down the&s;e two Po&s;itions.</P>
<LIST>
<ITEM>1. That Chri&s;tian Magi&s;trates may law|fully con&s;titute and ordaine Fea&s;t-dayes, or dayes of &s;olemne Thanks|giving; and require Obedience unto &s;uch Con&s;titutions.</ITEM>
<ITEM>2. That the Church of England doth
<PB N="4" REF="4"> upon ju&s;t and good grounds cele|brate the NATIVITY OF OUR LORD, on the 25. day of December.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<P>In the di&s;cu&s;&s;ing of the latter Po&s;ition, we &s;hall &s;hew:</P>
<LIST>
<ITEM>1. The &s;everall names and titles of this Fea&s;t.</ITEM>
<ITEM>2. That the <HI>Fea&s;t of the Nativity</HI> is grounded upon the Scriptures.</ITEM>
<ITEM>3. That this Fea&s;t was duly Celebrated by the Chri|&s;tians in all ages.</ITEM>
<ITEM>4. That in all probability our Saviour was born on the 25. day of <HI>December.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>5. The work of the day.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<P>After which, we &s;hall (God willing) conclude with a patheticall exhortation unto the true &s;onnes of the Church of England.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="2" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>SECTION II.</HEAD>
<HEAD><HI>That Chri&s;tian Magi&s;trates may lawfully con&s;titute and ordain Fea&s;t-dayes,</HI> or dayes of &s;olemne Thank&s;gi|ving, <HI>and require obedience unto &s;uch Con&s;titutions.</HI></HEAD>
<P>THe truth of the former part of this Po&s;ition (to wit, <HI>That Chri&s;tian Magi&s;trates may lawfully con&s;ti|tute and ordain Fea&s;t-daies) is cleared by four rea&s;ons.</HI></P>
<P><HI>The fir&s;t</HI> Rea&s;on. <HI>They that by Gods Word have power to limit things indifferent, may lawfully con&s;titute Fea&s;t-dayes.</HI> Becau&s;e Fea&s;t-dayes are in them&s;elves things indifferent, as S. <HI>Paul</HI> te&s;tifieth, <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Rom. 14. 6.</NOTE> <HI>He that regar|deth a day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regar|deth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it.</HI></P>
<P>But <HI>Chri&s;tian Magi&s;trates by Gods Word have power to limit things indifferent.</HI> <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 14. 40. <HI>Res adiaphorae &s;unt quae a</HI> DEO <HI>nec praeceptae, nec vetitae &s;unt.</HI> Polan. Syntag. Theol. lib. 6. cap. 38. Becan. loc. com. 33. &s;ect. 13.</NOTE> For the power given unto
<PB N="5" REF="4"> Magi&s;trates by Gods Word, <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Mat. 17. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">7. &amp; Chap. 22. 21. Rom. 13. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 6, 7. Heb. 13. 17. 1 Pet. 2. 17.</NOTE> is not over &s;uch things as are preci&s;ely commanded or forbidden by God <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg"><HI>Praecepta humana &s;unt determinationes circum&s;ta tiarum ne|ce&s;&s;ariae &amp; utiles ad &s;ervanda pr<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">caepta moralia primae vel &s;ecundae Tabulae.</HI> Vr&s;in. explicat. Catechet. part. 3. que&s;t. 96.</NOTE>.</P>
<P>Therefore <HI>Chri&s;tian Magi&s;trates may lawfully con|&s;titute Fea&s;t-dayes.</HI></P>
<P><HI>The &s;econd</HI> Rea&s;on. They that &s;et apart &s;peciall times to meditate on the goodne&s;&s;e of <HI>God</HI> in <HI>Chri&s;t Ie|&s;us,</HI> and render thankes for the &s;ame, do that which is lawfull <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Mr. <HI>Perkins</HI> Comment on the Galatians. <HI>c. 1. v. 24. Fe&s;torum veteris Te&s;tamenti genus, quod morale &amp; naturale e&s;t, ab<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ogatum in novo non e&s;t,</HI> ut n<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">mirum homo deputet aliquod temp<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s vi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ae &s;uae ad vacandum Divinis: <HI>&s;ed &s;pe|cies tantum, quatenus fe&s;ta illa expre&s;&s;o mandato Dei ad certas circum&s;tantias temporum determinata &amp; alligata <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">rant, &s;ub peccato mortali &amp; poena damnationis.</HI> Ho&s;pin. de orig. fe&s;t. Chri&s;tian c. 1.</NOTE>.</P>
<P>But Chri&s;tian Magi&s;trates when they con&s;titute Fea&s;t-dayes, &s;et apart &s;peciall times to meditate on the goodne&s;&s;e of God in Chri&s;t Je&s;us, and to render thanks for the &s;ame <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Polan. Synt<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">g. Theol. l. 9 c. 35. <HI>Willets</HI> Synop&s;. in the 9. general controver|&s;ie, quae&s;t 7. p. 494, 495. &amp; quae&s;t. 8. p. 506. Fulk annot. A|pocaly p. 1. &s;ect. 6. The Pract. of P<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ety printed by <HI>R. Y.</HI> pag. 364.</NOTE>.</P>
<P>Therefore Chri&s;tian Magi&s;trates when they con&s;titute Fea&s;t-dayes do that which is lawfull.</P>
<P><HI>The third</HI> Reason. In times of Gods extraordinary Judgments upon a Nation, Chri&s;tian Magi&s;trates may lawfully con&s;titute extraordinary dayes of &s;olemne mourning, or Fa&s;t-dayes <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">Judg. 10. 26. 1 Sam. 7. 6. 2 Chron. 20. 3. Ezra. 8 21, 22, 23. Neh. 9. 1, 36, 37. He&s;t. 4. 3. Joel 2. 12, 15. Mat. 6. 16, 17, 18. 1 Cor. 7. 5.</NOTE>.</P>
<P>Therefore (<HI>by the rule of Contraries</HI>) in times of Gods extraordinary ble&s;&s;ings upon a Nation, Chri&s;tian Magi&s;trates may lawfully con&s;titute extraordinary dayes of &s;olemne thank&s;giving, or Fea&s;t-daies.</P>
<P><HI>The fourth</HI> Rea&s;on. That which may be lawfully ob&s;erved, may be lawfully ordained.</P>
<P>But Fea&s;t-daies may be lawfully ob&s;erved. For our Saviour kept not only the Legall Fea&s;t <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">John 2. 13, 23. &amp; 5. 1. &amp; 2. 14.</NOTE>; but <HI>the Fea&s;t of Dedication</HI> <NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg">John 10. 22, 23.</NOTE>, <HI>which Iudas Maccabeus</HI> in&s;tituted <NOTE N="h" PLACE="marg">1 Maccab. 4. 59.</NOTE>. The Apo&s;tles al&s;o ob&s;erved Fea&s;t-dayes <NOTE N="i" PLACE="marg">Act. 2. 1. 1 Cor. 16. 8.</NOTE>: and Saint
<PB N="6" REF="5"> <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith, that <HI>he ha&s;ted if it were po&s;&s;ible for him to be at Ieru&s;alem the day of Penteco&s;t</HI> <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Acts 20. 16.</NOTE>. And in another place, <HI>I mu&s;t by all meanes keep this Fea&s;t that commeth in Ieru&s;alem</HI> <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">. Acts 18 21.</NOTE>.</P>
<P>Therefore Fea&s;t-dayes may be lawfully ordained.</P>
<P>Seeing then that Chri&s;tian Magi&s;trates may ju&s;tly and lawfully con&s;titute Fea&s;t-dayes, it followes undeniably, that they <HI>may require obedience unto &s;uch con&s;titutions:</HI> for they are <HI>the Mini&s;ters of God,</HI> and <HI>bear not the &s;word in vain</HI> <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Rom. 13 4, 5</NOTE>. Nay we mu&s;t <HI>needs be &s;ubject not only for wrath, but al&s;o for Con&s;cience &s;ake. Men are bound by God in their Con&s;ciences</HI> (&s;aith <HI>Ame&s;ius) to ob&s;erve the ju&s;t Lawes of men in a ju&s;t manner</HI> <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg"><HI>Ad &s;u&s;tas leges humanas &s;u&s;to modo ob&s;ervandas obligan|tur homines in con&s;cientiis &s;uis a Deo.</HI> Ame&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">c<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s; con&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> li. 1. c. 2.</NOTE>: The neglect of obe|dience is an offence to God <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg"><HI>Harum legum obedi|entia nece&s;&s;aria prae&s;tatur, nec &s;ine offen&s;ione Dei negligitur propter ip&s;um mandatum Ma|gi&s;trat<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">um.</HI> Ur&s;in. explicat. Catechet. quae&s;t. 96.</NOTE>.</P>
<DIV3 TYPE="objections">
<HEAD>Here three Objections are commonly brought.</HEAD>
<P><HI>The fir&s;t</HI> Objection is taken out of the words of S. <HI>Paul</HI> to the Galatians. <HI>After that ye have knowne God,</HI> (&s;aith he) <HI>or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto you de&s;ire again to be in bondage? ye ob&s;erve dayes, and moneths, and times, and yeers, I am afraid of you, le&s;t I have be|&s;towed upon you labour in vain</HI> <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">Gal. 4. 9, 10, 11.</NOTE>. Where the Apo&s;tle &s;eemes to condemne the ob&s;ervation of all dayes what|&s;oever.</P>
<P><HI>The</HI> An&s;wer. The&s;e words mu&s;t not be under&s;tood in &s;o large a &s;en&s;e; for then the Apo&s;tle &s;hould con|demne both him&s;elf and all good Chri&s;tians in the ob|&s;ervation of <HI>the Lords day</HI> <NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg">Act. 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 2, 3. Rev. 1. 10.</NOTE>; which were impious to imagine: But (as <HI>Augu&s;tin, Ierome, Theodoret, Bruno, Zanchy,</HI> and others, expound the place) he reproveth the Galatians for ob&s;erving dayes after that <HI>Iewi&s;h &s;uper|&s;titious
<PB N="7" REF="5"> manner</HI> <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Augu&s;t. ad Janua|rium, Ep. 118. &amp; ad Adamant. cap. 16. Theod<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ret, Bruno in dd. locum. <HI>Non &s;impliciter abro|gati &s;unt dies fe&s;ti; &s;ed tantum ex parte, quatenus legales erant, &amp; per Mo&s;en populo I&s;raelitico prae&s;cripti.</HI> Zanch. in 4. praecept de dicbus Fe&s;tis, q. 1. <HI>Heookers</HI> Eccle&s;. Polic. l. 5. &s;ect. 70.</NOTE>, giving reverence unto them <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg"><HI>Nos non &s;imil<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ter ob&s;ervamus: non enim calendas colimus, nec dies fe|&s;tos, &s;icut illi in luxuria &amp; epulis, &s;ed in &s;inceritate azima epulamur.</HI> Hieron. in Epi&s;t. ad Galat. c. 4.</NOTE>, as if they had been expre&s;&s;ely commanded by God, whereby they brought them&s;elves <HI>under the Law,</HI> and were <HI>en|tangled again with the yoke of bondage</HI> <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Galat. 4. 21 &amp; 5. 1.</NOTE>.</P>
<P><HI>The &s;econd</HI> Objection is of the <HI>Anabapti&s;ts,</HI> who al|leadge, That the Magi&s;trates power of making things indifferent to become nece&s;&s;ary, de&s;troyes Chri&s;tian li|berty, <HI>in which,</HI> we are commanded by the Apo&s;tle to <HI>&s;tand fa&s;t</HI> <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Galat. 5. 1.</NOTE>. Therefore &s;uch power is unlawfull.</P>
<P><HI>The</HI> An&s;wer. Nece&s;&s;ity is twofold; <HI>Externall, In|ternall.</HI> The Magi&s;trates power neither does nor can make things indifferent to become <HI>ab&s;olutely</HI> nece&s;&s;ary <HI>in them&s;elves:</HI> For that were to <HI>de&s;troy the liberty wher|with Chri&s;t hath made us free</HI> <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">Acts 15. 9, 10, 28 Rom. 14. 14. 1 Cor. 3. 22. 1 Tim. 4. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Colo&s;&s;. 2. 16.</NOTE>. But the Magi&s;trates power makes things indifferent to be nece&s;&s;ary in re&s;pect of <HI>externall nece&s;&s;ity, for the avoyding of the contempt of authority, and for the avoyding of &s;candall or offence</HI> <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">Ma&s;ter <HI>Perkins</HI> Comment on the Galat. Chap. 5. <HI>Willetts Synop&s;is, 9.</HI> g<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">neral controver&s;y. q. 7. pag. 49 5. Becan. loc. Commun. 33. Sect. 15. <HI>Obligant tantum scandali &amp; centemptus ratione.</HI> Ho&s;pin. de orig. Fe&s;t Chri&s;tian. c. 2. Wolleb. Theol. Chri&s;tianae. l. 2. c. 7. Sect. 14.</NOTE>. And in this, our Chri&s;tian Liberty does not con&s;i&s;t; For in all things indifferent <HI>God</HI> commands us to yeeld o|bedience unto the Magi&s;trate <NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg">Actions indifferent in the ca&s;e of offence, cea&s;e to be indifferent, and come under &s;ome Commandment of the Morall Law. <HI>Perkins ca&s;es of Con&s;c. l. 1. c. 5. Sect. 5.</HI></NOTE>.</P>
<P><HI>The third</HI> objection. Fea&s;t-dayes are Holy-dayes <NOTE N="h" PLACE="marg">In the end of the Calender before the Book of Com|mon-Prayer.</NOTE>: But no Magi&s;trates can make Holy-dayes: (becau&s;e <HI>to &s;anctifie dayes or make them holy is the Priviledge of Gods power</HI> <NOTE N="i" PLACE="marg">Perth A&s;&s;embly refuted. pag. 66, 67, 68.</NOTE>.)Therefore no Magi&s;trate can make Fea&s;t-dayes.</P>
<P><HI>The</HI> An&s;wer. Tis true; no Magi&s;trates can &s;o &s;anctify dayes unto holy u&s;es, as <HI>to impo&s;e them upon the
<PB N="8" REF="6"> Church nece&s;&s;arily and perpetually to be ob&s;erved of all and every Chri&s;tian, under Paine of damnation of &s;oul and body:</HI> For this <HI>is the Priviledge of Gods Power</HI> <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Compare Gen. 2. 2, 3. &amp; Exod. 20 10, 11. with Deut. 27. 26.</NOTE>. But Chri&s;tian Magi&s;trates <HI>in their own Dominions,</HI> have au|thority from God to &s;anctify or appoint dayes unto holy u&s;es, <HI>&s;o that the &s;nare of ab&s;olute nece&s;&s;ity be not laid upon</HI> mens <HI>con&s;ciences</HI> <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg"><HI>Modo con&s;cien|tus ab&s;olutae nece&s;&s;i|tatis laqueus non in|jiciatur.</HI> Wollob. Theol. Chri&s;tianae, ibidem.</NOTE>, Wherefore Fea&s;t-dayes are Ho|ly-dayes; not in them&s;elves, (by <HI>aquality of holine&s;&s;e inherent and under the Pain of the great cur&s;e</HI> <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">. Gal. 1. 8, 9.</NOTE> <HI>to be ob|&s;erved,</HI> as the Papi&s;ts fondly imagine <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Concil. Trident. Se&s;&s;. 7. Can. 13. Bellarm. c. 10. propo&s;. 2. Apoc. 1. &sect;. 6 Rhem<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;t. Apoc. 1. &sect;. 6.</NOTE>) but in re&s;pect of their holy u&s;e. In which &s;en&s;e al&s;o, <HI>the Temple, the Wa|ter in Bapti&s;me, the bread and wine at the Communion,</HI> are often called <HI>holy</HI> <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">Aug. quae&s;t. 57. &s;uper Levit. Ba&s;il. Moral. Reg. 30. Ur&s;in. explicat. catechet. quae&s;t. 77. &amp; quae&s;t. 122. &s;ect. 2. <HI>Willets</HI> Synop&s;. pag. 494.</NOTE>.</P>
<P>Thus much for the fir&s;t Po&s;ition. We come now un|to the &s;econd, (to wit, <HI>That the Church of England doth upon ju&s;t and good grounds celebrate the Nativity of our Lord on the 25. day of December</HI>) which will evidently appear, when the forementioned particulars are di&s;cu&s;|&s;ed and proved.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="3" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>SECTION III.</HEAD>
<HEAD>The <HI>&s;everall names and titles of this Fea&s;t.</HI></HEAD>
<P>HIgh and excellent were the titles which the Chri|&s;tian Churches gave unto this Fea&s;t.</P>
<P>The Greek or Ea&s;terne Church called it, 1. <GAP DESC="foreign">, <HI>vel <GAP DESC="foreign">, Gods appearing;</HI> becau&s;e God appeared unto them by the Nativity; <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">. Greg. Naz. Orat. 38. Ba&s;il. de humana Chri&s;ti generat.</NOTE> or (to u&s;e the Apo&s;tles phra&s;e) <HI>God was manife&s;ted in th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> fle&s;h.</HI> <NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">. 1 Tim. 3. 16.</NOTE></P>
<P N="2">2. <GAP DESC="foreign">, <NOTE N="h" PLACE="marg">Naz Orat. in S. Lumin. Chry&s;o&s;t. Hom. de Epiph. Do.</NOTE> <HI>The <HI>appearing,</HI></HI> <GAP DESC="foreign">; implying that this appearing excelled all other what&s;oever. But here two things are worthy to be noted: The one is,
<PB N="9" REF="6"> That the Churches in Egypt, becau&s;e they celebrated <HI>Chri&s;ts birth</HI> and al&s;o <HI>his Bapti&s;me</HI> upon one and the &s;ame day, called both tho&s;e Fea&s;ts promi&s;cuou&s;ly <HI>Epi|phania</HI> <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg"><HI>In argumento E|pi&s;tolae Theophili eti|am Epiphantorum appellationem accom|modatam in Aegypto fui&s;&s;e ad diem natalis Domini o&s;tenditur: quo nomine &amp; dum Bapti&s;mi Chri&s;ti nun|cuparunt ac utram&abque; fe&s;tivitatem una ea|dem&abque; &s;imul die &s;o|lemni celebrarunt.</HI> Magdeb. Cent. 4. c. 6 Beroald. chro. l. 4. c. 2</NOTE>. The other is, That the Moderne Churches have through u&s;e and cu&s;tome of &s;peech re&s;trained this word <HI>Epiphany</HI> unto the Fea&s;t commonly called <HI>Twelfth-day:</HI> which is celebrated in memory of the miraculous <HI>appearing of a &s;tarre</HI> <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">, Mat. 2. 7.</NOTE>, <HI>by the leading where|of, God did manife&s;t his onely begotten &s;on to the Gen|tiles</HI> <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">See the Collect, Epi&s;tle and Go&s;pel for the Fea&s;t of the Epiphany.</NOTE>.</P>
<P N="3">3. <GAP DESC="foreign"> <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Naz. Orat. 38.</NOTE>, <HI>The Birth-day of <HI>The</HI> Saviour.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. <GAP DESC="foreign"> <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">Chry&s;o&s;t. Orat. de Philogon.</NOTE>, <HI>The greate&s;t Fea&s;t, and the mother or chief of all Fea&s;ts.</HI></P>
<P>The Latine or We&s;terne Church called it, 1. <HI>Dies Nativitatis</HI> <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">Amb. Serm. 12, 13, 14, 15.</NOTE>, <HI>The day of <HI>The</HI> Nativity,</HI> by way of e|minency and dignity.</P>
<P N="2">2. <HI>Luminaria, The Fea&s;t of light;</HI> becau&s;e they u&s;ed many lights and Candles at this Fea&s;t: or rather, be|cau&s;e <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> the light of all lights, <HI>that true light</HI> <NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg">John 1. 5, 9.</NOTE>, then came into the world.</P>
<P N="3">3. <HI>Dies natalis Domini</HI> <NOTE N="h" PLACE="marg">Hieron. Tom. 9. p. 82.</NOTE>, <HI>vel Natalitia Domini, The Birth-day of our Lord.</HI></P>
<P>The Church of <HI>England,</HI> as &s;he is &s;eated in the we&s;t, &s;o &s;he imitates the Latine, &s;tyling this Fea&s;t <HI>Chri&s;ts Birth-day, The Nativity of Chri&s;t,</HI> or <HI>Chri&s;tmas day</HI> <NOTE N="i" PLACE="marg">Book of Homil. Tom. 2. Hom. 12. See <HI>Proper P&s;alms and Le&s;&s;ons</HI> in the Book of Common-Prayer.</NOTE>. The &s;ignification of which word <HI>Chri&s;tmas,</HI> becau&s;e the name is by &s;ome much excepted again&s;t, we &s;hall briefly unfold.</P>
<P>The word <HI>Ma&s;&s;e</HI> without all que&s;tion comes from the Latine word <HI>Mi&s;&s;a:</HI> but whether <HI>Mi&s;&s;a</HI> be derived from the Hebrew tongue, or be a Latine word corrup|ted, is no &s;mall controver&s;y <NOTE N="k" PLACE="marg">Bucan. loc. com. 48. &sect;. 1. Ur&s;in. explic. catechet. quae&s;t. 80.</NOTE>.</P>
<P>They that derive <HI>Mi&s;&s;a</HI> from the <HI>Hebrew,</HI> conceive that it comes from <GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>Mi&s;&s;ah,</HI> which &s;ignifies <HI>an ob|lation or offering</HI> <NOTE N="l" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>Oblationem sponta|neam manus tuae.</HI> Deut. 16. 10.</NOTE>; and is framed by adding the letter <GAP DESC="foreign"> unto the end of <GAP DESC="foreign">, a word &s;ignifying <HI>Per&s;onall &s;er|vice or tribute</HI> <NOTE N="m" PLACE="marg">Reuchlin. de Ru|diment. Hebr. lib. 2.</NOTE>.</P>
<PB N="10" REF="7">
<P>They that account Mi&s;&s;a to be a <HI>Latine word corrup|ted,</HI> conceive that the Fathers u&s;ed it in&s;tead of <HI>Mi&s;&s;io,</HI> which &s;ignifies <HI>a &s;ending away:</HI> For in ancient times, when the <HI>Liturgy</HI> or <HI>Publique &s;ervice</HI> was ended <NOTE N="n" PLACE="marg"><HI>Po&s;t <GAP DESC="foreign"> publicam.</HI> Ur&s;in. Ex|plicat. Catechet. quae&s;t. 75. &sect;. 1.</NOTE>, and the Communicants addre&s;&s;ed them&s;elves to be parta|kers of <HI>the Lords Supper,</HI> it was a cu&s;tome (as it is un|to this day) <HI>to &s;end away</HI> the yonger &s;ort, &s;uch as were not yet fully in&s;tructed and <HI>Catechized</HI> <NOTE N="o" PLACE="marg">Ambr. epi&s;t. l. 5. epi&s;t. 33. <HI>Fit Mi&s;&s;a Catechumenis.</HI> Aug. de Temp. Serm. 237.</NOTE>. Hence it came to pa&s;&s;e that <HI>Mi&s;&s;a</HI> was taken for and &s;ignified <HI>the Lords &s;upper;</HI> and &s;o <HI>a &s;acrifice, an oblation</HI> or <HI>offer|ing.</HI> 1. Becau&s;e <HI>the Lords Supper</HI> is an <HI>Euchari&s;ti|call &s;acrifice;</HI> being a &s;olemne remembrance and cele|bration of the Propitiatory &s;acrifice of Chri&s;t. 2. Be|cau&s;e in <HI>the Lords &s;upper</HI> we <HI>pre&s;ent</HI> our <HI>bodies a living &s;acrifice, holy, acceptable unto God</HI> <NOTE N="p" PLACE="marg">Rom. 12. 1.</NOTE>. 3. Becau&s;e when <HI>the Lords &s;upper</HI> is celebrated, we offer up almes for the reliefe of the needy members of Chri&s;t; which is a kind of &s;pirituall <HI>&s;acrifice</HI> <NOTE N="q" PLACE="marg">Phil. 4. 18. Heb. 13. 16. <HI>E&s;t enim Eleemo&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1 letter">na ho&s;t<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1 letter">a quaedam, quam</HI> DEO <HI>offeri<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="blotted" EXTENT="1+ letters">, be|nefaciendo egenis Chri&s;ti membris.</HI> Pa&s;or. Lex. pag. 297.</NOTE>.</P>
<P>We &s;ee then however the derivation of the word Mi&s;&s;a may be di&s;puted, yet on both &s;ides it is agreed that the &s;ignification thereof is <HI>a &s;acrifice, an oblation,</HI> or <HI>of|fering.</HI> And if &s;o, why may not the day on which we &s;olemnize <HI>Chri&s;ts birth,</HI> be properly and fitly cald <HI>Chri&s;tma&s;&s;e day;</HI> it being a day full of <HI>Offerings,</HI> full of <HI>&s;acrifices</HI> <NOTE N="r" PLACE="marg"><HI>Sacrificale opus e&s;t aununciare Eu|angelium.</HI> Orig. in Epi&s;t. ad Rom. li. 10. <GAP DESC="foreign">. Rom. 15. 16. <HI>Ip&s;um mihi &s;acerdotium e&s;t praedicare &amp; euangelizare: hanc offero oblationem.</HI> Chry&s;o&s;t. in Epi&s;t. ad Rom. Homil. 29.</NOTE> unto <HI>Chri&s;t?</HI> On this day we <HI>Offer up &s;piri|tuall &s;acrifices</HI> <NOTE N="&s;" PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 2. 5.</NOTE>: we <HI>offer &s;acrifices of prai&s;e</HI> <NOTE N="t" PLACE="marg">Heb. 13. 15.</NOTE>; we <HI>offer &s;acrifices of thanks-giving</HI> <NOTE N="u" PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 107. 22. &amp; 116. 17. Amos 4. 5.</NOTE>; we <HI>offer &s;acrifices of joy</HI> <NOTE N="x" PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 27. 6.</NOTE>; we <HI>offer &s;acrifices of righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e</HI> <NOTE N="y" PLACE="marg">Deut. 33. 19. P&s;al. 4. 5. &amp; 51. 19.</NOTE>, and the Scriptures tell us, <HI>with &s;uch &s;acrifices God is well plea&s;ed</HI> <NOTE N="z" PLACE="marg">Heb. 13. 16.</NOTE>.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="4" TYPE="section">
<PB N="11" REF="7">
<HEAD>SECTION IV.</HEAD>
<HEAD><HI>That the</HI> Fea&s;t of the Nativity <HI>is grounded upon the Scriptures.</HI></HEAD>
<P>THe Scriptures, as well the old as the new Te&s;ta|ment, abundantly &s;et forth the great e&s;teeme we ought to have of <HI>the Birth-day of Chri&s;t.</HI></P>
<P><HI>GOD</HI> promi&s;ed <HI>this day,</HI> when He <HI>&s;aid unto the</HI> &s;er|pent, <HI>The &s;eed of the woman &s;hall brui&s;e thy head</HI> <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Gen. 3. 14 15.</NOTE>.</P>
<P>The Patriarch <HI>Iacob</HI> foretold <HI>this day,</HI> &s;aying: <HI>The &s;cepter &s;hall not depart from Iudah, nor a Law-giver from between his feet, untill <HI>Shiloh,</HI></HI> (that is, <HI>Chri&s;t) come</HI> <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Gen. 49. 10. See <HI>The Scriptures Harmony</HI> pag. 44. 45.</NOTE>.</P>
<P>The Prophet <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> markes out <HI>this day</HI> as a &s;peciall <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg"><HI>Quoad dies, ae|quales omnes; quoad res quae in iis pera|guntur una e&s;t prae|&s;tantior alia.</HI> Ho&s;pin. de orig. Fe&s;t. Chri&s;tian. c. 2.</NOTE> and wonderfull day; <HI>Behold, <HI>a Virgin &s;hall conceive and bear a &s;on, and &s;hall call his name Immauel</HI></HI> <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 7. 14.</NOTE>. Nay, &s;o ravi&s;hed is he with the con&s;ideration thereof, that he rejoyces with the Church as if <HI>the day of Chri&s;ts birth</HI> were then come: <HI>The People</HI> (&s;aith he) <HI>that walked in darkne&s;&s;e, have &s;een a great light: they that dwell in the land of the &s;hadow of death, upon them hath he &s;hined. They joy before thee, according to the joy in harve&s;t, and as men rejoyce when they divide the &s;poile. For unto us a Child <HI>Is</HI> born, unto us a Son <HI>Is</HI> given</HI> <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">I&s;a 9. 2, 3, 6.</NOTE>.</P>
<P>In the Prophecy of <HI>Zechariah</HI> <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">Zech. 3. 8. 10.</NOTE>, <HI>Thus &s;aith the <HI>Lord</HI> of Ho&s;ts, <HI>Behold,</HI> I will bring forth my &s;ervant</HI> (Chri&s;t) <HI>the <HI>Branch</HI></HI> <NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg"><HI>Cujus nomen e&s;t</HI> Germen: <HI>hoc e&s;t quod alii prophetae praedixerunt, voca|runtque</HI> Germen. ut E&s;a. 4. 2. Germen Domini; &amp; Jer. 33. 15. Germen David; <HI>vel</HI> Germen Ju&s;titiae. Quibus locis Chal|daeus Paraphr. vertit <HI>Me&s;&s;iam.</HI> Vatabl. in dict. locum.</NOTE>. <HI>In that day &s;hall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig-tree.</HI> For at <HI>the Birth of our Saviour the Prince of Peace,</HI> there was peace throughout the whole world <NOTE N="h" PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 2. 4, &amp; 9, 6, 7, 8, &amp; 11, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Paul. Oro&s;. l 6. c. 21. I&s;idor. Pelu&s;io. a. lib. 4. Epi&s;t. 203. <HI>Natalis Domini, Natalis e&s;t pacis.</HI> Leo. Mag. in Solemnit. Nativ. Ser. 6. c. 5. Vict. Strigel. Schol. Hi&s;t. in Chro. Melancth. l. 2. de 3. Monarch. p. 419. Func. Chro. f. 91. Genebr. Chro. pag. 479.</NOTE>.</P>
<P>This day the Apo&s;tle calls <HI>the fullne&s;&s;e of time</HI> <NOTE N="i" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">. Gal. 4. 4. <HI>Unus &amp; idem Spiritus Dei, qui in Prophetis quidem praeconavit, qui &amp; qualis e&s;&s;et adventus Domini, in &s;enioribus autem interpretatus e&s;t bene, quae bene prophetata fuerant: ip&s;e &amp; in Apo&s;tolis annunciavit plenitudinem temporum adoptionis veni&s;&s;e, &amp; proxima&s;&s;e regnum coelorum, &amp; inhabitare intra homines credentes in eum qui ex Virgine natus e&s;t</HI> Emmanuel. Iren. adver&s;. Haere&s;. l. 3. c. 25.</NOTE>; when
<PB N="12" REF="8"> <HI>this day</HI> came, men and Angels were filled with un|&s;peakable joy and admiration. <HI>Behold (&s;aid the An|gell of the Lord unto the &s;hepherds) I bring you good tidings of great joy, which &s;hall be to all people. For unto you is borne <HI>This day,</HI> in the City of David, a Saviour, which is <HI>Chri&s;t the Lord.</HI> And &s;uddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly ho&s;t prai&s;ing <HI>God,</HI> and &s;aying, Glory to God in the highe&s;t, and on earth peace, good will towards men</HI> <NOTE N="k" PLACE="marg">Luk. 2. 10, 11, 13, 14.</NOTE>.</P>
<P>It is therefore agreeable to the word of God, and manife&s;tly grounded thereon, that the <HI>Fea&s;t</HI> or <HI>day of our Saviours Birth,</HI> &s;hould be celebrated with all po&s;|&s;ible joy and publique thanksgiving unto God.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="5" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>SECTION V.</HEAD>
<HEAD><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">hat <HI>this Fea&s;t was duly celebrated by the Chri&s;tians in all ages.</HI></HEAD>
<P>THough we cannot with &s;ome <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg"><HI>Perhivent, Apo&s;to|los, ut omnes illi dies quibus Servator no|&s;ter ad &s;alutem at&abque; di&s;ciplinam no&s;tram a iqua peregi&s;&s;et my|&s;te<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">a, &s;acri e&s;&s;ent, at&abque; apud po&s;teros majori haberentur <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">enerationi, cos pri|mum religio&s;e colu|i&s;&s;e quamdiu vixi&s;|&s;e<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">l. Cuju&s;modi &s;unt dies Dominici, Na|talis. &amp;c.</HI> Polyd. Virgil. de invent. re|rum, lib. 6. c. 8.</NOTE> peremptorily af|firme that <HI>the Fea&s;t of the Nativity</HI> was kept by the Apo&s;tles; yet will we not with others <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg"><HI>Perth A&s;&s;embly refuted,</HI> pag. 79, 80.</NOTE> ob&s;tinatly deny it: Becau&s;e <HI>the Apo&s;tles and other Chri&s;tians, as they u&s;ed other things indifferent, &s;o al&s;o they freely u&s;ed Fea&s;ts</HI> <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg"><HI>Apo&s;toli &amp; alii Chri|&s;tiani, ut aliis rebus adiaphoris, ita etiam fe&s;tis libere u&s;i &s;unt.</HI> Magdeb. Centur. l. 1. c. 6.</NOTE>, and might in probability u&s;e this; it being a Fea&s;t ob&s;erved in the times of the Apo&s;tles. For <HI>Cle|ment,</HI> a glorious Martyr of <HI>Chri&s;t Ie&s;us,</HI> (whom S. <HI>Paul</HI> recons <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">As <HI>Eu&s;ebius</HI> &s;aith, Eccle&s;. Hi&s;t. lib. 3. cap. 4.</NOTE> among&s;t his <HI>fellow labourers in the Go&s;pell, who&s;e names are in the book of life</HI> <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">Philip. 4. 3.</NOTE>, writes thus unto the Chri&s;tian Church; <HI>Brethren keep diligently Fea&s;t-daies, and truly in the <HI>Fir&s;t</HI> place the day of Chri&s;ts-Birth</HI> <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg"><HI>Dies Fe&s;tos agitate fratres, ac primum quidem Diem Natalis.</HI> Clement. Con&s;t. Apo&s;t. lib. 5. cap. 12.</NOTE>.</P>
<DIV3 N="2" TYPE="age">
<PB N="13" REF="8">
<HEAD><HI>In the &s;econd age,</HI> From the yeer 100. unto 200.</HEAD>
<P><HI>Tele&s;phorus</HI> in his Decretall Epi&s;tle &s;aith <NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg"><HI>Statutum e&s;t, nocte &s;ancta Nativitatis Domini Salvatoris, Lyturgias celebrent, &amp; hymnum Angeli|cum in eis &s;olemniter decantent, quoniam et eadem nocte ab Angelo pa&s;toribus nunciatus e&s;t, &s;icut ip&s;a veritas te&s;tatur.</HI> Tele&s;ph. Epi&s;t. de|cret. Tom. 1. Con|cil. pag. 117.</NOTE>, <HI>It is or|dained that in the holy night of the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour, they do celebrate Publique Church &s;ervi|ces, and in them &s;olemnly &s;ing the Angells Hymne, be|cau&s;e al&s;o the &s;ame night he was declared unto the &s;hep|herds by an Angell, as the truth it &s;elf doth witne&s;&s;e</HI> <NOTE N="h" PLACE="marg">Luke 2. 8. unto ver&s;e 20.</NOTE>.</P>
<P><HI>Theophilus,</HI> Bi&s;hop of <HI>Ce&s;area</HI> in <HI>Pale&s;tine,</HI> &s;aith, that <HI>We <HI>Ought</HI> to celebrate the Birth-day of our Lord, on what day &s;oever the 25. of December &s;hall happen</HI> <NOTE N="i" PLACE="marg"><HI>Domini natalem quobunque die 8. Ca|lend. Jan. vencrit, debemus celeb<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">are.</HI> M<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">gdeb. Centur. 2. c. 6. Ho&s;pin. de <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">rig. Fe&s;t. Chri&s;t. Men&s;. Decemb. die 25. <HI>Theoph.</HI> Approved by M. <HI>Perkins</HI> 2. Vol. In his Demon&s;trat. of the Probleme, p. 597</NOTE>.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="3" TYPE="age">
<HEAD><HI>In the third age,</HI> from the yeer 200. unto 300.</HEAD>
<P><HI>Cyprian</HI> begins his <HI>Treati&s;e on the Nativity</HI> in this manner; <HI>The much wi&s;hed for and long expected Nativi|ty of Chri&s;t is come, the famous &s;olemnity is come; and in the pre&s;ence of her Saviour the holy Church throughout the world does render thanks and prai&s;es unto her Vi|&s;itour</HI> <NOTE N="k" PLACE="marg"><HI>Ade&s;t Chri&s;ti mul|tum de&s;iderata et diu expectata Nativitas, ade&s;t &s;olemnitas in|clyta; et in prae&s;entia Salvatoris grates et laudes vi&s;itatori &s;uo per orbem terrarum &s;ancta reddit Eccle|&s;ia.</HI> Cypr. de nativit. Chri&s;ti, To. 3. Approved by <HI>Zanchy</HI> in 4. praecept. q. 2. The&s;. 2. and M. <HI>Perkins</HI> dd. ll. p. 492.</NOTE>.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="4" TYPE="age">
<HEAD><HI>In the fourth age,</HI> from the yeer 300. unto 400.</HEAD>
<P><HI>At <HI>Nicomedia</HI></HI> (a City of <HI>Bithinia) when the Fe&s;ti|vall day of Chri&s;ts Birth came, and a multitude of Chri|&s;tians of all ages, had a&s;&s;embled together in the Temple to celebrate that Birth-day, Diocle&s;ian the Tyrant, having gotten as it were a fit time, and an advantagious occa&s;ion, whereby he might accompli&s;h his madne&s;&s;e and fury, &s;ent men thither to inclo&s;e the Temple, and to &s;et it on fire round about; and &s;o con&s;umed them all to a&s;hes, even twenty thou&s;and per&s;ons</HI> <NOTE N="l" PLACE="marg"><HI>Apud Nicomediam quum natalis Chri&s;ti fe&s;tus ade&s;&s;et dies, &amp; multitudo aetatis omnis, quae Chri&s;ti nomine cen&s;etur, in Templo Natalem eum celebratura conveni&s;&s;et, Di|ocle&s;ianus tyrannus veluti opportunum tempus et lucro&s;am occa&s;ionem nactus, per quam ve&s;aniam &amp; furorem &s;uum adimpleret, mi&s;it eo qui templum clauderent, et ignem cir|concirca accenderent; et &s;ic eos omnes viginti millium numerum explentes in cinerem re|degit.</HI> Niceph. Hi&s;t. Eccle&s;. l. 7. c. 6.</NOTE>.</P>
<P><HI>Nazianzen</HI> in an Oration <HI>upon the day of Chri&s;ts
<PB N="14" REF="9"> Nativity,</HI> &s;aith; <HI>I am confident that the heavenly powers do al&s;o this pre&s;ent day celebrate the Fea&s;t together, and leap exceedingly for joy; if verily they be endued with the love of <HI>GOD</HI> and men</HI> <NOTE N="m" PLACE="marg"><HI>Virtutes coele|&s;tes quo&abque; hodierno die &s;imul Fe&s;tum ce|lebra<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e, ac laetitia ge|&s;it<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e confido; &s;i qui|dem hominum Dei&abque; amo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e praeditae &s;int.</HI> Greg. Naz Orat. 38.</NOTE>.</P>
<P><HI>Ambro&s;e</HI> hath left us &s;ix mo&s;t Divine Sermons which he preached <HI>on the Anniver&s;ary day of Chri&s;ts Birth</HI> <NOTE N="n" PLACE="marg">Ambr. Serm. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17.</NOTE>.</P>
<P><HI>Epiphanius <HI>recordeth this day among the &s;olemne Fea&s;ts of the Catholique Church</HI></HI> <NOTE N="o" PLACE="marg">Epiph. libro, cui titu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">us e&s;t, <HI>Compend<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">|arta vera doctrina de fide Cathol. &amp; Apo&s;tol. Eccle&s;.</HI></NOTE>.</P>
<P><HI>Hierome</HI> &s;aith, that <HI>the day kept in memory of our Lords Nativity, is the day on which the ancient report runnes he was borne</HI> <NOTE N="p" PLACE="marg"><HI>D<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">es, qua t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">aditur natus.</HI> Hieron. To. 9. pag. 82. G.</NOTE>.</P>
<P><HI>Valentinian</HI> Emperour of the We&s;t; <HI>Theodo&s;ius</HI> the Great, and his &s;on <HI>Arcadius</HI> Emperous of the Ea&s;t, by Imperiall decrees authorized <HI>the Fea&s;t of the Na|tivity</HI> <NOTE N="q" PLACE="marg"><HI>Zaga Zabo,</HI> quo|ted by <HI>Willet</HI> in his Synop&s;. 9 gen. con|trover&s;. q. 8. p. 406.</NOTE>.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="5" TYPE="age">
<HEAD><HI>In the fift age,</HI> from the yeer 400. unto 500.</HEAD>
<P><HI>Chry&s;o&s;tome,</HI> hath one Homily or Sermon <HI>on the day of Chri&s;ts Birth</HI> <NOTE N="r" PLACE="marg">Vide Chry&s;o&s;t. opera, po&s;t expo&s;it. cap. 1 Lucae.</NOTE>. <HI>Maximus</HI> Bi&s;hop of Tours in France hath &s;ix <NOTE N="&s;" PLACE="marg">Vid<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> Homil Hye|males Maximi Epi&s;c. Tu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">onen&s;.</NOTE>. <HI>Leo</HI> the Great hath ten <NOTE N="t" PLACE="marg">Leo. Mag. in &s;o|l<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">mnit. Nativ. Dom.</NOTE>. <HI>Chry&s;olo|gus</HI> one <NOTE N="u" PLACE="marg">Chry&s;olog. &sect;. 175</NOTE>. <HI>Fulgentius</HI> one <NOTE N="x" PLACE="marg">Fulgent. Hom. l. 1</NOTE>. Hitherto are the dayes of <HI>the Pure and Apo&s;tolique Church</HI> <NOTE N="y" PLACE="marg"><HI>Eccle&s;iae Apo&s;to|licae nomine intelli|go, u&s;&abque; tempora Ge|la&s;ii Epi&s;c. Rom.</HI> Zanch. in 4. praecept. The&s;. 2 de dieb. fe&s;tis</NOTE>.</P>
<P>Now that <HI>the Birth-day of Chri&s;t</HI> was duly &s;olem|nized from the fir&s;t 500 yeeres downward <NOTE N="z" PLACE="marg"><HI>Ju&s;tin</HI> Emperour of the Ea&s;t, about the yeer of &s;alvation 523. decreed, that the Fea&s;t of the holy Nativity of Chri&s;t &s;hould be ob&s;erved. <HI>Niceph. Hi&s;t. Eccle&s;. lib. 7. cap. 28.</HI></NOTE>, even to the times of <HI>Reformation,</HI> is as cleer as the &s;un at noone day <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">See the Magdeburg Centuriatours in every Century. c. 6.</NOTE>: and therefore we &s;hall omit the proofe thereof, (e&s;teeming it no le&s;&s;e ridiculous then unprofitable to in&s;i&s;t on that which no man denies) and come direct|ly unto the <HI>Reformed Churches,</HI> who&s;e judgement and practice in this particular, we &s;hall faithfully deliver; that the mouthes of all &s;uch may be &s;topt, who under a fal&s;e and vaine pretence of &s;eeking <HI>an Vniformity in Di&s;cipline with other Reformed Churches</HI> <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Perth A&s;&s;embly refuted, pag. 85. 86.</NOTE>, do defame
<PB N="15" REF="9"> and endeavour to &s;uppre&s;&s;e the mo&s;t ancient and com|mendable ob&s;ervation of this and all other Fea&s;t-dayes what&s;oever.</P>
<P>The Churches of <HI>Helvetia</HI> or <HI>Switzer-land. If</HI> (&s;ay they) <HI>the Churches do religiou&s;ly celebrate the memory of the Lords Nativity according to Chri&s;tian liberty, we do very well allow of it</HI> <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">The latter confe&s;|&s;ion of <HI>Helvetia,</HI> chap. 24.</NOTE>.</P>
<P>The Churches of <HI>Bohemia. <HI>Many of the ancient Ceremonies</HI></HI> (&s;ay they) <HI>and &s;uch as were brought in by cu&s;tome, &s;o neer as may be, are retained among us even at this day: of this &s;ort be certain daies appointed for Fea&s;t|daies and Holy-daies; as the Nativity of Chri&s;t,</HI> &amp;c <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Confe&s;. of <HI>Bohe|mia,</HI> chap. 15.</NOTE>.</P>
<P>The Church of <HI>Bremen</HI> keeps the Fe&s;tivall day of <HI>Chri&s;ts Birth</HI> <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">See the &s;econd Regi&s;ter in the end of the P&s;alms, tran|&s;lated by <HI>Amb<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. Lobwa&s;&s;er.</HI></NOTE>.</P>
<P>The Church of <HI>Aug&s;purg. <HI>As for us we teach that tho&s;e traditions are not to be condemned, which command nothing again&s;t the Lawes of God, and have a civill u&s;e &amp; end, namely, &s;uch as are ordained to this end, that things might be done orderly in the Church. Of which &s;ort are the traditions about Holy-daies, the Lords-day, the Na|tivity,</HI></HI> &amp;c <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">Cont. of <HI>Au&s;purg</HI> Art. 4.</NOTE>.</P>
<P>The Churches of <HI>Denmark, Sweden,</HI> and all other <HI>Lutheran</HI> Churches, do &s;olemnely ob&s;erve the Fea&s;t of <HI>the Nativity of Chri&s;t,</HI> and on that day u&s;e proper Hymnes of than&s;giving, made by <HI>Martin Luther</HI> him|&s;elfe <NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg">See the P&s;alms, Hymns, and &s;piri|tuall Songs of Dr. <HI>Martin Luther,</HI> com|monly u&s;ed in their Churches.</NOTE>.</P>
<P>The Churches of <HI>Geneva, <HI>does celebrate the day of the Nativity</HI></HI> <NOTE N="h" PLACE="marg"><HI>Perth A&s;&s;embly</HI> re<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">u<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ed, pag 85.</NOTE>.</P>
<P><HI>In <HI>France</HI> their mo&s;t notable Preachers give the Com|munion on that day, as did al&s;o the ancient Primitive Churches throughout the world</HI> <NOTE N="i" PLACE="marg">Ambro&s;. Serm. 17. <HI>Alii quotidie commu|nicant corpori &amp; &s;anguini Dominico, alii certisdiebus ac|cipiunt; alibi nullus dies intermittitur, quo non offeratur, alibi Sabbato tan|tum et Dominico, alibi tantum Domi|nico: Et &s;i quid ali|ud huju&s;modi ani|madverti pote&s;t, to|tum hoc genus rerum liberas habet ob&s;er|vationes.</HI> Augu&s;t. Ep. 118.</NOTE>. <HI>So did the <HI>Scotti&s;h</HI> Church al&s;o for 800. yeers afeer Chri&s;t, before ever it was polluted with Popery</HI> <NOTE N="k" PLACE="marg">See the life of <HI>Will: Cowper</HI> Bi&s;hop of <HI>Galloway.</HI> p. 12.</NOTE>.</P>
<P><HI>Zuinglius,</HI> Rectour of the Church of <HI>Zurich,</HI> ac|counts the <HI>Birth-day of our Lord</HI> among&s;t tho&s;e Holy|daies, which he would have ob&s;erved <NOTE N="l" PLACE="marg"><HI>Zuingl.</HI> Tom. 1. Art. 25.</NOTE>.</P>
<P><HI>Zanchy,</HI> Profe&s;&s;our of Divinity in the Univer&s;ity of
<PB N="16" REF="10"> <HI>Heydelberg,</HI> and an eminent Father of the Prote&s;tant Church, expre&s;&s;ely affirmeth, <HI>Though the Church of Chri&s;t be at liberty to choo&s;e unto her &s;elf what daies, be|&s;ides the <HI>Lords,</HI> &s;he will have to be &s;anctified,</HI> or &s;et apart unto holy u&s;es; <HI>yet it is better, more worthy of prai&s;e, and more profitable to &s;anctifie tho&s;e which the ancient, the Apo&s;tolique, and the purer Church hath al&s;o accu&s;tomed to &s;anctifie. Of which number he accounts the day of Chri&s;ts birth to be one</HI> <NOTE N="m" PLACE="marg"><HI>Quanquam Ec|cle&s;iae Chri&s;ti libe|rum e&s;t, quos velit, p<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">aeter Dominicum, dies &s;ibi &s;anctifican|dos eligere; hone|&s;tius tamen e&s;t, lau|dabilius, at&abque; utili|us, eos &s;anctificare, quos etiam vetus, at&abque; Apo&s;tolica pu|riorque Eccle&s;ia &s;an|ctificare &s;olita e&s;t.</HI> Zanch. in 4. praecept. de diebus F<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;tis, quae&s;t. 2. The&s;. 2. &amp; &s;equent.</NOTE>.</P>
<P><HI>Polanus,</HI> Profe&s;&s;our of Divinity in the Univer&s;ity of <HI>Ba&s;il,</HI> placeth <HI>the Fea&s;t of the Nativity of Chri&s;t,</HI> under the title of <HI>The anniver&s;ary Fea&s;ts of the New Te&s;ta|ment;</HI> which he defines to be, <HI>Holy times appointed a|mong Chri&s;tians for the wor&s;hip of God in publique;</HI> That is, <HI>For to maintain the con&s;ent of faith amongst them|&s;elves by the preaching of Gods word and the u&s;e of the Sacraments, and with one accord to yeeld due wor&s;hip unto God, in the &s;acrifice of thanksgiving, prayers and alms</HI> <NOTE N="n" PLACE="marg"><HI>Tempora &s;acra cultui divin<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> inter Chri&s;tianos de&s;tina|ta publice,&mdash;ad a|lendum fidei con&s;en|&s;um inter ip&s;os per praedicationem verbi Dei et u&s;um Sacramentorum, et exhibendum unanimiter cultum Deo debitum in &s;acrificio gratiarum actionis praecum et eleemo&s;ynarum.</HI> Polan. Syntag. Theol. lib. 9. c. 35.</NOTE>.</P>
<P><HI>Iohn Gerhard,</HI> Profe&s;&s;our of Divinity in the Univer|&s;ity of <HI>Iena,</HI> hath gathered together many excellent and godly &s;entences out of the Fathers for the furtherance and help of our meditations <HI>on the day of Chri&s;ts Na|tivity</HI> <NOTE N="o" PLACE="marg"><HI>Ex veteribus Eccle&s;iae doctoribus collegi.</HI> Gerhard. Aphori&s;. Epi&s;t. Ded. &amp; pag. 63. u&s;que ad pag. 70.</NOTE>.</P>
<P>We &s;ee then apparently that the Celebration of this Fea&s;t, is confirmed by the judgement and practice of the Chri&s;tian Church in all ages.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="6" TYPE="section">
<PB N="17" REF="10">
<HEAD>SECTION VI.</HEAD>
<HEAD>That <HI>in all probability our Saviour was borne on the 25. day of</HI> December.</HEAD>
<P>FOr the right under&s;tanding of this Po&s;ition, we mu&s;t know, that <HI>Iulius Ca&s;ar,</HI> 44. yeares before the birth of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Bucholz. Ind. Chronol. pag. 114, 115.</NOTE> ob&s;erving the fal&s;ene&s;&s;e of the Accompt then in u&s;e, ordained the yeare to con&s;i&s;t of 365. dayes, and 6. houres, which 6. houres in 4. yeares made 24. houres, or a day Civill, and were added unto the end of <HI>February:</HI> By rea&s;on whereof every fourth yeare con|tained 366. dayes, and was called <HI>Annus Bi&s;&s;extilis,</HI> the Bi&s;&s;extile or Leap-yeare, becau&s;e the &s;ixth of the Calends of March was twice written <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg"><HI>Nam 24. Februar. divi Matthiae vigi|lia cel<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">bratur, atque it fe&s;tus dies 25. differtur, nibilo &s;eci|us tam die vigiliae, quam die fe&s;to 6. Ca|lend. Martias dici|tur.</HI> Vide Compen|dium Pier. Valerian. Bellunne&s;. in &s;phae|ram. pag. 223.</NOTE>.</P>
<P>This Accompt for many yeeres &s;eemed to have <HI>no &s;en&s;ible</HI> errour; <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg"><HI>Sol ab&s;cindit cir|culum &s;ignorum in 365. diebus, et quar|ta unius dici praeter rem modicam, quae nullius e&s;t &s;en&s;ibili|tatis.</HI> Sphaer. Johan. a Sacrobo&s;co. c. 4.</NOTE> yet in progre&s;&s;e of time it was di&s;co|vered to be not &s;o exactly agreeable with the <HI>naturall motion</HI> of the Sun. For the <HI>Iulian</HI> yeere exceeding the true <HI>Solar</HI> yeere 10. minutes and 48. &s;econds, cau&s;ed the <HI>Equinoxes</HI> and <HI>Sol&s;tices</HI> yeerely to change their places and fly back &s;o many minutes and &s;econds. Whereupon Pope <HI>Gregory</HI> the XIII. by the advice and direction of <HI>Antoninus Lilius,</HI> and other excellent Mathematiti|ans, in the yeare of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> 1582. did correct the Calen|der; making the yeare to con&s;i&s;t of 365. dayes, 5. houres, 49. minutes, 12. &s;econds: <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Eu&s;tach. Phy&s;. par|te 2. Tract. 1. de Mundo &amp; Coelo. quae&s;t. 6.</NOTE> And that the <HI>Vernall Equi|noxe,</HI> which then was on the 11. day of March, might be reduced unto the 21. of March, as it was at the time of the fir&s;t <HI>Nicene Councell,</HI> <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">An. Dom. 325. ac|cording to <HI>Bucholze|rus,</HI> but 320. or 322. according to others.</NOTE> <HI>he com<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">nded 10. dayes in the month October,</HI> viz. <HI>from the 4. day to the 14. to be left out; &s;o as the 4. day of the month was accompted for the 14. day</HI> <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg"><HI>Iu&s;&s;it Papa in men|&s;e Octobri a 4. u&s;que ad 14. Octob. praeteriri dies 10. ita ut quartus men&s;is dies haberetur pro decimo quarto die: ut aquinoctiorum ac Sol&s;titiorum dies reducerentur ad antiquas illas metas, quas in Concilio Niceno determinarunt. S. S. Patres.</HI> Bucholz. Ind. Chron. pag. 714.</NOTE>. Hence it comes to pa&s;&s;e, that the new
<PB N="18" REF="11"> Accompt is alwayes 10. dayes before the old.</P>
<P>But as to the preci&s;e <HI>day of Chri&s;ts Nativity,</HI> both Accompts are erroneous: For if we &s;umme up the ex|ce&s;&s;e of the <HI>Iulian</HI> yeare (which is, as we &s;aid, 10. mi|nutes and 48. &s;econds) from the time of <HI>Augu&s;tus Cae|&s;ar,</HI> when our <HI>Saviour</HI> was borne, untill this pre&s;ent yeare, 1643. we &s;hall finde that the <HI>Winter Sol&s;tice</HI> is gone back from the 25. day of <HI>December</HI> <NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg"><HI>Tempore Augu&s;ti Octaviani, ut ob&s;er|vat Plinius, brumae dies vige&s;imo quinto Decemb. erat: quo die natus e&s;t Chri&s;tus a&s;&s;ertor no&s;ter.</HI> Valer. Bellunen&s;. compend. in Sphaeram, p. 224. In the time of <HI>Augu|&s;tus Octavian,</HI> as <HI>Plinie</HI> ob&s;erveth, the &s;horte&s;t day was on the 25. of <HI>December,</HI> on which day Chri&s;t our Redeemer was born.</NOTE> 12. dayes 7. houres, 44. minutes, 24. &s;econds: And therefore the <HI>Gregorian</HI> Accompt (being grounded on the <HI>Nicene Councell,</HI> when as it &s;hould have beene reduced to the time of Chri&s;ts Nativity) erreth almo&s;t 2. dayes; but the <HI>Iulian</HI> Accompt more then 12. dayes; and which is &s;o much the wor&s;e, is going every yeare farther and far|ther from the truth <NOTE N="h" PLACE="marg"><HI>Ni&s;i annus ali|quando corrigatur futurum olim e&s;t, ut &s;alutis no&s;trae nata|l<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">tii dies, qui bruma|les olim erant, in vernum tempus in|vadant, Pa&s;cha in aetatem.</HI> Valer. B<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">l|lunen&s;. dd. l.</NOTE>. Neverthele&s;&s;e we grant that the <HI>Iulian</HI> Accompt, though it remaine un-reformed, may yet for &s;ome hundred of yeares be u&s;ed without any gro&s;&s;e and palpable di&s;ordering of the times.</P>
<P>Having now laid open, wherein and why the&s;e Ac|compts differ, as al&s;o how they may with ea&s;e be re|duced unto the ju&s;t and exact day of <HI>Chri&s;t Nativity;</HI> wee proceed to the proofe of that wherein both Ac|compts agree, <NOTE N="i" PLACE="marg">Vide Calend. Ju|lianum &amp; Rom. Ba|ron. app<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">rat. ad an|nal. Eccle&s;. &s;ub &s;inem. Genebr. Chron. l. 3. pag. 479. Gual<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">erius Tab. Chronograph. a Chri&s;to nato, fol. 2. Gordon. Le&s;mor. Chron. Tom. 2. in Apparat. c. 4.</NOTE> <HI>to wit, That Chri&s;t was borne on the 25. day of December,</HI> which we &s;hall evidence by the cleare te&s;timonies of the Fathers and other approved Writers, Ancient and Moderne.</P>
<P><HI>Ambro&s;e</HI> his expre&s;&s;ion is mo&s;t divine and elegant, <NOTE N="k" PLACE="marg"><HI>Occupa|verat t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">tam diem noctium longitudo, ni&s;i in ip&s;a dierum brevitate Chri&s;ti reful&s;i&s;&s;et ad|ventus: qui &s;icut ortu &s;uo humani generis peccatorum tenebras di&s;cu&s;&s;it, ita &amp; die Nati|vitatis &s;uae caliginum te<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ebras amputavi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">, &amp; uno eodem&abque; ortu lucem pariter intulit &amp; hominibus &amp; diebus. Vnde non e&s;t mirum &s;i cre&s;cit dies, quae gemino fulgoris splen|dore ve&s;titur Ambro&s;.</HI> Ser. 13.</NOTE> <HI>Length of nights had po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed the whole day, had not the comming of Chri&s;t &s;hined gloriou&s;ly in the very &s;hortne&s;&s;e of daies: who, as by his Birth he di&s;pelled the darkne&s;&s;e of mens &s;ins, &s;o al&s;o in the day of his Nativity he cut off the
<PB N="19" REF="11"> darkne&s;&s;e of <GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1 span"> by one and the &s;ame ri&s;ing brought light as well to men as dayes. Whence it is no marvaile if the day increa&s;eth, which is cloathed with a double &s;plen|dour of brightne&s;&s;e.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Augu&s;tine</HI> &s;aith <NOTE N="l" PLACE="marg"><HI>Joannes natus e<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">t, &s;icut tradit Eccle&s;ia, octavo Calendas Julias, cum jam incipiunt minui dies: Dominus autem na|tus Octavo Calendas Januarias quando jam incipiunt cre&s;ce|re. Audi ip&s;um Jo|annem confiten<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">em:</HI> Illum opporet cre&s;|cere, me autem minui. Augu&s;t. in P&s;al. 132. &amp; de Trin. lib. 3. c. 5.</NOTE> <HI>Iohn was borne as the Church by tradition teaches, on the 24. day of Iune, even when the dayes begin to &s;horten;</HI> <NOTE N="m" PLACE="marg">According to the true accompt; from which the <HI>Ju|lian</HI> hath varied more then 10 daies, as we &s;hewed before.</NOTE> <HI>but our <HI>Lord</HI> was borne on the 25. day of December, even when the dayes begin to lengthen. Heare Iohn him&s;elfe confe&s;&s;ing; He mu&s;t in|crea&s;e, but I mu&s;t decrea&s;e</HI> <NOTE N="n" PLACE="marg">John 3. 30.</NOTE>.</P>
<P><HI>Chry&s;o&s;tome, <HI>that wi&s;e interpreter of the &s;ecrets of God, the eye of the Church in Byzantium</HI></HI> (now called Con&s;tantinople) <HI>and of all other Churches</HI> <NOTE N="o" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">. I&s;id. Pelu&s;iota. lib. 1. Epi&s;t. 156.</NOTE>, after an exqui&s;ite debate of this point, concludeth thus. <HI>Chri&s;t who at the Nativity of Iohn had now been conceived three moneths in the pure and undefiled womb; to the end that he him&s;elf al&s;o &s;hould fulfill nine moneths according to the cour&s;e of humane birth, there remained for him &s;ix moneths more; which &s;ix moneths are from the 24. of Iune unto the 25. of December. And when nine moneths were ended, in the beginning of the tenth, <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> was born in the world</HI> <NOTE N="p" PLACE="marg"><HI>Chri&s;tus qui in nativitate Joannis jam trium men&s;ium incorruptae vulvae fuerat conceptus, &s;upererant e<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">, ut &amp; ip&s;e &s;ecundum hu|manam nativitatem &s;uppleret men&s;es novem, alii men&s;es &s;ex, qui nunc ex octavo Calendas Julias in Octavo Calendas Januarias &s;unt men&s;es &s;ex. Quibus &s;uppletis novem men|&s;ibus, initiante decimo Chri&s;tus mundo natus e&s;t.</HI> Vide Chry&s;o&s;t. expo&s;. cap. 1. Lucae.</NOTE>.</P>
<P><HI>Oro&s;ius</HI> &s;aith, <HI>Chri&s;t was borne on the 25. day of De|cember, when all increa&s;es of the en&s;uing yeer do fir&s;t begin</HI> <NOTE N="q" PLACE="marg"><HI>Na|tus e&s;t Chri&s;tus</HI> VIII. <HI>Kalend. Januarii, quando primum increment a omnia anni venientis incipiunt.</HI> P. Oro&s;. lib. 7. cap. 2.</NOTE>.</P>
<P><HI>Bernard</HI> &s;aith, <HI>Chri&s;t was borne in winter, he was borne in the night</HI> <NOTE N="r" PLACE="marg"><HI>Hieme natus e&s;t, nocte natus e&s;t Chri&s;tus.</HI> Bernard in Nat. Dom. Serm. 3.</NOTE>.</P>
<P><HI>Nicephorus</HI> &s;aith, <NOTE N="&s;" PLACE="marg"><HI>Vige&s;imus &amp; quintus tum men&s;is Decembris erat dies, quam in|effabile pietatis &amp; amo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">is <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">rga genus humanum tua,</HI> Verbum Dei, <HI>maximum&abque; inenarra|bilis partus perficitur my&s;terium.</HI> Niceph. Hi&s;t. Eccle&s;. l. 1. c. 12.</NOTE> <HI>It was then the 25 day of Decem|ber; when, O thou <HI>Word of God,</HI> the un&s;peakeable my|&s;tery of thy goodne&s;&s;e and love towards mankind, and the
<PB N="20" REF="12"> exceeding great my&s;tery of thy n<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 span">th was ac|compli&s;hed.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Chemnitius</HI> &s;aith, <HI>It is the common opinion that the 25. day of December &s;hould be hallowed for a remem|brance of the day of our Lords nativity</HI> <NOTE N="t" PLACE="marg"><HI>Vulgaris opinio e&s;t, 25 diem Decem|bris e&s;&s;e memoriae Natalis Domini &s;a|crum</HI> Chem. Harm. Evangel. cap. 8.</NOTE>.</P>
<P><HI>Genebrard</HI> hath &s;hewed <HI>out of their own Accompts and Kalenders, that the Egyptian and Greek Churches did celebrate the Birth day of Chri&s;t as we do, on the 25. day of December</HI> <NOTE N="u" PLACE="marg">Genebr. Chron. lib. 2. pag. 266. 267.</NOTE>.</P>
<P>And though concerning this matter the Scriptures have given no peremptory determination, (for then di&s;pute were impious, and tradition needles) yet &s;o farre are they from being repugnant, that upon a ju|dicious examination they will appeare very con&s;onant thereunto.</P>
<P>When our <HI>Saviour</HI> was baptized of <HI>Iohn, he began to be about thirty yeares of age,</HI> &s;aith Saint <HI>Luke</HI> <NOTE N="x" PLACE="marg">Luk. 3. 21. 23.</NOTE>, Had he onely &s;aid, <HI>he was about thirty yeares,</HI> we might have conceived him to have been as well &s;ome|what more as le&s;&s;e: but by adding the&s;e words, <HI>he began to be,</HI> the Evangeli&s;t implies, that he was not full thirty yeers, and yet that he wanted but litle, perhaps one day or two; for he was well nigh, <HI>he <HI>began</HI></HI> (&s;aith he) <HI>to be about thirty yeares of age.</HI> And indeed the en|tring into his Mini&s;tery at the time of his Bapti&s;me (which all men grant he did <NOTE N="y" PLACE="marg">Beroald Chron. lib. 3. c. 1. Chemnit. Harm. Evangel. in Prolegom. c. 3. Po|lan. Syntag. Theol. lib. 6. c. 55. Becan. Loc. commun. 47. &sect;. 37.</NOTE>) is a &s;ufficient proof that he wanted very litle and no con&s;iderable time of being <HI>thirty yeares old</HI> <NOTE N="z" PLACE="marg">Numb. 4. 23. 30. 47. <HI>Si quis triginta aetatis annos non</HI> im|pleverit, <HI>nullo modo presbyter ordinetur, etiam &s;i valde &s;it dignus: quia &amp; ip&s;e Dominus trice&s;imo anno baptizatus e&s;t, &amp; coepit doce<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1 letter">e.</HI> Mart. Brach. lib. can. Graec. cap. 20.</NOTE>.</P>
<P><TABLE>
<ROW>
<CELL>After his Bapti&s;me <HI>immediatly the &s;pirit driveth him into the wilderne&s;&s;e</HI> <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Mark 1. 12.</NOTE>. And though <HI>beyond jordan</HI> <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">John 1. 28.</NOTE> there were many wilderne&s;&s;es at hand: yet let us admit for journey</CELL>
<CELL>5 dayes</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>He was there in the wildernes</HI> <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Mat. 4. 1. 2. Mark 1. 13. Luke 4. 2.</NOTE></CELL>
<CELL>40. da.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>When tho&s;e dayes were ended the Devil taketh him up into the holy City, and &s;etteth him on a pinacle of the Temple:</HI> Afterwards, <HI>taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and &s;heweth him all the Kingdomes of
<PB N="21" REF="12"> the world and the glory of them in a moment of time</HI> <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Mat. 4. 5, 8. Luk. 3. 5.</NOTE>. For which (though for ought we know the&s;e tempta|tions might be within the &s;pace of one day) yet we admit</CELL>
<CELL>2 da.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>The Devil</HI> having <HI>left him,</HI> Chri&s;t returneth unto <HI>Bethabara beyond Iordan, where Iohn was baptizing</HI> <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">John 1. 28.</NOTE>. For which let us admit, as we did for his progre&s;&s;e</CELL>
<CELL>5 da.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>He was with <HI>Iohn</HI> <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">The fir&s;t day is ex|pre&s;&s;ed, Joh. 1. ver. 26 The &s;econd, ver. 29. The third, ver. 35.</NOTE></CELL>
<CELL>3 da.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>The day following,</HI> he began his journey towards <HI>Ca|na of Galilee</HI> <NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg">Compare Joh. 1. 43. with chap. 2. 1.</NOTE>; a Town di&s;tant from <HI>Bethabara</HI> 66 Engli&s;h miles <NOTE N="h" PLACE="marg">According to the de&s;cription of <HI>Cana|an</HI> &s;et forth by Mr. <HI>John More,</HI> and Mr. <HI>John Speed,</HI> which are of all others the exacte&s;t.</NOTE>. For which let us admit</CELL>
<CELL>6 da.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>There was a marriage in the &s;aid Cana</HI> <NOTE N="i" PLACE="marg">Iohn 2. 1.</NOTE>, after his comming thither</CELL>
<CELL>3 da.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>And becau&s;e we read of a marriage-fea&s;t that <HI>la&s;ted &s;even dayes</HI> <NOTE N="k" PLACE="marg">Judges 14. 10, 17.</NOTE>, we &s;hall admit that this fea&s;t al&s;o (though probably it was not &s;o long) la&s;ted</CELL>
<CELL>7 da.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>After this</HI> marriage fea&s;t, <HI>that is,</HI> when this fea&s;t was ended, <HI>Chri&s;t went down to Capernaum</HI> <NOTE N="l" PLACE="marg">John 2. 12.</NOTE>; a Town di|&s;tant from <HI>Cana of Galilee</HI> neer 30 Engli&s;h miles. For which journey let us admit</CELL>
<CELL>3 da.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>He continued not there many dayes</HI> <NOTE N="m" PLACE="marg">John 2. 12.</NOTE>: let us grant</CELL>
<CELL>6 da.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>Then <HI>the Iewes Pa&s;&s;eover was at hand, and Ie&s;us went up to Ieru&s;alem</HI> <NOTE N="n" PLACE="marg">John 2. 13.</NOTE>; di&s;tant from <HI>Capernaum,</HI> 72 Engli&s;h miles. For which journey let us allow</CELL>
<CELL>8 da.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>He was at <HI>Ieru&s;alem</HI> &s;ome certaine dayes before the <HI>Fea&s;t of the Pa&s;&s;eover</HI> <NOTE N="o" PLACE="marg">Compare John 2. ver. 14. with ver. 23.</NOTE>: let us admit</CELL>
<CELL>4 da.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>In all 92 dayes.</CELL>
</ROW>
</TABLE></P>
<P>The&s;e &s;ummed up, amount unto 92 dayes, or 3 moneths; &s;o that (if conjectures guided by rea&s;on do not very much faile) our Saviour at the fir&s;t Pa&s;&s;eover after his Bapti&s;me was 30 yeares old, and about 3 moneths: At the &s;econd Pa&s;&s;eover <NOTE N="p" PLACE="marg">John 5. 1.</NOTE> was 31 yeares old and about 3 moneths: At the third Pa&s;&s;eover <NOTE N="q" PLACE="marg">John 6. 4.</NOTE> was 32 yeares old and about 3 moneths: At the fourth Pa&s;&s;e|over <NOTE N="r" PLACE="marg">John 13. 1.</NOTE> was 33 yeares old and about 3 moneths <NOTE N="&s;" PLACE="marg">See the Scriptures Harmony, p. 46, 47.</NOTE>: on the eve whereof he was crucified, which the Jewes call
<PB N="22" REF="13"> <HI>the Preparation day</HI> <NOTE N="t" PLACE="marg">Mat. 27. 62. Ma<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. 15. 42. Joh. 19. 31, 42</NOTE>; and was the 25 day of March <NOTE N="u" PLACE="marg"><HI>Octa<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">o ca<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ena<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s Ap<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">lis conceptus, quo &amp; pa&s;&s;us.</HI> Aug. de Trin. l. 4. c. 5. <HI>Con|ceptus et pa&s;&s;us Chri|&s;t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s men&s;e Martio 8. Calend. Aprilis.</HI> Chry&s;o&s;t. Expo&s;. c. 1. Lucae.</NOTE>. Now accompting 92 dayes backward from the 25. day of March, the Birth-day of our Saviour will fall neer the 25 day of December according to the te&s;timonies of the Fathers and Writers before alledged, and the tradition of the Churches of God.</P>
<P>Howbeit of late there are ri&s;en up a &s;ort of wild|braind Zelots; who, carried on with an earne&s;t de&s;ire of introducing all manner of novelties (whereby <HI>the ancient and Apo&s;tolicall Church of England</HI> <NOTE N="x" PLACE="marg">U&s;&s;erius Archiep. Armach. de Britan. Eccle&s;. primordiis, c 1.</NOTE> might be rendred<NOTE PLACE="marg">Two things we mu&s;t note. One is, that the 25. day after the true Accompt, is on the 13. day of our March here in Eng|land; becau&s;e the <HI>Julian</HI> which we fol|low, doth erre &s;ome|what more then 12: dayes. The other is, that the Hebrew Moneth <HI>Abib,</HI> alias <HI>Ni&s;an,</HI> doth begin on the la&s;t day of our February: but on the 12. of March, accor|ding to the true Ac|compt.</NOTE> contemptible) have buzzed into the heads of &s;ome igno|rante people, that Chri&s;t was borne in the moueth of <HI>September,</HI> when the Sun entring into <HI>Libra</HI> makes the &s;econd <HI>Equinoctiall.</HI> An opinion not dreamed of, untill <HI>Beroaldus</HI> publi&s;hed his <HI>Chronology</HI> <NOTE N="y" PLACE="marg">Anno Dom 1577</NOTE>: and it is worth our paines to ob&s;erve, how well the Ma&s;ter and Schollers do agree touching the age of our Saviour.</P>
<P><HI>Beroaldus</HI> &s;aith, that Chri&s;t lived 32 yeares and an halfe <NOTE N="z" PLACE="marg"><HI>Certe mortuum il|lum &s;ui&s;&s;e pro nobis in cruce oportet anno Tiberii 18. tum quum aetatis annum ager<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">t 33. id e&s;t, quum annos comple|vi&s;&s;et trigint a duos et dimidium.</HI> Beroald. Chro. l. 3. c. 8.</NOTE>: And by tho&s;e words of Saint <HI>Luke, Ie&s;us began to be about thirty yeares of age</HI> <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">. Luk. 3. 23.</NOTE>, he under&s;tands, he was almo&s;t 29 yeares old: as if when the Scriptures ex|pre&s;&s;e <HI>about</HI> 5000 <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">. Joh. 6. 10.</NOTE>, their meaning was, <HI>almo&s;t</HI> 4000. But his prime Scholler noting the ab&s;urdity of this ex|po&s;ition, grants Chri&s;t to be 30 yeares old at his Bap|ti&s;me; yet by coyning one Pa&s;&s;eover, he out-runs the truth, and makes him to have lived 34 yeares and an half <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Scalig. de emen|dat. temporum, l. 6.</NOTE>. Others affirme, that he was about 33 yeares old when he &s;uffered <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Wolph. Chronl. l. 1. <HI>H. Broughtons</HI> Con&s;ent of Scripture.</NOTE>: which expre&s;&s;ion does be&s;t plea&s;e the&s;e Doctours, for whether he were 32 and an halfe, or 33 and a quarter, or 33 and an half; yet &s;till they are in the right who &s;ay, he was <HI>about</HI> 33.</P>
<P>And becau&s;e they cannot produce &s;o much as one poore|&s;tumbling writer for the countenancing of their para|doxes, they endeavour to &s;ubvert the common and Or|thodox
<PB N="23" REF="13"> opinion by cavils, half-rea&s;ons, and forgeries: whereof we &s;hall hereby way of objection, deliver a ju&s;t and exact catalogue, faithfully collected.</P>
<P><HI>The fir&s;t</HI> Objection. <HI>In the mid&s;t of the week, he &s;hall cau&s;e the &s;acrifice and the oblation to cea&s;e</HI> <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">Dan. 9. 27.</NOTE>. <HI>The Pro|phet &s;peaketh here of the la&s;t weeke, which if you divide in|to two equall parts, you &s;hall finde the middle of it to be in the &s;eaventh moneth of the fourth yeer, becau&s;e the weeke ends in the moneth <HI>March,</HI> wherein our Lord &s;uffered</HI> <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg"><HI>In dimidio hebdo|madae c<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;&s;are faciet &s;acrificium &amp; obla|tionem. Loquitur hi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> Prophet<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> de ultima hebdomada, quam quia de&s;init i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> men&s;e</HI> Ni&s;an, <HI>quo pa&s;&s;us e&s;t Dominus, &s;i dividas in duas partes aequ<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">|les, medietatem &s;uam in anni quarti men&s;e</HI> Ti&s;ri <HI>habere depre|hendes.</HI> Beroald. chron. l. 4. c. 2.</NOTE>. Therefore our Saviour was baptized and con&s;equently borne in <HI>September.</HI></P>
<P><HI>The</HI> An&s;wer. Chri&s;t may be &s;aid to <HI>cau&s;e the &s;acri|fice and the oblation to cea&s;e,</HI> two manner of wayes: ei|ther <HI>by way of con&s;ummation,</HI> or, <HI>by way of preparation.</HI> 1. By way of <HI>con&s;ummation;</HI> and this was not <HI>in the mid&s;t,</HI> but in the end <HI>of the</HI> la&s;t <HI>week by the &s;acrifice of him&s;elf</HI> <NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg">Heb. 9. 26. &amp; cha. 7. 18, 19. &amp; cha. 8. 13 Colo&s;&s; 2. 17. <HI>Sacrificia externa ac typica omina Chri|&s;tus &s;uo &s;acrificio implevit et abroga|vit.</HI> Polan. Syntag. Theol. l. 9. c. 30. Ur&s;in. explicat. cate|chet. quae&s;t. 92. &sect;. 3.</NOTE>: implied in tho&s;e words, <HI>Con&s;umatum e&s;t, It is fini&s;hed</HI> <NOTE N="h" PLACE="marg">John 19. 30.</NOTE>; and al&s;o by <HI>the vaile of the Temple rent in twaine</HI> <NOTE N="i" PLACE="marg">Mat. 27. 51. Mark 15. 38. John 4. 23. <HI>Vel<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">m Templi fi&s;|&s;um e&s;t in duas par|tes a &s;ummou&s;&abque; adimum ut indica|retur abrogatam e&s;&s;e typicam ingre&s;|&s;ionem Summi Sacerdot is Levitici in &s;anctum &s;anctorum &amp; deinceps inutilem fore, una cum aliis ceremoniis Legalis &s;acerdotii.</HI> Polan. Syntag. Theol. lib. 6. cap. 18.</NOTE>. 2. By way of <HI>Preparation;</HI> and this was either <HI>Immediatly,</HI> by him&s;elf, when he was baptized &amp; entred into his Mini&s;tery; being <HI>neer. the mid&s;t</HI> <NOTE N="k" PLACE="marg">The Scriptures Harmony. pag. 48.</NOTE>, but not <HI>preci&s;e|in the mid&s;t of the</HI> la&s;t <HI>week.</HI> For the fore going particular examination of the dayes we have &s;ufficiently &s;hewed, that the time betwixt the Bapti&s;me of Chri&s;t, &amp; the next Pa&s;&s;eover, cannot with any probability be extended be|yond the &s;pace of 3 moneths. Or <HI>Mediatly</HI> by his fore-run|ner, herald, and <HI>me&s;&s;enger Iohn the Bapti&s;t;</HI> who <HI>preach|ing the Bapti&s;me of repentance</HI> <NOTE N="l" PLACE="marg">Mark 1. 2, 3, 4.</NOTE>, did &s;o <HI>prepare the way of the Lord,</HI> that all <HI>&s;acrifices, oblations,</HI> Legall rites and ceremonies were afterwards without &s;cruple for&s;aken and abandouned. Hence our Saviour &s;aith, <HI>The Law and the Prophets were untill Iohn</HI> <NOTE N="m" PLACE="marg">Matth. 11. 13. Luke 16. 16. <HI>Ioannes Bapti&s;ta Anno 15. Tiberii Cae&s;. vocatione divina excitatus poenitentiam praedi|care incipit; veteris Te&s;tamenti abrogationem in&s;tituto bapti&s;mo orditur.</HI> Bucholz. Ind. Chronol. pag. 145.</NOTE>: and thus <HI>in the
<PB N="24" REF="14"> mid&s;t of the</HI> la&s;t <HI>weeke</HI> Chri&s;t preparatively by <HI>Iohn cau|&s;ed the &s;acrifice and the oblation to cea&s;e;</HI> For <HI>Iohn</HI> the Bapti&s;t began to preach in the moneth <HI>September,</HI> &s;oon after the Fea&s;t of Trumpets <NOTE N="n" PLACE="marg">Levit. 23. 24. Numb. 29. 1. Func. Comment. in Chro|nolog. li<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. 2.</NOTE>.</P>
<P><HI>The &s;econd</HI> objection; <HI>Clemens Alexandrinus wri|teth, that they who very curiou&s;ly have &s;ought after the yeare and day of our Lords birth, have referred it &s;ome <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">nto the 25. day of the month of May, &s;ome unto the 25. day of Aprill</HI> <NOTE N="o" PLACE="marg"><HI>Eos qui curio&s;ius ann<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">m nati Domini &amp; diem requi&s;ierunt, partim retuli&s;&s;e ad vige&s;imum quintum diem men&s;is <GAP DESC="foreign"> Aegyptiorum, par<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1+ letters">m retuli&s;&s;e ad vige&s;i|mum quintum diem <GAP DESC="foreign">, &s;cribit,</HI> Clem. Alexandr. &s;trom. lib. 1.</NOTE>. Therefore in his time <NOTE N="p" PLACE="marg">About the yeare of the Lord 195.</NOTE> the day of Chri&s;ts birth was not certainly knowne <NOTE N="q" PLACE="marg">Beroald. Chron. lib. 3. c. 8. Scalig. de emendat. Temp. lib. 6. Calvi&s;. I&s;ag. Chronolog. c. 46.</NOTE>.</P>
<P><HI>The</HI> An&s;wer. If this argument be good, then there is no point either in Divinity or Philo&s;ophy <HI>certainly knowne;</HI> becau&s;e there is no point which is not through ignorance, wilfulne&s;&s;e, or an itching affectation of &s;in|gularity by &s;ome contradicted; at lea&s;t que&s;tioned. How&s;oever had the&s;e <HI>curious &s;earchers</HI> &s;hewed us where S. <HI>Luke</HI> &s;aith, that <HI>Chri&s;t was conceived in the &s;ixth month of the Legall yeere,</HI> we would have conclu|ded with them that Chri&s;t was borne either in <HI>May,</HI> by reckoning from <HI>Augu&s;t exclu&s;ively,</HI> or in <HI>Aprill,</HI> by ac|compting from <HI>Augu&s;t inclu&s;ively:</HI> but there can be nothing more certaine then that they are mi&s;taken. For the Angell <HI>Gabriel</HI> does directly &s;ay, <HI>this is the &s;ixth month</HI> (not from the beginning of the yeere, but) with her, who was called barren <NOTE N="r" PLACE="marg">Luke 1. 36.</NOTE>; that is, from the con|ception of <HI>Iohn the Bapti&s;t.</HI> Nor does <HI>Clemens A|lexandrinus</HI> afford the&s;e <HI>&s;earchers</HI> any more credit then the bare mentioning of their groundle&s;&s;e phan&s;ies; which truly is more then they de&s;erved.</P>
<P><HI>The third</HI> Objection. <HI>Bede</HI> affirmes, that <HI>the Indicti|ons began on the 24. day of September</HI> <NOTE N="&s;" PLACE="marg"><HI>Incipiunt Indicti|ones ab VIII. Ca|lendas Oct<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">b<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">is, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">bi|demque terminantur.</HI> Beda libro de ratio|ne Temporum. c. 46.</NOTE>; and that <HI>our Lord was borne</HI> (indictione quart&acirc; ineunte) <HI>when the fourth Indiction began:</HI> Therefore Chri&s;t was borne on the 24. day of <HI>September</HI> <NOTE N="t" PLACE="marg">Beroald. Chroa. lib. 3. c. 8.</NOTE>.</P>
<P><HI>The</HI> An&s;wer. <HI>Bede</HI> does not &s;ay, that <HI>our Lord was borne</HI> when the fourth Indiction began, but <HI>in the fourth Indiction according to Diony&s;ius</HI> <NOTE N="u" PLACE="marg"><HI>Qua<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ta indictione &s;ecundum Diony&s;ium natu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> e&s;t Dominus.</HI> Beda lib. dd. c. 47.</NOTE>; which words are too
<PB N="25" REF="14"> generall for us to conclude thence the yeare of <HI>Chri&s;ts</HI> Birth, much le&s;&s;e the month, lea&s;t of all the day. And yet con&s;idering that <HI>an Indiction is the &s;pace of 15. yeares</HI> <NOTE N="x" PLACE="marg"><HI>Indictio e&s;t &s;paci|um quindecim anno|rum.</HI> Bucholz. Chro|nol. pag. 131.</NOTE>, he might very well have &s;aid &s;o; though Chri&s;t were not borne till the end of 3. months after the fir&s;t day of the <HI>Indiction:</HI> as we &s;ay frequently, that &s;uch a thing was or hapned in the beginning of our <HI>Kings</HI> reigne, though it were 3. 6. or 10. moneths after the fir&s;t day of His reigne.</P>
<P><HI>The fourth</HI> Objection. Taxes and Collections of Tribute began on the 24. day of <HI>September;</HI> as appeares by the <HI>Indictions,</HI> which were in&s;tituted <HI>to beare accompt of the payment of tribute</HI> <NOTE N="y" PLACE="marg"><HI>Hoptons</HI> Concor|dancy of yeares. chap. 32.</NOTE>: Therefore <HI>Augu&s;tus Cae&s;ars Decree</HI> at our Saviours Birth <HI>that all the world &s;hould be taxed went out</HI> <NOTE N="z" PLACE="marg">Luke 2. 1.</NOTE> on the 24. of <HI>September;</HI> and &s;o <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> was borne on that day <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Beroald. ibid. m.</NOTE>.</P>
<P><HI>The</HI> An&s;wer. We deny the Argument: For it is a mo&s;t ab&s;urd inference, <HI>viz.</HI> becau&s;e the ordinary and yeerely taxes, collections of tribute, and Indictions (which were invented in the time of <HI>Con&s;tantine</HI> the Great, and ordained by Him 312. yeares after <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg"><HI>Aera indictionum Cae&s;area, in &s;crip<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ori|bus Graecis u&s;itati&s;&s;i|ma, incipit 24. Sep|tembris, Anno Chri|&s;ti 312. in&s;tituta fuit a Con&s;tantino Magno.</HI> Bucholz. Ind. Chro|nol. pag. 212. Calvi&s;. I&s;ag. Chron. c. 9. <HI>Cyclus indictionum in&s;titutus e&s;t in Con|cilio Nicaeno, qui po&s;t quindecim annos in orbem redeat. Roma|ni hanc <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ramindicti|onum inceperunt a Calendis Ian &s;equen|tibus: quos, &amp; n<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s hodie &s;equimur.</HI> Al&s;ted. 2. Chronol. Epocharum &sect;. 6.</NOTE>) began on the 24. day of <HI>September;</HI> therefore that ex|traordinary and mo&s;t remarkable taxe decreed by <HI>Au|gu&s;tus Cae&s;ar</HI> when our Saviour was borne, began on the &s;ame day. Nay, here is a clu&s;ter of ab&s;urdities: For if the i&s;&s;uing forth of Cae&s;ars decree and our Saviours Birth were on the &s;elf-&s;ame day, then was the decree &s;ent from Rome to Nazareth, above a 1000. miles di&s;tant. and from Nazareth <HI>Io&s;eph with Mary his e&s;pou&s;ed Wife great with child</HI> <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Luk. 2. 4, 5.</NOTE>, and expecting every houre to be deli|vered, mu&s;t forthwith po&s;te 95. Engli&s;h miles unto <HI>Bethlehem,</HI> all in one day. But who knows not that <HI>Errour begets errour?</HI></P>
<P><HI>The fifth</HI> Objection. <HI>A Iew</HI> <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">No marvaile if the&s;e <HI>Septembrians</HI> oppo&s;e the tradition of <HI>Chri&s;ts</HI> Church, when the Jews beliefe is the rule of their doctrine.</NOTE> <HI>would not &s;oone be|leeve
<PB N="26" REF="15"> that a wi&s;e Emperour as Augu&s;tus was, would com|mand poore men to come in winter to their owne Townes. Neither was it the fit time for the Shepheards to be in the field. And as Bapti&s;me was according to his Birth-month, it was not whole&s;ome for men to goe up to the head in wa|ter in mid-winter.</HI> Therefore <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> was not borne in <HI>December</HI> <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">Beroald. lib. dd. c. dd. Ho&s;pinian. de orig. fe&s;t. Chri&s;t. men&s;. Decemb. Cal|vi&s;. I&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">g. Chron. c. 46. Broughtons <HI>Adverti&s;ement of Corruptions.</HI> pag. 43, 44.</NOTE></P>
<P><HI>The</HI> An&s;wer. The land of <HI>Canaan</HI> (now called <HI>Pa|le&s;tine</HI> <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg"><HI>Qua&s;i terra Pale|&s;tinorum,</HI> the land of the Phili&s;tines. Vi|de Vatabl. tran&s;lat. Bibl.</NOTE>) is found to extend it &s;elfe from the degree 30. and 52. &s;cruples, unto the degree 33. and 44. &s;cruples of Latitude or Elevation; And for Longitude, it is pla|ced betwixt the degree 64 32. minutes, and the degree 69. and 10. minutes <NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg">According to the ob&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">rv<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">tions of Mr. <HI>Iohn More</HI> and Mr. <HI>Iohn Speed.</HI></NOTE>: &s;o that it is included fully and wholly within the third Climate <NOTE N="h" PLACE="marg">Eu&s;tach. in Ap|pend. Tract. 1. part. 2. de Phy&s;.</NOTE>: the &s;ame Climate in which <HI>Fez</HI> and <HI>Morocco</HI> <NOTE N="i" PLACE="marg">Note, that Africa tooke its name from <GAP DESC="foreign"> &amp; <GAP DESC="foreign">, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">hat is, <HI>without cold.</HI></NOTE> are &s;ituate; where the winter-&s;ea&s;on (as every Geographer and Mariner will tell us) is hotter then our <HI>May</HI> here in England: and yet <HI>Pale&s;tine</HI> in heate exceeds <HI>Fez</HI> and <HI>Morocco,</HI> becau&s;e it lyeth above 40. degrees neerer the Ea&s;t then they doe <NOTE N="k" PLACE="marg">Carpenters Geo|graphy. lib. 2. c. 3. Theoreme. 10.</NOTE>.</P>
<P>This al&s;o may be collected out of the Scriptures; For in regard that <HI>a &s;heafe of the fir&s;t fruits of harve&s;t</HI> was yearely offered on the &s;econd day after the <HI>Pa&s;&s;eover</HI> <NOTE N="l" PLACE="marg">L<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">vit 23. 5, 6, 10. compared with Deut. 16. 1, 9, 10.</NOTE>, which was the 16. day of the Jews month <HI>Abib,</HI> ali&agrave;s <HI>Ni&s;an</HI> <NOTE N="m" PLACE="marg"><HI>Secunda azymorum die, quae e&s;t men&s;is hujus decima &s;exta, frugibus demi&s;&s;is &amp; hactenus intactis incipiunt frui: aequumque rati Deum hujus ubertatis authorem per gratitudinem honorari, hordei primitias offerunt.</HI> Jo&s;eph. Antiqu. Jud. lib. 3. cap. 10. See <HI>Perkins</HI> 2. volum. pag. 680. <HI>In Pale&s;tina Me&s;&s;em hordeaceam inchoatam fu|i&s;&s;e &s;tatim po&s;t Pa&s;cha, &amp; ante Penteco&s;ten ab&s;olutam fui&s;&s;e etiam triticeam me&s;&s;em certum &amp; manife&s;tum e&s;t.</HI> Chemnit. Harm. Evang. Prolegom. cap. 3.</NOTE>, and is with us the 27. of <HI>March;</HI> (which 27. according to the true accompt fals on the 15. of our <HI>March</HI>) It mu&s;t nece&s;&s;arily follow, that the tempera|ture of the month <HI>December</HI> in the land of <HI>Canaan,</HI> is an&s;werable to our <HI>May,</HI> if not <HI>Iune:</HI> Though therefore <HI>a di&s;obedient and gaine&s;aying</HI> <NOTE N="n" PLACE="marg">Rom. 10. 21.</NOTE> Jew <HI>will not believe,</HI> yet an under&s;tanding Chri&s;tian cannot but grant, that the
<PB N="27" REF="15"> &s;ea&s;on of the yeare did no way hinder the convenient ex|ecution of Cae&s;ars decree; nor the Shepheards being in the fields, nor our Saviours going into the River <HI>Iordan</HI> in <HI>December.</HI></P>
<P><HI>The &s;ixth</HI> Objection. The Church of <HI>England</HI> does not celebrate the true day of <HI>Chri&s;ts Birth:</HI> therefore the Church of <HI>England</HI> is erroneous.</P>
<P><HI>The</HI> An&s;wer. Wee deny the Antecedent; for though the Church of <HI>England</HI> does not celebrate the true day exactly and preci&s;ely taken, as wee &s;aid before: yet &s;hee celebrates the true day accor|ding to the <HI>Iulian</HI> Accompt, which Accompt is yet ge|nerally embraced by the Prote&s;tants and not to be de|&s;pi&s;ed <NOTE N="o" PLACE="marg"><HI>La e&s;t anni &s;o ma Juliana, cui omnes a&s;&s;uevimus: haec &s;ola e&s;t certi&s;&s;imum tem|poris veh<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">culum, cum omnibus &s;it noti&s;&s;ima, familiari&s;&s;ima, cogni|tu &amp; ob&s;ervatu fa|cillima, &amp; ad tempo|rum a creatione mun|di huc u&s;que labenti|um &s;eriem deducen|dum accomodati&s;&s;i|ma.</HI> Calvi&s;. I&s;ag. Chron. c. 8.</NOTE>. Neverthele&s;&s;e <HI>it is not the day but the benefit we remember, which no good Chri&s;tian will deny &s;hould bee done</HI> <NOTE N="p" PLACE="marg">See the life and death of <HI>William Cooper Bi&s;hop of Gal|loway.</HI> pag. 8.</NOTE>.</P>
<P><HI>The &s;eventh</HI> and la&s;t Objection. Chri&s;t was borne in the <HI>night</HI> <NOTE N="q" PLACE="marg">Luke 2. 8.</NOTE>: Therefore He was not borne on the 25. <HI>day</HI> of <HI>December.</HI></P>
<P><HI>The</HI> An&s;wer. The day is of two &s;orts; <HI>Naturall,</HI> or <HI>Civill</HI> <NOTE N="r" PLACE="marg"><HI>Quanquam Johan|nes a Sacrobo&s;co &amp; qui eum &s;equuntur nomina permutant, &amp; quem nos naturalem, illi civilem</HI> &s;eu artificialem; <HI>quem nos civilem, illi naturalem diem vocant: nos veritatem &s;equimur.</HI> Polan. Syntag. Theol. lib. 1. c. 45. &amp; lib. 5. c. 16. <HI>Hanc diei naturalis &amp; artificialis appellationem definitionemque, novam et ba<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">baram &s;emper credidi, qui&s;quis eam primus nobis tradiderit.</HI> Vide &s;cholion. Eliae Vineti in &s;phaeram Joan. a &s;acrobo&s;co. c. 3.</NOTE>: <HI>The naturall day</HI> is the time from Sun-ri&s;ing unto Sun-&s;et; who&s;e oppo&s;ite is the <HI>night,</HI> from Sun|&s;et unto Sun-ri&s;ing. <HI>The Civill day</HI> is the &s;pace of 24. houres, in which time the Sun is by the fir&s;t orbe carri|ed round about the world: It containes a&s;well the night as the true day; and is therefore termed by the Greekes <GAP DESC="foreign"> <NOTE N="&s;" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">. 2 Cor. 11. 25.</NOTE>, and may in Latine be aptly tran|&s;lated <HI>noctidium.</HI> The former is meant when <HI>God cal|led the light, day:</HI> The latter, when it is &s;aid, <HI>the eve|ning and the morning made the fir&s;t day</HI> <NOTE N="t" PLACE="marg">Gen. 1. 5.</NOTE>. And of the latter we ought here to be under&s;tood when we &s;peake of the 25. day of <HI>December;</HI> For our Saviour was born
<PB N="28" REF="16"> pre&s;ently after 12. a clock in the night <NOTE N="u" PLACE="marg">Luke 2. 8.</NOTE>, at which time the Civill day began according to the cu&s;tome of the Romans <NOTE N="x" PLACE="marg"><HI>More Romano dies a media nocte inci|pit, et &s;equentis no|ctis media parte fini|tu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">: Itaque quicquid in his viginti quatu|or horis (id e&s;t dua|bus dimidiatis nocti|bus, et luce med<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">a) actum e&s;t, perinde e&s;t qua&s;i quavis hora la|cis actum e&s;&s;et.</HI> p<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">u|lus I Cuis Dig<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;t. jur. Civil. l. 2. tit. 12.</NOTE>.</P>
<P>The vanity and weakene&s;&s;e of all objections to the contrary being di&s;covered, we conclude <HI>that the 25. day of December is in all probabilitie the ju&s;t, true, and exact day of our Saviours Birth.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="7" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>SECTION VII.</HEAD>
<HEAD>The worke of the day.</HEAD>
<P>O How good, how plea&s;ant, how kinde a thing it is, to remember <HI>the worke of the day in its owne day</HI> <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Opus dici in die &s;uo.</NOTE>.</P>
<P>This worke, whether at home or in publique, con&s;i&s;ts of three parts or duties. The fir&s;t is, a reverend expla|nation;</P>
<P N="1">1. <HI>Of the per&s;on incarnated: <HI>which was Chri&s;t the Lord</HI></HI> <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Luk: 2. 11.</NOTE>. <HI>The Word,</HI> the eternall Son of God, the &s;econd Per&s;on of the mo&s;t glorious Trinity, <HI>was made fle&s;h</HI> <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">. Iohn 1. 14.</NOTE>; <HI>not by conver&s;ion of the Godhead into fle&s;h</HI> <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Vide Sym<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">olum Athana&s;ii.</NOTE>, but by a&s;&s;u|ming unto the Godhead the nature (not the per&s;on <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">Wolleb. Chri&s;t. Theolog. lib. 1. c. 16.</NOTE>) of man, and all the naturall infirmities thereof, &s;in except|ed <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">Heb. 2. 17. &amp; 4. 15. <GAP DESC="foreign">. Dama&s;cen. Or|thodoxa fidei. lib. 3. c. 20.</NOTE>: which nature the Father formed in the Sonne by the holy Gho&s;t, of the &s;ub&s;tance of the ble&s;&s;ed Virgin <HI>Mary,</HI> who was of the Tribe of <HI>Iudah,</HI> of the Royall fa|mily of <HI>David</HI> <NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg">Luke 1. 32.</NOTE>. Wherfore <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> was <HI>perfect God,</HI> and &s;o equall to the Father <NOTE N="h" PLACE="marg">Iohn 10. 30. Philip. 2. 6.</NOTE>; <HI>perfect man,</HI> and &s;o inferiour to the Father <NOTE N="i" PLACE="marg">John 14. 28.</NOTE>.</P>
<P N="2">2. <HI>His Chri&s;t was borne of the Virgin Mary:</HI> and that was by opening of the womb <NOTE N="k" PLACE="marg">Luke 2. 7.</NOTE> after the ordi|nary way; not <HI>utero clau&s;o, the womb being &s;hut,</HI> as the Papi&s;ts imagine <NOTE N="l" PLACE="marg">Catechi&s;m. Rom. parte. 1. cap. 4. Re&s;pon&s;. ad quae&s;t. 4.</NOTE>.</P>
<P N="3">3. <HI>Where He was borne:</HI> to wit, <HI>In the land of Iudah, in Bethlehem</HI> <NOTE N="m" PLACE="marg">Mat. 2. 6.</NOTE>) which &s;ignifies, <HI>the hou&s;e of
<PB N="29" REF="16"> bread</HI> n; teaching us, <HI>that Chri&s;t was the true bread of life which came downe from heaven</HI> <NOTE N="o" PLACE="marg">John 6. 33. 35.</NOTE>. In a &s;table; <HI>and</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">xicon.</NOTE> <HI>was laid in a manger, becau&s;e there was no roome for them in the Inne</HI> <NOTE N="p" PLACE="marg">Luke 2. 7.</NOTE>; teaching us by his example to beare cor|porall poverty with patience.</P>
<P N="4">4. <HI>When He was borne:</HI> and that was 1. when <HI>a Decree went out from Augu&s;tus Cae&s;ar that all the world &s;hould be taxed. 2. When Cyrenius was Governour of Syria</HI> <NOTE N="q" PLACE="marg">Luke 2. 1, 2.</NOTE>. The Evangeli&s;t &s;ayes not of <HI>Iudea,</HI> becau&s;e Ju|dea was at that time joyned unto the province of Sy|ria <NOTE N="r" PLACE="marg"><HI>Io&s;ephus</HI> calleth him <HI>Quinius;</HI> and in placing this Taxe after the degrading of <HI>Archelaus,</HI> erreth 4. yeeres. <HI>See Io&s;eph. Antiqu. Iud. lib. 17. c. ult. &amp; lib. 18. c. 1.</HI></NOTE>: teaching us, that the true <HI>Me&s;&s;iah,</HI> Chri&s;t, was <HI>come;</HI> For <HI>the Scepter was</HI> then <HI>departed</HI> not onely <HI>from the tribe of Iudah</HI> <NOTE N="&s;" PLACE="marg">Gen 49. 10</NOTE>, but even from the Jews. 3. In the <HI>night</HI> <NOTE N="t" PLACE="marg">Luke 2. 8.</NOTE>; &s;ignifying that the <HI>day-&s;pring from on high vi|&s;ited us, to give light to them that &s;ate in darkne&s;&s;e, and in the &s;hadow of death</HI> <NOTE N="u" PLACE="marg">Luke 1 78, 79.</NOTE>.</P>
<P N="5">5. <HI>Of Gods gracious and miraculous di&s;covery of His Birth.</HI> 1. To the poore Shepheards, neere <HI>Beth|lehem,</HI> by an Angell <NOTE N="x" PLACE="marg">Luke 2. 8, 9, 10, 11.</NOTE>. 2. To the rich Wi&s;e-men in the Ea&s;t by a Star <NOTE N="y" PLACE="marg">Mat. 2. 1, 2, 11.</NOTE>: teaching us, that poore and rich, &s;imple and wi&s;e, Jew and Gentile, neere and farre off, are all alike accepted by <HI>God,</HI> in, through, and for <HI>Chri&s;t.</HI></P>
<P N="6">6. Of the glorious celebration of <HI>Chri&s;ts</HI> nativity by a <HI>multitude of the heavenly ho&s;t prai&s;ing <HI>God</HI></HI> <NOTE N="z" PLACE="marg">Luke 2. 13, 14.</NOTE>.</P>
<P>The &s;econd part is a pious meditation on the <HI>end</HI> and <HI>nece&s;&s;ity</HI> of Chri&s;t Birth; and that was threefold. 1. That Gods promi&s;es <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Gen. 3. 15. &amp; 12. 3. &amp; 18. 18. &amp; 22. 8.</NOTE>, and the prodictions of his &s;ervants the Prophets <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 22. 18. I&s;a. 7. 14. &amp; 9. 6, 7. Jer. 23. 5. Micah. 5. 2. Ho&s;. 11. 1. Hag. 2. 9. Zech. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. 8, 9, 10. &amp; 6. 12. &amp; 9. 9.</NOTE>, might bee accompli&s;hed. 2. That God might thereby <HI>manife&s;t his love towards</HI> mankinde <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">John 3. 16, 17.</NOTE>. 3. That redemption might be to <HI>them that were under the Law</HI> <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Gal. 4. 4, 5.</NOTE>: otherwi&s;e eternall <HI>death</HI> had <HI>pa&s;&s;ed upon all men, for that all have &s;inned</HI> <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">Rom. 5. 12.</NOTE>.</P>
<P>The third and chiefe&s;t part is, an humble and &s;incere thank&s;giving unto <HI>God</HI> for tho&s;e great and une&s;timable benefits which we receive by the &s;acred Birth of our Lord <HI>Chri&s;t, <HI>the Saviour of the world</HI></HI> <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">John 4. 42.</NOTE>: outwardly
<PB N="30" REF="17"> expre&s;&s;ing our thankfulne&s;&s;e. 1. <HI>In P&s;almes, and Hymnes, and &s;pirituall &s;ongs</HI> <NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg">1 Chron. 16 7. Ephe&s;. 5. 19.</NOTE>. 2. In a larger and more liberall u&s;e of Gods Creatures then at ordinary times <NOTE N="h" PLACE="marg">Gen. 21 8. 1 Ch<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">on. 12. 39, 40. &amp; 16. 3.</NOTE>. 3. In our charity unto the needy members of Chri&s;t <NOTE N="i" PLACE="marg">Luke 14. 13.</NOTE>.</P>
<P>Who&s;oever therefore <HI>regardeth</HI> this <HI>day</HI> aright, mu&s;t <HI>regard it unto the Lord, giving God thanks</HI> <NOTE N="k" PLACE="marg">Rom 14 6.</NOTE>: and not &s;pend it <HI>in rioting and drunkenne&s;&s;e, nor in chambring and wantonne&s;&s;e</HI> <NOTE N="l" PLACE="marg">Rom. 13. 13. <HI>The dayes which are cho&s;en out to &s;erve as publique memorials of Gods mercies, ought to be cloathed with tho&s;e outward robes of holine&s;&s;e, whereby their difference from other dayes may be made &s;en&s;ible.</HI> Hook. Eccle&s;. Policy. lib. 5. &sect;. 70.</NOTE>, as too too many have done, to the high di&s;honour of Almighty God, the reproach of our Church; and the fearfull hazard of their owne &s;oules.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="8" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>SECTION VIII.</HEAD>
<HEAD>A patheticall exhortation unto the true Sonnes of the Church of <HI>England.</HI></HEAD>
<P>ARe the&s;e things &s;o? May Chri&s;tian Magi&s;trates con&s;titute Fea&s;t-dayes, and require obedience un|to &s;uch Con&s;titutions <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Sect. 2.</NOTE>? Has the Church of <HI>England</HI> ordained that the Birth-day of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> &s;hould yearely be kept fe&s;tivall <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">See <HI>the Act for u<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1+ letters">formity:</HI> Proper Le&s;&s;ons, and the Col|lects, for that day.</NOTE>? Is this Ordination grounded upon the the Scriptures <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Sect. 4.</NOTE>? Is it confirmed by the practice of the Chri&s;tian Church from the time of the Apo&s;tles unto this day <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Sect. 5.</NOTE>? Is the 25. day of <HI>December</HI> the Birth-day of our Saviour <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">Sect. 6.</NOTE>? Does the worke of the day tend to the glory of <HI>God,</HI> the honour of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and comfort of his Church <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">Sect. 7.</NOTE>? What wretched <HI>Herodians</HI> are they then, who revile and envy the &s;olemnization of <HI>Chri&s;ts</HI> Birth; calling it Judai&s;me <NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg"><HI>Neque damnari pote&s;t Eccle&s;ia qua&s;i Judaizarit quia di|em Dominicum jam inde ab Apo&s;tolorum temporibus &s;anctificavit, et certos alios dies fe&s;tos paulo po&s;t Apo|&s;tolorum tempora &s;ibi delegerit ad &s;anctificandum.</HI> Zanch. in 4. Praecept. de Diebus Fe|&s;tis. q. 1.</NOTE>, and mo&s;t bla&s;phemou&s;ly per&s;wading the people, <NOTE N="h" PLACE="marg">The&s;e words, or to the &s;ame effect, were uttered in the Church of S. <HI>Mich.</HI> Cornhill, on the <HI>Lords</HI> day, the 25. of February, 1643. God give the &s;peaker repen|tance to the acknowledging of the truth. 2 Tim. 2. 25.</NOTE> <HI>That a Fea&s;t celebrated unto
<PB N="31" REF="17"> the honour of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> is no better then that Fea&s;t which the I&s;raelites made unto the molten Calfe</HI> <NOTE N="i" PLACE="marg">Exod. 32. 4, 5, 6.</NOTE>?</P>
<P>But let us, <HI>Brethren,</HI> who <HI>have not &s;o learned Chri&s;t</HI> <NOTE N="k" PLACE="marg">Ephe&s;. 4. 20.</NOTE>, <HI>be &s;ubject to Principalities and powers:</HI> let us <HI>obey Ma|gi&s;trates, and be readie to every good worke</HI> <NOTE N="l" PLACE="marg">Titus 3. 1.</NOTE>: let us be|ware of tho&s;e who <HI>are pre&s;umptuous, &s;elf-willed, not afraid to &s;peake evill of Dignities;</HI> who <HI>are &s;pots in</HI> our <HI>fea&s;ts of charity, wells without water, clouds that are car|ried with a tempe&s;t; while they promi&s;e libertie, they them|&s;elves are the &s;ervants of corruption, to whom the mi&s;t of darkne&s;&s;e is re&s;erved for ever</HI> <NOTE N="m" PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 2. 10. 13 17. 19. Jude 8 12, 13.</NOTE>. Let us <HI>&s;tand fa&s;t, and hold the traditions which</HI> we <HI>have beene taught</HI> <NOTE N="n" PLACE="marg">2 The&s;. 2. 15.</NOTE>: let us <HI>make them knowne to</HI> our <HI>children, that the generations to come</HI> may <HI>know them, even the children which</HI> &s;hall <HI>be borne; who</HI> &s;hall <HI>ari&s;e and declare them to their chil|dren, that they</HI> may <HI>not forget the works of <HI>God</HI></HI> <NOTE N="o" PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 78. 5, 6, 7.</NOTE>; And principally, may keepe the memoriall of <HI>Chri&s;ts</HI> Nati|vity <NOTE N="p" PLACE="marg">See <HI>Willets</HI> Sy|nop&s;is. 9. generall Controver&s;ie. quae&s;t. 8. pag. 505.</NOTE>; continuing the celebration of this Fea&s;t, unto the &s;econd comming of <HI>Shiloh.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<CLOSER>Halelu-jah.</CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
