1 HAve we any command or example in holy Scripture for the obser­vation of this day or of any other in memo­ry of our Lords birth? Scripture is perfect, Psal. 19. if there be no command or ex­ample, it is no duty.

2 Did the Apostles after our Saviours ascension keep this day or any other in me­mory of Christs birth? doe you pretend to more holinesse then they?

3 Would they have omitted it if it ought to have bin observed?

4 Was it observed in the primitive Church for the first hundred yeares?

5 How came it to be Christs day? tell us the original hereof that we may know whether it be of God or man? Is it like to be of God and no footstep at all left hereof in his word! Neither precept nor example looking that way?

Hence we may safely conclude that it was set up by man; And what man setteth up, man may pluck down.

6 Whether may not the Papists say as much for their heaps of Traditions as is or­dinarily said for the observation of this day.

He that would read more on this subject may see in Master D. Cawdry his Book a­gainst Doctor Hammond of superstitious worship and holy dayes, also in Mr. Baxter.

If it could be proved to be the mind of God that we should observe a day in memo­ry of Christs birth, I doubt not but that there are many yet left among us who would make conscience hereof, although it be now forbidden by the Magistrate. But it is so far from being a duty that it is no hard matter to prove it to be a sin.

For first it cannot be denyed but that there is such a sin as wil-worship, which is a breach of the second Commandment, [...]. Therefore secondly, see if this be not that sin.

Paraeus defines it thus, [...] est species subtilior Idololatriae quum Deus colitur commentis humanis, Col. 2.8. Hominum tra­ditiones, Jdem. vers. 16.18. & 23. A shew of wisdom, cultu voluntario, &c.

Def. Wil-worship is a more refined kind of Idolatry, when God is worshiped with wayes of Mans devising.

Again thus. Superstitio est Peccatum pre­cepto [Page 3]secundo prohibitum quo vero Deo cultus adhibetur indebitus quoad actus & media reli­gionis externa.

If then the observation of a day in me­mory of our Saviours birth, be an invention of man; If it be cultus indebitus (especially being counted a matter of conscience by some) It cannot escape the just censure of wil-worship, superstition, and a breach of the second Commandment.

Objection. Doe not men apoint dayes of thanksgiving for mercyes received, and it is esteemed a duty? yea some men keep yearly their birth-day or wedding-day, and on that day feast and give to the poor. How much more may we apoint a day to keep in me­mory the greatest mercy that ever mankind enjoyed? Is this great memoriall of our Saviour esteemed wil-worship, and super­stition; and therefore sinfull. And are our ordinary dayes of thanksgiving for provi­dential transient mercyes esteemed dutyes?

Answ. If man apoint dayes of memorials and commemoration of mercies received, it is lawfull for the same power that apointed them, or any succeeding powers to alter them, or take them clean away. Here is no superstition, we enjoy our Christian liberty, no obligation lyes on the conscience, but for [Page 4]this memorial of Christs nativity, we con­tend for it as necessary, and find fault with them that omit it, which proves that we affect this time superstitiously.

2d. Answ. If God had not already laid down, and apointed what memorials of his Son Jesus Christ he would have to be ob­served in his Church: we then might have done it, and the objection might have the more strength: But where God hath de­elared what memorials of Christ he will have: For man to come in and super-ad, is a breach of the second Commandment; and a sin frequently condemned in Scripture; This is to worship God with mens inventi­ons, to find fault with his wisedom, as if he did not enough; and therefore we will doe more: This is to set our post by his Posts, and our threshold by his threshold, as Ezek. 43.8. which the holy Ghost cals abomina­tion. The memorials which God hath ap­pointed are in every week the first day, and this meerly in thankfulness for Jesus Christ, for before the coming of Christ there was another day set apart for the service of God.

And 2dly, The two Sacraments are com­memorations of the Lord Jesus, among o­ther uses of them. The Lords Supper we are commanded to celebrate often, that so [Page 5]we may keep a frequent remembrance of our Saviour Christ. And observe that it is a constant begining of departure from God to worship him in wayes of our own devi­sing, and consequently with times of our own devising, when as we have times pre­scribed by himself. In this we follow the Papists, who in all parts of Gods worship have some addition of their own, aliquid amplius, God hath given two Sacraments, they add five more, God hath given one way to expiate sin, they find out more, as Masses, Pilgrimages, &c. So here to the memorials of Christ which God hath com­manded, we will add, aliquid amplius, Hose. 8.14. Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth Temples: It is strange he should be found fault with for building Temples; yes, if God will have but one Temple, and they build more, it is called a forgetting his Ma­ker; so for building Altars, vers. 11. Gualter. If the written word of God be not a rule to direct us, how far shall we run? and where shall we stop: If it cannot be manife­sted by scripture or by arguments derived from Scripture, we may as well observe all the Papists unwritten Traditions. Specious pretences of love to religion, first brought in Images into Churches, and then a reve­rent [Page 6]esteem of the Persons they represent­ed brought in worship of Images; And an ill-guided love to Christ brought in the a­doration of his Mother; and so Idolatry came in with a side-wind, the same which hath ushered in this Christmas day. Give way to this, and I pray tell me where we shall stop. Jeremi. 10.3. The customes of the people are vain. We may invent a thousand several sorts of services to almighty God, and urge our zeale to his service, and our good meanings, and as much as is said in de­fence of this solemnity, and yet all will in the end meet with that objurgation, ‘Quis haec a manu vestra postulavit?’

If we have not Scripture for our rule, there will be no bounds to our services. I will add a word more, (though no Argu­ment) It is a solemnity which God did ne­ver blesse, it hath been kept like the hea­then Bacchanalia, diceing and drinking, fool­ing and lewdnesse, as if the Christians God were a master of Revels, the Divell hath had for the most part more service in the twelve dayes then God in the twelve moneths.

Master Mocket hath also written a Book on this subject. And read Master Baxter's Arguments. Whatever concerned our Sa­viour Christ, which the holy Ghost thought [Page 7]fit to make known, is exactly laid down in Scripture. As 1. The Town where he was born. 2. What House? An Inn. 3. The place in the Inn, a stable, where he was laid in the manger. 4. Yea, a further particular is men­tioned, the very cloaths he was wrapt in. Luk. 2. But for the time! [...]. as fore­seeing our distemper. Yet is there a great aversness in people from letting goe this solemnity.

1 One reason may be, because of our na­turall inclination (especially in youth) to merriments, gamings, and such kind of gam­bols as are ordinarily the chief keeping of Christmas. 2. Another reason may be be­cause it was forbidden by that Authority who were guilty of introduceing so great evils among us, as in the state arbitrary go­vernment; and in the Church contempt of Gods Ordinances, &c. Now when the people saw this solemnity checkt by such men; Quis tulerit Gracchos? They thought sure it was done on as litle grounds as some other things then removed. But if they had done no worse things then taking away this festivall, we should not have had so much cause to mourn under their misgovernment as we had.

Object. Oh but the Angels in heaven re­joyced [Page 8]at his birth, and shall not we?

Answ. This is arguing, a baculo ad Angu­lum. Rejoyce in your Saviour. What is this to keeping holy dayes for his birth? Just thus the Papists for the Virgin Mary, what can you doe too much, in honour of Christs blessed Mother? Resp. Yes, if we give her such honour as God doth not approve of, even so in this case. Besides, consider the many inconveniences attending hereupon, Men must neglect their callings divers dayes together to spend their time in fooling, and break the command, which saith 6. days shalt thou labour.

Object. A time of relaxation from labour is but convenient once in the year. Semel in Anno ridet Apollo.

Answ. If this be granted, it must be upon a civil not on a religious account.

If we act without ground from the written word of God, if it be in spiritual things it soon becomes wil-worship, if in temporals we are out of Gods way and so out of his protection.

Object. Why was not this lookt into before, have we not had truth among us till now?

Resp. Doe not corruptions grow in any Church and then there must be a time to remove them; blessed be God we keep fundamentals. It was al­way the will of God that Adultery should be pun­ished with death, yet hath it not been so by the law of the Land till of late.