A SERMON PREACHED AT St. MARIES IN OXFORD, THE 17. DAY OF NOvember, 1602. in defence of the Festivities of the Church of England, and namely that of her majesties Coronation. By JOHN HOWSON DOCTOR OF Divinity, one of her highness Chaplains, and Vicechancellor of the University of Oxford. AT OXFORD, Printed by Joseph Barnes, and are to be sold in Fleetstreet at the sign of the Turks head by john Barnes. 1602. TO THE RIGHT Honourable, my very especial good Lord, THOMAS Baron of Buckhurst, Lord high Treasurer of England, one of the LL. of her majesties most honourable Privy Council, Knight of the honourable Order of the Garter, and Chancellor of the University Of Oxford. RIght Honourable, the day now usually solemnized to the honour of God, and memory of those blessings wherewith he hath enriched this land in particular, and his Church in general, by the godly and religious government of her excellent Majesty, was with the first celebrated (as we take it,) in this her most loyal and Christian University of Oxford, notwithout the example of former times, wherein the like hath been practised to some of her majesties predecessors, though with different ceremony in a different religion. Since which time it having taken progress together with God's manifold blessings, & enlargement both in place and ceremonies, testifying the loyal hearts, and dutiful loving affection of her subjects, both to her royal person, sincere religion, and most blessed government, as also their hearty thankfulness unto God for them: it hath been oppugned by the priests & jesuits, the enemies of her gracious peace and happy prosperity, whether with greater malice or ignorance I cannot well determine. Wherhfore being called to the celebration of this most happy festivity, by the nature of my office, which by your Lordship's appointment (though unworthily) I sustain: I thought it a part both of my duty to God, and loyalty to my sovereign Mistress, to undergo the defence of the festivities of our Church, which have their adversaries at home among us, as of the celebration of the day of her most blessed inauguration into this kingdom, which hath found some maligners both at home and abroad, & to dedicate the same to your Honour, as my chiefest Patron under her Highness, not presuming to present her sacred Majesty with so mean and simple a service, & so in all humility I take my leave. From Christ-church. Novem. 29. An. Dom. 1602. Your Honours in all service, JOHN HOWSON Vicecan. Oxon. This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it. PSAL. 118.24. THis Psalm is a Psalm of thanksgiving, which David song unto God, when he was first invested into his kingdom, 2. King. 6. and translated the Ark of the Lord from the house of Obed Edom, 2. King. 6. with melody and music and great festivity; in which he not only exhorteth all men in a generality to praise God, & in speciality both jews and Gentiles, such as were after the spirit borne of the seed of Abraham, and detested Idolatry as Abraham did: but actually bringeth in himself, ver. 17. ver 17. ver. 24. ver. 26. the people in this verse, and the Priests in the 26. verse, glorifying God for these great blessings. The king both privately alone, and publicly in the congregation, prepareth himself to this thanksgiving, acknowledging God's justice in humbling him, his mercy in preserving him in the days of Saul who sought his life, and his bounty in investing him into his kingdom, saying, ver. 22. ver. 22. The stone which the builders refused is now become the head stone in the corner. I who was rejected by Saul and his princes, am now inaugurated into the kingdom. Which though it be here an historical confession, Mat. 5. Act. 2.1. Pet. 2. is notwithstanding a prophetical revelation of the kingdom of Christ. Matth. 5. Act. 2.1. Pet. 2. The people provoked by their king's example answer him, ver. 23. This is the Lords doing and it is wonderful in our eyes. And exhort one another to the celebration of that day in which God had wrought that wonder in investing and crowning him, against whom so many, so great men so long time had conspired: saying: This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it; and then do pray for the continuance and long life of their prince and his prosperity, O domine da salutem, o domine da prosperitatem. O Lord give health, give salvation, O Lord give prosperity unto our king. Finally the Priests seeing this harmony and consent in the people, ver. 26. bless them for it, wish them good luck, acknowledge that great light and blessing to be given of God, and exhort them to that public ceremonial service of God which was used in those times. ver. 27. Bind your sacrifices with cords even to the horns of the altar. These words which I have read unto you for my text, have been heretofore applied by the fathers of the church, sometimes to the celebration of the Nativity, sometimes to the celebration of the resurrection of Christ; as well they may be, this Psalm being figuratively and spiritually applied to him, as appeareth by many places of scripture: but I am to take it this day literally of the inthronising of David, being the day consecrated to the glory of God for the inauguration of our blessed Sovereign into this kingdom. In which words I observe the institution of a festival day, and therein, First the occasion of the Institution, which are Gods blessings extraordinary, couched under these words: This is the day which the Lord hath made. Secondly, the author of the Institution: king David. Thirdly, the End or use of it; wherein I note an external joy, Exaltemus, Let us rejoice: and an internal, Laetemur in ea, let us be glad in it. First for the Institution and occasion of it. 1. Part. Institution. It is certain that all days were first made and created by God; he made the first day, and the second, and the third & the seventh, and placed in the firmament a great light, namely the sun, which by his presence or absence without all respect distinguisheth days from nights, and one day from another. Nevertheless though God be the auctor of them all, yet he hath put a difference and distinction between them, and is said more especially to have made one then another: more especially the Sabbath and holiday, than the ordinary day appointed for labour: Propter opera privilegiat a quae fecit in eyes, for certain excellent and privileged works which he hath done in it. And this is noted by the wise son of Sirach Cap. 33. Who granting a distinction of days, but demanding a reason of it, putteth this question. Eccles. 33. Why doth one day excel another seeing the light of the days of the year (that is the life of them) comes of the sun. & he maketh this answer: The knowledge of the Lord hath parted them a sunder, & he hath disposed by them the times & the solemn feasts: some of them he hath put among the days to number, & some of them hath he chosen & sanctified, & exalted unto feasts: that is, some are festival as the Passeover, Pentecost, feast of Tabernacles etc. and some are numeral, the first or second of this or that month. For God hath dealt with days as with men: for men are all of the ground, and Adam was created out of the earth, but the Lord hath distinguished them by great knowledge, & made their ways & reputations divers: some of them hath he blessed and exalted, as kings and princes: & some of them he hath sanctified, and appropriated to himself, as Prophets and Priests: but some he hath cursed and brought low, and put them in mean estate, and place of base calling. Now the means which God useth in advancing some days before their fellows, which are made of the same metal and substance with them, is some excellent work, some admirable blessing performed in them, sometimes generally to all mankind, sometimes specially to these or these nations. And according to the generality or speciality, is the quantity of them: and according to the nature & condition of the blessing or benefit, is the quality of them. For some are such, Quae tota per vniver sum orbem frequentas ecclesia, which the whole church throughout the whole world doth frequent: some are used in this country, in that kingdom. Some be festivitates magnae, high festival days: and some are called the lower feasts. That general & admirable benefit which was done to all mankind by the creation of man, & the whole world for man's sake, is offered perpetually to the memory of all mankind by the institution of the Sabbath, which although the heathen in truth scorned, juvenal Sa. 14. as appeareth, Juvenal: Sat. 14. Quidam sortiti metuentem Sabbata patrem etc. yet the whole world ought now, and no doubt in the beginning even before Moses law did observe it, being a part of the decalog, and consequently in some sort of the law of nature itself. And therefore that of job 3.4. job. 3.4. Chrysost. Dies ille vertatur intenebras, non requirat eam Deus de super, St. Chrysostome interpreteth. Let not God make an holiday of it. Non diem illam tanquam suam vendicet dominus, let not the Lord account it as his day; & learned interpreters upon that place observe, Antiquos patres in lege naturae, forte etiam jobum, Sabbatizasse: That the ancient fathers under the Law of nature and peradventure job himself, observed the Sabbath. That general and admirable benefit of our redemption which was sufficient for the whole world, but efficient to all the elect of God, as it ought so it hath been time out of mind celebrated in the feasts of the Conception, Nativity, Circuncision, Passion, Resurrection and Ascension of Christ by the whole Church of God, dispersed far and near over the face of the earth, to the honour of God with prayers and thanksgiving for the special benefits particularly called to mind and acknowledged upon those solemn days. Wherefore Erasmus did not only absurdly, Erasmus. when he vilified those feasts, and falsely when he said Nullus veterum facit ullam festi mentionem, No ancient writer maketh mention of any feast, though cunningly he season it with Quantum memini As far as I remember; but he did amiss also in assigning the reason of the Institution of our Sunday or Dominical day, saying, Diem dominicum probabili causa maiores nostros festum esse voluisse, ut populus conveniret ad audiendum sermonem Evangelij That our forefathers were willing to have the Lords day a feast for a probable or reasonable cause, that the people might assemble together to hear the word of the gospel preached. For that is not the only end, or chief end of the Institution of the Lords day, much less of other feasts, seeing God is not only or chiefly worshipped Evangelici sermonis auditu, by hearing the word preached, sed latria cultu, in praising, and magnifying, & lauding God in the memory of his manifold blessings. Seeing latria or the worship of God consisteth especially in praying and thanksgiving, and is a virtue moral, & not intellectual. Therefore to despise, (as many do,) or neglect (as most do) cultum latria, and gad up & down to hear the word preached, as they call it, is not only against the laws of this land, the statutes of our colleges, but against the chief Institution of the Lords day. Yet welfare the wisdom and discretion of our great grandfathers of blessed memory, the saints of the primitive Church, who provided that upon the festival days, the course of the Lethargy, the Gospel, and Epistle, the Homile, or Sermon should so be ordered, that all should rend to the memory of that blessing, whereunto that day was sanctified, that so God might be blessed and magnified for them. juvenal. Beloved Christians were any one of those excellent father's alive, what think you would he say, Quid diceret, aut quid non faceret, nay what would he not do, if he should see the Synagogues of the jews where Moses was read, more frequented upon the three solemn feasts of Easter, Pentecost, & the Tabernacles, than the temple of jerusalem whither by the law all aught at those times to resort to offer up sacrifice unto God: If he should see Oratoria turned into Auditoria, Churches into Schools, our people desiring rather to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knowers, than Seraphim, hot & zealous, crying with the Angels, holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts: our sabbaths and Festivities not spent nor any part of them, in cultu latriae, in the divine service of God, but in hearing an exercise as some call it; where sometimes the hour is consumed, Nihil dicendo in speaking never a wise word, sometimes aliud dicendo in speaking from the day, from the season, from the text, and sometimes Male dicendo, in speaking ill, and slandering their private governors or public magistrates. But I proceed. Not only the forenamed feasts & such like which are called by the Divines, Solennes, Solennes. are instituted to the service of God, and occasioned by some extraordinary blessing: but other feasts there are, which are called by Macrobius, Satur. 1. ca 16. Imperativae: by Ulpian and other Civilians Extraordinariae: by certain Canonists Repentinae, which are particular to diverse nations, Ulpian. & celebrated to the memorial of God's particular blessings bestowed on them. Such are they wherein great Kings & monarchs have either Lucis auspicia (as the Civilians call them) the day of their birth; or Ortus imperij the beginning of their Reign. The one is the solemnisation of their Nativity: the other, the inauguration into their kingdom: such a one is this here mentioned in my text, instituted to the honour of God, for the great blessing that befell the jews when David first took possession of the kingdom: and such a one is this we celebrate this day throughout our land, to give thanks to God for the happy reign of our Sovereign Princess. Finally, we may conclude of all Christian feasts whether general to the whole Church, or particular to any nation, as Abulensis doth of the feasts of the jews, Omnia festa quae Deus instituit observanda à judaeis, fiebant ad recordationem beneficiorum eius, All feasts which God appointed the jews to observe were kept for a remembrance of his benefits, except only the feast of Propitiation, Quod fiebat ad remissionem peccatorum, which was held for remission of sins. But here ariseth a doubt, whether Kings and Princes now, or David himself heretofore did well and religiously to honour and glorify God for this blessing of his inauguration, or any temporal happiness, seeing we must love & honour God Propter seipsum, & quia summè bonus est, for himself and because he is chief good, and not especially for those benefits he giveth unto us. For every temporal benefit is less than infinite, but his goodness is infinite, therefore his goodness should rather cause us to love and honour him, than his benefits: therefore though poor simple people may honour God for his benefits received, and in hope to receive more, yet David being a Saint and a Prophet, a man of great perfections, should have honoured God propter Deum, because he was God, and not because he possessed him of the kingdom. The answer in this scarcity of time must be brief: wherefore I say that a man is bound to love & honour God in that degree in which he honoureth him, that is, cultu latriae with divine worship, because he is his God not because he is his benefactor: wherefore if it were possible, as it is not, that any man or other creature could bestow all these benefits that God hath vouchsafed us, yet we ought not to honour him with divine worship with which we honour God nay so to do were impious Idolatry: Again if it were possible, as it is not, that God never had, nor ever could benefit or bless us, yet we were bound to honour him cultu latria with divine worship: and there is no doubt David & other princes honoured God cultu latria with divine worship solum quia Deus est, non propter beneficia accepta, only because he is God, not for the benefits they have from him. But because this latria divine worship is not totalitèr determinata namely to these or those ceremonies to these or those times: and men in this world cannot bestow all times upon it, therefore cultus latria the divine worship or honour is done unto God, Quia Deus est, because he is God: but upon this day or that day, & in this or that manner, Quia benefactor, because he is our benefactor. And thus much of the Occasion of the Institution of this feast, namely some extraordinary blessing, noted in these words This is the day which the Lord hath made. The second thing I observe in the Institution is the Author of this feast or holydaie. 2. part. This is the day which the Lord hath made; which we are not to understand as though God himself had instituted this festivity; for these words note not the Author, but the occasion of the Institution: Hugo Card. the Lord who makes all days is said to make this specialiter, propter privilegiata opera qua fecit in ea; Huge Card. specially, for the privileged works which he did in that day, Glossa interlin. Lyra. Propter salutem quam dedit populo & principi: Glossa interlin: for the safety he gave to prince and people: Propter bonum quod in illa contigit: Lyra. For the good which befell that day: but the Author of this institution was David himself. God gave the occasion, David the institution. But because there is a question made even in these days, concerning the authority of instituting holidays both under the old and new Testament, both among jews and Christians, some affirming that in the old law all were instituted by God himself, or by his commandment by Moses, and that to the Mosaical law nothing might be added no not in ceremonies; and forasmuch as the old feasts were abrogated by Christ, and no other instituted by him or his Apostles, except peradventure the Lords day, therefore all are unlawful for want of authority in the institution, or institutors of them: may it please you to give me leave to deliver unto you, of necessity very briefly, who have been the Authors of feasts and holidays in both those times, to both those people. First by the commandment of God himself by the mouth of Moses were instituted in the old law, the Sabbath in remembrance of the creation of the world: The Passeover in remembrance of the deliverance of the first borne: The Pentecost in remembrance of the law which was given: the feast of the sound of trumpets, as some say for the deliverance of Isaac, but more probably propter liberationem à servitute quae inter Israelitas fiebat, for the deliverance from that servitude which was usual among the Israelites, every seventh year. the feast of Tabernacles, in remembrance that they lived in Tabernacles in the desert: The feast of Propitiation for remission of sins. The feast of unleavened bread Quod exierant de Aegypto in magno timore & celeritate, for that they came out of Egypt in great fear & haste: not having leisure to leaven the lump. These are all called festivitates regulares, regular, ordinaria, ordinatie, consuetae usual, and were instituted and ordained by the commandment of God himself. Others there were which were called voluntariae, instituted by the will and commandment of the Magistrates upon some just and reasonable cause: which though they had their institution from the will & pleasure of the governor, are no part of will worship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, (a word much mistaken among many) being not contra legem Dei against the law of God, but secundum anologiam legis, according to the analogy of the law, nor brought in at the pleasure of private fancies without all authority. Festum dedicationis. Such a one was the feast of the dedication of the Temple called Festum Encoeniorum, which was constituted in remembrance of the re-edifying of the Temple under Zorobabel: this is mentioned, joan. 10. Facta sunt Encoenia, & hiems erat, It was the feast of the Dedication, & it was winter, for it was in December: and was celebrated by our Saviour. Such a one was the feast which was called Festum sortium, the feast of lots, or Festum Mardochai, Festum Ma●dochaei. Hester. c. 9 Mardochaeus his feast, when by the means of Hester and Mardochaeus the jews were delivered from the slaughter of Haman, & it is mentioned in the book of Hester. Such a one was the feast of Purification, Festum Purificationis. when judas & they that were with him purified the Temple which the Gentiles before had polluted. Which feast the Hebrews call Cassen, of this in the 2. Mat. 1. 2. Mach. 1. And finally such a one was Festumignis the feast of fire, Festunignis. instituted by the jews after they came from the captivity of Babylon, & found the fire of the altar which lay hid in a pit or well 70. years and was turned into thick and gross water, to be kindled again, & with the flame thereof to consume the sacrifice upon the Altar, 2. Mach. 1. 2. Mach 1. Moreover the jews did not only add to the number of the feasts instituted by Moses, but they augmented the solemnity of certain of those feasts which Moses appointed. For whereas Dies Calendarum or Neomenia the first day of the month or feast of new Moons, Neomeni●. was appointed only for sacrifice unto God, Propter beneficium gubernationis, and not mentioned in the 23. of Levit. Lev. 23. where are named all the solemn festivities: yet the jews out of their devotion ad augmentandum cultum divinum for the increase of the service of God did appoint that the Calends or Neomeniae should be Vacativaes ab opere: not only to offer sacrifice in, but in which they should abstain from all servile labour, and so made it an holiday and great solemnity. Psal. 81. To this solemnity it was brought in David's time: Ps. 81 Buccinate in Neomenia tuba, insigni die solennitatis vestrae, Blow up the trumpet in the new moon: etc. now no day was insignis, notable, except is were free from labour: for then every other festivity had been more famous. And it seemeth to have been thus solemnly used in Elizeus his time, to whom when the Shunamite woman went for her dead son, her husband said to her: Quam ob causam vadis ad eum hodic, 4. Reg 4. non sunt Calendae nec sabbathun. 4. Reg. 4. Why dost thou go unto him, this day is neither the Calendss nor the Sabbath; which argues that they were freed from labour, because her husband insinuated that she should go upon a day when he might be at leisure from his business: making in that respect a similitude between the Calends and Sabbath. Augustine. And it was observed till the time of S. Austin among the jews, and so in all probability till now: for S. Austin by way of reproof faith of the jewish women in his time Foeminae Hebraeorum melius nerent, vel aliquid operis facerent, quam in Neomenijs suis impudicè saltarent. The Hebrew women were better spin, or do any work, then immodestly dance in their new moons so that this seemeth to be a true rule which the Divines put Non licebat judaeis diminuere festivitates quas Deus posuerat, licebat tamen eas augmentare. The jews might not lessen those feasts which God had appointed them, yet notwithstanding it was lawful for them to augment them. Now for the new Testament, the Legislator himself Christ jesus instituted no holiday: for in his life time he did not abrogate the law of Moses, but observed those feasts: neither did the Apostles until such time as the law of Moses being dead, it might be buried honestly: for the Christian religion had not so many ceremonies nor holidays, neither was it convenient that it should, in the cradle, as it had in the strength and full age of it: as also the people of Israel in their infancy in the desert, though the ceremonial law were then given, yet observed but little till they came to the land of promise, neither then also, till that was in peace, and the people of Israel in the height of their glory. Nevertheless in the Apostles times, as appeareth in the new testament, the Lords day our Sunday was instituted in remembrance of the resurrection of our Saviour Christ: and S. Austin ascribeth most of the greater festivities to the authority of the Apostles or general counsels: ad januar: August ad januar. but Ambrose upon Luke nameth the Pentecost or Whitsunday to have been observed by S. Paul himself. Ambrose. Apud Ephesios' Paulus Pentecosten celebrat, relaxat animam, Pentecost. Pauli. quia fidei cernebat ardore feruentes, Paul kept the Pentecost among the Ephesians, and enlarged his heart, because he saw them fervent in the zeal of faith. It is not probable that he kept the jews Penticost among the heathen converted to Christ. St. Austin Ser. 130. de tempore, Augustine Ser. 130 de Temp. Parasceve. 1. Cor. 5. notes that St. Paul did insinuate the celebration of the Passion of our Saviour. 1. Cor. 5. saying Magister gentium docet propter crucem annua festa constitui, epulemur inquit non in fermento veteri, The master of the Gentiles teacheth that annual feasts must be appointed for the passion, and saith that we must feast but not in the old leaven; and saith he, adijciens causam agendae, solennitatis, ait quoniam pascha nostrum pro nobis immolatus est Christus, yielding a reason why we keep a solemnity, because our Passeover Christ hath been offered for us. And St. Origen who was not long from the Apostles times, speaking against Celsus of holidays, saith Dies festos, Origen. contra Celsum. Dominicos, Parasceves, & Pentecostes unusquisque fidelis celebrat, Every faithful man celebrateth, holidays, the feast of the Passion & Pentecost. Augustine. In the times of St Augustine, which are within the compass of the pure primitive church these solemnities were multiplied, Aug. Ps. 72. Aug. 27. tract. Super joan. & not only the feasts of the Apostles celebrated, but of many Martyrs, as of St Cyprian, St. Laurence, and Sixtus the Martyr. upon the 72. Psal. & the 27. tract super. joan. and thus far nothing amiss, till the Calendar being overcharged with false and counterfeit popish saints, we reduced it to the compass of our most ancient and Christian festivities. All which festivities notwithstanding this reformation have found their enemies, and oppugning arguments, as also this day which now we celebrate. The former have two sorts of adversaries and those opposite and in extremities, for some are profane in abrogating them, some superstitious in the observation of them. Petrobusiani. Of the former sort were those profane Petrobusiani of whom we read of in St-Bernardes life, and our late anabaptists, who hold that these holidays are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that no man hath, nor ever had, since Moses authority to institute them in the old testament, nor in the new except the Apostles, who instituted, as they say, the Sunday only, and affirm moreover that all festival days belong to the ceremonial law of Moses, & therefore ought not to be among Christians, seeing the ceremonies of the old law were fulfilled by Christ, and so consequently abrogated: never considering that we use many ceremonials which were in the law of Moses, and abrogated also, sed non ex vi legis Mosaicae, sed ex ratione legis, but not by the virtue or force of Moses his law, but only in regard of the reason thereof; and many feasts not in remembrance of the blessings done to the jews, but by Christ unto Christians. The texts they allege are these. Coloss. 2.16. Col. 2.16. Let no man judge you in meat or in drink, or in the part of an holiday: you observe days and months, and years, I fear you lest I have laboured in vain amongst you, Gal. 4.10. Gal. 4.10. Alius judicat inter diem & diem, alius judicat omnem diem, Rom 14.5. Rom. 14.5. Some judge betwixt day and day, and some call into judgement every day. But the first and the last are referred to the feasts of the jews, & the second to the solemnities of the Gentiles, as appeareth by the natural course of those texts and the exposition of the fathers upon those places. But we have for the warrant of our holidays, first exemplum legis Mosaicae, the example of Moses his law, which is alleged by them that are learned for one reason why our Saviour Christ did institute none: then Rationem legis Mosaicae, the reason of Moses his law, to wit, a remembrance of God's blessings. And thirdly, the practice and authority of Christ his Church, since his coming, four, the promise of Christ, Mat. 18.4. If two or three he gathered together in my name I will be in the midst of them, how much more if the whole congregation were assembled, which with an army of prayers should enforce his mercy. And lastly, the counsel of the Apostle, 1. Cor. 4. 1. Cor 4. Omnia decenter & ordine fiant, Everything must be done decently and in order. But what order or decency would be found, if every man should serve God at his own pleasure, at his own time, after his own manner. They who are superstitious in observing of holidays are of two sorts; for either they observe superstitious feasts or observe the true feasts superstitiously. Papists. Of the former sort are the Papists who observe the memory of so many fabulous and ridiculous Saints, whose Legends are the scoff and scorn of the world. Ebionites. And also the old Ebionites, heretics who taught that Christians should observe the feasts both of the old and new testament, Euseb hist. eccle. lib 3. cap. 27. Greg. 11. epist. 3. both the Sabbath and the Lords day also, as appeareth, Euseb. hist. eccles. lib. 3. cap. 27. Which error many would have revived in Saint Gregory his time, as appeareth, lib. 11. epist. 3. and they say that the Christians which now live in Ethiopia observe them both. Epiphan. haer. 30. Iraen. l. 1. ca 26. Now Saint Paul doth so manifestly cross this opinion of the Ebionites that they therefore refused his writings, & termed him an Apostata, as Eusebius testifieth in the same place, Epiphan. haer. 30. Iraen. li. 1. ca 26. Centuriatores. And yet the Centuriatores Magdeburgenses do not lie, as the jesuits falsely charge them, when they say Apostolum Paulum indifferenter observasse Sabbatha & dominicum, that the Apostle Paul did indifferently observe both the Sabbath and the Lords day; for so he did a long time; for the Apostles are noted in the first times after Christ, judaizare & Sabbatizare to be a jew to a jew, and a Christian to a Gentile, to win both. Saint Paul observed the Sabbath. Act. 13. That Saint Paul observed the Sabbath appeareth in the 13. of the Acts, where Paul and Barnabas are said to enter into the Synagogue upon the Sabbath day. In the same place they entreat the Gentiles that the next Sabbath they might preach to them, Act. 16. and Saint Paul disputed three sabboth's at Thessalonica. Act. 16. Act. 20. That he likewise observed the lords day, appeareth Act. 20. where it is said that the brethren came together, uno Sabbathorum, idest, die Dominica, ad frangendum panem upon the first day of the Sabbath, that is, the Lords day, to break bread: for in a few of the first years the Apostles observed certain ceremonial laws of Moses because of the weak brethren among the jews, as things indifferent, and became jews to the jews to gain the jews: but when the obstinate jews and false brethren required the observation of the law as necessary to salvation, they resisted them earnestly, and stoutly defended the doctrine of the abrogation of the law; and liberty of the Gospel: yea St. Paul reproved St. Peter at Antioch when he did judaizare in favour or fear of the false brethren Gal. 2. Gal. 2. & taught that the law was so far abrogated, that if any man were circumcised, or observed other ceremonies of the law as necessary to salvation, he could not be saved. Gal. 5. Gal. 5. And this was the cause why the Ebionites called St. Paul an Apostata because at the first he observed the ceremonies of the law, and afterward refused them utterly, and preached against them. They that observe the true feasts superstitiously are such as do judaizare, which will see their neighbour perish before they will relieve him on the Sabbath day: such was he even of this shire, who lately when his father's ribs were broken would not ride for a bonesetter on the Sabbath day: such a one was he who in my memory went out from among us, and preached in a market town in this shire, that it was a greater sin to do servile opus in Sabbathe & so to violate it, then to do murder or commit adultery: because the commandment of keeping the Sabbath belongs to the first table, and murder and adultery but to the second. But to speak briefly to the point (for I have far to go and little time to spend.) The reason is of no force, but the positions be pestilent: for the abstaining from labour which is but a ceremony, is de iure humano, not de iure divino; and therefore the violating of this commandment in that point is not so grievous a sin, though it pertain to the first table, as murder and adultery, which is against God's express law in the second table. For may it please you in a word to understand that in the commandment of keeping the Sabbath, there is somewhat moral, and somewhat ceremonial. It is ceremonial that the Sabbath should be on this or that day, and therefore it is changed to the Sunday. The quantity of observing it is ceremonial, as to abstain from all labour, from dressing our meat, and kindling our fire Exod. 35. Exod. 35. this also is ceased: we being not so straightened in our feasts as the jews were. 3. It is ceremonial that for one whole day or 24. hours we should abstain from labour. 4. It is ceremonial that this should once be done in every seven days. These two last ceremonies are not changed in Christianity because they had no special signification: those two former were changed, Quia umbra erant futurorum because they were figures of things to come, and when the truth came the figures did vanish. It is moral that some time should be allowed to the service of God, that we might remember his benefits & magnify his holy name: to break this law which is de iure divino, that is, to dedicate no time to the service of God, is worse than adultery, worse than murder, but to break the ceremonies of it, which are de iure humano, is not so great a sin as murder or adultery which are of the second table, & de iure divino, against the express law of God himself. Now I come to the enemies of this Solemnity which now we celebrate, of which since a right reverend & learned brother of ours hath written very religiously, D. Holland learnedly, and largely, I shall need to say the less; yet thus much briefly. That Reynolds, Sanders, Stapleton and the rest of the rigid and salt humoured Papists take exception especially against two points in this Solennity: the first is at the Institution, as if it were without authority (for that it is now among our solemnities we will not deny:) the second against the manner of solemnizing it, as though we preferred it before the feasts of our Saviour Christ. For the former, that the magistrate hath had both authority and practice of instituting holidays upon extraordinary occasions of God's blessings, hath been proved both by the examples under the Law, and under the Gospel. That the jews poterant quotidie instituere festivitates quarum obseruatio duraret singulis annis, vel fieret solum semel, Abulensi●… might daily institute holidays the observation whereof might either continue every year or only be held once, is Abulensis assertion. 1. Paral. cap. 16. q. 14. That they appointed annual, you have heard before under Mardacheus, Nehemias, judas Machabaeus, that they augmented in ceremonies some year more than other the feasts appointed in the law, 2: Esd: 8● appeareth both in Esdras time when the feast of Tabernacles was so royally solemnized that it is said Non fecerunt à diebus josua (filii Nun) talia filii Israel usque ad diem illum 2. Esà. 8. The children of Israel never did such things, no not from the days of joshua the son of Nun unto that day and josias celebrated such a Passeover in the 18. year of his reign when he had purged the Temple of the Idols, 4. Reg: 2●. Quale non fuerat actum a temporibus judicum Israelit arum usque ad josiam. 4. Reg. 23. as had not been from the times of the judges of Israel unto josias. That they appointed such as are called by the Civilians Repentina, instituted for once upon a sudden occasion, appeareth by David who while the Ark was in his house faciebat omnes dies solennes propter honorem Arca, saltem ad observationem ceremoniarun, made every day a solemn day for the honour of the ark, at the least concerning the observation of ceremonies. Abulens. and solemnized the day of his inauguration into his kingdom in this Psal. That the Christian magistrate hath at least as much authority in constituting new festivities, and augmenting the old, as the jews had, cannot with any probability be denied. They not only appointed the feasts which concern our redemption, but the memorial of the Apostles, & some holy Martyrs. Constantine held a feast for joy of the settling of the Gospel & Christianity in his time: Euseb. lib. 1. de vita Constantini. Other Emperors celebrated auspicia lucis, the day of their birth: other Ortum imperij, the beginning of their reign: other festivitates repentinas sudden feasts, upon joy for victory over God's enemies, the Turks, and infidels. All which argue suficient authority, both for the institution and augmentation of this festivity. Which although it had his original at the first from that of St. Paul. 1. Tim. 2. 1. Tim. 2. where he exhorteth supplications, prayers, thanksgivings, intercessions, to be made for kings, & for all that are in authority: Especially seeing we had attained to that end proposed by the Apostle, namely by reason of her majesties reign to have liberty to lead a peaceable and quiet life in all godliness & honesty: Yet for as much as since that time it hath been confirmed by the consent and approbation of the magistrate, and by note in the Calendar, and by special prayers appointed for it, I see no reason, Caluino ●…irc. l. 2. c. 18. but an high measure of malice only, in Reynolds in his Caluine-T●●es to liken it to the increase & progress of that Idolatry mentioned in the 14. of Wisdom ver. 14.15.16. Where the father made an image for his dead son, and worshipped it as a God, and ordained ceremonies and sacrifices, which grew to a custom in process of time, & was made a law; except peradventure he think that there is only a progress in sin & not in virtue, as in their societies from slander to libeling: a progress in Idolatry, as in their Churches from an Image to an Idol, from an Idol to all heathenish ceremonies & superstitions, but no progress in true religion either inwardly from faith to faith, & from grace to grace, or outwardly from less to more worship, from fewer to more devour and religious ceremonies, which I have observed before to have been the course of God's Church, both in the old and new Testament. To conclude this point. If the particular Church of England had authority in Queen Mary's days to appoint two solemn & anniversary Masses to be yearly celebrated in St. Mary's, the one on the 18. of February being the Nativity of Queen Marie, & the other on the first of October, on which she was crowned, at which Masses the whole University should be present from the beginning to the end, and there devoutly pray for the good estate of the King and the Queen, and for the peace of this their grace's Realm, and moreover appointed two solemn processions upon the same days being matters of greater solemnity than now we use in these our meetings: I doubt not to affirm that the particular Church of England hath also authority sufficient to institute, if so it please, the celebration of the Nativity, and inauguration of her excellent Majesty, with public sermons, common prayers, & thanksgiving for her godly & peaceable reign, & the unspeakable blessing received by her, the chosen instrument of God for our good. The other accusation is against the manner of solemnizing it, Saunders. with ringing, and bonfires, and anthims, and sermons, and feastings, not only solemnly, but solennissimè most solemnly, as though it were preferred before Easter and Christmas, the blessed memorial of our Saviour Christ. But may it please you to understand that one feast or holiday is said to be more solemn or greater than another for many causes. Because we abstain more from work in it, then in any other; in this sense the Sabbath among the jews, was more solemn than other feasts. Now forasmuch as no man is forbidden bodily labour this day, which they are on Sundays and other great Festivities, therefore you see that in this respect it is inferior to them. Secondly one feast was more solemn than another, because more ceremonies were used in it than in others: thus though the Sabbath were absolutely the chief feast of the jews, yet in this respect without prejudice to the honour of the Sabbath, every feast among the jews was greater than the Sabbath, in as much as they had all more ceremonies belonging to them by the law of Moses: to grant then that we had more ceremonies in the divine service this day then on Christmas day, doth not argue this solemnity greater than it. Thirdly one feast was more solemn than another, Because more assembled together for the celebration of the feast: thus the three feasts of Easter, Whit-suntide, and the Tabernacles, in which all the people were bound to ascend up to offer sacrifice in the Temple of jerusalem, were counted greater than the Sabbath, and all other feasts. Now forasmuch as no man is forced by law to this solemnity, and few solemnize it but the better sort of the people, & masters of families, in this respect it is inferior to the Sabbath & other our solemn feasts, to which all men with their families by law are forced to resort. Lastly one feast was more solemn than another, Because it was celebrated with greater magnificence and jot: thus the celebration of the Passeover was most famous in the time of king josias, who when he had purged the land from all Idolatry, celebrated the Passeover so magnificently, that the like was not done, A diebus judicum qui iudicaverunt Israel. 4. Reg. 23. from the days of the judges which judged Israel, and in this respect for the joy and magnificence which is used in it, this day which now we celebrate is a most solemn day, like the day mentioned in my text, the very end of the institution of it being, exultare & latari in ea, to rejoice both inwardly and outwardly in it, which is the last point I intend to speak of. If this than be the end of the institution of this solemnity, laetari & exultare in ea to rejoice and be glad in it, that is, gaudere in domino vehementer, as S. Paul saith, Phil. 4. Phil. 4. to rejoice in the Lord greatly gaudere in domino non in dono, to rejoice in the Lord, not in the gift: that is, Non propter donum finaliter, sedde dono materialiter, not finally for the gift, but materially of the gift, & it be done in the highest degree: both inwardly, delectatione voluntatis in bono acquisito in the gladness of the mind for the good gotten in this great blessing which we now remember: and outwardly, per redundationem in exultatione, that is in extrasaltatione, quia ab anima in corpus salit, in abundance of joy, when the delight of our soul doth as it were leap forth into our body, so that we do every one in particular protest with the Prophet David, Psal. 84. Cor meum & caro mea exultaverunt in Deum vivum, both my heart inwardly, & my flesh outwardly have rejoiced in the living God, and that in the highest degree, with all readiness and alacrity, even to dancing as David did when the Ark was brought home, or to melodious music as in this Psalm in the day of his inauguration; seeing it is a rule, Facientes ex gaudio faciunt sicut facientes exhabitu, those that do any thing in joy do it as if it were done by habit, and facility: what prejudice I beseech you is this to our most Christian solemnities, which are soleuniores in many other and greater respects? Psal. 73. Wherefore whosoever thou be Priest or jesuite which sayest in thy heart, Quie scere faciamus festivitates eorum à terra, as the wickedman in the Psalm, let us take away their feasts and solemnities, from the face of the earth, either by our treason on her majesties person, or invasion of her country, or by libels and undermining sophisms, take heed what you do, Non est iocandum cum dijs, It is ill jesting with Gods, Princes are the Gods of the earth, God's immediate lieutenants, to whom he hath imparted his name, and vouchsafed them a great part of his external worship it is ill jesting with them: to scoff, or to rail at them, to libel against them or their subjects, either for their allegiance, or religious duties to God in their behalf, is against that notable rule in the law of God, Exod. 22. Principi populi non maledices, thou shalt not revile the prince of the people. He that curseth his Father or Mother, much more he that curseth the father of his country, the Crows of the valleys will pluck out his eyes, his flesh shall be food for the fowls of the air: God himself who hath placed them in his seat to govern the earth and the provinces of it, will defend them with many guards, even as the apple of an eye is defended: it is not flying into foreign countries that can deliver you from your allegiance, or from punishment due for the violating of it. Coelum non hominem mutant qui trans mare currunt, you may fly beyond the seas from the natural air of your native country, but not from yourselves, nor your natural allegiance, no (as I may say) from that natural, or rather supernatural vengeance which attendeth on you: for God either putteth a hook in your nostrils and brings you back again the same way you went to suffer condign punishment for these lewd and most unchristian practices; or you perish miserably like runagates and vagabonds, or exiled malefactors in a foreign country. But to pass over this sort of malicious cavillers (because I hope and verily think that not any one ill affected doth hear me this day, howsoever we be slandered by our mother's children, that we swarm with Papists, that we fall away daily in great multitudes, that our chief divines whom some note under the name of Formalists, are ready to join both heart and hand with them, to the incredible encouragement of all sorts of Romanistes, and to the dishonour of her majesties government, the discredit of this Christian society, the disparagement of their own judgements and discretion, who wound to the heart that religion they pretend to defend: of which upon farther occasion surely we will hereafter have further discourse. To pass over this & come to ourselves, let us embrace as we have begun the example of this people in the inauguration of king David, and this good counsel of the Apostle, 2 Pet. 2. Deum timete, Regem honorate, fear God, and honour the king; honour him in thy heart, honour him with thy hands and substance, honour him with thy tongue: practise no disloyalty, speak no disloyalty, think no disloyalty, no not in thy least thought, in thy secret chamber; for besides that the fowls of the air will bewray it, and the clouds of thy discontented countenance discover it, as I told you of late, there is ever a progress in sin, it never stands still, it stands not at one stay, but passeth secretly from evil thoughts to ill words, and from ill words to fowl actions, and then it is ripe and calleth for his punishment. And surely God is very jealous of the honour of Princes, and lest we should in any sort despise them and be disobedient unto them, because we be all made of one mould of the earth, as the days of the year of one sun in the firmament, and therefore are all pares in esse naturae equal one to another in nature, that there might be a difference in esse merali in being, God honoureth Princes with his own name, so that they are called Gods, and Gods anointed, and the sons of the most high: he calleth them by his own name, and furnisheth them with divine and supernatural qualities. 1 Prov: 16: For there is divinatio in labijs regis, divination in the lips of the king, Prov. 16. so that they do often foresee, forespeak, 1: Sam. 10: and foretell things to come, and it is noted in the first kings that ever God instituted: for as soon as Samuel powered the viol of oil upon Saul he was changed into another man, and the spirit of God falling upon him he did prophecy among the Prophets: and as soon as David was anointed by Samuel the scripture saith, Directus est spiritus domini in David à die illa & deinceps, 1. Sam: 16: 1. Sam. 16. The spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forwards: and when Caiphas who was the high Priest sitting in the Consistory said, Expedit quod unus moriatur pro populo, It is expedient that one should die for the people, he said not that of himself, saith the text, sed cum erat pontifex ill us anni prophetavit, but in that he was the high Priest that year he did prophecy. Secondly, there is a certain depth in the heart of a king. 2 Prov. 25. Which none can seek out, even higher than the heaven, & deeper than the earth. Prov. 25. Thirdly, they have gifts of healing incurable diseases, 3 which are miraculous and above nature, so that when Vespasian was seen to perform such a cure, the people concluded he should be Emperor as Tacitus notes. Tacitus. Fourthly, 4 they have power absolute without limitation accountable only to God for their actions. Fifthly they have authority to bless their dutiful and loyal subjects, and they are blessed: 5 & authority to curse their subjects disobedient, & they are cursed with temporal curse, as I could prove both by reason and examples out of the scriptures if the time would permit. And as God is jealous of their honour, so much more of their safeties, and therefore he sets a guard of Angels about them. He keepeth them as the apple of his eye; Psal. 17. He hides them under the shadow of his wings: he will not have them touched, Touch not my anointed, Psalm. 105. Every touch with heart, with hand, with tongue, is treason laesa maiestas, the majesty of the Prince is wounded by it, and therefore David was sorry at the heart when he cut but the lap of Saules garment. 1. Sam. 24.6. Finally he revengeth their wrongs before his own; treasons against them before blasphemies against himself propter bonum universi for the good of mankind; and more severely than his own with temporal punishment. If I should instance in these gifts and graces wherewithal God hath plentifully endowed her excellent majesty, and stand to amplify the wonderful depth of the wisdom of her heart, evident to her Counsel in her most weighty affairs, to her subjects generally in her divine speeches at every parliament, to us in particular in her excellent orations beyond admiration and imitation: or this gift of prophecy, as I may call it, whereby she hath foreseen, foretold, and, if I may so say, forespoken that which an ordinary wisdom could not imagine: or her manifold blessings on well deserving subjects, confirmed as it may seem, by God to them and their posterity, if they walk in loyalty and true obedience: or the supernatural cures of weak diseased people, amounting to the number of three or four hundred a year: or the divine providence of God in defending her as the apple of his eye, from so many treasons, conspiracies, rebellions at home & abroad; it might be thought by some of the maligners of this festivity, that I stand more upon the praises of my earthly mistress, then upon the honour and glory of my heavenly Lord and Master. Wherefore leaving these things to your particular considerations, let us conclude with that other part of St. Paul's counsel, with honouring praising & magnifying God the auctor and preserver of this great blessing: & because no ceremony was ever more acceptable to him then oblation and sacrifice, and sacrificia legalia sacrifices of the Law be abrogated, let us offer to him our spiritual sacrifice. First our alms, the works of mercy & charity, which is the oblation of our temporal substance; & St. Paul calls it Hostiam acceptam & placentem Deo, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing unto God. Phil. 4. Phil. 4. Secondly the humbling and mortifying of our bodies, which is the oblation of our corporal substance, Rom. 12. & St. Paul calls it. Rom. 12. Hostiam vinentem, sanctam, Deo placentem, a living sacrifice holy and pleasing unto God. Thirdly our devotions in praising and magnifying God for this admirable blessing; which is the oblation of our spiritual substance, Heb. 13. and St. Paul calls it Heb. 13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sacrifice of praise, and interprete it, the fruit of their lips which confess his name: and Ose, Ose: the calves of our lips, and our Prophet, Psal. 26, Hostiam vociferationis, and Lyra, hostiam iubilationis, that is, the sacrifice of thanksgiving and joy. To conclude, as her excellent Majesty with the Prophet David in this Psal. cries out in remembrance of God's benefits in his miraculous preserving her so many years from so many dangers, Non moriar sed vivam I shall not die but live, ut narrem opera domini, that I may declare the works of the Lord. As we with the Priests in this Psalm do benedicere populo ex domo dei, bless the people of the house of God, celebrating his benignity saying, Deus dominus, & illuxit nobis, God is our Lord, and hath as this day enlightened us with the light of the Gospel, and as it is in the old translation, do constituere diem solennem in condensis, so that the people of God come together in densitate plebis, as Lyra calls it, in great abundance, and usque ad cernua altaris, so that the Church is filled even to the doors. So let all good subjects join with this people in celebrating this day, and sing Haec est dies quam fecit dominus, exultemus & latemur in ea, This is the day which the Lord hath made let us rejoice and be glad therein. O domine da salutem, O domine da prosperitatem, O Lord send her salvation, O Lord send her prosperity: Non moriatur sed vivat, let her not die but live, that she may declare thy wondrous works to many generations: that we solemnizing many of these days to the glory of thy name, and comfort and joy of our own hearts, may after this triumphing, triumph and rejoice with thee in body and soul in thy everlasting kingdom: through jesus Christ our Lord: to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all power honour and glory both now and ever. Amen. FINIS.