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that Men fhould give the Tenth of their Increafe, Deut. 14. he forbad not Free Will Offerings; fo when he 22, 28. commanded one Day in feven to be kept Holy, this hinders not the Church from hallowing to God other Days of the fix: As the Church of the Jews, to whom the Commandment was given, did in the Dedication of the Temple, the Feast of Purim, &c.

Q. Is not the Church of England's fymbolizing with the Church of Rome, in hallowing of Days, an Objection against the Obfervation of them?

A. I apprehend it is not; becaufe Conformity to any Church in fuch Institutions as tend to promote Piety, and are agreeable to Scripture and primitive Antiquity, no way deferves Cenfure: Neither is the Church of Rome blameable for hallowing of Days, but for grafting upon them fuch erroneous and fuperftitious Practices as are unknown to Scripture, and to the pureft Ages of the Church: For which Reafon, and many more very fubftantial, we were forced to feparate from her Communion.

Q. But doth not the Abuse of Festivals to Intemperance and Luxury, make it neceffary to have them abolished?

A. I think this a very terrible Objection, fomewhat of the Nature of that of the fcandalous Lives of Chriftians against the Efficacy of the Chriftian Religion: But as that is an Objection not fo ftrong against Chriftianity, as it is fhameful to Chriftians; fo this perverting of Holy Seafons fhews only the greatest Depravity of Mankind, in turning their Food into Poifon; and no way reflects upon the Prudence and Piety of the Inftitution. For as they who

Heb.13.7.

are intemperately difpofed, do upon thefe Occafions turn Feafting, defign'd for Hofpitality and Charity, into Luxury and Excess; fo the fame Men treat the Lord's Day with as little Refpect, and make the Advantage of Reft and Leifure from their worldly Affairs only an Inftrument to promote their Pleasure and Diverfions. But I wifh Chriftians would lay this seriously to Heart, and retrieve the Honour of fuch Holy Seafons by the Exercises of Piety and Charity; left our fpiritual Governors fhould be forced to lay thefe Festivals afide, as it is certain the Ancient Church was to abolish even fome Apoftolical Rites, viz. the Agape and Kifs of Charity, through Mens obftinate Abufe

of them.

Q. Whence arofe thofe Festivals in the Primitive Church which were kept in Commemoration of Martyrs ?

A. This Practice feems to be founded upon the Exhortation of St. Paul to the Hebrews, who, to encourage them to Conftancy in the Faith, advises them to be mindful of their Bishops, and Governors, who had preached to them the Gofpel, and had fealed it with their Blood. Remember them, faith he, which have the Rule over you, who have spoken unto you the Word of God; whofe Faith follow, confidering the End of their Converfation. And it is not without Reafon that St. Paul is thought hereby chiefly to hint at the Martyrdom of St. James the Bishop of Jerufalem, who not long before had laid down. his Life for the Teftimony of Jefus. Hence proceeded the great Reverence People then had for those who fuffered for the Profeffion of Chriftianity, and laid down their Lives for the Con

firmation

firmation of it: Thus the Church of Smyrna pro- Eufeb. feffed they worthily loved the Martyrs, as the Hift. Lib. Difciples and Followers of our Lord; and because 4. c. 15. of their exceeding great Affection to their King and their Mafter. Upon this Account they thought it reafonable to do all poffible Honour to their Memories; partly that others might be encouraged to the fame Patience and Fortitude, and partly that Virtue, even in this World, might not lofe its Reward.

Q. How did they ufe to obferve thefe Feftivals.

A. They were wont once a Year to meet at the Graves of the Martyrs; there folemnly to recite their Sufferings and Triumphs, to praise their Virtues, to blefs God for their pious Examples, for their holy Lives, and their happy Deaths. Befides, they celebrated thefe Days with great Expreffions of Love and Charity to the Poor, and mutual Rejoicings with one another, which were very fober and temperate, and fuch as became the Modefty and Simplicity of Christians.

Q. Were thefe annual Solemnities early practifed in the Church?

A. It is certain they were very ancient, though when they first began is not exactly known. In the Ads of the Martyrdom of St. Ignatius, we A&t. Mart. find that those that were Eye-witneffes of his Ignat. Sufferings, for this Reafon publifh the Day of his Martyrdom, (which, according to learned Men, happened about the Year 110) that the Church of Anticch might meet together at that Time to celebrate the Memory of fuch a valiant Combat and Martyr of Christ. After this we read of the Church of Smyrna's giving an AcB 4

count

c. 15:

c. 3.

Eufeb. count of St. Polycarp's Martyrdom, (which was Hift. 1. 4. A. C. 168.) and of the Place where they had entombed his Bones, and withal profeffing, that they would affemble in that Place, and celebrate the Birth-Day of his Martyrdom with Joy and Gladness; both in Memory of what he fuffered, and for the Exercise and Preparation of those De Cor. that might hereafter fuffer. Tertullian, who is very careful in recounting the Practices of the Primitive Church, affirms, that Chriftians were wont to celebrate yearly the Days of the Martyrs Birth, that is, their Sufferings, as a Custom received from the Tradition of their Ancestors. De Vit. In Conftantine's Time these Days were commandCon.lib.4. ed to be obferved with great Care and Strictnefs; and it was thought a Piece of Prophanenefs to be abfent from the Meetings of the Ser. 353. Chriftians at fuch Times. And St. Augustine de temp. makes it a Character of a Son of the Church, to obferve the Festivals of the Church.

c. 23.

Q. Why did they call the Days of their Death their Birth-Days?

A. Because they looked upon those as the true Days of their Nativity, wherein they were freed from the Pains and Sorrows of a troublefome World, placed out of the reach of Sin and Temptation, delivered from this Valley of Tears, thefe Regions of Death and Mifery; and born again unto the Joys and Happiness of an endless Life, an Inheritance incorruptible, that fadeth

not away.

Q. How ought we to obferve the Festivals of the Church?

A. In fuch a Manner as may anfwer the Ends for which they were appointed: That God may be glorified by an humble and grateful Acknow

ledgment

ledgment of his Mercies and that the Salvation of our Souls may be advanced, by firmly believing the Mysteries of our Redemption; and by imitating the Example of those primitive Patterns of Piety that are set before us.

Q. What Manner of keeping thefe Days anfwers thefe Ends?

A. We should conftantly attend the Publick Worship, and partake of the Bleffed Sacrament, if it be adminiftred. In private we fhould enlarge our Devotions, and fuffer the Affairs of the World to interrupt us as little as may be. We should particularly exprefs our Rejoicing by Love and Charity to our poor Neighbours. If we commemorate any Mystery of our Redemption, or Article of our Faith, we ought to confirm our Belief of it, by confidering all thofe Reasons upon which it is built; that we may be able to give a good Account of the Hope that is in us. We fhould from our Hearts offer to God the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving, and refolve to perform all thofe Duties which refult from the Belief of fuch an Article. If we commemorate any Saint, we fhould confider the Virtues for which he was most eminent, and by what Steps he arrived at fo great Perfection; and then examine ourselves how far we are defective in our Duty, and earnestly beg God's Pardon for our past Failings, and his Grace to enable us to conform our Lives for the Time to come to those admirable Examples that are iet before us.

Q. What Command is there concerning the Manner of obferving Festivals under the Law?

A. That they should not appear before the Lord Deut. 16. empty. Every Man fhould give as he is able, &c, 16, 17. Wherein

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