This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will reioice and be glad in it. PSAL. 118.24.

THis Psalme is a Psalme of thanksgiving,
which David song vnto God,
when hee was first invested into his
kingdome, and translated the Arke
of the Lord from the house of Obed
Edom, 2. King. 6. with melody and
musicke and greate festivitie; in
which he not only exhorteth all me~
in a generalitie to praise God, & in specialitie both Iewes
and Gentiles, such as were after the spirit borne of the seed
of Abraham, and detested Idolatrie as Abraham did: but
actually bringeth in himselfe, ver. 17. the people in this
verse, and the Priests in the 26. verse, glorifying God for
these great blessings.
The king both privately alone, and publikely in the co~gregation,
prepareth himselfe to this thanksgiving, acknowledging
Gods iustice in humbling him, his mercy in
preserving him in the daies of Saule who fought his life,
and his bounty in investing him into his kingdom, saying,
ver. 22. The stone which the builders refused is now become
the head stone in the corner. I who was reiected by Saule
and his princes, am now inaugurated into the kingdome.
Which though it be here an historical confession, is notwithstanding
a prophetical revelation of the kingdome of

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Christ. Matth. 5. Act. 2. 1. Pet. 2.
The people provoked by their kings example answere
him, This is the Lords doing and it is wonderfull in our eies.
And exhort one another to the celebration of that day in
which God had wroughte 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, wee will reioice and be glad in it; and then
doe pray for the continuance and long life of their prince
and his prosperity, O domine da salutem, o domine da prosperitatem.
O Lord giue health, giue salvation, O Lord giue
prosperitie vnto our king.
Finally the Priests seeing this harmonie and consent in
the people, blesse them for it, wish them good lucke, acknowledge
that great light and blessing to be given of God, and
exhorte them to that publike ceremoniall service of God
which was vsed in those times. Binde your sacrifices with
cordes even to the hornes of the altar.
These words which I haue read vnto you for my text,
haue bin heretofore applied by the fathers of the church,
sometimes to the celebration of the Nativity, sometimes
to the celebration of the resurrectio~ to Christ; as wel they
may be, this Psalme being figuratiuely and spiritually applied
to him, as appeareth by manie places of scripture:
but I am to take it this day litterally of the inthronising of
David, being the day consecrated to the glory of God for
the inauguration of our blessed Soveraigne into this kingdome.
In which words I obserue the institution of a festival
day, and therein, First the occasion of the Institution,
which are Gods blessings extraordinary, cowched vnder
these words: This is the day which the Lord hath made.
Secondly, the author of the Institution: king David. Thirdly,
the End or vse of it; wherein I note an external ioy, Exaltemus,
Let vs reioice: and an internal, Latemur in ea, let vs
be glad in it.
First for the Institution and occasion of it. It is certaine
that al daies were first made and created by God; hee
made the first day, and the second, and the third & the seaventh,
and placed in the firmament a great light, namelie
the sunne, which by his presence or absence without al respect
distinguisheth daies from nights, and one day from
another. Neverthelesse though God be the auctor of the~
al, yet hee hath put a difference and distinction betweene
them, and is said more especially to haue made one then
another more especially the Sabboth and holy-day, then
the ordinary day appointed for labour: Propter opera privilegiat
a quæ fecit in eis, for certaine excellent and priviledged
workes which he hath done in it.
And this is noted by the wise sonne of Siraeh Cap. 33.
Who graunting a distinction of daies, but demaunding a
reason of it, putteth this question. Why doth one day excell
another seeing the light of the daies of the yeare that is the
life of them comes of the sunne. & he maketh this answer:
The knowledge of the Lord hath parted them a sunder, &
he hath disposed by them the times & the solemne feasts:
some of them he hath put among the daies to number, &
some of them hath he chosen & sanctified, & exalted vnto
feastes: that is, some are festival as the Passeouer, Pentecost,
feast of Tabernacles &c. and some are numerall, the
first or second of this or that moneth.
For God hath dealt with daies as with men: for me~ are
al of the ground, and Adam was created out of the earth,
but the Lord hath distinguished the~ by great knowledge,
& made their waies & reputations diverse: some of them

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hath he blessed and exalted, as kinges and princes: & some
of them he hath sanctified, and appropriated to himselfe,
as Prophets and Priestes: but some hee hath cursed and
brought lowe, and put them in meane estate, and place of
base calling.
Now the meanes which God vseth in advancing some
daies before their fellowes, which are made of the same
mettal and substance with them, is some excellent worke,
some admirable blessing performed in them, sometimes
generally to al 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 &
conditio~ of the blessing or benefite, is the quality of them.
For some are such, Quæ tota per universum orbe~ frequentas
ecclesia, which the whole church throughout the whole
world doth frequent: some are vsed in this country, in that
kingdome. Some are festiuitates magnæ, high festival
daies: and some are called the lower feastes.
That general & admirable benefit which was done to al
ma~kind by the creatio~ of man, & the whole world for ma~s
sake, is offered perpetually to the memory of al mankind
by the institutio~ of the Sabboth, which although the heathen
in truth scorned, as appeareth, Iuuenal: Sat. 14. Quidam
foriti metuentem Sabbata patrem &c. yet the whole
world ought now, and no doubt in the beginning even before
Moses law did obserue it, being a part of the decalog,
and consequently in some sort of the law of nature it selfe.
And therefore that of Iob 3.4. Dies ille vertatur intenebras,
non requirat eam Deus de super, St. Chrysostome interpreteth.
Let not God make an holy-day of it. Non diem
illam tanquam suam vendicet dominus, let not the Lord account
it as his day; & learned interpreters vpon that place
observe, Antiquos patres in lege Natureæ, forte etiam lobum,
Sabbatizasse: That the auncient fathers vnder the Law of
nature and peradventure Iob himselfe, observed the Sabboth.
That general and admirable benefite of our redemption
which was sufficient for the whole world, but efficient
to al the elect of God, as it ought so it hath beene time out
of mind celebreated in the feasts of the Conception, Nativity,
Circu~cision, Passion, Resurrection and Ascension of
Christ by the whole Church of God, dispersed farre and
neere over the face of the earth, to the honor of God with
praiers and thankesgiving for the special benefits particularly
called to minde and acknowledged vppon those solemne
daies. Wherefore Erasmus did not onely absurdly,
when he vilified those feasts, and falsely when he said Nullus
veteram facit vllam festimentionem, No ancient writer
maketh mention of any feast, though cunningly he season
it with Quantum memini As far as I remember; but he
did amisse also in assigning the reason of the Institution of
our Sunday or Dominical day, saying, Diem dominicu~ probabili
causa maiores nostros festum esse voluisse, vt populus
conveniret ad audiendum sermonem Evangelij That our
forefathers were willing to haue the Lords day a feast for
a probable or reasonable cause, that the people might assemble
togither to heare the word of the Gospel preached.
For that is not the onely end, or chiefe end of the Institution
of the Lords day, much lesse of other feastes, seeing
God is not onely or chiefely 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 worshippe
of God consisteth especially in praying and thanksgiving

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giving, and is a vertue morall, & not intellectual. Therfore
to despise, as manie do, or neglect as most do cultum latria,
and gad vp & downe to heare the word preached, as
they cal it, is not onely against the lawes of this land, the
statutes of our colledges, but against the chiefe Institutio~
of the Lords day.
Yet wel-fare the wisedome and discretion of our great
grandfathers of blessed memory, the saints of the primitiue
Church, who provided that vpon the festival daies,
the course of the Litargie, the Gospell, and Epistle,
the Homile, or Sermon shoulde so bee ordered, that all
shoulde tende to the memorie of that blessing, wherevnto
that day was sanctified, that so God might bee blessed and
magnified for them.
Beloued Christians were any one of those excelle~t fathers
aliue, what thinke you would he saie, Quid diceret, aut quid
non faceret, nay what would he not do, if he should see the
Synagogues of the Iews where Moses was read, more frequented
vpo~ the three solemne feasts of Easter Pentecost,
& the Tabernacles, then the temple of Ierusalem whither
by the law al ought at those times to resorte to offer vp sacrifice
vnto God: If he should see Oratoria turned into Auditoria,
Churches into Schooles, our people desiring rather
to be NoValue knowers, then Seraphim, hot & zealous,
crying with the Angels, holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hoasts:
our Sabbothes and Festivities not spent nor anie part of
them, in cultu latriæ, in the divine seruice of God, but in
hearing an exercise as some call it; where sometimes the
houre is consumed, Nihil dicendo in speaking neuer a wise
word, sometimes aliud dicendo in speaking from the daie,
from the season, from the text, and sometimes Male dicendo,
in speaking ill, and flaundring their private governours
or publike magistrates.
But I proceed. Not only the forenamed feasts & such
like which are called by the Divines, 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. Imperative: by Vlpian
and other Civilians Extraordinariæ: by certaine Canonists
Repentinæ, which are particular to divers nations, &
celebrated to the memoriall of Gods particular blessings
bestowed on them. Such are they wherein great Kings &
Monarches haue either Lucis auspicia as the Civilians cal
them the daie of their birth; or Ortus imperij the beginning
of their Raigne. The one is the solemnization of their
Nativity: the other, the inauguration into their kingdom:
such a one is this here mentioned in my text, instituted to
the honor of God, for the great blessing that befel the Iews
when David first tooke possession of the kingdome: and
such a one is this wee celebrate this day throughout our
land, to giue thankes to God for the happy raigne of our
Soveraigne Princesse.
Finally, we may co~clude of al Christian feasts whether
general to the whole Church, or particular to any nation,
as Abulensis doth of the feastes of the Iewes, Omnia festa
quæ Deus instituit observanda a Iudæis, fiebant ad recordationem
beneficiorum eius, All feasts which God appointed
the Iewes to obserue were kept for a remembrance of his
benefits, except only the feast of Propitiation, Quod fiebat
ad remissionem peccatorum, which was helde for remission
of sinnes.
But heere ariseth a doubt, whether Kings and Princes
now, or David himselfe heretofore did wel and religiously
to honor and glorifie God for this blessing of his inauguration,
or anie temporal happines, seeing we must loue &
honor God Propter seipsum & quia summe bonus est, for
himselfe and because he is chiefly good, and not especially
for those benefits he giveth vnto vs.
For every temporall benefite is lesse then infinite, but
his goodnesse is infinite, therefore his goodnes should rather
cause vs to loue and honour him, then his benefites:
therefore though poore simple people may honour God
for his benefites receiued, and in hope to receiue more,
yet David being a Saint and a Prophet, a ma~ of great perfections,
should haue honored God propter Deum, because
he was God, and not because hee possest him of the kingdome.
The aunswere in this scarsitie of time must bee briefe:
wherfore I say that a man is bou~d to loue & honor God in
that degree in which he honoreth him, that is, cultu latriæ
with divine worship, because he is God not because he
is his benefactour: wherfore if it were possible, as it is not,
that any man or other creature could bestow all these benefits
that God hath vouchsafed vs, yet wee ought not to
honor him with divine worship with which we honor God
nay so to do were impious Idolatrie; Againe if it were possible,
as it is not, that God neuer had, nor euer could benefite
or blesse vs, yet we were bound to honor him cultu latriæ
with divine worship: and there is no doubt David &
other princes honoured God cultu latriæ with divine worshippe
solum quia Deus est, no~ propter beneficia accepta, only
because he is God, not for the benefites they haue from
him.
But because this latria divine worshippe is not totaliter
determinata namely to these or those ceremonies to these
or those times: and men in this worlde cannot bestowe al
times vpon it, therefore cultus latria the divine worship
or honor is done vnto God, Quis Deus est, because he
is God: but vpon this day or that day, & in this or that ma~ner,
Quia benefactor, because he is our benefactour. 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 obserue in the Institutio~ is the Author
of this feast or holy daie. This is the day which the Lord
hath made; which we are not to vnderstand as though God
himselfe had instituted this festivitie; for these words note
not the Author, but the occasion of the Institution: the
Lorde who makes al daies is saide to make this specialiter,
propter privilegiata opera quæ fecit in ea; Huge Card. Specially,
for the priviledged workes which he did in that day,
Propter salutem quam dedit populo & principi: Glossa interlin:
for the safetie he gaue to prince and people: Propter
bonum quod in illia contigit: Lyra. For the good which befel
that daie: but the Author of this institution was David
himselfe. God gaue the occasion, David the institution.
But because there is a question made eue~ in these daies,
co~cerning the authority of instituting holy daies both vnder
the olde and newe Testament, both among Iewes and
Christians, some affirming that in the old law all were instituted
by God himselfe, or by his commaundement 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, therfore
al are vnlawful for want of authoritie in the institution,
or institutors of them: may it please you to giue, mee
leaue to deliver vnto you, of necessitie verie briefly, who
haue beene the Authors of feasts and holy daies in both

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those times, to both those people.
First by the commaundement of God himselfe by the
mouth of Moses were instituted in the old law, the Sabboth
in remembrance of the creation of the world: The
Passeover in remembrance of the deliveraunce of the first
borne: The Pentecost in remembrance of the lawe which
was giuen: the feast of the sound of trumpets, as some saie
for the deliverance of Isaac, but more probably propter
liberationem a servitute quæ inter Israelitas fiebat, for the
deliverance from that servitude which was usuall among
the Israelites, every seve~th yeare: the feast of Tabernacles,
in remembrance that they lived in Tabernacles in the desert:
The feast of Propitiation for remission of sinnes. The
feast of vnleavened bread Quod exierant de Ægypto in magno timore
& celeritate, for that they came out of Ægypt in
great feare & hast: not hauing leisure to leauen the lumpe.
These are al called festivitates regulares, regular, ordinaria,
ordinarie, confuetæ vsual, and were instituted and
ordained by the commandement of God himselfe. Others
there were which were called voluntariæ, instituted by
the will and commaundement of the Magistrates vpon
some iust and reasonable cause: which though they had
their institution from the wil & pleasure of the governor,
are no part of wil worship NoValue, a word much
mistaken among many being not co~tra legem Dei against
the law of God, but secundum analogiam logis, according
to the analogy of the law, nonbrought in at the pleasure of
private fancies without al authoritie.
Such a one was the feast of the dedication of the Temple
called Festum Encæniorum, which was constituted in
remembrance of the reedifying of the Temple vnder Zotobabel:
this is mentioned, Ioan. 10. Facta sunt Encænia

10

& hyems 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 fortium,
the feast of lots, or Festum Mardochai, Mardochæus
his feast, when by the meanes of Hester and Mardochæus
the Iewes were delivered from the slaughter of Haman, &
it is mentioned in the booke of Hester.
Such a one was the feast of Purification, when Iudas &
they that were with him purified the Temple which the
Gentiles before had polluted. Which feast the Hebrewes
cal Cassen, of this in the 2. Mac. 1.
And finally such a one was Festum ignis the feast of fire,
instituted by the Iewes after they came from the captivitie
of Bablyon, & found the fire of the alter which lay hid
in a pit or well 70. yeares and was turned into thicke and
grosse water, to be kindled againe, & with the flame thereof
to consume the sacrifice vpon the Alter, 2. Mach. 1.
Morouer the Iewes did not only adde to the number
of the feasts instituted by Moses, but they augmented the
solemnitie of certaine of those feasts which Moses appointed.
For whereas Dies Calendarum or Neomeniæ the first
day of the month or feast of new Moones, was appointed
only for sacrifice vnto God, Propter beneficium gubernationis,
and not mentioned in the 23. of Levit. where are named
al the solemne festivities: yet the Iewes out of their
devotion ad augmentandum cultum divinum for the encrease
of the service of God did appoint that the Calends
or Neomeniæ should bee Vacativa ab opere: not only to
offer sacrifice in, but in which they should abstaine from al
servile labour, and so made it an holy day and great solemnitie.

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To this solemnity it was brought in Davids time: Ps. 81
Buccinate in Neomenia tuba, insigni die solennitatis vestra,
Blow vp the trumpet in the new moone: &c. now no
day was insignis, notable, except is were free from labour:
for then every other festiuitie had beene more famous.
And it seemeth to haue bin thus solemnely vsed in Elizeus
his time, to whom whe~ the Shunamite woman went
for her dead sonne, her husband said to her: Quam ob causam
vadis ad eam hodie, non sun Calendæ nec sabbathu~. 4.
Reg. 4. Why doest thou goe vnto him, this day is neither
the Cale~ds nor the Sabboth; which argues that they were
freed from labour, because her husband insinuated that
shee should goe vpon a day when he might bee at leasure
from his buisines: making in that respect a similitude betweene
the Calends and Sabboth.
And it was observed till the time of S. Austine among
the Iewes, and so in al probability till now: for S. Austine
by way of reproofe saith of the Iewish women in his time
Fæminæ Hebræoru~ melius nere~t, vel aliquid operis facere~t,
quam in Neamenijs suis impudice saltarent. The Hebrew
women were better spinne, or doe any worke, then immodestly
daunce in their new moones. so that this seemeth to
be a true rule which the Divines putt Non licebat Iudeis
diminuere festivitates quas Deus posuerat, licebat tame~ eas
augmentare. The Iewes might not lessen those feastes
which God had appointed them, yet notwithstanding it
was lawful for them to augment them.
Now for the newe Testament, the Legislator himselfe
Christ Iesus instituted no holiday: for in his life time hee
did not abrogate the lawe of Moses, but observed those
feastes: neither did the Apostles vntil such time as the law
of Moses being deade, it might be buried honestly: for
the Christian religion had not so many ceremonies nor
holidaies, neither was it convenient that it should, in the
cradle, as it had in the strength and ful age of it: as also the
people of Israel in their infancie 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.
Nevertheles in the Apostles times, as appeareth in the
new testament, the Lords day our Sunday was instituted
in reme~brance of the resurrection of our Saviour Christ:
and S. Austine ascribeth most of the greater festivities to
the authority of the Apostles or general cou~sels: ad Ianuar:
but Ambrose vpon Luke nameth the Pe~tecost or Whitsunday
to haue bin observed by S. Paule himselfe. Apud Ephesios
Paulus Pentecosten celebrat, relaxat animam, quia fidei
cernebat ardore feruentes, Paule kept the Pentecost among
the Ephesians, and enlarged his heart, because he
saw them fervent in the zeale of faith. It is not probable
that he kept the Iewes Penticost among the heathen converted
to Christ.
St. Austine Ser. 130. de tempore, notes that St. Paul did
insinuate the celebration of the Passion of our Saviour. 1.
Cor. 5. saying Magister gentium docet propter crincem annua
festa constitus, epulemur inquis non in fermento veteri,
The maister of the Gentiles teacheth that annual feastes
must be appointed for the passion, and faith that we must
feast but not in the olde leaven; and saith he, adijciens causam
agendæ folennitatis, ait gnoniam paschæ nostrum pro
nobis immolatus est Christum, yeelding a reason why wee
keepe a solemnity, because our Passeover Christ hath bin
offered for vs. And St. Origen who was not long from the

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Apostles times, speaking against Celsus of holidaies, saith
Dies festos, Dominicos, Parasceves, & Pe~tecostes vnusquis3
fidelis celebrat, Every faithful ma~ celebrateth, holidaies,
the feast of the Passion & Pentecost.
In the times of St Augustine, which are within the co~passe
of the pure primitiue church these solemnities were
multiplied, & not only the feasts of the Apostles celebrated,
but of many Martyres, as of St Cyprian, St. Laure~ce,
and Sixtus the Martyr. vpon the 72. Psal. & the 27. tract
super. Ioan. and thus farre nothing amisse, til the Calender
being overcharged with false and counterfeite popish
saints, we reduced it to the compasse of our most auncient
and Christian festiuities.
Al which festivities notwithstanding this reformation
haue found their enemies, and oppugning arguments, as
also this daie which now we celebrate.
The former haue two sorts of adversaries and those opposite
and in extremities, for some are prophane in abrogating
them, some superstitious in the observation of the~.
Of the former sort were those prophane Petrobusiani of
whom we read of in St. Bernardes life, and our late Anabaptistes,
who hold that these holidaies are NoValue,
that no man hath, nor ever had, since Moses auctority to
institute them in the old testament, nor in the new except
the Apostles, who instituted, as they say, the Sunday only,
and affirme moreover that al festival daies belo~g to the ceremonial
law of Moses, & therfore ought not to be amo~g
Christians, seeing the ceremonies of the old law were fulfilled
by Christ, and so consequently abrogated: never co~sidering
that we vse many ceremonials which were in the
law of Moses, and abrogated also, sed non ex vi legis Mosaica,
sed ex ratione legis, but not by the vertue or force of
Moses his law, but only in regard of the reason therof; and
many feasts not in remembrance of the blessings done to
the Iewes, but by Christ vnto Christians.
The textes they alleadge are these. Coloss. 2. 16. Let no
man iudge you in meate or drinke, or in the part of an holyday:
you obserue daies and moneths, and yeares, I feare you
least I haue laboured in vaine amongst you, Gal. 4.10. Alius
indicat inter diem & diem, alius iudicat omne~ diem, Rom 14.
5. Some iudge betwixte day and day, and some call into iudgement
every day. But the first and the last are referred to the
feasts of Iewes, & the second to the solemnities of the
Gentiles, as appeareth by the natural course of those texts
and the exposition of the fathers vpon those places:
But we haue for the warrant of our holydaies, first exemplum
legis Mosaicæ, the example of Moses his law, which
is alleadged by them that are learned for one reason why
our Saviour Christ did institute none: then Rationem legis
Mosaicæ, the reason of Moses his lawe, to wit, a remembrance
of Gods blessings. And thirdly, the practise and authoritie
of Christ his Church, since his comming, fourthly,
the promise of Christ, If two or three hee gathered togither
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 praiers shoulde enforce his mercy. And
lastly, the counsel of the Apostle, 1. Cor.4. Omnia decenter
& ordine fiant, Everything must be done decently and in order.
But what order or decencie would be found, if everie
man should serue God at his owne pleasure, at his owne
time, after his owne manner.
They who are superstitious in observing of holydaies
are of two sorts; for either they obserue superstitious feasts
or obserue the true feasts superstitiously.
Of the former sort are the Papists who obserue the memory
of so many fabulous and ridiculous Saints, whose
Legends are the scoffe and scorne of the world.
And also the old Ebionites, heretickes who taught that
Christians should obserue the feasts both of the olde and
new testament, both the Sabboth and the Lords daie also,
as appeareth, Euseb.hist.eccles.lib.3.cap.27. Which error
many would haue reviued in Saint Gregorie his time, as
appeareth, lib. 11. epist. 3. and they saie that the Christians
which now liue in Ethiopia obserue them both.
Now Saint Paule doth so manifestly crosse this opinion
of the Ebionites that they therfore refused his writings, &
termed him an Apostata, as Eusebius testifieth in the same
place, Epiphan. hær. 30. Iran.li.I.ca.26.
And yet the Centuriatores Magdeburgenses doe not
lie, as the Iesuits falslie charge them, when they saie Apostolam
Paulum indifferenter observasse Sabbatha & dominicam,
that the Apostle Paule did indifferentlie obserue
both the Sabboth and the Lords day; for so he did a long
time; for the Apostles are noted in the first times after
Christ, Indaizare & Sabbatizare to be a Iew to a Iew, and
a Christian to a Gentile, to winne both.
That Saint Paule ovserved the Sabboth appeareth in
the 13. of the Acts, where Paule and Barnabas are said to
enter into the Singagogue vpon the Sabboth day. In the same
place they entreate the Gentiles that the next Sabboth they
might preach to them, and Saint Paule disputed three Sabboths
as Thessalonica. Act. 16.
That hee likewise obserued the Lordes daie, appeareth
Act. 20. where it is saide that the brethren came together,
vno Sabbathorum, id est, die Dominica, ad frangendum pane~
vpo~ the first day of the Sabboth, that is, the Lords day, to
breake bread: for in a fewe of the first yeares the Apostles
observed certaine ceremonial lawes of Moses because of
the weake brethren among the Iewes, as thinges indifferent,
and became Iewes to the Iewes to gaine the Iewes:
but when the obstinate Iewes and false brethren required
the obseruation of the lawe 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. Paule reprooved St. Peter at Antioche when hee did
Indaizare in favour or feare of the false brethren Gal.2. &
taught that the law was so farre abrogated, that if any ma~
were circumcised, or observed other ceremonies of the
law as necessary to saluation, he could not be saued. Gal.5.
And this was the cause why the Ebionites called St.
Paule an Apostata because at the first he observed the ceremonies
of the law, and afterward refused them vtterly,
and preached against them.
They that ovserue the true feasts superstitiously are such
as doe Iudaizare, which wil see their neighbour perish before
they wil relieue him on the Sabboth day: such was he
even of this shire, who lately when his fathers ribbes were
broken would not ride for a bone-setter on the Sabboth
day: such a one was he who in my memory went out from
among vs, and preached in a market towne in this shire,
that it was a greater sin to doe servile opus in Sabbatho &
so to violate it, then to do murther or commit adultery:
because the commandement of keeping the Sabboth belonges
to the first table, and murther and adultery but to
the second.
But to speake briefely to the point for I haue far to goe
and little time to spend. The reason is of no force, but the
positio~s be pestelent: for the abstaining from Labour which

C

& but a ceremonie, is de iure humano, not de iure divino; and
therefore the violating of this commaundement in that
point is not so grievous a sinne, though it pertaine to the
first table, as murther and adultery, which is against Gods
expresse law in the second table.
For may it please you in a worde to vnderstand that in
the co~mandement of keeping the Sabboth, there is somewhat
moral, and somewhat ceremonial.
It is ceremonial that the Sabboth should be on this or
that day, and therfore it is changed to the Sunday.
The quantity of observing it is ceremonial, as to abstaine
from al labour, from dressing our meate, and kindling
our fire Exod.35. this also is ceased: we being not so
streightned in our feasts as the Iewes were. 3. It is ceremonial
that for one whole day or 24. howers wee should abstain
fro~ labor. 4. It is ceremonial that this should once be
done in every seaven daies. These two last ceremonies are
not changed in Christianity because they had no special
signification: those two former were cha~ged, Quia umbra
erant faturorum because they were figures of thinges to
come, and when the truth came the figures did vanish.
It is moral that some time shuold be allowed to the service
of God, that we might reme~ber his benefits & magnifie
his holy name: to breake this law which is de iure diuino,
that is, to dedicate no time to the service of God, is
worse then adultery, worse the~ murther, but to breake the
ceremonies of it, which are de iure humano, is not so great
a sinne as murther or adultery which are of the second table,
& de iure divino, against the expresse law of God himselfe.
Nowe 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, learnedly,
and largely, I shal neede to say the lesse; yet thus much
briefely. That Reynolds, Sanders, Stapleton and the rest of
the rigide and salt humored Papists take exception especially
against two points in this Sole~nity: the first is at the
Institutio~, as if it were without auctority for that it is now
amo~g our solemnities we wil not deny: the second against
the manner of solemnizing it, as though we preferred it
before the feastes of our Sauiour Christ.
For the former, that the magnistrate hath had both auctority
and practise of instituting holidaies vpon extraordinary
occasio~s of Gods blessings, hath bin proved both by
the examples vnder the Law, and vnder the Gospel.
That the Iewes poterant quotidie instituere festiuitates
quaru~ obseruatio dararet singulis annis, vel fieret salum semel,
might daily institute holidaies the observation whereof
might either continue every yeare or onely be held once, is Abulensis
assertion. 1. Paral. sap. 16. 4. 14. That they appointed
annual, you haue heard before vnder Mardecheus, Nehemias,
Indas Machabeus, that they augmented in ceremonies
some yeare more then other the feasts appointed
in the lawe, appeareth both in Eldras time when the
feast of Tabernacles was so royally solemnized that it is
said Non feceru~t a diebus Iosua filij [N*] talia filii Israel
vsq3 ad diem illum 2. Esa. 8. The children of Israell never
did such things, no not from the daies of Ioshua the sonne of
Nun vnto that day: and Iosias celebrated such a Passeover
in the 18. yeare of his raigne when he had purged the Te~ple
of the Idols. Quale non fuet at actum a temporibus Iudicum
Isralitarum vsq3 ad Iesium.4.Reg.23 as had act beene
from the times of the Iudges of Israel vnto Iesius. That they
appointed such as are called by the Civilians Regentina,

C 2

instituted for once vpon a suddeine occasion, appeareth
by David who while the Arke was in his house faciebat
omnes dies solennes propter honorem Arcæ, saltem ad observationem
ceremoniaru~, made every day a solemne day for
the honour of the arke, at the least concerning the observation
of ceremonies. Abulens. and solemnisied the daie
of his inauguration into his kingdome in this Psal.
That the Christia~ magistrate hath at least as much authority
in constituting newe festivities, and augmenting
the olde, as the Iewes had, cannot with any probability be
denied. They not only appointed the feastes which concerne
our redemption, but the memorials of the Apostles,
& some holy Martyres. Constantine held a feast for ioy of
the setling of the Gospel & Christianity in his time: Other
Emperors celebrated auspicia lucis, the day of their birth:
other Ortum imperij, the beginning of their raigne: other
festiuitates repentinas Iuddeine feastes, vpo~ ioy for victorie
over Gods enemies, the Turkes, and infidels. Al which
argue suficient auctority, both for the institution and augmentation
of this festivity.
Which although it had his original at the first fro~ that
of St. Paule. 1. Tim. 2. where he exhorteth supplications,
praiers, thankesgivings, intercessions, to be made for kings
& for all that are in auctority: Especially seeing we had attained
to that end proposed by the Apostle, namely, by
reason of her Maiesties raigne to haue liberty to leade a
peaceable and quiet life in all godlines & honesty: Yet for asmuch
as since that time it hath bin confirmed by the consent
and approbation of the magistrate, and by note in the
Calender, and by special praiers appointed for it, I see no
reason, but an high measure of malice only, in Reynolds in
his [illegible] Times to liken it to the encrease & progresse of
that Idolatrie mentioned in the 14. of Wisedome ver. 14.
15. 16. Where the father made an image for his dead son,
and worshipped it as a God, an ordained ceremonies, and sacrafices,
which grewe to a custome in processe of time, & was
made a law; except peradventure he thinke that there is
onely a progresse in sinne & not in virtue, as in their societies
from slaunder to libelling: a progresse in Idolatry, as in
their Churches from an Image to an Idol, from an Idol to
al heathenish ceremonies & superstitio~s, but no progresse
in true religion either inwardly from faith to fatih, & fro~
grace to grace, or outwardly from lesse to more worship,
from fewer to more devous and religious ceremonies,
which I haue observed before to haue beene the course of
Gods Church, both in the olde and new Testament.
To conclude this pointe. If the particular Church of
England had auctority in Queene Maries daies to appoint
two solemne & Anniversarie Masses to be yerely celebrated
in St. Maries, the one on the 18. of Februarie beeing
the Nativity of Queene Marie, & the other on the first of
October, on which she was crowned, at which Masses, the
whole Vniversity should bee present from the beginning
to the end, and there devoutly pray for the good estate of
the King and the Queene, and for the peace of this their graces
Realme, and moreover appointed two solemne processions
vpon the same daies being matters of greater solemnity
then now we vse in these our meetings: I doubt not to
affirme that the particular Church of England hath also
auctority sufficient to institute, if so it please, the celebration
of the Nativity, and inauguration of her excellent Maiestie,
with publike sermons, common praiers, &thankesgiving
for her godly & peaceable raigne, & the vnspeakeable
blessing received by her, the chosen instrument of

C 3

God for our good.
The other accusation is against the manner of solemnizing
it, with ringing, and bonfires, and anthims, and
sermons, and feastings, not onely solemnely, but [solennisf*]
most solemnely, as though it were preferred before Easter
and Christmas, the blessed memorials of our Saviour
Christ.
But may it please you to vnderstand that one feast or
holiday is said to be more solemne or greater then another
for many causes.
1 Because we abstaine more from worke in it, then in anie
other, in this sense the Sabboth among the Iews, was more
solemne then other feasts. Nowe forasmuch as no man is
forbidden bodilie labor this daie, which they are on Sundaies
and other great Festivities, therefore you see that in
this respect it is inferiour to them.
2 Secondly one feast was more solemne then another,
because more ceremonies were vsed in it the~ in others: thus
though the Sabboth were absolutely the chiefe feast of
the Iewes, yet in this resepct without preiudice to the honor
of the Sabboth, every feast among the Iews was greater
then the Sabboth, in as much as they had al more ceremonies
belonging to them by the law of Moses: to graunt
then that wee had more ceremonies in the divine service
this day then on Christmas day, doth not argue this sole~nitie
greater then it.
3 Thirdly one feast was more solemne the~ another, Because
more assembled togither for the celebratio~ of the feast: thus
the three feasts of Easter, Whit-suntide, and the tabernacles,
in which al the people were bou~d to ascend vp to offer
sacrifice in the Temple of Ierusale~, were cou~ted greater
then the Sabboth, and al other feasts. Now forasmuch
as no man is forced by law to this solemnity, and fewe solemnize
it but the better sorte of the people, & masters of
families, in this respect it is inferiour to the Sabboth & other
our solemne feastes, to which al men with their families
by law are forced to resort.
4 Lastly one feast was more solemne then another, Because
it was celebreated with greater magnificence and ioie:
thus the celebration of the Passeover was most famous in
the time of king Iofias, who when he had purged the land
from al Idolatry, celebrated the Passeover so magnificently,
that the like was not done, A diebus Indicum qui indicaverunt
Israel. 4. Reg. 23. from the daies of the Iudges which
iudged Israell, and in this respect for the ioy and magnificence
which is vsed in it, this day which now we celebrate
is a most solemne day, like the day mentioned in my texte,
the verie end of the institution of it being, exultare & latari
in ea, to reioice both inwardlie and outwardlie in it,
which is the last point I intende to speake of.
If this then be the end of the institution of this solemnitie,
lætari & exultare in ea to reioice and be glad in it, that
is, gaudere in domino vehementer, as S. Paule saith, Phil.4.
to reioice in the Lord greatly: gaudere in domino non in dono,
to reioice in the Lord, not in the gift: that is Non propter
donum finaliter, sed de dono materialiter, not finallie for
the gift, but materially of the gift, & it be done in the highest
degree: both inwardly, debectatione voluntatis in bono
acquisito in the gladnes of the minde for the good gotten
in this great blessing which we now remember: and outwardly,
per redundationem in exaltatione, that is in extrasaltatione,
quia ab anima in corpus salit, in abundance of
ioy, when the delight of our soule doth as it were leap forth
into our body, so that we doe every one in particular protest
with the Prophet David, Cor meum & caro mea exultaverunt
in Deum vivu~, both my hart inwardly, & my flesh
outwardly haue reioiced in the living of God, and that in the
hightest degree, with al readines and alacritie, eve~ to dancing
as David did when the Arke was brought home, or
to melodious musicke as in this Psalme in the day of his
inauguration; seeing it is a rule, Facientes ex gaudio faciu~t
sicut facientes ex habitu, those that doe any thing in ioie
doe it as if it were done by habit, and facilitie: what preiudice
I beseech you is this to our most Christian solemnities,
which are solemniores in many other and greater respectes?
Wherefore whosoever thou be Priest or Iesuite which
saiest in thy hart, Quiescere faciamus festivitates corum a
terra, as the wicked man in the Psalme, let vs take away
their feasts and solemnities, from the face of the earth, either
by our treason on her Maiesties person, or invasion of
her country, or by libels and vndermining sophismes, take
heede what you doe, Non est iocandum cum dijs, It is ill iesting
with Gods, Princes are the Gods of the earth, Gods
immediate lieutenants, to whom hee hath imparted his
name, and vouchsafed them a great parte of his externall
worship it is ill iesting with them: to scoffe, or to raile at
them, to libell against the~ or their subiects, either for their
allegeance, or religious dueties to God in their behalfe, is against
that notable rule in the law of God, Principi populi
non maledices, thou shalte not revile the prince of the people.
He that curseth his Father or mother, much more hee
that curseth the father of his cuntry, the Crowes of the
vallies will plucke out his eies, his flesh shall be foode for
the fowles of the aire: God himselfe who hath placed the~
in his seat to governe the earth and the provinces of it, wil
defende them with many guardes, even as the apple of an
eie is defended: it is not flying into forraine countries that
can deliver you from your alleagiance, or from punishment
due for the violating of it. Cœlum non hominem mutant
qui trans mare currunt, you may flie beyond the seas
from the natural aire of your natiue cou~try, but not from
your selues, nor your natural alleagiance, no as I may say
from that natural, or rather supernatural ve~geance which
attendeth on you: for God either putteth a hooke in your
nostrels and brings you backe againe the same way you
went to suffer condigne punishment for these lewde and
most vnchristian practises; or you perish miserably like
runagates and vagabonds, or exiled malefactours in a forraine
countrey.
But to passe over this sort of malitious cavillers because
I hope and verily thinke that not any one ill affected
doth heare me this day, howsoever we be slandred by our
mothers children, that we swarme with Papists, that wee
fall away dayly in great multitudes, that our chiefe divines
whom some note vnder the name of Formalists, are ready
to ioine both heart and hand with them, to the incredible
incouragement of all sortes of Romanistes, and to the dishonour
of her Maiesties government, the discredit of this
Christian societie, the disparagement of their own iudgements
and discretion, who wound to the heart that religion
they pretend to defend: of which vpon farther occasio~
surely we will hereafter haue further discourse. To passe
ouer this & come to our selues, let vs embrace as wee haue
begun the example of this people in the inauguration of
king David, and this good counsel of the Apostle, Deum
timete, Regem honorate, feare God, and honor the king; honor
him in thy heart, honor him with thy handes and substance,

D

honor him with thy tongue: practise no disloialtie,
speake no disloialty, thinke no disloialty, no not in thy least
thought, in thy secret chamber; for besides that the fowles
of the aire will bewraie it, and the clowdes of thy discontented
countenance discover it, as I told you of late, there
is ever a progresse in sinne, it neuer stands stil, it stands not
at one stay, but passeth secretly from evill thoughts to ill
wordes, and from ill words to fowle actions, and then it is
ripe and calleth for his punishment.
And surelie God is verie iealous of the honour of Princes,
and least we should in anie sorte despise them and bee
disobedient vnto them, because wee be all made of one
mould of the earth, as the daies of the yeare of one sunne
in the firmament, and therefore are all pares in esse naturæ
equall one to another in nature, that there might be a difference
in esse merali in civile being, God honoreth Princes
with his owne name, so that they are called Gods, and
Gods annointed, and the sonnes of the most high: he calleth
them by his owne name, and furnisheth them with divine
and supernatural qualities.
For there is divinatio in labijs regis, divination in the
lips of the king, Prov. 16. so that they do often foresee, forespeake,
and foretell things to come, and it is noted in the
first kings that ever God instituted: for as soone as Samuell
powted the viol of oile vpon Saule he was changed into another
man, and the spirit, of God falling vpon him hee did
prophecie among the Prophets: and as soone as David
was annointed by Samuell the scripture saith, Directus est
spiritus domini in David a die illa & deinceps, 1. Sam. 16.
The spirite of the Lorde came vpon David from that daie
forwardes: and when Caiphas who was the high Priest fitting
in the Consistorie saide, Expedit quod vnus moriatur

26

propopulo, It is expedient that one should die for the people,
he said not that of himselfe, saith the text, sed cum erat
po~tifex illus anni prophetavit, but in that he was the high
Priest that yeare he did prophecie.
Secondly, there is a certaine depth in the hart of a king.
Which none can seeke out, even higher then the heaven, &
deeper then the earth. Prov. 25.
Thirdly, they haue gifts of healing incureable diseases,
which are miraculous and aboue nature, so that when Vespasian
was seene to performe such a cure, the people co~cluded
he should be Emperour as Tacitus notes.
Fourthly, they haue power absolute without limitation
accountable only to God for their actions.
Fifthly they haue authoritie to blesse their dutifull and
loyall subiects, and they are blessed: & authoritie to curse
their subiects disobedient, & they are cursed with temporal
curse, as I could prooue both by reason and examples
out of the scriptures if the time would permit.
And as God is iealous of their honour, so much more of
their safeties, and therefore he sets a guarde of Angels
about them. He keepeth them as the apple of his eie; Psal. 17.
He hides them vnder the shaddow of his wings: he will not
haue them touched, Touch not my annointed, Psalm. 105.
Everie touch with hart, with hand, with tongue, is treason
lesæ maiestas, the maiestie of the Prince is wounded by it,
and therfore David was sorrie at the hart when he cut but
the lap of Saules garment. 1. Sam. 24. 6.
Finally he revengeth their wrongs before his own; treasons
against the~ before blaspehmies against himselfe propter
bonam uniuersi for the good of mankind; and more severely
then his owne with temporal punishment.
If I should instaunce in these giftes and graces wherewithal

D 2

God hath plentifully endowed her excellent maiestie,
and stand to amplifie the wonderful depth of the wisdome
of her hart, evide~t to her Cou~sel in her most weightie
affaires, to her subiects generally in her divine speaches
at every parliament, to vs in particular in her excellent orations
beyond admiration and imitation: or this gifte of
prophecie, as I may call it, whereby shee hath foreseene,
foretold, and, if I may so saie, forespoken that which an ordinarie
wisdome could not imagine: or her manifold blessings
on well deserving subiectes, confirmed as it may
seeme, by God to them and their posterity, if they walke in
loialtie and true obedience: or the supernatural cures of
weake diseased people, amounting to the number of three
or foure hundred a yeare: or the divine provide~ce of God
in defending her as the apple of his eie, from so many treasons,
conspiracies, rebellions at home & abroade; it might
be thought by some of the maligners of this festivity, that
I stand more vpon the praises of my earthly mistres, then
vpon the honor and glory of my heavenly Lorde and Master.
Wherfore leaving these things to your particular co~sideratio~s,
let vs conclude with that other part of St. Paules
cou~sel, with honoring 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 Lawe
be abrogated, let vs offer to him our spiritual sacrifice.
First our almes, the workes of mercie & charity, which
is the oblation of our temporal substa~ce; & St. Paule calles
it Hostiam acceptam & placentem Deo, a sacrifice acceptable
and pleasing vnto God. Phil.4.
Secondly the humbling and mortifying of our bodies,
which is the oblation of our corporal substance, & St. Paul
calles it. Rom. 12. Hostiam vinentem, sactam, Deo placentem,
a living sacrifice holy and pleasing vnto God.
Thirdly our devotions in praising and magnifying God
for this admirable blessing; which is the oblation of our
spiritual substance, and St. Paule calles it Heb.13 NoValue
the sacrifice of praise, and interpretes it, the fruit of
their lippes which confesse his name: and Ose, the calues of
our lippes, and our Prophet Psal. 26, Hostiam vociferationu
and Lyra, hostiam inbilationis, that is, the sacrifice of
thankesgiving and ioy.
To conclude, as her excellent Maiestie with the Prophet
David in this Psal. cries out in remembra~ce of Gods
benefites in his miraculous preserving her so many yeares
from so many dangers, Non moriar sed vivam I shal not
die but liue, vt narre~ opera domini, that I may declare the
workes of the Lord.
As we with the Priestes in this Psalme doe benedicere
populo ex domo dei, blesse the people of the house of God, celebrating
his benignity saying, Deus dominus, & illuxit nobis,
God is our Lord, and hath as this day illightened vs with
the light of the Gospel, and as it is in the olde translation,
doe constituere diem solennem in condensis, so that the people
of God come togither in densitate plebis, as Lyra cals it,
in great abundance, and vsq3 ad cernua altaris, so that the
Church is filled even to the doores.
So let al good subiects ioyne with this people in celebrating
this day, and sing Hæc est dies quam fecit dominus,
exultemus & latemur in ea, This is the day which the Lord
hath made let vs reioyce 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,

D 3

let her not die but liue, that shee may declare thy wonderous
workes to many generations: that wee solemnizing
many of these daies to the glory of thy name, and comfort
and ioy of our owne harts, may after this triumphing, trivmph
and reioyce with thee in body and soule in thy everlasting
kingdome: through Iesus Christ our Lord: to who~
with the Father and the holy Ghost be all power honour
and glory both now and ever. Amen.
FINIS.