Catholic unity, or, The only way to bring us all to be of one…Catholick vnity, or, The only way to bring us all to be of one…

One instance more, Tomorrow is the day called Christmas day, and many days called Holy days do follow it; If you will but Read and Mark this Chapter, Rom. 14. I am persuaded it may prevent a great deal of sin, that many of you on both sides may be guilty of. Is it not a wonder that after so large and plain a decision by the Holy Ghost, as here you find, there should yet be any controversy among us about this Case? Do you take the word of God for your Rule or not? If you do, why then doth it not Rule you, and end the difference? Do you not read the Apostles words, ver. 14. [One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike: Let every man be fully persuaded in his ⟨p. 366⟩own mind.] If you were Papists that would say the Scripture is obscure, and therefore you must have a General Council, you could scarce devise how a Council should speak more plain then this. But nothing will serve some men, but their own wills. Dare you on the one side, despise your weak Brother now for esteeming •hese days above the rest? Why perhaps it is to God that he esteemeth it: and the ancient custom of the Church, and practice of many godly persons, do persuade him that it is right: And dare you on the other side condemn or reproach them that make not this difference of days as you do? If we are contented that you have your Liberty (which truly I would not deprive you of, if it were in my power) cannot you be contented that we have ours? There are three opinions about these Holy ⟨p. 367⟩days. 1. Some think the observance of them a necessary Religious Duty. 2. Some think the very outward observance to be an intolerable sin. 3. Some know that both these extremes are erroneous, and therefore they take the thing in it self to be indifferent, but as circumstances or accidents may make it Good or Evil: And these are in the right. They that are in the Middle can bear with others, but the other cannot bear with them, nor with each other. There is no proof that ever I saw, that the Church observed any of these days, of many hundred years after Christ. For the Clement, the Dionysius, the Cyprian that are cited for it, are known to be spurious. And it is unlikely that none of these would have been mentioned as well as the Lords day, if they had been then observed, when ⟨p. 368⟩