SInce the Mass is put down by the Supream Au­thority, and that Christ is no Masse-monger, It concerneth you (Noble Senators) not to keep Christs Masse falsely so called, for it is Antichrists Masse, and I think then it will appear that there are many Antichrists, and more Papists, besides Ro­man Catholiques; for they are Papists and Masse-mongers, who solemnize the Masse; or swear by it, as the Israelites of old by the sin of Samaria, or keep Chrismas (vulgarly so called) though they would be all counted Protestants.

If you say it's Christs time, tide, or birth-day, Wot you not, that Christs tide or time is the first day of every week? which well-informed Christi­ans observe from Even to Even, two and fifty times a year, still keeping in Remembrance the Lords birth, death and Resurrection; whereas Chrissmas comes but once a year, (as say the Masse-mongers themselves) onely there is ten dayes difference be­tween the old Style and the New; the Hollanders observing it ten dayes before the English; for Christ indeed foreseeing the vanity of the Gentiles, hath hid the day of his birth; so that all the Christians in the world cannot finde that time, more then the Jews the place of Moses Sepulchre.

Nevertheless the supream Sabbath, even the Lords day, the first day of the week, Joh. 20.1. rightly call­ed by the papists the Dominical day, in the Rhemish Testament, Rev. 1.10. is known throughout all Christendome; It is the day which God hath made, [Page 2] Psal. 118.24. a holy convocation, Lev. 23.7. a day of better acceptation, v. 11. the day of Christs resur­rection, Mar. 16. and of the holy Ghosts descension, Act. 2. (as is shew'd by Chidley in his book called the Evening Star,) this is the day wherein we are called to rejoyce, Psal. 118.24. & one day of solemn assem­bly in the Lords Courts, is better then a thousand, Psal, 84.10 & a thousand, then a thousand thousand.

And although our enemies (and the Hollanders) keep their Chrismas-day more solemnly then the Lords day, and profane the sacred time which God hath so highly honoured, yet the Apostle of the Gentiles, who had the minde of Christ, saith, Hence­forth know we no man after the flesh, yea though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more, 2 Cor. 5 16.

For if the day of Christs death were better then the day of his birth, how much more then his resurrection. St. Paul saith, If Christ be not risen, then is our preach­ing vain, and your faith is also vain. And again he saith, If Christ be not raised, your Faith is vain, ye are yet in your sins, 1 Cor. 15.14, 17.

Why then do the fleshly-minded Gentiles feed themselves with such fancies, of their own imagi­nations, and reproach others that will not dance with them about such Calves of invention? A foo­lish people! Who hath bewitched them? For they have not the true Christ neither do they serve him, but their own bellies; For Christ was not as they set him forth to be, He was no Mass-monger or bel­ly God, No drunkard: He wanted neither cards, dice nor Tables to play with, to pass away the time; nor Lord of mis-rule to take his place, He needed no [Page 3] new Games to make him merry, no Holly or Ivy to dress his windowes, nor Misletow to conjure his lo­vers, nor other toyes to please his fancy, or blind­folded fools, or Hot Cockle payers to make him sport, But was born in poverty, lived in afflicti­on, and died in distress; A man of sorrows, and ac­quainted with grief, as a worm and no man, Yet not without hope, for God had caused him to trust in him from his mothers womb; And though he was crucified through weakness, yet was he raised up with power, and made an high Priest, not after the law of a carnal Commandment, but after the pow­er of an endless life.

Therefore it is humbly desired by the well-affect­ed, That the Parliament would with great severity punish the profanation of the Lords day, & decree,

That no Chrismass-day, or such like fooleries, be set in the Almanacks, or observed.

That the names of Idols may be no more in re­membrance throughout the Dominions of the Common-wealth of England.

And it's also humbly desired, that the High and Mighty States of England would not adjourne, but sit all the idle time called Chrismass, in direct op­position to the vanity of the Gentiles who profess that they know God, but in works deny him.

Nevertheless it is in your Honours liberty, So that if any one bid you to a Feast, and ye be disposed to go, you may eat that which is set before you, ask­ing no question for conscience sake. But if any one say unto you, This or that is offered in sacrifice to an Idol (as the Mass is an abominable Idol) eat not, for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake, but rather feed with bread and water, Consider Daniel, and his fellowes, whose health and countenance in holy abstinence was well, and their wisdome transcend­ing all the wisest men in Babylon; and God delivered them from all their enemies, and he is able to deliver us. If we will seek for experi­ence the right way, we shall finde much of God in Jesus Christ, whilst Mass-mongers feed their bodies with Anti Chrismass-Pies, and famish their souls, and perish eternally, being without Christ the bread of life, which came down from heaven.

CHrismass-mongers are the worst sort of Christians; when Antichrismas comes, they shew themselves by their fruits, to be Christians in name, but Antichristians in nature; and their hearts not worth a halfpeny, (Prov. 10.20.) for they are the Popes Imps, Malignants in soul and flesh, polluted in lips and life.

Their Religion at the best is but like a thred-bare cloak out-worn, and their Conversation spotted by the flesh; they are not filled with grace, but with meat; Chrismass cheer is their charity, and their hope is in this life, and their faith no better then the faith of devils, who believe and tremble, Jam. 2.19.

They are often drunk with wine and strong drink, but never filled with the Spirit, but with the spirit of envie; their Hymns are carnal, not spiritual, unless spiritual wickednesses set up in their high places; Their songs are Chrismas Carols, not of the Lamb Christ; their contemplation is on their Cards, to play at 31. a fraction of Antichrist's number. They make use of Christ Jesus his name (chawing it in their mouth as common beggers do) for their private advantage, but care neither for him nor his substi­tutes here on earth, but for their Soveraign Lord their belly, that is their God, and their glory is their shame; shall not their end be destruction? for they are enemies to Jesus Christ, and minde earthly things, and make the devil their play-fellow. And yet these children of wrath will needs be called Christians, and fly unto Christ the Saviour of Saints, to rescue them from the wrath to come, without bringing forth fruits meet for repentance.

O thou earthly Protector and Parliament of England, not of Israel, Was not Sion called Sodome, because of the Crying sins therein, Pride, Idleness, Gluttony, and Cruelty? And now at such Massing times these abominations are cloked under the pretence of Chrismass.

What greater patcht impiety, and impurity then now? the Protestants mangle Christ with their minced Pies, the Papists like Caniballs eat him up, flesh, blood, bones and all, if they may be believed

For Chrismass sake, the Parliaments Orders have been con­temned, tumults raised, the Ten Commandments broken; Yea, the Thief will steal and rob his own father against Chrismass, though it cost him dear; and the poor will pawn all to the cloaths of their back, to provide Chrismass Pies for their be lies, and the broath of Abominable things in their vessels, though they starve or pine for it all the year after. Is not this religion rebellion, O ye rulers of this people? yea, it is so; And he that refraineth him­self from these evils, maketh himself a prey.