The Gofpel of the Feaft of Tabernacles. 431 the four thoufandth Year, fome one, others two, others forty, others fifty Years ; yea there are that bring it down below the five thou- fandth Year, and fome below the fix thoufandth, yea near to the fevers thoufandth Year of theWorld. Yet muff all thefe things which are fo altogether uncertain, and left by God in fuch a Latitude, be punEtually determined, and taken for true and certain, if the grounds of this vulgar Opinion concerning Chrift's being Born on the five and twentieth of December, have any ftrength in them. A confideration this is which doth fufficiently fhew the non- cogency, invalidity and utter Weaknefs of that reafoning which force learned Men ufe from the Courfes of the Priefts to find out the Time of Chrift's Nativity; a way of reafoning it is which hath fo little of Evidence and Strength in it that feveral learned Men make ufe of it to eftablith their feveral different Opinions in this point. Some there are that do from hence argue for the five and twentieth of December. Another makes ufe of the fame way of arguing to prove, that Chrift was born on the fixth of 3anuary. Others take the fame courfe of arguing, to caft the Nativityof Chrift on the latter end of September or beginning of Ofl'ober And there is a very learned Man who ufeth the very fame way Of reafoning to prove the Birth of Chrift fell on the Ides, that is,. on the thirteenth of No- vember. An ingenious and elaborate way of arguing this molt be con- fefl'ed to be, in the making out the whole Contexture, whereof feve- ral Authors have Ibewn a great deal of ufeful Learning. But neverthelefs by what bath been briefly hinted, it is apparent, that there are fo many weak Parts and Uncertainties throughout the frame and contexture of the Argumentation, that the whole of it is rendred uncogent and unfatisfaetory to one that looks for firni and folid footing to build his Judgment on, from fuch ftrength of Reafon, . and clearnefs of Evidence, as may conftraitt affent.. Vfe. See the unrearrantablenefs of the Obfervation of there Feffivals a- nimaChriftians. The Pafhover is that we commonly call Eafter; Pen- tecoft is that we commonly call Whitfuntide; and for the Feaft of Ta- bernacles the Pope bath ordained Chriftmafr. If thefe Days were fha don's of good things to come, and that the Body is of Chrift, (as the Text is exprefs) then now the Subftance is come, thefe Shadows are ceafed and vanifhed away ; the Subftance being come, theShadowmuft needs fly away and vanifh. Moreover, thefe Feafts, thefe Days and Times, lince the abrogation of them, have not been attended and accompanied vvit the Bleffing of
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=