Preached upon Candlemas day [Probably 1626/7]

              preached upon candlemas day probably 16267 MAT 58 5.8 58 blessedare BLES BLESSED SEDARE aee ARE dee THE PURE IN HEART FOR THEY SHALL SEE GOD lie lle IIF I IF CHURCH which is the daughter of god and spouse of THE Tchristcelebratesthisdaythepurificationoftheblessed virgin the mother of god and she celebrates this day by the name vulgarly of Candlen candlemas ws day it is dies luminari luminarium luminarism um the day of lights the church took the occasion of doing so from the gen- tiles at this time of the yeare beare about the beginning of february they celebrated the feast of februus Fe bruus which is their pluto and because that was the god of darknesse darknesse they solemnized solemnizer it with a multiplicity of lights the church of god in the outward and ceremoniall ceremonially part of his worship did not disdain the ceremonies of the gentiles men who are so severe as to condemne condemned and to remove from the church whatsoever was in use amongst the gentiles before may before they are aware become surveyors and controllers upon christ himself in the institution of his greatest seales scales for baptisme baptiste Baptisme which is the sacra- ment of purification by washing in water and the very sacrament of the supper it self religious eating and drinking in the temple were in use amongst the gentiles too it is a perverse way rather to abolish things and names for vehement zeale will work upon names as well as things because they have been abused then to reduce them to their riright 0ht use we dealt in the reformation of religion as christ did in the institution thereof he found ceremonies amongst the gentiles and he took them in not because he found them there but because the gentiles had received them from the jews as they had their washings and their religious meetings to eat cat and drink in the 1