A Concise Argument Against Holy Days

by John Brown of Haddington, excerpted from A Compendius View of Natural and Revealed Religion (Reformation Heritage Books edition, 2002).

Men cannot, without sin, appoint any holy days. 1. God has marked the weekly sabbath with peculiar honour, in his command and word. But, if men appoint holy days, they detract from its honour: And wherever holy days of men's appointment are much observed, God's weekly sabbath is much profaned, Exodus 20:8; Ezekiel 43:8. 2. God never could have abolished his own ceremonial holy days, in order that men might appoint others in their room, Colossians 2:16-23; Galatians 4:10, 11. 3. God alone can bless holy days, and render them effectual to promote holy purposes; and we have no hint in his word, that he will bless any appointed by men, Exodus 20:11. 4. By permitting, if not requiring us to labour six days of the week in our worldly employments, this commandment excludes all holy days of men's appointment, Exodus 20:8, 9. If it permit six days for our worldly labour, we ought to stand fast in that liberty with which Christ hath made us free, Galatians 5:1; 1 Corinthians 7:23; Matthew 15:9. If it require them, we ought to obey God rather than men, Acts 4:19; 5:29. -- Days of occasional fasting and thanksgiving are generally marked out by the providences of God: And the observation of them does not suppose any holiness in the day itself, Joel 1:14; 2:15; Acts 13:2; 14:23; Matthew 9:15.