Rejoyce not with joy as other people

Rejoyce not with joy as other people.

Secondly, therefore do not rejoyce as they do in their idolatrous festivities. Dancing and many ways of jollity that they had in their idolatrous feasts; we must not imitate idolaters in their triumphs. This was the sin of many in the primitive times, because they were come new out of Heathenism, they would turn the Heathenish feasts into Christian feasts, and Heathenish customs whereby they were wont before to honor their idol gods into the custom of Christians, to honor Christ in the same way; and they thought this was very good, that whereas before they did honor idol gods, now they thought if they did but turn this to honor Jesus Christ they thought this would be acceptable. No, this was a great sin, and brought a great deal of evil into the Christian world, and we do to this day suffer in that way; if do tender our respects to God, though it be in the same way that idolaters do to their idols, we think we do well: and indeed, here's the original of keeping this time, both of your Christmas and New-years-day, it is but the changing of them from the keeping of the Heathenish time, to the honor of Christ, and of the saints. I remember this time two years, through mere providence that Scripture came in our way, I will take away their solemn feasts. And there I showed how these came instead of the Heathenish times. Now says the Holy Ghost here, Rejoyce not as other people do, do not you imitate them, they have their idolatrous feasts, but do not you as they do. We must not take liberty to imitate Heathens and idolaters in their worship, though we think to tender our respects to God thereby.