Sermon 17 November 1599, Apology · Part 2 · Answer 5
Anſwere.
I ſhould here enter into a great diſcourſe of the inſtitution of Holly daies in the Church, but that the diſcuſſing of that requireth a large volume, only giuegive me leaue (Chriſtian Reader) to touch ſome heads appertaining to this argument, that the materiallity of my anſwere may be better vnderſtoode.
Rabbi Kimh. Why the tabernacle was called oliel mogned.Holly daies in Hebrew are called Mognedim, gn…ſheroth, kagge, which words as they are in order ſpecified may thus be vnderſtood.
The firſt are Daies wherein faithfull people did come togither in aſſemblies, to teſtifie or witneſſe that they are the Lords people: namely to ſacrifice, to pray publikely, & to heare Gods word.
The ſecond ſignifieth a day of feſtivall ſolemnityes, which the Hebrewes expreſſely call a Retention: becauſe the people are forbiddē vponupon ſuch daies to do any work, and are admoniſhed ſacredlie to obſerue holie aſſemblies.
The 3. name is ſignified by the word Kaggei, and by the note of the word ſheweth his nature, tripudium agere, gandere, feſtum diem agere; to leape for ioye, to keepe a holy and feſtivall day: In diebus feſtis iucundè exerceri: Exod. c: 5: Levit: 23: Pſalm: 4: Eſdr: 3: Zach: 14: Genef: 2:vponupon holy daies to vſe feſtivall and pleaſant recreation. By this word holy daies are oftentimes expreſſed in the holy ſcripture of the olde teſtament.
To theſe I might adioyne the word Shabath vvhichwhich by nature being Hebrevv, by vſe is well-moſt become Engliſh, and ſignifieth, to leaue of vvorke, or, to reſt.
In Greeke the vſual word is foreign, although foreign &c. and other vvordes are vſed. For foreign (although the Etymologiſts may yeeld literally ſome other nominall derivation) I thinke that this beſt fitteth our ſenſe foreign. i.The worde foreign in Grecke vſed by Heſi… od Homer, and the beſt auncient Greeke (foreign) foreign: Becauſe by the inſtitution of holidaies, or by the exerciſe performed in them, many good bleſſings from aboue are by Almighty God powred vponupon man.
The vſual words in Latine are Feriae, Feſtidies: Holidaies, feſtivall daies in Engliſh: Feriae by the auncient Latins were termed a ferendis victimis, from bringing of ſacrifice on theſe daies. Otherwiſe alſo ferias antiqui feſt as vocabant, et aliae erant ſine die feſto, vt nundina; aliae cum feſto, quibus adiungebantur epulationes: They called there ferias, feſtas; and of them there were ſome which they did not keepe holy day, as there market daies and faires: others which they did celebrate and keepe holy, and herevnto were added there feaſtings and banquets. Pompei: Feſt: de verb: Signif Iſid lib: 5: Cap. 3:Iſidore defineth them in this ſort: Feriae a fando nuncupatae ſunt, quod in eis tempus ſit dictionis, i. vel in divino, vel in humano officio fart: ſed ex ijs feſti dies hominum cauſa inſtituti ſunt ſeriaeli cauſa divinorum ſacrerum. The Feriae are ſo called from speaking becauſe in them there is time of speaking and vttering any thing concerning either other worldly affaires, or duety towards God. … of theſe ſuch are appointed for holy daies as are only belonging vntounto divine ſervice, Dura l. 7 c. 17. Sect. 11. Iſid li 6. cap. 18. I ſpeak not of feaſts heare as Ie. iunia hauehave the name of feaſts.becauſe men ſhould wholy intend that. I om…e Durandus derivation of Feriae: rather that his deduction is ſome what improper and obſcure, and infer this. Feſtivitas dicta a feſtis diebus, quaſi feſtiditas, eò quòd in feſtivitatibus ſola res divina fit.
This being ſummarily touched concerning the words, Etymologies, definitions, or deſcriptions: I finde in all celebrity of holy daies theſe cauſes Efficient, Materiall, Formall, and Finall. The Efficient cauſes of all holy daies is the firſt ordainer of them. The Materiall and Formall cauſe the times and Actions preſcribed to theſe daies ordained. The finall cauſe Gods glory, mans good. To theſe cauſes may be adioined certaine properties tending to the diſcerning of them to vsus iſſuing out of ſome of the species of the cauſes before mentioned: Amongſt the profeſſors of the people that embrace and profeſſe true religion onelyonly God is the author and ordainer of all holy-daies, or his Spirit in his Miniſters,Exod 20 Levit 23. Ier. 16.23. Levit …9 3 Gen. 1 2 2. Gen ….1. Math. 5. V… …. C… L… … Conrad … I…ā. Hier ab Oleaſt. Ly. a…n glo Aben. Ezra. piro. Prophetes, Apoſtles, and Churches as it appeareth, whereſoever the feſtivals of the old teſtament are ſpecified, or any effectuall inſinuation of thē, ever Gods authority is interpoſed, either explicite, that is, expreſſely, or implicite, that is, covertly and ſecretly, as the Schoole men affirme. Exod. 20. GOD spake theſe words: Remēber that thou keepe holy the Sabaoth day &c. The Lord spake vntounto Moyſes &c. Sabbata mea &c. In the inſtitution onelyonly by conſequent and example God one…y ordaineth feſtivities and holy-daies: God the 7. day reſted frō b…vorke which he hade made, and bleſſed the 7. day, and hallowed. The words delivered in that mood of Hebrew inforce that ſignification: that God ſanctified the Sabaoth for mans …, according to that ſaying that Sabaoth vvas made for man: for God hath no need of reſt, who ſtill worketh in Creation, & Preſervation, according to his will,Dominus lanctificavit diem Sabbati vt animae ſuſciperent incrementum eo die magis quam alijs diebus. as in the 5. of Iohn our Saviour ſaith: Pater meus operatur vſque adhuc, et ego operor: My Father worketh vntill now, and I worke. But onelyonly this is to be applied vntounto vsus: Sanctificavit Sabbatum. i. Sanctum et celebre eſſe voluit. i. Obſervari inſtituit, ſibi conſecravit. i. Ceteros operū exercitio deputans, illum ſuo cultui mancipavit. He ſanctified the Sabaoth, that is, he would hauehave it to be a ſolemne & ſacred meeting; that is, he appointed it to be obſerued and conſecrated vntounto his owne vſe: aſſigning other daies for mens buyſineſſe and affaires hee applied this vntounto his vvorſhippe and ſervice.
If queſtion be made heere of the feaſtes mentioned in Heſter, Eſther. 1. 2. Chro. 30.the chang of the celebrity of the feaſt of the Paſſover by king Ezechias, or any other feaſt demonſtrated in bookes Canonicall: I anſwere, that the ordainers and alterers of theſe feaſts did it vpō ſure teſtimony of the holie Ghoſt (for many governours and teachers of the church thē liued) as the Prophets, Eſdras, Heſter, Stapletons arg. hereby confuted in his prin. doct. lib 12. con. 7. c. 4. Ianus Numa Pōp. Orpheus. Hercules.Mardocheus who had an infallible teſtimony and ſeale thereof immediatly from God.
The Heathens in their Idolatry and apiſh imitation ever had their feſtivalls ordained and ordered by the inventors of their deviliſh ſuperſtition.
The Materiall and Formall grounde of Holy-daies are ſuch times, workes Morall, Evangelicall ceremoniall &c. as are deſigned to thoſe daies, & preſcribed by authority ſpecified.