Sermon 17 November 1599, Apology · Part 2 · Section 9
The Finall endes of all Holly daies are theſe.
Secundum ScripturāHollydaies are Daies
1 Dedicated to Gods ſervice and glory.
2 Figuring the ſtate of the new teſtament & the ſtate of future reſt.
3 Intermitt…ent of all bodily labour.
4 Serving for the recreation of the minde weakened by bodily labour.
5 Serving to excellent workes of charity.
6 For diſtinction of times and ſeaſons.
7 Sacramentally ſeperating Gods people frō all people not comprehended in Gods covenant by their obſervation.Numeri…o. Geneſ 1. Let thē bee for ſignes & …eaſons and daies and yeares. Vide…un. Annot. in B. b. Trem. Cap 1. Gen Auſtine againſt Seneca. de civit Dei. Mans labor without Gods bleſſing nothing availeth. Seneca auſtere Sto… cal humor: Vide Lu…h. in 2. Geneſ. Sabbat Le… ſcripta in …de foreign, Iuſtine Martyr Apol. 2. foreign, &c Vin: Lyren con: Haer: catholicum eſt quod vbi que , quod ſēper, quod ab omnibus creditū eſt. Vniverſalis tradit Aug ad Ian: vt ſup: Naz. 2. foreign, &c.
The properties of Hollydaies which were noted were theſe in Moyſes law: The ſounding of trumpets, The Calends of the moone, The diſtinction Planetary and Zodiacal inſtituted by God in the motion of the ſignes abo…e, as it is in the worke of the 4. day, and ſuch like. Of our ſignes now adaies more (God willing) hereafter.
Obſerue herein the chiefe and moſt eminent ends concerning the inſtitution of holly daies to be principally two 1. Their dedication to Gods glory: and 2. in morality in the law of nature their deſignement to mans reſt: whereby S. Auſten had iuſt cauſe to reproue Seneca for affirming that the Iewes loſt the 7. part of the benefites of their life by obſerving each 7. day holy, & by obſervatiō of each 7. year holy &c. Since from the beginning God ordained this lawe to mans good, in preſcribing every 7. day to be a day of reſt for man: and in imprinting the morallity of this lawe in the hart of man in his creation for his recreation and refreſhing.
Now if any man ſhall heere demaund, Wherefore the Saba…th is obſerued in the New teſtament, and, Who altered that day from the Iewes 7. day, to that which we cal Diem Dominicum or the Lordes day: or, What authority the Church had to ordaine Holly daies, ſince there is no expreſſe mention of this change, ſince the obſervation of al holly daies is only of Gods inſtitution, and is contained eſſentially vnderunder the firſt Table of the lawe of God given by Moſes. To theſe interrogatories: I anſwere briefly in this ſort.
Concerning the obſervation of the Sabaoth day, as it is now vſually called by the Apoſtle, foreign: in other places of ſcripture foreign, that is to ſay, The Lords day, the firſt of the Sabbaoths, although there bee no expreſſe place in words ſhewing the alteration or tranſlation of it from the Iewes Sabboth to that day wherein it is now celebrated yet by the practiſe of that Church (as it may bee out of theſe places collected Apoc. 1.1. Cor. 16.2. Act. 20.7.) and by the practiſe of the Church immediatly ſucceeding the church of the Apoſtles (as it appeareth by Iuſtin. Martyr: in his apollogy) and by the continuall practiſe and example of the vniverſall Church frō thence to theſe times: and by that rule of Nazianzen before cited out of his booke, foreign, that is, of the holy Ghoſt, without all contradiction & gaine-ſaying it is demonſtratiuely and infallibly in my iudgement confirmed, that the obſervation of the Lords day, commōly called our Sabaoth day, is a ſacred tradition originally Apoſtolike, pregnantly to be proued out of the holy ſcriptures, obſerued ſacredly in the Primitiue Church, ſince continued and obſerued by continual preſcription and practiſe to our daies. The obſervatiō of which day I doubt whether the church can now alter to any other day: yet herein I ſubmit my iudgement to the Church.
By this I affirme, that it is invincibly proved againſt all gaine ſaiers, that the obſervation of our Sabaoth is only of God, by the infallible teſtimony of his ſpirite demonſtrated, by practiſe in the primitiue Church in preſcripte and tradition Apoſtolike. This opinion though divers Catholikes now in priſon hauehave contradicted, affirming that the inſtitution of the Lords day or Sabaoth, according to the day as it is now obſerued, was ſome hundred yeares originally afterwardes preſcribed by the Church without immediat Apoſtolike warrant,Eccl. Annal tom 1 pag. 610. 611. Ann. C. 58. Nic. Conc. Canon. 20. Aug. de tem ſer 25. yet ſhal they find this ſentēce cōfirmed throughly by Cardinal Baronius in theſe words: Prima feria praestātiſſimis inſignita myſterus dies Dominica meruit apellari Dominica dies in …pſo exordio naſcen…is eccleſiae obſer vari capta eſt ab Apoſtolis &c. Non ab alijs quam al ipſis Apoſtolis ſtatutum fuiſſe diem Dominicam obſervari (cum factum reperiatur Apoſtolorum temporibus) omnes qui mente …aleant dicturos putamus. The firſt holy day, as being adorned & beawtified with moſt excellēt myſteries, was thought worthy to bee called the Lords day. At the beginning of the church, when it did but newlie spring foorth: it was obſerued and kept holy day of the Apoſtles &c. And that it vvas not commaunded to be obſerued for the Lords day of any other then of the Apoſtles (vvhereas it is moſt manifeſt to hauehave beene done in the time of the Apoſtles) vve ſuppoſe cannot be denied of men that hauehave but common reaſon.
Concerning the authority of the obſervation of Hollydaies, ſince by the expreſſe word of God they are not preſcribed, yet in regard ſome of them hauehave but generally or vniverſally obſerved in the Church in S. Auſtens time,Aug. ad Ian epiſt. 118 time, yea before, and euer ſince; as the anniverſary celebrities of the Paſſion of our Saviour: The day of his Reſurrection, The day of his Aſcenſion,Math 28 Vide Hoſp. lib. de orig. feſt apud Chriſtian. c. 1. the day of Pentecoſt, miſſionis Spiritus Sancti, of the ſending of the holy Ghoſt &c. and ſince the Church hath a free liberty givē by God to determine the obſervation of theſe daies, that all things may be performed in the Church, foreign & foreign, decently and in order; I doubt not to all rare that this action of the Church herein had his authority originally,Socr. Eccl. hiſt. l. 1. c. 2. if not from the Apoſtles, yet from their immediate ſucceſſors in the Mother Churches, wherein our faith was firſt taught, Antioche, Alexandria, Epheſus, Rome, &c. Yet in ſuch a ſort that the Church of God had ever this authority, and hath of al places in all ages according to time and country to preſcribe the obſervation of theſe feſtivals,S Hieromes opinion is not allowed in Epiſt. ad Galat. excluding all leaven of Iudaiſme, all ſervile boudage, all opinion of operis operati, of the merite of the very worke which is in them performed, & of all ceremoniall Sanctity. And contrariwiſe, vponupon the ſame foundations premiſed, I determinatly inferre alſo that the ſame Church hath authority from God vppon ſufficient grounde to abrogate any feſtivall holly day preſcribed by the Churches Antecedēt, if by corruption theſe feſtivities hauehave beene, and are abuſed to ſuperſtition,1. Cor. 14 4 polluted by looſe and diſordered practiſes, or any other waies prophaned.Petrobrunſian hereſy. Anabapt. By this opinion evidently the Petrobrunſian hereſie is oppugned vponupon one ſide, who would hauehave no holly daies in the church obſerved, who thought it Iudaiſme to obſerue any holly daies: on the other ſide Popery,Centum gravam. Germ. Gra. who hath overcharged the worlde with multitude of theſe ceremoniall obſervations: thereby laying a greater yoke vponupon the churches of Chriſt then the Synagogue had in Iudaiſme. Be ſides that there was in the Church no certaine lawe of al hollydaies, it appeareth by the ſaying of Socrates before ſpoken of, and by their owne diviſions: Quaedam generalia ſunt feſta, ac quaedam mobilia, quaedam fixa ſeu ſtativa. Vid HoſpinQuadā conceptiva, quaedam Imperatiua, Certaine feaſts were Generall, as the feaſts before cited out of S. Auſtine: ſome were Particular, quae in vna fiunt provincia aut p…rcohia: Which were in one only province, or pariſh. Moueable feaſts, Eaſter, Aſcenſiō, Pentecoſt, Septuageſima, &c. Conceptiva, allotted to certaine daies by the miniſters of Religion: Imperativa, ſuch as vponupon each occaſion for the good of the church & common-wealth, & the ſafety of the Prince were impoſed by them that were in authority in ſuch caſes. VponUpon theſe grounds I inferre theſe concluſions.
Firſt, that the ordinance of the Sabaoth is from God only, or the vndoubted teſtimony of his holy ſpirite in his Church: This was manifeſted in theſe wordes by God himſelfe,Geneſ. 2. Exod. 20. God compaſſionating the mind of man onelyonly wear…ed with labor ordained ſolemne feaſts to remedy the tedious greevances of all laborious pains. Plat. de leg Lib. 2. and demonſtrated by example Geneſ. 2. & was alſo Scripta in cordibus, written in our hearts in our creation, and afterwards repeated in the promulgation of the lawe in mount Sinai. Yea if Adam had not fallen in Paradiſe, the Sabaoth ſhould hauehave beene obſerued,
Secondly, that this reſt was ordained to Gods glory, & mans good: the good of mans reſt, I ſay, therein to bridle the vnſatiable greedineſſe of vnreaſonable covetous perſons, vvhoe willinglie extende mercy neither to man, nor beaſt.
Thirdly although the Sabaoth vvere ceremoniall, yet the morall works of it are perpetuall.
Fourthly, that the obſervation or the Sabaoth preciſely appertaineth to the firſt table of the law.
5. That in the Apoſtles times the Sabaoth of the Ievvs was tranſlated to be obſerued prima Sabbatorum. The firſt day of the Sabaoth, videlicet that day vvhichwhich vvee cal Diem Dominicam, The Lords day, which vvas by S. Iohn called in the Apoc. foreign, in Greeke foreign. the chiefe of all daies: by Ignatius that holy Martyr. foreign,Epiſt. Ignat ad Mag. Iuſt Martyr 2. Apolog. Sunday in which God altering the darknes, and matter of the world, made the world: and in which foreign, Ieſus Chriſt our Saviour aroſe from the deade, by Iuſtine Martyr.
Sixtly, that we are yet bound to the obſervation of all morall workes of the lawe as grounded in lege charitatis, in the Law of charity.
7. That the church in al ages from the Apoſtles times to theſe daies inviolably obſerued this day, as farre foorth as the ſtate, and times wherein they liued violently repreſſed not their publicke aſſemblies.
8. That the preſent church ought not to alter the obſervation of this day, but vponupon further grounde then yet is reveled; ſince the inſtitution flowed originally from the Apoſtles: and ſince it hath beene inviolably obſerued in the church in ſuch ſorte as before it was in the heate of perſecution, as before I hauehave mentioned.Iuſtin. Mar. Apolog 2: Math. 18. 1. Cor. 14:4: That they concurre with the Sab…oth.
9. Concerning our feſtivalls I ha…e ſhevved that they be Equivocally only called Holy-daies, in regard namely of ſome correſpondency wherein they concurre; that they hauehave not any authority expreſly out of Gods worde, but that ſome of them vvere ordeined by the ſucceſſours of the Apoſtles, ſome by later decrees of the church, ſome by Provinciall Metropolitans for daies of hearing Gods word, and Eccleſiaſticall diſcipline, onelyonly in certaine generalls receaued by the preſcription of the church.
10. That ſome Churches obſerue ſome Holi-daies, ſome Churches other ſome.
11 This caveat al churches muſt take heed of, that they ordaine not to many of them, that they equalize not their obſervation to the obſeruation of the Lords day: neither that they impoſe a greater burden then needs vponupon mens ſhoulders by the keeping of them.
12. That we are to obſerue the cuſtome of thoſe Churches where we liue concerning Holydaies, ſo as the obſervation of that church originally be free from all ſuperſtition: which cuſtome the French & Duch Churches now obſerue in England, to the greate peace of our Church & theirs.
13. Laſtly that, vponupon iuſt cauſe of corruption, by that authority, by the which feſtivities or Holly-daies were inſtituted, they may be altered …nd abrogated.
It remaineth now that I ſhould perſpicuouſly anſwere the premiſed cavils contained in the 2. general… head. My anſwere before exhibited was Negatiue, namely that the church of England hath not preſcribed that this Realme ſhould obſerue this day the 17. of November as a formall Holly-day: The adverſary here replieth by the conditions premiſed that by neceſſary conſequenſe an d…llation it is a formall Holy-day in regard of the due nature of a formall Holy-day.
This, ſaie they, is evidently proued by the practiſe of our ſolemnization, and by all circumſtances and ſignes of an Holy-day that day yearely and vſually performed.
The truth of this reply giuegive me leaue (good Reader) breefly to examine: for by that, whether I hauehave anſvvered rightly or not, in few circumſtances it may appeare.
1. Firſt let the Accuſer alleadge any decree Archiepiſcopall or Epiſcopall, by which it may appeare to the worlde that the 17. of November is now annually commanded to be obſerued an Holly-day formally; otherwiſe the validity of the deniall remaineth yet no waies impeached.
All ſh…ps are open in London & the Plovve goeth in each fielde in the coū try2. Secondly whether any bodily labour that day be inhibited either in towne or country. Which is a materiall pointe to be conſidered in the obſervation of each Holly-day.
3. Thirdly what cenſure or penalties are inflicted, Eccleſiaſtical, or Civil, legally vponupon any that breaketh the rites of that day. This being vponupon ſufficient warrant groūded, it remaineth that if our negation be vnſufficient, as they ſeeme to ſay it is, let them ſhew wherein inſtance may be giuē againſt it, & iuſt materiallity of exception: For vntill the contrary of this be evidently demonſtrated, it remaineth vnconfuted▪ Yea (ſaith the Adverſarie) but yet you muſt needes confeſſe it to be an Holy-daie by this conſequent of Nicholas Saunders Belles are reſerued in your churches to this end eſpecially, Inprimis vt harum pulſu celebriora reddātur feſt a nativitatis et Inaugurationis Reginae. Firſt that by the ringing of thē the feaſts of the Nativity & Coronatiō of the Queene may the more ſolemnly be celebrated. CalvinoturSecondly in regard you ſolemniſe theſe daies moſt devoutly. Laſtly in regard yee note theſe times in your Calenders with great redd letters.
Firſt note that Saunders tearmeth the 17. of November Feſtum, a Feaſt, et diem Nativit▪ feſtum, and the daye of the Queenes Nativity a feaſt. But meerely vvithout proofe or warrant. Nowe A nomine ad rem, Pla. in Cra. tylo.to reaſon from the appellation and name of the thing to the thing it ſelfe vnleſſe the word expres the materiality of the thing named formally, nō valet argumētum (as the meaneſt Sophiſte in Oxford knoweth) a nomine adrem; An argument drawne from the name of a thing to the thing it ſelfe is of noe force, or maketh noe proofe.
Yea but what meaneth that outragious ringing replieth N Saunders and W. Reynolds, vnleſſe you hauehave made it a formall Holy-day.
To this I anſwere by the right of that, that hath beene inferred before, that it is no good reaſon that it is an Holi-day becauſe of this ringing;Bells ſerue for the ringing to ſermons for …unerals to exerciſes at Princes Coronatiōs In publicke danger of fire, in ſolemne meetings, of Cities, in Vniverſities, in Convocations Cōgregations, & other ſcholaſticall exerciſes for C…v… few … night for … of the clocke at morning. partly for that not one…y all the learned of the lande, but the ignorant & ſimple people of this Realme knoweth that Belles hauehave ſundry other vſes then to ſignifie Holly-daies, and that appeareth by Durandus in the place before cited, and by that obſervation of mine before, wherein it hath bin declared that Bels ſucceeded in vſe of the legal ſilver trumpets. And for the great ringing the 17. of November is onelyonly an outward teſtimony of that ioye which our hartes conceiue for the great happineſſe of Q. Elizabeths Regiment. See the diſcourſe before cited of the vſe of Bells.
If they will prooue it to be an Holly-day in regarde of the Eccleſiaſticall office, Sermons, and praiers that day vſed; The reſelling of this cavill you ſhall finde ſpecified in the Anſwere of the firſt generall accuſation, and in the iſſue of the concluſion of his Apology.
Laſtly, vvhere the noting of theſe daies vvith greate letters is inferred for probation by N. Sanders, I ſummarily anſwere this cavil…tion in this ſorte. The vnſuffiency of this reaſon may palpably be found and appeare evidently by this illation. If noting with greate red letters bee an appropriate condition to ſignifie an Holy day in theſe times aſwell this Accuſer may conclude that the dayes of the entring of the Sonne into Aries, Taurus, Gemini, &c. to each, I ſay,Perſius Sat… 5: Preſerum ſiquid Ma…i rubrica notavit… Librorum tituli et capita hac no tabantur. Columella. Lib. 2. of the 12. Signes are Holy-daies. For all the titles of theſe days are limmed with red …ke by our Aſtronomers direction in all our printed Calenders. Likewiſe the beginning and ending of tearmes, Ember weckes, &c. may be materially (as I hauehave ſpoken before) accounted Hollidaies, and daies ſacredly feſtivall. For all theſe in our Calenders and Almanackes are in this manner noted & deſcribed. In one word to conclude vponupon this ſigne The 7. of September and the 17. of Novēber are Holly-daies. Why ſo? becauſe theſe daies in our Calenders are noted vvith greate redd letters: for that this is an infallible ſigne of an Holly-day ſaieth Saunders. The Scribes in the Goſpell prognoſticated a faire day by a redd skie in the evening: And the red by miracle equally diſtinguiſhing the Rainebowe is a token that all the worlde,Math. c. 16. Chro. Melanct. in Carionem. Geneſ. Tully de natu. Deorum. Apoc. 17.3. Note beefore the fable of the …landers adoring a Mallet. as it hath already periſhed with water, (which the greeniſh hue in the rainebowe repreſenteth) ſo in future time is a figure, I ſay, and a ſigne vt totus tandem igneſceret mundus, that all the vvorlde ſhoulde periſh with fire, And it is an infallible token of the bluddines of Rome: that the woman Apoc. 17. is ſeene to ſit vponupon a ſcarlet coloured beaſt. But that ſigning with red letters in the Calēder is a certaine token of an Holi-day, is no infallible property, as Saunders hath alleadged. The diſtinguiſhing of Aries and Taurus, and the reſt of the 12. Signes by their red letters therein will eaſily diſchardge me without the force of a Mallet out of the brakes of this obiection. If not (for perhappes they will not deſcend vponupon ſo ſimple a conceite, neither leaue their Zodiacall honors vponupon ſo ſmall a quarrell, beeing to entertaine the Sunne each month once a yeare into ſome one or other of their houſes) Yet, I hope, for a ſhifte the Lawyers in Weſtminſter Hall will pleade for my deliverance here in without a Golden fee which otherwiſe they may eaſily yearne theſe daies being meerely workendayes, & by no ceremonious rites neither lavve Eccleſiaſticall ordained Holly-dayes.
But here finally if queſtion be made by what good authority the Church and Common wealth of England can warrant their ſolemnizations and celebrities in theſe actions, to ſatisfie al reaſonable and good Chriſtians I ſummarily yeeld theſe reaſons.
Firſt I ſay that all publicke exerciſes Eccleſiaſticall may bee warranted by the rule of the Apoſtle 2. Tim. and by the warrant of the 21. Pſalme as it is diſcuſſed in the ſecond generall head.
Secondly that if the Church and Chriſtian ſtate of England ſhould preſcribe it to be an Holyday: that their preſcriptiō ha… good example for it in Canonical ſcriptures, and in thoſe ſcriptures which are named by the godly and learned l…br: Eccleſiaſtici Eccleſiaſticall bookes, next in authority to bookes Canonical, namely out of theſe places. Firſt out of the book of Heſter c. 9. v. 18.19.20 21. wherby Mardochai his directiō letters were ſent to the Iews that were through al the provinces of king Ahaſhueroſh, that they ſhoulde obſerue the 14.Feſt. Pur. ſive ſortiū. cap. 7. ve. 6. day of the monethmonth Adar every yeare with ioy and feaſt…ng, & to ſend preſents every mā to his neighbour, and giftes to the poore: A day wherein their ſorrow by God was turned to ioy from mourning, in regard of the bloody maſſacre contrived by wicked Hamon to the finall extirpation of that holy, though afflicted people vpō which action Lavater in his Commentary vponupon Heſter hath written this:Lavaterus in librum Heſter. Ex his quae hactenùs attulimus facile videre eſt Chriſtianos exempto Heſterae & Mardochaei dies feſtos indicere vel acceptaere poſſe: Dominicum diem ab ipſit Apoſtolis inſtitutū diximus, propter hunc veteres Chriſto dies quoſdam ſacros dedicarunt. Chriſti Natalem, Circumciſionem, Reſurrectionem, Aſcenſionem in coelum, Miſsionem ſpiritus Sancti, coſ que coluerunt fidei confirmandae, rei que geſtae teſtificanda gratia. Hos ſi qui imitentur, vt maxime probemus, &c. In Chriſtiana libertate, &c. Quod adritus illos ſolennes, qui ad publicam reigeſtae memoriam at que gratiarum actionem, quae Deo ſic per ſe, reprebendi nec debent, nec poſſunt. Omni…o enim noſtrum eſt Deo ob accepta beneficia gratias agere, eadem que perpetua memoria celebrare, & ad poſteros tranſmittere. Out of this which we hauehave hitherto alleadged, it is eaſily ſeene that Chriſtians after the example of Heſter and Mardocheus ma… either appoint, or accepte and approue Holy-daies. We hauehave heretofore ſaid that the Lords daie was firſt inſtituted by the Apoſtles themſelues; & becauſe of this our Anceſtors cōſecrated certain daies to be kept holy vntounto Chriſt: as, the Birth-day of Chriſt his Circumciſion, Reſurrection, Aſcenſion, his ſending of the holy Ghoſt; and thoſe they obſerved both for confirmation of their faith, and to teſtifie the remembraunce of the benefits performed vntounto men on thoſe daies. Theſe if any man imitate, wee ſhoulde greatly al owe of their proceedings heerein in Chriſtian liberty &c. And as cōcerning thoſe ceremonial feaſts which pertaine to the memoriall of a publique benefite, and to thankeſ-giving vntounto God alone, they neither can nor ought to be reprehended. For it is altogither our part and duty to giuegive thanks vntounto God for benefites received, and to celebrate the perpetuall memory of them, Iud. 16.3. This verſe is in the latine, but in no Greeke copy that I hauehave ſeene. Seratius in 16. Iudith. Aethiopica eccleſia in ſuo calendario habet diem f…iū Iudithae. Macchab. 4and to tranſferre the ſame to al ſucceeding poſterity.
Thirdly, the laſt verſe of the Booke of Iudith mentioneth a celebrity by the Iewes yearely and continually perfourmed in remembrance of her victory over Holophornes. In the expoſition of which place Serrarius hath touched the religion and piety of the Iewes that in remembrance of this victory inſtituted a ſolemne feſtivity.
The feaſt of the dedication by Iudas Machabaeus and his brethren and the whole congregation, ordained to be obſerued yeare by yeare after the clenſing of the Sanctuary, ſerveth alſo for a patterne in like caſes to follow. And ſo much the more for that our Saviour Ioh. 10. in the time of his fleſh taught in this celebrity in the Temple.Iohn 10. Hebr 5 7. Some diver ſay there is about this feaſt of the dedication, but he time of the writer mentioned Ioh. 10. ſheweth what feaſt it was. Nonnus in his paraphraſe in greek verſe vponupon Saint Iohn is ceceived. Vide Bezae Annot. in hunc Iocū. Lib. 1. ca. 1. ca. 41. lib. 2. ca 19 Euſe. de vi. Cōſt. paneg. Hoſpinianus lib. de feſto Iudaeorum c. 10. Serar com. c. 7. Mac. 1.
To theſe examples may bee adioined that which Euſebius hath writtē in the life of Conſtantine the great, In whoſe raigne a panegyris every 10. yeare was celebrated to Gods honor. To glorifie his name for that happy regimēt, for the light of religiō in Conſtātine the great his raigne givē to the world, and for that great conqueſts given to that Emperour by God, And Halcyon peace enſuing thereof to that mighty Empire. To this end a feſtivity was celebrated in that great Empire of this quality or nature: wherein God was glorified, Hymns were ſong, & Conſtantine and his ſons Gods inſtrumentes in the eſtabliſhment of Chriſtian religion and peace in that Empire, generally were remembred by all that Empire with great acclamations. To theſe I wil adioine two other authorities, one of ours, an other vttered by a Ieſuite a man of their owne.
Some feaſts are obſerved by the Church, though not expreſly ordained by God, yet inſtituted to Gods honor, and of purpoſe celebrated to call to memory Gods great bleſſings conferred vponupon his people. In theſe feaſts this Author ſpecifieth the feaſt of Purim or ſortium, which is in Engliſh of lots.
The other teſtimony is alleadged by Nicholaus Serrarius commentary lib. 1. Machab. Peſſunt nova in Dei benefici. orum memoriam feſta inſtitut. New feaſt daies may be appointed for the remembrance of Gods benef…ics: I ſay in regard of ſuch benefi…es that God either by himſelfe, or by his Saintes hath or ſhall conferre vponupon his Church at any time.
By this collection I inferre this firſt that our ſacred celebrities hauehave warrant out of Gods word.
Secondly that if the Church of this Realme ſhould preſcribe it to be obſerved as they doe obſerue other Holydaies, that it had ſufficient warrant for it in regarde of the premiſed examples:Ser. li. Iud. cap. 6. com. eſpecially ſince (as the ſame Serrarius hath noted) that the Church which now is, is endued with that authority wherewith the Church of the Iewes vvas indued;Torneamē ta though they be cō demned in Decret. lib. 5. tit. 13 c. 1 yet ours being not of the nature Quod duellum &c cannot in equity bee ſo cenſured eſpecially beeing performed without hatred of the parties before, & only for recreation. namely as the Synagogue did then inſtitute ſome feaſts, ſo the Church may doe now. In the like manner the ſayd Churches authority extendeth ſo far, that in abrogation of feſtivities corrupted they may follow that authority which the Synagogue had; time, place, and perſons & every other circumſtaunce conſidered according to the premiſes.
Laſtly I hauehave evidently demoſtrated in handling the anſvvere to the 4. generall reaſon; that the triumphant diſportes vſed at Courte that day, namely the 17. of November, are exerciſes no waies heathniſh, ridiculous, fooliſh, but ſuch as are laudable, commēdable in themſelues being rightly vſed, ſuch as they themſelues in like forme exhibite in farre greater meaſure to their rulers, governors, Princes, Popes.