Part 8

1. _Nisan_; it was also called | | 1 { March. ‎‏אביב‏‎ _Abib_, which signifieth | | { April. an _ear of Corn_. in this month | | Barley began to be _eared_. | | | | 2. _Iiar_, it was also called | T | 2 { April. ‎‏זיו‏‎ which signifieth _beauty_: | h | { May. then the Trees began to be | e | _beautified_ with Buds and | y | Blossoms. | | | a | 3. _Sivan._ | n | 3 { May. | s | { June. | w | 4. _Thamuz._ | e | 4 { June. | r | { July. | e | 5. _Ab._ | d | 5 { July. | | { August. | | 6. _Elul._ | t | 6 { August. | o | { September. | | 7. _Tisri_, otherwise called | p | 7 { September. _Ethanim_. | a | { October. | r | 8. _Marchesuan_, it was called | t | 8 { October. _Bull_. | | { November. | o | 9. _Chisleu._ | f | 9 { November. | | { December. | | 10. _Tebeth._ | | 10 { December. | | { January. | | 11. _Shebeth._ | | 11 { January. | | { February. | | 12. _Adar._ | | 12 { February. _Ve-adar._ | | { March.

Before their coming out of _Egypt_, they began their year in the moneth of _Tisri_,[242] and thus they continued it always after, for civil affairs, for their date of buying, selling, their _Sabbatical years_, years of _Jubile_, _&c._ After their coming out of _Egypt_, they began their year in the moneth _Nisan_, and so continued it for the computation of their greatest Feasts.

[242] _Ἐν μηνὶ δευτέρῳ Δὶῳ μὲν ὑπὸ Μακεδόνων λεγομένῳ Μαρσουάνῃ δὲ ὑπὸ Ἑβραίων, οὕτω γὰρ Αἰγύπτιοι τὸν ἐνίαυτον ἦσαν διατεταχότες. Μωυσῆς δὲ τὸν Νισὰν, ὅς ἐστι ξανθικὸς, μήνα πρῶτον ἐπὶ ταῖς ἑορταῖς ὥρισεν. Joseph. Antiq. l. 1. c. 4. Mendose ponitur Μαρσουάνη pro αρχασουὰν qui mensis erat olim secundus apud Hebræos, sicut et Dius apud Macedones._

CHAP. II.

_Of their Feasts._

Before we descend to their particular _Feasts_; First we will see their manner of Feasting in general. Their ordinary meals, as they were not many in a day, so neither were they costly. They were called _Arucoth_,[243] which word signifieth properly, such fare as Travellers and Way-faring men use on their journeys. The word is used, _Jer. 40. 5._ _So the chief Steward gave him victuals, and a reward, and let him go._ Likewise, _Pro. 15. 17._ _Better is a dinner of green herbs where love is_. The extroardinary and more liberal kind of entertainment, by way of Feasting, was commonly called _Mischte_,[244] from their liberal drinking at such meetings. There was also another kind of feasting, wherein they made merry together, eating the remainders of their Sacrifices; this they termed _Chag_.[245] From this custom of having a feast at the end of their Sacrifices, the _Christians_ of the _Primitive Church_ instituted their _Love-feasts_ to succeed the _Lords Supper_:[246] In both these greater and more solemn _Feasts_, there were some Ceremonies used by them, as _preparatory to the Feast_, others in their giving thanks, others in _their gesture at Table_.

[243] _ab ‎‏ארח ארוחות‏‎ Iter facere, significat viaticum._

[244] _‎‏משתה‏‎ Convivium, compotatio dicitur à potendo sive bibendo, ut Græcè συμπόσιον, ab altera ejus parte._

[245] _‎‏חג‏‎, Festum, celebris solemnitas à radice ‎‏חגג‏‎, Festum celebravit._

[246] _Chrysostom. 1 Cor. 11. Hoc autem præcipio._

The _Ceremonies preparatory_ were principally these three: 1. _Salutations._ 2. _Washing the feet of the guests._ 3. _Pouring Oyl on them._

Their _Salutations_ were testified either _by words_, or some _humble gesture of the body_. By _words_, and then these were the usual forms; _The Lord be with you_: or _The Lord bless you_, _Ruth. 2. 4._ From the last of these, _blessing_ is often taken in Scripture for _saluting_. If thou _meet_ any,[247] _bless_ him not, or if any _bless_ thee, answer him not again, saith _Elisha_ to _Gehazi_, _2 King. 4. 29._ The sense is, as our _English_ renders it, _Salute him not_. Sometimes they said, _Peace be unto thee_; _peace be upon thee_, _Go in peace_, and such like: _When ye come into an house salute the same; and if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you_, _Matth. 10. 12, 13._ By _gesture_; their _salutations_ were signified sometimes by _prostrating the whole body_; sometimes by _kissing the feet_, _Luke 7. 38._ commonly by an _ordinary kiss_.[248] _Moses_ went out to meet his father-in-law, and did obeysance, and _kissed him_, _Exod. 18. 7._ Moreover, _Joseph kissed_ all his Brethren, and wept upon them, _Gen. 45. 15._ This Saint _Paul_ calleth an _holy kiss_, _1 Cor. 16. 20._ S. _Peter_, a _kiss of charity_, _1 Pet. 5. 14._ _Tertullian_[249] calleth it _Osculum pacis_, _A kiss of peace_. These were _kisses_ which a _Cato_ might give, and a _Vestal_ receive: Of this sort the _Jews_ had three kinds;[250] _A kiss of salutation_,[251] which hath been specified by some of those former instances. _A kiss of valediction_:[252] Wherefore hast thou not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters, _Gen. 31. 28._ _A kiss of homage_;[253] the word signifieth a _kiss of state_ or _dignity_, but it was to testifie their _homage_, and acknowledgment of their _Kings_ Soveraignty. Then _Samuel_ took a Vial of Oyl, and poured it upon _Saul_’s head, and _kissed_ him, _1 Sam. 10. 1._ And unto this they refer that in the second _Psalm_, _Kiss the son, least he be angry_. These _salutions_, howsoever they were such as were used mutually, sometimes in their meetings abroad upon the way, yet were they such, as were used also in their entertainment, as clearly appeareth by many of those fore quoted examples.

[247] _Tertul. lib. 6. advers. Marcion._

[248] _Xenophon. de institut. Cyr. lib. 1. pag. 17. It. lib. 5. pag. 113._

[249] _Tertul. de orat. cap. 14._

[250] _Vide Drusium ad difficiliora loca, Exod. c. 12._

[251] _‎‏נשיקות פרקים‏‎ Neshikoth pharukim, Oscula propinquorum._

[252] _‎‏נשיקות פרושות‏‎ Neshikoth parusoth, Oscula separationis._

[253] _‎‏נשיקות גדולה‏‎ Neshikoth gedola, Oscula magnitudinis._

The second _Ceremony preparatory_ was _washing their feet_.[254] And the man brought the men into _Joseph_’s house, and gave them water, and they did _wash their feet_, _Gen. 43. 34._ This office was commonly performed by servants, and the meanest of the family, as appeareth by our _Saviour Christ_, who to leave an example of humility behind him, _washed his Disciples feet_, _Joh. 13. 5._ And _Abigail_, when _David_ took her to wife, said Behold, let thine hand-maid be a servant to _wash the feet_ of the servants of my _Lord_, _1 Sam. 25. 41._ For this purpose they had certain Vessels in readiness for such imployments: that which our _Saviour_ used, we translate a _Basin_, _John 13. 5._ He poured out water into a _Basin_. The word νιπτὴς there used signifieth in general a _Washpot_, and is there used for that which in strict propriety of speeches, the _Grecians_ termed ποδόνιπτρον, (_i._) _A Washpot for our feet_; Some may here make the question, whence this water was poured? I see no inconvenience, if we say, that there were usually in their Dining-rooms greater vessels, from which they poured out into lesser, according as they needed; of which sort it is not improbably thought[255] that those Water-pots were mentioned, _John 2. 6._ There were set there _six Water-pots_ of stone, after the manner of the _purifying_ of the _Jews_. By _purifying_ there, understand this complemental _washing_ of which we treat: Now if we consider the washing of their hands, usual and commendable in it self, though superstitiously abused by _Scribes_ and _Pharisees_, and the washing of their feet, before and after meal, (for our _Saviour_ washed his Disciples feet after supper) which second washing, the _Hebrews_ say it was in use only at the _Passover_, there must needs be use of grate store of water in their greater Feasts; and therefore no marvel, if many and capacious vessels stood in readiness. Farther, we are to note, that as the office was servile and base, so the vessel: which observation giveth light to that, _Psal. 60. 8._ _Moab is my wash pot_; that is, the _Moabites_ shall be basely subject unto me, as the pot in which _I wash my feet_.

[254] _Lotio pedum ante discubitum non solum Judæis, sed & gentibus ipsis erat usitata. Locus hic tuus est, hic occumbe, ferte aquam pedibus. Plautus. Pers._

[255] _Stukius. lib. conviv._

The third _Ceremony preparatory_, was _pouring out of oyl_. A woman in the City brought an Alabaster box of oyntment, and stood at his feet behind him weeping, and begun to wash his _feet with tears_, and did wipe them with the _hairs of her head_, and kissed his feet, and _anointed them with the ointment_, _Luk. 7. 37, 38._ It was also poured _upon the head_, whence in the same place, _Christ_ challengeth the _Pharisee_ which entertained him, _Mine head with oyl thou didst not anoint_, _vers. 46._ _Psal. 23. 5._ _Thou anointest mine head with oyl._

After these _ceremonies of preparation_ had been performed, than they proceeded to _giving thanks_. The _Master of the house_ sitting down together with his Guests, took _a cup full of wine_ in his right hand, and therewith begun his _consecration_, after this manner;[256] _Blessed be thou, O Lord our God, the King of the world, which createst the fruit of the Vine._ Having said thus, he first lightly tasted of the Wine, and from him it pass’d round the Table. This grace of thanksgiving, they call[257] _Bircath haiaiin_, _the blessing of the cup_. With this _Christ_ himself seemeth to have begun his supper; _He took the cup and gave thanks, and said, Take this and divide it among your selves, for I say unto you I will not drink of the fruit of the Vine, until the Kingdom of God shall come_, _Luk. 22. 17, 18._ After _the blessing of the cup, the Master of the house took the bread_, which they did _Scindere_, but not _Abscindere_, lightly cut for the easier breaking thereof, but not cut in sunder; and holding this in both his hands, he _consecrated_ it, with these words; _Blessed be thou, O Lord our God, the King of the world, which bringest forth bread out of the earth_. This _consecration of bread_ they termed,[258] _Bircath halechem_. After the _consecration_, he _brake the bread_, whence the _master of the house_, or he who performed these blessings in his stead, was termed[259] _Habotsagn_, (_i._ _the breaker_:) the bread being broken, he distributed to every one that sat at the table a morsel, which being done, then they began to feed upon the other dishes that were provided. This Rite of blessing both the Cup and the Bread, they observed only in their solemn Festivales; otherwise they consecrated the Bread alone, and not the Cup. In their Feast time, they seasoned their meat with good conference, such as might either yield matter of instruction, or exercise their wits; which practice was also observed in their _Christian love feasts_.[260] Of the first sort, was that Parable proposed by our blessed _Saviour_ at a Feast, _Luk. 14. 7._ Of the second, was _Sampson_’s Riddle, which he proposed unto his Companions, _Judg. 14. 12._ At the end of the Feast, they again gave thanks, which was performed in this manner, either by the _Master_ of the _house_ himself, or by some guest, if there were any of better note at the table: He taking a cup of Wine in both his hands, began thus: _Let us bless him who hath fed us with his own, and of whose goodness we live_: Then all the guests answered; _Blessed be he of whose meat we have eaten, and of whose goodness we live_. This _grace_ they called[261] _Bircath Hamazon_. And this is thought[262] to be the Cup wherewith Christ after Supper commended the Mystery of his Blood to his Disciples: After this he which began the Thanksgiving proceedeth, _Blessed be he, and blessed be his name_, &c. annexing a longer prayer, in which he gave thanks: First, for their present food. Secondly, for their deliverance from the _Egyptian_ servitude. Thirdly, for the Covenant of Circumcision. Fourthly, for the Law given by the Ministry of _Moses_. Then he prayed, that _God_ would have mercy: 1. On his people _Israel_. 2. On his own City _Jerusalem_. 3. On _Sion_ the Tabernacle of his Glory. 4. On the _Kingdom_ of the House of _David_ his Anointed. 5. That he would send _Elias_ the Prophet. Lastly, That he would make them worthy of the daies of the _Messiah_, and of the life of the world to come.

[256] _‎‏ברוך אתה יי אלוהנו מלך העולם בורא פרי הגפן‏‎ Benedictus sis tu Domine Deus noster rex mundi, qui creas fructum vitis._

[257] _‎‏ברכת היין‏‎_

[258] _‎‏ברכת הלחם‏‎ Benedictionem panis Drusius in N. T. part. altera p. 78._

[259] _‎‏הבוצע‏‎_

[260] _Non tam cœnam cœnant quam disciplinam Tertul. Apolog. c. 39._

[261] _‎‏ברכת המזון‏‎_

[262] _Vid. P. Fag. in præc. Hebr._

This prayer being ended, then all the Guests which sate at the Table, with a soft and low voice, said unto themselves in this manner, _Fear the Lord all ye his holy ones, because there is no penury to those that fear him: The young Lyons do want and suffer hunger, but those that seek the Lord want no good thing_. Afterward, he which began the thanksgiving, _blessing the cup_ in the same form of words as he used at the first sitting down saying; _Blessed be thou, O Lord God, the King of the world, which createst the fruit of the Vine_: and therewith he drank a little of the Wine, and so the cup passed round the table. Thus they began and ended their Feast, with the _blessing of a cup_: this cup they termed ‎‏כוס הלל‏‎ _Cos hillel_, _Poculum_ ὑμνήσεως, _A cup of thanksgiving_; and _both these cups_ are mentioned by Saint _Luke_; and, which is worth our observation, the word of _Consecration_ whereby it was instituted, as part of the Blessed Sacrament in the _New Testament_, were added only to the last cup. _This cup is the New Testament in my blood, which it is shed for you._ After all this, they sung[263] Hymns and Psalms, which also was practised by our blessed Saviour, _Mark 14. 26._ So that howsoever he used not any superstitions either then practised, or since added by after _Jewes_, (as the drinking of four cups of wine,[264] or the breaking of the bread with all ten fingers,[265] in allusion to the ten Commandments, &c.) yet in the beginning, and ending, we see his practice suitable with theirs. If any desire a larger discourse of these Blessings, noted out of the _Rabbines_, let him read _P. Fagius_[266] his Comment on _Deut. 8. 10._ From whom I have borrowed a great part of what herein I have delivered. If any shall here object, that I seem to make the _blessed Sacrament_ of our Lords Body and Blood, a _Jewish Ceremony_; I answer, no: For as a kind of initiatory purification by water, was used before by the _Jews_ of old, and no _Proselite_ was admitted into the _Church_ of the _Jews_, without this purification: yet it was no more a _Sacrament_ to them, than _Circumcision_ was to _Turks_ and _Saracens_. Thus, neither was breaking the bread _Sacramental_ to the _Jew_, but then it became a _Sacrament_, when _Christ_ said of it; This is my body. This cup is the _New Testament_ in my blood, _&c._ _Luke 22. 19._ The _Jews_ could not say, The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ? _1 Corinthians 10. 16._

[263] _Scalig. de emend. Temp. lib. 6. p. 273._

[264] _Moses Kotsensis fol. 118. col. 1._

[265] _Sebastian Munster. Mat. 26._

[266] _It. præc. Hebr. per Fagium editas._

The last thing considerable in their Feasts, is their _gesture_. In the days of our _Saviour_ it is apparent,[267] that the gesture of the _Jews_ was such as the _Romans_ used. The table being placed in the middest, round about the table were certain beds, sometimes two, sometimes three, sometimes more, according to the number of the guests; upon these they lay down in manner as followeth. Each bed contained three persons, sometimes four, seldom or never more. If one lay upon the bed, then he rested the upper part of his body upon the left elbow, the lower part lying at length upon the bed: but if many lay on the bed, then the uppermost did lie at the beds head, laying his feet behind the second’s back: in like manner the third or fourth did lye, each resting his head in the others bosom. Thus _John_ leaned on _Jesus bosom_, _John 13. 23._ This first is an argument of _special love_ towards him whom the _Master of the house_ shall take into his own _bosome_, John, _he was the beloved Disciple_. Secondly, an argument of _parity_, amongst others, resting in one anothers bosom. _Many shall come from the East and West; and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob_, _Mat. 8. 11._ And where shall they sit? In _Abraham_’s _bosom_, _Luke 16. 22._ that is, they shall all sit at the same table, be partakers of the same glory. Thus _Christ_, he was in the _bosom of his Father_, _John 1. 18._, that is, in the _Apostles_ phrase, _He thought it no robbery to be equal with his Father_. Their tables were perfectly circular, or round, whence their manner of sitting was termed[268] _Mesibah_, _a sitting round_; and their phrase of inviting their guests to sit down, was, _Sit round_: We will not sit round until he come hither, _1 Sam. 16. 11._ Again, Thy children shall be as Olive-plants _round_ about thy table, _Psal. 128. 3._ This custom of lying along upon a _bed_, when they took their meat, was also in use in _Ezekiel_’s time; Thou satest upon a stately _bed_, and a table prepared before it, _Ezek. 23. 41._ And[269] whether this were the custome of the ancient _Hebrews_, I leave to be discussed by others. But unto this also doth _Amos_ allude; They laid themselves down upon cloaths laid to pledge by every Altar, _Amos 2. 8._ that is, the _garments_[270] taken to pledge they use in stead of _beds_, when at their Altars they eat things sacrificed to Idols: Yea, the plucking off their shooes when they went to table, implieth this custom of lying at the Table, to have been very ancient. The plucking off their shooes seemeth to have been generally received, when they were in _Egypt_; for this cause is it that they had a strict charge in eating the _Passover_, to have their shooes on their feet, for greater expedition. The reason why they usually pluckt them off, was, for the clean keeping of their Beds on which they lay. Here, seeing the rule of observing the _Passover_ requireth, that it should be eaten with their shooes on their feet, which argueth rather _standing_ than _lying upon a bed_: it may be demanded, Whether _Christ transgressed_ not against the first Institution thereof, in the manner of his sitting at the table? _Tremelius_ answereth thus; and, in my mind, fully:[271] We must know, saith he, that _Exod. 12._ it was commanded, after what manner they, ready to depart out of _Egypt_, should eat the _Passover_ at that time; for the necessity of that time so required, namely, an hasty eating thereof; but afterward, in the Law, where it is commanded that this Ceremony of the _Paschal_ should be renewed every year, those words are not added. Wherefore all the _Hebrew Doctors_, both ancient and modern, do teach with one joynt consent, that the Commandment of _sprinkling the door-posts with blood_, of _having on their shooes_, of _girding their loyns_, of _taking staves in their hands_, and _eating the Lamb in hast_; did not extend it self to the generations following, but only to have concerned that very night, wherein they departed out of _Egypt_:[272] Yea, it was an ancient tradition amongst them, that when they did in after-times eat the _Passover_, they would sit down, or lean upon a bed, as our _Saviour_ and his Disciples did, in token of their deliverance obtained.

[267] _Voces quibus usi sunt Evangelistæ sonant accubitum non sessionem, ἀναπίπτειν, Luk. 22. ἀνακεῖσθαι; Mat. 26. Κατακεῖσθαι, Luc. 14. ἀνακλιθήναι, Mat. 14._

[268] _‎‏מסבה‏‎ Discubitus, cujus radix est ‎‏סבב‏‎ circumivit, Ambivit._

[269] _Philo. Jud. p. 383._

[270] _Vetustissimus mos erat, super lanatis pellibus discumbere. Qui poterat pelles addere dives erat. Ovid._

[271] _Tremel. in Mat. 26. 20._

[272] _Talmud. tract. de Paschate vid. Tremel. loco superius citato._

The parties that gave entertainment at their _Feasts_ were two:[273] 1. The _Master of the house_. 2. The _Master of the Feast_; they differed thus: The _Master of the house_ was termed ‎‏בעל הבית‏‎ _Baal habeth_, ὀικοδεσπότης, _Pater familias_. The _Master of the Feast_ was termed ‎‏בעל משתה‏‎ _Baal mischte_, ἀρχιτρίκλινος, _Triclinii Præfectus_. The _Master of the Feast_ was the chief servant, attending the _Master of the house_ in time of the Feast. Others[274] add a third sort, whom they would have to be _Præfecti morum_, in Greek they were termed ὀινόπται. Their Office was thought to have been the inspection of the Guests, that none should disorder themselves by drinking too much; whence they were called ὀφθαλμοὶ _the eyes of the Feast_. Such kind of Officers were in use in _Ahasuerosh_ his Court, _Esth. 1. 8._ and likewise among the _Athenians_;[275] but whether any such belonged unto the _Jews_ is justly doubted.

[273] _Vid. Casaubon exercit. p. 278._

[274] _Gaudentius Brixianus. vid. Casaubon. ibid._

[275] _Athenæus, l. 10._