Part 11

The two and twentieth of the month _Tisri_, was in truth a distinct feast, as appeareth, _Neh. 8. 18._ but yet because this immediately followed the Feast of _Tabernacles_, it hath been always counted the last day of that Feast. And not only the _boughs_, but the _days_ of this whole _feast of Tabernacles_ were termed[338] _Hosannoth_, from the usual acclamations of the people, whiles they carried _Boughs_ up and down. And this eighth day was called _Hosanna Rabba_, the _great Hosanna_, or the _great day of the feast_. _John 7. 37._ Upon this day[339] they did read the last Section of the Law, and likewise began the first, least they might otherwise seem more joyful in ending their Sections, than willing to begin them. Upon this day also,[340] by the Institution of the Prophet _Haggæus_ and _Zachary_, and such like _Prophetical_ men, they did with great solemnity and joy, bring great store of water from the River _Shiloah_ to the Temple, where it being delivered unto the _Priests_, it was poured upon the Altar, together with Wine, and all the people sung that of the _Prophet_ _Esay. 12. 13._ _With joy shall ye draw water out of the Wells of salvation_. Our Saviour is thought to have alluded unto this, in that speech which he used on this very day, _John 7. 38._ _He that believeth in me, out of his belly shall flow rivers of waters of life._

[338] _Talmud. tract. de fest. Tabernaculorum, cap. ‎‏הלול‏‎ Vid. Tremel. John 7. 37._

[339] _Buxtorf. in abbreviatur. p. 253._

[340] _Tremel. Joh. 7. 37. ex Talmud._

It is worth our noting also, that whereas God commanded the Observation of this Feast on the fifteenth of the seventh month _Tisri_; _Jeroboam_, that he might work in the people a forgetfulness of the true Worship of God, appointed[341] the celebration of a Feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day thereof, which is thought to be this very feast of _Tabernacles_.

[341] _Hospinian. de Orig. hujus fest. p. 24._

CHAP. VII.

_Of the Feast of Trumpets, and their New Moons._

For the understanding of the time when this Feast was to be observed, we must note, the month _Tisri_ was the _seventh month_, according to their _sacred Computation_; and therefore it is commanded to be celebrated the first day of the _seventh month_, _Levit. 23. 24._ But according to their _Civil Computation_ it was their _first month_, so that this Feast may be termed their _New-years-day_.

The first day of every month had its solemnities. First, when they repaired to the _Prophets_ for the hearing of the word, as on other _Sabbaths_. Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? It is neither _New Moon_, nor _Sabbath day_, _2 Kings 4. 23._ Secondly, It was then unlawful to buy and sell: When will the _New Moon_ be gone, that we may sell corn? _Amos 8. 4._ Thirdly, They had then special sacrifices over and above their daily sacrifices.

Notwithstanding, this feast of _Trumpets_ differed from other _New Moons_. First, in respect of their sacrifices; in their _ordinary New Moons_ they offered (besides the daily sacrifice) _two Bullocks, one Ram, seven Lambs, for burnt-offerings_; with their meat and drink-offering, and a _Goat for a sin-offering_, _Num. 28. 11, 15._ But at this _New-Moon_, which was the beginning of their year, they offered all the aforesaid sacrifices, and over and besides them, _one Bullock, one Ram, and seven Lambs, for burnt-offerings_, and a _Goat for a sin-offering, umb. 29. 1, 6._ Secondly, in _Other New Moons_ they blowed no _Trumpets_: In _this_ they blowed[342] from the _Sun rising till night_: whence we learn what _New Moon_ it is that _David_ speaketh of, _Psal. 81. 3._ _Blow the Trumpet in the New Moon, in the time appointed, at our feast day._

[342] _Sheindler, in voce ‎‏שפר‏‎_

The reason in general of this blowing, and great _noise of Trumpets_, I take to have been, to make their _New-years-day_ the more remarkable, because from it all their deeds and contracts bore date, and their _Sabbatical years_ and _Jubilees_ were counted thence: But why it should be made remarkable by the sound of _Trumpets_, or _Cornets_, there are three conjectures.

_First_, the _Hebrews_ think[343] it was done in memory of _Isaac_ his deliverance, and that they did therefore sound _Rams horns_, because a _Ram_ was sacrificed instead of him. _Secondly_, _Basil_[344] is of opinion, that the people were hereby put in mind of that day, wherein they received the Law in Mount _Sinai_ with _blowing of Trumpets_. _Thirdly_, others think it was to put them in rememberance of the _Resurrection_, which shall be with the _sound of Trumpets_; _He shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet_, _Mat. 24. 31._

[343] _P. Fag. Levit. 23._

[344] _Basil. in Psal. 80._

There are three things considerable in _New Moons_.[345] _First_, σύνοδος, the _conjunction of the Moon with the Sun_. _Secondly_, ἐξαυγασμὸς, the _waxing of the Moon_. _Thirdly_, σχῆμα μηνοειδὲς, the _prime of the Moon_. In the first it was _quite dark_; in the second it _did open it self to receive the Sun-beams_: In the last it did appear, _corniculata_, _horned_.

[345] _Scalig. de emend. temp. pag. 26. It. p. 105._

Because in all these three degrees of the change, there was a kind of mutual participation both of the _Old and New Moon_: Hence the _Jews_ observe two daies,[346] namely, the _last of every moneth_, and the _first day of the next following_. Now because the _thirtieth_ was the last in their longest months; Hence _Horace_ calleth these _last days_, _Tricesima Sabbata_: The _first days_ they termed, _Neomenias_, _new Moons_.

[346] _Hospin. de Orig. fest. c. 4. p. 15. Eadem ratio tenet etiam in illis mensibus qui constant 29. diebus._

For certain reasons the _Jews_ used a kind of change, or _translation_ of daies; which _translation_, though it were of use in other months also, yet the greatest care was had in translating the beginning of their year, or their first day in their month _Tisri_; and he that shall diligently calculate these changes, shall find, that all other translations depended on this first.

_Translation of daies_ was threefold.[347] _First_, _Lunary_: _Secondly_, _Politik_: _Thirdly_, _Mixt_.

[347] _Scalig. de emend. temp. l. 2. p. 85._

The reason of _Lunary translation_, was, that they might not observe the Feast of the _New Moon_, until the old were quite over-past. For the understanding of this, note these three rules.

First, The _Hebrews_ counted their Holy-daies from night to night, beginning at six of the clock; so that from six of the clock the first night, till the next noon, were just eighteen hours.

Secondly, Always before the _New Moon_, there is a _conjunction_ between the _Sun_ and the _Moon_; during this _conjunction_ she is called _Luna silens_, by reason of her darkness, and all this time there is a participation of the _New Moon_.

Thirdly, When the conjunction was over past before noon-tide, namely, in any of those first 18 hours, then the _New Moon_ was celebrated the same day.[348] But if it continued but one minute after twelve of the clock at noon, then the feast was _translated_ to the day following, because otherwise they should begin their Holy-day in the time of the old Moon. And this translation they noted with this abbreviation ‎‏יה‏‎, that is, 18, because of those eighteen hours which occasioned it.

[348] _Munster. Calend. Heb. p. 46._

The reason of _Politick translation_, was, that two _Sabbaths_, or feast-days might not immediately follow each other: because say they,[349] it was unlawful those two daies to dress meat, or bury the dead; and it was likewise inconvenient to keep meat dressed, or the dead unburied two daies. Yet here two exceptions must be remembred, when the meeting of two Sabbaths could not be avoided.

[349] _Munst. Calend. p. 139._

First, When the _Passover_, or the fifteenth day of _Nisan_, fell on _Saturday_; for then the _Pentecost_ must needs fall on _Sunday_.

Secondly, When the _Passover_ fell on _Sunday_; for then their _Passover_ immediately followed their _weekly Sabbath_.

The first Author of this _Politick translation_ was a certain chief man amongst them, named _Eleazar_;[350] three hundred and fifty years before _Christ_ his _Nativity_.

[350] _Hospinian. de Orig. fest. p. 6._

The several species or kinds of _Politick translation_, were five. The first, ‎‏אדו‏‎ _Adu_. The second, ‎‏בדו‏‎ _Badu_. The third, ‎‏גהז‏‎ _Gahaz_. The fourth, ‎‏זבד‏‎ _Zabad_. The fifth, ‎‏אגו‏‎ _Agu_. For the understanding of these abbreviatures, we must know, that in these made words the letters only stand for numbers, and are applied to the seven daies of the week, thus ‎‏א‏‎ 1. _Sunday_. ‎‏ב‏‎ 2. _Munday_. ‎‏ג‏‎ 3. _Tuesday_. ‎‏ד‏‎ 4. _Wednesday_. ‎‏ה‏‎ 5. _Thursday_. ‎‏ו‏‎ 6. _Friday_. ‎‏ז‏‎ 7. _Saturday_: which was the _Jews Sabbath_.

Their rules touching _Politick translation_, stood thus.[351] First, that neither their _New-years-day_, which was the first of the month _Tisri_, neither their _Feast of Tabernacles_, which was the fifteenth day of the same month, should be celebrated on _Adu_, that is on _Sunday_, or _Wednesday_, or _Friday_. Not on _Sunday_, or _Friday_, because then the _weekly Sabbath_ must needs concur with it, either going immediately before, or following after: not on _Wednesday_, because then the _Feast of expiation_, which is the tenth of that month, would fall on _Friday_ the day going immediately before their _weekly Sabbath_. This instance is only concerning the first of _Tisri_, which is called the _Feast of Trumpets_: but it holdeth also, by way of consequence, in the _fifteenth day_, which is the _Feast of Tabernacles_, because the fifteenth must always necessarily be of the same day of the week that the first is. Therefore if the first be not _Adu_, the fifteenth cannot be _Adu_.

[351] _Adu._

The second rule was,[352] that the _Passover_ should not be observed on _Badu_; that is on _Munday_, _Wednesday_, or _Friday_.

[352] _Badu._

The third rule is,[353] that _Pentecost_ was not observed on _Gahaz_; that is, on _Tuesday_, _Thursday_, or _Saturday_.

[353] _Gahaz._

The fourth rule is,[354] that the _Feast of Purim_, or _casting lots_, was not observed on _Zabad_, that is, on _Munday_, _Wednesday_, or _Saturday_.

[354] _Zabad._

The fifth rule is,[355] that the _Feast of expiation_ was not observed on _Agu_; that is, on _Sunday_, _Tuesday_, or _Friday_.

[355] _Agu._

_Mixt translation_ is, when both the _Lunary_ and the _Politick_ meet in the changing of daies. And the _translation_ occasioned by this mixture or meeting of both these two, is twofold. First, _Simple_. And secondly, _Double_.

_Simple translation_ is, when the Feast is translated to the next day following. For examples sake, If the _Moon_ changed after noon-tide on _Sunday_, here the _Feast_ must be translated, for two reasons: the first is _Lunary_, because the point of the change was after _eighteen hours_; the second, _Politick_, because the rule _Adu_ forbids _Sunday_ to be kept: notwithstanding, in as much as the very next day, namely _Munday_, was observed; I term this translation _simple_. Of this sort was that translation which they called _Batu takphat_.

‎‏בטו תקפט‏‎ _Batu Takphat_,[356] is a word invented for help of memory; each letter is a numeral, and may be thus resolved, ‎‏ב‏‎ 2. ‎‏טו‏‎ 15. ‎‏תקפט‏‎ 589. The meaning is, that in the year following _Annum Embolymæum_ (wherein one whole month was ingrafted) if the point of the change happened upon the second day of the week, that is, _Munday_ not before the fifteenth hour, and the 589 moment, the Feast of the _New Moon_ was _translated unto Tuesday_. How both the _Lunary_ and _Politick_ translation work in this change, read _Scaliger, de emend. temp. lib. 2. pag. 87_.

[356] _Batu takphat._

_Double Translation_, is, when the Feast is translated not to the next, but to some further day: as if the first day of the month _Tisri_ should happen upon _Saturday_; here, if the Moon hath not overpast her conjunction before the afternoon, _Lunary translation_ removeth this _Feast_ till _Sunday_, because of ‎‏יח‏‎, that is, the _eighteen hours_: _Politick translation_ removeth it till _Munday_, as appeareth by the rule _Adu_, forbidding _Sunday_; of this sort is _Gatrad_.

‎‏גטרד‏‎ _Gatrad_, is a made word, each letter is a numeral, and it may be thus resolved, ‎‏ג‏‎ 3. ‎‏ט‏‎ 9. ‎‏רד‏‎ 204. The meaning thereof is thus: In their common year (when a whole month is not inserted) if the point of the change happen upon the _third day_ of the week, that is, _Tuesday_, not before the ninth hour, and the 204 moment of an hour, then the _New Moon_ shall be translated to _Thursday_.

Note in the last place, that 1080 _moments_ make an _hour_.[357]

[357] _Munst. Calend. pag. 45._

The _Feast of Tabernacles_ was observed in the month _Tisri_, and therefore that could not be observed the morrow after the _Sabbath_, as appeareth by the rule _Adu_. The _Passover_ was observed in the month _Nisan_, and therefore that might be observed the morrow after the _Sabbath_, as appeareth by the rule _Badu_. If any ask the reason why the _Passover_ might be observed the next day after the _Sabbath_, seeing the _Feast of Tabernacles_ might not? I take it to be thus; All the _after translations_ depended upon the _first translation_ of the _first New Moon in Tisri_; but that could not be so changed, as to prevent all concurrence of two _Feasts_; and thus to have their _Passover_ sometimes to follow their _Sabbath_, they thought the most convenientest ordering of the year, because though not all meetings of two _Sabbaths_, yet most were hereby prevented.

This tract of translation of Feasts, it serveth partly to open the customs of the _Jews_: partly to give light for the understanding of that great dispute among _Divines_, whether our _Saviour_ did anticipate the _Passover_. The _Greek Church_ holds,[358] that he kept a _Passover_ by himself with his _Disciples_, on the thirteenth day of the month, when _unleavened bread_ was not yet to be used; and thence they do both use and urge a necessity[359] of _leavened bread in the Lords supper_: But this opinion we reject. First, because it accordeth not with the truth of _Evangelical History_. Secondly, because it plainly maketh _Christ_ to be a transgressor, not a fulfiller of the Law. Others say,[360] that because that year their _Passover_ fell on _Friday_, hence the feast was translated unto _Saturday_ by the rule _Badu_. Their inference is that _Christ_ kept the fourteenth day of the month, which was _Friday_, and the _Jews_ kept _Saturday_. He kept Gods Command, they the _tradition of the Elders_. Lastly, others more probably hold,[361] that both _Christ_ and the _Jews_ did eat the _Passover_ the same day and hour; namely, on _Friday_, or the fourteenth day of the month, if we count the beginning of _Friday_ according to the manner of the _Jews_, from six a clock at night on _Thursday_. _Friday_ morning he was judged, and crucified; and in the afternoon, about three of the clock, when the _preparation of the Sabbath_ began, he was buried; _There laid they Jesus, because of the Jews preparation_, _John 19. 24._

[358] _Epiph. l. 2. Tom. 1. c. 51. p. 147._

[359] _Usum fermentati panis in cœna Dominica Ecclesia Romana olim non damnavit. Casaubon. exercit. 16. p. 65._

[360] _Munster. in Mat. cap. 26._

[361] _Joseph. Scalig. de emend. temp. lib. 6. p. 266._

For reconciling the _Evangelists_ in this point, we must note these particulars, which are more at large proved in the _Chapter of the Passover_. 1. The _fourteenth_ day of the month, on which the _Paschal Lamb_ was eaten, was called the first day of _unleavened bread_; the Feast of _unleavened bread_ drew near, which is called the _Passover_, _Luke 22. 1._

The _fourteenth_ day was not holy, but the _fifteenth_ was. In the _fourteenth_ day of the first month is the _Passover_ of the _Lord_, and in the _fifteenth_ day of this month is the Feast, _Numb. 28. 16, 17._ Some of them thought, because _Judas_ had the bag, that _Jesus_ had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the Feast, _John 13. 29._

The _Sheep and Bullocks_ offered upon this day, are called the _Passover_, _Deut. 16. 2._ And of this we are to understand S. _John_, _Joh. 18. 28._ They themselves went not into the common Hall, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the _Passover_. So that this eating of the _Passover_ is not understood of the _Paschal Lamb_. But some may question, How they should have been defiled by entring into the common Hall? The answer is,[362] that upon _Holy-day-eves_, which they termed _days of preparation_, they held it unlawful for their _Judges to sit on life and death_. Hence it is that they brought _Jesus to Pilate_ the _Roman Deputy_. _Secondly_, they withdrew themselves out of the common Hall. _Thirdly_, for this reason they said, _It is not lawful for us to put any man to death_, _Joh. 18. 31._ that is, upon this, or such like day;[363] for though their high Court of _Sanedrim_ were put down at this time, yet all power in cases of life and death was not taken from them, as is implied in the words following; It was that the word of _Jesus_ might be fulfilled, which he spake signifying what death he should die, _ver. 32._ Which text intimateth, that that unlawfulness was urged by the special providence of God, that he might be crucified, being judged by _Pilat_: for if the _Jews_ had judged, they used no such kind of death towards Malefactors. Again, _Stephen_ was condemned by them to be stoned, _Act. 7._ And they complained before _Felix_, that when they were about to proceed against _Paul_ according to their own Law, the chief Captain _Lysias_ with violence took him out of their hands, _Acts 24._ Which argueth, that all power in causes capital was not taken from them: But of this see the _Chapter, Of their capital punishments_.

[362] _‎‏אין דנין דיני נפשות לא בערב שבת ולא בערב יום טוב‏‎ Moses ben Maimon. li. ult. Iad. c. Sanedrin. Sect. 11._

[363] _August. tract. 114. In Ioann. ita hunc locum exponunt etiam Cyrill. lib. 12. in Ioan. c. 6. Chrys. hom. 12. in Joan. Beda in c. 18. Joan._

CHAP. VIII.

_The Feast of Expiation._

Upon the tenth day of the month _Tisri_, answering to _September_ with us, the _Feast of Expiation_ was commanded to be celebrated, _Levit. 13._ It was called the _Feast of Expiation_, because the _High-priest_ did then confess unto _God_ both his own sins, and the sins of the people: and by the performance of certain Rites and Ceremonies expiate them, and make an attonement unto _God_ for them.

The _Ceremonies_ at this time to be performed, concerned either the _People_ and the _Priest_, or the _Priest alone_. Those which concerned the _People and the Priest_, consisted in the afflicting of their souls by _fasting_. Whence this Feast was also called[364] _Dies Jejunii_, _the Fasting Day_, _Jer. 36. 6._ Which serveth for the understanding of that, _Act. 27. 9._ _Sailing was now dangerous, because the Feast was already past_; that is, the _Feast of Expiation_ was now past, and Winter was at hand.

[364] _Joseph. de bel. Jud. pag. 43._

Those _Ceremonies_ which concerned the _Priest alone_, were two: First, then the _High-priest_ entred into the _Holiest of Holies_, which was peculiar unto this day. Secondly, he being about to sacrifice for himself and his house, he took unto him a _young Bullock for a sin-offering, and a Ram for a burnt offering_, putting on his Priestly Robes: After he had washed himself in water; he took of the Congregation _two He-goats for a sin-offering, and a Ram for a burnt offering_. The _two He-goats_ he presented before the _Lord_ at the door of the _Tabernacle_, casting lots which of them should be sacrificed, which let _scape alive_. This last was termed[365] the _scape Goat_, because the other being slain, this was sent alive into the Wilderness. The Greek Interpreters call this Goat ἀποπομπαῖον, _Malorum depulsorem_, _A defender from evils_; which name the Heathens applied to their _Tutelar Gods_. They intimated, that when the _scape Goat_ carried away the sins of the people into the Wilderness, he likewise carried away all those _evils_ which belonged unto those sins. And for the securing the people in this point, the _Lord_ commanded the _High priest_ to confess in the name of all the people, and to disburden the sins of the whole Congregation upon the head of the _scape Goat_. The form of _Confession_, according to the relation of the _Hebrew Doctors_, was this:[366] _O Lord, thy People, the House of Israel, they have sinned, they have done wickedly, they have transgressed before thee; I beseech thee now, O Lord, pardon the sins, iniquities, and transgressions, with which the People, the House of Israel have sinned, done wickedly, and transgressed before thee, as it is written in the Law of thy servant_ Moses: _that in that day he shall make Attonement for you, that he might cleanse you, and that you might be clean from all your iniquities before the Lord._

[365] _‎‏עזאזל‏‎ Gnaz azl. ex ‎‏עז‏‎ Gnez. capra & ‎‏אזל‏‎ Azal, abiit R. D. Kimchi in Radic._

[366] _P. Fag. Lev. 16._

The _modern Jews_ now (because there can be no proper sacrifice, the _Temple_ of _Jerusalem_ being destroyèd) the men they take a _white Cock_ on this day, the women a _Hen_.[367] This _Cock_ they swing three times about the _Priests_ head, saying, _Gallus Gallinaceus hic commutatio erit pro me_: that is, _This Cock shall be a propitiation for me_. After that they kill the _Cock_; acknowledging themselves worthy of death; and then they cast the intrals upon the top of the house, that some Raven or Crow might carry both them, and together with them, their sins into the Wilderness. And least they might seem to be mad without reason, they assign the cause why they make choice of a _Cock_, at this time, to be this: This word[368] _Gebher_ in the Holy Language signifieth a Man, in their _Talmud_ it signifieth a Cock. Now, say they, the Justice of _God_ requires, that as _Gebher_ sinned, so _Gebher_ should make satisfaction. From this _Feast of Expiation_ it is probable, that the _Grecians_ used a yearly _Expiation_ of their Cities, which was performed on this manner: Certain condemned persons were brought forth with Garlands upon their heads, in manner of sacrifices, these they would tumble from some steep place into the Sea, offering them up to _Neptune_, using this form of words,[369] περίψημα ἡμῶν γενοῦ, _Sis pro nobis peripsema_: As if he had said, _Be thou a Reconciliation or Propitiation for us_. The like kind of Expiation was used among them in time of any Pestilence, or contagious infection; for removal of such diseases, they then sacrificed certain men unto their _Gods_, such men they termed καθάρματα.[370] These two words are used by the _Apostle_, _1 Cor. 4. 13._ and they are translated _filth and off-scouring_: We are made as the _filth of the World, and as the off-scouring of all things_. The words signifie properly the _filth or dirt scraped off mens shooes_, or from the _pavement of the ground_: But in _Budæus_ his opinion,[371] the _Apostle_ had allusion unto those kinds of Expiations in use amongst the _Heathens_. As if he had said, We are as despicable and as odious in the sight of the people, as much loaded with the revilings and cursings of the multitude, as those condemned persons, who were offered up by way of publick Expiation.

[367] _Buxtorf. Synagog. cap. 20._

[368] _‎‏גבר‏‎_

[369] _Suidas in voce περίψημα._

[370] _Καθάρματα ἐλέγοντο οἱ ἐπὶ καθάρσει λιμοῦ τινὸς ἤ τινὸς ἑτέρας νόσου θυόμενοι τοῖς θεοῖς, Vetus Scholiast. in Aristophan. Plut. pag. 48._

[371] _Budæus annot. reliq. in Pandect. De pœnis, p. 334._

Now, seeing at this Feast principally the _High-Priest_ was a _Type of Christ_, it will not be amiss to note the agreement between the _Type_ and the _Truth_.