by doing such things as were not perhaps directly against the Law yet made him lose all his Authority See Lib. II. de Jure Nat. Gent. juxta Disc Hebr. cap. 10. But I will be hallowed among the Children of Israel Either by the observation of his Laws or by punishing those who transgressed them For so this phrase is used X. 3. I am the LORD which hallow you Have separated you to my self as a special People from all others by Laws different from theirs and more excellent Ver. 33. Verse 33 That brought you out of the Land of Egypt to be your God And moreover distinguished you from all others by singular Benefits particularly by delivering you from the most grievous Slavery that I might make you a happy People I am the LORD When you remember my benefits remember I am your Soveraign who expect your Obedience CHAP. XXIII Ver. 1. Verse 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying All the Laws in this Chapter were delivered at one time not long after the former Ver. 2. Verse 2 Speak unto the Children of Israel Who were highly concerned to observe all the Solemnities enjoyned in this Chapter in such a manner as God required And say unto them concerning the Feasts of the LORD It hath been anciently observed that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Syrians were great lovers of Feasts Which made it the more reasonable if they were so in Moses his days that the Israelites who were to be their Neighbours in the Land of Canaan should have so many Feasts appointed them weekly monthly and yearly all in honour of their God From whence they are called Feasts of the LORD But this word MOED which we translate a Feast properly signifies an Assembly And so Mr. Thorndike would have it here translated because the name of Feasts is proper to those Solemnities which are to be celebrated with joy and chearfulness whereas under this general word Moed is comprehended the Day of Atonement which is one of the Assemblies here named v. 27. but was no Feast being to be observed with the greatest Humiliation and Affliction that could be expressed He therefore exactly translates these words in this manner The Assemblies of the LORD for the word concerning is not in the Hebrew which ye shall proclaim for holy Convocations these are my Assemblies See Religious Assemblies Chap. II. All that can be said for our Translation is That the Day of Atonement being a Day of Rest from all Labour it may go under the Name of a Feast in opposition to working days Which ye shall proclaim Or call by the sound of the Trumpet which the Priests were to blow upon these days X Numb 10. To be holy Convocations The same Hebrew Mikra which here signifies a Convocation signifies also reading VIII Nehem. 8. For on these days they were called to Assemble together to hear the Law read to them as well as to offer Sacrifice and make their Prayers to God with Thanksgivings for his Benefits Even these are my Feasts Or my Assemblies as I said before the first of which was the Sabbath then the Passover Pentecost the beginning of the New Year the Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles which are all contained under the general word Moed and none besides Ver. 3. Verse 3 Six days shall work be done They were allowed all these for any sort of business wherein they pleased to employ themselves But the seventh day is the sabbath of rest See XX Exod. 9 10. XXXI 15. This was the greatest of all Solemnities appointed for Assemblies returning once every week and therefore is set in the head of all the rest from which it seems to be distinguished v. 37 38. And accordingly in the next Verse having here mentioned this as a day by it self he begins to reckon the Feasts or Assemblies of the LORD And the reason why this day was made a Sabbath of Rest was because God himself then rested from his Works In memory of which they were to keep this Day free from all Labour that the belief of the Creation of the World might be fixed in their Minds or as Maimonides phrases it More Nevoch P. II. cap. 113. A belief that nothing is coevous with God Whence that saying of theirs mentioned by Aben-Ezra whosoever doth any work upon the Sabbath-day denies the work of the Creation Ye shall do no work therein They were commanded so to rest on this day from all bodily labour as not to kindle a fire to dress the meat they eat upon it which is not required upon any other day but only this and the great Day of Expiation v. 28 30. Concerning these two days alone it is said Thou shalt do no work upon it but of the days of other Assemblies no more is said but this Thou shalt do no servile work therein v. 7 8 c. that is only such work as they were wont to put their Slaves to do was prohibited For though they might not bake nor boil their Meat on the Sabbath-day XVI Exod. 23. nor on the day of Expiation v. 28. of this Chapter yet on other Solemn days they might make provision for their Tables XII Exod. 16. where Aben-Ezra notes of none of the solemn Assemblies besides the Sabbath and the day of Atonement it is said NO MANNER OF WORK only of the Passover he saith it and addeth an exception of the Meat of the Soul that is what was requisite for the Sustenance of Nature As our Mr. Thorndike observes in the place before quoted It is the Sabbath of the LORD in all your dwelings To be kept holy in honour of the LORD by every man wheresoever he dwelt For they had Synagogues for Worship in all their Towns though most of the other Assemblies could be held only in the place where the Sanctuary and afterwards the Temple was whither all their Males went up thrice a year at the great Festivals Aben-Ezra therefore thus glosses upon these words IN ALL YOUR DWELLINGS in your Land and out of your Land at home and upon the way To show that the Command XXXV Exod. 3. You shall kindle no fire throughout your habitation upon the Sabbath-day was to be observed not only whilst they lived upon Manna in the Wilderness when God gave them a double portion on the sixth day that they might prepare it against the Sabbath XVI Exod. 5.29 but in all places wheresoever they dwelt afterwards Ver. 4. Verse 4 These are Feasts of the LORD Now follow the Solemn Assemblies which are to be kept by this Ordinance of mine besides that of the Seventh day which was celebrated from the beginning This looks like a Title to all that insues Even for holy Convocations Solemn Mettings of the People who were called together to celebrate the Mercies of God with Sacrifices of Thanksgiving and Publick Rejoycings Such there were in all Nations who had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greeks called them general Assemblies of all
to preserve the memory of all the Miracles which God did in Egypt out of which he brought them at that time as the Feast of Tabernacles did to preserve the memory of the Signs and Wonders he did in the Wilderness where he afforded them his Divine Protection under a glorious Cloud and preserved them without any Houses both in the cold of Winter and heat of Summer In short there are two ends mentioned in this Chapter of the Institution of this Festival one to give thanks for the Fruits of the Earth which were then gathered v. 39. another and the principal in a grateful remembrance that they dwelt in Booths forty years and were brought into better Habitations when they came to Canaan v. 42 43. Ver. 35. Verse 35 And on the first day shall be an holy Convocation c. It was to be observed as the day of Pentecost v. 21. And they every one carried in their hands the Bough of some goodly Tree as the Hebrews understand the first words of v. 40. Josephus describing this Festivity Lib. III. Antiq. cap. 10. mentions in the first place Boughs of Myrtle Ver. 36. Verse 36 Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD The peculiar Sacrifices with their Meat-offerings which were to be offered on these seven days are distinctly set down in XXIX Numb from the thirteenth Verse to the end Where it will be most proper to consider them On the eighth day shall be an holy Convocation unto you See v. 4. And ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD A Burnt-offering with a Meat-offering attending upon it according to the appointment in XXIX Numb 36 37. It is a solemn Assembly This is a new word which is not used hitherto concerning any of the Feasts here mentioned signifying as we translate it in the Margin a day of restraint or rather a closing or concluding day for then the Solemnity ended And so Theodoret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Conclusion of the Feasts Whence the last day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread is also called by this Name of Atzereth XVI Deut. 8. And so is the Feast of Pentecost which was kept in the end of seven Weeks called by Josephus by the same name of Asartha Lib. III. Antiq. cap. 10. This therefore as it was the last so it was the great day of the Feast as St. John calls it VII 37. On which day they read the last Section of the Law and so concluded the reading of the whole five Books of Moses And thence any great Solemnity is called by this name of Atzereth 2 Kings X. 20. I Joel 14. This seems to me to be a far better account of this word then that which the Jews commonly give who render it a day of detention because saith Abarbanel they were bound to detain the Feast to this day whereas no other Feast continued more then seven days staying at Jerusalem till it was over Whence this day seems to him to be to the Feast of Tabernacles as the Day of Pentecost was to the Passover For as they were bound to count seven Weeks from that time and then make this fiftieth day a Feast so they are here commanded after the seven days of the Feast of Tabernacles to stay and feast one day more Others of them as R. Solomon Jarchi say this was as if a Man having been entertained by his Friend seven days should to express greater kindness to him be detained one day more And ye shall do no servile work therein But spend their time in Feasting Mirth and Rejoycing with thankful Acknowledgments of God's Benefits to them See v. 7 8. Ver. 37. Verse 37 These are the feasts or Assemblies of the LORD which ye shall proclaim to be holy Convocations This was the Preface to them v. 4. and now is the Conclusion to make them the more observed To offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD a Burnt-offering and a Meat-offering and a Sacrifice c. These Offerings are particularly set down as hath been noted all along in the XXVIII and XXIXth of Numbers And by a Sacrifice seems here to be meant a Sin-offering which is ordered throughout those two Chapters together with Burnt-offerings upon all these Festivals Ver. 38. Verse 38 Besides the Sabbaths of the LORD i. e. Beside the Sacrifices appointed upon all the Sabbaths in the year which were not to be omitted if any of the Feasts here mentioned fell upon the seventh day of the Week And beside your gifts Most understand by Gifts such Presents as Men made to God beyond their First-fruits and Tenths But it may be thought only a general word including the two particulars which follow Vows and Free-will-offerings Ver. 39. Verse 39 Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month when ye have gathered in the fruit of the Land c. Here is no new injunction in this Verse but only an inforcement of what was said before the very same days being appointed to be observed with those named v. 24. Therefore the Hebrew Particle Ak should not have been translated also but surely or certainly or truly as we translate it in other places particularly XXIX Gen. 14. Surely thou art my bone and my flesh LXXIII Psal 1. Truly God is good to Israel II Lament 16. Certainly this is the day that we looked for When ye have gathered in the fruit of the Land These words give a reason of the repetition of the Command because there was something more designed in this Festival than meerly the remembrance of their Condition in the Wilderness which was to express their Thankfulness to God for their desired Harvest which they had now gathered For which cause besides the seven days which were in Commemoration of their dwelling in Tents in the Wilderness there was an eighth added to acknowledge his Mercy of receiving the Fruits of the Earth Ye shall keep a Feast unto the LORD seven days These were the Feasts of Tabernacles which lasted all these seven days On the first day shall be a Sabbath See v. 35. And on the eighth day shall be a Sabbath In the institution of the Feast of Unleavened Bread it is said in the seventh day is an holy Convocation ye shall do no servile work therein i. e. it shall be a Sabbath v. 8. but here the eighth day hath that honour put upon it not the seventh being added to the Festival for a peculiar reason and therefore to be observed in a very solemn manner For the Feast of Tabernacles fell in the time of Vintage when the Fruits of the Earth were in a manner all gathered XVI Deut. 13. From whence it is called by the name of the Feast of Ingatherings XXIII Exod. 16. not because the whole Feast was celebrated on this account but because a principal part of it was kept on this score viz. the eighth day as the other seven days were in memory of their dwelling in Tents But that the eighth
25. which the Misna in Joma says was the Fat of the inwards only Ver. 28. Verse 28 And he that burneth them The Vulgar Latin I think rightly translates it Quicunque combusserit whosoever burneth them for there was more than one as I said before imployed in this business Shall wash his clothes c. Being defiled by touching the Sacrifices which were charged with so many sins as he that carried away the Scape-goat was v. 26. where there is the very same order in the same words Now when all this was done the Misna saith cap. 7. Joma sect 4. the High-Priest washed himself again and put on his white Robes which were proper to this day and went into the most holy place to fetch out the Censer with the Dish or Cup which he carrried in when he went to burn Incense v. 12 13. And when he came out from thence he washt and put on his golden Garments and offered Incense upon the golden Altar and trimmed the Lamps Which being done they brought him his own Garments which he wore constantly and when he had put them on they accompanied him to his House where he entertained his Friends with a Feast being come out of the Sanctuary in peace that is safe and in health For by shifting his Garments and washing so often he was in danger to catch Cold as we speak and they did sometimes fall into various Diseases upon this occasion as P. Cunaeus observes out of Maimonides L. II. de Repub. Hebr. cap. 14. and some died in the holy place not having performed the Service duly Which made it very reasonable that he and his Friends should rejoyce when he returned in health and safety Ver. 29. Verse 29 And this shall be a statute for ever unto you Till the coming of Christ in whom all that these Sacrifices signified was accomplished who put an end therefore to this Legal Dispensation See XII Exod. 14. That in the seventh month When they had gathered in all the Fruits of the Earth and thereby had the more liberty to attend such a solemn Service Which was the reason perhaps why there were more Solemnities appointed in this Month than in any other Month in the Year as appears from XXIII of this Book It had been anciently also the first Month of the year being the Month it 's likely wherein the World was created But upon the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt the Month Abib by God's special command was ordered to be the first Yet not absolutely but only in respect of that which was most eminent viz. for the Ecclesiastical Account For as to their Civil or Temporal Affairs the seventh Month Tisri still retained the precedence On the tenth day of the month The Arabians imitated this calling the Fast of the Tenth day of the Month Moharram by the name of Ashura which is exactly the Ashor tenth day here mentioned by Moses from whom these People derived it before the appearance of Mahomet Who finding the Jews when he came to Medina fasting upon this day Ashura askt them the reason of it who told him as the Mahometan Writers report it was in remembrance of Pharaoh's being then drowned in the Red Sea whereupon he said I have more to do with Moses than you and thereupon commanded his Followers to fast on this day See Dr. Pocock upon Abal-Farajius concerning the Manners of the Arabians p. 309 310. But this is plainly an idle Tale invented by him or his Followers for the Jews would rather have feasted than fasted upon the day of such a Deliverance But it shows that this Day was remarkable among the Jews and solemnly observed by them wheresoever they were and was chosen by God rather than any other Day of the Month if we may believe Maimonides More Nevoch P. III. cap. 43. because it was the day on which Moses came down from the Mount with the second Tables in his hand and proclaimed to the People the Remission of their great Sin in worshipping the golden Calf in memory of which it was ordered to be intirely a Day of Repentance and of Divine Worship Ye shall afflict your souls By Fasting and Abstinence not only from all Meat and Drink but from all other Pleasure whatsoever Insomuch that they might not wash their Faces much less anoint their Heads nor wear their Shoes nor use the Marriage Bed nor read if their Doctors say true any portion of the Law which would give them delight For example the story of their coming out of Egypt and leading them through the Red Sea c. so far is the Mahometan story from having any colour of truth It is likely also that to increase their Grief they rent their Clothes as they did in other Fasts in after times put on Sackcloth girded it close to their Flesh sprinkled Ashes on their heads c. Which were all intended no doubt to work in them an inward sorrow for all their sins with an hearty abhorrence of them and resolution to mortifie and abstain from them For though the word Soul be generally expounded the sensitive part of us which is afflicted by fasting as the Prophet Isaiah expounds this Phrase LVIII 3 5. yet it is absurd to think that God was pleased with this alone without that inward Compunction of Mind which made them break off their sins by righteousness which the Prophet there declares was the only acceptable Fast to the LORD The Hebrew Doctors here observe that they did not afflict little Children on this day by making them fast from all Food till they were of the Age of Eleven years But only taught them what they were to do when they came of Age that they might be accustomed to the Precept See Joma cap. 8. sect 4. And do no work at all Not only abstain from all Pleasure but from all Labour whatsoever nothing being to be done upon this day but Confessing of Sins and Repentance as Maimonides expresses it in the place before-mentioned Whether it be one of your own Country or a Stranger that sojourneth among you The Hebrew word Ezrach is extant only here and XXIII 42. which signifies as much as one that had his original among them being born an Israelite as it is there expressed The opposite to which is gher a Stranger we translate it one that was of another Nation but had embraced the Jewish Religion and lived among them who in the New Testament is called a Proselyte Ver. 30. Verse 30 For on that day shall the Priest make an atonement for you If upon this day they afflicted and humbled their Souls as Conr. Pellicanus glosses with fasting and prayer and anguish for their sins with alms also beseeching God's mercy with tears and sighs in sackcloth and ashes resting from all servile works and devoted wholly to the LORD To cleanse you From all the Transgressions and Sins mentioned v. 16. from which both the High-Priest and his Family and all the People were to be purged on this
or a voluntary offering These two other sorts of Peace-offerings were in the nature of Prayers for the obtaining such Blessings as they desired and hoped for And they were either the performance of a Vow which they made to God of offering him such a Sacrifice when they received the benefit which was called Neder or they were freely made before hand in hope God would bestow the benefit which Sacrifice was called Nedebah a voluntary offering Now these were not so holy as the former and therefore might be eaten on the morrow as well as on the same day they were offered So it here follows It shall be eaten the same day that he offereth his Sacrifice Then they were immediately to begin to feast upon the Sacrifice And on the morrow also the remainder of it shall be eaten But if they could not conveniently eat it all the same day or had a mind to lay up some of it till the next they had that liberty allowed them For which Philo gives this reason in the same Book that these being for Mercies not yet received or offered by vertue of an obligation they might take more time to feast upon them with their Friends and be more sparing but the former being a thankful Acknowledgment of Blessings already bestowed their hearts were to be inlarged in greater bounty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they upon whom God readily bestowed his benefits might make a quick and speedy return by doing good to others without delay And what is here said of the Flesh of the Sacrifice the Jews also understand of the Meat-offerings mentioned v. 12 13. None of which were to be kept longer than two days at the most There is no place here assigned where these Sacrifices should be eaten at the Sanctuary as there is for the other VI. 16. 26. and here in this Chapter v. 6. The reason is because there was such a multitude of them that it might have made too great a crowd in the Court of the Israelites if they had been confined to it Where they might eat them if they pleased as I showed before VI. 16. but were not determined to that place but left at liberty to eat them in any part of the City where the Tabernacle and afterward the Temple stood See XII Deut. 6 7. And consequently while they dwelt in the Wilderness they might eat them any where in the Camp which was pitched round about the Tabernacle only it was to be in a clean place where the Priests might eat them as well as the People X. 14. Ver. 17. Verse 17 But the remainder of the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burnt with fire If there were such plenty or they and their Friends were too sew or they were so niggardly as not to call Poor enow to eat all in two days time they were to have no further benefit of the Flesh of this Sacrifice but what remained of it on the third day was to be burnt Which was to preserve the dignity of the Sacrifice as the Jews speak in preventing its stinking And there was no nobler way of consuming it than by sire which consumed the Sacrifice on the Altar So R. Levi Barcel observes Praecept CXXXVIII where he also adds that God taught them hereby not to be solicitous for the future nor careful to hoard up more than needed when they saw him command the holy Flesh to be destroyed after the time allotted for its use was past The Heathens themselves thought this a decent Rite for there was a Sacrifice at Rome which they called Protervia as Bochart observes out of Macrobius L. II. Saturnal cap. 2. in which the Custom was ut si quid ex epulis superfuisset igne consumeretur that if any thing of the Feast remained it was consumed in the fire See his Hierozoic P. I. L. II. cap. 50. Ver. 18. Verse 18 And if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of the peace-offering be eaten at all on the third day it shall not be accepted c. He lost the fruit of his Sacrifice which he had offered to God by this profanation which destroyed the Grace and Favour which it had procured him with God Neither shall it be imputed to him that offered it He shall not be thought to have made any offering at all It shall be an abomination c. And more than that it rendered him abominable being abominable it self and made him liable to be scourged as the Jews here understand the last words of this Verse he shall bear his iniquity Which I think also signifies that he should die under a great guilt till it was purged by a Trespass-offering Ver. 19. Verse 19 And the flesh that toucheth any unclean thing shall not be eaten That is the Flesh of the Peace-offerings before-mentioned which might happen as they carried it from the Altar to the place where they intended to make a Feast upon it to touch any unclean thing might not be eaten by any body But burnt with fire As that which remained to the third day was v. 17. This made them very careful to preserve it pure And as for the flesh That is all the Flesh which was not defiled by touching any unclean thing All that be clean shall eat thereof Whether the Priest or other Persons For the Priest had the right Shoulder and the Breast as we read expresly v. 33 34. and he that brought the Sacrifice had the rest Of the former the whole Family of the Priest might eat not only his Sons but his Wife and Daughters who were not married or being Widows were come back to their Father again if they had no Children or if those they had were begotten by Priests Yea his Servants born in his House or bought with his Money See XXII 11 12 13. XVIII Numb 11. And of the rest of the Sacrifice he that offered it might eat it with all his Family and his Friends excepting those who had any uncleanness upon them There are frequent mention of these Feasts in the following Books of the Bible As that made by Elkanah 1 Sam. I. 4. and by Samuel when he entertained Saul 1 Sam. IX 13 24. And when the Kingdom was renewed to Saul at Gilgal there was a Publick Feast made on these Offerings with great rejoycing 1 Sam. XI 15. And the like was made for Jesse and his Sons XVI 3 5. And by David when he entertained the People 1 Chron. XVI 3. and by Solomon at the Dedication of the Temple 1 Kings VIII 65. And all the Children of Israel made such a Feast at their return from Babylon VIII Nehem. 19. There are many Examples also of the like Feasts among the Heathens particularly in Homer where Agamemnon Iliad I. offered an Hecatomb and made a Feast upon it And Nestor Odyss III. offered a Sacrifice of LXXXII Oxen and made the like Entertainment Ver. 20. Verse 20 But the soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of the
in the Court of the Sanctuary even as the Sin-offerings were For these Peace-offerings being as I before-noted the only Peace-offerings of the whole Congregation were reckoned among the most holy things whereas the Peace-offerings of private Men were less holy as Dr. Lightfoot observes in his Temple Service cap. 8. sect 4. And the true reason why the Priest had all the Flesh of these Sacrifices was because they being for the whole Congregation the Offerers were too many to have any portion of them distributed among them Ver. 21. Verse 21 And ye shall proclaim on the self same day Before the Solemnities began That it may be an holy Convocation to you See v. 4. The reason of this holy Assembly was partly to commemorate God's great Goodness in giving the Law from Mount Sinai on the fiftieth day after their coming out of Egypt which was the chief end of God's bringing them from thence as Maimonides speaks P. III. More Nevoch cap. 43. and partly to thank him for giving them such fair hopes of compleating their Harvest which had been begun at the Passover Ye shall do no servile work therein It was to be observed as the first and the last days of Unleavened Bread v. 7 8. with such a Rest as made it little different from a Sabbath And that great Vision as Maimonides calls it at the giving of the Law lasting but one day was the reason the memory of it was celebrated only for one day in the year whereas one Feast of Unleavened Bread lasted seven days for the day was not sufficient to make them sensible enough of the Affliction they endured in Egypt But perhaps one day only was appointed at Pentecost to be free from all Servile work because of the great Business of Wheat-harvest which was then coming on and could not permit them to be so much at leisure as they were when the Fruits of the Earth were all gathered Then they kept a Feast seven days v. 39. as they did at the beginning of Barley-harvest when the Feast of Unleavened Bread was held At which time Harvest did not come on so fast as it did at Pentecost for the First-fruits then were of green Corn parched and dried and offered to God for the hope they had he would bring the rest to maturity Ver. 22. Verse 22 And when ye reap the Harvest of your Land thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of the Field c. This Precept hath been sufficiently explained before XIX 9 10. Only the occasion of its repetition here ought to be observed which is the mention of Harvest and First-fruits which in gratitude they then offered unto God Of whose Goodness he would have them so sensible as not to be unmindful of the Poor but to be such Benefactors to them that they might still receive more Benefits from God Ver. 23. Verse 23 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying These words are frequently prefixed to a new matter though delivered at the same time with what went before Ver. 24. Verse 24 Speak unto the Children of Israel saying Who as I have often said were all concerned to take notice of such Precepts In the seventh month in the first day of the month ye shall have a Sabbath Such a Sabbath as those mentioned v. 7 8 21. on which no Servile work was to be done as it follows in the next Verse For the seventh Month was the first Month of the year accordding to the ancient computation and continued so still to several purposes particularly with respect to their Jubilee when they were to blow the Trumpet as they did on this day which was the chief New Moon in all the year and the more illustrious because it fell in the time when all the Fruits of the Earth were gathered A memorial of blowing with Trumpets It is not easie to tell of what this blowing of Trumpets was a memorial Maimonides in the place fore-named More Nevoch P. III. cap. 43. will have it to be instituted to awaken the People out of sleep and call them to repentance being to put them in mind of the great Day of Expiation which followed nine days after This he explains more largely in his Jad Chazakah in the Treatise of Repentance cap. 3. where he saith The sound of the Trumpet at this time did in effect say Shake off your drowsiness ye that sleep and being awaked watch to your duty Search and try your ways Remember your Creator and repent You whom the Vanity of the Times hath led into a forgetfulness of the Truth who spend your days wandring after empty things which profit nothing bethink your selves and take care of your Souls Let every one forsake his evil way and his thoughts which are not good And accordingly he saith in the same place the Israelites were wont to multiply Alms and Good Works and to apply themselves to the Precepts as his phrase is from the beginning of the year till the Day of Atonement more diligently than at any other time rising in the night to pray in their Synagogues till break of day c. But though this be very pious I see no ground for it no more then for what they say of Commemorating the Deliverance of Isaac For why should not blowing of Trumpets be ordered for a preparation to other Solemn days and in memory of other Deliverances as well as this of Isaac It seems more probable that all Nations making great shouting rejoycing and feasting in the beginning of the year at the first New Moon as many have observed hoping the rest of the year by this means would prove more prosperous God was pleased to ordain this great rejoycing among his People in honour of himself upon the Day of the first New Moon which was to be continued every first Day of the Month that he might preserve them from the Worship of the Moon and make them sensible that he alone gave them good years and renewed his Mercies daily from Month to Month upon them Bonfrerius imagines that God put an honour upon this Month because it was the seventh that as every seventh day was a Sabbath and every seventh year the Land rested c. so every seventh month of every year should be a kind of Sabbatical Month there being more Feasts in this Month then in any other Months in the Year But all this doth not explain what this blowing of Trumpets was a memorial of which I take to be the Creation of the World which was in Autumn Upon which account it was that they anciently began their year at this time as the Eastern People do at this day They acknowledged also God's Goodness in blessing all the year past and bringing them to the beginning of a new year which they prayed him to make happy to them They began to blow at Sun-rise and continued it till Sun-set He that sounded the Trumpet began with the usual Prayer Blessed be God who hath sanctified us with his Precepts