CHAPTER V. 411 bear the altar of burnt-offering were overlaid with brass; Ex. xxxviii. 6. Sac'r. V.--Of the Holy Times and Holy Actions. 92. Q. Having surveyed the holy things of the Jews, let us enquire what were the chief of the holy times Or days ap- pointed to them ? A. The weekly sabbaths, the new-moons, the feast of the passover, the feast of pentecost, the feast of trumpets, the great day of atonement, and the feast of taber- nacles : See most or all these holy times prescribed in Lev. xxiii. and the several sacrifices belonging to them in Nutn. xxviii. and xxix. 93. Q. What was the weekly sabbath? A. The seventh day of every week was a day of holy rest from all the common labours of life, and a day ofassembling for worship, which is cal- led a holy convocation ; Exod. xx. 8, 10. Lev. xxiii. 2, 3, 94. Q. What special public service was done on this day ? A. The daily sacrifice was doubled ; Num. xxviii. 9. and it is very probable that some 'portions of the lawwere to be read, and perhaps expounded, chiefly by the priests and levites, as was practised afterwards in the synagogues ; Acts xv. 21. and per- haps also this might be done at least in following times on all days of holy convocation. 95. Q. Why was this day sanctified or made holy? A. Partly from God's resting from the work of creation on the seventh day, and partly in remembrance of the Israelites' deli- verance and rest from their slavish labours in Egypt; Exod. xx. 11. Deut. v. 15. 90. Q. What was the feast of the new -moons? A. In 'the beginning of their months, which they reckoned by new moons, they were to blow the silver trumpets, and offer a spe- cial sacrifice; Num. x. 10. and xxviii. 11. 1 Sam, xx. 5. Ps. lxxxi. 3. 97. Q. What was the feast of the passover? A. It was kept for seven days in their first month Abib, by sacrificing a lamb, and eating it in every family, in remembrance of God's passing over the families of Israel, when he slew the first-born in every house of the Egyptians ; Exod. xii. 18-28. Here note, That the first month of the Jews, for all the common affairs of life which are called civil affairs, was Tisrí, which in part answers to our September, and is the first month after the autumnal equinox ;. and it was always to con- tinue so for civil affairs, as appears from Exod. xxiii. 16. and xxxiv. 22. and Lev. xxv. 8, 9, 10. But as to ecclesiastical or religious matters, the first month after the vernal equinox called Abib, which answers partly to our March, was designed to be the beginning of the year to the Jews, in memory of their great de- liverance fruits Egypt. p d 2
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