[294] _מי שצות על השבת צות לחלל שבת R. D. Kimchi in Josh. 6._
3. _Works of absolute necessity_, as the defending ones self against his enemy, and others of like nature: concerning which the _Jews_ have a saying,[295] _Peril of life drives away the Sabbath_. And the _Christians_ with a little change of a more common Proverb, say, _Necessitas non habet ferias_; _Necessity hath no Holy days_.
_Of their Passover, and their Feasts of Unleavened Bread._
Some of the _Fathers_ have derived[296] the word _Paschal_, from a Greek Verb, signifying to suffer, because the _sufferings_ and _Passion_ of our _Saviour_; are celebrated about that time. This Opinion _Augustine_ justly confuteth,[297] for the word is originally an _Hebrew_ word, signifying to _pass by_, _to leap_, or _pass over_. The _Etymology_ is _God_’s own. It is the sacrifice of the _Lord_’s _Passover_, which _passed over, &c._ _Exod. 12. 27._
[296] _Tertul. advers. Judaic. c. 10 It. Ambros. lib. de Myster. Pasch. cap. 1._
The word _Passover_ in Scripture hath three acceptions. First, it is taken for that yearly solemnity which was celebrated upon the fourteenth day of _Nisan_,[298] otherwise called _Abib_; you may call it the _Passover of the Lamb_, because on that day toward the evening, the _Israelites_ were commanded according to their Families to roast a _Lamb_, and eat it in their private houses. Secondly, it signifieth that yearly Festivity which was celebrated on the fifteenth of _Nisan_: it may be called the _Passover_ of _sheep and Bullocks_, _Deut. 16. 2._ Otherwise we may call it the _Feast of the Passover_; as the fourteenth of _Nisan_ was called simply the _Passover_. In the fourteenth day of the first moneth, is the _Passover of the Lord_, and in the fifteenth day of this moneth is the _Feast_, _Num. 28. 16, 17._ Toward this Feast we are to understand that _Josiah_ gave unto the people such a multitude of Sheep, Lambs, Kids, and Bullocks. Thirdly, it is taken for the whole solemnity, beginning the Fourteenth of _Nisan_, and ending the one and twentieth of the same moneth. Now the _Feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover_, _Luk. 22. 1._ So that in this acception is contained the _Feast of unleavened bread_ also, notwithstanding, in proper speaking, the _Feast of unleavened bread_ was a distinct _Feast_ from the _Passover_.