John Trapp on Nehemiah 8:18

Verſe 18. And alſo day by day] Not onely on the firſt and laſt day (that great day of the feaſt; John 7.37.) but every day; this good man was at it; being Inſatiabilis Dei cultor, (as Chryſoſtome ſaith of Saint Paul,) an inſatiable worſhipper of God; and accounting quòd nimis anguſta pietas eſt; ad legem, bonum eſſe; to do nothing for God more then needs muſt, was too little.

And they kept the feaſt ſeven dayes] The people were as willing to hear, (and do other holy duties) as Ezra was to preach. So were Chryſoſtomes hearers; who were wont to ſay that they could better be without the Sun-light, then Chryſoſtomes daily Sermons. So likewiſe were Calvins hearers at Geneva, where he preached every day in the week for moſt part, and had a conſtant audience that even over-admired (ſome of them at leaſt) his moſt excellent paines and parts; as Zanchy ſhewes and complaines in the Epiſtle Dedicatory ſet before his Miſcellanies: taxing them of [non-Latin text not transcribed], man-worſhip.

And on the eighth day was a ſolemne aſſembly] Heb. A reſtraint, viz. from ſervile works: or a Retention, viz. a holding of the Congregation together for holy uſes. Tremellius rendereth it diem interdicti: The vulgar Latine of Lyra thus, They made a gathering, ſc. for neceſſaries about the Temple. This eight day thus kept might prefigure the Chriſtian Sabbath, that firſt day of the week.