were nine: The _Sheep-gate_, _Neh. 3. 1._ This was near the _Temple_,
and thorow it were led the _Sheep_ which were to be sacrificed,
being washed in the Pool _Bethsada_ near the gate: _The Fish-gate_
_Nehem. 3. 3._ before this _Judas_ is thought to have hanged himself.
Some[225] think that these two Gates, and likewise the _Horse gate_,
_Nehem. 3. 28._ were so called, because they were in manner of three
several _Market places_, and at the one Gate, _Sheep_, at the other,
_Fish_, and at the third, _Horses_ were sold. The _Old gate_ was so
called, because it was supposed to have remained from the time of
the _Jebusites_, and not to have been destroyed by the _Assyrians_;
it was near _Calvary_, and without this Gate _Christ_ was crucified.
Concerning the other Gates little is spoken.
[224] _Scheindler pentaglot._
[225] _Stukius conviv. l. 2. c. 11._
Touching the Gates of the _Temple_, there were[226] two of principal
note, both built by _Solomon_, the one for those that were new married,
the other for mourners and excommunicate persons. The mourners
were distinguished from the excommunicate persons, by having their
lips covered with a skirt of their garment; none entered that gate
with their lip uncovered, but such as were excommunicate. Now the
_Israelites_ which one the _Sabbath_ days sate between those Gates
said unto the _new married_: _He, whose Name dwelleth in this house,
glad thee with children_. Unto the mourner, _He, which dwelleth in
this house, glad and comfort thee_. Unto the excommunicate, _He, which
dwelleth in this house, move thy heart to harken to the words of thy
fellows_.
[226] _R. Juda in l. Musar. vid. Dru. præterit. Joan. 9. 22._
Among the _Jews_, the gates were places of chiefest _strength_, so that
they being taken or defended, the whole City was taken, or defended:
and they were chief places of _Jurisdiction_, for in them _Judges_
were wont to sit, and to decide controversies. Hence proceeded those
phrases: _The gates of Hell shall not prevail against thee_, &c. And,
_Thy seed shall possess the gates of his Enemies_.
CHAP. IV.
_Of their Groves, and high Places._
The ancient _Heathens_ did not only not build _Temples_,[227] but they
held it utterly unlawful so to do. The reason of this might be, because
they thought no _Temple_ spacious enough for the _Sun_, which was their
chief God. Hence came that saying,[228] _Mundus universus est Templum
Solis_; _The whole world is a Temple for the Sun_. Moreover, they
thought it unfit to straiten, and confine the supposed Infiniteness of
their fancied _Deities_ within walls; and therefore when after-times
had brought in the use of _Temples_, yet their _God Terminus_, and
divers others of their _Gods_ were worshipped in _Temples_ open roofed,
which were therefore called ὕπαιθρα. This I take to be the reason why
they made choice of _Hills_ and _Mountains_, as the convenientest
places for their Idols. These _consecrated Hills_, are those _high
places_ which the _Scripture_ so often forbids. Afterwards, as the
number of their _Gods_ encreased; so the number of their _consecrated
hills_ was multiplied, from which their _Gods_ and _Goddesses_ took
their names; as _Mercurius Cyllenius_, _Venus Erycina_, _Jupiter
Capitolinus_. At length to beautifie these _holy hills_, the places of
their idolatrous worship they beset them with trees, and hence came
the _consecration of Groves, and Woods_, from which their Idols many
times were named.[229] At last some choice and select Trees began to
be _consecrated_.[230] Those _French Magi_, termed _Dryadæ_, worshipped
the _Oak_, in _Greek_ termed Δρῦς, and thence had their names. The
_Etrurians_ worshipped an _Holm-tree_; and[231] amongst the _Celtæ_, a
_tall Oak_ was the very Idol or Image of _Jupiter_.
[227] _Hospin. de Ori. Templ. pag. 1._
[228] _Alex ab Alex. lib. 2. cap. 2._
[229] _Populus Alcidæ gratissima, vitis Iaccho. Formosæ myrtus
Veneri, sua Laurea Phœbo Virg. Eclog. 7._
[230] _Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 16. c. 44._
[231] _Maximus Tyrius, Ser. 38. fol. 225. edit. Steph._
Among the _Israelites_, the Idolatry began under the Judges, _Othniel_
and _Ehud_, _Judg. 3. 7._ and at the last it became so common in
_Israel_, that they had peculiar _Priests_, whom they termed _Prophets
of the Grove_, _1 King. 18. 19._ and _Idols_ of the _Grove_; that is,
_peculiar Idols_, unto whom their _Groves_ were _consecrated_, _2 King.
21. 7._ _2 Chron. 15. 16._ As Christians in the consecration of their
_Churches_, make special choice of some peculiar Saints, by whose name
they call them, as Saint _Peter’s Church_, S. _Paul_’s, S. _Andrews_,
&c. So they consecrated their _Groves_ unto particular _Idols_; whence
in prophane Authors we read of _Diana Nemorensis_, _Diana Arduenna_,
_Albunea Dea_; all receiving their names from the _Groves_ in which
they were worshipped: yea, the _Idol_ it self is sometimes called by
the name of a _Grove_: _~Josiah~ brought out the Grove from the House
of the Lord_, _2 King. 23. 6._ It is probable, that in this Idol was
pourtraited the form and similitude of a _Grove_, and thence it was
called a _Grove_, as those silver similitudes of _Diana_’s _Temple_
made by _Demetrius_, were termed _Temples of Diana_, _Acts 19. 24._
CHAP. V.
_The Cities of Refuge._
These places of _Refuge_, appointed by God, differed from those of
_Hercules_, and _Romulus_, and other _Heathens_; because God allowed
safety only to those, who were guiltless in respect of their intention:
but the others were common Sanctuaries, as well for the guilty as the
guiltless. If any man did fortuitously or by chance kill another man,
in such a case liberty was granted unto the offender to fly; at first,
unto the _Altar_ for refuge, as is implied by that text of Scripture,
_If any man come presumptuously unto his Neighbour, to slay him with
guile, thou shalt take him from mine Altar_, _Exod. 21. 14._ Yea,
we may conjecture this custome of refuge to have continued in force
always, by the practice of _Joab_, _1 King. 2. 28._ Notwithstanding,
lest the Altar might be too far distant from the place where the fact
might be committed, it is probable that therefore God ordained certain
_Asyla_, or _Cities of Refuge_, which for the same reason are thought
to have been[232] equally distant one from the other in _Canaan_:
The Cities were in number six; _Bezer_ of the _Reubenites_ Country,
_Ramoth_ of _Gilead_, in the _Gadites_, and _Golan_ in _Bashan_, of the
_Manassites_: these three _Moses_ separated beyond _Jordan_, _Deut.
4. 41, 43._ The other three, appointed by _Joshua_ in the Land of
_Canaan_, were _Cadesh_ in _Galilee_ in Mount _Naphthali_; _Schechem_
in _Ephraim_, and _Kiratharba_ (which is _Hebron_) in the Mountain of
_Judah_, _Josh. 20. 7._ There are other Cities of like nature: _God_
promised the _Israelites_, upon condition of their obedience, after
their Coasts were inlarged; but it seemeth that disobedience hindred
the accomplishment thereof, for the Scripture mentioneth not the
fulfilling of it.
[232] _Rab. Salom. Iarchi. Deut. 19._
Concerning these Cities, the _Hebrews_ note from these words,
_Thou shalt prepare the way_, _Deut. 9. 3._ That the _Senate_, or
_Magistrate_ in _Israel_, were bound to prepare the ways to the _Cities
of Refuge_, and[233] to make them fit, and broad, and to remove out
of them all stumbling-blocks and obstacles: and they suffered not any
Hill or Dale to be in the way, nor water-streams, but they made a
Bridge over it, that nothing might hinder him that fled thither. And
the breadth of the way to the _Cities of Refuge_, was not less than
two and thirty Cubits, and at the partitions of the ways, they set up
in writing, _Refuge, Refuge_: that the man-slayer might know and turn
thitherward. On the fifteenth of the moneth _Adar_, or _February_,
every year the _Magistrates_ sent messengers to prepare the ways.
[233] _Maimon. in Rotsach. cap. 8. sect. 5._
Furthermore it was provided, that two or three wise men should be
imployed, to perswade the _Avenger of blood_, if haply he did pursue
the man-slayer on the way, that he should offer no violence, until the
Cause were heard and examined. The manner of examination was thus; The
Consistory or Bench of _Justices_, who lived in that quarter where the
murder was committed,[234] placed the party being brought back from
the _City of Refuge_, in the Court, or Judgment-Hall, and diligently
enquired and examined the cause, who if he were found guilty of
voluntary murder, then was he punished with death, but if otherwise
the Fact were found casual, then did they safely conduct the party
back again to the _City of Refuge_, where he enjoyed his liberty, not
only within the walls of the City, but within certain Territories and
bounds of the City, being confined to such and such limits, until the
death of the _High Priest_, that was in those days, at what time it
was lawful for the offender to return and come into his own City, and
unto his own house, even unto the City from whence he fled, _Josh. 20.
6._ By this means the offender, though he was not punished with death,
yet he lived for the time a kind of exile, for his own humiliation,
and for the abatement of his wrath, who was the _avenger of blood_.
The _Areopagitæ_[235] had a proceeding against mans slaughter not much
unlike, punishing the offender ἀπενιαυτισμῷ, with a _years banishment_:
Why the time of this exilement was limited to the death of the _High
Priest_ at that time, is not agreed upon by Expositors. But it is most
probably thought, that the offender was therefore confined within that
City as within a Prison, during the _High Priest_’s life,[236] because
the offence did most directly strike against him, as being amongst men,
ἄρχηγος, _Ac princeps sanctitatis_, _The chief God on earth_.
[234] _Paul. Fag. Num. 35. 6._
[235] _Masius in Jos. cap. 20._
[236] _Masius ibid._
THE THIRD BOOK TREATETH OF DAIES and TIMES.
CHAP. I.
_Days, Hours, Weeks, and Years._
Before we treat of their Feasts, it will be needful, by way of Preface,
to understand somewhat concerning the divisions of their _Days_,
_Hours_, _Weeks_, &c.
Their _Day_ was two-fold; _Natural_, containing _day_ and _night_, and
consisting of 24 hours; or _Artificial_, beginning at _Sun-rising_ and
ending at _Sun-set_. Of this is that, _Are there not twelve hours in
the day?_ _John 11. 9._
The _Natural day_ was again two-fold: _Civil_, _a working-day_,
which was destined for civil businesses and works: this began at
_Sun-rising_, and held till the next _Sun-rising_, _Mat. 28. 1._ or
_Sacred_, a Festival or Holy-day, destined for holy exercises: this
began at _Sun-set_, and continued till the next _Sun-set_.
Their night was divided into four _quarters_, or _greater hours_,
termed four _Watches_, each _Watch_ containing three _lesser hours_.
The first they called _Caput vigiliarum_, the beginning of the watches,
_Lam. 2. 19._ the second was the middle watch, _Judg. 7. 19._ not so
termed, because there were only three _watches_, as _Drusius_[237]
would perswade, but because it dured till _midnight_. The _third
watch_, began at _midnight_, and held till three of the clock in the
morning. If he come in the _second_, or _third watch_, _Luk. 12. 38._
The _last_, called the _morning watch_, _Exod. 14. 24._ began at three
of the clock, and ended at six in the morning. In the _fourth watch_ of
the night, _Jesus_ went out unto them, _Mat. 14. 25._ These _Watches_
also were called by other names, according to that part of the night
which closed each watch. The _first_ was termed ὀψὲ, the _even_.
The _second_, μεσονύκτιον _Midnight_. The _third_ ἀλεκτοροφωνία,
_Cock-crowing_. The _fourth_ πρωῒ, the _Dawning_. _Ye know not when
the Master of the house will come, at Even, or at Midnight, or at
Cock-crowing, or at the Dawning_, _Mark 13. 35._
[237] _Drus. Judic. 7. 19._
The day was likewise divided into four _quarters_, as appeareth by the
Parable of the Labourers hired into the Vineyard, _Mat. 20._ The _first
quarter_ began at six of the clock in the morning, and held till nine.
The _second quarter_ ended at twelve of the clock. The _third quarter_
at three in the after-noon. The _fourth quarter_ at six of the night.
The first _quarter_ was called the _third hour_, _vers. 3._ The second
_quarter_, the _sixth hour_, _vers. 5._ The third _quarter_, the _ninth
hour_, _vers. 5._ The last _quarter_, the _eleventh hour_, _vers. 6._
Where note, that the three first quarters had their names from the
hour of the day, which closed the quarter (for they began their count
of their lesser hours, from six a clock in the morning, and our 6,
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. was their 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
8, 9, 10, 11, 12.) only the last was called the _eleventh hour_, by
our _Saviour Christ_; whereas among the common people, it either was
called, or should have been called, by proportion with the rest, the
_twelfth hour_; to intimate unto us, that though _God_ in his mercy
accept _labourers_ into his Vineyard _eleven hours_ of the day, yet he
seldome calleth any of the _twelfth_; for that is rather an hour to
discharge servants, than to admit new.
Some Expositors finding mention of the dawning of the day, in this
Parable, _vers. 1._[238] They reckon the 4 _quarters_ of the day after
this manner. _Hora prima_, _Hora tertia_, _Hora sexta_, _Hora nona_.
Where first they err, in taking the _dawning_ of the day for the _first
hour_ of the day; for πρωὶ the _dawning_, signifieth the _last quarter
of the night_, called the _Morning watch_. Secondly, they err in making
the _last quarter of the day_ to be the _ninth hour_, for what then
shall become of the _eleventh hour_, mentioned in the same Parable?
[238] _Erat autem primus ternarius à prima usq; ad tertiam, &
dicebatur prima hora, secundus erat à tertia, usq; ad sextam
& dicebatur hora tertia, tertius erat à sexta usq; ad nonam,
& dicebatur sexta; quartus à nona usq; ad ultimam quæ erat
duodecima, & dicebatur nona. Refellit hanc opinionem Toletus,
receptam licet à multis recensionem (ut ipse ait) quoniam de
undecima cujus meminit parabola, altum apud hos silentium.
Jure vapulant à te, Tolete, qui excludunt undecimam constanter
tamen asserenda est contra te quadripartita diei divisio, in
hoc potissimum illorum error consistit, quod horam primam
faciunt, non inveniunt; horam undecimam inveniunt excludunt
tamen, nihil à mente Evangelistarum magis alienum, quam ut ὁ
πρωιὴ verteretur hora prima diei, quæ in illorum scriptis sonat
quartam noctis vigiliam. Vid. Tolet. in Joan. cap. 19. Annot.
8._
By this division of the day into these four _quarters_, or _greater
hours_, the _Evangelists_ are reconciled touching our _Saviour_’s
Passion. He was crucified at the third hour, _Mark 15. 25._ S. _John_
intimateth his examination before _Pilate_, to have been _Hora quasi
sexta_, _about the sixth hour_, _John 19. 14._ In the first place,
understand by his crucifying, not _his hanging on the Cross_, which was
not till the _sixth hour_, _Luk. 23. 44._ nor his _expiration_, which
was not till the _ninth hour_, _Mar. 15. 34._ but his _examination_
under _Pilate_, at which time the people cried out, _Crucifie him,
Crucifie him_; and then the third and sixth hour will easily be
reconciled, for these two hours immediately following one another, what
was done on the third hour, might truly be said to be done about the
sixth.
Lastly, This sheweth that the hours among the _Jews_ were of two sorts;
some lesser, of which the day contained twelve: others _greater_, of
which the day contained four, as hath been above shewn: the lesser
are termed _hours of the day_, _Are there not twelve hours of the
day?_ _John 11. 9._ The greater, some term _hours of the Temple_, or
_hours of prayer_. _Peter_ and _John_ went up into the _Temple_, at
the _ninth hour of prayer_, _Acts 3. 1._ But in truth there are but
three hours of prayer, the _third_, the _sixth_, and the _ninth_.[239]
The _third_ instituted by _Abraham_, the _sixth_ by _Isaac_, and the
_ninth_ by _Jacob_. The _third hour_ the _Holy Gost_ descended upon
the _Apostles_, _Acts 2. 15._ About the _sixth_ _Peter_ went up to the
house-top to pray, _Acts 10. 9._ At the _ninth_, _Peter_ and _John_
went into the _Temple_, _Acts 3. 1._
[239] _Drusius in præterit. Act. 3. 1. Non fuisse ultra tres
horas precationis in die apud Judæos, clare testatur David
Kimchi._
From these greater hours of the day and night, the _Canonical
hours_,[240] in use in the _Roman Church_, had their beginning; each
_Canonical_ hour containeth three lesser hours, so that in the whole
night and day there are eight _Canonical hours_. At six of the clock in
the evening began the first, and that is termed _Hora vespertina_; or
_vespertinum_ simply, (_officium_ being understood) their _Vespertine_.
At nine of the clock at night began the second, and that is termed
_Completorium_, their _Completory_. At midnight began the third,
_Nocturnum_, their _Nocturn_. At three of the clock in the morning,
began their _Matutinum_, their _Matines_. The Canonical hours for their
day-service were named, _Hora prima_, _tertia_, _sexta_, _nona_. Their
first hour began from six of the clock in the morning, and held till
nine: the third from nine till twelve, the sixth from twelve till
three, the ninth from three till six at night.
[240] _Vide Bellarm. de bonis oper. in part. 1. cap. 10._
The Dial in use among the ancient _Jews_, differed from that in use
among us: theirs were a kind of stairs; the time of the day was
distinguished, _not by lines_, but by _steps_, or _degrees_; the shade
of the Sun every half hour moved forward to a new _degree_. In the
Dial of _Ahaz_, the _Sun_ went back מעלות _Magnoloth_, _degrees_, or
_steps_, not _lines_, _Isai. 38. 8._
Their weeks were two-fold; the one was _ordinary_ consisting of _seven
daies_, the other _extraordinary_ and _Prophetical_, consisting of
_seven years_. _Dan. 9. 24._ The first is termed _Hebdomas diaria_, _a
week of daies_; the second, _Hebdomas annalis_, _a week of years_.
The _Hebrews_ at first measured their moneths according to the course
of the _Sun_, whence they are called _Menses solares_; and then every
moneth consisted of thirty daies. The waters prevailed from the
seventeenth day of the second moneth, _Gen. 17. 13._ unto the seventh
day of the seven moneth, _Gen. 8. 4._ that is, full five moneths. If we
will number the daies, they were an hundred and fifty, _Gen. 7. 24._
Whereby it appeareth, that every moneth contained full thirty daies.
After the _Israelites_ departure out of _Egypt_, then they measured
their moneths by the course of the Moon; they are termed _Menses
Lunares_: they contained either thirty daies, and then they were called
_Menses pleni_, _full moneths_: or twenty nine daies, and then they
were called _Menses cavi_, _Deficient Moneths_.
The _Sun_ exceedeth the _Moon_ in her course eleven daies, hence[241]
every third or second year, one month was inserted. Now because the
twelfth moneth in the _Hebrew Kalender_ was called _Adar_, hence when a
month was inserted, the last was called _Ve-adar_,the second _Adar_.
[241] _Vide Kalendarium Hebraicum Munsteri pag. 62._
Before their captivity in _Babylon_, they counted their moneths without
any name, according to the number. The _First, Second, Third moneth,
&c._ After their return from _Babylon_, they called them by these names:
1. _Nisan_; it was also called | | 1 { March.
אביב _Abib_, which signifieth | | { April.
an _ear of Corn_. in this month | |
Barley began to be _eared_. | |
| |
2. _Iiar_, it was also called | T | 2 { April.
זיו which signifieth _beauty_: | h | { May.
then the Trees began to be | e |
_beautified_ with Buds and | y |
Blossoms. | |
| a |
3. _Sivan._ | n | 3 { May.
| s | { June.
| w |
4. _Thamuz._ | e | 4 { June.
| r | { July.
| e |
5. _Ab._ | d | 5 { July.
| | { August.
| |
6. _Elul._ | t | 6 { August.
| o | { September.
| |
7. _Tisri_, otherwise called | p | 7 { September.
_Ethanim_. | a | { October.
| r |
8. _Marchesuan_, it was called | t | 8 { October.
_Bull_. | | { November.
| o |
9. _Chisleu._ | f | 9 { November.
| | { December.
| |
10. _Tebeth._ | | 10 { December.
| | { January.
| |
11. _Shebeth._ | | 11 { January.
| | { February.
| |
12. _Adar._ | | 12 { February.
_Ve-adar._ | | { March.
Before their coming out of _Egypt_, they began their year in the moneth
of _Tisri_,[242] and thus they continued it always after, for civil
affairs, for their date of buying, selling, their _Sabbatical years_,
years of _Jubile_, _&c._ After their coming out of _Egypt_, they
began their year in the moneth _Nisan_, and so continued it for the
computation of their greatest Feasts.
[242] _Ἐν μηνὶ δευτέρῳ Δὶῳ μὲν ὑπὸ Μακεδόνων λεγομένῳ
Μαρσουάνῃ δὲ ὑπὸ Ἑβραίων, οὕτω γὰρ Αἰγύπτιοι τὸν ἐνίαυτον ἦσαν
διατεταχότες. Μωυσῆς δὲ τὸν Νισὰν, ὅς ἐστι ξανθικὸς, μήνα
πρῶτον ἐπὶ ταῖς ἑορταῖς ὥρισεν. Joseph. Antiq. l. 1. c. 4.
Mendose ponitur Μαρσουάνη pro αρχασουὰν qui mensis erat olim
secundus apud Hebræos, sicut et Dius apud Macedones._
CHAP. II.
_Of their Feasts._
Before we descend to their particular _Feasts_; First we will see
their manner of Feasting in general. Their ordinary meals, as they
were not many in a day, so neither were they costly. They were called
_Arucoth_,[243] which word signifieth properly, such fare as Travellers
and Way-faring men use on their journeys. The word is used, _Jer. 40.
5._ _So the chief Steward gave him victuals, and a reward, and let him
go._ Likewise, _Pro. 15. 17._ _Better is a dinner of green herbs where
love is_. The extroardinary and more liberal kind of entertainment,
by way of Feasting, was commonly called _Mischte_,[244] from their
liberal drinking at such meetings. There was also another kind of
feasting, wherein they made merry together, eating the remainders of
their Sacrifices; this they termed _Chag_.[245] From this custom of
having a feast at the end of their Sacrifices, the _Christians_ of
the _Primitive Church_ instituted their _Love-feasts_ to succeed the
_Lords Supper_:[246] In both these greater and more solemn _Feasts_,
there were some Ceremonies used by them, as _preparatory to the Feast_,
others in their giving thanks, others in _their gesture at Table_.
[243] _ab ארח ארוחות Iter facere, significat viaticum._
[244] _משתה Convivium, compotatio dicitur à potendo sive
bibendo, ut Græcè συμπόσιον, ab altera ejus parte._
[245] _חג, Festum, celebris solemnitas à radice חגג, Festum
celebravit._
[246] _Chrysostom. 1 Cor. 11. Hoc autem præcipio._
The _Ceremonies preparatory_ were principally these three: 1.
_Salutations._ 2. _Washing the feet of the guests._ 3. _Pouring Oyl on
them._