An explication of the iudiciall lawes of Moses. Plainely discovering divers of their ancient rites and customes. As in their governours, government, synedrion, punishments, civill accompts, contracts, marriages, warres, and burialls. Also their oeconomicks, (vizt.) their dwellings, feasting, clothing, and husbandrie. Together with two treatises, the one shewing the different estate of the godly and wicked in this life, and in the life to come. The other, declaring how the wicked may be inlightned by the preaching of the gospel, and yet become worse after they be illuminated. All which are cleered out of the originall languages, and doe serue as a speciall helpe for the true understanding of divers difficult texts of scriptures. ... / By Iohn Weemse, of Lathocker in Scotland, preacher of Gods word.

CHAPTER XXXIII. Of their Marriages.

IVDG. 14. 7. And he went downe and talked with the woman, and she pleased Sampson well, and after a time he returned to take her.

THey had their Sponsalia de futuro, & de praesenti; de futuro, as Lots sonnes in law were but affianced to his daughters, they were not as yet married, [Lokehhe benathau] accipientes uxores, should be interpre∣ted, Brevi pòst accepturi, for they knew not as yet a man, Vers. 8. So Deut. 20. 7. What is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her. So Ioseph and Marie were affianced, see Deut. 22. 24.

Betwixt their affiance and their marriage there inter∣vened

a time. Iudg. 14. 7. And he went downe and tal∣ked with the woman. This was for the affiancing; and Vers. 8. After a time he returned againe to take her; that is, to marry her: the first time that he went downe he killed the Lyon; and the second time when he went downe to the marriage, he found honey in the Lyons belly. After some dayes, cannot be understood of a yeare, that a whole yeare intervened betwixt their affi∣ancing and their marriage; when the word Dies, is put in the plurall number, and some lesse number follow∣ing it, then it signifieth a yeare, and the lesse number sig∣nifieth moneths; as Gen. 24. 55. Let her abide with us dayes or ten; that is, a yeare of dayes, or at the least ten moneths. So 1 Sam. 27. 7. David abode with the Phili∣stims dayes and foure moneths; that is, a yeare of dayes and foure moneths; so Ezek. 1. 1. in the thirtieth yeare, in the fourth, in the fift of the moneth; that is, in the fourth moneth, in the fift day of the moneth; but when dayes are put alone, they signifie an indefinite time, and not an yeare; so Gen. 40. 4. Fuerunt dies in custodia, that is, a cer∣taine time; so Lev 28. 29. He shall redeeme it within dayes, that is, within the time that he and the man to whom he had morgaged the house agreed upon. So Iudg. 14. 8. After dayes he returned to take her, that is, after a few dayes, and not after a whole yeare; the preparation of a whole yeare, was enough for a Kings marriage.

Sponsalia de praesenti, were, when he said I take thee to my wife in the present.

The time of their marriages was in the night, Mat. 25. 6 At midnight the Virgines came to wait for the bridegroomes returning with their Lamps in their hands; so Luk. 12. 36.

Marriages of old were made three manner of wayes, the first was called Vsucapio, the second, consarreatio, and the third was called coemptio.

Per usum, vel usucapio, when a man married a maide

which had stayed almost a yeare with him; the example which most resembleth this in the Scripture, was that of David, when he was old he tooke Abishaig to him, 1 King. 1. 2.

Per confarreationem, when the bridegroome married the bride, the bridegroome tooke a Cake of bread, and brake it betwixt him and the bride, or some Corne, and put betwixt their hands; to signifie that they were to breake bread, and to liue together in mutuall societie; Hosea alludeth to this forme, Cap. 2. 3. I bought her for an Homer of Barley. So Iesus Christ the husband of his Church, married her per confarreationem, putting the bread in her hand, and marrying her to himselfe in the Sacrament, to signifie that he would dwell with her for ever.

The third sort was per coemptionem, for it was the manner of old, that the bridegroome bought the bride for so much, and the bride gaue little or no dowrie to the bridegroome; so the sonnes of Sichem bought Di∣na, Gen. 34. 12. Aske me never so much dowrie and I will giue it: so David bought Michol, Sauls daughter for so many foreskins of the Philistims, 1 Sam. 18. 25. And Iacob served seven yeares for Rachel. The bride brought onely Donationes, vel paraphernalia, as chaines, brace∣lets, Gen. 24. but the dowrie which they gaue was but a small thing, 1 King. 9. 16. it is said that Pharaoh tooke Gezar from the Philistims, and gaue it to Salomon for a present, it should not be translated for a dowrie. Exod. 22. 17. He shall pay money according to the dowrie of Vir∣gins; which is but a little summe, fiftie shekels, Deut. 22. 29. Thus Christ bought his spouse with his bloud, Act. 20. 29. she was a poore Damsell, and had nothing to giue.

As their marriages were made by one of these three Ceremonies, per usum, confarreationem, & coemptionem;

So amongst the Romanes, the marriage was dissolved af∣ter the same manner. The first was dissolved usurpati∣one, if the woman whom he had married (being his maide before) had stayed but three nights from her husband, then by the Romane law he might put her a∣way; the second was dissolved diffarreatione, they brake bread and so departed; the third was dissolved re∣nuncipatione, they tooke their hands asunder and so de∣parted; this the Greekes called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and the Latines, Divortium.

The Ceremonies which they used in their Marriages were these; first, he put a Ring upon her finger; the He∣brewes called this [Tebhignoth Kedushim] and he said, be thou my wife according to the law of Moses and of Israel, and this he did before witnesses; this was called Subarrhatio, this Ring was put upon the fourth finger of the left hand, because a veine commeth from the heart to that finger, as the Physitians say.

The day when the bride was married, shee tooke the vaile off her face, this was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and the gifts which were given that day, were called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; before she was married, she put a vaile upon her face, and this was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and the gifts which were given to her before the marriage were called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

The solemnities in the marriages were these; first, they put a crowne upon the head of the bridegroome, and then upon the bride, and the crowne was made of Roses, Mirtle, and Ivie, and the mother of the bride∣groome put this crowne upon his head. Cant. 3. 11. Goe forth, O yee daughters of Sion, and behold King Salo∣mon with the crowne wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladnesse of his heart.

This crowne wherewith the bride and the bride∣groome

were crowned, was but a corruptible crowne; but that crowne, which we shall get in the life to come, fadeth not, nor falleth not away, 1 Pet. 1. 4. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is a precious stone, which if yee cast it in the fire it never consumeth; so 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 flos amoris, a flower that never fadeth.

In their marriages they had those who accompanied the bridegroome, and they were called Socij sponsi, the children of the wedding; and the Greekes 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, circuire. All the time of the wed∣ding they might doe nothing but attend the bride∣groome, they might not fast in the time of the marriage nor mourne, Mat. 9. 15. Can the children of the wedding mourne so long as the bridegroome is with them?

He who chiefly attended the bridegroome was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, such a one was he to whom Sampsons wife was given, who was called his companion, the Chaldie called him [Shushebhinah] Pronubus or auspex; this was not a friendly part in Sampsons companion to take the bride from him, for he that hath the bride is the bride∣groome, but the friend of the bridegroome which standeth and heareth him, rejoyceth greatly, because of the voice of the bridegroome, Ioh. 3. 29. So in the spirituall marriage the Preachers who are Auspices or Pronubi, should not seeke the bride to themselues, seeking themselues and their owne prayse, but let the bridegroome haue the bride.

They who were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, brought the bride into the tent of the bridegroomes mother, to fignifie now that she should be in that same place that his mother was in, Gen. 24. 67. They brought her into the tent of Sara, and so the bride brought the bridegroome into her mothers chamber, Cant. 3. 4. I held him and would not let him goe, untill I had brought him to my fathers house, and to the chambers of her that conceived me; she brought

him into her mothers tent, to signifie that she should leaue father and mother and cleaue unto her husband.

They did two things after the marriage, first they blessed them, and then they sang 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a marriage song, rejoycing for their marriage.

First, they blessed them, Ruth 4. 11. All the people that were in the gates, and the Elders said, we are all witnesses; and the blessing was this, the Lord make the woman that is come into thine house, like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel, and doe thou worthily in Ephrata, and be thou famous in Bethlehem: This was the blessing given to the bride. And againe, Vers. 12. Let thy house be like the house of Pharez (whom Tamar bare unto Iuda) of the seede which the Lord shall giue thee of this young woman: This was the blessing which they gaue to the bridegroome.

They prayed, the Lord make thee like Rachel; it was their manner in their blessings to alledge the examples of those who had beene happie and prosperous, and so when they cursed any body, they brought forth the example of the most wretched and miserable creatures, Ierem. 30. 21. The Lord make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the King of Babylon rosted in the fire; such was the curse pronounced against the adulterous woman, Num. 5. 2. The Lord make thee an oath and a curse among thy people.

The Lord make thee like Rachel and Leah: Why like Rachel and Leah? Because these two came out of their Countrey with their husbands, and left their Parents, so did Ruth with Naomi to get a husband; secondly, like Rachel and Leah, because these two sought children of their husbands modestly, Gen. 30. 1. and vers. 16. So did Ruth of Boaz. Thirdly, why like Rachel and Leah, and not like Bilhah and Zilpah? Because these two were but handmaids, and they were not the mothers of ma∣ny

children, as Rachel and Leah. Fourthly, why first like Rachel and then like Leah? Because Rachel was more beloved than Leah. Fiftly, why like Rachel and Leah, and not like Sara and Rebecca? Because there came of them the Ismaelites, who were not of the Church, as well as the Israelites.

Doe thou worthily in Ephrata: in the Hebrew it is fac virtutem; the Hebrewes put vertue for the substance gotten by vertuous doing, Psal. 49. He shall leaue his substance behinde him; in the originall it is, he shall leaue his vertue behinde; and Prov. 31. Fecerunt potentiam, id est, comparârunt opes.

Let thy house be like the house of Pharez; because there were fiue families in the Tribe of Iuda, and Pharez was the chiefe of them, Num. 26. 20. They pray then first that they may haue children; secondly, that they may haue meanes to maintaine and bring up their children; and thirdly, that they may liue in credit among their people.

After the marriage they did sing epithalamium, a song of prayse in commendation of the Bride-groome and Brid, Psal. 45. so Psal. 77. your virgins were not praised, that is, they were not married: and the house of mar∣riage the Iewes called it [beth hillel,] domus laudis.

The morrow after the marriage the Bridegroome came forth out of his bride-chāber in great pomp with his Bride, out under the vaile; and these who heard his voice rejoyced because then the marriage was consum∣mated: and David alludeth to this, Psal. 19. for as the Bridegroome made glad the hearts of his friends when he came out of his Tent or covering; so the Sunne when he commeth out of his chamber gladdeth the earth: his going out is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit to the end of it. Luk. 1. Christ is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Sunne rising from the East, that Sunne of righteous∣nesse

comming out of the bosome of his Father, and out of his bed-chamber rising in the East, did shine up∣on the Iewes in the South, and next upon us Gentiles in the North, Cant. 7. 9.

The conclusion of this is. We are married to Iesus Christ per confarreationem, when he giues us the blessed Sacrament, therefore let us come worthily to it, that we take it not as Iudas did the soppe, Ioh. 13. for that will make diffarreationem, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a divorce from him for ever.

Secondly, we are married to him per coemptionem, what was the Church when he married her? She was blacke like the Tents of Kedar: Miriam and Aaron grudged against Moses because of the Ethipian woman whom he had married Numb. 12. 1. so was his Church Cant. 1. 5. I am blacke, but yet if shee had beene rich, which is a second beautie, it had beene something; but being both blacke and poore, there was a hard matter for the Lord to marrie her. A certaine woman being as∣ked what dowrie she gaue to her husband, she answered that she should keepe her selfe chast unto him onely, as a chast spouse. So we having nothing to bestow upon him, but he having pittie upon us when we were naked and uncomely, let us studie to meete him with heartie affection againe, and not to fall a whoring after other gods, which if we doe he will make us comely as the curtaines of Salomon.

Thirdly, they sung praises and rejoyced at the marri∣age of the Bridegroome and the Bride. So let us bee glad and rejoyce, and giue honour unto him, for the marriage of the Lambe is come, and his wife hath made her selfe readie, Revel. 19. 7.

Notes

• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 accepturi filias cius.
• When the word [Day] signifieth a yeare, and when a moneth.
• Dayes absolutely set downe in the Scripture signifie an infinite time.
• Per usum, vel usucapio.
• Per confarreationem.
• Brissonius de ritu nupti∣arnm.
• Allusion.
• Per coemptionem.
• The man gaue the dowrie and not the woman.
• Pharaoh giving Gezar to Salomon, it was a pre∣sent and not a dowrie.
• Marriages dissolved af∣ter the same manner they were made.
• Vsurpatio. Diffarreatio. Renuncipatio.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Postulationes Sponsalio∣rum, Sponsalia sacra ob matrimonium.
• Divers solemnities used at the marriage.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 non pollutus, est & nomen gemmae sic dictae quod in ignem con∣jectae non consumatur.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 immarces∣sibilis, nunquam marces∣cens, flos quidam sic dictus quod non marcescat.
• Who was the bride∣groomes friend.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Pronubus, Auspex.
• VVhat was the chiefe office of the bride∣groomes friend.
• The manner of blessing the bridegroome.
• The explanation of the blessing.
• VVhy Rachel and Lea are taken for examples in the blessing.
• To doe worthily is to doe vertuously.
• What song they sung af∣ter the marriage.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• An anologie betwixt the Sunne rising and the Bridegroomes comming out of his chamber the morrow after his marriage.
• Conclusion. 1.
• Conclusion. 2.
• Conclusion. 3.