John ii. 8, but to common entertainments, who was crowned with flowers, presided at the feast, and enlivened the meeting with concerts of music. Isaiah, in alluding to this, says of the Jews, that "they had the harp and the viol, and the tabret and pipe, and wine at their feasts." But Amos gives the most complete picture of a luxurious entertainment in ch. vi. 4-6, when he says, that "they lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall; that they chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of music, like David; that they drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointment; but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph."

с

In former times, portions were sent to those who were absent; and it should ever be recollected that the men and the women in higher life had separate tables, as is the case in the East at the present day. One of the questions that was put to an European in high rank in India, by the rannie, or principal wife of a chief, was, whether she had been rightly informed, when she was told that the wives of the Europeans ate with their husbands? And when he answered in the affirmative, she expressed the greatest astonishment.

d

The custom also of the Arabs, who never preserve fragments of their meals, but invite the poor to partake of them, may explain to us the reason why Tobit sent for the poor to partake of his dinner, and why the poor, the maimed, and the blind, were invited to the rich man's supper, in Luke xiv. 21.

The most ancient example that is, perhaps, to be met

with of a grace, or short prayer before meat, is at the feast which Ptolomy Philadelphus gave to the seventytwo interpreters; and it is thus mentioned by Josephus: "When they were thus sat down, he (viz. Nicanor, who had been appointed by Ptolomy) bade Dorotheus attend to all those that were come to him from Judea, after the manner they used to be ministered unto in their own country. For which cause he sent away their sacred heralds, and those that slew the sacrifices, and the rest that used to say grace; but called to one of those that were come to him, whose name was Eleazar, who was a priest, and desired him to say grace, who then stood in the midst of them and prayed, That all prosperity might attend the king, and those that were his subjects.' Hereupon an acclamation was made by the whole company, and when that was over they began to sup."* The next example we have is the practice of the Essenes both before and after meat in Josephus' Jewish War. The next is that of our Saviour, in Mark viii. 6. John vi. 11. 23, and St. Paul, Acts xxvii. 25; and the next is a form of a grace or prayer for Christians at the end of the fifth book of the Apostolical Constitutions, which seems to have been intended both for before and after meat.

Having said this much as to the probable manner in which the ancient Jews might have lived, I shall add from Buxtorff that of the modern Jews, in those countries especially where they are most populous.-They are very particular, he informs us, not only in the selection of the articles of food, but in the manner of preparing them. As to the selection of food, those beasts only are eaten which have the hoof divided, and chew the cud, as oxen and sheep; fishes that have fins and

scales, &c. They do not eat the fat of the inwards and kidneys; have a book with directions for killing; and the butcher who can fulfil them gets a certificate from a Rabbi as to his qualifications for the business, which commonly procures him much employment. The certificate is as follows: "To-day (in such a month and year) I saw and examined the excellent and remarkable N, the son of N, and found him skilled in the art of killing, both by word and hand, therefore I permit him to kill and examine cattle; and whatsoever he hath killed and examined, may be freely eaten, on this condition, that for a year to come he shall once every week peruse diligently the directions for killing and examining; the second year once a month; and during the rest of his life every three months only. Attested by Rabbi M." In examining the faults of cattle, particular attention is paid to the lungs; and if the butcher is found negligent, he is admonished the first time, and his certificate taken from him the second. With respect to their manner of preparing their victuals, their culinary utensils are either bought new, or if of metal or stone, at second hand, they undergo the purification of fire and water. They have two kinds of vessels for the kitchen and table, the one for flesh, and the other for preparations of milk. The vessels for milk have three distinct marks, because Moses hath thrice said, "Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk." Sometimes, however, they write the words

, Heleb, milk, and, Besher, flesh, to show the distinction. They have also two knives to each, the one for flesh, and the other for cheese and fish: if they use the one instead of the other by mistake, it undergoes a strict purification. Preparations of flesh, and prepa

a

Synag. Jud. cap. 36.

b Numb. xxxi. 23.

VOL. II.

E e

rations of milk, are not cooked together on the same fire, nor brought to table at the same time, and they have distinct table-cloths for each. He who eats of flesh, or of broth made of flesh, ought not to eat cheese for an hour after, and those who affect piety abstain for six hours; but if he eat cheese first, he may eat flesh immediately after. If fat fall into a dish of milk, it becomes unclean; but flesh may be never so fat The eggs of clean birds are only eaten.

and yet eaten. Flesh and fish are not brought to table at the same time-they even wash the mouth between them, or eat fruit, or a crust of bread. No milk that has been drawn by a Christian, or cheese or butter that has been made by one, is permitted; and they refrain from drinking from a covered well, for fear of poisonous animals. As to their preparation of bread, we may remark, that as it is said in Num. xv. 20, "Ye shall offer up a cake of the first of your dough for a heave offering," therefore at every baking they separate a portion called, Hele, which, as they cannot now offer to the Lord, they throw into the fire. The size of a grain of barley is sufficient; but the wise men had fixed upon the 40th part for private families, and the 48th for bakers. These last, however, are considered only to have been binding while the temple stood, and the priesthood required maintenance, for a small portion now is reckoned sufficient, and they even find no difficulty in some countries of eating bread that hath been baked by Christians. Indeed, when we inquire into the customs of modern Jews, we find them much affected by local circumstances; for the Jews in Germany have usages different from those in Britain, and the same may be said of other places.

b

a

Synag. Judaic. cap. 33.

Synag. Jud. cap. 34.

SECT. VI.

Rank and Employments of the Jewish Women.

The state of women before christianity very degrading. Condition of Jewish women in pastoral, agricultural, and commercial situations. Grinding corn every morning; managing the concerns of the family; feeding cattle; carry. ing water; working with the needle; spinning; weaving; tapestry.

In times prior to the days of our Saviour, the state of women in society was much below what it ought to have been, among the Egyptians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans: they were too often the slaves of men's pleasures, or the drudges of their families. Some individuals, indeed, distinguished themselves by their superior talents; but it is mortifying to observe, that the most celebrated of these were women of no character, who prostituted themselves at the shrine of ambition or avarice. In the land of Judea, the female character appears to have been somewhat more exalted. Their purer religion had taught that people that they were rational and immortal, and therefore entitled to their love and confidence; yet there were several circumstances which tended to counteract the natural operation of these benevolent principles: for the traditions of the elders were more regarded than the divine institute; divorce was obtained for the most frivolous reasons, and the general practice of polygamy, by rendering women the appendages to rank, or the instruments of pleasure, tended to degrade them in the scale of society. It was reserved for the gospel to do them complete justice, by restoring the primitive institution of marriage; by teaching the equality of the sexes as to moral worth; and by considering them both as candidates for a blessed and glorious immortality. From that me, therefore, we can trace a growing amelioration in