imitation and remembrance of David 2 Sam. 6.16 During the time that the Law is out of the Ark they place burning Torches therein in token that the Law performs all the duties of a light to those that obey it On this day also the Elder Jews make themselves merry in seeing the Youth scramble for the fruits they cast among them On this day also are sold the Offices of the Synagogue to them that will give most And all being orderly consummate every one leaves the Synagogue with this Prayer The Lord preserve my going out and my coming in from henceforth and for ever The next thing that we are to account for in this Chapter is the Manner of their keeping the Sabbath and the Offices thereon celebrated A Theme large enough for a whole Volume if we were to give an exact description of all Rites and Cases thereunto belonging But I shall confine the discourse at present to the Customs of the Jews in Barbary among whom and the rest of the Jewish Nation there is but small disagreement in the Sabbatarian Ritual Though it must be confessed that the Barbary-Jews are neither so strict nor Ceremonious in this matter as the Jews of other Countries if we may believe the account which good Authours have given of the later The whole Nation of the Jews sufficiently accord in the notice of the word Sabbath and grant that it barely signifies no more than Rest and that sometimes too it is used both for working-working-dayes and Festivals and that it puts on a more peculiar and restrained sense when it is concisely taken for that seventh day which God set apart for his Worship And in the Observation of this Sabbath or Rest the Jews practice numerous Ceremonies some antecedent and relating to their preparation and others concomitant or waiting upon the day Their antecedent Ceremonies are seen in dressing and preparing on the Eve of the Sabbath the Victuals that are thereon to be eaten According to the Commandment Exod. 16.23 To Morrow is the rest of the Holy Sabbath unto the Lord bake that which ye will bake to day and seeth that ye will seeth c. From which they conclude That all things necessary to the Sabbath and for the Honor thereof ought to be provided over night that there may be nothing to interrupt this Rest If it falls out that the Servants are not able to make all things ready the Masters assist them to the end that the Sabbath by no bodily labour may be transgressed And they are able to cite many great Rabbins who have help'd their Servants in preparing for this Rest But this strict Custom of dressing no Victuals upon the Sabbath is not universal with the Jews we now speak off With whom I have been entertain'd with good cheer on the Sabbath that was thereon prepared And asking them how they durst or would act so contrary to their own pretences the Reply was That they thought the Crime of a low nature if it was done without giving scandal to others that is secretly Which was then the Case Every Sabbath is observed with three Feasts and four Offices The first Feast is upon the Friday-night or rather at the very entrance and begining of the Sabbath The second is their Sabbath-dinner and the third Feast concludes the Sabbath Now the Custom of this triple Feast they deduce from the triple repetition which Moses used of the word To day when he gave out Orders concerning gathering of the Manna Exod. 16.25 Some of the more hospitable and wealthier Jews keep their Tables spread during the whole time of the Sabbath And in this as other things they generally tread in their Fore-fathers steps who were excellent at turning the power and intention of the Law into Carnal Form and Superstition But besides their greater apparatus in Diet for the Sabbath they use other preparative Rites in order to the Solemnity of This Great Day All which are bodily and external and not worth our recital if it were not to let us see into what follies a people may fall in Religion when they have once renounced the Truth All the Friday-afternoon is usually taken up in Sabbatical preparations as washing of the head and hands the trimming of their beards whose corners the Graver sort suffer not to be cut according to Law and in a peculiar Superstition of paring their nails on which parings they are forbid to tread in prevention whereof they usually burn or bury them In like manner they spend no small time in whetting the Knives and preparing other Utensils of the Table The women on the Friday comb and dress their heads and make ready all accoutrements of the body For they esteem a neglect in any of these particulars a down-right violation of the Rest And because their Masters use a word for Sabbath signifying Queen they think it reasonable that they as duly prepare themselves thereunto as they would for the reception of so great a Personage And he saith the Jewish Canon is greatly to be praised who honoureth the Sabbath with his Body Clothes and Dyet with his body by duely dressing it with his clothes by having a Sabbath-days Suit and with his dyet which on the Sabbath should be both more and better than on other dayes In Barbary they have their Sabbath-Lamps which are lighted by the women to which being lighted they hold up their hands and say this Benediction Blessed be thou O Lord our God King of the World who hast sanctified us with thy Precepts and commanded us to light the Sabbatine-Lamps If any mans curiosity lead him to enquire into the reason why the Office of lighting these Lamps belongs to the women I shall only tell him that among many other reasons pretended to be given hereof the chief is the keeping the women in minde of the transgression of Eve who seducing Adam to disobedience thereby put out say they and extinguished his Light and Glory But the women do it upon the account of a received Opinion among them that thereby they facilitate their Child-birth There being these three Precepts recommended to them for that end viz. To keep the Sabbath-bread light the Lamps and carefully to attend their Months The Sabbath-lights we now speak of are so contrived that they may last the whole Sabbath on which they are not allowed so much as to snuff them for fear of transgressing the fourth Precept But notwithstanding that the Jews in this part of the World are sufficiently rigorous in the observation of the Sabbath yet I neither could finde nor hear of any of them who would if surprised with the Sabbath expose themselves to the danger of abiding in Woods and Desarts rather than on the Sabbath to travel a few furlongs to gain a safer residence For they are willing to let things necessary to save mans life thereon to be provided for And some will not doubt to say that if ever they be Masters again of Hierusalem they will not loose it for
fear of transgressing the Sabbath And they have an usual saying Paligro del alma quaebra el Sabbato That the hazard of loosing a mans life dispenseth with the Sabbath They have a Custom in some places on the Friday to put water into little pits and to draw no place dry to the end that the Souls in Purgatory may therein cool and refresh them For on the time that is over and above added to the Sabbath they suppose the Souls in Purgatory have liberty to recreate There are many other Rites belonging hereunto the most whereof will fall in with the Offices which are now to be accounted for Upon the Arvit or Eve of the Sabbath they have a peculiar Office which begins with the twenty ninth Psalm Give unto the Lord ye sons of the mighty give unto the Lord honour and strength Give unto the Lord the honour of his Name and bow your selves to the Lord with the beauty of Holiness The voice of the Lord is upon the waters The God of honour hath made it thunder The Lord is upon much waters The voice of the Lord is with strength the voice of the Lord is with beauty The voice of the Lord breaketh the Cedars and hath broken the Cedars of Libanus And he hath made them leap as a Calf Libanus and Sirion like the sons of Elephants The voice of the Lord cutteth the flames of fire the voice of the Lord vexeth the Wilderness he vexeth the Wilderness of Cades The voice of the Lord maketh the Hinds to be in pain and discovereth the Forests and in his Palace every thing speaketh honour The Lord hath been upon the water and the Lord hath sate King for ever The Lord will give strength unto his people the Lord will bless his people with peace The Translation I have here given of this Psalm which begins the Office of the Sabbaths Arvit is Verbatim out of the old Spanish wherein the Jewish Liturgy is extant And it is here inserted for no other purpose but to show how it differs from our present Translation Where the Reader may observe that the word Adonai is here and through all their Liturgy used for Lord it being altogether unlawful for them to mention even in their Devotions the word Jehovah After this Psalm immediately follows in their Liturgy a very large Expostulation concerning the oyl and weke and whole confection of the Sabbath-Lamps Where the Opinions of several antient Masters are recited concerning this matter as the Opinions of Rabbi Ismael Rabbi Tarphon Rabbi Elihezer Rabbi Aquiba Rabbi Jehudah Which 〈◊〉 Master gives them leave to put out their Lamps on the Sabbath-night for fear the Nations those that are not Jews and evil Spirits should do hurt therewith On the Arvit they make confession of the three sins for which as hath been said women die in Child-bed And among these three deadly sins the want of due lighting the Sabbath-Lamps is none of the least On the Arvit likewise when it grows dark they are bound to propound and answer these three Questions Hast thou paid Tythes Hast thou made the Hirub Hast thou lighted a Candle After this they repeat such Hymns and Psalms out of Holy Writ as commemorate Gods gracious Promises to Israel of which they make a comfortable application to themselves There are likewise repeated some short periods of Scripture relating to the Season of the year as in the Spring He shall make his dew to fall and in Autumn Thou makest the winde to blow and the rain to descend c. Having done this they use a Thanksgiving unto God for that he refresheth the dead with his mercies and confirms his Truth to those that sleep in the dust that he punisheth Apostates looseth the imprison'd redeemeth the captive provideth Medicines for and healeth the sick And at the end of this long Thanksgiving follows this Benediction for the Institution of the Sabbath Blessed be the Lord our God the Holy Thou hast Sanctified the seventh day for thy Glory having first finished the Heavens and the Earth and hast blessed it above all dayes and sanctified it above all times as it is written in the Law And here the Institution of the Sabbath out of Genesis is distinctly repeated These things with the rest of the Office of the Sabbath Arvit which is very long is concluded with a thankful recapitulation of Gods favours toward them especially in that he has made them his peculiar people given them his Law and promised that it shall never be changed nor they deprived of it Then they most humbly implore the Almighty that at last he would fulfil his promise retarded so long by reason of their sins and send them their desired Messias The next Office is that of the Sabbath-Morning where the Rubrick directs them to rise before the Sun and to read the ordinary course of Psalms till they come to the nineteenth And then to begin their Mattins Which for the most part are collected out of the Scriptures some portions wherof are said by the Cazan alone and others by the Kahal and Kohen as the Rubrick all along directs them This day the Law has always a solemn Procession and is openly shown to the people When it is brought to be laid up in the Hehal or Chest he that bears it saith these words Turn again to thy resting place and to the house of thy desire that every Mouth and Tongue may give praise and glory to thy Kingdom And turn unto the million of the thousands of Israel and O Lord turn us unto thee and we shall be turned renew our dayes as in former time And with this Prayer they conclude the Morning-Office for the Sabbath The third Office is the Musaf or Afternoon-Service which begins thus O Lord thou shalt open our lips and our mouth shall shew forth thy praise After they have said this they bless and laud God for the continuance of his favours both to quick and dead Next they recount how God gave their Great Master Moses the Commandment for the Sabbath After this they make a gratulatory Oration unto God for that he has been pleased to assist and accept their Services And the whole Office is shut up with a distinct enumeration of the Divine attributes and recommending themselves unto the Divine Protection beseeching God to take the safeguard of them both when they sleep and watch Their fourth Office is that of the Minha or Sabbath-night which being of the same tenor with the last we but now mention'd there needs no more but to name it At the determination of the Sabbath they have an additional Service at which though none are bound to be yet all are present to show their Devotion to the Sabbath and how loath they are to part therewith But others hold that they ought to protract this Rest as long as they can possible for the sake of the Souls in Purgatory especially for such as were condemn'd thither for the violation of the
Sabbath Through all their Offices there is still something peculiarly relating to the hastening of Elias to the end that he may not only loose their knots or resolve their scruples but give them timely notice of the advent of the Messias But notwithstanding that their Offices for the Sabbath contain excellent things according to their way of Worship yet they have therein many things apparently trivial and ridiculous Of which we may give example in their praying over the Lamps Wine and Spices which are brought unto the Synagogue Where the Wine being consecrated it is carried home that therewith they may sprinkle their houses to preserve them from Witchcraft and Sorcerous Incantations Some likewise wash therewith the parts of the Body that are infirm and conceive that the consecrate Wine yields present cure The Spices also being hallowed are made use of to refresh the Soul that is left alone in the Body when the Sabbath is ended for on that day only they hold that every Male Jew has two Souls But the consecrate Wine and Spices have yet an higher purpose and vertue For with the Spices they refresh the Souls below on the week-dayes because the fire of Purgatory thereon is believed to send forth a very grievous stench And by pouring some of the consecrate Wine upon the ground they imagine Corah and his fellow-Mutineers to be assisted For they are of Opinion that that factious crew are still living in flames under ground It cannot be denyed that albeit the Sabbath Offices of the Jews are taken for the greater part out of Scripture but that they entertain a very Carnal sense thereof and that the whole Rest tends more to gratifie the Body than to serve God And to engross this Ease unto themselves and to show that the Sabbath was purposely appointed for their sakes and that none other have thereunto any right or title as also to declare their just Dominion over all other people in the world the Jews in Barbary imploy their Slaves in all manner of servile Offices upon this day And on it too give solemn thanks unto God That he has put no less difference between Israel and the Gentiles than between light and darkness the six days and the seventh Mr. Selden observes out of their Rabbins that there were three things peculiarly commanded the Israelites namely Circumcision the Tephillim and the Sabbath The first was expresly commanded Gen. 17. the second in Exod. 13. and the third Exod. 31. Now this last was so particularly commanded to the Israelites that the Jews think no Gentile has any share therein that they are not bound to its observation and therefore cannot be punished for the breach thereof And upon this account as we but now intimated they imploy their servants and slaves who are not of their Religion in every sort of drudgery upon the Sabbath that their Doctrine may be illustrated by their Practice And for a further Argument of the appropriation of the Sabbath to the Jews they wear thereon no Phylacteries because without those the Celebration of the Sabbath is thought sufficient to distinguish them from all other Religions in the World The Jewish Masters have raised no few disputes concerning the cause and reason of the Institution of the Sabbath with the persons to whom it belongs the time when its observation began together with its obligation both upon the Originarie and Proselyte Jews All which are industriously collected and learnedly discoursed by Mr. Selden lib. 3. cap. 10 11 12 13 c. de jure Nat. Gentium juxta Disciplinam Hebraeorum What we have already set down concerning these Sabbatine Rites hath respect unto the Jews in Barbary whom I find to harmonize herein with the Jews of other Countries Now because the Sabbath and its Rites make up a great part of their present Religion I thought it not improper to insert the Rules of the Sabbath which are practised by the European Hebrews as they are set down by Mr. Buxtorf in the tenth and eleventh Chapters of his Synagogue I have been enforced to make use of a young Pen in the Translation thereof and to deliver them to the Press without either Perusal or Transcribing and therefore desire the Reader to correct and pardon what faults may therein occur CHAP. XVI How the Jews Prepare themselves for the Sabbath and how they begin it WE read how the Jews prepared themselves on the sixth day according to that of Exodus 16.5 23. To morrow is the rest of the Holy Sabbath unto the Lord bake that which ye will bake to day and seeth that which ye will seeth Which they interpret of providing all necessary things against the Sabbath that they may the better honour it but especially all Dyet is to be prepared and dress'd that they may have the better leasure to hallow the Day And to this end whatsoever they intend to eat on the Sabbath they make ready on Friday before night the women chiefly are employed in making sweet-meats of divers sorts and when they make ready their dough they make it in a great lump undivided but if the lump be so great as it is in large families that it must be divided the remaining part is kept covered lest a neighbour seeing it may be ashamed that others have provided for the next Sabbath and he not for the present Every one according to his Ability hallows the Day with three splendid Banquets They begin the first on Friday-night before the Sabbath the second on Saturday at noon the last in the evening of the Sabbath And they justifie the performance of this Ceremony from Moses his writings where concerning Manna it is thus expressed Exod. 16.25 Eat that to day for to day is a Sabbath unto the Lord to day ye shall not find it in the fields Here the Rabbies say that Moses meant by repeating the word Day three times that they should in their Banquets on the Sabbath thrice eat of the Manna But the repetition of those Banquets hath some other meaning as is evident by their Book of Ceremonies written in the German Dialect For unless they had been commanded to eat at three set-times they would have so indulged themselves that the whole Sabbath would have been a time only to eat and drink but because all knew when they were present at one Banquet that they must attend on two more every one observed that moderation agreeable to their particular appetites and befitting such a Solemnity thinking on the dainties which they should again shortly taste What is moreover meant by this Banquet and how much they reckon of it shall a little after be declared Moreover none whether noble rich or wise ought to think it beneath him to do something in the honour of the Day For though a man have an hundred maids yea though he have the command of a thousand servants yet he himself ought with his own hands to do something in the honour of the Sabbath And so we read
of the deceased hasten from Purgatory and rush into the water they first meet with to wash off the stink of the smoak and cool their flames and therefore the Rabbies have strictly charged that no water should be drawn at that time lest those sad Souls should be disturbed as we read in Ritualibus eorum Whilst they are intent on their Devotion two Angels approach one good another evil and place themselves one against another in the Synagogue if they hear any one praying or repeating his Lecture with a godly intention him the two Angels lead forth with their hands on his head saying Thy iniquity is taken away and thy sin is purged And if at their entrance into the Synagogue they find the Candles well kindled the Table well furnished the Bed covered with clean Linnen then the good Angel saith I wish I may see all things in this posture the next Sabbath and the bad Angel is forced to say Amen But if things are not well order'd then the bad Angel sayes as the good before I wish I may find all things thus the next Sabbath to which the good Spirit though unwilling sayes Amen When they come home they sit down at the chief place of the Table where the Salt is placed with a Cup of Wine and two Loaves covered with a Napkin Then the Master of the Family taking the Cup of Wine consecrates the Sabbath saying The sixth day the Heavens and the Earth were finished and all the host of them and on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made and rested the seventh day from all his work which he had made and God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because that in it he had rested from all his work which God had created and made Gen. 2.1 c. Then adds Blessed art thou O Lord our God Creator of the Vniverse who hast created the fruit of the Vine Blessed art thou O Lord God Creator of the Vniverse who hast devoted us to thy Praecepts and hast given us a holy Sabbath and in thy good pleasure hast left us an heritage as a remembrance of the Creation it is a token of the Communion of Saints and a remembrance of the departure out of Egypt for thou hast chosen and sanctified us among all Nations thou out of thine abundant goodness hast left to us thy holy Sabbath Blessed art thou O Lord who hast hallowed the Sabbath When he hath said this he tasts the Wine and delivers it to all present to taste then he removes the Napkin and takes the two Loaves but cuts them not before Prayers as they do on week-dayes but forthwith sayes Blessed art thou O Lord our God Lord of the World who hast caused the Earth to bring forth bread After this he cuts and eats a piece of bread and gives to all that are present in larger shares than on week-dayes and all to honour the Sabbath wherein all niggardliness is contemned Whil'st the Wine is consecrating every one looks diligently on the Candle because the wise Rabbies write that if they travel hard on week-dayes they loose much of the strength of their eyes and looking on the Candles at the Consecration of the Wine is an effectual remedy The Bread is covered on the Table that its vileness in respect of the Wine may not be seen for in the Law it is mentioned before the Wine though consecrated after it as it is written Deut. 8.8 A Land of Wheat and Barley and Vines Where the Wheat and Barley of which the Bread is made are first named yet consecrated last on the Sabbath and if it were not covered it would be much despised The Rabbies say that it is covered in remembrance of the Manna For in the Wilderness the Dew fell then the Manna after that the Dew so that the Manna lay betwixt the Dew after the same manner as the Bread is laid on a Table-cloth and covered with a Napkin and for this reason the holy women bake a sort of Wafers which they eat instead of Manna Their Flesh-pyes are made like ours the Meat is laid on a thin cake and covered with another of the same sort so that it lyes as the Manna did betwixt the Dew And they take two loaves because on Fridays in the Wilderness they gathered a double quantity of Manna as it is written Exod. 16.22 But on the sixth day they gathered twice as much Bread What we shall chiefly Note is that on the Sabbath they much indulge their Genius as is observable in the Law Esay 58.13 where the Sabbath is called a delight that is that we may enjoy all delights that day and so ought all our Feasts to be according to that Thou shalt rejoyce in thy Feasts that all may be done to the honour of God wherefore thou may'st eat and drink and cloath thee decently that so thou may'st truly honour the Sabbath but don 't be excessive in thy charge All this is contained in Libello Timoris where the Reader may see with what Charms they excite their Devotion by repeating such short Sentences as these following Prepare to keep the Sabbath and Rest from all thy work If all things necessary are provided thou art praise-worthy Yea if thou have a great retinue of Servants and Maids The Day requireth strict observance Be content and thou hast plenty enough Wear good Habit for the Sabbath is called a Bride Provide the choicest diet for the Day And observe all Ceremonies carefully Come with a good Appetite Prepare good Wine Flesh and Fish Cover the Bed decently Let the Table be furnished splendidly Anoint thy Head but be not proud Sharpen thy Knife and cut thy Meat modestly Cast the parings of thy Nails into the fire Do not grudge Wine at the Consecration Wash thy hands and feet for this is no trivial Injunction Have a good courage Wash all thy Cups Be not mindful of any injuries Rejoyce with thy Wife and Children Banquet thrice in the day Speak nothing but what may cause mirth Besides these they have a Book of all the Blessings for the Feasts of the whole year amongst other these are observable Wear such Habit as may donote mirth Consecrate the Candle that it may burn well Finish all thy work on Friday and rest Eat all dainties Fish Capons and Quails Walk softly for the Law commands meekness and morning-morning-rest Silk Garments are of much account and they who wear them also The Sabbath is holy and he who rightly observes it Let no care trouble you though Spiders be in your houses Be merry and jolly though at other mens charge Get the best Wine Fish and Flesh and Banquet thrice that day If thou observe all this thy reward is great And Ye women see that the Candles be lighted and be attentive Your convenience will be much when you are with Child And if you provide plenty of Wafers you shall easier conceive and bring forth with joy But lest the curious Reader may think
the Souls of the wicked may again enter in it sends forth an ill sent and these Spices are preservatives against it as they say They spill a little of the Wine in the consecration as a signe of plenty and abundance in their houses for they say where the Wine is not spilt there is no blessing some think it is done to refresh Core and his company whom the Earth swallowed up as if they were yet alive and could perceive refreshment from this waste They take strict notice of their nails because of their soon growing for though they pare them every Friday they grow up again by the next Some say it is by reason of the great difference betwixt the nails and the flesh which made Adam so much to wonder when he saw the world dark and cried out Ah me miserable creature for my fault was the world darkned and hereupon God was so merciful to him that he gave him discretion to knock two Flints together from which there came fire with which he lighted a Candle and when he saw himself all naked save only the tops of his fingers he burst out into admiration and praised God To prove their Opinion of the stench of Hell they produce this story out of the Talmud One Turnus Ruphus a wicked fellow asked one of the Rabbies what the Sabbath was better than other week-daies whom the Rabbi asked again Why art thou more honourable than other men he answered Because it was the good pleasure of his Lord and King So saith the Rabbi it was the good pleasure of the Lord of Hosts to command us to prefer the Sabbath before other days But saith Turnus How knowest thou that the seventh day is your true Sabbath it may be some other day perhaps the first second third c. The Rabbi told him that this was first revealed to them by a certain River which flows so strong six days that it hurls with it great stones and is not navigable all the week but on the Sabbath it moveth not at all A second Proof of it saith the Rabbi is from thy own Fathers Sepulchre which all the week is infected with a loathsome vapor caused by the stench of Hell-fire in which he is tormented but on the seventh day it hath no ill smell because on the Sabbath thy Father cometh from Hell and the evil Spirits have no power over him and therefore also Hell-fire has no ill smell on the Sabbath When Turnus heard this Perhaps saith he his punishment is ended The Rabbi bid him go to the Sepulchre after the Sabbath and he should smell a stench When Turnus had made trial and found it so he by the help of Magick raised his Father's Ghost and spake thus to him Whilst thou livedst thou did'st not regard the Sabbath but now thou art dead thou hallowest it How long hast thou been a Jew His Father answered Dear Son he who living observeth not the Sabbath willingly in Hell shall be forced to do it His Son proceeds What is your imployment in Hell on week days His Father answered We are tortured in the fire but on the Sabbath we enjoy our ease for Friday in the evening which is the preparation for the Sabbath Proclamation is made in Hell 'T is a time of rest therefore rest ye wicked so are we eased and do hallow the Sabbath but at the end of the Sabbath when the Jews have ended their customary Prayers an evil Spirit called Dumah who is our Ruler calleth us back again to Hell because the people of Israel have ended the Sabbath where we renew our torments and endure them till the next Sabbath And this is our Employment He who desireth to know more of this let him consult Rabbi Bochai in his Exposition of the eighteenth Chapter of Exodus where he writes much concerning the Sabbath And because God hath commanded in the Law that not only Man but Beast also should rest on the Sabbath they make great inquiry how far a Horse or an Ass may travel on the Sabbath and whether it may carry any thing on it And here they say that no beast ought to carry any thing on the Sabbath but that with which it is led as a Horse or Ass may carry a Bridle or Halter and these too must be put on on Friday before the Sabbath begins They ought not to let a Horse go abroad with a Saddle on much less must one ride upon it If any one come home on the Sabbath with a Saddle on they may loose the Girts but not take off the Saddle if the Horse shake it off then the Jew is free The Cock is not to be let loose with a piece of cloth tied to his leg or wing but is to be loosed on Friday that it may rest on the Sabbath If a Beast fall into a Pit on the Sabbath and cannot get forth of it self it is to be fed in the place till the Sabbath is ended and then to be holpen out If the place be so deep that the beast is in danger of being drowned then they are to put straw and such-like stuff under it to preserve it and if it get out of it self then the Jew is free But this seems to contradict that answer Christ made to the Jews when they blamed him for healing on the Sabbath-day Mat. 12.11 Which of you saith he having an Ox or an Ass fallen into a pit will not straightway help him out on the Sabbath-day But this is the injunction of the Talmud On the Sabbath a Christian may milk the Jews Cows or Goats but the Jews must not eat the milk unless they buy it of the Christians as they usually do The men or women must not run on the Sabbath unless they be commanded of God neither must they step more than the length of a Cubit at once lest they hurt the eye-sight No man ought to carry any sort of weapon neither must a Taylor carry needles on his sleeve If any one be lame or sick so that he cannot walk without a staff he may use it but he who is blinde may not They must not use Stilts to help them over the water for though they seem to carry a man yet are they born of him and any burthen is forbidden on the Sabbath They must carry no moneys with them on the Sabbath They may shake off the dirt from their shoos against a wall but not on the ground lest they may seem to fill the ditch If any one have dirt on his hands he may wipe them on his horse-mane but washing is forbidden They are forbidden to catch Flies or Gnats which stick on their Garments or creep on the ground but if they offend them they may catch them not hurting them and throw them away A Louse may be killed but one of the Rabbies saith He who kills a Louse on the Sabbath breaks it as much as he who kills a Camel and this raiseth a dispute what was to be done
therefore better keep on our Journy and save our lives than with certain danger both of body and life hallow the Sabbath But the third repli'd Truly we ought not to stir hence but here to keep the Sabbath God who hath commanded us so to do is able to preserve 〈◊〉 safe The other two persisted and broke the Sabbath but the third pitched his Tent and there abode he covered the Ground instead of a Table with a Cloth and on it laid the Provision he had with him and so betook himself to Prayers that being ended he satâ— down to eat of the first Banquet of the Sabbath the Attendance he had was a terrible Bear almost pin'd with hunger the good Jew was almost afraid and gave the Guest a piecâ— of Bread and had faith that God would preserve him the Bear took the Bread and attended on him The Jew after supper betook himself again to prayer and so to sleep and the Bear lay down by him in the morn hâ— was very glad that the hungrie Bear was sâ— kinde as to spare his flesh and for it gave God â—hanks and so provided for his Morning-prayers he then dined and after sup't and did all his duty When the Sabbath was ended he went on his Journey the Bear still following him The same night it fortuned that his Companions fell among Thieves who stripped them of all they had At length this devout Jew and the Bear overtook them and though the Beast was so kinde to him it was not for want of natural fietceness for he soon tore the other two in pieces Then the Godly Jew began to be afraid but whilst he mused with himself the Thieves beset him and asked who he was whence he came and whither he was going he told them he was a Jew and that he came from the Kings Palace they asked whence he had that Bear he answered The King gave it as a Companion One of the Thieves told the other that surely this Person was beloved of the King that he had given him such a guard The other said Let us give him all our money and follow him through this Wood that the Bear hurt us not So they gave him all their money to conceal them and going far with him at length departed the Bear also returned to the Wood. And from this storie the Jews conclude that they ought to observe the Sabbath in whatsoever place they are and commit themselves wholly to the protection of God Almighty CHAP. XVII How the Jews hallow the Sabbath and how they end it IN the morning they rise not up so early as on other days but for the greater pleasure in honouring the day they sleep a good part of the morning And for this custom the Rabbies have consulted the Writings of Moses and finde in Numb 28. where it is spoken of daily Offerings that it is expressed by the word Babboker mane that is the morning but when it is spoken of the Offering of the Seventh day it is expressed by the words Die Sabbathi that is the Sabbath day intending this meaning that the daily Offerings were to be performed Antelucano tempore that is at break of day and instead of this on the Sabbath they had Morning-prayers and referred their Offering till later in the morn therefore the Jews sleep longer than on other daies to prepare them for Prayers When they repair to the Synagogue they pray as on other but longer and sing more Hymns to honour the day they put not on their Phylacteries as on other daies because they think the Sabbath it self is a sufficient signe of the Jewish Faith and ordained only for them to hallow and have therefore no need of Circumcision and Phylacteries though both are signes by which Jews are distinguished and known They bring the Book of the Law out of the Ark after the same manner as is declared in the ninth Chapter They read a Section out of the Law and divide each Section into seven Lessons to be read by seven choice men After the reading of the Law they read Lessons out of the Prophets which are agreeable to the Writings of Moses of which custom this is the Original When in old time they were forbidden to read Moses they chose a Section out of the Prophets which agreed with the Writings of Moses of this there is mention in the Acts of the Apostles Act. 13.27 They which dwell at Jerusalem and their Rulers knew him not nor the Voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath day And again Act. 15.21 Moses of old time hath in every City them that Preach him being read in the Synagogue every Sabbath But though they are not forbidden the reading of Moses yet they keep the Old custom and read the Prophets after Moses They pray also for the Souls of the dead who have not kept the Sabbath aright For the Rabbies suppose that they both before and after the Sabbath are tortured in Hell-fire and therefore they pray for them on the Sabbath that thereon they may have rest They continue in prayer not after the sixth hour of the day being forbidden to fast or pray longer as they plead from the place so often recited Thou shalt call the Sabbath a Delight Here they say that the word signifying in Hebrew Delight is written without the Letter ד which signifies six by which the Prophet meant implicitly that they should pray but till the sixth hour When Morning-prayer is ended they provide for the second Banquet and to honour the day they generally indulge their Appetites but if it happen that any one have a strange Dream as if he should see the Book of the Law or his house burn or his teeth strook out or suchlike portending evil he has liberty to abstain from meat till the evening He who in a dream is offended with meat and delights in fasting may do as he himself pleaseth and he that is so grieved that he cannot refrain from tears he may weep for by it grief is eased and such pleasant weeping honours the day but he that fasts on purpose on the Sabbath is bound to fast the next day after that thereby he may do Penance for detracting from the honour of the day After Dinner the Rabbies have thought fit to studie or read in Sacred Writ for one of the chief Rabbies relates that the Sabbath made complaint that God had given to every thing a companion and equal except to it and God answered Israel shall be thy companion for on the Sabbath they shall learn the Law whereas others are idle The Law also came and complained saying When Isarel returns into his own Land one possesseth his Vine another his Field Who then shall regard me To which God said Israel shall respect thee for on the Sabbath they shall not labour And considering this they have thought it fit to spend some time after dinner in studying the word of God that the Sabbath or the Law might have no
more reason of complaint At the time of Evening Sacrifice they repair again to the Synagogue and say their Evening-prayers and then eat the third and last time on the Sabbath when it begins to depart they take leave of it with a Blessing They look upon the observance of these three Banquets to be of much concern for they think that he who thus observes the Sabbath shall escape Hell and be preserved from the dreadful War of Gog and Magog and also be free from the perplexities that shall attend the coming of the Messia and therefore one of the Rabbies pray'd that his Portion might be with those who celebrate the Sabbath with three Banquets At Evening they are again prohibited to draw water out of the River or Well by reason of the Souls of the wicked deceased which again refresh themselves as they are returning to Hell At the very departure of the Sabbath after supper one very nimbly draws the Cloth from off the Table for they say that he who doth it shall in a short time be set at libertie Aere Alieno About the Evening they again go to prayers in which they make mention of the Prophet Elias for they say that his coming was promised in the evening of the Sabbath or some Feast-day and when the Sabbath is gone they ask him if he will come the next Sabbath and acquaint them with the coming of the Messia Some of them also write that the Prophet sate under the Tree of Life in Paradise and registred the good Works the Jews did on the Sabbath They continue these Prayers till late in the night out of love to the Souls of the wicked that they may have the more respit from torments for as it is in the Evening on Friday proclaimed in Hell by Dumah an Angel that is Ruler among the Spirits that the wicked may go to their rest as the Jews do and all Israel on the Sabbath So when the Prayers are ended the Spirit cries again Return ye wicked into Hell for the Jews have done Prayers As soon as the Hymn Benedicite is ended the women go with haste to the wells and draw water for they write that the well Mara whereof they drink in the Desart runs into the Sea of Tyberias and thence in the end of the Sabbath did mixt it self with the water of all their wells and if a woman should chance to draw in that instant she would have an Antidote for all Diseases A certain woman gave testimony to this most precious Panacea who immediately after prayers going to draw water came in that instant in which the Well had mixt it self with hers but being somewhat slow in drawing her Husband was verie angrie The woman for fear let the Pitcher fall out of her hands and it happened that some drops fell upon her Husband and those parts which the water touched were immediately healed See the effect of this his anger for he was only healed in part whereas if he had drank he had been totally cured and clean as a new-born Child Hence is that notable Saying of the Rabbies Iracundus nihil aliud quam iram suam reportabit Lastly they separate the Sabbath from the Week following and give God thanks that he hath enabled them so to hallow the Sabbath They do it after this manner A great Taper like a Torch is kindled which they call the Candle of Separation they have also a little Box full of sweet Spices provided Then the Master of the Family takes the cup of Wine in his right hand and sings with a loud voice Behold God is my Salvation I will trust and not be afraid I will receive the cup of Salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord c. Which done he consecrates the Wine and spilling a little on the ground saith Blessed art thou O Lord who hast created the Fruit of the Vine Then he smells to the sweet Spice and delivers it to all present to smell to afterwards he takes the Cup in his right hand and going to the great Taper looks diligently on the nails of his left hand bowing his fingers inwards towards the palm of his hand that they may cause a shadow after that he opens them again and looks on the outside so diligently that he may discern the nails to be whiter than the flesh and saith Blessed art thou O Lord who hast ordained a clear light then taking the Cup in his left hand he vieweth the nails of his right hand which done he removeth the Cup into his right hand and saith Blessed art thou who hast made difference betwixt things holy and prophane betwixt Israel and other Nations betwixt the seventh day and the other six days of the week and while he saith this he spills a little of the Wine on the ground and then drinks and giveth to all present to drink And so the Sabbath is ended and the Week begun They prove the difference between the Sabbath and the Week-daies by these words And that ye may put difference between things holy and unholy and God divided the light from the darkness They smell to the sweet Spice to avoid dotage because they are deprived of a Soul at the end of the Sabbath which Soul they again receive at the beginning of it and enjoy more than on week-daies Antonius Margarita in his Book de side Judaica has something to this purpose The Jews write in the Talmud that every man hath three Souls and prove it from Esay 42.5 Thus saith the Lord God he that created the heavens and stretched them out he that spread forth the earth and that which cometh out of it he that giveth breath to the people upon it and spirit to them that walk therein From this Text they attribute to man two Souls which with the true Natural Soul always inherent make three moreover they say that when a man sleeps these two adventitious Souls steal from him one ascends to Heaven and there hears all future Events the other roves about the Earth and there beholds nought but folly and vanity and this they call the Irrational or Brutish Soul but that Soul wherewith every man is first inspired hath its immoveable residence in the heart and sees all that those two Souls that have forsaken the body do or see Hence all dreams arise and therefore not always to be lightly esteemed But on the Sabbath a fourth Soul cometh as a fresh supply which elevates their minds that so they may the better honour the Sabbath and when the Sabbath is ended this Soul leaveth them again Hence it is that they are dull and smell to the sweet Spices to refresh their Spirits So much of Margarita but whence he collected this cannot as yet be understood by the Jews writings Some more wise than the rest smell to the sweet Spices because on the Sabbath the fire of Hell doth not stink but as soon as the Sabbath is ended and the Gates of Hell opened that
with such offensive creatures and it was agreed that those creatures which were generated by natural coition should not be hurt and therefore Flies were free but those which were bred of corrupt putrified matter were to be killed and therefore Lice They are forbidden to climb trees lest they should break the boughs He who feeds his Hen and Chickens in any open place where the rain may fall with any Corn must not give them more than they can eat lest when it rains it should grow and so he might be said to sow on the Sabbath which is a sin unpardonable They must not knock at the dore with the iron hammer lest they may seem to drive a nail and therefore Chassan the Sexton doth knock with his fist They may not knock with the fingers on the table nor write on sand or ashes but they may in the Air. No Picture either in paper or wax is to be defaced The sum of all that they are forbidden is contained in 39 Articles to which all lesser matters are reducible The First Article concerns Plowing under which is comprehended dressing of Gardens removing Herbs setting Trees planting Vines digging pruning c. whereby the growth of any thing may be improved and because it is not lawful to fill Ditches the Rabbies have thought fit that the Chambers should be sprinkled with water that the dust might not arise but sweeping is forbidden lest thereby any little chink in the Chamber should be filled and for this reason they would not throw nutshels towards the Ditch lest peradventure they might fall into it The Second Article concerns Reaping under which is contained gathering any kinde of Fruit which they are forbidden as also to take honey from the Bees and such-like They may on the Sabbath eat any Fruit as it hangs on the stalk but not break the stalk they may not go over a Corn-field newly sown lest the Corn should stick to their shoos which is as if they had purposed to take it And it seems that the Jews were offended with our Saviour for the breach of this Article when his Disciples pluckt off the ears of Corn on the Sabbath Mat. 12. The Third Article respects Thrashing to which pertaineth beating of Hemp or Flax to press any moist Fruits as Grapes and such-like Milking is also contained under this Article but the Rabbies don't as yet agree about it You may judge of the other Articles accordingly The difference betwixt the general ones and those contained under them is not great He who beareth false witness against another is to be stoned and he who willingly sins him God shall judge and root out of the Land of the Living These are explained in the Talmud in Tractatu de Sabbatho Chapter 7. with many more but they are too tedious to be named And though the Jews think that they rightly observe the Sabbath yet they may be convinced of the contrary from their own Conscience For we read in the Talmud that he who observeth all the Ceremonies of the Sabbath to do them shall have free pardon of all sins yea though he be an Idolater as Enoch in whose time they say this sin had its Original According to Gen. 4.26 Then began men to call upon the Name of the Lord And Esay the 56.2 Blessed is the man that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it Rabbi Juda said If the Israelites had kept the first Sabbath aright immediately after the Law was given no Nation would ever have overcome them And another Rabbi said If they had kept the two first Sabbaths aright they had soon been set at liberty according to Esay 56.4 They that keep my Sabbaths aright them will I bring back into my holy Mountain that is Jerusalem But seeing they are not neither are like to be set at liberty it must needs be because they have not kept the Sabbath aright as they confessed while the Temple stood at Jerusalem As the Talmud expresly speaketh For no other reason was the Temple at Jerusalem destroyed but because the Jews observed not the Sabbath aright As it is written Ezek. 22.27 They have hid their eyes from my Sabbath and I am polluted among them The Jews celebrate the Sabbath with Wine Fish and Flesh and all kinde of Delights they abstain from work and are not at any time desirous to do any thing but only command the poor Christians and therefore boast that they are Lords over them I shall conclude this Chapt. with the complaint which God made to Israel by the Prophet Esay Esay 1.13 Incense is an abomination unto me the new Moons and Sabbaths the calling of Assemblies I cannot away with it is iniquity even the solemn meetings Your new Moons and your appointed Seasons my Soul hateth they are a trouble unto me I am weary to bear them CHAP. XVIII Of the Jews Feasts The manner of their Celebration IN the Order of Prayers according to the Hebrew Use the Offices for the Festivals immediately follow those of the Sabbath though the Service-book doth not yield Offices for every Feast which are in present observation with them For besides a peculiar Order for the Purim there is but one general Office for all the rest Now besides what occurs in Holy Writ concerning the institution and reason of the Jewish Festivals there are some modern Customs chiefly therein to be considered which we shall refer to the several Feasts and only give them a naked enumeration The chief both of the Antient and Modern Jewish Festivals are the Passover the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles The Passover is the first both in time and dignity and the Divine Scriptures exhibit enough in testimony both of its Institution and Designe So that we shall only succinctly set down the usual Rites of its present observation And in the first place the Jews esteem the Passover of so great moment that their preparation for its solemnity is much more great than to all the other Festivals For the Wealthier and Devouter sort spend above a Lunar Month in preparing for its coming But their preparations consist not in any Spiritual exercise but in a carnal providing for the body Where they use no small curiosity and diligence in getting the finest Wheat for the unleavened bread which by Divine appointment is thereon to be eaten And what is very commendable the Richer are careful to provide the Poorer with fine Wheat for the same purpose gratis out of their own Store For they account it a great Scandal to their Religion that any Jew should be unprovided of things requisite to so sacred a celebration The two or three daies before the Passover are spent in cleansing their houses and washing their Furniture of brass pewter and iron On the Eve of the Feast the First-born of the Family always fasts and the rest of the houshold are imployed in searching every corner that not a crum of leaven'd bread may remain till the Passover And because
they pray that not the least mite may escape their discovery it is ordinary with them to cast some pieces of hard crusts into the secret corners that finding them they may not be said to have pray'd in vain Whatsoever crums they meet with they are carefully laid up till the next morning when they are burn'd and all this to testifie their especial diligence to observe the Law concerning the Passover The Sabbath immediately antecedent to this Festival is for its singular and peculiar Sanctity stiled the Great Sabbath which name was occasioned by a Miracle that thereon happned of which the Rabbies give this short Legend Our Ancestors when they lived in Egypt taking their Paschal Lambs according to Gods appointment upon the tenth day of the month and tying them to their bed-posts that 〈◊〉 might have them ready to kill upon the fourteenth day of the month which interim of time from the tenth to the fourteenth day they were to spend in meditation of their deliverance and in searching if the Lamb was without blemish The Egyptians demanding a reason of their so doing the Hebrews told them that their Lambs were kept to be killed at their Passover The Egyptians murmured greatly thereat and grew very much incensed against the Hebrews for killing the Lamb because it so much resembled one of their Gods For they had placed Aries the Ram one of the Celestial signes in the number of their Deities Whereupon the Egyptians began to complot the Hebrews Ruine but were suddenly struck with so much horrour that they durst not open their lips nor move a finger against them And because this happened the next Sabbath before the Passover it was therefore called the Great Sabbath On which they make long discourses relating to the Ordinance and Use of the Passover While they are searching and cleansing their houses they are either to be silent or to speak of nothing but finding out and burning the leavened bread And at the lighting of the Candle wherewith the Crums are sought for the Father of the Family saith this Benediction Blessed art thou O Lord our God the Lord of the whole earth who hast Sanctified with thy Precepts and commanded us to cast out the Leaven And all his Domesticks distinctly answer Amen Some Jews will not suffer the women to cleanse the house because they say Talkativeness is so natural to that Sex that they cannot perform that Office with so great silence as is required The Father of the Family has alwaies the inspection of purging the house who lest any leaven'd bread might be left undiscern'd useth this Execration Let all the leaven which I have not found and taken away vanish into the dust of the Earth While some of the Family are making clean the house others grinde the Wheat for the Azima or unleavened Cakes Where their first care is to see the Mill throughly cleansed from all Grain that was designed for leavened bread And in Barbary this task is not long or difficult because the Jews use small hand-mills like the Moors Next the Master of the house betwixt Sun-set and Star-light draws water and puts it in such consecrate Vessels as are purposely set apart for their Festivals And when all things are in readiness they fall to making of the Pascal Cakes Which are of a round figure and without any other ingredient than pure water and fine flour which must have been two or three daies ground before they use it And this they do lest the heat it takes in grinding should make it smell and grow leavenish If in kneading or moulding the Cakes any part of the dough happen to fall to the earth they must not take it up but leave it to be eaten by any creature that has a minde thereunto For they are of opinion that the least crum falling to the ground being taken and put to the rest will sower the whole lump The woman that makes the Cakes bakes first one alone over which she saith Blessed art thou our God who hast commanded us to separate the leavened Cake And having said these words she instantly burns it to ashes and then begins to bake the rest Upon the Eve of the Passover at the time of the Mincha they go to the Synagogue where they celebrate the Office of the Sabbath-Arvit The Prayers for the Passover are for the most part the same with those of the Sabbath save that they intermingle therewith some of the Roshodes During the time that the men stay at the Synagogue the women spread the Tables and adorn their Cubbords not for Ostentation but honour of the Festival Against they return from Publick Oraisons there is a Cushion the best they can provide laid for the Head of the House at the upper end of the Room where they are to dine For their posture of eating is exactly Eastern or lying upon the ground But this is no part of their Religion but a conformity to the mode of their Residence Upon the day of the Passover they compose themselves to a stately Gesture of body and an imperious Carriage only to signifie thereby their deliverance from Egyptian Bondage And the women which at other times sit hanging their heads at this Feast look loftily expressing thereby Alacrity and Triumph In eating the Paschal Lamb the Jews of all Countries use the same Ritual Four Dishes make up their Bill of Fare which are these The first Dish contains three Paschal Cakes the uppermost whereof represents the High-Priest the middle the Levite the lowermost the Common Hebrews The second Dish is a Leg of Lamb or Kid rosted together with an Hen-egg The mystery of which last morsel I could never meet with any Jew was able to reveal The third Dish is a deal of thick Stuff much like the Moors Cuscussow but of much better ingredients For the Moors make theirs of meer water and flour or crum'd bread but the Jews put several spices in theirs and the better to make it represent the colour of the bricks they made in Egypt they tincture it with Saffron The fourth Dish is a green Salad attended with Vinegre in which they dipping the Salad call to minde the sower herbs wherewith their Fathers were commanded to eat the Passover At this Feast every Jew is to drink Wine but none to exceed four glasses and none to refuse so many Before they lie down to eat the Chief of the Family consecrates the Viands And when the Cakes are broken and every one hath eaten a piece and drank a cup of Wine the whole Family sing an Hymn In which they remember the bread of Sorrow eaten by their Fathers in Egypt concluding with their hopes of a speedie Restauration unto Canaan At the breaking of the second Cake the Master of the house puts a piece thereof in his Napkin in memory of their Ancestors wrapping up their Dough in haste before it was leaven'd when they posted out of Egypt And then they drink a second glass of Wine
Alms. The object of the later are Orphans Widows Synagogues and the Holy house for so they call the Temple which they expect shall be rebuilt at the coming of their Messiah And therefore toward the structure thereof every dying Jew that is able contributes something For they have erected a Treasury to this purpose which is managed by the Masters and carefully improved by them The rest of the Estate is divided among the Wives and Children The Wives first taking out their Dowries doubled If the Children of the dying person be very young the Master is to be their Guardian who with a signal care labours to improve their Fortunes The Alms likewise are deposite in the Rabbies hands who out of them disposeth of some Females every year in Marriage When the sick man has set his house in order and is under evident indications of Death He makes confession of his Faith and in a short Oraison is recommended to Mercie And the breath is no sooner out of his Nostrils but they prepare for his Funeral which is always within the natural day of his Departure And first the Corps is washed in clean water or if he be rich in water of Roses Orange-flowers or any thing that is Aromatick While the Corps is thus making clean they pray that God would cleanse the Soul from all the defilements that it had contracted in the body This ceremony of washing being finished they put the Corps in a clean Shirt and Drawers and then a Strip of linnen resembling the Zizith and after all they sow him in a very white Sheet and put him into a Coffin The relations of the Deceased for seven daies after the Interment stir not abroad or if by some extraordinary occasion they are forced to go out of doors it is without Shoos which is a token with them that they have lost a dear Friend For the seven daies that they stay within the Neighbours come to the house to pray with them and their Mourning habit is either a black Ganiphe or the same clothes they wore when the party died The Corps is born by four to the place of Burial in this procession In the first rank march the Chachams or Priests next to them the kindred of the Deceased after whom come those that are Invited to the Funeral and all singing in a sort of plain-song the 49th Psalm And if it last not till they come to the Grave they begin it again At the Grave ten Rabbies or so many old Jews in their room say over some certain Psalms composed by the Rabbins for that purpose And when they are ended the Corps is laid in the Grave and covered with Earth and the Rabbies compassing the Grave seven times say From the Earth thou camest and to the Earth thou art returned After this is done they return from the Grave to the house of the Deceased where one who as chief Mourner receives them with his Jaws tied up with a linnen Cloth after the same manner that they binde up the Dead And by this the Mourner is said to testifie that he was ready to die with his Friend And thus muffled the Mourner goes for seven daies during which time the rest of his Friends come twice every twenty four hours to pray with him At the end of these seven daies the Friends of the Deceased repair to his Grave which they cover with a black Cloth and say this Prayer Vide Syracides 22.23 Judge of the Truth who Judgest truly be Judge of the Truth for all thy Judgements are Justice and Truth And then the Kindred of the Dead wish one another good health and Comfort And the same Ceremonie is repeated precisely that day twelvemonth till which time the Obsequies are incompleat If the Friends of the Deceased be devout they often every Week repair to his Grave where they make great Lamentation and bitter Weeping over him they pray at the same time That God would pardon his Sins and receive him into the Garden Meaning the Garden out of which Adam was cast when he became disobedient In the Funeral-Rites of the Jews the same order is observed for both Sexes only with this Decorum that the Women meddle not with the Men nor the Men with the Women but each Wash and Shrowd those of their own Sex They never bury their Dead promiscuously with those of another Faith but have purchased distinct Burying-places where they reside which they very much respect and to which they often resort both in contemplation of their own Mortality and to lament and pray for those who are dead already It may not be unfit to observe that though the Modern Ceremonies of Burial are neither so numerous nor costly as those of old among the Jews yet they do not much varie from them For the washing of the Body was in use at the time of Tabitha's death and the Chief Mourner spoken of before as also the Weekly Lamenting of the Dead refers to the Women hired to lament at Burials And which the Scripture calls Mourning-Women Jerem. 9.17 the same with the Praeficae among the Romans They likewise agree in the places of Burial which are now as formerly without the Towns or Cities where they live except that in Fez they have a Burying-place within the City adjoyning to the Juderia or the part where they live as was said in the entrance of this Discourse Enquiring after Inscriptions or Epitaphs and though often in the Burying-place for that end I could see none nor any other State about the Graves than Green Turf and Boughs But this remark respects the Jews in Barbary whom I conceive to come far short of those of other Countries in this sort of Funeral Pomp. But we are told that they were not without Inscriptions upon their Sepulchers as Hic jacet N. Memoria ejus sit in Benedictione Though this I confess be now used rather as an honourable Commemoration when any Author of worth being dead is cited by the Masters than as a common Epitaph But when they use Sepulchral Inscriptions they are usually a Prayer for the Dead such as Let his Soul be received into the Garden of Eden Or Let his Soul be bound in the bundle of Life with the rest of the Just The Confession of Sins made by the Sick upon his Death-bed I Acknowledge and confess before thee O Lord my God and the God of my Fathers the Mighty God of the Spirits of all flesh that both my Health and Death are in thy hands Restore me I beseech thee to my former health be mindful of me and hear my Prayers as in the time of King Ezechias when he also was grievously sick But if the time of my Visitation be come that I must die let my death be an Expiation for all my sins iniquities and transgressions whether I have committed them ignorantly or knowingly from the day that I first drew in the light Grant I beseech thee that I may have my Portion in Paradise