These testimonies warrant us in asserting that the philosophers of antiquity believed that "Deum esse spiritum omnibus partibus immistum," God is a spirit mingled with and diffused through all parts of the world. We may therefore justly infer that they believed in the unity of the supreme Being; that they have left upon record the most sublime descriptions of his character, and that there was no necessity for a revelation to afford them further information on the subject.

Xenoph. Mem., lib.i., c. i. † M. Fabius Quintil. 1. vii., c. iii

FRAGMENTS ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF DIFFERENT NATIONS.

Marriage among the Hebrews.

MARRIAGE signifies a wedding, a nuptial feast, or when combined with other words, the state of matrimony. Among the Hebrews, the word nn mishtheh, derived probably from n shathah, to drink, and among the Latins the phrase nuptiæ convivium, signified a marriage feast in particular, or a feast in general. The Greeks used rapos gamos in the same sense to signify a wedding, and the festivities which usually accompany it.

"The Hebrews," says Calmet, "generally married young. Whoever is not married at eighteen or twenty, say the rabbins, offends against the commandment given by God, to increase and multiply and replenish the earth. They may anticipate this age, but not exceed it. After thirteen years they may marry, and they think a man cannot live in celibacy without sin, or at least without great danger of sin. The virgins are contracted very early; but are not married till they complete their twelfth year; whence come those expressions, the spouse of one's youth, Prov. ii. 17; or, one espoused in early life; also the guide of one's youth, expressing a husband married young.'

"Maids, before their marriage, seldom appeared in public. They were called Almah, virgin, secret, shut up. Often they were sought in marriage without having seen the persons who desired them. Jesus, son of Sirach, says, Eccles. xlii., 2, "The father waketh for a daughter, when no man knoweth, and care for her taketh away sleep; when she is young, lest she pass away the flower of her age; and being married, lest she should be hated."†

Probably St. Paul had something like the foregoing in view, when he wrote the 7th chapter of his 1st

Calmet's Dictionary, vol. ii., article, Marriage.

† Ibid.

Epistle to the Corinthians. The 36th, 37th, and 38th verses in the original run thus:

Εἰ δέ τις ἀσχημονεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν παρθένον αὐτοῦ νομίζει, ἐὰν ἦ ὑπέρασμος, καὶ οὕτως ὀφείλει γίνεσθαι· ὃ θέλει ποιείτω, ουχ ἁμαρτάνει γαμείτωσαν.

Ὃς δὲ ἕστηκεν ἑδραῖος ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ, μὴ ἔχων ἀνάγκην, ἐξουσίαν δὲ ἔχει περὶ τοῦ ἰδίου θελήματος, και τοῦτο κέκρικεν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ τοῦ τηρεῖν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ παρθένον, καλῶς ποιεῖ. Ωστε καὶ ὁ ἐκγαμίζων καλῶς ποιεῖ ὁ δὲ μὴ ἐκγαμίζων κρεῖσσον ποιεῖ.* Thus rendered by Daniel Mace:†"If any man thinks it would be a reflexion upon his manhood to be a stale bachelor, and so ought to marry; let him follow his bent, he is at liberty, let such marry.'

"But he that has been steady in his purpose, and finds no necessity to alter it; if he is master of his passion, and is heartily determined to keep his virginity, it is well."

"So that he who marries does well; but he who lives single, may have less trouble."

The original is differently rendered in our English version. The 36th verse runs :- "But if any man think that he behaveth uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry."+

I cannot school my mind to think that Paul displayed either good taste, or superhuman wisdom, in representing the Deity as stooping from the throne of his beneficence, to inform mankind, that if they did not wish to be "stale, old bachelors," they were not under any obligation to lead a life of celibacy.

Women were purchased among the Hebrews, or rather, the husband gave a dowry to the woman he desired to marry. This custom is frequently alluded to in the Jewish scriptures. Jacob, we are told,

* Vide Bloomfield's Greek Testament.

Greek and English Testament, by Daniel Mace, Lond. 1729.

Halloo old bachelors, hear this. It has been announced from heaven that if any of you think you cannot do without a wife, you are at liberty to take one. This is of great importance, and the very quintessence of sublimity. What queer things have been revealed!

served seven years for Leah, and seven years more for her sister Rachael, (Gen. chap. xxix.) "And the sisters complain some years after, that their father Laban had applied their portions to his own use,' (Gen. chap. xxxi. ver. 15) "The rabbins," says Calmet, assure us, that the father was used to give his daughter certain presents for clothes and other necessaries. This was fixed at fifty zuzim, which was a piece of money of one fourth part of a shekel."

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The Israelitish women were betrothed either by a piece of silver given to the bride, or by a writing, or by cohabitation. I copy from Calmet's Dictionary the form of the writing: "On such a day, of such a month, in such a year, the son of have said to

the daughter of

be

thou my spouse according to the law of Moses and the Israelites, and I will give thee for the portion of thy virginity, the sum of two hundred zuzim, as is ordained by the law. And the said has consented to become his spouse upon these conditions, which the said has promised to perform on the day of marriage. To this the said obliges himself, and for this he engages all his goods, even as far as the cloak that he wears upon his shoulder. Moreover, he promises to perform all that is generally intended in contracts of marriage, in favour of the Israelitish women."

Witnesses,

When a young woman was betrothed by a piece of silver and without writing, the young man said to the young woman, in the presence of witnesses, "Receive this piece of silver as a pledge that you shall become my spouse." After the young couple were betrothed, they were allowed to see each other, which was not permitted before; and if, during the time elapsing from the betrothment to the consummation of the marriage, the female should violate the marriage laws, she was treated as an adulteress.* "The Jewish doctors teach that if those who are betrothed should make an ill use

* Selden, Uxor. Heb., lib. ii., cap. i.

of their liberty of seeing each other, they are condemned to the punishment of the whip." A considerable interval often elapsed between the time of being espoused and that of being married." But when the parties were agreed on, the terms of marriage and the time was fitting to complete it, they drew up a contract in the following manner, which I copy from Calmet.

Form of the Contract of Marriage among the Hebrews.

On such a day, of such a month, in such a year, and upon the banks of such a river, (for they commonly married in the open air, and by the side of some river,) N., son of N., said to N., daughter of N., be thou my wife according to the rites of Moses and the Israelites. And with the help of God I will honour thee, maintain thee, clothe thee, and feed thee, according to the custom of other husbands of our nation; who honour, maintain, clothe, and feed their wives, as they ought to do. I give thee for a portion and for the price of thy virginity, two hundred zuzim of silver, (these two hundred zuzim make about fifty shekels of silver,) which are due to thee according to the law. Besides which, I engage myself to provide thee with clothes, and convenient food, as also to discharge that conjugal duty which is due to thee, according to the custom of all nations.

And the said N. has consented to become his spouse. Moreover, the said bridegroom has proposed by way of augmentation of dowry, that besides the principal sum he will give And what the said bride has brought with her is estimated at the value of which the said bridegroom acknowledges to have received and to charge himself with, and has made us the declaration following. "I accept and receive under my care and keeping all that is above-mentioned, as well for dowry as on any other account; and oblige myself and my heirs, under the security of all my goods, whether moveable or not, present or to come, even to the cloak that I wear upon my shoulders, to give a true and faithful account to my said spouse, of