Before I explain these Circumstances, I must a little acquaint you with the Custom of the Jews, to which allusion is here made. The Weddings of those times were kept by Night, in which the Bridegroom and his Company were by certain Virgins fetched in, and conducted to the Bride, with Lamps in their hands, and Songs in their mouths. As for this Custom, I shall give you some passages in Scripture. That the Weddings were in the Night-time, we read Gen. 29.23. It came to pass in the evening that Laban took Leah his Daughter, and brought her to Jacob. That the Bridegroom had his Companions, we read Judg. 13.11. Sampson had thirty Companions brought to him. That both had their Companions; we read of the Children of the Bride-Chamber, Matth. 9.15. the special guests invited to the Marriage-feast, who were by Custom to fetch the Bridegroom, and wait upon him: These are called [Greek or Hebrew], the Friends of the Bridegroom, Joh. 3.29. That the Bride had her Companions, 'tis said, in Psal. 45.14. the Spouse shall be brought to the King in a Raiment of Needle-work; the Virgins her Companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee: And their fashion was, to take Hand-lamps then in use, and fit to carry abroad for Night-lights. The Scripture frequently alludes to that; Rev. 18.23. And the light of the Candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the Bridegroom, and of the Bride, no more at all shall be heard in thee. And thus the Bridegroom was met by Virgins with Lamps; as he grew near the Brides house, he was met by Servants with Candles returning to the Marriage: Therefore 'tis said, Luke 12.35, 36. Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning, and ye your selves like unto men that wait for their Lord, when he will return from the Wedding. This was the custom, which I the rather observe, that you may see how fitly our Lord layeth down things. Now those that accompanied the Bridegroom and the Bride, were Children of the Bride-chamber, and admitted into the Marriage Room and Supper; and those that came after that, when once the door was ⟨p. 3⟩shut, were surely kept out. Now here is a fit representation of the spiritual Mystery laid down by Christ, and therefore let us
Before I explain these Circumstances, I must a little acquaint you with the Custom of the Jews, to which allusion is here made. The Weddings of those times were kept by Night, in which the Bridegroom and his Company were by certain Virgins fetched in, and conducted to the Bride, with Lamps in their hands, and Songs in their mouths. As for this Custom, I shall give you some passages in Scripture. That the Weddings were in the Night-time, we read Gen. 29.23. It came to pass in the evening that Laban took Leah his Daughter, and brought her to Jacob. That the Bridegroom had his Companions, we read Judg. 13.11. Sampson had thirty Companions brought to him. That both had their Companions; we read of the Children of the Bride-Chamber, Matth. 9.15. the special guests invited to the Marriage-feast, who were by Custom to fetch the Bridegroom, and wait upon him: These are called 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, the Friends of the Bridegroom, Joh. 3.29. That the Bride had her Companions, 'tis said, in Psal. 45.14. the Spouse shall be brought to the King in a Rayment of Needle-work; the Virgins her Companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee: And their fashion was, to take Hand-lamps then in use, and fit to carry abroad for Night-lights. The Scripture frequently alludes to that; Rev. 18.23. And the light of the Candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the Bridegroom, and of the Bride, no more at all shall be heard in thee. And thus the Bridegroom was met by Virgins with Lamps; as he grew near the Brides house, he was met by Servants with Candles returning to the Marriage: Therefore 'tis said, Luke 12.35, 36. Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning, and ye your selves like unto men that wait for their Lord, when he will return from the Wedding. This was the custom, which I the rather observe, that you may see how fitly our Lord layeth down things. Now those that accompanyed the Bridegroom and the Bride, were Children of the Bride-chamber, and admitted into the Marriage Room and Supper; and those that came after that, when once the door was ⟨p. 3⟩shut, were surely kept out. Now here is a fit representation of the spiritual Mystery laid down by Christ, and therefore let us
