Observations Natural and Moral, Part 3

Observations Natural and Moral · Part 3

p. 137Of Liquid Meaſures.

THe greateſt meaſure for wet among the Hebrewes is called Corus, and the leaſt a Log: but among the Romans Amphor… was the greateſt, and the leaſt cochlear.

p. 138Menſura Liquidorum.

Bath was the tenth part of a chomer, Bath what.all one with the Greeke Hydria, and equall with the Epha, 2 King 12.11. They gave the money according to number and meaſure: as they weighed the money to ſee if it were weight; ſo they weighed the bath by weighing the corne and wine to ſee if it was a true meaſure.

p. 139There were two ſort of baths, Two ſorts of baths.as there was two ſorts of Epha's and ſheckles, the one was the double of the other, 1 Kings 7.26. The brazen ſea contained two thouſand baths, this is the great bath; but 2 Chron. 4. it contained three thouſand baths; that is, of leſſer or halfe baths.

Vrna was the halfe of the Amphora, Vrna what.which ſerved for many uſes, as the keeping of their oyle, The uſe of the Vrna. foreignthe Aſhes of the dead, and the caſting in of Lots, Heſt. 3.7. for there a Lot is deduced from the word pur which ſignifieth to fall, ſo called becauſe the lot was caſt in, and fell downe in it: but Eſay. 63.3. it is called a barrell or a Veſſell, in which they did caſt the wine to bee troaden. The Hebrewes put boſome or lappe in place of Vrna. Prov. 16. foreign in ſinum.the lot is caſt [bachek] in the boſome or lappe, but the whole diſpoſing thereof is from the Lord, that is, The manner how they caſt their lots.They caſt in the names of men that are to bee choſen, in urnam; but that the lot falleth upon this or that particular man, it cōmeth from Gods immediate providence, as in the election of Matthias, Act. 1.26. It is a cōpariſon borrowed from the boſome of a man w^ch is the fore part of his body, and it is transferred to ſignifie the inward part, or hollowneſſe of any thing: wherefore in this place, Prov. 16.33. it is not to bee taken for the boſome of a man properly, but for the inward part of the Veſſell, foreign The Hin what.and eſpecially for urna wherein they did caſt their lots.

Hin was halfe an Vrna, it contained twelve, L…gs or ſextaries; halfe a hin was ſixe Loge, and the fourth part of a hin was three logs; for a hin was divided into twelve parts, as Exod. 30.24. a hin of oyle Olive was mixed with the ingredients of the holy oyle: Num. 15.9. the meate offering of a bullocke ſacrificed ſhould have halfe an hin of oyle; and verſe 6. a Ramme the third part of an hin, and verſe 4. a Lambe the fourth part of an hin of oyle: and Ezek. 4.11. Thou ſhalt drinke the p. 140ſixt part of an hin of water, that is, two logs, or as much as twelve egges will containe.

foreign amongſt the Greeks and Congius amongſt the Latines, foreign .were the halfe of the hin.

Log was the twelfth part of a hin, foreign Log what.and contained ſo much as ſixe egges doe containe, it was equall with the Roman Sextarie, The Log divided into twelve parts.Levit. 14.12. And the Prieſt ſhall take a hee lambe and the Log of oyle: this Log was alſo divided in twelve parts, the halfe whereof was called by the Greeks foreign and foreign , and by the Latines Scutella and hemina. This halfe Log contained ſixe cyathus, ſo that every cyathus was halfe an egge or an ounce; and the Latines gave every one of them a ſeverall name beginning at the loweſt, and going upward thus: Cyathus or vncia, ſextans, quadrans, triens, hence Pſal. 75.9. a triental cuppe, quincunx, ſemis ſeptunx, bes, dodrans, dextans, deunx Lob or ſextarius. So that amongſt the Romans who borrowed it from the Grecians, Amongſt the …omans every whole thing was divided into twelve parts.and they from the Hebrewes, every whole thing was divided in twelve parts, as centeſima uſura was the twelfth part of a hundreth. As was devided in twelve ounces, as heres ex aſſe is to bee heire of all, & heres, … uncia is to be heire of the twelfth pare.K. Da. Kimchi.

Againe the Hebrewes devided a Log in foure rebbiguith or quartarius, every one of which contained in meaſure an egge and a halfe 2 King. 6.25. the halfe of quartarius was acetabulum, ſo called from acerra the hollow where the thigh bone turneth, How the Hebrewes divided the Log. foreignand the Hebrewes call it caph, hence it is transferred to ſignifie a ſalſer. Num. 7.14. it is called a ſpoone, the Princes dedicate twelve ſpoones of gold, every one weighed ten ſhekels of gold, that is five ounces the Greekes called it foreign or foreign, and the Latines acetabulum ſcu…ſſa, catin…, Mat, 2….23. he that dippeth with me [in catino or foreign ] in the diſh or ſalſer.

p. 141The Romans divided their ounce thus, How the Roman… d… ded their ounce.the halfe of it they call duella, the halfe of duella is Sin…, the halfe of this ſextula; the halfe of ſextula, drac…, the halfe of this ſcrupul…, the halfe of ſcrupul… abolus, the halfe of this ſiligna or ceration, and the halfe of Ceration lens, ſpelta or lupina; and this is the ſmalleſt meaſure that can be.