6. The Old Testament too knew this number eight which in Latin we call the Octave, for the preacher says, _give a portion to seven and also to eight_. The number seven belongs to the Old Testament, the number eight to the New, for then Christ rose, and the day of new salvation shone upon all. This is the day whereof the Prophet says, _This is the day which the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it_: for on that day the brightness of full and perfect circumcision was infused into the hearts of men. On this account the Old Testament also gave a part to eight in the solemnity of circumcision. But this still lay in darkness: then came _the Sun of righteousness_, and by the consummation of His passion revealed His rays of light; these He unfolded to all, and opened the brightness of eternal life. Sidenote: Hosea iii. 2. 7. These then are that seven and eight whereof Hosea says that by that number he purchased to himself, and acquired the fulness of faith, for thus it is written, _So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley, and a measure of wine_[220]. But in the former verses God had commanded him to hire to himself an harlot, and it is manifest that he did so, in that he has mentioned the price of her hiring. Now the fifteen pieces of silver are made up of the numbers seven and eight, wherefore they represent these numbers. And by the price of the two Testaments, that is, of perfect faith, the prophecy hath received the consummation of its faith and the Church her fulness. For by the first Testament the people of Israel were gained, by the second the heathen and Gentiles. And so by a perfect faith the harlot is hired, seeking herself a consort either among the Gentiles, or from the adulterous people of the Jews, who had deserted their Lord, the Author of their virgin faith, and spread their congregations over the breadth of the whole world. Sidenote: S. Matt. v. 17. Sidenote: Micah v. 5. 8. With regard to the words, _an homer of barley, and half an homer of barley_, in the homer we have a full measure, in the half homer the measure is but partly full; fulness in the Gospel, half-fulness in the Law, as we read in our Lord’s own words, _I am not come to destroy the law, but to fulfil the law_. And in another place the Lord says by the prophet Micah, _Then shall there be peace in the land of Israel, when the Assyrian shall come into his land; and there arose against him seven shepherds, and eight bites[221] of men_. For the faithful people will then enjoy perfect peace and be freed from all temptations and vanities, when peace and grace shall have shut out the vanity of this world from our hearts, the peace, that is, of the Old, the grace of the New Testament. Sidenote: Rom. x. 10. Sidenote: Isa. xxv. 8. Sidenote: 1 Cor. xv. 54, 55.