V. We have mention made several times in the gospels and Acts of the Apostles, of the zeal of the Jews to make proselytes to their religion, and of several proselytes in particular. Matt. xxiii. 15, “Wo unto you, scribes and pharisees, hypocrites; for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte." Acts ii. 10, " And there were dwelling at Jerusalem, strangers of Rome, Jews, and proselytes." Acts vi. 5, " And the saying pleased the multitude: and they chose [for deacons] Stephen, Philip, Nicanor, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch." Chap. xiii. 43, "Now when the congregation [in the synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia] was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes, followed Paul and Barnabas." Ch. viii. 26–28, "And the Angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying: Go-unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza. And he arose and went and behold a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, was returning, and sitting in his chariot, read Esaias the prophet." Mono Josephus in his second book against Apion says, 'We choose not to imitate the institutions ' of other people: but we willingly embrace all that will follow ours.'a But the history which Josephus has given us of Izates the king of the Adiabenes, who was converted to the Jewish religion about the fortieth year of the christian æra, will throw a great deal of light upon this subject. And therefore I shall set it here before the reader, though in as few words as I can. About this time,' says Josephus, Helene the queen of the Adiabenes, and her son Izates, came over to the observation of the Jewish customs. It happened in this manner. bazus, king of the Adiabenes, fell in love with his sister Helene, and married her.' By this marriage he had a son, whom he called Izates. 'But there was an elder son called Monobazus, 'whom he had by Helene, beside other sons by other wives.' However it was apparent to all, that Izates had his best affections, as if he had been an only son. The rest of the sons therefore envied him. The father was sensible of it: And therefore, lest any mischief should happen, 'having given Izates considerable presents, he sent him to king Abennerigus, who resided in "a fortress called Spasina, entrusting him with the care of his son. Abennerigus received him very civilly, and married his daughter to him.' Some time after this Monobazus the father dies: the queen calls a council of her nobles, puts them in mind, that they knew the king her husband had appointed her son Izates his successor. They came into these measures; Izates returned home, was received, and gained peaceable possession of his father's kingdom. But whilst Izates resided in the fortress Spasina, a Jewish merchant, whose name was Ananias, who was wont to have access to the women of the court, [or the king's wives,] taught them to worship God according to the Jewish manner. By their means Ananias was introduced to Izates, and brought over him likewise to the same sentiments.-It happened also that Helene was taught by another Jew, and came over to their laws.' When Izates was returned and seated upon the throne, understanding that his mother was highly pleased with the customs of the Jews, he became extremely desirous to enter fully into them. And understanding that he could not be a perfect Jew unless he was circumcised, he was disposed to that also.' His mother having had notice of these his intentions, dissuaded him from it, fearing it should alienate his subjects, and provoke them to rebel. She also informed Ananias what advice she had given her son. Ananias was of the same opinion with her, and told Izates, that if he persisted in this design he must necessarily leave him; for the people would impute this action to him, and it would not be safe for him to stay any longer in the country. 'He told him moreover, "That he might worship God without circumsion, if "he did but fully determine to follow the Jewish institution. For this was more important [or "essential] than circumcision." f And having assured him that God would forgive him his not doing what he declined only out of necessity, and for fear of his subjects, the king for a time e κείνον ὁμοίως συνανέπεισε - συνεβεβήκει δε και την Ελένην, f submitted to what he said. However he had not wholly abandoned his design. And some 'time after this another Jew, named Eleazar, coming thither out of Galilee, who was reckoned to be very skilful in the laws, he brought him to perfect his design. For when he came in to wait upon the king, he found him reading the law of Moses. And thereupon addressed ⚫himself to him in this manner: "You little think, O king, how great an injury you offer to "the laws, and in them to God. For you ought not only to read the laws, but, in the first place, to do the things which are enjoined by them. How long do you remain uncircumcised? "If you have not yet read the law concerning circumcision, read it now, that you may know' "what impiety you are in." The king having heard these words, deferred the thing no longer, but going into another chamber, and having called in a physician, performed the command'ment." And then sending for his mother, and the master Ananias, he told them, he had now 'done the work. They were immediately seized with an uncommon surprise and fear, lest, if 'this matter came to be public, the king should be in danger of losing his kingdom. But God 'suffered not those things to come to pass which they feared. For though Izates was in many dangers, God preserved him and his sons, and opened a way for their safety, when they were compassed with difficulties; manifesting thereby, that they who look up to him, and trust ' in him alone, do not lose the fruit of their piety." 6 This story may give occasion for many reflections. I put the reader in mind of some of them only. We learn hence, that the Jews did sometimes gain over persons of distinction to their religion: we see here, in part, their methods of gaining proselytes. Here appear two distinct sentiments: Ananias did not absolutely insist upon circumcision, but Eleazar did. And it seems somewhat probable, that Josephus himself was on this side the question. Ananias dispensed with it only on account of a very great necessity: Eleazar is represented as most skilful in the laws and in the conclusion Josephus intimates, that Izates, by embracing circumcision, had entitled himself to the special protection of Providence. St. Luke has expressly called Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch. I must therefore, set down here one passage particularly for his sake. Josephus, speaking of the Jews at Antioch, says, 'They were continually bringing over a great number of Greeks to their religion; they made 'them also in some measure a part of themselves.'d St. Luke has more than once spoke of women among the Gentiles who were worshippers of God. When Paul was at Philippi, he says, Acts xvi. 14, "And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us." At Antioch in Pisidia, Acts xiii. 50, "The Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women-and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas." From the history I have just now given of Izates's conversion, it appears, that some women were brought to approve of the Jewish customs, and to worship God after the manner of the Jews. Josephus says moreover, that when the men of Damascus [in the year 66,] had formed a design to make away with all the Jews of that place, They concealed their design very carefully from their wives, because all of them, except a very few, were devoted to the Jewish religion.' It appears from a verse of Horace, that the Jewish zeal in making proselytes was very extraordinary, and much taken notice of: and they were censured' as unkind to all who were not of their own religion. * Αλλ' ει μήπω τον περὶ τels νομον ανεγνως, ἵν ̓ ειδης τις εσιν ή ασέβεια, νυν αναγνώθι· ταυία ακέσας ὁ βασιλευς, εχ ὑπερεβαλείο την πράξιν, μελασας δε εις ἕτερον οικημα, και τον ιαῖρον εισκαλέσαμενος, το προσαχθεν ελελει και μεταπεμψαμε νος την τε μητερα, και τον διδασκαλον Ανανίαν, εσημανεν αυτον πεπράχεται τ' ερδον Ibid. b Επιδεικνυς ὅτι τοις εις αυτόν αποβλεπεσί, και μόνῳ πεπιςευκοσιν, ὁ καρπος εκ απολ λυΐαι ὁ της ευσεβειας. Ibid. And Josephus says, that afterward the king's brother Monobazus, and many of his relations, observing Izates, for his piety to God, blessed above all men, were induced to forsake their own rites and customs, and embrace those of the Jews. Antiq. 1. xx. c. 3. sect. 1. And several of Izates's sons and brothers were within Jerusalem during the siege; and, when the city was taken, fell into the hands of Titus: who out of his great generosity g gave them their lives, but put them in chains, and carried them bound to Rome. De Bell. lib. vi. cap.16. sect. 4. 4 Λει τε προσαγόμενοι ταις θρησκείαις πολυ πληθος Έλλης νων, κακεινες τροπῳ τινι μοιραν αυίων πεποιηνίο. De B. J. lib. vii. cap. 3. sect. 3. * Σεβόμενη τον Θεόν. f Τας σεβόμενας. 8 Εδεδοίκεσαν δε τας εαυίων γυναίκας, ἁπάσας πλην ολίγων ὑπημενας τη Ιεδαικη θρησκεία διο με ισος αυτοις αγων εγενετο λαθείν εκείνας. De Bell. lib. ii. cap. 20. sect. 2. h Ac, veluti, te, Judæi, cogemus in hanc concedere turbam. Lib. i. Sat. iv. v. ult. i Non monstrare vias, eadem nisi sacra colenti; JUVEN, Satyr. xiv. v. 203, 204. 1 CHAP. IV. CONCERNING THE JEWISH SECTS, AND THE SAMARITANS. I. Of the principles of the Pharisees and Sadducees, and their opposition to each other. II. The Sadducees members of the Jewish council. III. Of the Scribes and Lawyers. IV. Of the Herodians not mentioned by Josephus. V. Of the Essenes not mentioned by the Evangelists. VI. Of the Samaritans. I. FROM the frequent mention of the Pharisees and Sadducees in the gospels and Acts of the Apostles, it is natural to conclude, that they were the prevailing sects among the Jews at that time. This is agreeable to the accounts which Josephus has given of the Jewish sects; and will be evident from the particulars which will be taken notice of presently. a 'The pharisees,' Josephus says, 'were reckoned the most religious of any of the Jews, and 'to be the most exact and skilful in explaining the laws." In which he concurs with St, Paul, who says, Acts xxvi. 5, "After the straitest sect of our religion, I lived a pharisce." There is an agreement not only in the sense, but also in the expression. d St. Mark says, ch. vii. 3, 4, That the pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders: and many other things there be which they have received to hold." And there is in the gospels frequent mention of the traditions of the elders. Josephus says, The pharisees have delivered to the people many institutions as received from the fathers, which are not written in the laws of Moses.' Whereas St. Mark says, "The Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash, eat not; " his expressions are extremely just. For Josephus adds, almost immediately after the words just now cited from him, That the Sad'ducees were able to draw over to them the rich only, the people not following them for the multitude was with the Pharisees.' In many parts of the gospels, and especially in the prosecution of our Saviour before Pilate, the common people appear to have been very much at the devotion of the pharisees. It is evident from what has been already alleged here from Josephus, that the people were usually on their side. He has said the same thing in other places. They had (says he) such an influence on the multitude, that if they gave out any thing against a king or an high priest, they were credited.'f 6 According to the evangelists, they affected the direction of public affairs, and very much abused the credulity of the people, and the reputation they had for sanctity. "They loved salutations in the market-places, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts, devoured widows' houses, and for a pretence made long prayers," Matt. xxiii. 14. Mark xii. 38-40. Luke xx. 46, 47. And Josephus allows, they did sometimes make an ill use of the esteem they were in for piety. Alexandre, the widow of Alexander Jannæus, had for some time the government of Judea. She being a very religious woman,' thought the Pharisees might be her best counsellors; but they abusing her simplicity in this respect,' though on other accounts she was a woman of very good capacity, got the management of all things into their own hands, condemned or acquitted, punished or rewarded men according to their own pleasure; in a word, 'she governed others, the Pharisees governed her.'" a De B. J. lib. ii. cap. S. sect. 14. Antiq. I. xviii. c. 1. sect. 2. & alibi. Ο Φαρισαιοι συνταἷμα τι Ιεδαίων δοκεν εὐσεβέςερον είναι των άλλων, και τις νομες ακριβέσερον αφη felola. De B. J. 1. i. cap. 5. sect. 2. • Κατα την aupibesalny alpeow. Vid. & Joseph. in vit. sect. 38. p. 923. - της δε Φαρισαίων αίρεσεως, οἱ περι τα παίρια νόμιμα δοκεσι των άλλων ακριβεια διαφερειν. 4 Ότι νόμιμα πολλα τινα παρέδοσαν τῷ δημῷ οἱ Φαρισαιοι εκ πατερων διαδοχής, άπερ εκ αναδεΓραπίαι εν τοις Μωύσεως νόμοις. Antiq. 1. xiii. ο Των μεν Σαδδεκαίων της ευπορες cap. 10. sect. 6. e μονον πειθονίων, το δε δημοτικον εχ επόμενον αυτοις εχονίων, 5. sect. 2. - εκρατεί The Pharisees and Sadducees are plainly represented in the gospels as very different from each other, and holding in a manner opposite opinions. Josephus, in one place, calls the Sadducees, the sect opposite to that of the Pharisees." They did at some times join together in one and the same design against our Saviour. Matt. xvi. 1. "The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting him, desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven." At other times they attacked him separately, and endeavoured to ensnare or puzzle him with questions suitable to their several schemes, Matt. xxii. 23–34. We have one instance, wherein their different principles drove them into very different measures, and occasioned a downright quarrel. When St. Paul was called before the council at Jerusalem, "and perceived that the one part were sadducees and the other pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a pharisee-Of the hope and resurrection of the dead, I am called in question. And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between them :--for the sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit: but the pharisees confess both: And there arose a great cry.-And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle," Acts xxiii. 6-10. This will lead us to the consideration of some of their distinguishing tenets. I shall, therefore, set down the account Josephus has given of their opinions concerning the points mentioned in this text. Of the pharisees he says, Moreover it is their belief, that there is an immortal power in souls, and that under the earth there are rewards and punishments for those who in this life have practised virtue or vice; and that to these [souls] there is appointed an eternal prison, but that to the former there is a power of reviving." In another place he says of them, 'That they believe every soul to be immortal, but that the soul of the good only 'passes into another body, and the soul of the wicked is punished with eternal punishment. On the other hand he says: It is the opinion of the sadducees, that souls perish with the 'bodies.' And in another place, that they deny the continuance of souls, and the punish'ments and rewards of Hades.' It has been thought by some that Josephus, in this account of the pharisees, has endeavoured to accommodate their sentiments to those of some of the Greek philosophers; and that he here represents them as believing something very much like the Pythagorean transmigration of souls. And there seem to be in the New Testament the traces of some such sentiment; particularly in some of the, instances mentioned, Matt. xvi. 14. "And they said, some say, that thou art John the Baptist, some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets.-Again it is said, His disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? John ix. 2. Some think, that Josephus's words above-mentioned are altogether inconsistent with the notion of a transmigration, and that they import the belief of a proper resurrection. Possibly there were different sentiments concerning this matter among those called pharisees. It may be, they had none of them exactly that notion of a future state and a resurrection, which our Lord, and his apostles after him, taught: for St. Paul says, 2 Tim. i. 10, that “Jesus Christ had brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." However, St. Paul's notions did directly contradict those of the sadducees, and favour and confirm, not to say improve, those of the pharisees, as is evident from Josephus's account. And it is not at all wonderful, that one sect laid hold of an advantage against the other. Without staying any longer here, I shall give a passage or two, in which Josephus, who was of the sect of the pharisees, has represented some of his own sentiments concerning these points. The city of Jotapata, where Josephus commanded, was now taken; and he and some others had hid themselves in a cave. He was for surrendering to Vespasian; the rest of the company were rather for killing themselves, and threatened to kill him if he did not come into * Σαδδεκαίων αἱρέσεως, οἱ την εναντίαν τοις Φαρισαίοις προς αίρεσιν εχεσιν. Ant. lib. xiii. c. 10. sect. 6. in. » Αθαναίον τε ισχυν ταις ψυχαις πιςις αυτοις είναι, και ὑπο χθονος δικαιώσεις τε και τιμας οἷς αρείης η κακιας επιτήδευσις εν τῷ βίῳ γείόνες και ταις μεν ειρίμον αἴδιον προτίθεσθαι, ταις δε φασωνην τε αναβίων. Illis vero facultatem esse in vitam redeundi. vers. Huds. Antiq. lib. xviii. c. 1. sect. 3. • Ψυχήν δε πάσαν μεν αφθαρτον, μεταβαίνειν δε εἰς ἕτερον the same sentiment. In order to dissuade them from this design, among other things, he says, All have mortal bodies, formed of corruptible matter. But the soul is immortal, and being a portion of God, is housed in bodies.-What! know you not, that they who depart out of life ' according to the law of nature, and return to God the debt they have received from him, when it is the will of him that gave it, have eternal praise, and durable houses and generations; and that pure and obedient souls remain, having received an holy place in heaven, from 'whence, after the revolution of ages, they shall be again housed in pure bodies. But the 'souls of those who have laid violent hands on themselves, shall be lodged in the darkest 'Hades. If I mistake not, St. Paul's figures in 2 Cor. v. 1, 2, have a resemblance with these of Josephus. "For we know, that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan earnestly, desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven." The pharisees are said in the gospels "to fast oft," Matt. ix. 14; and Josephus says, They practise great temperance, and never indulge themselves in a luxurious way of life. This is as much as is reasonable to expect from him. It was not proper to tell all the world, that they "fasted twice in a week," from sun-set to sun-set, Luke xviii, 12. The Jews fasting was one of those things which the Romans had always ridiculed. And some thought they fasted on their sabbaths; though that was a great mistake. Josephus, however, cannot be much blamed for endeavouring to give a good turn to what had been a foundatiou for many unlucky jests. I do not remember that the evangelists have any where said expressly, that the sadducees rejected the tradition of the elders; but as these were the great concern of the pharisees, and as these two sects seem opposite to each other, I should think it very likely, even from the New Testament, that the sadducees were not very fond of these traditions; and Josephus says it plainly. 'The pharisees have delivered to the people many institutions as received from the fathers, which are not written in the laws of Moses. For this reason the sadducees' reject 'these things, saying, that those things are binding which are written, but that the things received by tradition from the fathers need not to be observed. And about these things there have happened many disputes and contentions. And again: They pretend not to observe 'any thing beside the laws; and it is with them a virtue to contradict the masters of wisdom, ' and wrangle with them about the science they teach.' II. But though these two sects stood thus, in a manner, in opposition to each other, yet St. Luke represents them both as concerned together in that administration of affairs, which was allowed the Jewish nation by the Romans, to whom they were then subject: and says, that the members of the council, before which St. Paul was brought, were "the one part sadducces, and the other pharisees," Acts xxiii. 6. And we have, before this, mention made of a council in which there was a good number of sadducees: "Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, which is the sect of the sadducees," ch. v. 17. And there is no reason to suspect that St. Luke has been mistaken herein. The sadducees were not excluded from public offices; but in proportion to their numbers seem to have had an equal share in the administration with the pharisees. But the reader is to judge for himself from what Josephus says. This opinion (speaking of the sadducees) is embraced by a few only; but then they are some of the chief men for dignity: however, they can do but little ; for when they are in the magistracy, they generally fall into the measures of the pharisees; "(though unwillingly, and out of pure necessity;) for otherwise they would not be endured by 'the multitude.' He says likewise, 'That they are the most cruel of all the Jews in their h * Τα μεν γε σωμαία θνητα πασι, και εκ φθαρίης ύλης δημιερΓειαι ψυχη δε αθανατος αεί, και θες μοιρα τοις σωμασιν ενοικι ζεται αρα εκ ιδε, ότι των μεν εξιονίων τε βιε καλα τον της φύσεως νόμον, και το ληφθεν παρα το θεο χρεος εκλινονίων, ὅταν ὁ δες κομισασθαι θέλη, κλεος μεν αιώνιον, οίκοι δε και γενεαι βεβαιοί, καθαραι δε και ύπήκοοι μενεσιν αίψυκαι, χωρον ερανε λάχεσαι τον αξιωθαῖον, ενθεν εκ περιτροπης αιωνων αίνοις παλιν αντενοικίζονται σωμασιν· ὅσοις δε καθ' ἑαυίων εμανησαν αἱ χείρες, τείων μεν άδης δεχεται τας ψυχας σκολιωτερος. De Bell. lib. iii. c. 7. p. 1144, 1145. b' Oile yas Φαρισαίοι την διαιαν εξευτελίζεσιν, εδεν εις το μαλακώτερον ενώ didores. Ant. lib. xviii. cap. 1. sect. 3. c Buxt. Synag Jud. cap. 30. d Jejunia Sabbatariorum. Mart. 1. iv. Epigr. 4. Ne Judæus quidem, mi |