Izates, and brought over him likewise to the same senti'ments. It happened also that Helene was taught by an' other Jew, and came over to their laws.'c

'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.'d 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 circumcision, if he did but fully determine 'to follow the Jewish institutions. For this was more im'portant [or essential] than circumcision." 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 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

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d

* Καθ' ον δε καιρον ὁ Ιζατης εν τῳ Σπασινε χαραχι διέτριβεν, Ιωδαιος τις εμπορος, Ανανιας ονομα, προς τας γυναικας εισιων τε βασιλεως, εδιδασκεν αυτας τον Θεόν ευσεβεῖν, ὡς Ιεδαίοις πατριον ην και δη δι' αυτών εις γνωσιν αφικόμενος τη Ιζατη, κακείνον ομοίως συνανεπείσε -συνεβεβήκει δε και την Ελενην, ομοίως ὑφ' ετέρε τινος Ιωδαις διδαχθείσαν, εις τες εκείνων μετακεκομισ θαι Ibid. sect. 4. νομες. Πυθόμενος δε την μητέρα την εαυτ8 πανυ χαίρειν τοις Ιεδαίων έθεσιν, εσπευσε και αυτός εις εκείνα μετατεθεσθαι νομίζων τε μη αν ειναι βεβαίως Ιεδαίος, ει μη περιτεμνοιτο, πραττειν ην ετοιμος. Ibid. Δυνάμενον δε αυτον, εφη και χωρις της περιτομης το θειον σέβειν, είγε παντως κέκρινε ζηλον τα πατρια των Ιεδαίων τετο είναι κυριωτέρον τε επιτέμνεσθαι. Ibid.

sect. 5.

e

heard these words, deferred the thing no longer, but going into another chamber, and having called in a physician, 'performed the commandment. 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 diffi'culties; manifesting thereby, that they who look up to • him, and trust to him alone, do not lose the fruit of their 'piety.'h

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 laws: and in the conclusion Josephus intimates, that Izates, by embracing circumcision, had entitled himself to the special protection of providence.

St. Luke expressly has 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.'i

f

* Αλλ' ει μηπω τον περι τετε νόμον ανεγνως, ιν' ειδης τις ετιν ἡ ασέβεια, νυν αναγνωθι ταυτα ακέσας ὁ βασιλευς, εχ υπερβαλετο την πραξιν, μετατας δε εις έτερον οικημα, και τον ιατρον εισκαλεσάμενος, το προσαχθεν ετέλει και μεταπεμψάμενος την τε μητέρα, και τον διδασκαλον Ανανίαν, εσημανεν αυτόν πεπραχέναι τ' ἔργον. Ibid. 8 Επιδεικνυς ότι τοις εις αυτόν αποβλέπεσι,

και μόνῳ πεπιτευκόσιν, ὁ καρπος εκ απολλυται ο της ευσεβειας. Ibid.

And Josephus says, that afterward the king's brother Monobazus, and many of his relations, observing Izates, for his picty to God, blessed above all men, were induced to forsake their own rites and customs, and embrace those of the Jews. Antiq. lib. xx. cap. 3. sect. 1. And several of Izates' 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 gave them their lives, but put them in chains, and carried them bound to Rome. De Bell. lib. vi. cap. 6. sect. 4. * Αει τε προσαγομενοι ταις θρησκείαις πολυ πλήθος Ελλήνων, κακεινες τρόπῳ τινι μοιραν αυτών πεποίηντο. De B. J. hb. vi. cap. 3. sect. 3.

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,k 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 censuredo as unkind to all who were not of their own religion.

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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

k

Σεβόμενη τον Θεόν.

1

Τας σεβόμενας.

- Εδεδοίκεσαν δε τας εαυτων γυναικας, άπασας πλην ολίγων ύπηγμενας τη Ιεδαϊκή θρησκεια διο μέγισος αυτοις αγων εγενετο λαθειν εκείνας. De Bell. lib. 2. cap. 20.

sect. 2.

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.

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b

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 pharisee." There is an agreement not only in the sense, but also in the expression.

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66

C

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 institu'tions 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 word just now cited from him, That 'the sadducees were able to draw over to them the rich only, 'the people not following them: for the multitude was with the pharisees.'

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6

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

According to the evangelists, they affected the direction of public affairs, and very much abused the credulity of

a De B. J. lib. ii. cap. 8. sect. 14. Antiq. lib. xviii. cap. 1. sect. 2. et alibi. Φαρισαιοι συνταγμα τι Ιεδαίων δοκεν ευσεβέτερον είναι των αλλων, και

b

Te voμes arpißesepov apnyeioda. De B. J. lib. i. cap. 5. sect. 2.

e

• Κατα την ακριβεςατην αίρεσιν. Vid. et Joseph. in vit. sect. 38. p. 923. της δε Φαρισαίων αιρέσεως, οι περι τα πατρια νομιμα δοκεσι των αλλων ακριβεια διαφέρειν. * Οτι νόμιμα πολλα τινα παρέδοσαν τῳ δημῳ οι Φαρισαίοι εκ πατέρων διαδοχής, άπερ εκ αναγεγραπται εν τοις Μωυσέως vouoc. Antiq. lib. xiii. cap. 10. sect. 6. Των μεν Σαδδεκαίων της ευπορες μόνον πειθοντων, το δε δημοτικόν εχ επομενον αυτοις εχοντων, των δε Φαρισαίων το πλήθος συμμαχον εχοντων. Ibid. Τοσαύτην δε έχεσι την ισχυν παρα τῳ πλήθει, ώς και κατα βασιλεως τι λέγοντες, και κατα αρχιερέως, ευθυς πιςεύεσθαι. Ibid. sect. 5.

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66

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.

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And Josephus allows, they did sometimes make an ill use of the esteem they were in for piety. Alexandra, 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, con'demned or acquitted, punished or rewarded men according to their own pleasure; in a word, she governed others, 'the pharisees governed her.'s

6

6

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,

8 Τέτοις περισσον δε τι προσείχεν ἡ Αλεξανδρα σεβομενη περί το θείον οι δε, την απλότητα της ανθρωπε κατα μικρον υπιόντες, ηδη και διοικηται των όλων εγινοντο, διώκειν τε και καταγειν ούς εθελοιεν, λυειν τε και δειν των μεν αλλων αυτη, Φαρισαιοι δ' αυτης. De B. J. lib. i. cap. 5. sect. 2.

εκράτει δε

h Σαδδεκαίων αιρέσεως, οι την εναντίαν τοις Φαρισαίοις προαίρεσιν εχεσιν. Ant. lib. xiii. cap. 10. sect. 6. in.