The various

Sects and Societies among the Jews. Samaritans.

Sadducees.

Karrites.

Pharifees.

Scribes.

Bufinefs it was to render the Leffon read in Hebrew into the Chaldee, which Language the common People, after the Captivity, could only underftand; their own Tongue the Hebrew being as unknown to them, as the Latin to us; and was learn'd in the fame Manner in Schools.

AMONGST the Jews we read of divers religious Sects, and other Diftinctions of Men. As (1.) The Samaritans; who were a kind of mongrel Heathens at firft, who worship'd the God of Ifrael in Conjunction with Pagan Deities. Afterwards they rejected Idolatry, and conform'd to the Mofaical Law; befides which they reject all the other Books of the Old Teftament, and all Traditions, together with the Temple Worship at Jerufalem; afferting Mount Gerizim was the Place where God was to be worshipped. (2.)The Sadducees; thefe at firft only rejected the Traditions, and ftuck to the written Law, but afterwards they imbib'd impious Doctrines, denying the Resurrection of the Dead, the Being of Angels and Spirits, and were in all respects a Sect of Epicurean Deifts. (3.) The Karrites; they differ from the Jews in common, by rejecting their oral Traditions and all Superstitions, and adhering strictly to the written Word. (4.) The Pharifees; this was the greatest Sect among the Jews, or rather the general Church, in regard of which the others were Diffenters. These receiv'd not only the written Canon of Scripture, but held all manner of Traditions, and invented many Superftitions, affecting to appear very Ceremonious and Religious, and that to a most obvious and fhameful Degree of Hypocrify. (5.) The Scribes; thefe were not a religious Sect, but a Profeffion of Men following Literature, and were what we call Doctors or Teachers; they were of two Sorts, viz. fuch as taught the Law and

the

the Prophets in the Synagogues and Schools; and fuch as taught the Civil Law, and were therefore

call'd Lawyers. (6.) The Nazarites, and (7.) Nazarites. The Rechabites; of the firft fee Numbers vi. and Rechabites. for the latter Jeremiah xxxv. (8.) The Effens, Effens. a Sect more rigorous and enthufiaftical than the Pharifees. They held abfolute Predeftination, and deny'd all Free-Will and Free-Agency in Man. They held a Future State, but denied the Refurretion of the Dead, like our Quakers. They were a plain, honest, retir'd, and friendly Society; and 'tis faid they denied themselves the Ufe of Women, the Pleafures of Money and Honours, and all other carnal and worldly Delights. (9.) The Gaulonites, who fprang from one Judas Gaulonites. Gaulonites, or otherwife call'd Judas of Galilee, Acts v. 35. they were therefore alfo call'd Galileans; and it was their Blood that Pilate mix'd with their Sacrifices, Luke xiii. 1. (10.) Hero- Herodians. dians; who (as 'tis faid) were fo call'd, because they took Herod the Great to be the Meffiab, and honour'd him with fuperftitious Solemnities annually on his Birth-Day; though others give a different Account of them. (11.) Profelytes; thefe Profelytes of were Converts to Judaifm from among the Hea- the Covenant. thens; they were of two Sorts, viz. First, Profelytes of the Covenant, who fubmitted to Circumcifion, and all the Mofaical Rites and Ordinances : Second, Profelytes of the Gate, who were only of the Gate. tied to the Obfervance of the feven Precepts of Noab, before mention'd: This fort was call'd the Stranger within thy Gates, Deut. xiv. 21. (12.) Publicans; these were no Sect, but Civil Publicans. Officers, whofe Bufinefs was to collect the Taxes and Tributes impofed by the Roman Emperors on fuch Provinces as were under their Jurifdiction; and were odious to the Jews, both because they were Strangers, and because they exercised great

Injustice

Injuftice and Oppreffion in executing their Office among the Jews, who fuppofed they had no Right to pay Tribute at all. (13.) Befides these Sects and Officers there was amongst the Jews a Set of Men call'd Maforites, whofe Employ was in numbering all the Verfes, Words, and Letters in each Book throughout the Bible. They wrote marginal Notes on grammatical Matters; and obferv❜d very punctually the various Readings, The Keri Cetib call'd Keri Cetib. Keri fignifies the Word as it

Maforites, their Office.

what.

The Initiatory
Rites of the
Jews.
Circumcifion.

is read; Cetib the fame Word as it is found written in the Text of the Bible. So that Keri is only the true Reading of the Word in the Margin, oppofite to the wrong Reading (or Cetib) in the Text.

THE Initiatory Rites of the Jewish Church, or those whereby Perfons were made Members of it, were (1.) Circumcifion of the Male; this was call'd by God, a Sign and Seal of the Covenant he made with Abraham and his Pofterity the Ifraelites. See its Inftitution, and the Manner Purification. thereof in Gen. xvii. (2.) Purification, by Baptizing or Washing the Body with Water; this was fucceeded by (3.) An Oblation of two Turtles or Pigeons. Now fince the Jews have neither Altar nor Sacrifice, they fay Circumcifion and Purifying fufficeth for a Male Profelyte; and the latter only for Female Profelytes.

Oblation.

The Idolatry of the Jews.

The Idols of

THE Jews, before their Captivity, were extremely prone to Idolatry, or the Worship of Heathen Deities; As (1.) Moloch (fometimes the Ammonites. call'd Milcon) the God of the Ammonites and Moabites. (2.) Adramelech, Anamelech, Ashima, Nergal, Nifroch, Nibhas, and Tartak, Idols of Of the Affyri- the Affyrians; of which fee 2 Kings xvii. 30, 31. (3.) Succoth Benoth; this is fuppofed to be an Affyrian Temple, with the Idolatrous Rites beOf the Egy longing thereto. (4.) The Idols of the Egyp

ans.

tians were Ciun or Remphan, (Saturn;) Tammuz, (or Adonis,) of which fee Ezek. viii. 14. (5.) Teraphim; these were a kind of Houfhold Gods, Teraphim, or Images in human Shape, which the Ifraelites what, had alfo from the Egyptians. Another Idol of theirs was Baal-Zepbon; though according to others it was the Name of a City. Alfo Apis, or the Golden Calf, is reckon'd amongst the Egyptian Idols. (6.) The Idols of the Moabites Of the worship'd by the Jews were Baal-Peor, Numb. Moabites. xxv. 3. and Cemosh, Numb. xxi. 29. (7.) The Idol of the Zidonians was Astaroth, fuppofed to be Venus or the Moon. (8.) Baal Zebub (i. e. The God of Flies,) was an Idol of the Philistines. Alfo Dagon was another of their Of the PhiliGods, Judg. xvi. 23. His lower Part was in the fines. Form of a Fish. These are the principal Idols mention'd in the Old Testament; to worship which the perverfe Jews often left the Worship of the true God.

THERE were divers notable Things in the The most notaTemple which Solomon built, too many here to ble Things in relate; the moft material of which were loft to the firft Temthe Jews in the Deftruction of that Temple by in the fecond. ple wanting Nebuzaradan, Captain General to Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon. These are reckon'd (1.) The Ark of the Covenant, wherein were kept the two viz. The Ark Tables of the Law; and over it the Mercy-Seat, and Mercyor Propitiatory; from whence the High-Prieft Seat. receiv'd the Divine Oracles immediately from (2.) The Shecinab, or Divine Prefence of the Ma- The Shecinah, jefty of God, which appear'd in Form of a or Divine Prefence. Cloud over the Mercy-Seat between the extended Wings of the Cherubims. 'Tis thought these facred Oracles were utter'd with an audible Voice. (3.) The Urim and Thummim, which Words The Urim and fignify Lights and Perfections. They pertain'd Thummim.

to the Breaft-Plate which the High-Priest wore,

but

The celestial

Fire of the
Altar.

but how cannot be faid; only 'twas a neceffary Qualification to appear before the Sbecinab withal. (4.) The Celestial Fire of the Altar, which at first came down from Heaven, and kept burning inceffantly till the Temple was destroy'd. See Levit. ix. 24. and 2 Chron. vii. 1. (5.) The The Holy Oil. Holy anointing Oil; wherewith the High-Priests and the Kings were confecrated in their Ordina The Holy Spirit tions and Inaugurations. (6.) The Holy Spirit of of Prophecy. Prophecy: Though this did not prefently cease upon the Destruction of the firft Temple, as all the abovemention'd Particulars entirely did; none of which were found in the Second Temple built under Zerubbabel the Governor of Judah. Compenfated But the Want or Deficiency of these things was by the Prefence abundantly compenfated by the Prefence of him who was the Defire of all Nations, the truest Shecinah, and who did really fill that latter House with Glory, as was foretold, Hagg. ii. 7.

of the Meffiah.

The Jewish THE Jewish Creed confifteth of the following Creed contains 13 Articles. (1.) There is one God, Creator of 13 Articles. all things; all-perfect and fufficient. (2.) That he is an uncompounded, indivifible Effence. (3.) That he is Immaterial. (4.) Abfolutely Eternal. (5.) Alone to be worship'd, without any Mediators or Interceffors. (6.) There have been, and may be Prophets. (7.) That Mofes was the greatest Prophet. (8.) That every Syllable of the Law was given to Mofes by Inspiration; and that the traditionary Expofitions of the Precepts were entirely a divine Revelation given to Mofes. (9.) That the Law is immutable. (10.) That God knows and governs all our Actions. (11.) That he rewards the Obfervance, and punifbes the Violation of his Laws. (12.) That the Meffiah will appear, but that his Coming is delay'd. (13.) That God will raife the Dead and judge all Mankind.

THE