35 ving difpers'd in almoft all Parts of the Roman Empire, they made ufe of the Greek Tongue, the moft general Language of that Age, in their publick Offices of Religion, and alfo the Septuagint's Tranflation of the Old Teftament; for which reafon they were called Hellenifts, in oppofition to the other Jews, who in their Worfhip made ufe of the Hebrew Tongue only. They are likewife called Jews of the Western Difperfion, occafion'd principally by the Oppreffions of the Egyptians and Syro-Macedonians, and were very numerous, efpecially in Egypt, Libya and Cyrene. These were as fuperftitious in their Sabbath, as tenacious of their Circumcifion, and of other Rites and Cere-monies of their Law, as the Jews of Palestine; for which reafon they were continually defpifed and hated by the Romans and Grecians, and other Gentiles, among whom they refided. Yet, notwithftanding their Strictnefs, they were not thoroughly efteemed by the Hebrew Jews, but reckon'd by them as fews of an inferior Rank, upon the account of the Heathen Language they ufed, and the Heathen Countries they inhabited. The Profelytes were fuch as were Gentiles by Birth and Defcent, but conform'd themfelves to the Jewish Customs, and were admitted into their Religion, And thefe were of two diftinét kinds; one called Profelytes of the Covenant, and the other Profelytes of the Gate. The firft were accounted as real, tho' but adopted Jews, bound to the fame Obfervances with them, and convers'd as freely with them as if they had been fo born; neither might they eat, drink or deal with the Gentiles more than the other, left they became unclean. They wor fhip'd in the fame Court of the Temple with the Hebrews, where others were prohibited Entrance, and were Partakers with them in all Privileges both Divine and Humane. In fhort, they differ'd nothing from the Jews, but only that they were of Gentile Race. The ufual way of the Fews making thefe Profelytes was by Circumcifion, Baptifm and Sacrifice, if they were Males; and by only Baptifur D and Chap. Book I. and Sacrifice, if Females; for it is certain that Baptifm was an ancient Custom among the Jews for many Ages before our Saviour appear'd in the World. The Profelytes of the Gate were fuch Gentiles as were admitted to the Worship of the God of Ifrael, and the Hopes of a future Life, but were not circumcis'd, nor yet conform'd to the Mofaical Rites, being only oblig'd. to the Observation of thofe Precepts which the Hebrew Doctors call the feven Precepts of the Sons of Noah, and are recorded under thefe following Titles: Firft, to renounce Idols, and all Idolatrous Worship; Secondly, to worship the true God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth; Thirdly, to commit no Murther; Fourthly, not to be defiled with Fornication, Incest, or other impious Mixtures; Fifthly, to avoid all Rapine, Theft, and Robbery; Sixthly, to adminifter Juftice; Laftly, not to eat the Flesh with the Blood in it, a Precept given to Noah when he came out of the Ark, that is, not to eat the Flesh of any Beast taken from it when it was alive; by which all Cruelty was forbidden. These Profelytes, tho' they were admitted to worship in the Temple, yet because they were uncircumcis'd, they were fo far look'd upon as Gentiles, as not to be received into the fame Court with the Profelytes of the Covenant, but were efteemed unclean, and had their particular Court affign'd them in their Worship of God, which was call'd the Court of the Gentiles, and of the Unclean; nor were they permitted to dwell in the City of Jerusalem. In the Synagogues likewife which the fews had in many Cities and Places of the Gentiles, thefe Profelytes worship'd the God of Ifrael, and heard the Law and the Prophets expounded, but always in a diftin&t Place by themselves. In the New Teftament the Profelytes of the Covenant are fimply call'd Profelytes the Profelytes of the Gate were diftinguifh'd by the Name of Worshippers, and were much more numerous in all Parts of the Roman Empire than the former. Their Conditions were more free and unconfin'd, and their Precepts more eafy and natural natural than the other; and their Principles fitting Chap. 3. them for the Reception of the Gospel,they became the most apparent Cause of the first great spreading of Christianity. The Jews in a more proper Senfe were fo called from Judah, the most powerful Tribe; and had likewife the Name of Hebrews, from Heber, the Son of Selah, one of the Ancestors of Abraham. Thefe principally lived in that Part of Palestine called Judea, were governed by the Law of Mofes, and embraced the whole, Canon of the Old Teftament, from the Book of Genefis to the Prophecy of Malachi. Thefe were the Perfons with whom our Saviour was pleas'd chiefly to converfe, at a remarkable time, when they were but the Relicks, and even the Dregs of an often broken, and then detefted Generation; when to be a Jew was a Name of Difgrace, and to be circumcifed a Mark of Infamy; fo that then they might well be called a pe culiar People,not only becaufe God feparated them from all other Nations, but becaufe all other Nations abhorr'd and avoided all Friendship and Correfpondence with them: They were abandon'd by God to the Cruelty of every Tyrant and Conqueror, till they became a Proverb, a Curfe, and a Hiffing over the Face of the whole Earth. CHA P. IV. A general View of the different Forms of A LL Government being originally founded upon Patriarchal Power, the Hebrews, before they were formed into a Republick, were governed by the Fathers of their feveral Families: and it is certain that they, and their First-born after D 2 them, Book I. them, did exercife all kind of Authority both cap. 4. This may be call'd the Infancy of Government among the Hebrews, and continued till they multiplied exceedingly, and became a numerous People in the Land of Egypt. In this Country, fo long as they enjoy'd the Favour of the Egyptian De Rep. Hebr. Kings, it is fuppofed by the learned Bertram that they were govern'd by publick Magiftrates of their own Nation, who were commiffion'd with a Legislative and Executive Power, but ftill in Subferviency to the establifh'd Laws and Cuf toms of the Country in which they lived. When the Hebrews fell into Difgrace, and were opprefs'd with Servitude, they had Task-mafters and Egyptian Prefects fet over them, who harrafs'd them, and made them Slaves, till they were freed from this Bondage by the Conduct of Mofes, who led them into Liberty, and fixed them under a more regular Difpenfation. The Right of Primogeniture now ceafed ; and as Aaron and his Pofterity were invefted with the Title of Priests, fo Mofes introduced a new Form of Civil Government, and ruled with a fort of Monarchical Authority, and is exprefly call'd a King. For the first Year after the Hebrews came out of Egypt, Mofes fuftain'd the whole Weight of the Administration by himself, and deliver'd Juftice to the People; but by the Advice of Jethro, his Father-in-law, he deputed fome part of his Power; and to cafe himself of fome of the Burthen, he constituted inferior Jüdi çatories, which were greater, or leffer, according to the Divifion of their feveral Tribes into Thoufands, Hundreds, Fifties, or Tens; and appointed competent number of Perfons, who were presented to him by the People, to prefide in these greater or leffer Courts. There were four Orders of thefe Rulers, as they are called; but whether there was a Subordination of the lower Order to the higher, is hard to determine. Their Bufinefs was to fit every n Day, Day, fome or other of them, in their feveral Di- Chap. 4. ftricts, and to hear all forts of Gaufes, which, if they were able, they were to decide; but if the Matter was intricate, and hard to determine, they were to reprefent the Cafe to Mofes, who was to pronounce a final Sentence upon it. Befides the Authority committed to thefe Rulers, there was fome Power retained by the Heads of the Tribes, and the chief Fathers of the Families: The firft of thefe were the principal Governors of every Tribe, defcended in a direct Line from the Patriarch who was the Founder of the Tribe, and were a fort of Nobles in the Hebrew Republick, and the great Counsellors in the State. They had twelve Seats fixed for them, where they adminifter'd Juftice,and took care of the Concerns of the feveral Tribes: They had fome fhare in the Civil Government; for when Jofua fwore that he would not deftroy the Gibeonites, the League was ratified by a folemn Oath taken by the Princes of the Tribes, called the Princes of the Congregation. The chief Fathers of Families were the eldeft of every Family; for as the Hebrew People were divided into twelve Tribes, fo the feveral Tribes were divided into Families, and thofe had every one a Patriarch, or Chief: They had Power to convene their feveral Families, to prefide in their Affemblies, to lead them out to War, and to decide Caufes of a lefs Moment in Courts of Juftice. Nor was the People without fome finall Shew of Power in the Hebrew Republick: They were often conven'd by Sound of two Silver Trumpets, and affembled by the Command of the fupreme Magiftrate, whether Judge or King, and admitted into Confultation, and to hear Debates in Matters Ecclefiaftical and Civil; and teftified their Confent by holding up their Hands,and loud Acclamations. Bertram contends, that the Commons in the Jewish State were invefted with a great fhare of Power;and fays, it was a mixed Government, like ours, confifting of the King, the Nobility, and the People; - D3 but De Rep. Hebr. cap. 12. |