demnation of Jefus Chrift; feven years after which he was removed from Judea.*

However fevere was the authority, which the Romans exercised over the Jews, yet it did not extend to the entire fuppreflion of their civil and religious privileges. The Jews were, in fome meafure, governed by their own laws, and permitted the enjoyment of their religion. The administration of religious ceremonies was committed, as before, to the high priest, and to the fanhedrim; to the former of whom the order of priefts and Levites was in the ufual fubordination; and the form of outward worship, except in a very few points, had fuffered no visible change. But, on the other hand, it is impoffible to express the difquietude and difguft, the calamities and vexations, which this unhappy nation fuffered from the prefence of the Romans, whom their religion obliged them to regard as a polluted and idolatrous people; in a particular manner, from the avarice and cruelty of the pretors, and the frauds and extortions of the publicans. So that, all things confidered, their condi tion, who lived under the government of the other fons of Herod, was much more fupportable than the state of thofe, who were immediately fubject to the Roman jurifdiction.t

It was not, however, from the Romans only, that the calamities of this miferable people proceeded. Their own rulers multiplied their vexations, and debarred them from enjoying any little comforts, which were left them by the Roman magiftrates. The leaders of the people, and the chief priests, were, according to the account of Jofephus, profligate wretches, who had purchased their places by bribes, or by other acts of iniquity, and who maintained their ill-acquired authority by the most abom. inable crimes. The inferior priefts, and thofe who poffeffed any fhadow of authority, were become diffolute and abandoned to the highest degree. The multitude, excited by these corrupt examples, ran headlong into

* Encyclopedia, vol. ix. p. 136.

† Moheim.

every

every kind of iniquity; and by their endless feditions, robberies and extortions, armed againft themselves both the juftice of God and vengeance of man.*

About the time of Chrift's appearance, the Jews of that age concluded the period pre-determined by God to be then completed, and that the promifed Meffiah would fuddenly appear. Devout perfons waited day and night for the confolation of Ifrael; and the whole nation, groaning under the Roman yoke, and ftimulated by the defire of liberty or of vengeance, expected their deliverer with the molt anxious impatience.

Nor were thefe expectations peculiar to the Jews. By their difperfion among fo many nations; by their converfation with the learned men among the heathens; and by the tranflations of their infpired writings into a language almost universal, the principles of their religion were fpread all over the Eaft. It became the common belief, that a Prince would arife at that time in Judea, who would change the face of the world, and extend his empire from one end of the earth to the other.t

Two religions flourished at this time in Palestine; the Jewish and Samaritan. The Samaritans blended the errors of Paganifm with the doctrines of the Jews. The whole body of the people looked for a powerful and warlike deliverer, who, they fuppofed, would free them from the Roman authority. All confidered the whole of religion as confifting in the rites appointed by Mofes, and in the performance of fome external acts of duty. All were unanimous in excluding the other nations of the world from the hopes of eternal life.

The learned among the Jews were divided into a great variety of fects. The Pharifees, the Sadducees, and Effenes, eclipfed the other denominations.

The most celebrated of the Jewish fects was that of the Pharifees. It is fuppofed by fome, that this denomination

Mofheim, vol. i. p. 38.

Robertfon. About this period, the Pagans expected fome great king or glorious perfon to be born, Hence Virgil, the Roman poet, who lived at this time, in his fourth eclogue defcribes the bleffings of the government of fome great perfon, who was, or fhould be, born about this time, in language agreeable the Jewish prophet's defeription of the Meffiah and his kingdom.

ination fubfifted about a century and a half before tne appearance of our Saviour. They feparated themselves not only from Pagans, but from all fuch Jews as complied not with their peculiarities. Their feparation confifted chiefly in certain diftinctions refpecting food and religious ceremonies. It does not appear to have interrupted the uniformity of religious worship, in which the Jews of every fect feem to have always united.*

This denomination, by their apparent fanctity of manners, had rendered themselves extremely popular. The multitude, for the most part, efpoufed their interests; and the great, who feared their artifice, were frequently obliged to court their favour. Hence they obtained the highest offices both in the State and priesthood, and had great weight both in public and private affairs. It appears from the frequent mention, which is made by the evangelifts of the Scribes and Pharifees in conjunction, that the greatest number of Jewish teachers, or doctors of the law, (for those were expreffions equivalent to fcribe) were, at that time, of the Pharifaical fect.t

The principal doctrines of the Pharifees are as follow: That the oral law, which they fuppofe God delivered to Mofes by an archangel on Mount Sinai, and which is preferved by tradition, is of equal authority with the written law That, by obferving both these laws, a man may not only obtain juftification with God, but perform meritorious works of fupererogation: That fasting, alms-giving, ablutions and confeffions, are fufficient atonements for fin: That thoughts and defires are not finful, unless they are carried into action. This denomination

Percy's Key to the New Teftament. + Encyclopedia, vol. xvii. p. 104. The diffenfions between the schools of Hillel and hammai, a little before the Chriftian era, increased the number and power of the Pharifees. Hillel and Shammai were two great and eminent teachers in the Jewifh fchools. Hillel was born an hundred and twelve years before Chrift. Having acquired profound knowledge of the most difficult points of the law, he became mafter of the chief fchool in Jerufalem, and laid the foundation of the Talmud. Shammai, one of the diiciples of Hillel, deferted his Ichool, and formed a college, in which he taught doctrines contrary to his mafHe rejected the oral law, and followed the written law only in its literal fenfe. Thefe different fchools long disturbed the Jewish church by violent contefls. However, the party of Hillel was at laft victorious.

ter.

ination acknowledged the immortality of the foul, future rewards and punishments, the existence of good and evil angels, and the refurrection of the body. They maintained both the freedom of the will and abfolute predeftination, and adopted the Pythagorean doctrine of the tranfmigration of fouls, excepting the notoriously wicked, whom, they fuppofed configned to eternal punish

ment.*

The peculiar manners of this fect are strongly marked in the writings of the evangelifts, and confirmed by the teftimony of the Jewish authors. They fafted the fecond and fifth day of the week, and put thorns at the bottom of their robes, that they might prick their legs as they walked. They lay upon boards covered with flint ftones, and tied thick cords about their waists. They paid tithes as the law prefcribed, and gave the thirtieth and fiftieth part of their fruits, adding voluntary facrifices to thofe, which were commanded. They were very exact in performing their vows. The Talmudic books mention feveral diftin&t claffes of Pharifees; among whom were the Truncated Pharifee, who, that he might appear in profound meditation, as if deftitute of feet, scarcely lifted them from the ground; and the Mortar Pharifee, who, that his contemplations might not be disturbed, wore a deep cap in the fhape of a mortar, which would only permit him to look upon the ground at his feet. Such expedients were used by this denomination, to captivate the admiration of the vulgar; and under the appearance of fingular piety, they disguised the most licentious manners.†

The fect of the Sadducees derived its origin and name from one Sadoc, who flourished in the reign of Ptolemy Philadelphus, about two hundred and fixtythree years, before Chrift. The chief heads of the Saducean doctrine are as follow: All laws and traditions, not comprehended in the written law, are to be rejected

as

* Their doctrine of the refurrection appears, from the teftimony of Jofephus, to be nothing more than the Pythagorean tranfmigration. See Enfield's Hillory of Philofophy.

† Enfield.

as merely human inventions. Neither angels nor fpirits have a distinct existence, feparate from their corporeal veftment: The foul of man, therefore, expires with the body. There will be no refurrection of the dead, nor rewards and punifhments after this life. Man is not fubject to irrefiftible fate, but has the framing of his condition chiefly in his power. Polygamy ought to be practifed.*

The practices of the Pharifees and Sadducees were both perfectly fuitable to their fentiments. The former were notorious hypocrites; the latter, fcandalous libertines.

The Effenes were a Jewish fect. Some fuppofe they took their rife from that difperfion of their nation, which took place after the Babylonian captivity. They maintained, that rewards and punishments extended to the foul alone, and confidered the body as a mafs of malignant matter, and the prifon of the immortal fpirit. The greatest part of this fect confidered the laws of Mofes as an allegorical fyftem of spiritual and mysterious truth, and renounced all regard to the outward letter, in its explanation. The leading traits in the character of this fect were, that they were fober, abftemious, peaceable, lovers of retirement, and had a perfect community of goods. They paid the higheft regard to the moral precepts of the law, but neglected the ceremonial, excepting what regarded perfonal cleanliness, the obfervation of the Sabbath, and making an annual prefent to the temple at Jerufalem. They commonly lived in a state of celibacy, and adopted the children of others, to educate them in their own principles and cuftoms. Though they were, in general, averse to fwearing, or to requiring an oath, they bound all, whom they initiated by the moft facred vows, to obferve the duties of piety, juftice, fidelity, and modefty; to conceal the fecrets of the fraternity; to preferve the books of their inftructors; and with great care to commemorate the names of the angels.

• Enfield

Philo