Philo mentions two claffes of Effenes; one of which followed a practical inftitution; the other profeffed a theoretical inftitution. The latter, who were called Theraputæ, placed their whole felicity in the contemplation of the divine nature. Detaching themfelves entirely from fecular affairs, they transferred their property to their relations and friends, and retired to folitary places, where they devoted themselves to an holy life. The principal fociety of this kind was formed near Alexandria, where they lived, not far from each other, in feparate cottages, each of which had its own facred apartments, to which the inhabitants retired for the purposes of devotion.* -Befides these eminent Jewish fects, there were several of inferior note, at the time of Chrift's appearance: the Herodians, mentioned by the facred writers; and the Gaulonites, by Jofephus. The Herodians derived their name from Herod the Great. Their diftinguishing tenet appears to be, that it is lawful, when conftrained by fuperiors, to comply with idolatry, and with a falfe religion. Herod feems to have formed this fect on purpose to justify himself in this practice, who, being an Idumean by nation, was indeed half a Jew and half a Pagan. He, during his long reign, studied every artifice to ingratiate himself with the emperor, and to fecure the favour of the principal perfonages in the court of Rome. Jofephus informs us, that his ambition, and his entire devotion to Cefar and his court, induced him to depart from the ufages of his country, and, in many inftances, to violate its inftitutions. He built temples in the Greek taste, and erected statues for idolatrous worship, apologizing to the Jews that he was abfolutely neceffitated to this conduct by the fuperior powers. We find the Sadducees, who denied a future ftate, readily embraced the tenets of this party: for the fame perfons, who, in one of the gospels, are called Herodians, are, in another, called Sadducees.† Enfield, vol. ii. p. 186. + Harwood's Introduction, vol. i. p. 235. Prideaux's Connection. The The Gaulonites were Galileans, who derived their name from one Judas Theudas, a native of Gaulon in Upper Galilee, who, in the tenth year of Jefus Chrift, excited his countrymen, the Galileans, and many other Jews, to take arms, and venture upon all extremities, rather than pay tribute to the Romans. The principles he instilled into his party were, not only that they were a free nation, and ought not to be in fubjection to any other; but that they were the elect of God; that he alone was their governor; and that, therefore, they ought not to fubmit to any ordinance of man. Though Theudas was unfuccefsful, and his party, in their very first attempt, entirely routed and difperfed; yet fo deeply had he infufed his own enthufiafm into their hearts, that they never rested, till in their own deftruction, they involved the city and temple.* Many of the Jews were attached to the oriental philofophy concerning the origin of the world. From this fource the doctrine of the Cabala is fuppofed to be derived. That confiderable numbers of the Jews had imbibed this fyftem, appears evidently both from the books of the New Teftament, and from the ancient history of the Christian church. It is alfo certain, that many of the Gnoftic fects were founded by Jews.t Whilft the learned and fenfible part of the Jewish nation was divided into a variety of fects, the multitude was funk into the moft deplorable ignorance of religion, and had no conception of any other method of rendering themselves acceptable to God, than by facrifices, wafhings, and other external rites and ceremonies of the Mofaic law. Hence proceeded that diffoluteness of manners, which prevailed among the Jews during Christ's ministry on earth. Hence alfo the divine Saviour compares the people to fheep without a fhepherd, and their doctors to men, who, though deprived of fight, yet pretended to fhew the way to others.S In In taking a view of the corruptions both in doctrine and practice, which prevailed among the Jews at the time of Chrift's appearance, we find that the external worship of God was disfigured by human inventions. Many learned men have observed, that a great variety of rites was introduced into the fervice of the temple, of which no traces are to be found in the facred writings. This was owing to thofe revolutions, which rendered the Jews more converfant than they had formerly been, with the neighbouring nations. They were pleafed with several of the ceremonies, which the Greeks and Romans ufed in the worship of the Pagan deities, and did not hesitate to adopt them in the fervice of the true God, and add them as an ornament to the rites, which they had received by divine appointment." The Jews multiplied fo prodigioufly, that the narrow bounds of Palestine were no longer fufficient to contain them. They poured, therefore, their increafing numbers into the neighbouring countries with fuch rapidity, that, at the time of Chrift's birth, there was fcarcely a province in the empire, where they were not found carrying on commerce, and exercifing other lucrative arts. They were defended in foreign countries against injurious treatment by the fpecial edicts of the magiftrates. This was abfolutely neceffary; fince, in most places, the remarkable difference of their religion and manners from those of other nations, expofed them to the hatred and indignation of the ignorant and bigoted multitude. "All this," fays Dr. Mofheim, " appears to have been moft fingularly and wifely directed by the adorable hand of an interpofing Providence, to the end, that this people, which was the fole depofitary of the true religion, and of the knowledge of one fupreme God, being spread abroad through the whole earth, might be every where, by their example, a reproach to fuperftition, contribute in fome measure to check it, and thus prepare the way for that yet fuller difcovery of divine truth, which was to fhine upon the world from the miniftry and gospel of the Son of God."* SECTION Mofheim, vol. i. p. 42. An Account of the Philofophical Systems which were in vogue at the Time of Chrift's Appearance. AT the important era of Christ's appearance in the world, two kinds of philofophy prevailed among the civilized nations. One was the philofophy of the Greeks, adopted alfo by the Romans; and the other, that of the Orientals, which had a great number of votaries in Perfia, Syria, Chaldea, Egypt, and even among the Jews. The former was diftinguifhed by the fimple title of philofophy. The latter was honoured by the more pompous appellation of fcience, or knowledge; fince those who adhered to the latter fect pretended to be the restorers of the knowledge of God, which was loft in the world. The followers of both thefe fyftems, in confequence of vehement difputes and diffenfions about feveral points, fubdivided themselves into a variety of fects. It is, however, to be observed, that all the fects of the Oriental philofophy deduced their various tenets from one fundainental principle, which they held in common; but the Greeks were much divided about the first principles of fcience.* Amongst the Grecian fects there were fome who declaimed openly against religion, and denied the immortality of the foul; and others, who acknowledged a Deity, and a ftate of future rewards and punishments. Of the former kind were the Epicureans and Academics; of the latter, the Platonifts and Stoics. The Epicureans derived their name from Epicurus, who was born in the hundred and ninth olympiad, 242 years before Chrift. He accounted for the formation of the world in the following manner: A finite number of that infinite multitude of atoms, which, with infinite fpace, conftitutes the univerfe, falling fortuitoufly into the region of the world, were, in confequence of their innate motion, collected into one rude and indigested mafs. All the various parts of nature were formed by thofe atoms, which were beft fitted to produce them. • Mosheim, vol. i. p. 26. The The fiery particles formed themfelves into air; and from thofe which fubfided, the earth was produced. The mind or intellect was formed of particles most subtle in their nature, and capable of the most rapid motion. The world is preserved by the fame mechanical causes, by which it was framed; and from the fame causes it will at last be diffolved. Epicurus admitted, that there were in the universe divine natures. But he afferted, that these happy and divine beings did not encumber themselves with the government of the world: yet, on account of their excellent nature, they are proper objects of reverence and worship. The science of phyfics was, in the judgment of Epicurus, fubordinate to that of ethics; and his whole doc. trine concerning nature was profeffedly adapted to rescue men from the dominion of troublesome paffions, and lay the foundation of a tranquil and happy life. He taught, that man is to do every thing for his own fake; that he is to make his own happinefs his chief end, and do all in his power to fecure and preferve it. He confidered pleasure as the ultimate good of mankind; but afferts, that he does not mean the pleasures of the luxurious, but principally the freedom of the body from pain, and of the mind from anguish and perturbation. The virtue he prescribes is refolved ultimately into our private advantage, without regard to the excellence of its own nature, or of its being commanded by the Supreme Being.f The followers of Ariftotle were another famous Grecian fect. That philofopher was born in the first year of the ninety-ninth olympiad, about 384 years before the birth of Chrift. Aristotle supposed the universe to have exifted from eternity. He admitted, however, the existence of a deity, whom he styled the first mover, and whose nature, C 2 as * Enfield, vol. i. p. 466. The Epicurean philosophy was embraced by moft of the Romans of high rank, who perverted it to countenance their unbounded luxury. + See Enfield, and Leland's Discourses on the Advantages of Christian Reyelation. |