discovered in the foundations of religion in every country*, it was often defaced and covered by fictitious additions. Being committed to record by the sacred writers, it preserved its unimpaired lustre among the Jews, when its traces were but faintly to be discerned in the traditions of the heathen world, and its belief was but imperfectly inculcated in the speculations of the most improved philosophers of heathen nations. The intelligence upon this awful subject, which was diffused among the whole people which had been selected to preserve the knowledge of the true God was established on communications imparted from the earliest ages, and renewed from time to time by the uniform language of the prophets, as well as by those manifestations of himself which God had vouchsafed to make; while among the heathens, the just impressions, which occasionally appeared, had but little influence on the conduct of men. The conviction of the existence of a Supreme Being, which manifests itself in the worship of Cain and Abel, continued to prevail * Homer Odyss. lib. xvii. line 485. Justin. de Monarch. Dei. August. de Civit. Dei. lib. iv. c. 31. Vossius de Idolat. Cudworth Intellect. Syst. c. iv. Grotius de Veritat. Plutarch de Iside et Osiride. Euseb. lib. iii. c. 10. CHAP. IX. On the Intercourse which subsisted between the Romans and the Jews, and on the Means of Information which the former possessed. THE Romans do not appear, at any early period of their history, to have had immediate and direct intercourse with the Jews, nor did any circumstance then exist which can be supposed to have led to a communication. Clement of Alexandria, however, states that Numa, the second king of the Romans, supported some doctrines which must have been originally derived from the Hebrew revelation. He appears indeed to have enacted a law grounded on a reverence for the divine nature, similar to what prevailed among the Jews, and which directed, that no one should attempt to express the ineffable name of God. Neither were external representations of the Deity allowed; and for near two centuries from the time of the building of the city, there was no image of any deity, either i sculpture or painting. Suidas speaks of an old Tuscan writer, who described the creation in the order which Moses has laid down, representing the six days as six thousand years. The Jews, who, in their decline, and amidst the distraction of parties, courted the protection of foreign powers, being desirous to withdraw themselves from subjection to the Syrian kings, turned to the Romans for assistance. One of the first accounts which we have of an intercourse between the Romans and the Jews, is that of Judas Maccabæus, who, after his victory over Nicanor, about 160 years before Christ, sent the first embassy which took place between the two nations, requesting the Romans, who had manifested a generous détestation of tyranny, to make a league with them, and to interpose in their favour with Demetrius, who harassed them: Eupolemus, the son of John, and Jason, the son of Eleazar, being employed on this occasion. The treaty was ratified by the senate, and written on tables of brass, the ori dil August. de Civit Dei, lib. iv. c. 31. +Voce Tuppvia and Jackson's Chronol. p. 18. ginal being deposited in the capitol*. Before the ambassadors returned, Judas was dead. The league was confirmed to Jonathan, and having been written on brass, was carried to Jerusalem, and read before all the people + It was afterwards renewed to Hyrcanus. Pompey, when engaged in a war with Tigranes, had formed an alliance with a party of the Jews by the agency of Scaurus; upon his arrival at Damascus, he received a present from Aristobulus, the second brother of Hyrcanus, of a golden vine of five hundred talents, which Strabo mentions, and which Josephus professes to have seen in the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus. This great conqueror having, by the assistance of a party in Jerusalem, introduced his army into the city, and taken possession of the temple, manifested his respect for the Jews and their religion, for, though he entered into the sanctuary, he did not carry off the sacred vessels, nor the treasure of two * Mace. viii. xvii. Joseph. Antiq. xii. c. 10. §. 6. vol. 1. p. 551. + 1 Macc. xiv. 16. 40. Joseph. lib. xiii. c. 5. §. 8. lib, xiii. c. ix. 2. Ed. Hudson. ↑ Lib. xiv. c. 3. de Bel. Jud. lib. i. c. 6. thousand talents deposited there. He even gave orders to those who had the charge of the temple, to cleanse it, and bring what of ferings the law required to God, and he restored the high priesthood to Hyrcanus, and satisfied himself with reducing the nation to become tributary to the Romans, by securing their strong towns, and confining them within their ancient limits. It was certainly a great proof of the forbearance of the Romans towards the Jews, that the temple of Jerusalem should have remained so long unpillaged, since it was known to contain considerable treasures, and when afterwards it was spoiled by Crassus, there were found therein two thousand talents, collected from various parts *. Pompey, notwithstanding his moderation, gave great offence, by prophaning with his presence the holy of holies, which none but the high priest was allowed to enter. Prideaux has remarked, that he never afterwards prospered †. The account given by Josephus, is in great part confirmed by Cicero, in his oration Joseph. Antiq. lib. xiv. c. 4. + Prid. Con. p. 2. |