Men, whether there were any fuch Synagogues at all in the Land of Ifrael till after the Babylonish Captivity.

11 Q. What eminent and remarkable Service was done by thefe publick Places of Worship? A. It is fuppofed that frequent publick Readings of the Law in the Synagogues, after that time, were a fpecial means to excite and preferve in the People of the Jews that univerfal and perpetual Hatred of Idolatry, to which they were fo fhamefully prone before; and it did alfo diffuse and maintain the Knowledge of true Religion and Virtue in the Land.

12 Q Were thefe Synagogues built any where befides in Judea? A. When the Jews were afterward fcattered abroad into various Nations, they built Places of Worfhip for themselves wherefoever the Rulers of the Country would permit them.

13 Q. Of what Advantage were thefe Synagogues to the Heathens, or afterward to Christianity? A. It was by means of thefe Synagogues that the Heathens, where the Jews were difperfed, came to know the true God, and fome general Principles of Virtue and Piety, and became Profelytes of the Gate; and by these publick Places and Seafons of Worship, there was afterward an Opportunity given to publifh the Gospel of Chrift by the Apoftles, both among the Jews and Gentiles, Acts xvii, 1, 2. and xix. 8.

14 Q. What is meant by Profelytes of the Gate? A. Those Gentiles who renounced Idolatry, and received the Knowledge and the Worship of the one true God, the God of Ifrael; and (as fome affirm) they received alfo the Rules of abftaining from Blood, and Things ftrangled, and Things ofI

fered

fered to Idols, which were forbidden, Aas xv. to the Gentiles Converts to Christianity.

Note, Thefe Rules, with a few other have been ufually called the feven Precepts of Noah, which the Jews make as neceffary for all the World to obey, as the Law of Mofes was for them: And doubtlefs, the Laws given to Noah, were given to all the World, because all fprang from him.

15 Q. Why were they called Profelytes of the Gate? A. The Word Profelyte fignifies one that embraces a new Religion; and they were called Profelytes of the Gate, becaufe they were fuffered to live within the Gates of the Jews, according to the Expreffion in the Fourth Commandment, The Stranger which is within thy Gates. They were alfo permitted by the Jews to enter the outer Court of the Temple, called the Court of the Gentiles, when that was built, and to worship God there; but they were excluded from the Gate of the inner Court.

Note, Thefe are they who in the Book of the Acts of the Apofiles are fuppofed by fome to be called the devout Perfons, and thofe who feared God, &c. Aas x. 22. and xiii. 50. and xvii. 4. and xiii. 16. Among these was the chief Harvest of the first Christian Converts; though there might be many Perfons too, who worshipped the one true God, who were under no Profelytism to the Jewish Church.

16 Q. What were the other Sort of Profelytes? 4. They were fuch Gentiles as confented to be circumcifed, and obliged themselves to practise all the Law of Mofes, Gal. v. 3. therefore they were called Profelytes of Righteousness: They were taken into the Jewish Nation, and united with them; and were also called Profelytes of the Temple, because they were admitted by the Jews into the inner Courts.

Note,

Note, This diftinction of Profelytes has been fupported by the common Opinion for near two hundred Years; but fince 'tis faid to have no better Foundation than the Babylonifh Talmud, 'tis doubted by fome learned Men whether there were any Profelytes, either under the Old Testament or New Testament, befides those who were circumcifed and complete.

17 Q. Having heard this particular Account of Synagogues and Profelytes, proceed now to lay what was the laft Act of Nehemiah's Reformation which we read in Scripture. A. That he turned out Manaffeb, the Son or Grandfon of the High-Prieft, for marrying the Daughter of Sanballat the Horonite, Nehem. xiii, 28.

18Q. What did Sanballat do with his Son-in-Law, Manafleh, on this Occafion? A. He procured a Grant from Darius Nothus, who was now King of Perfia, to build on Mount Gerizim, near Samaria, a Temple like that at Jerufalem, and to make Manaffeh, his Son-in-Law, the High-Priest of it.

19 Q. What was the Confequence of this Practice? A. Samaria thenceforth became the Refuge of the rebellious Jews, who were called to account for breaking the Sabbath, eating unclean Meats, or were found guilty in finning against the Law in any remarkable Instances.

20 Q. What Change was wrought hereby among the Samaritans? A. Their firft Original was from fome Eaftern Heathens who were planted there by the King of Affyria, after the Captivity of Ifrael; but when, on feveral Occafions, the Jews flocked to them, it made a confiderable Change in their Religion: For though, before, they worshipped the God of Ifrael, in Conjunction with other Gods, 2 Kings xvii. 24-41. they now caft off their Idolatry: And fince a Temple was built amongst I 2

them,

them, in which the Jewish Service was performed and the Law of Mofes read publickly, they came much nearer to the Worship of the true God, prescribed in Scripture.

21 Q. Did not the Jews love them the better on this account? A. No, by no means; but they hated them grievously: The Enmity which began from the Oppofition which the Samaritans made to the Jews in their rebuilding Jerusalem, and the Temple, was fo exceedingly increafed by their fheltering all the rebellious Jews, that the Jews at Jerufalem published the bittereft Curfe againft them that ever was denounced against any People.

22 Q What Miferies were contained in this Curfe? A. The Jews forbid all Communication with the Samaritans, declared all the Fruits of their Land, and their Cattle unclean; excluded them from being ever received as Profelytes, and barred them, as far as poffible, from having any Portion in the Refurrection of the Dead to eternal Life.

23:Q. What Appearance of this great Enmity do we find in the New Teftament? A. This feems to be confirmed by the Words of Scripture, John iv. 9. The Jews have no dealing with the Samaritans? And the Woman of Samaria afked our Saviour, How is it that thou, being a Jew, afkeft Drink of me who am a Woman of Samaria? And when the Jews would give the worst Name they could to our Saviour, they faid, Thou art a Samaritan, and haft a Devil, John viii. 48.

SECT. II. Of the JEWISH Affairs under the Perfian and Grecian Monarchies.

10. HOW were the Jews governed after the Death of Nehemiah? A. We find not any more particular Governors of Judea, made

by

by the Kings or Emperors of Perfia; but Judea feems to be made fubject to thofe whom the Perfian Kings made Governors of Syria; and that, under them, the Regulation of Affairs was committed to the High-Prieft: fo that he had all the Sacred Authority, and the Civil Power alfo, in a good measure, under the Syrian Governor.

2 Q. Did the High-Priests continue their regular Succeffion as the eldest of Aaron's Family? A. This Succeffion was fometimes interrupted by the Emperors of the World, or their deputed Governors of the Provinces, appointing another Perfon to take that Office.

3 Q. What is the first remarkable Inftance of that kind? A. When Jobanan, or Jonathan, the Son of Joiada, Neh. xii. 11. had poffeffed the HighPriesthood several Years, Bagafes, the Governor, of Syria appointed his younger Brother Jeshua to depose him, and take the Priesthood; upon which there was a Tumult in the inner Court of the Temple, and Johanan flew fefbua there.

4 How did Bagoles, the Governor, refent this? A. He entered into the inner Court of the Temple, though the Jews forbid him, as being unclean; but he told them, he was purer than the dead Carcase of him whom they had flain there; and imposed on the Priests a Fine of about thirty one Shillings, for every Lamb that was offered throughout the Year.

5. What was the next more famous Difficulty and Deliverance which the Jews met with? A. They were moft remarkably faved from the Oppreffion and Refentment of Alexander the Great, who was King of Macedonia in Greece, when they had refufed to affift him in the Siege of Tyrus.

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