gave continual Manifeftations to the World of the Truth of their Religion

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When the Ten Tribes were carried from Samaria, and frange Nations were tranfplanted thither in their room, Gods would not fuffer his Name and Worfhip to be quite neglected and forgotten amongst them, but they were forced to fend for a Prieft back again, -to teach them the fear of the Lord, 2 King. xvi. ...And after the taking of Jerufalem by Nebuchadnez-zar, and the Death of Gedaliah, who was fet over >them that were left behind in the Land offdab, all the People that were nori before carried to Babylon, fled into Agyt, Jeremiah being forced along with them, who there prophefied againft Egypt, and foretold its Destruction by the Babylonians, Jer. xliii.band at laft fuffer'd Martyrdom. Their going into Ægypt, was indeed contrary to the Word of the Lord by Jeremiah; but the Providence of God fo order'd things, that Jeremiah fhould be carry'd thither with the reft, to teftifie against their Wickedness and Obftinacy, and to denounce God's Judgments upon them, and upon the Egyptians, in whom they placed their confidence, rather than in the Living God, and then to die in teftimony of the Truth of what he had delivered. Lots s bomo to allow nude Cyrus and Darius defir'd the Prayers and Sacrifices of the Jews, in behalf of themselves and their Kingdoms. Alexander the Great, Ptolemæus Philadelphus, Auguftus, Tiberius, and Vitellius, fenty Kittims to be facrificed at the Temple of Jerufalem, as we learn from Philo and Jofephus. The Jews conftantly offer d Sacrifices and Prayers for the Kings and Emperors under whom they lived, land for their Allies and Confederates, 1 Maccab. vii.33. and xii. 11. And it was expected of them; for the omiffion of this, contrary to their known and approved Custom in all former Times, was the thing which haften'd their final Deftruction by the Romans.

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The Course of Alexander's Victories was fo unexpected, fo fudden, and every way fo wonderful, that it alarm'd the World And no Man can believe that this was defign'd by Providence only to gratifie the Ambition and Vanity of a rafh Youth, but to open a Way for a Communication between the several Parts of the Earth, to the Benefit of Mankind, in the Improvement of all ufeful Knowledge; and when this Work was done, he was no longer the fame Man he had been before, but foon refign'd his Conquests with This Life, b

It is obfervable, that Alexander was, exceedingly addicted to Learning, that he had Philofophers with him, and defign'd to introduce the Greek Tongue, by his Conquefts, and establish it as the Univerfal Language. For 8 when he left the Mother and Children of Darius at Sufa, he took care to appoint them Inftructors in this Tongue. He herected about Seventy Cities among the Barbarous Nations, mixing Greeks with the Natives, and order'd Thirty thoufand Boys to be educated in the Greek Learning: Which had its Effect to fucceeding Ages

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50

Pliny acquaints us, that Alexander was in Judeo. He is faid, by Jofephus, to have gone to the Temple at ferufalem, and offer d Sacrifice, and to have been mightily encourag'd in his Enterprize again!t Perfia, by the Prophecy of Daniel He remitted the Tribute of every Seventh Year, in which, by their Law, they were obliged not to fow their Ground; " which was afterwards remitted to them likewise by the Romans He granted the fews, who in great Numbers lifted themfelves in his Army, the free Ex

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g Diodor. Sic. 1. 17. h Plut. de Fortun. Alex. Orat. 1. i Id. in Vit. Alex. * Quid fibi volunt in Medus Barbarorum Regionibus Graca urbes ? Quid inter Indos Perfafque Macedonicus fermo Sen. Confol. ad Helv. . Hift. Nat. 1. 12. c. 25. m Jofeph. Antiq. 1. 11. c. ult. n Ibid. 1. 14. C. 17.

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ercife of their Religion, and promis'd to grant the fame to the Jews of Babylon and Media; and those of Sanballat's Faction, who follow'd him into Egypt, he plac'd in Thebais.

Hecateus, who liv'd in Alexander's time, wrote o a Book concerning the Jews, in which he took notice of their great Zeal for their Law; which he proves by this Inftance, That when Alexander repair'd the Temple of Belus at Babylon, his Soldiers, who were Jews, could by no means be brought to help forward that Work; and at laft the King excus'd them. He related, that Hezechias the High-Prieft of the Jews, a Venerable Man of about Sixty fix Years of Age, of great Prudence and Experience, and withal very eloquent, whom he knew and had convers'd with, was one, amongst others, who follow'd Ptolemæus Lagi, after the Battle at Gaza, in which he overcame Demetrius Poliorcetes. He mention'd likewife, that Mofollamus a Jew, marching with him, when the reft made a ftand, by reafon of a Bird, the Stay or Flight whereof, the Augur faid, was to be a Direction to them in their March, fhot that Bird in the fight of them all, and defended what he had done, by Argument. And indeed, the Jews wanted neither Zeal, nor Wit, nor Courage, upon every Occafion, to appear in behalf of their own Religion, against the Superftitions and Idolatries of the Heathen. This Book of Hecateus was extant in the time of Jofephus, who refers his Reader to it, and remain'd 'till P Eufebius's time, who cites a large Paffage out of it, in which is related this Action of Mo follamus. And Jofephus appeals to the Letters of Alexander the Great, and of Ptolemeus Lagi, and the Kings of Egypt his Succeffors, in favour of the Jews.

Jofeph. contra Ap. 1. 1. p. 1048, va,

? Eufeb. Præpar. Evang. 1. 9. c. 4. In Eufebius, be is call'd Mofomamus, by a Miftake. The Hebrew Name Mefhullam is in the LXX. Mofollam, Chron. ix. 7, &c.

When

When Ptolemæus Lagi 9 took Jerufalem, he tranf planted the Jews in great Multitudes into Egypt, put→ ting many of them into his Garrifons, and allowing them equal Privileges with the Macedonians; by which Encouragement, many, befides those whom he tranfported, voluntarily went to dwell there. And the Captives of that Nation, fet at liberty by Ptole maus Philadelphus, were 120000. And befides the fignal Favours and Honours beftow'd upon the Jews, by Ptolemæus Philadelphus (who likewife caus'd the Holy Scriptures to be tranflated into the Greek Tongue, which was an exceeding great furtherance to the Propagation of Religion) Seleucus Nicanor granted them the Freedom of Antioch, and of the Cities which he had founded in Afia, and the Lower Syria; and thefe Privileges remained to them 'till Jofephus's time, after all which the Jews had done to deserve to be depriv'd of them.

Antiochus the Great fent forth his Letters and Edicts, which are to be feen in Jofephus, in favour of the Jews, more-efpecially in what related to their Religious Worship. And Seleucus, Son to this Antiochus, after his Father's Example, out of his own Revenues, bore the Coft belonging to the Sacrifices, 2 Mac. iii. 3. Antiochus Epiphanes himself, at laft, under the avenging Hand of God upon him, for all his impious Cruelties, acknowledg'd himself punish'd for his Sacrilege and other Mifchiefs committed at Jerufalem, 1 Mac. vị. 12, 13. and 2 Mac, ix. 17.

Antiochus Pius, when he befieg'd Jerufalem, not only granted a Truce for Seven Days, during the Feast of Tabernacles, but fent rich and noble Presents for Sacrifices; and a Peace being concluded upon honourable Conditions, with regard particularly to Religion, Joannes Hyrcanus accompany'd Antiochus in

f Ibid.

a Jofeph. Antiq. 1. 12. c. 1, 2, r Ibid. c. 3. Ibid. 1. 13. c. 16. Plutarch. Apothegm. p. 184. Edit. Par.

his

his Parthian Expedition; and the Feast of Pentecoft falling the Day after the Sabbath, Antiochus ftopt his Army those two Days, for the fake of the Jews.

I

The Lacedemonians claim'd Kindred with the Jews, and ware fuppofed to be partly defcended from Abraham by Hagar or Kethura, and partly from the Canaanites, who fled for fear of Joshua, and both *They and the Athenians and Romans enter'd into Leagues with them, which from time to time were continuids and renew'd. Jofephus mentions a Pillar them &tanding at Alexandria, containing the Privileges

*

granted to the Jews by Julius Cæfar, whofe Death was much lamented by that People. A great part of the City beyond the Tiber was inhabited by Jews, and moft of them had the Freedom of the City granted to them, Dio obferves, that they prevail'd fo far as to make Laws for themfelyes. And when no other Religion was tolerated, except thofe eftablifh'd by the Laws of the Empire, the Jews only had Allowance for

free Exercife of their Religion even in Rome it felf; and for this and many other Edicts and Decrees of the Senate in favour of the Jews, Jofephus appeals to the Tables of Brafs then extant, and preferv'd in the Capitol and other Places in which they were engraven: Most of which Decrees are wanted in the Printed Editions of Jofephus, but are inserted in the MSS. Gopies, and in the Old Version, tho' very imperfection Î JIMA 1 JAN

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V I Mac. viii, xii, xiv. 2 Mac. xi.

w Ger, Voff. de Idolol.

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Jofeph. Antiq. 1. 13. c. 9. 1. 14. c. 18. Juftin. 1.36. c. 3. y Jofeph. contr. Ap. 1. 2.51 Suet. in Jul. Cæf. 84 Philo. de Legat. ad Caium. b Dio. 1. 36. ct Jofeph. Antiq. l. 14. c. 16. 1.16. c.4, 5, 10. 1. 19. c. 4, 6. If. Voff. de Sibyll. Orac. p. 43. Ifaac Voffius had defign'd to publish them: They are lately publish'd by Gronovius under this Title; Decreta Romana & Afiatica pro Judæis ad cultum Divinum per Afiæ Minoris Urbes fecurè obeundum, ab Jofepho collecta in lib. XIV. Archæolog. fed malè interverfa & expuncta in lucem publicam utilitatemque reftituta.

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