We may observe three sorts of washing of hands in use among the Jews. 1. Pharisaical and superstitious, this was reproved. 2. Ordinary, for outward decency; this was allowed. The third, in token of innocency; this was commanded by the Elders of the neighbour-Cities, in case of murder, Deut. 21. 6. It was practised by Pilate, Matth. 37. 24. and alluded unto by David, I will wash my hands in innocency, so will I compass thine altar, Psal. 26. 6.

2. When they came from the Market they washt, Mar. 7. 4. The reason thereof was, because they there having to do with divers sorts of people, unaware; they might be polluted. The word used by Saint Mark, is, βαπτίσωνται, they baptized themselves: implying the washing of their whole body. And it seemeth that those Pharisees who were more zealous than others, did thus wash themselves alwayes before dinner. The Pharisee marvelled that Christ had not first washed himself before dinner, Luke 11. 38. Unto this kind of superstition St. Peter is thought to have inclined, when he said, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands, and my head, John 13. 9. Thus finding his modesty disliked, when he refused to have his feet wash’d by his Lord and Master; now he leapeth into the other extream, as if he had said, Not my feet only, but my whole body. Hence proceeded that Sect of the Hemerobaptistæ, i.e. Daily baptists, so called[112] because they did every day thus wash themselves.

3. They wash’d their cups, and pots, and brazen vessels, and tables, Mark 7. 4.

4. They held it unlawful to eat with sinners, Mat. 9. 11. yea, they judged it a kind of pollution to be touched by them, Luke 7. 39. If this man were a Prophet, he would surely have known who, and what manner of woman this is which toucheth him, for she is a sinner. Of such a people the Prophet speaketh: They said, stand a part, come not near to me, or (as the words may be rendred)[113] Touch me not, for I am holier than thou, Esay. 65. 5. The like practice was in use among the Samaritanes,[114] who if they met any stranger, they cryed out, μὴ πρόσψαυσον, Ne attingas, Touch not.

5. They fasted twice in the week, Luke 18. 12. Namely,[115] Mundays and Thursdays. Because Moses (as they say)[116] went up into the Mount Sinai on a Thursday, and came down on a Munday.

6. They made broad their Phylacteries, and inlarged the borders of their garments, Matth. 23. 5. Here three things are worthy our consideration. First, What these Phylacteries were. Secondly, What was written in them. Thirdly, Whence they were so called. Epiphanus[117] interpreteth these Phylacteries to be πλατέα σήματα πορφύρας, purple studs, or flourishes, woven in their garments: as if Epiphanius had conceived the Pharisees garment to be like that which the Roman Senators were wont to wear, termed, by reason of those broad-studs and works woven in it, Laticlavium: but seeing that these Phylacteries were additaments and ornaments, whereof there were[118] two sorts, the one tied to their Fore-heads, the other to their Left-hands; hence it followeth, that by these Phylacteries could not be meant whole garments, or any embosments, or flourishings woven in the cloth. Generally they are thought to be schedules or scroles of parchments, whereof, as I noted, there were two sorts; Phylacteries for the Fore-head, or Frontlets, reaching from one Ear to the other, and tied behind with a thong; and Phylacteries for the hand, fastned upon the Left-arm above the Elbow on the inside, that it might be near the heart. Both these sorts were worn, not by the Pharisees only,[119] but by the Sadduces also, but with this difference; The Pharisees, haply for greater ostentation, wore their Hand-Phylacteries above their Elbows: the Sadduces on the palms of their Hands.[120] Nay, all the Jews wore them, our Saviour Christ not excepted. The command was general, Exod. 13. 9. It shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes. So that it is not the wearing of them which our Saviour condemned, but the making of them broad, whereby they would appear more holy than others.

In these Parchments they wrote[121] only the Decalogue, or Ten Commandments, in the opinion of Chrysostome and Hierome: but generally, and upon better grounds, it is thought they wrote these four sections of the Law.

These four Sections written in scrols of Parchment, and folded up, they fastned to their fore-heads and their left-arms: those that were for the fore-head, they wrote in four distinct pieces of parchment[122] especially, and if they wrote it in one piece; the length of every Section ended in one column, and they did put them into one skin, in which there was the proportion of four houses or receptacles, and not into four skins: every receptacle was distinct by it self; and those that were for the hand, were written in one piece of Parchment principally, the four Sections in four columns; but if they wrote them in four pieces, it was at length, and they put them in a skin that had but one receptacle.[123] In time of persecution when they could not openly wear these Phylacteries, then did they tye about their hands a red thread, to put them in mind of the blood of the Covenant of the Law.

Touching the name Moses calleth them ‎‏טוטפות‏‎ Totaphot, which word hath almost as many Etymologies, as Interpreters; the most probable in my opinion, is, that they should be so called per Antiphrasin, from ‎‏טטף‏‎ Incedere, to go or move, because they were immoveable: Hence the Septuagint translate them, ἀσάλευτα Immoveable ornaments. The Rabbins call them Tephillim, Prayer ornaments:[124] others call them Pittacia, & Pittaciola, from πιττάκιον, which signifieth a piece or parcel of Cloth. In the Gospel they are called φυλακτήρια, Phylacteries, from φυλάττω, to conserve or keep. First, because by the use of them, the Law was kept and preserved in memory. Secondly, because the Pharisees superstitiously conceited, that by them, as by Amulets, Spells, and Charms, hanged about their necks themselves might be preserved from dangers. The word φυλακτήριον signifieth a Spell; and Hierome testifieth, that the Pharisees had a such a conceit of these ornaments: In which place he compareth the Pharisees with certain superstitious women of his time, who carried up and down, upon the like ground, pervula evangelia, & crucis ligna, short sentences out of the Gospel, and the reliques of the Cross. The same superstition hath prevailed with many of latter times, who for the same purpose hang the beginning of[125] Saint John’s Gospel about their necks. And in the year of our Lord 692. certain Sorcerers were condemned for the like kind of Magick, by the name of[126] φυλακτήριοι, that is, Phylacterians.

Thus much of their Phylacteries: In the same verse is reproved the inlarging of their borders.[127] That which we read borders in the Gospel, is called, Num. 15. 38. ‎‏ציצות‏‎ Tsitsith, Fringes: and ‎‏גדילים‏‎ Gedelim, Deut. 22. 10. which word we likewise translate in that place, Fringes. They were in the fore-quoted places commanded, and our Saviour Christ himself did wear them, Luk. 8. 44. The latter Hebrew word signifieth a large Fringe, which agravateth the superstition of the Pharisees, in making their Fringes larger, when the Law had allowed them large. This literal exposition I take to be most agreeable with the Text, though to inlarge in Greek and Latine[128] sometimes, signifieth to boast, vaunt, or brag of a thing; and in this sense it may very well fit a Pharisee. The reason of this command was, to put them in mind of the Commandments, Numb. 15. And for the furtherance of this duty,[129] they used sharp thorns in in their Fringes, that by the often pricking of the Thorn, whether they walked or sate still, they might be the more mindful of the Commandments.

There were[130] seven sorts of Pharises. 1. Pharisæus Sichemita. He turned Pharisee for gain, as the Sichemites suffered themselves to be circumcised.

2. Pharisæus truncatus, so called, as if he had no feet, because he would scarce lift them from the ground when he walked, to cause the greater opinion of his meditation.

3. Pharisæus inpingens. He would shut his eyes when he walked abroad, to avoid the sight of Women, in so much that he often dash’d his head against the walls, that the blood gush’d out.

4. Pharisæus, Quid debeo facere, & faciam illud. He was wont to say, What ought I to do? and I will do it. Of this sort seemeth the man in the Gospel to have been, who came unto Christ, saying, Good Master, what shall I do? &c. and at last replyed, All these I have done from my youth upward, Luke 18.

5. Pharisæus mortarius; so called because he wore a hat in manner of a deep Mortar, such as they use to bray spice in, in so much that he could not look upward, nor of either side; onely downward on the ground, and forward or forthright.

6. Pharisæus ex amore; Such a one as obeyed the Law for the Love of Vertue.

7. Pharisæus ex timore; Such a one obeyed the Law for fear of punishment. He that conformed for fear had respect chiefly to the negative Commandements; but he that conformed for love, especially respected the Affirmative.

CHAP. XI.
Of the Sadduces.

To omit other Etymologies of the name, there are two onely which have shew of probability. Some[131] derive it from Sedec, Justitia; as if they had been Justitiaries, such as would justifie themselves before Gods Tribunal. There are[132] that derive it, and that upon more warrantable grounds, from Sadoc, the first Author of the heresie; so that the Sadduces were so called from Sadoc, as the Arrians from Arrius, the Pelagians from Pelagius, the Donatists from Donatus, &c.

This Sadoc lived under Antigonus Sochæus, who succeeded Simeon the Just. He was Antigonus his scholar, and by him brought up in the Doctrine of the Pharisees, but afterwards fell from him, and broacht the heresie of the Sadduces; which heresie, because it had much affinity with that which the Heretique Dositheus taught, hence are the Sadduces said to[133] be a branch or skirt of the Dositheans, though in truth Dositheus lived not till[134] after Christ; and although these two heresies did agree in many things; yet in a main point they differed.[135] Dositheus believed the Resurrection, the Sadduces denyed it; and by consequence the Dositheans believed all other points necessarily flowing from this.

The occasion of this heresie was this.[136] When Antigonus taught, that we must not serve God as servants serve their Masters, for hope of reward, his scholars Sadoc and Baithus understood him, as if he had utterly denied all future rewards or recompence attending a godly life, and thence framed their heresie, denying the resurrection, the world to come, Angels, Spirits, &c.

Their Dogmata, Canons, or Constitutions, were, 1. They rejected[137] the Prophets, & all other Scripture save only the five books of Moses. Therefore our Saviour when he would confute their errour, concerning the resurrection of the dead, he proves it not out of the Prophets, but out of Exod. 3. 6. I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, Mat. 22. 32.

2. They rejected[138] all traditions. Whence, As they were called ‎‏מינין‏‎ Minæi, i. Heretiques, in respect of the general opposition between them and Pharisees. First, because the Pharisees were in repute the only Catholicks. Secondly, because in their Doctrine, the Pharisees were much nearer the truth than the Sadduces: so in this respect of this particular opposition, in the ones rejecting, the others urging of traditions, the Sadduces were termed[139] ‎‏קראים‏‎ Karaim, Biblers, or Scripturists.

3. They said there was no reward for good works, nor punishment for ill, in the world to come. Hence Saint Paul perceiving that in the Councel the one part were Sadduces, the other Pharisees, he cried out, Of the hope of the reward expected, and of the resurrection of the dead, I am called in question, Act. 23. 6.

4. They denied the resurrection of the body, Act. 22. 8. Matth. 22. 23. Luke 20. 27.

5. They said the souls of men are annihilated[140] at their death.

6. They denied Angels and spirits, Act. 23. 8.

7. They wholly denied[141] Fate or Destiny, and ascribed all to mans Free-will.

The Samaritanes and the Sadduces are of near affinity: but yet they differ. First[142] The Samaritanes sacrificed at the Temple built upon Mount Gerizim, but the Sadduces sacrificed at Jerusalem. Secondly, The Samaritanes allowed no commerce with the Jews, John 4. 9. yea, the mutual hatred between the Samaritans and the Jews was so great, that it was not lawful for the Jews to eat or drink with the Samaritans. How is it that thou being a Jew, askest drink of me which am a woman of Samaria, Joh. 4. 9. Nay, whereas liberty was granted unto all Nations of the earth to become Proselites to the Jewes, so did the Jews hate the Samaritanes, that they would not suffer a Samaritan to be a Prosylite. This appeareth by that solemn Excommunication,[143] termed Excommunicatio in secreto nominis tetragrammati: the form thereof: as it was applyed (say they) by Ezra and Nehemiah unto the Samaritanes, was thus, They assembled the whole Congregation into the Temple of the Lord, and they brought 300 Priests, and 300 Trumpets, and 300 books of the Law, and as many boys, and they sounded their Trumpets and the Levites singing cursed the Samaritanes by all the sorts of Excommunication, in the mystery of the name Jehovah, and in the Decalogue, & with the curse of the superiour house of judgement, and likewise with the curse of the inferiour house of judgement, that no Israelite should eat the bread of a Samaritane, (whence they say, he which eateth of a Samaritans bread is as he who eateth swines flesh) and let no Samaritane be a Prosylite in Israel, and that they should have no part in the resurrection of the dead. R. Gersom[144] forbade the breaking open of the Letters, under the penalty of this Excommunication. This proveth what formerly was said; namely, that between the Jews and the Samaritanes there was no commerce; but the Sadduces familiarly conversed with the other Jews, even with the Pharisees themselves; yea, both sat together in the same Council, Acts 23. 6. Now the Samaritanes and Sadduces agree. 1. In the rejection of all the others traditions. 2. In the rejection of all other Scriptures, save only the five Books of Moses. 3. In the denial of the Resurrection, and the consequences, as future punishments, and rewards according to mens works. But the Samaritanes held that there were Angels, which the Sadduces denied. For the proof of these agreements and disagreements between them, read Epiphanius, hæres. 9. & 14.

Touching the Samaritanes, there are three degrees of alteration in their Religion observable. First, the strange Nations, transplanted by Salmanesar into Samaria, when Israel was carried away captive into Assyria, worshipped every one the God of their own Countries, 2 King. 17. Secondly, when they saw they were devoured by Lyons, because they feared not the Lord, the King of Assyria sent one of the Priests which was taken captive, to instruct them in the true worship of God: which manner of worship though they received, yet they would not lay aside their former Idolatry, but made a mixture of Religions, worshipping the living God, and their own dumb Idols. Thirdly, Manasses, brother to Jaddus the High priest, in Jerusalem, being married to Sanballat, the Horonite’s Daughter, by reason of Nehemiah’s charge of putting away their strange Wives, being driven to that exigent, that he must either put away his Wife, or forgo the hope of the Priest-hood; by Sanballat’s means he obtained leave from Alexander the Great, to build a Temple[145] upon Mount Gariazim, one of the highest Mountains in Samaria, whither many other Apostated Jews fled, together with Manasses being made their High-Priest; and now the Sect of the Samaritanes (between whom and the Jews there was such hatred) began, now all those fore-mentioned errors were maintained: And of this Hill it is, that the woman of Samaria speaketh John 4. 20. Our Fathers worshipped in this Mountain, &c.

By comparing the Dogmata of the Pharisees, with these of the Sadduces, we may perceive a manifest opposition between them; yet both these joyned against Christ, Mark 12.

This heresie, though it were the greatest amongst the Jews, yet was it imbraced and maintained by some of the High Priests themselves:[146] Joannes Hyrcanus was a Sadducee, so were his sons, Aristobulus and Alexander,[147] and likewise Ananus the younger; so that Moses Chair was not amongst them exempted from error; no nor heresie.

CHAP. XII.
Of the Essenes.

The Etymologies of the names Essæi, or Esseni, i.e. Essenes, are divers, that which I prefer is from the Syriake ‎‏אסא‏‎ Asa, signifying θεραπεύειν to heal, or cure Diseases. Hence[148] are the men so often termed, θεραπευταὶ and the women amongst them, θεραπευτρίδες, that is, Physicians. For though they gave themselves chiefly to the study of the Bible yet withal they studied Physick.

Of these Essenes there were two sorts, some Theoricks, giving themselves wholly to speculation; others Practicks, laborious and painful in the daily exercise of those handy-crafts, in which they were most skilful. Of the latter, Philo treateth in his book entituled, Quod omnis vir probus: Of the former, in the book following, entituled, De vita contemplativa.

Their Dogmata, their Ordinance, or Constitutions, did symbolize in many things with Pythagoras his, where they do agree. Therefore my purpose is, first to name Pythagoras his; and then to proceed on with the Essenes. They follow thus.

The[149] Pythagoreans professed a communion of goods: So the Essenes.[150] they had one common purse or stock, none richer, none poorer than other; out of this common treasury, every one supplyed his own wants without leave, and administred to the necessities of others: only they might not relieve any of their kindred without leave from their Overseers. They did not buy or sell among themselves, but each supplyed the others want, by a kind of commutative bartring: yea, liberty was granted to take one from another what they wanted, without exchange. They performed Offices of service mutually one to another; for mastership and service cannot stand with communion of goods: and servants are commonly injurious to the state of their Masters, according to that saying of R. Gamaliel,[151] He that multiplyeth servants, multiplieth thieves. When they travelled, besides weapons for defence, they took nothing with them, for in whatsoever City or Village they came, they repaired to the Fraternity of the Essenes, and were there entertained as members of the same. And if we do attentively read Josephus, we may observe that the Essenes of every City joyned themselves into one common Fraternity or Colledge. Every Colledge had two sorts of Officers: First, Treasurers, who looked to the common stock, provided their diet, appointed each his task, and other publick necessaries. Secondly, Others, who entertained their strangers.

2. The Pythagoreans shunned pleasures.[152] So did the Essenes:[153] to this belongeth their avoiding of oyl, which, if any touched unawares, they wiped it off presently.

3. The Pythagoreans garments were white:[154] So were the Essenes white also,[155] modest, not costly: when once they put on a suit, they never changed it till it was torn, or worn out.

4. The Pythagoreans forbade Oaths.[156] So did the Essenes;[157] they thought him a noted lyar, who could not be believed without an oath.

5. The Pythagoreans had their Elders in singular respect.[158] So had the Essenes.[159] The body, or whole company of the Essenes, were distinguisht εἰς μοίρας τέσσαρας into four ranks, or orders, according to their Seniority; and if haply any of the superior ranks had touched any of the inferior, he thought himself polluted, as if he had touched an Heathen.

6. The Pythagoreans drank water.[160] So did the Essenes only water,[161] wholly abstaining from wine.

7. The Pythagoreans used θυσίαις ἀψύχαις inanimate Sacrifices.[162] So did the Essenes:[163] they sent gifts to the Temple, and did not sacrifice, but preferred the use of their holy water before sacrifice, for which reason the other Jews forbad them all access unto the Temple.

8. The Pythagoreans ascribed all things to fate or destiny.[164] So did the Essenes.[165] In this Aphorism all three Sects differed each from other. The Pharisees ascribed some things to Fate, and other things to Mans Free-will. The Essenes ascribed all to Fate, nothing to mans free will. The Sadduces wholly deny Fate, and ascribed all things to the free will of man.