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the tribe of Judah； which was the peculiar inheritance of the
worshippers of the true God without idolatry； as the reader may
learn from Reland； Palestine； Part I。 p。 154； 305； and from
Prideaux； at the years 140 and 165。
（26） In this decree of the Roman senate； it seems that these
ambassadors were sent from the 〃people of the Jews；〃 as well as
from their prince or high priest； John Hyrcanus。
（27） Dean Prideaux takes notice at the year 130； that Justin； in
agreement with Josephus； says； 〃The power of the Jews was now
grown so great； that after this Antiochus they would not bear any
Macedonian king over them； and that they set up a government of
their own； and infested Syria with great wars。〃
（28） The original of the Sadducees； as a considerable party among
the Jews； being contained in this and the two following sections；
take Dean Prideaux's note upon this their first public
appearance； which I suppose to be true： 〃Hyrcanus；〃 says be；
〃went over to the party of the Sadducees； that is； by embracing
their doctrine against the traditions of the eiders； added to the
written law； and made of equal authority with it； but not their
doctrine against the resurrection and a future state； for this
cannot be supposed of so good and righteous a man as John
Hyrcanus is said to be。 It is most probable； that at this time
the Sadducees had gone no further in the doctrines of that sect
than to deny all their unwritten traditions； which the Pharisees
were so fond of； for Josephus mentions no other difference at
this time between them； neither doth he say that Hyrcanna went
over to the Sadducees in any other particular than in the
abolishing of all the traditionary constitutions of the
Pharisees； which our Savior condemned as well as they。〃 ＇At the
year。＇
（29） This slander； that arose from a Pharisee； has been preserved
by their successors the Rabbins to these later ages； for Dr。
Hudson assures us that David Gantz； in his Chronology； S。 Pr。 p。
77； in Vorstius's version； relates that Hyrcanus's mother was
taken captive in Mount Modinth。 See ch。 13。 sect。 5。
（30） Here ends the high priesthood； and the life of this
excellent person John Hyrcanus； and together with him the holy
theocracy； or Divine government of the Jewish nation； and its
concomitant oracle by Urim。 Now follows the profane and
tyrannical Jewish monarchy； first of the Asamoneans or Maccabees；
and then of Herod the Great； the Idumean； till the coming of the
Messiah。 See the note on Antiq。 B。 III。 ch。 8。 sect。 9。 Hear
Strabo's testimony on this occasion； B。 XVI。 p。 761； 762：
〃Those；〃 says he； 〃that succeeded Moses continued for some time
in earnest； both in righteous actions and in piety； but after a
while there were others that took upon them the high priesthood；
at first superstitious and afterward tyrannical persons。 Such a
prophet was Moses and those that succeeded him； beginning in a
way not to be blamed； but changing for the worse。 And when it
openly appeared that the government was become tyrannical；
Alexander was the first that set up himself for a king instead of
a priest； and his sons were Hyrcanus and Aristobulus。〃 All in
agreement with Josephus； excepting this； that Strabo omits the
first king； Aristobulus； who reigning but a single year； seems
hardly to have come to his knowledge。 Nor indeed does
Aristobulus； the son of Alexander； pretend that the name of king
was taken before his father Alexander took it himself； Antiq。 B。
XIV。 ch。 3。 sect。 2。 See also ch。 12。 sect。 l； which favor Strabo
also。 And indeed； if we may judge from the very different
characters of the Egyptian Jews under high priests； and of the
Palestine Jews under kings； in the two next centuries； we may
well suppose that the Divine Shechinah was removed into Egypt；
and that the worshippers at the temple of Onias were better men
than those at the temple of Jerusalem。
（31） Hence we learn that the Essens pretended to have ruled
whereby men might foretell things to come； and that this Judas
the Essen taught those rules to his scholars； but whether their
pretense were of an astrological or magical nature； which yet in
such religious Jews； who were utterly forbidden such arts； is no
way probable； or to any Bath Col； spoken of by the later Rabbins；
or otherwise； I cannot tell。 See Of the War； B。 II。 ch。 8。 sect。
12。
（32） The reason why Hyrcanus suffered not this son of his whom he
did not love to come into Judea； but ordered him to be brought up
in Galilee； is suggested by Dr。 Hudson； that Galilee was not
esteemed so happy and well cultivated a country as Judea； Matthew
26：73； John 7：52； Acts 2：7； although another obvious reason
occurs also； that he was out of his sight in Galilee than he
would have been in Judea。
（33） From these； and other occasional expressions； dropped by
Josephus； we may learn； that where the sacred hooks of the Jews
were deficient； he had several other histories then extant； （but
now most of them lost；） which he faithfully followed in his own
history； nor indeed have we any other records of those times；
relating to Judea； that can be compared to these accounts of
Josephus； though when we do meet with authentic fragments of such
original records； they almost always confirm his history。
（34） This city； or island； Cos； is not that remote island in the
Aegean Sea； famous for the birth of the great Hippocrates； but a
city or island of the same name adjoining to Egypt； mentioned
both by Stephanus and Ptolemy； as Dr。 Mizon informs us。 Of which
Cos； and the treasures there laid up by Cleopatra and the Jews；
see Antiq。 B。 XIV。 ch。 7； sect。 2。
（35） This account of the death of Antiochus Grypus is confirmed
by Appion； Syriac。 p。 132； here cited by Spanheim。
（36） Porphyry says that this Antiochus Grypus reigned but
twenty…six years； as Dr。 Hudson observes。 The copies of Josephus；
both Greek and Latin； have here so grossly false a reading；
Antiochus and Antoninus； or Antonius Plus； for Antiochus Pius；
that the editors are forced to correct the text from the other
historians； who all agree that this king's name was nothing more
than Antiochus Plus。
（37） These two brothers； Antiochus and Philippus are called twins
by Porphyry； the fourth brother was king of Damascus： both which
are the observations of Spanheim。
（38） This Laodicea was a city of Gilead beyond Jordan。 However；
Porphyry says that this Antiochus Pius did not die in this
battle； but； running away； was drowned in the river Orontes。
Appian says that he； was deprived of the kingdom of Syria by
Tigranes； but Porphyry makes this Laodice queen of the Calamans；
… all which is noted by Spanheim。 In such confusion of the later
historians； we have no reason to prefer any of them before
Josephus； who had more original ones before him。 This reproach
upon Alexander； that he was sprung from a captive； seems only the
repetition of the old Pharisaical calumny upon his father； ch。
10。 sect。 5。
（39） This Theodorus was the son of Zeno； and was in possession of
Areathus； as we learn from sect。 3 foregoing。
（40） This name Thracida； which the Jews gave Alexander； must； by
the coherence； denote as barbarous as a Thracian； or som