them, who there prophefied against Egypt, and foretold its Deftruction by the Babylo nians, Jer. xliii. and at laft fuffer'd Martyr dom. Their going into Egypt, 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 thi ther 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.

Cyrus and Darius defired the Prayers and Sacrifices of the Jews, in behalf of themfelves and their Kingdoms. Alexander the Great, Ptolemæus Philadelphus, Auguftus, Tiberius, and Vitellius, fent Victims to be facrificed at the Temple of Jerufalem, (as we learn from Philo and Jofephus.) The Jews constantly offer'd Sacrifices and Prayers for the Kings and Emperors under whom they lived, and for their Allies and Confederates, 1 Maccab. vii. 33. & 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 haftened their final Destruction by the Remans.

:.

The courfe of Alexander's Victories was fo unexpected, fo fudden, and every way fo wonderful, that it alarm'd the World: And

· ΠΟ

t

S

no Man can believe that this was defigned by Providence only to gratifie the Ambition and Vanity of a rafh Youth, but to open a way for a Communication between the feve ral Parts of the Earth, to the benefit of Mankind in the improvement of all useful Knowledge; and when this Work was done, he was no longer the fame Man, he had been before, but foon refigned his Conquests with his Life.

c. ult.

1.14. C.17.

Alexander is faid, by (g) Jofephus, to have (g) Jofeph. been mightily encouraged in his Enterprife Antiqu... against 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, (b) which (b) Ibid. was afterwards remitted to them likewife by the Romans; He granted the Jews, who in great numbers lifted themfelves in his Army, [ the free Exercife of their Religion, and pro mifed to grant the fame to the Jews of Ba bylon and Media; and thofe of Sanballat's Faction, who followed him into Ægypt, he placed in Thebais.

contra Ap.

Hecataus, Who lived in Alexander's time, wrote (i) a Book concerning the Jews, (2) Jofeph. which he took notice of their great Zeal lib.1. pag. for their Law; which he proves by this 1048, Inftance, That when Alexander repaired 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

(k) Fofeph. Antiqu

L. 12. C.

2.

laft the King excufed 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 conversed with, was one, amongst others, who followed Ptolemæus Lagi, after the Battle at Gaza; in which he overcame Demetrius Poliorcetes. He mention'd likewife, that Mofollamus, a few, marching with him; when the reft made a ftand, by reafon of a Bird, which the Augur faid portended ill Luck to them, if they fhould march on, 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, and he referrs his Reader to it; and he appeals to the Let ters of Alexander the Great, and of Ptolemæus Lagi, and the Kings of Egypt his Succeffors, in favour of the Jews.

When Ptolemæus Lagi (k) took Jerufalem, he tranfplanted the Jews in great multitudes into Egypt, putting many of them into his Garrifons, and allowing them equal Privileges with the Macedonians; by which Encouragement, many, befides thofe whom he tranfported, voluntarily went to dwell there.

N

there. And the Captives of that Nation,
fet at liberty by Ptolemæus Philadelphus, were
above 110000. And befides the fignal Fa-
vours and Honours beftowed upon the Jews,
by Ptolemæus Philadelphus (who likewife
caused the Holy Scriptures to be tranflated
into the Greek Tongue, which was an ex-
ceeding 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 deferve to be de-
prived of them.

Antiquit.

Antiochus the Great fent forth his Letters and Edicts, which are to be feen in (1) Jo-Jofeph. fephus, in favour of the Jews, more-elpe-1.12. c.3. cially 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, acknowledged himself punished for his Sacrilege and other Mischiefs committed at Jerufalem, 1 Mac. vi. 12, 13. & 2 Mac. ix. 17.

Antiochus Pius, when he befieged Ferufalem, (m) not only granted a Truce for (m) Ibid. Seven Days, during the Feast of Tabernacles, 1.13. c.16.

but

(n) 1 Mac.

xiv..

C. 9, 13.

36.c.3.

but fent rich and noble Prefents for Sacrifices; and the City being delivered into his hands upon honourable Conditions, with regard particularly to Religion, Hyrcanus accompanied Antiochus in 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.

The Lacedæmonians claimed (n) Kindred viii, xii, with the Jews, and both They and the 2 Mac. xi. Athenians and Romans enter'd into Leagues Jofeph. An- with them, which from time to time were tiqu. 1. 13. continued and renewed. Jofephus mentions 1.14. c.16. a Pillar then flanding at Alexandria, conJuftin. lib. taining the Privileges (0) granted to the (0) Fofeph, Jews by Julius Cæfar. And when no other Contr. Ap. Religion was tolerated, except thofe eftablifhed by the Laws of the Empire, the Jews only had Allowance for a 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, Fo(p) Fofeph. Sephus (p) appeals to the Tables of Brafs 1.14.c.16. then extant, and preferved in the Capitol, 1. 16. c. 4 and other places in which they were en1.19. c.4,6. graven.

1.2.

Antiquit.

S, IC.

The Sufferings and Martyrdoms under the Maccabees, and the Refolution and Conftancy which they fhewed upon all occafions, in defence of their Religion, rendred the Jews renowned over all Nations and

befides,