2 Kings xxiii.

He sent therefore and gather'd unto him all the elders of Judah and of Jerufalem. And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerufalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the peo ple both fmall and great; and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the LORD. And be and all the people made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments, and his teftimonies, and bis ftatutes, with all their heart and all their foul, to perform the words of this covenant, that were written in this book; and all the people flood to the co

venant.

But, the four next Reigns being very bad ones, and the Law, in all Probability, as much neglected as ever it had been; upon the Destruction of the City, and Captivity of the People into Babylon, which immediately follow'd, we know not what became of it.

SECT. VI.

The Obfervance of the Law revived.

6. 10.

However, upon their Return from the Captivity after Seventy Years, Ezra, who was one of the Number, a ready fcribe in Ezra vii. the law of Mofes which the LORD God of Ifrael had given, having prepar'd his heart to feek the law of the LORD, and to do it; and to teach in Ifrael ftatutes and judgments, is thought to have reftor'd the Law in fuch manner as we now have it. From him, this Part of the Office of the Scribes (of whom hereafter) in the Jewish Government, seems to have taken rife; for we find it was their Employment to interpret, expound, and comment upon the Law.

From this Time, to that of their Troubles under Antiochus Epiphanes King of Syria, about 350 Years, the Jews liv'd under the Government of their own Law, administer'd by their High-Priests; without any great Interruptions. During which Interval the Greek Tranflation of the Bible, commonly call'd the Septuagint, was probably made: Not by Seventy-two InD 4

terpreters

terpreters of the Elders of that Nation at the Command of Ptolemy Philadelphus King of Egypt, (which Account the best Critics reject as fpurious;) but by those Jews who fojourn'd altogether in fome Parts of Greece and Egypt; for whom, especially in regard to their making Profelytes, that Tongue must have been much more commodious than their own: which, whether it were the old Hebrew of their Fathers; or the Chaldee, which they might have learn'd in their Captivity; or the fame which the Samaritans their Neighbours us'd; or the Syriac, which we find obtain'd among them in our Saviour's time; is, I doubt, as impoffible, as it is needlefs, for us to know. It being reasonable to conclude, that, after the Grecian Arms, under Alexander, had fubdued the World; that Language likewife would prévail over all others, and spread itself wherever his Conquefts made way for it.

Their Sufferings under the Tyranny of Antiochus Epiphanes were very great: fince he us'd his utmoft Endeavours to abolish their whole Law, Religion, and Customs; and they were as obftinately bent not to change them.

i, ii, iii.

&c.

them. Unspeakable were the Hardships! Mac. and Tortures they endur'd under this Perfecution; which lafted upwards of two Years; when Judas furnam'd Maccabeus, of the Tribe of Levi, refolutely and fuccessfully ftanding up in the Defence of his Country, at the fame time rescued it from Mifery and Slavery, and restor❜d the free Exercise of its Religion and Laws.

And thus they went on, but pefter'd and corrupted, partly by inteftine Factions in the State, and partly by growing Herefies in the Church; govern'd by a Race of, fometimes Princes, fometimes Kings, the Defcendents of Judas Maccabeus, for above a hundred Years; 'till they fell under the Dominion of the Romans; foon after which our LORD and Saviour JESUS CHRIST came into the World.

SECT. VII.

The LAW in a languishing State, át
CHRIST's coming into the World.

What Regard was had to the Law at that Time, our LORD himself makes plainly appear, when he

upbraids them

John vii. with this Interrogation; Did not Mofes

19.

give you the Law? and yet none of you keepeth the Law. They were indeed Hypocrites enough to pretend a mighty Veneration for it, though in Practice they generally ran counter to it; for which Reafon our LORD denounces a fevere Matt. Sentence against them: Wo unto you Scribes xxiii. 23. and Pharifees, Hypocrites; for ye pay

Acts v.

34.

Tythe of Mint and Anife and Cummin, and have omitted the weightier Matters of the Law, Judgment, Mercy, and Faith.

Luke ii. They were also call'd Doctors of the 46. v. 17. Law; and us'd, at certain Times, to afsemble themselves together, at Jerufalem, from all the Cities of Judea, in order to expound it, and to inftruct others in it; who fat on low Seats, juft under theirs, for that Purpose. In which Sense it is, that St. Paul tells us, he was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, who was one of them: But how they edified their Hearers our bleffed LORD fufficiently intiMatt. xv. mates, when he charges them with making the commandment of God of no effect by their tradition; and teaching, for the true Doctrine of God, the Commandments of men.

6.

SECT.