they would set about great exploits,
and not grow weary in executing the same; so men received what they said
with pleasure, and this bold attempt proceeded to a great height. All
sorts of misfortunes also sprang from these men, and the nation was
infected with this doctrine to an incredible degree; one violent war
came upon us after another, and we lost our friends which used to
alleviate our pains; there were also very great robberies and murder
of our principal men. This was done in pretense indeed for the public
welfare, but in reality for the hopes of gain to themselves; whence
arose seditions, and from them murders of men, which sometimes fell
on those of their own people, [by the madness of these men towards one
another, while their desire was that none of the adverse party might
be left,] and sometimes on their enemies; a famine also coming upon us,
reduced us to the last degree of despair, as did also the taking and
demolishing of cities; nay, the sedition at last increased so high, that
the very temple of God was burnt down by their enemies' fire. Such were
the consequences of this, that the customs of our fathers were altered,
and such a change was made, as added a mighty weight toward bringing
all to destruction, which these men occasioned by their thus conspiring
together; for Judas and Sadduc, who excited a fourth philosophic sect
among us, and had a great many followers therein, filled our civil
government with tumults at present, and laid the foundations of our
future miseries, by this system of philosophy, which we were before
unacquainted withal, concerning which I will discourse a little, and
this the rather because the infection which spread thence among
the younger sort, who were zealous for it, brought the public to
destruction.

2. The Jews had for a great while had three sects of philosophy peculiar
to themselves; the sect of the Essens, and the sect of the Sadducees,
and the third sort of opinions was that of those called Pharisees; of
which sects, although I have already spoken in the second book of the
Jewish War, yet will I a little touch upon them now.

3. Now, for the Pharisees, they live meanly, and despise delicacies in
diet; and they follow the conduct of reason; and what that prescribes
to them as good for them they do; and they think they ought earnestly
to strive to observe reason's dictates for practice. They also pay a
respect to such as are in years; nor are they so bold as to co