eing afterward subdued by the Jews,
and compelled to be circumcised, and to unite into one nation, and be
subject to the same laws, they were called Jews." Dio also says, as the
Dean there quotes him, from Book XXXVI. p. 37, "That country is called
Judea, and the people Jews; and this name is given also to as many
others as embrace their religion, though of other nations." But then
upon what foundation so good a governor as Hyrcanus took upon him to
compel those Idumeans either to become Jews, or to leave the country,
deserves great consideration. I suppose it was because they had long ago
been driven out of the land of Edom, and had seized on and possessed the
tribe of Simeon, and all the southern parts of 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