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bited by foreign and profane nations. For this reafon, none but the poorest of them live there, and fuch as have no where else to go.

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Synagogues (z) are fo frequently mentioned in the Of the fynagogues. New Teftament, that it is abfolutely neceffary we should give an account of them here. The Jews looked upon them as holy places, and Philo doth actually call them fo. The Greek word (ouraywyn) as well as the Hebrew, to which it anfwers, fignifies in general any affembly, whether holy or profane; but it is moft commonly ufed to denote the place where people meet to worship God (a). The Christians themselves often gave the name of fynagogues to their aflemblies, as alfo to the places where they affembled, as is evi dent from St. James (b), from feveral paffages in the epiftles of Ignatius (c), and from the writings of Clemens Alexandrinus. But our bufinefs at prefent is to confider the Synagogues or oratories of the Jews.

Authors are not agreed about the time when the Jews first began to have fynagogues; fome infer from feveral places of the Old Teftament (d), that they are as ancient as the ceremonial law. Others, on the contrary, fix their beginning to the times after the Babylonish captivity. It is certain they have been long in use, fince St. James faith in the Acts (e), that Mofes of old time bath in every city them that preach him, being read in the fynagogues every fabbath-day.

The Jews erected fynagogues not only in towns and cities, but alfo in the country, especially near rivers; that they might have always water ready at hand both to wash and clean them, (which they were very careful to do) and alfo to purify themselves before they went into them. They were not allowed to build any one in a town, unless there were ten perfons of leifure in it (f). What is to be understood by these ten perfons of leifure, is not agreed among the learned. (g). All that can be gathered from what they have advanced upon this point, after the Thalmudifts, is, That they were ten perions of learning and approved integrity, free from all worldly occupations, and difengaged from all civil affairs, who were maintained and hired by the public, that they might always refort first to the fynagogue, that whoever fhould come in, might find ten perfons there; which number at least the Jews thought neceflary to make a congregation. They affign them other functions, but what they fay concerning them is not to be relied upon as certain. When there were ten fuch perfons in a town or city, they called it a great city, and here they might build a fynagogue. As for other places, it was fufficient

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(z) Upon this head fee Buxtorf's treatife de Synagoga Judaica, and Vitringe de Synagoga vetere, where you may find a very full account of them.

(a) Luke vii. 5.

(c) Ignat. ad Polyc.(d) Levit. xxiii. 3, 4. (c) Acts xv. 21.

(ƒ) Or Batelnim, fee

444.

-ad Trall.

(b) James ii. 2.

Deut. xxxi. 11, 12. ' Pfal. lxxiv. 4. 8.

Dr. Prideaux Connect. P. I. B. VI. under the year

(g) Lightfoot, Rhenferd, Vitringa.

fufficient if there were the like number of perfons of a mature age = and free condition. Thefe Synagogues were erected upon the highest part of the town. After a fynagogue was built, or fome house fet apart for this ufe, it was confecrated by prayer, without much ceremony or formality. The which the Jews, who were in other respects fuperftitious enough, undoubtedly did, that they might not imitate the vain ceremonies used by the heathens at the dedication of their temples and thapels. When a Synagogue had been thus confecrated, it was looked upon as a facred place, and particular care was taken not to profane it. It would be too long to mention all their precautions in this refpect, and therefore we fhall only obferve this one, that it was unlawful to speak a word in the jynagogue (h); to which our Saviour seems to allude, Matth. xii. 36.

There might be several Synagogues in the fame city, and even in one quarter of it. Philo, for inftance, fays, there were feveral in every diftrict of the city of Alexandria (*). And it appears from the Acts of the Apostles (i), that there was more than one at Damafcus. The Jews tell us; there were 480 in Jerufalem, but fo valt a number hath very much the air of a fable, or at leaft it is a very grand exaggeration (k). It is however true, that there were a great many in this large and famous city, fince we find St. Luke mentioning thofe of the Libertines, Cyrenians, Alexandrians, Cilicians, and Afiaticks (1). Some authors do indeed fancy that these were but one and the fame fynagogue, where the people of these several countries were wont to affemble; but it is much more natural to understand this of fo many different fynagogues, as the conftruction of the words neceffarily require, fince it is well known otherwife, that there were a great many in Jerufalem. The most famous fynagogue the Jews ever had, was the great fynagogue of Alexandria, of which the Rabbins fay, that he who hath not jeen it, hath not feen the glory of Ifrael.

The chief things belonging to a synag gue, were, i. The ark or `cheft, wherein lay the book of the law, that is, the Pentateuch, or five books of Mofes. This cheft was made after the model of the ark of the covenant, and always placed in that part of the fynagogue which looked towards the holy land, if the fynagogue was out of it; but if it was within it, then the cheft was placed towards Jerufalem; and if the fynagogue ftood in this city, the cheft was fet towards the Holy of Holies. Cut of this ark it was they took, with a great deal of ceremony, and before the whole congregation, the book of the law, when they were to read it. The writings of the prophets were not laid therein. Before it, there was a vail reprefenting the vail which feparated the holy place from the Holy of Holies. 2. The pulpit with a desk in the middle of the fynagogue, in which ftood up he, that was to read or expound the law. 3. The feats or pews wherein the people fate to hear the law read and expounded.

(b) Buxtorf Synagog. Jud. c. 2.
(2) Acts ix. 2.

(*) Philo Legat. ad Caium.

Of

(k) Or else they have expreffed an uncertain large number, by a certain; fee Dr. Prideaux, ubi fupra.

(1) Acts vi. 9.

Of these fome were more honourable than others. The former were for those who were called Elders, not fo much upon the account of their age as of their gravity, prudence, and authority. Thefe Elders fate with their backs towards the forementioned cheft, and their faces towards the congregation, who looked towards the ark. These feats of the Elders are thofe which are called in the gospel the chief feats (m); and which Jefus Chrift ordered his difciples not to contend for, as the Pharafees did. It seems as if it may be inferred from St. James (n), that the places where the primitive Christians assembled themfelves, were like the Jewish Synagogues, and had their uppermost seats where the rich were placed in contempt of the poor. The women did not fit among the men, but in a kind of balcony or gallery. 4. There were alfo fixed on the walls, or hung to the ceilings, feveral lamps; efpecially on the fabbath day, and other festivals, which ferved not only for ornament, but to give light at the time of the evening fervice. They were chiefly used at the feast of Dedication, which was inftituted in remembrance of the repairing of the temple, after it had been polluted by Antiochus. 5. Lastly, there were in the fynagogue rooms or apartments, wherein the utenfils belonging to it were laid; as trumpets, horns (♥), and certain chefts for keeping the alms.

To regulate and take care of all things belonging to the fynagogue Service, there was appointed a council or affembly of grave and wife perfons, well versed in the law, over whom was fet a prefident, who was called the ruler of the fynagogue. This name was fometimes given to all the members of this affembly; and accordingly we find the rulers of the fynagogue, mentioned in the New Teftament, in the plural number (p). It is very probable, that these are the fame which are ftiled in the facred writings, the chiefs of the Jews (9), the rulers, the priests or eiders, the governors, the overfeers or bishops, the fathers of the Synagogue (r). Their bufinefs was, 1. To order and direct every thing belonging to the fynagogue; and 2. To teach the people. We hall hereafter give on account of this laft function of

theirs.

The government which they exercifed in the fynagogue, consisted of thefe particulars. To punish the difobedient, either by cenfures, excommunication, or other penalties, as fines and scourging; to take care of the alms, which the facred writers as well as the rabbins, call by the name of righteousness (s). The chief ruler, or one of the rulers, gave leave to have the law read and expounded, and appointed who should do it. Of this there is an example in the xiiith chapter of the Acts of the Apoftles, where it is faid, that Paul and Barnabas having entered into a fynagogue at Antioch, the rulers gave them leave to fpeak (1). As for the punifu

(m) Matth. xxiii. 6.

(z) James ii. 2, 3.

ments

(e) With which a man ftanding at the top of the lynagogue, proclaimed the time of prayer, and the hour when every feftival begun. (P) Axiouraywyoı. Mark v. 35. &c. Luke viii. 41.

(9) Acts xxviii. 17.

() Matth. ix. 18. Mark v. 22. Acts xviii. 8. iv. 5. (s) Pfa', cxii. 9. Matth. vi. 1. 2 Cor. ix. 9.

(r) Ver. 15,

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tments which they inflicted on offenders, the Jews have reduced them to thefe three heads or degrees. 1. Private reproof. When the chief ruler of the fynagogue, or any other of the directors, had admonished or rebuked a perfon in private, that perfon was obliged to stay at home in a ftate of humiliation, and not to appear in public for the fpace of feven days, except in cafe of neceffity. If at the end of those days, the finner fhewed no fign of repentance, then, 2. he was cut off, or feparated from fociety; that is, he underwent that fort of excommunication, which they called niddui, or feparation. While he lay under it, it was unlawful for any to come within four cubits of him (u), during the space of thirty days. At the end of which term, he was restored by the officers of the fynagogue, if he repented; but if he did not, the excommunication lasted thirty days longer. However, the rulers of the fynagogue were at liberty to prolong or fhorten it, as they found occafion. But it is to be obferved, that this fort of excommunication did not abfolutely exclude the perfon, on whom the fentence of it paffed, from the fynagogue. For it was lawful for him to go into any fynagogue, provided he did not come within four cubits of any one that was in it. 3. At length, if he perfifted in his rebellion, without repenting at all, they then proceeded to denounce against him the greater excommunication, called by them anathema, whereby he was feparated from the aflembly of the Ifraelites, and banished from the fynagogue. Jefus Chrift did undoubtedly allude to these three forts of punishments; in that discourse of his to his difciples, which we find in the xviiith chapter of St. Matthew's gofpel (x). Mention is likewife made in St. John, of putting out of the Synagogue (y); whereby whether the greater or lesser excommunication be meant, is not well known. But we may, without any fcruple, understand it of both. There are alfo in St. Paul's epiftles feveral traces of these three forts of excommunication (z). It must be observed, that the Jews were always very backward in excommunicating any famous rabbi, or teacher, though his offence was great, unless he was actually guilty of idolatry. Which undoubtedly was the reason why they never went about to excommunicate our bleffed Saviour Jefus Chrift, though he was liable to it, for condemning and oppofing the doctrines and traditions of the Scribes and Pharifees (a).

We shall not here give an account of the fines, which the guilty were fometimes wont to pay to redeem themselves from scourging, because they are no where mentioned in holy fcripture. As for fcourging, fome are of opinion, that it was a punishment not falling under the jurifdiction of the rulers of the fynagogue, but belonging to the civil courts, which they take to be meant by the fynagogues, where our Saviour tells his difciples they would be fcourged (6). Others, on the contrary, have fully and folidly proved from feveral paffages of scripture, that by the word Synagogues

(u)" Except bis wife and children." Calmet differtat. on the several ways of punishing offenders.

(x) Ver. 15

-18.

(y) John ix. 22. xii. 42. xvi. 2.

(z) Rom. xvi. 17. 1 Cor. v. 1, 2. 2 Cor. ii. 6, 7. 2 Theffal. iii. 10. Titus ii. 1o. And zd Epistle of John. ver. 10.

(a) Matth. xxiii.

VOL. III.

(6) Matth. x. 17.

L

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Synagogues in the place here quoted, we are to understand fynagogues properly fo called; befides, there are several other reafons to induce one to believe that fcourging was practifed there. This punithment was not reckoned fo ignominious as excommunication, and it was fometimes inflicted even upon a rabbi, or doctor. Very often people fubmitted to this difcipline, not so much by way of punishment for a fault they had committed, as by way of general penance. Such was the fcourging which the Jews gave one another on the great day of expiation. As they were exprefsly commanded in their law not to give above forty ftripes (c), the rabbins, for fear of exceeding this number, had reduced it to thirty-nine. This limitation was fixed in St. Paul's time, fince he tells us he received five times of the Jews forty firipes fave one (d): and alfo in that of Jofephus, who likewife reduces the forty ftripes appointed by the law to thirty-nine (e).

The rulers of the fynagogue were likewife bound to take care of the poor. As the nature and conftitution of things are fuch, that among the feveral members of every society, there will always be fome poor and indigent perfons; the Divine Lawgiver had in this particular given directions exceedingly becoming his infinite goodness, and tender regard for his creatures. And the Synagogue hath always been fo careful to execute the orders of the Almighty in this refpect, that alms-giving was ever accounted by the Jewish doctors (f), one of the most effential branches of their religion. Accordingly, there were in every fynagogue two treasury chefts, one for poor ftrangers, and the other for their own poor. Thofe that were charitably inclined, put their alms in thefe chefts, at their coming into the fynagogue to pray. Upon extraordinary occafions, they fometimes made public collections; in which cafes, the rulers of the fynagogue ordered the perfon, whofe bufinefs it was, to collect the alms, to aik every body for their charity. And as this was done on a fabbath day, when it was not lawful for a Jew either to give or receive money; therefore every one promised fuch a fum, which they accordingly brought the next day. This custom of not touching money on the fabbath day, was of a long ftanding among the Jews, fince we find it exprefsly mentioned by Philo (g): the which may help us to discover the true meaning of this command of the Apostle to the church of Corinth; Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in fore as God hath profpered him (b). For it is probable, that the Corinthians did ftill obferve the fabbath. Every fabbath day in the evening (*), three collectors gathered the alms, and distributed them the fame evening to the poor, to defray their expences for the week last paft. Though these collectors had a great deal of power and authority, they depended however upon the ruler or council of the fynagogue, who, together with the governor, or chief magiftrate of one of the cities

(c) Deut. xxv.3.

(e) Jof. Antiq. I. iv. c. 8.

(g) Philo. Legat. ad Caium.

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(b) 1 Cor. xvi. 2.

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(*) After fun fet, I fuppofe, when the next day began, according to the Jewish reckoning, (i. e. from one evening to another) and fo this might be faid to be done the next day, as is faid above.

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