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ters S. P. Q. R. were written on the Roman Standard for Senatus Populus Que Romanus, i e. the Roman Senate and People. Jefus Chrift our Saviour hath been called a Fish, in Greek IXOTE, by the Fathers, becaufe these are the first Letters of those Greek Words, Jesus Chrift, God's Son, the Saviour.

SECT. VI. Of the JEWISH Government under the MACCABEES of ASM ONE ANS: and first, of the three Brothers JUDAS, JONATHAN, and SIMON.

WHAT valiant Actions did Judas and

his Brethren do in Defence of the Law, and against the Perfecutors? A. He won many Battles againft King Antiochus and his Generals, and incouraged himself and his Soldiers in the Name of God whenfoever they began to faint.

2 Q Where are thefe Acts of Judas and his Brethren recorded? A. The earlieft Account of them is found in the firft and fecond Books of Maccabees.

Here note, That the first Book of Maccabees is a very accurate and excellent Hiftory, and comes nearest to the Stile and Manner of the facred Writings, and is fuppofed to be written a little after thefe Perfecutions and Wars were ended: But the fecond Book confifts of feveral Pieces of much less Value: It begins with two Epiftles from the Jews of Jerufalem, but both are fuppofed to be fabulous Stories, and in fome Parts impoffible to be true. The following parts of it pretend to be an Abridgment of the History of one Jafon, it relates fome of the Perfecutions of Antiochus, aud the Acts of Judas ampli Sed with particular Circumftances, but it is not of

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equal Efteem with the first Book, for it feems to affect Miracles and prodigious Events beyond reasonable Credibility.

3 Q. How did King Anticchus refent thefe Attempts of Judas, and his Succeffes against him? A. When he went into Perfia to gather the Tribute of the Countries there, he left Lyftas with half his Army, and with exprefs Orders to destroy and root the Jews out of their Land.

4Q. Did Lyfias purjue the King's Orders? A. Yes, with great Diligence he fought to execute thefe cruel Orders: His Army of forty thou fand Foot, and seven thousand Horse encamped at Emmaus near Jerufalem, and another Army of a thoufand Merchants flocked thither upon Prefumption of their Victory, with great Quantities of Silver and Gold to buy the Captives for Slaves.

5 Q. How did their wicked Counsel to deftroy Ifrael Jucceed? A. When they were thus fecure and confident of Succefs, Judas and his Brethren affembled in Mixpah, fafted, put on Sack-cloth, laid open the Book of the Law before God where the Heathens had painted their Images, cried mightily unto God for Help, founded the Trumpets, brought the Army into Order, and prepared for Battle and for Death, unless God pleafed to make them Conquerors.

6Q. What was the Event of fo much pious Zeal and Courage? A. Judas and his Army put to Aight and deftroyed feveral large Parties that Lyfias had fent against him, they drove the Enemy out of Jerufalem, and almoft out of the Land of Judea, and took a very large Booty both from the Army and the Merchants.

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7Q. What was the firft Work that Judas and his People applied themselves to upon this great Succefs? A. They went up into Mount Sion, and when they faw the Sanctuary defolate, the Altar profaned, the Gates burnt up, Shrubs and Grafs growing in the Courts of the Temple, they rent their Clothes, fell down upon their Faces, and made great Lamentation with humble Cries to Heaven.

8 Q. Had they Power and Time to repair the Temple, and restore the Worship of God? A. Yes, they applied themselves to the Work with all Diligence, they fought out Priefts of blameless Converfation to cleanse the Sanctuary, they pulled down the Altar of Burnt-offering, because the Heathen had defiled it, they built a new Altar as the Law directs with whole Stones, they made new holy Veffels, the Altar of Incenfe, the Table, and the Candlesticks, all of Gold, which they had taken from their Enemies, and they fet all the Parts of divine Worship in order again, and offered Sacrifice according to the Law.

9Q. How did they kindle the facred Fire on the Altar? A. Having loft the Fire which came down from Heaven, which was kept burning on the Altar at Jerufalem before the Babylonish Captivity, they ftruck Fire with Flints, and fo kindled the Sacrifices and the Lamps, 2 Mac. x. 3.

Note, We do not read that the fecond Temple ever had this facred Eire; the Story of Jeremiah's hiding it, in 2 Mac. chap. i. is counted a mere Fable.

10 Q Was there any thing remarkable in the Time or Day of this Restoration of Temple-Worfhip? A. That very Day three Years wherein the Heathen had prophaned the Altar by the Offering

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of unclean Beafts on it, it was dedicated with Songs and Harps, and Cymbals, and Burnt-offerings of God's Appointment, and that for eight Days together. This was two Years after Judas had the chief Command, and three Years and a half after the City and Temple had been laid defolate by Apollonius.

11 Q. What lafting Memorial was appointed for this Refloration of the Worship of God in the Tem ple? A. Judas and his Brethren, and the whole Congregation ordained that thefe Days of the Dedication of the Altar fhould be kept yearly with Mirth and Gladness.

12 Q. Did the Worship of God continue long here after this Solemnity? A. We are told by Hiftorians, that it continued from this Time without any Interruption from the Heathens till the Deftruction of the Temple by the Romans, though Jerufalem and the Temple were often in the Hands of the Heathens.

Note, Some fay this was that very Feast of Dedication which our Saviour honoured with his Prefence at Jeru falem, though others think it was the Dedication of So lomon's Temple; yet the Seafon being Winter, it rather agrees to the Time of Maccabeus's Dedication.

13 Q. Were not the Jews at all annoyed or difturbed by the Enemy in this pious Work? A. There was ftill that Fortress built by Apollonius remaining in the Hand of the Heathens and apoftate Jews it flood on Mount Acra, a rifing Ground overagainst the Mountain of the Temple, and rather higher than that Mountain, whence the Jews received fome Annoyance in going to the Temple.

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14 Q. What farther Care did Judas and his People take for their own Security? A. When they could not drive out the Enemy at once, they built up Mount Sion with high Walls and ftrong Towers, and put a Garison there to keep it, and as far as poffible to fecure the Priefts and People when they went to worship, and to prevent the Gentiles from treading down the Sanctuary again.

15 Q. Did Judas and the People continue to en joy Peace? A. Though they maintained the Temple-Worship, yet they were ftill engaged in War: For all the Nations round about them were much difpleafed that the Sanctuary was reftored, and they attacked the Yews on every Side; but God gave Judas and his Brethren the Victory in many Battles, and they returned to Jerufalem, and gave Thanks to God in Sion for his remarkable Protection of them, that they had not lost one Man, I Mac. v. 54.

16 Q. Did Judas make any more Expeditions against his Enemies? A. He led forth his Forces againft Gorgias one of Antiochus's Generals, and against the Idumeans who had been very vexatious< to the Jews; and though several of the Jews were flain, yet fudas renewing the Courage of his Army by finging Pfalms with a loud Voice, and rushing upon their Enemies, put them to flight.

17 Q. What remarkable Crime was found among the Jews that were fain? A. When they came to bury their Dead, they found things confecrated to Idols under the Garment of every Few that was flain, whereupon the People praised the Lord, the righteous Judge of Men: But without any Encouragement from Scripture, they of

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