made use of by learned men: such as Ainsworth on Gen. xvii: Dr. Hammond's Annotations on Matt. iii. xix. xxiii: John iii: item, Six Queries: item, Defence of Infant Baptism: Selden de Jure Nat. et Gent. juxta Hebræos: item, de Synedriis: item, de Successionibus, &c.: Dr. Lightfoot, Hor. Hebr. on Matt. iii. and John iii: item, Harmony on the New Testament: Luke iii. Jacob Alting, Prælectio 7. de Proselytis Godwyn's Moses and Aaron, &c. and the learned author of the Discourse concerning Lenta, part ii. chap. 2.

First then, it is evident that the custom of the Jews before our Saviour's time (and, as they themselves affirm, from the beginning of their law) was to baptize as well as circumcise any proselyte that came over to them from the nations. This does fully appear both from the books of the Jews themselves, and also of others that understood the Jewish customs and have written of them. They reckoned all mankind beside themselves to be in an unclean state, and not capable of being entered into the covenant of Israelites without a washing or baptism, to denote their purification from their uncleanness. And this was called the baptizing of them unto Moses.

This custom of theirs is fully and largely set forth by

Maimonides Issuri Bia, capp. 13, 14. He had been saying there that the Israelites themselves were entered into covenant by circumcision, baptism, and sacrifice. And then he adds:

a

A discourse concerning Lent, in two parts, (published anonymously, but by Dr. George Hooper, bishop of Bath and Wells,) 8vo. London, 1695.

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' And so in all ages when an ethnic is willing to enter into the covenant, and gather himself under the wings of the majesty of God, and take upon him the yoke of the law, he must be circumcised, ' and baptized, and bring a sacrifice; or if it be a ' woman, be baptized and bring a sacrifice. As it is written, As you are, so shall the stranger be. 'How are you? By circumcision and baptism, and bringing of a sacrifice. So likewise the stranger (or proselyte) through all generations; by circumIcision and baptism, and bringing of a sacrifice. ' And what is the stranger's sacrifice? A burnt offering of a beast, or two turtle-doves, or two young 'pigeons, both of them for a burnt offering.

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And at this time when there is no sacrificing, they must be circumcised and baptized; and when the temple shall be built, they are to bring the sa'crifice.

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'A stranger that is circumcised and not baptized, or baptized and not circumcised, he is not a proselyte till he be both circumcised and baptized: and he must be baptized in the presence of three, &c.

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Even as they circumcise and baptize strangers

so do they circumcise and baptize servants that are ' received from heathens into the name of servitude,

• &c.

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'When a man or a woman comes to join as a proselyte, they make diligent inquiry concerning such, lest they come to get themselves under the law for some riches that they should receive, or 'for dignity that they should obtain, or for fear. If ' it be a man, they inquire whether he have not set

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b Numb. xv. 15.

his affection on some Jewish woman; or a woman, ‹ her affection on some young man of Israel. If no ,' such like occasion be found in them, they make known unto them the weightiness of the yoke of the law and the toil that is in the doing thereof, ' above that which people of other lands have, to see if they will go back. If they take it upon them and withdraw not, and they see that they come of love, then they receive them, &c.

Therefore the judges received no proselyte all the days of David and Solomon. Not in David's days, lest they should have come of fear: nor in Solomon's, lest they should have come because of the kingdom and great prosperity which Israel then had. For whoso comes from the heathens for any thing of the vanities of this world, he is no righteous proselyte. Notwithstanding there 'were many proselytes that in David's and Solo- . mon's time joined themselves in the presence of private persons; and the judges of the great fynedrion had a care of them. They drove them not away, after they were baptized, out of any place; ⚫ neither took they them near to them until their ' after-fruits appeared.'

Maimonides gives at the same place an account of several circumstances of time, place, &c. observed in this action of baptizing a proselyte. As that, they baptized not a proselyte on the sabbath, nor on a holyday, nor by night, &c. This do it in a confluence of waters, &c. As soon as he 'grows whole of the wound of circumcision, they bring him to baptism; and being placed in the 'water they again instruct him,' &c. And such a confluence of waters, Jonathan's Chaldee Paraphrase

ey

determines ought not to be less than forty of the measures called Sata, where he paraphrases on Exod. xxix. Lev. xi. and other placès.

The Talmud says the same thing of receiving proselytes by baptism; only whereas Maimonides speaks of the number of three as necessary to be present at the baptizing; the Talmud Babylonic. does not insist on any more than two grave men.

Talmud Babylon. Mass. Jevamoth. fol. 47. "When a proselyte is received he must be cir'cumcised; and then when he is cured (of the wound ' of circumcision) they baptize him in the presence of two wise men, saying, Behold he is an Is'raelite in all things: or if it be a woman, the wo'men lead her to the waters,' &c.

But the Talmud Hierosol. Jevamoth, says as Maimonides does, that a proselyte has need of three.' And directs the other circumstances as he does, viz.

They do not baptize a proselyte by night.' And, they were not baptized till the pain of circum'cision were healede.'

And the same continues to this day to be the practice of the present Jews. For so Leo Modena, in his history of them, part v. chap. 2, speaking of a proselytes admission; They take and circumcise him; and as soon as he is well of his sore, he is to wash ' himself all over in water: and this is to be done in 'the presence of the three rabbins, &c. And so, ⚫ from thenceforth, he becomes as a natural Jew.' The books do speak of this washing, or baptism,

c Fol. 46. 2.

d Fol. 46. 2.

e Fol. 41. 2.

f The History of the Rites Customs and Manner of Life of the present Jews throughout the World; translated (from the Italian) into English, by Edmund Chilmead Chilmead 12mo. London, 1650.

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as absolutely necessary and an ordinance, without
which none was to be counted a proselyte. So

Gemara Babylon. ad tit. Cherithoth, cỵap. ii.
'The proselytes entered not into covenant, but by
'circumcision, baptism, and sprinkling of blood.'
And Tit. Jabimoth, chap. iv.

'He is no proselyte unless he be circumcised and baptized.' And 'if he be not baptized he remains a Gentile (or Pagan) And there is in that chapter a proof given of that opinion of the necessity, which I shall have occasion by and by to mention.

Maimonides says the same thing, as we saw in
the chapter I quoted before8.

Also the Talmud, Tract. Repudii, speaking of
Jethro, Moses's father-in-law/

'He was made a proselyte by circumcision and
⚫ immersion in waters.' Godwyn in his Moses and
Aaron, lib. i. cap. 3.

A

To the making of a male proselyte at first three things were required: 1. circumcision; 2. a kind of purification by water; 3. the blood of oblation. Moses Kotsen, fol. 20. Of a woman proselyte were required only purification by water, and oblation, Drusius de tribus Sectis.

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This custom of the Jews continued after Christ's time, and after their expulsion from the Holy Land; and continues (as I shewed from Leo Modena) to this day, if there be any that nowadays do turn pro7selytes to their religion. Wherever they sojourned,

g Issuri Bia, c. 13.

h Rabbi Moses ben Jacob Kotsiensis, Liber Præceptorum magnus,' fol. Venetiis, 1522. ibid. 1547.

Johannes Drusius de tribus Sectis Judæorum.", 8vo. Frand-/

keræ, 1605. 4to. Arnhemii, 1619.