Exercitations concerning the name, original, nature, use, and continuance of a day of sacred…

§. 23 Another Ground of their Hatred was, that the Jews whilst the Temple stood, gathered great sums of money out of all their Provinces, which they sent unto the Sacred Treasury. So the same ⟨p. 106⟩Person informs us in the same place: Cum Aurum Judaeorum nomine, quotannis ex Italia, & ex omnibus vestris Provinciis Hierosolymam exportari soleret. Out of Italy and all other Provinces of the Empire, there was Gold wont to be sent by the Jews to Jerusalem; as now the European Jews do contribute to the maintenance of their Synagogues in the same place; and this is acknowledged by Philo, Legat. ad Caium; and Josephus Antiqui. lib. 14. cap. 11. to have been yearly a very great sum. But by his Judaeorum nomine, he seems not only to express that the Returns of the Gold mentioned were made in the name of the Jews, but also to intimate, that it might be raised by others also, who had taken on them the profession of their Religion. For this was the third and principal cause of their Hatred and Animosity, namely that they drew over multitudes of all sorts of persons to the profession of the Law of Moses. And a good work this was, though vitiated by the wickedness and corrupt Ends of them who employed themselves therein, as our Saviour declares, Matth. 23. 15. This greatly provoked the Romans in those days, and on every occasion they severely complain of it. So Dio Cassius speaking of them adds, [Greek or Hebrew]. And this kind of men (that is men of this Profession, not natural Jews,) is found also among the Romans; which though they have been frequently punished, yet have for the most part increased, so as to take the liberty of making Laws to themselves. For their punishments, an Account is given us in Suetonius in Domit. and ⟨p. 107⟩others, of the Inquisition and Search, made after such as were circumcised. And as to their making of Laws unto themselves, he respects their Feasts, Sabbaths, Abstinencies, and such like Observances as the Jews obliged their Proselytes unto. In like manner complaineth Juvenal,

§. 23 Another Ground of their Hatred was, that the Jews whilst the Temple stood, gathered great summs of money out of all their Provinces, which they sent unto the Sacred Treasury. So the same ⟨p. 106⟩