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Sect. VI. Of the Sadduces.
Sadock and Baithus two Scholars of Antigonus of Socho were the first Schismaticks and Hereticks against this state Religion, of which we have spoken: They denyed the resur∣rection, which to deny was heresie indeed; and they or their Scholars denied the whole Traditional Law, which the Jews did take for a worse Heresie than the other: Antigonus their Master had used an obscure expression in his doctrine, exhorting his Scholars to em∣brace the Law not looking for a reward, meaning that they should embrace it for the love of it self. But these unlucky Scholars misconstrued his doctrine even to the denying that there was any reward in the World to come at all: and thereupon they denied the Re∣surrection, and so did the Sadduces after them, who took their denomination from this Sadock the first Author of their Sect. Avoth. R. Nath. per. 5. Juchasin. fol. 15. Elias Lev. in Tishbi; See Matth. 22. 22. Acts 23. 8.
Hereupon that and the succeeding generations were put to it, to take up words and ar∣guments whereby to face and confute this Heresie: And so came the Phrases The world to come, Gehennah, Paradise, Abrahams bosom, The second death, &c. into use and request, that the very expressions might assert the Resurrection, and cry down the wicked opini∣on of Sadock, Baithus, and their followers who denied it. And among other fortifi∣cations that were made against this Heresie, that argument of Gebikah ben Pasisa, or ben Kosem is deservedly renowned, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 That which was not, came into being, and shall not that much more that hath been already? Juchas. fol. 13. meaning, that God who had made the body of man when it had never been in being, can much more raise up that body that hath been in being before.
This was the only Heresie of Sadock and his followers at the first, and they disturbed the setled religion with no other, (only he and his fellow Baithus went away to the Temple at Gerizim, and became Samaritans) but he afterward and the Sadduces which came after him, and took their name from him, held another opinion, which by the Jews was taken for as bad or a worse Heresie than this (though in it self indeed it deserved no such brand) and that was, They denyed the Traditional Law, and would owne no Law but the written Law of Moses: and hereupon they were also called Karaites or Scriptu∣rists, because they were all for the written Text, and would not indure any Traditions: and so they struck at the very root of the then religion, which was built upon Traditi∣ons in a manner only.
Hear how Rambam complains against them, From that arose saith he, the cursed Sect of Hereticks which were called Karaites: but they are called also by the wise men Sadduces and Bai∣thusaeans: they began to oppose the Cabbalah, or traditions, and to expound the Text as them∣selves thought good, without hearkning to any of the wise men at all. In Avoth. per. 1. And Elias Levita thus. Antigonus of Socoh had two Scholars Sadoc and Baithus, which grew exceeding wicked and denied the Traditional Law, and believed only what was written in the written Law, therefore they called them Karaites.
The Sadduces were addicted to a Ceremonious Religion as well as the Pharisees, though in all things they went not so far, and in the same things they went not always alike. They used Phylacteries as well as the Pharisees, but they wore them not after the very same fashion. Megil. fol. 24. Nay somtimes some of the Priests administred the service at the Temple, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 after the way of the Saduces, different from the Or∣dinary way, but such (as the Jerusalem Talmud relateth) dyed strange deaths. And the matters wherein they followed the way of the Sadduces were all about Ceremony.
But they would own ••one of the Ceremonies they used, as derived from Tradition, but, (as they pretended) deduced in all points from Moses his Text: For they would acknowledge nothing but what was written, though oftentimes they did not so much find it to be written so, as they made it so by their construction: and joyned in many things with the Traditional Ceremonies, but scorned to receive them from Tradition, but would make shift to find ground for them in the Text: even as many amongst us at this day, hold Arminian, Socinian, or Popish Tenets, yet scorn to fetch them or to acknowledge them fetcht from Arminius, Socinus, or Rome, but will seem to fetch them out of the very Text of Scripture.
Let me conclude this matter with some words of Josephus to shew how they despised and rejected traditions, and with a passage in Maimonides, that sheweth how they would have nothing but what was to be seen in the Text of Scripture. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. The Pharisees (saith Josephus) delivered many things unto the people as apper∣taining to the Law, by Traditions from the Fathers, which are not written in the Law of Moses. And therefore the Sect of the Sadduces cast them off, saying that these things are to be accounted for Laws, which are written, but that these things that come by Tradition from the Fathers ought not to be kept. And about these matters were often great disputes and differences betwixt them. Antiq. lib, 13. cap. 18.