[180] _Philo. lib. quod omnis probus, p. 678._
[181] _Vide Chemnit. exem. conc. Trident. part. quart. pag. 120._
We formerly observed two sorts of _Essenes_; _Practicks_ and _Theoricks_: both agreed in their _Aphorisms_, or _Ordinances_; but in certain circumstances they differed.
1. The _Practicks_ dwelt in the Cities; The _Theoricks_ shunned the Cities, and dwelt in Gardens, and solitary Villages.
2. The _Practicks_ spent the day in manual Crafts, keeping of Sheep, looking to Bees, tilling of Ground, _&c._ they were τεχνίται, _Artificers_. The _Theoricks_ spent the day in meditation, and prayers, whence they were by a kind of excellency, by _Philo_ termed, ἱκέται, _Supplicantes_.
3. The _Practicks_ had every day their dinner and supper allowed them; the _Theoricks_ only their supper.
The _Practicks_ had for their Commons every one his dish of Water-gruel, and bread; The _Theoricks_ only bread, and salt: if any were of a more delicate palate then other, to him it was permitted to eat Hyssop; their drink for both, was common water.
Some are of Opinion, that these _Theoricks_ were _Christian Monks_; but the countary appeareth, for these reasons:
1. In that whole Book of _Philo_, concerning the _Theoricks_, there is no mention either of _Christ_, or _Christians_, of the _Evangelists_, or _Apostles_.
2. The _Theoricks_, in that Book of _Philo_’s, are not any new Sect of late beginning, as the _Christians_ at that time were, as is clearly evidenced by _Philo_ his own words. First, In calling the Doctrine of the _Essenes_ πατρίαν φιλοσοφίαν, _A philosophy derived unto them by tradition from their fore-fathers_. Secondly, in saying, _Habent priscorum commentarios, qui hujus sectæ autores_, &c.
3. The inscription of that Book, is not only περὶ βίου θεωρητικοῦ but also περὶ ἱκετῶν. Now _Philo_[182] elsewhere calleth the whole Nation of the _Jews_, τὸ ἱκετικὸν γένος, which argueth, that those _Theoricks_ were _Jews_, not _Christians_.
[182] _Philo in Prin. lib. de legat. Caium._
Other Factions there were among the _Jews_, which are improperly termed Sects. Of these there were principally two. First, _Gaulonitæ_. Secondly, _Herodiani_. The _Gaulonitæ_ had their names from one _Judas_, who sometimes[183] was called _Judas Gaulonites_, sometimes[184] _Judas Galilæus_, of whom _Gamaliel_ speaketh, _Acts 5. 37._ _After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the daies of the tribute._ The tribute here spoken of, was that made by _Cyrenius_, sometimes called _Quirinius_: the name in _Greek_ is one and the same, but differently read by Expositors. This _Cyrenius_ was sent from _Rome_ by _Augustus_, into _Syria_, and from thence came into _Judæa_, where _Coponius_ was _President_, and there he raised this Tax; which taxation is unadvisedly by some confounded with that mentioned, _Luke 2. 1._ Both were raised under _Augustus_, but they differed. First, this was only of _Syria_ and _Judæa_; that in Saint _Luke_ was universal, of the whole world. Secondly, this was, when _Archelaus_, _Herods_ son, was banished into _Vienna_, having reigned nine years; that, under _Herod_ the Great: Whence there is an observable Emphasis, in that Saint _Luke_ saith, it was the _first_ taxing, having reference unto this _second_.
