2. _They rejected[138] all traditions._ Whence, As they were called מינין _Minæi_, i. _Heretiques_, in respect of the general opposition between them and _Pharisees_. First, because the _Pharisees_ were in repute the only _Catholicks_. Secondly, because in their Doctrine, the _Pharisees_ were much nearer the truth than the _Sadduces_: so in this respect of this particular opposition, in the ones rejecting, the others urging of traditions, the _Sadduces_ were termed[139] קראים _Karaim_, _Biblers_, or _Scripturists_.
[139] _Drusius de trib. sect. c. 8. l. 3 p. 130._
3. _They said there was no reward for good works, nor punishment for ill, in the world to come._ Hence Saint _Paul_ perceiving that in the _Councel_ the one part were _Sadduces_, the other _Pharisees_, he cried out, _Of the hope of the reward expected, and of the resurrection of the dead, I am called in question_, Act. 23. 6.
4. _They denied the resurrection of the body_, Act. 22. 8. Matth. 22. 23. Luke 20. 27.
5. _They said the souls of men are annihilated[140] at their death._
[140] _Joseph. de bello Judaic. lib. 2. c. 12._
6. _They denied Angels and spirits_, Act. 23. 8.
7. _They wholly denied[141] Fate or Destiny, and ascribed all to mans Free-will._
The _Samaritanes_ and the _Sadduces_ are of near affinity: but yet they differ. First[142] The _Samaritanes sacrificed_ at the Temple built upon Mount _Gerizim_, but the _Sadduces_ sacrificed at _Jerusalem_. Secondly, The _Samaritanes_ allowed no commerce with the _Jews_, _John 4. 9._ yea, the mutual hatred between the _Samaritans_ and the _Jews_ was so great, that it was not lawful for the _Jews_ to eat or drink with the _Samaritans_. How is it that thou being a _Jew_, askest drink of me which am a woman of _Samaria_, _Joh. 4. 9._ Nay, whereas liberty was granted unto all Nations of the earth to become _Proselites_ to the _Jewes_, so did the _Jews_ hate the _Samaritanes_, that they would not suffer a _Samaritan_ to be a _Prosylite_. This appeareth by that solemn _Excommunication_,[143] termed _Excommunicatio in secreto nominis tetragrammati_: the form thereof: as it was applyed (say they) by _Ezra_ and _Nehemiah_ unto the _Samaritanes_, was thus, _They assembled the whole Congregation into the Temple of the Lord, and they brought 300 Priests, ~and~ 300 Trumpets, ~and~ 300 books of the Law, and as many boys, and they sounded their Trumpets and the Levites singing cursed the Samaritanes by all the sorts of Excommunication, in the mystery of the name ~Jehovah~, and in the Decalogue, & with the curse of the superiour house of judgement, and likewise with the curse of the inferiour house of judgement, that no Israelite should eat the bread of a Samaritane, (whence they say, he which eateth of a Samaritans bread is as he who eateth swines flesh) and let no Samaritane be a Prosylite in Israel, and that they should have no part in the resurrection of the dead_. _R. Gersom_[144] forbade the breaking open of the Letters, under the penalty of this _Excommunication_. This proveth what formerly was said; namely, that between the _Jews_ and the _Samaritanes_ there was no commerce; but the _Sadduces_ familiarly conversed with the other _Jews_, even with the _Pharisees_ themselves; yea, both sat together in the same _Council_, _Acts 23. 6._ Now the _Samaritanes_ and _Sadduces_ agree. 1. _In the rejection of all the others traditions._ 2. _In the rejection of all other Scriptures, save only the five Books of ~Moses~._ 3. _In the denial of the Resurrection, and the consequences, as future punishments, and rewards according to mens works._ But the _Samaritanes_ held that there were _Angels_, which the _Sadduces_ denied. For the proof of these agreements and disagreements between them, read _Epiphanius, hæres. 9. & 14._