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[411]
Hereupon the men of power got together, and conferred with the high
priests, as did also the principal of the Pharisees; and thinking all was
at stake, and that their calamities were becoming incurable, took counsel
what was to be done. Accordingly, they determined to try what they could
do with the seditious by words, and assembled the people before the brazen
gate, which was that gate of the inner temple [court of the priests] which
looked toward the sun-rising. And, in the first place, they showed the
great indignation they had at this attempt for a revolt, and for their
bringing so great a war upon their country; after which they confuted their
pretense as unjustifiable, and told them that their forefathers had adorned
their temple in great part with donations bestowed on them by foreigners,
and had always received what had been presented to them from foreign nations;
and that they had been so far from rejecting any person's sacrifice (which
would be the highest instance of impiety,) that they had themselves placed
those donation about the temple which were still visible, and had remained
there so long a time; that they did now irritate the Romans to take arms
against them, and invited them to make war upon them, and brought up novel
rules of a strange Divine worship, and determined to run the hazard of
having their city condemned for impiety, while they would not allow any
foreigner, but Jews only, either to sacrifice or to worship therein. And
if such a law should be introduced in the case of a single private person
only, he would have indignation at it, as an instance of inhumanity determined
against him; while they have no regard to the Romans or to Caesar, and
forbid even their oblations to be received also; that however they cannot
but fear, lest, by thus rejecting their sacrifices, they shall not be allowed
to offer their own; and that this city will lose its principality, unless
they grow wiser quickly, and restore the sacrifices as formerly, and indeed
amend the injury [they have offered foreigners] before the report of it
comes to the ears of those that have been injured.
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