Ye compass sea and land, &c.— 3. The third woe is denounced, because theyexpressed the greatest zeal imaginable in making proselytes, compassing sea and land; that is to say, using the most indefatigable pains and ardour, and leaving no art unpractised for that end; while at the same time their intention in all this was, not that the Gentiles might become better men through the knowledge of true religion, but more friendly to them; yielding them the direction of their purses, as well as of their consciences. Accordingly, in the heathen countries these worldlings accommodated religion to the humours of men; placing it, not in the eternal and immutable rules of righteousness, but in ceremonial observances; the effect of which was, either that the proselytes became more superstitious, more immoral, and more presumptuous than their teachers; or that, taking them for impostors, they relapsed again into their old state of heathenism; and in both cases became two-fold more the children of hell than even the Pharisees themselves; that is to say, more openly and unlimitedly wicked than they. The zeal of the Jews in making proselytes was so remarkable, that it was taken notice of by the heathens, and turned into a proverb:
——— Ac veluti te Judaei, cogamus in hanc concedere turbam. HOR. Lib. 1: Sat. 4 ver. 142.
We'll force you, like the proselyting Jews, To be like us.— FRANCIS.
Upon which St. Ambrose observes, that "this pleasantry of the poet arises from the proselyting spirit of the Jews, who insinuated themselves into families, entered into the courts of justice, disturbed the judges, andwere always more successful in proportion as they were more impudent." To the same purpose is what Justin Martyr said to Tryphothe Jew: "Your proselytes not only disbelieve Christ's doctrine, but blaspheme his name as much again as yourselves." Child of hell, and son of perdition, were terms of reproach made use of among the Jews.