[19] Joseph Locutus de Pompeio l. 1. de bello Jud. c. 5. p. 720.
[20] Harum societatum frequens mentio facta est apud Ciceron. in orat. pro. Sex. Ros. Muræna, in Cn. Plancio.
[21] Sigon. de Antiq. jure civium Rom. lib. 2. c. 4.
[22] Is. Casaubon exercit. 13. 37.
[23] Suet. in Flav. Vespas. cap. 1.
It is now generally received as a truth undoubted, that not only Heathen people, but sometimes Jews themselves became Publicanes. Tertullian was of another opinion,[24] and thought that all the Publicans were Heathens; but he hath been in that long since confuted by Jerome[25], and reason it self perswadeth the contrary. First, Matthew who was a Publican, was afterwards an Apostle, and therefore unlikely to have been an Heathen. Secondly, Zacheus his name was a pure Hebrew name having no affinity with Roman names. Thirdly, the ground or principal argument on which Tertullian built, was meerly[26] erroneous.
[24] Tertul. de pudic. c. 9.
[25] Jeronym. epist. ad Damasum.
[26] Fraudi fuit acutissimo Pœno Hebraicæ linguæ ignoratio, nusquam enim occurrit in fonte spurius ille textus, quo Tertullianus potissimum nititur, non erit vectigal, pendens ex filiis Israel. Deut. 23.