a sect amongst the ancient Jews, so called from their washing and bathing every day, in all seasons, and observing this custom with the greatest solemnity, as a religious rite necessary to salvation. Epiphanius, who mentions this as the fourth heresy amongst the Jews, observes, that in other points these heretics entertained much the same opinions as the Scribes and Pharisees, only that they denied the resurrection of the dead, in common with the Sadducees.

The sect who pass in the East under the denomination of Sabians, calling themselves *Menadai Haaki*, or "the disciples of John," and whom the Europeans entitle "the Christians of St John," because they yet retain some knowledge of the gospel, are probably of Jewish origin, and seem to have been derived from the ancient Hemerobaptists; at least it is certain that the John whom they consider as the founder of their sect bears no similitude to John the Baptist, but rather resembles the person of that name whom the ancient writers represent as the chief of the Jewish Hemerobaptists. These ambiguous Christians dwell in Persia and Arabia, but principally at Basora; and their religion consists in bodily washings, performed frequently and with great solemnity, and attended with certain ceremonies, which the priests mingle with this superstitious service.