ea diverfity of worship was a fource of CHAP. L Pances; and that thofe disturbances were ned by the kings who wished to prevent piacies against themfelves, by dividing the pulent into adverie fects. Cambyfes the Perfian monarch, in his war against Egypt, laid fiege to Pelufium; and finding his troops galled by the enemies arrows made ufe of a ftratagem which fucceeded admirably. He placed in the front of his army a multitude of cats, dogs, fheep and other animals deemed facred, advanced with fafety to the garrison and made himself master of it; the Egyptians having been afraid even to throw a dart(b). Hence it appears that fome fuperftitions of Egypt had a confiderable influence on the policy of that nation, and on the temper of its inhabitants; while the morals of the people did not receive the smalleft improvement. Juvenal (c) thus defcribes the fuperftitions of Egypt and fome effects of them in that nation before the light of Chriftianity dawned upon them. Quis nefcit Volufi Bythynice qualia demens lar religion A view of the popular theology of the Pa- The popu gans can not fail to convince us, that it tended of the to prompt them to feveral vices and crimes. Greeks and (6) Polyæn. Stratag. Lib. vii: cap: 9. (c) Sat. xv. Romans vile: Heathen CHAP. I. Heathen nations attributed to their revenge, fear, grief, jealoufy and othe (a) Iliad, iv. 34. xvi. 433. xxi. 168. i. 399. xiv. 315. Odyss Xiil. (e) Q Curtius. iv. 14. offerings that to a Fever, to Winds and to every CHAP. I. diftat could injure them. Titus Tartius fomed the goddess Cloacina; and both the cong g) condemned the Heathen theology, and the genealogies of the gods according to Hefiod and Homer as falfe and impolitic, and maintained that tho' true they ought not to be published; as tending to debauch the morals of the youth and encouraging revenge, murder, rapes, drunkenness, theft and rebellion against parents. This philofopher condemns Homer for reprefenting the gods conftantly engaged in feuds and contention; and obferves that poetical fables ought to ferve the wife purposes of policy or morals. Cicero (b) applauds Plato for banishing Homer and other poets from his imaginary republic; fince their abfurdities do mifchief by the pleasant ftile in which they are written. "These men continues he, introduced gods inflamed with anger and luft; and ex"hibited their wars, wounds, hatred, diffen"tions, births, deaths, complaints, lamenta"tions, intemperance, adulteries, fetters, co"pulations with mortals and men fprung from "immortal gods." Hence we may conclude that, at Chrifts appearance, the state of the popular religion was truly deplorable; it will fully appear in the 3d chapter of this history, that it was productive of revenge, human facrifices, felf-murder, fornication, adultery and inceft; and that these and other crimes were checked by the gospel. Tull. de Leg. ii. 11 & 17.- (g) De Rep. Lib. ii. p. 605. & Lib. iii. p. 613. Edit. Frankfort, 1602; Lib. i. cap. 44. & Tufcul. Quæst, ii. 11, CHAP. CHAP. II. CHAP. 11. GENERAL TENDENCY AND EFFECTS HE Origin and general defign of the Mofaic inftitutions. -Tendency of particular rites, precepts and prohibitions of Mofes.- Judaifm was an imperfect fyftem of religion. THE Ifraelites who fettled in EOrigin and gypt, during the adminiftration of Jofeph, mulgeneral de- tiplied quickly; and their defcendants became Mofaic in- a rich, warlike and well-united people. The ftitutions. Egyptians, alarmed at their growing power, fign of the oppreffed them feverely, and obliged them to carry burdens; to enervate their bodies and prevent their encreafe. Mofes was sent by God to liberate this people, to conduct them from Egypt, to abolish idolatry among them, and to inftruct them in the knowlege of the one true God. All the Mofaic inftitutions tend to one great point, namely, to prevent or remove idolatry, to promote the worship of the true God, and to advance men in theological and moral knowledge. The Hebrew lawgiver adapted his inftitutions to the genius of a people who had been oppreffed in Egypt, children in information, and accustomed to the rites of an idolatrous kingdom. He must have known the abfurdity of addreffing or inftructing children, as if they were mature in under-. standing, or peasants and mechanics as if they were learned and refined. For the purpose of gindually leading men from idolatry to the worship worship of the true God, he enjoined several CHAP. II rites and precepts uneffential in themselves; just as many years are employed in learning the rudiments of arts, and in reading books which have no intrinfic value, but as they lead to the acquifition of ufeful knowlege. Even the most exceptionable parts of the law tended to divert the Hebrews from the worship of falfe Gods, to feparate them from idolatrous nations who were likely to feduce them, or to remind them of their obligations to the true God. Mofes abolished fome feemingly innocent customs, fuch as fhaving the head round, eating over blood, wearing linen and woollen, &c. as tending to encourage fuperftition and idolatry among the people. He prohibited not only idolatrous worship, but even acts which led to it, fuch as branding their bodies, cutting their flesh, planting a grove near an altar, fetting up an image, erecting painted ftones, and other acts deftitute of moral turpitude. He oppofed diametrically fome Gentile inftitutions; while he complied with the prejudices of his own people in trifling inftances; that they might not reject his moral and rational doctrines. Knowing that men will not adopt new rites, unless they appear in the garb of the old; he tranfcribed fome profane rites into his worship, and changed their object from idols to God. We admit that the Jewish legiflator repeatedly forbids his people to adopt the rites and manners of the Gentiles; but fuch paffages only condemn idolatry, impurity and every thing which clashes with good morals, and with the belief of one God. Let us now briefly examine the tendency and ufe of certain Mofaic rites, precepts and prohibitions, which feem to have little or |