speak of the origin of Idolatry; to distinguish the several species of it; to adjust the order in which they arose out of one another; and to detect the ends of the later Platonists, in their attempts to turn the whole into an ALLEGORY (in which the reasonings of a late Writer in his Letters concerning Mythology are considered). And because the rage of ALLEGORISING had spread a total confusion over all this matter, The origin, and progress of the folly, and the various views of its sectators in supporting it, are here accounted for and explained.

But my end and purpose in all this, was not barely to remove an objection against the Truths delivered in this place, but to prepare a reception for those which are to follow: For if Religion were so useful to Society, and yet not the invention of the Magistrate, we must seek for its original in another quarter; either from NATURE or REVELATION, or from BOTH.

Such is the subject-matter of the FIRST Volume of The Divine Legation which, as it was thought proper to publish separately, I contrived should not only contain a part of that general Argument, but should likewise be a complete Treatise of itself, establishing one of the most important Truths with which Man has any concern ; namely, THE NECESSITY OF RELIGION FOR THE SUPPORT OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT. And if, in support of this truth, I have entered into a long detail of some capital articles of Antiquity, I presume I shall not need an apology.

II.

We come now to the SECOND VOLUME of The Divine Legation, which is employed in proving the MINOR PROPOSITION of the two Syllogisms; the first, that the Jewish Religion and Society had no future state for their support: the other, that Moses, an ancient Lawgiver, and learned in all the Wisdom of Egypt, purposely instituted such a Religion, in order to which the THIRD general proPOSITION was to be enforced; That the Doctrine of a future state of Rewards and Punishments is not to be found in, nor did make part of, the Mosaic Dispensation. But in proving the MINOR, a method something different from that observed in proving the MAJOR PROPOSITIONS was to be followed. These, in the first Volume, were proved successively and in order. But here the MINOR PROPOSITIONS are inforced all the way together. And this difference arises from the reason of the thing; the facts, brought to prove the doctrine to be omitted, do, at the same time, accidentally shew that the Omission was designed: And the reasons, brought to prove the uses in a designed omission, necessarily shew that the Doctrine was omitted.

To proceed therefore with the subject of the SECOND Volume.

IV. I just before observed, that the conclusion of the first Volume, which detected the absurdity and falsity of the Atheistic Principle, that Religion was an invention of Politicians, and a creature of the state, opened the way to a fair inquiry whether its true original was not as well from REVELATION as from NATURAL REASON.

In the introduction therefore to this second Volume, I took the advantage which that opening afforded me, of shewing that the universal pretence to Revelation proves some Revelation must be true: That this true Revelation must have some characteristic marks to distinguish it from the false: And that these marks are to be found in the Institutions of MOSES.

But this was only by way of introduction; and to lead the Reader more easily into the main road of our inquiry; by shewing that we pursued no desperate adventure, while we endeavoured to deduce the divinity of Moses's Law from the circumstances of the Law itself.

I proceeded then to the proof of the MINOR PROPOSITIONS, that the Jewish Religion and Society had no future State for their support: and that Moses, an ancient Lawgiver, and learned in all the wisdom of Egypt, purposely instituted such a Religion. To evince these truths with sufficient evidence, the nature of that Institution was to be first understood; which again required a general knowledge, at least, of the manners and genius of the Hebrew People, and of the character and abilities of their Lawgiver. Now these having been entirely fashioned on Egyptian models, it was further expedient that we should know the state of Egyptian superstition and learning in that early period.

1. In order to this, the following proposition is advanced, that the Egyptian learning celebrated in Scripture, and the Egyptian superstition there condemned, were the very learning and superstition represented by the Greek Writers as the honour and opprobrium of that kingdom. Where I first state the question; and then shew the equal extravagance of each of those two parties amongst the learned, who have been accustomed to advance or to depress the high antiquity of Egypt.

1. I corroborate the Proposition, first, by FACT, the testimony of holy Scripture, and of the ancient Greek Writers, set together and supporting one another; and both supported by circumstances regarding the peculiar situation of the land of Egypt. And here the objections of the author of the Sacred and Prophane History of the World connected, frightened by the common panic of the high antiquity of Egypt, are confuted and exposed.

Where

Secondly, by REASON, in an argument drawn from the nature, origin, and various uses of their so famed HIERoglyphics. it is shewn,

1. That this species of writing was employed by the Egyptians as the vehicle of learning, even after the invention of LETTERS: for which no good reason can be assigned but this, that they were applied to the same purpose before. Now LETTERS were in use amongst them before the time of Moses.

2. Again, it is shewn that the ONIROCRITICS borrowed their art of deciphering dreams from hieroglyphic Symbols: but hieroglyphic Symbols were the mysterious vehicle of the civil science and of the Theology of the Egyptians. Now ONIROCRITIC or the art of interpreting of dreams was practised in the time of Joseph.

3. And again, It is shewn that ANIMAL-WORSHIP in Egypt arose from the mysterious use of the same hieroglyphic Symbols. Now ANIMAL-WORSHIP was established amongst them before the time of Moses.

From all this, it appears, that EGYPT was of that high antiquity which Scripture and the best Greek Writers concur to represent it. By which, we come to understand what were the specific manners and superstitions of Egypt in the time of Moses; these being, as it now appears, identically the same with what the Greek Writers have delivered to us.

In the course of this proof from Reason, which opens at large the nature, origin, and various kinds of EGYPTIAN HIEROGLYPHICS, I interweave (as the explanation of my subject necessarily required) a detailed history of the various modes of ancient communication amongst men, as well by real and literary characters, as by words and action; and shew how SPEECH and WRITING ran parallel in their progress; and influenced, and were influenced by, one another. On the same account, when I come to the origin of BRUte-worship, I give the history of the various modes of ancient Idolatry, in the order in which they rose, one out of another.

These things I have not only made to serve in support of the question I am here upon, but likewise in support of one question preceding, and of one which is to follow.

For in the history of the various modes of ancient communication was laid, as the Reader will find, the foundation of my discourses on the nature of ancient Prophecies in the sixth Book.

And, in the history of the various modes of ancient Idolatry, the Reader hath a necessary supplement to what had been said before on the same subject, in the latter end of the third Book, against the Atheist's pretended origin of Religion.

So studious have I been to observe, what a great master of Reason lays down as the rule and test of good order in Composition, That every former part may give strength to all that follow; and every latter bring light unto all before.*

• HOOKER.

But the high antiquity of Egypt, though proved from Antiquity itself, seemed not to be enough secured, while the authority of one great modern remained entire, and his reasonings unanswered.

In the next place, therefore, I examine Sir ISAAC NEWTON'S Chronology of the Egyptian Empire; a Chronology erected on the supposed identity of Osiris and Sesostris; which is a fancy that not only contradicts all sacred as well as prophane antiquity, but, what is still more, the very nature of things.

In the course of this confutation, the causes of that endless confusion in the early Greek history and Mythology, are inquired into and explained: Which serves, at the same time, to confirm and illustrate all that hath been occasionally said in the latter end of the third book, and, here again, in this fourth, concerning-the origin and progress of Idolatry-the genius of Pagan Religion-the Gentile modes of worship-and their Theological opinions.

Thus far concerning the high antiquity of Egypt. Which, besides the immediate purpose of leading us into the true idea of the Jewish Institution in general, hath these further uses:

We have seen, in the foregoing Volume, that EGYPT, as it was most famed for the arts of legislation, so it most of all inculcated the doctrine of a future state of Rewards and Punishments. Now, if Egypt were indeed of the high antiquity here assigned unto it, that doctrine must needs be of national belief, at the time the Hebrews lived there in slavery. But then they having, as we find in Scripture, thoroughly imbibed the religious notions of the place, must needs be much prejudiced in favour of so reasonable and flattering a Doctrine: Consequently their Lawgiver, who likewise had been bred up in all the learning of Egypt, would, if he had acted only by human direction, have, in imitation of his Masters, taken advantage of this favourable prejudice to make the doctrine of a future state the grand SANCTION of his Religion and Law.

Again, the proof of the high Antiquity of Egypt was necessary to vindicate sacred Scripture; which all along declares for that Antiquity; and which the DEIST having endeavoured to take advantage of, in opposing Moses's pretence to inspiration, some imprudent BELIEVERS were grown not unwilling to explain away. Sir Isaac Newton's CHRONOLOGY afforded them the aid they wanted: And while it offered itself in support of the Bible-divinity, they seemed little attentive to the liberties it had taken with the Bible-history.

2. In order to bring on this Truth of the high antiquity of Egypt nearer to my purpose, I proceeded to the second Proposition, That the Jewish People were extremely fond of Egyptian manners, and did frequently fall into Egyptian superstitions: and that many of the Laws given to them by the ministry of Moses were instituted partly

in compliance to their prejudices, and partly in opposition to those superstitions. In the proof of the first part of this Proposition, I shew the high probability that the Law was instituted with reference to Egyptian manners; and through the proof of the second, is deduced a demonstration that it was actually so framed.

For a further illustration of this Argument, I give an historical account of the degeneracy of the Hebrew People, and of their amazing propensity to imitate the manners of Egypt, from the time that Moses was first sent upon his Mission, to their entire settlement in the land of Judea: Which fully shews (what will stand us in stead hereafter) that a People so perverse and headstrong needed, in the construction of their civil and religious Institutions, all possible curbs to disorder: Now of all such curbs, the doctrine of a future state was ever held the chief in ancient policy; and as this doctrine was so peculiarly Egyptian, they must needs have the most favourable prejudice towards it.

But then, as it might perhaps be objected, that while I am endeavouring to get this way into the interior of the Jewish Constitution, I open a back door to the ravages of Infidelity: it was thought necessary, in order to prevent the Deist's taking advantage of the great Truth contained in the preceding Proposition (which is the second), to guard it by the following (which is the third), viz. That Moses's Egyptian Learning, and the Laws instituted in compliance to the Peoples prejudices, are no reasonable objection to the divinity of his Mission. Where, in explaining the first part, which shews what this learning was, and how well it suited with Moses's Mission, I had occasion to inquire into the origin and use of the SCHOOLS OF THE PROPHETS: Which the Reader will find of this further use, viz. To give strength and support to what is said in the sixth Book of the NATURE OF THE JEWISH PROPHECIES; and particularly to what is there observed of GROTIUS's fatal error, in his mode of interpreting them.

And in explanation of the second part, having proved the Proposition, That to institute Laws in compliance to popular prejudices is no reasonable objection to their divine original; having proved this, I say, from the nature of things; the Discourse proceeds to examine all the Arguments which have been urged in support of the contrary opinion, by HERMAN WITSIUS, in his learned Treatise intitled Egyptiaca, that Book having been publicly recommended by Dr. Waterland, for a distinct and solid confutation of Spencer's De Legibus Hebræorum ritualibus.

And the answer to Witsius's last argument bringing into question the intrinsic value of the ritual Law; the famous character of it given by the Prophet EZEKIEL, of statutes that were not good, and