imprudence, or extravagance of the head of it, the evil had a limit; for at the jubilee all estates reverted to their original proprietors.

By this means, too, political liberty would be better guarded, as it would make it impossible for any man to acquire much landed property, or the influence attached to it. And as the Israelites were also prohibited from making interest of their money, they could not make any accumulation of wealth of any kind, The laws of Moses relating to theft, robbery, and personal injuries, are by no means the same with those of other nations, and they are all admirable for their equity. The abominable vices of sodomy and bestiality are punishable with death by the laws of Moses, but not, I believe, by those of any other legislator; and they are eminently calculated to preserve the dignity, and prevent the degradation of human nature.

In short, no person can peruse the laws of Moses without acknowledging them to be truly original, and their superiority to those of other ancient nations, the most famed for their wisdom, is an evidence of their divine origin.

20. In all ancient nations there were trials by various ordeals, in which the accused person was supposed to be guilty, unless fire or water did not injure him. In no system is more account made of these ordeals than in that of the Hindoos, in which it is declared to be more to be depended upon than any other evidence, being imagined to be that of the gods themselves.

In the institutions of Moses we find one trial by ordeal, but so essentially different from any that was in use in other countries, that it could never have been borrowed from them. This was in the case of a wife suspected of adultery; and recourse was had to it only in defect of any other evidence. To satisfy the jealous husband in this case, the wife was made to drink a quantity of water, in which was put some dust from the ground, and the scrapings of a writing containing a denunciation of divine judgments to be instantly inflicted in case she was guilty. But beside that recourse was had to this mode of trial only in defect of proper evidence, all that can be objected to it is, that the guilty might escape unhurt; whereas, in all the Heathen ordeals, the accused might suffer though ever so innocent, since nothing but a miracle could protect him. The difference is, therefore, manifestly in favour of the institution of Moses, and so great, that the one could not have been borrowed from the other.

THE LAWS & INSTITUTIONS OF MOSES METHODIZED. 33

It may now, surely, be concluded from this general view of the subject, (and the comparison might have been extended to many more particulars,) that the two systems, viz. that of Moses, and that of the Heathens, were not derived from each other; and the superiority of that of Moses is so great, that, considering his circumstances, and those of his nation at the time, we cannot err in pronouncing that they could not have had any human, but must have had a divine origin. Nor can any thing more favourable be said of M. Langles, and others, who assert that the books of Moses were copied, or in any other way derived, from the works. of other eastern nations, than that they had never read them.

THE LAWS

AND

INSTITUTIONS OF MOSES

METHODIZED.+

The principal Object of the Hebrew Religion, and some general Maxims of it.

1. THE great object of the Hebrew religion was, to preserve in the world the important knowledge of the Unity of God, and of his administration of the affairs of the world, in opposition to the universally-prevailing polytheism and idolatry, and the abominable and horrid rites to which they led, by which human nature was most deplorably debased, and men rendered miserable. In order to effect this great purpose, the rites of the Hebrew worship were calculated to be opposed to those of the Heathens, the more effectually to guard the Hebrews from idolatry, to which an imitation of their customs would have led.

2. Many things, however, the Hebrew religion had in common with those of other nations. But these were pro

• The French translator of Hitopades, a book of Indian Fables. (P.)

+ Printed by the Author with his Comparison, 1779; but, as appears in his Preface to that work, designed to be connected with his Notes.

bably such customs as had been prior to any idolatry. All nations had sacrifices, ideas of impurity, and modes of purification. They also had temples, as well as altars, though it is not certain that any thing of this kind was known to the Heathens before the erection of the Hebrew Tabernacle, or even the Temple of Solomon.

3. A strict ritual was absolutely necessary to prevent superstition. Had every person been allowed to sacrifice what and where he pleased, there would have been room for endless fancies, and of course superstition, that is, laying an undue stress on particular observances. That observances enjoined by God had no particular virtue, and would avail nothing without moral virtue, the Hebrew nation had the most solemn and repeated assurance.

4. The Supreme Being having set apart the Hebrew nation to be his peculiar people, to be distinguished from all other nations by certain rites and privileges, he entered into a kind of covenant with them for that purpose; and they were to bear the mark of it on their flesh, to remind them of their descent, and their peculiarly high destination. For this purpose they were circumcised, an operation performed first on Abraham at the time that Esau was eight days old, and to be performed ever after, on the eighth day after the birth.

5. In consequence of God's having spared the first-born of the Israelites, when those of the Egyptians were destroyed, and perpetually to remind them of this great interposition in their favour, he claimed a peculiar right to every first-born of them, and even of all their cattle, (for the judg ment extended to the cattle of the Egyptians, as well as to the Egyptians themselves,) and he accepted the tribe of Levi instead of them. And whereas it appeared on the enumeration that there were more first-born in the other eleven tribes than individuals in that of Levi, the remainder were redeemed in a manner particularly prescribed; which shewed that the God of Israel would have no human sacrifices, not even of those whose lives he might have claimed for that purpose.

6. In the original constitution of the Hebrew government, the nation was to be under the immediate direction of God himself. They were in all cases of great emergency to apply to him as their first magistrate. Their laws were enacted by him, and he had a place of residence among them. Particular persons were appointed to be the medium of their intercourse with him, and they were directed with respect

to the manner of conducting it. When they had judges, and even kings, which was a departure from the original plan, (a case which, however, being foreseen, was provided for,) they were considered in no other light than God's vicegerents, acting under him; and they were appointed, not by the people, but by God himself. This was done in the case of Saul, and of David, and even with respect to the kings of Israel.

The peculiar relation that the Supreme Being originally bore to the Hebrew nation continues to this day, and is to do so to the end of time. They flourish in consequence of their observance of the religion prescribed to them, and are punished for their departures from it. Their present dispersed and calamitous state was clearly foretold by Moses, as also their future restoration to the Divine favour; for though they may forsake and forget their God, he will never forsake or forget them. The discipline, ordinary and extraordinary, to which they are subjected, will, in a course of time, produce its proper effect.

7. The ultimate object of this extraordinary dispensation was by no means the honour or advantage of one favourite nation; but by their history and discipline the great Universal Parent gives the most important lessons of instruction to all his offspring of mankind. By means of this one nation, have all other nations, that have acquired the knowledge, been taught the great doctrine of the Unity of God, and the purity of his worship. By this medium only, have they been reclaimed from idolatry, and from the horrid and abominable customs and degrading superstitions derived from it. In no case whatever has the mere reason of man been sufficient for this salutary purpose. By this means the Supreme Being has preserved upon the minds of men a sense of their dependence on himself, and of their obligation to him; a sentiment of infinite importance; as, besides leading them to every proper act of devotion, it tended to impress the minds of all men with the idea of their common relation to one God and Father, and thereby to lead them to consider each other as brethren entitled to every kind office that they can render to each other.

"As it is observed of Greece, that when it was subdued by the Romans, itself subdued its conquerors, softened their savage temper, and refined their manners; and afterwards of the Romans themselves, that wherever they conquered, they, in some respect or other, civilized the world: so may it with much greater justice be said of the Jews, that they improved, and reformed the religion of every people, who were either brought under subjection to them, or into whose hands they fell." Law's Theory, Ed. 7, 1784, p. 100.

THE INTRODUCTION,

Containing an Account of the Circumstances attending the Delivery of the Law. Exod. xix.

Sect. 2. The Canaanites to be exterminated on account of their Idolatry. Exod. xxxiv. 10--17. Numb. xxxiii. 50-56. Deut. vii. 1-6; xii. 1-3, 29–32; xx. 16-18.

Sect. 3. The Land to be considered as unclean for some time on that account. Lev. xix. 23-25.

Sect. 4. The punishment of idolatrous Israelites. xvii. 2-7.

Deut. xiii.;

Exod. xxxiv.
Deut. xiv. 1,

Sect. 5. Particular idolatrous Rites forbidden. 26. Lev. xviii. 21; xix. 19, 26-28, 31; xx. 27. 21; xvi. 21, 22; xviii. 9-14; xxii. 5, 9-12; xxiii. 18.

PART II.

Criminal and Civil Laws.

Sect. 1. Of Courts of Judicature. Deut. xvi. 18; xvii. 8-13. Sect. 2. General Maxims. Exod. xxi. 22-25. Lev. v. 1; xxiv. 17-22. Deut. xvi. 19, 20; xix. 15-21; xxi. 22, 23; xxiv. 16; xxv. 1-3.

Sect. 3. Crimes punishable with Death. Exod. xxi. 12, 17, 28— 32; xxii. 19. Lev. xx. 9-18; xxiv. 10-17, 23. Deut. xxi. 18-21; xxii. 22-27; xxiv. 7.

Sect. 4. Of Places of Refuge, and of Murder by persons unknown. Numb. xxxv. 9-34. Deut. iv. 41-43; xix. 1-13; xxi. 1-9.

Sect. 5. Crimes not punishable with Death. Exod. xxi. 18, 19, 33-36; xxii. 1-6. Numb. v. 5—8. Deut. xxv. 11, 12.

Exod. xxi. 20, 21, 26, 27.

Sect. 6. Laws relating to Slaves. Sect. 7. Laws relating to Women. Exod. xxii. 16, 17. Lev. xviii. 6-20; xix. 20-22; xx. 19-21. Numb. v. 11-31; xxvii. 1-11; xxxvi. Deut. xxi. 15-17; xxii. 13-21, 25-30; xxiv. 1-4; xxv. 5-10.