"tions and Decifions of Jupiter-Hammon." This Prefumption is intended to introduce another Conceit, that the Oracle of Jehovah was an Imitation of the Oracle of Jupiter Hammon; but it happens in fact untowardly for both Conceits, that Jupiter-Hammon was not born till above four hundred Years after the Jews came out of Egypt. The true Chronology of Egypt, reftored by the illuftrious Sir Isaac Newton places Hammon King of Egypt about one thousand and thirtyfour Years before the Birth of Chrift; that is, in the times of David, above four hundred and fifty Years after the Law of Moses.

You may further fee the Judgment of that illuftrious Author, concerning the Original of Heathen Oracles. "The Year before "Chrift 1002, Sefac reigns in Egypt; he " erected Temples and Oracles to his Father, "in Thebes, Ammonia, and Æthiopia, and

thereby caused his Father to be worshipped as a God in those Countries; and, I "think alfo, in Arabia Felix. And this "was the Original of the Worship of Jupi"ter Ammon, and the first mention of Ora"cles I meet with in profane Hiftory." And elsewhere he supposes, "The Greeks in their "Oracles imitated the Egyptians; for the "Oracle of Dodona was the oldeft in Greece, "and was fet up by an Egyptian Woman,

P 2

*Sir Ifaac Newton's fhort Chronicle.

"after

+ Herod II. Newton. Empire of Egypt, 207.

"after the Example of the Oracle of Jupi"ter Ammon, at Thebes." It is true, this Error of our Author is only an Error in Chronology; but as it is an Error, all Prefumption, and Conceits founded upon it, must be erroneous too, and should teach his Readers caution never to take his bare Word without very fufficient Vouchers.

Upon this Plan of the Hebrew Government, taken from the Laws and History of the Hebrews themselves, a few eafy Reflections will lay a Foundation to answer the Objections with fo much Affurance made to the Equity and Wisdom of it. They will appear to be founded on grofs Ignorance of the Conftitution itself, or on a very unfair or falfe Representation of it. It is a fhrewd Sign of a very bad Caufe, that it ftands in need of fo much Falfhood and Forgery to fupport it.

CHAP.

CHAP. XII.

That the Conftitution of the Hebrew Government was a standing Confutation of Idolatry in a visible Protection of the Hebrew Nation, giving it Poffeffion of the Lands of the idolatrous Canaanites, hewing God's immediate Hand in particular Providence; and that God had not left the Government of the World in the Hands of Dæmons, or inferior Beings, whom the idolatrous World worshipped as Gods; proving Jehovah the one true God Superior to all the Gods in which the idolatrous Nations trufted: That it was very fit to punish the idolatrous Canaanites by the Hebrews, as a Nation owning the one true God; and finally, that a Toleration of Idolatry in the Holy Land, was abfolutely inconfiftent P 3 with

with the principal Defigns and wife Intentions of the Conflitution.

THE

HE particular Wisdom of every Conftitution, is to be learn'd from the particular Design and Intention of it; the Hebrew Government was not a meer Civil Polity, in which Care was taken only of the Civil Liberty, Peace and Profperity of the Nation. One principal Intention of this Government, as we have already feen, was to put a stop to the swift Progrefs of Idolatry, which had well nigh overfpread all the World, and to which the Hebrew Nation was very much inclined.. Idolatry was an Evil of fuch Nature, as not only greatly weaken'd all Principles of Religion and Virtue, but greatly encouraged and recommended all manner of Vice and Wickedness in Principles and Practice. It taught Men to imitate the Gods, they worship'd, in the worst Crimes of Intemperance, Lafciviousness, and Sins against Nature, and hallowed Murder as one of the most facred Rites of religious Worship, teaching no Sacrifices were fo acceptable to the Gods as human. It was a Defign then worthy the Wisdom and the Goodness of the great Governor of the World, to find out fome proper way to stop this spreading Evil, and to preferve as the great Bleffings of the World the Knowledge of the one only true God, and of the Obedience due to him, the only true Religion, the

best Principles of Virtue and of moral Goodnefs, of the Peace, Order and Happiness of Society, as well as of the Profperity and Happiness of private Persons.

This we have feen was the firft Intention of this Constitution, and in order to it, one main Design which runs thro' the whole of it, is to keep the Hebrew Nation a distinct People, feparate from all idolatrous Nations, and idolatrous Cuftoms, fo far as any Part of this Constitution anfwers this Defign, so far the Wisdom of it will appear, either as neceffary or useful to promote the general Intention of the whole Conftitution.

If we confider the Parts of the Hebrew Conftitution in this View, how many Objections to the Wisdom or Goodness of them will immediately disappear?

How many Cavils are there raifed against the Laws, which forbid idolatrous Cuftoms and Ufages? when nothing fure could be more reasonable or wife, than to prohibit all fuch idolatrous Cuftoms in a Constitution, the principal Design of which was to prevent Idolatry. Confider the whole Conftitution in the fame View, as a standing Confutation of Idolatry, and it will equally and as plainly fhew the Wisdom and the Goodness of it.

Here is then a Constitution founded on the Authority of Jehovah. He is the fole Lawgiver of that Nation, he forms all the Parts of their Conftitution, he condefcends