were not only the effects sometimes of their idolatrous rites, but often acts of their idolatrous worship itself, as we have before observed, in the festivals of Venus, and the temples, in which many persons were consecrated to debauchery. It was easy to foresee the dangers of these temptations to intemperance and debauchery; and wise, therefore, to prevent them.

The historical account how the Hebrews fell into the idolatry of the Moabites, well shows the danger, and the reason of it. But Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. And they called the people to the sacrifices of their gods; and the people did eat, and bow down to their gods; and Israel joined himself to Baalxxv. 1, 2. Peor. This invitation, which the Moab

Num.

Numb.

ites and Midianites gave to the people of Xxxi. 16. Israel, to the sacrifices of their gods, or as guests to the feasts, made upon their sacrifices, was given by the advice and counsel of Balaam, as a most likely way to ensnare them. Whatever may be in the story told by the Jewish doctors, as related by Bishop Patrick, it was very likely that luxurious feasts, and the conversation of women prepared to entice them, by lewdness, into idolatry, would prevail upon them to join themselves to Baal-Peor: it was necessary then to keep the Hebrews from the danger of such con

versations, if they were to be kept from falling in with them in their idolatry.

4

4. It was also a point of wisdom, in giving the Hebrews a law, to give them such constitutions as would fix in their minds a contempt of the superstitious ceremonies and idolatrous rites of their neighbours; to teach them to account those things abominable and polluting, which idolatry recommended as holy, religious, and venerable: they were better fenced against falling in with rites made sacred by idolatrous principles, where they were accustomed, by the rites of their own religion, to account them a pollution, and such a defilement as required an expiation. It was of great use, more especially, to represent the magical rites of idolatrous worship, not only as weak, proceeding from a low understanding, and want of a good judgment, but as a great and dangerous corruption of true religion, abominable in the sight of God, and therefore highly displeasing unto him. It became then the wisdom of God to give a ritual, in aid, to help against the silly superstitions, and the immoral and wicked rites so usually joined with them. In such cases it was not unworthy the care of a divine law to obviate any of those rites, which as charms or spells, or any way, were used to procure the presence of dæmons and ghosts, and oblige them to fore

tel the future events of things to nations and private persons; or were supposed as acceptable to their idol gods, more surely to conciliate their favour, protection, and blessing.

Thus, ifit was a custom in idol worship, on what reasons soever, for men to worship in the garments of women, and women in the garments of men; if idol wor shippers were accustomed to use blood, especially in consulting the dead, as means of raising ghosts and departed spirits, to answer questions, and to divine by; if they were used to consecrate bats and mice, and other insects, as a sacrifice of greatest efficacy with their principal god, the archangel, presiding in the sun; it was a just and wise reason why the Mosaical ritual should treat such things with contempt, and warn the Hebrews carefully to avoid them, as highly unbecoming the purity, dignity, and honour of a people chosen and devoted to keep up the knowledge and worship of the true God in the world. These were superstitions of so evil and dangerous consequences, that they deserved more than the ridicule of satire, for their folly, to be treated as inconsistent with the true honour and worship of God, and highly displeasing to him.

When one design, then, of giving a ritual of worship was to preserve from idolatrous customs, it must be wise to repre

sent them as contemptible and, abominable in the eyes of the Hebrews, however sacred they might appear in the eyes of the Canaanites or the Egyptians.

CHAP. III.

Another great Design of the Mosaical Ritual of Worship was, to appoint such ceremonial Constitutions as should best and most effectually answer the foregoing Ends.

was to be

THAT the worship of the Hebrew church, Mosaical directed by the law of Moses, principally worship consists in a great variety of rites and ce- a ritual. remonies, every one knows, who knows any thing at all of it; but they are few, in comparison, who receive the true reasons, why this method was fit and wise above all others, at that time and in those circumstances. Many now, at least, are apt to say, they can hardly see any reasons at all to justify their observation, at least, no reasons sufficient to make them acts of religious worship, of every part of wor ship, of the most solemn worship of the whole church. But these and such-like prejudices will appear, I hope, to proceed from want of a true knowledge and right understanding of the real and wise reasons of their appointment. There are two ways of instruction, as well as of

expressing devotion to God, and giving honour unto his name; the one by plain doctrines and precepts, a plain revelation of truths to be believed, and of duties which religion requires to be done. This is thought by many a good and sufficient way of teaching religion, and to be preferred to any other; yet there is another. way of teaching the same truths and the same duties, by significant actions; for actions, in many cases, have as plain a meaning, and as easy signification, as words, and, in some cases, are stronger expressions, and convey a more emphatical meaning. It is a proper inquiry, then, which of these two methods of instruction was most fit and proper on this particular occasion? This question can only be answered by a right understanding of the several circumstances, of the persons, the times, the designs and ends, of any institution of religion. The wisdom of the means or method of instruction will appear from the more effectual influence they are found in reason and experience to have, in obtaining the end and design proposed in the use of them. Hence, in different circumstances, different methods will be found most fit, aud are therefore most proper, because most useful in attaining their ends.

If the following comparison does not exactly hit the case, it may serve to illustrate it. Would any man use the same me