darkness that a faviour or deliverer for all mankind, will come; that they are fent into the world to proclaim it; that they were created purposely to be the heralds of that mighty. event; and to call upon all nations to unite with them, in expecting fuch a redeemer...

VII.

THE Jews have always been in expectation of a redeemer; but then 'tis a redeemer with regard to them, not for us; they expect a Meffias who will bring the Chriftians in fubjection to the Jews; whereas we expect the Meffias will one day unite the Jews with the Christians. Their notions on this head are directly oppofite to thofe entertained by us.

VIII.

The law by which this people is governed, is, in all refpects, the most ancient law in the world, the most perfect, and the only one which has ever been obferved in a fociety or ftate,without any interruption. This Philo Judæus. hews in feveral places, as Jofephus does admirably well against Appion, wherein he proves its antiquity to be fo very remote, that even the word law was not known, in the most ancient governments, till above a thousand years afterwards; fo that Homer, who speaks of fo many nations, has never once mentioned the word. We may eafily judge of the perfection

of

of this law from the bare perufal of it, it appearing, that all things are there attended to with fo much wisdom, equity, and judgment, that the most ancient Greek and Roman legiflators having fome knowledge of the fyftem in question, borrowed their principal laws. from it; as appears from the laws of the twelve tables, and from the other evidences exhibited by Jofephus on that occafion.

VIII.

THE afferting that the Jewish law juftly boasts the greatest antiquity, is an abfolute falfhood, fince the Jews before the time of Mofes their lawgiver, lived in Egypt, a country the moft renowned of any in the univerfe for its wife laws.

THE other affertion is equally falfe, viz. that the word law was not known till after Homer, this poet mentioning the laws of Minos; and the word law is likewife found in Hefiod. And though the word law had not been specified even in Hefiod or Homer, that would be nothing to the purpose. There were kings and judges; confequently there were laws.

'Tis equally falfe when he affirms, that the Greeks and Romans borrowed fome laws from the Jews. This could not be in the infancy of the Roman commonwealth, it not being poffible for them to be then acquainted with the Jews; nor could it be

during its flourishing ftate, they, at that time, having those Barbarians in the utmost contempt; a circumstance known to the whole world.

IX.

The fincerity of this people is also wonderful. They preferve, with the utmost affection and fidelity, the book wherein Mofes declares to them that they have always behaved ungratefully towards God, and that he knows they will be ftill more ungrateful after his death; but that he appeals to heaven and earth, whether he had not reproached them fufficiently for it: Finally, that God incenfed. at their tranfgreffions, will difperfe and featter them among all nations: That, as they had provoked him to jealousy, by ferving gods which are no gods, be alfo will provoke them by calling a people who were not his people *. Nevertheless the Jews preferve at the hazard of their lives, this book, which reflects fo much dishonour on them in every refpect; an inftance of fincerity that is not to be paralleled nor can its root be in nature.

IX.

INSTANCES of this fincerity are met with every where, and the root of it springs

What follows, after this mark, to the end of the period, is left out in Dr. Kenner's tranflation. See that work. page 69. REM.

wholly

wholly from its nature. The pride of every individual among the Jews prompts him to believe, that he does not owe his ruin to his deteftable politicks, his ignorance of the polite arts, and his rufticity; but that the wrath of God punishes him. He finds a pleasure in reflecting that it was neceffary before he could be humbled, to have recourse to miracles; and that those of his perfuafion, tho' punished by the Almighty, are yet his darling people.

SHOULD a preacher go up into the pulpit, and addrefs the French in manner following: you are a parcel of cowardly, ignorant fellows, and were beat at Hochftet and Ramilies, merely because you did not know how to make a proper defence: the preacher, I say, would get his brains knocked out. But fhould he fpeak thus: "You are Catholicks, and "for that reafon beloved by heaven. The "enormity of your fins had drawn down

upon you the wrath of God, who "therefore gave you up to the hereticks "at Hochftet and Ramilies; but when you "turned to the Lord, he gave his bene"diction to your courage at Denain." Such a speech as this would win him the affection of his auditors.

X.

If there is a God, he only must be loved, and not the creatures.

X.

X.

Ir is incumbent on man to love, and that with the utmost tenderness, the creatures: it is incumbent on him to love his country, his wife, and his children; and this love is fo inherent that the Almighty forces a man, fpite of himself, to love them. To argue upon contrary principles would be a barbarous way of reasoning.

XI.

con

We are born unjust, every man fidering only to gratify himself, a circumftance which clafbes with order in general. Man fhould direct his views to the general good; felf-tendency being the fource of all the diforders which arife in war, polity, oeconomy, &c.

XI.

THIS is agreeable to order in general. It would be as impoffible for a fociety to be founded and fupport itself, without the principle of felf-love, as for a person to attempt to get children when unenflamed by luft; or to fupport his body by food, at a time that he has no appetite. 'Tis the felf-love which is innate in us that aids the love of others; 'tis by our mutual wants that we are ufeful to the reft of mankind: 'Tis the foundation of all commerce; 'tis

the