II. Oriental nations was borrowed from the CHAP. hieroglyphical method of writing; or whether the reverse be more confonant with truth, it is not material at present to inquire. It is fufficient for us, that, from whatever fource the custom might originate, the Afiatics perpetually veiled the moft fimple ideas in a poetical drefs; and made use of fenfible objects to represent mental qualities. Such appears to be the most natural origin of that peculiar character, which belongs almost exclufively to Eastern poetry. This ftyle of writing, corrected and chaftened by the operations of the Holy Spirit, is used by all the ancient prophets. The allegorical descriptions of Daniel, the energetic effufions of Isaiah, and the plaintive numbers of Jeremiah, all partake of the genius of the country, in which they were compofed. When the Almighty is pleafed to vouchsafe his.communications to mankind, he does not difdain to use the peculiarities of their fanguage, and to accommodate himself to their usual mode of fpeaking. Upon this principle, the ceremonial Law of Mofes appears to have been delivered to the Ifraelites. Ideas are clothed, as it SECT. were, with a bodily fubftance; and thofe II. things, which are comprehended by the intellect alone, are brought before the eyes in a kind of fenfible delineationa. The fame interpretation is given, according to Eufebius, by the High-Prieft Eleazar. Μη γαρ εις τον καταπιπ τωκοτα λόγον εισελθης, ὅτι μυίων και γαλής, η των τοιούτων χαριν περιεργεσίας ποιούμενος ενομοθετεί ταυτα Μωσης, αλλά προς άγνην επίσκεψιν, και τροπων εξαρτισμόν, δικαιοσυνης ἕνεκα σεμνως παντα ανατετακται. Των γας πελεινων οἷς χρωμεθα, παντα ήμερα καθεστ τηκε, και διαφέρει καθαριοτητι, πυροις και οσπρίοις χρωμενα προς τροφην, οἷον, περιτεραι, τρυγονες, ατλαγαι, περδίκες, έτι δε χήνες, και τα άλλα όσα τοιαυτα. Περὶ ὧν δε απηγορεύται τελεινων, εὕρησεις αγρια τε και σαρκοφάγα, και καλαδυναςευονία τη περι αυλα δυναμει τα λοιπά, και την τροφην έχοντα την δαπάνησιν των προειρημένων ήμερων μέλα αδικιας. Ου μόνον δε ταύλα, αλλα και τες άρνας και εριφες αρπαζεσι, και τες ανθρωπες δε αδικεσι, νεκρές τε και ζωίας. Παράσημον εν έθετο δια τέτων, ακαθαρία προονομασας, ότι δε εσ κατα ψυχην, οἷς ἡ νομοθεσια διατετακίαι, δικαιοσυνη συγχρησθαι, και μηδένα καταδυναςεύειν πεποιθότας ισχυῒ τη ἑαύλων, μηδ' αφαι φείσθαι μηδ' έν, αλλ' εκ δικαιοτατου βις διακυβερναν, ὡς τα των προειρημένων πελεινων ημερα ζωα, τα φυομενα των οσπριων επι γης δαπανα, και ου καταδυναςεύει προς την επαναίρεσιν, ούτε των υπο βεβηκότων, ούτε των συγγενών-Το γαρ διχηλευειν και διασελλειν ὅπλης ονυχας, σημείον εσι τε διαςέλλειν έκατα των πράξεων επι το Η γαρ ισχύς των όλων σωμαίων μετα ενεργειας, απά ρεισιν επι τες ωμός έχει και τα σκέλη. Μετα διατολης εν άπαντα επιτελείν προς δικαιοσυνην αναγκάζει, το σημειούσθαι δια τωτων. Præp. Evang. lib. viii. c. 9. καλως έχον. It is remarkable, that fome of the Pythagorean prohibitions are explained by Hierocles in a precifely fimilar manner. Διο και εν τοις συμβολικοίς παραγγελμασι επιτατετο τινων αποχή, μείζονα μεν και καθολικότερον εχεσαν τον προηγέμενον νουν Επομενως δε και το μερικε τοτε απειργεσα, οὗ αν την μνημην έκαςος ποιείται That, which is a metaphor or an alle- CHAP. gory in the writings of the Prophets, be- II.. comes a practical hieroglyphic in the dueperformance of the Levitical ordinances. The mysteries of the fpiritual world are represented by their correfponding natural objects; and future events are darkly exhibited in the fignificant rites of the Mofaical difpenfation. Without this key to unlock the hidden meaning of the Pentateuch, the whole ritual contained in it will be utterly unintelligible; and will feem to confift only of a burthenfome round of unmeaning ceremonies. But when confidered, according to the rules of Oriental compofition, as an allegorical or hieroglyphical defcription of certain future tranfactions, the wonderful contrivance and wifdom of the whole inftitution will be apparent. ποιειται· οἷον, μηραν ζως μη εσθίειν. Τετο δὲ οὕτωσι λεγομενον, ενός τινος αφίτησιν ήμας των περί γην, και τετου σμικροτάτου" εαν δε εις το πολύνουν της Πυθαγορικης βαθύτητος απίδης, την όλην της γενέσεως αποχην, δι ενός τινος αισθητου διδαχθηση-Κατα δε τον αυτον λόγον, και το θνησιμαίων απέχεσθαι δειν, θεωρήσωμεν το με όλον της θνητης φύσεως απείργειν ήμας· ηδη δε και της των αθετ και ανιέρων σαρκών μεταληψεως· δίκαιον γαρ των συμβολικων νουθετησεων και το προφερομενον φυλατίειν, και το εισω νούμενον. Εκ γαρ της συνεχώς το φαινομένου τηρήσεως ή των μειζόνων μελεταίαν κατορ θωσις, HIERON. in Aur. Carm. Pythag. ver. 67. Ε 4 αθητών The SECT. II. The different ceremonial obfervances of the heathens were generally commemorative of benefits conferred upon them by their deified ancestors; and the rites ufed upon these occafions were emblematical of the obligations, which they had received. Of this nature was the Egyptian festival descriptive of the lofs and the finding of Ofiris; and the Syrian rites performed in remembrance of the death and revival of Thammuz. The flight and difperfion of fome powerful and ancient tribe was handed down to pofterity by the emblem of the hero-gods being forced to take fhelter under the disguise of various animals ; which animals, we accordingly find, are for the most part defcriptive of the imaginary attributes of thofe deities. And in the fingular ceremonies of the Egyptian. Baris, the prefervation of mankind from the waters of the deluge is obfcurely reprefented. In all these cases, the observance bore a certain analogy and resemblance to the event which occafioned it; but it was conftantly more or less fashioned upon the plan of hieroglyphical representation. Bryant's Anal. vol. iii. p. 248. Now, Now, if it may be permitted to com- CHAP. pare profane things with facred, the ordi- II. nances of the Mofaical difpenfation are the converse of the Pagan feftivals; the latter are commemorative of past, the former are emblematical of future events. To fay, that the heathen ceremonies were entirely arbitrary, and totally unconnected with matters of fact, would justly be deemed an unwarrantable affertion. But much more fo would be the belief, that an allwife God appointed the ritual of the Jewish church, without any determinate meaning and defign. It is utterly incredible, that thofe obfervances fhould effentially, and per fe, be pleafing to the Almighty, who is a spirit, and must therefore be worshipped in fpirit and truth. Though fome may probably have been enjoined with a view of more effectually feparating the Ifraelites from their idolatrous neighbours, yet this is far from being the cafe with them all; and unless a fatisfactory account of their meaning can be given, it is in vain to attempt to reconcile fuch an inftitution to reafon. Revelation, however, fully explains itself with regard to this matter. Scripture will |