eaten abroad in folemn Pomp and Proceffion, as the Heathen Priests did their raw Sacrifices. Nor a Bone of it to be broken, because the Heathen Priests in their pretended holy Rage were wont to tear their Sacrifices in pieces with their Teeth. The Head with the Legs and Purtenance to be eaten, because the Heathens only eat the Viscera, or Inwards, nothing of it to remain till the morning, left it should be abus'd to fuperftitious uses, as the Heathens did the Relicks of their Sacrifices, who fold them to the People as a Charm against Diseases and ill Luck. All which circumftances are most particularly remarkable in the Bacchanalia, or grǝat Festival of Bacchus, that the Greeks stole out of Egypt, as well as all their other Superstitions, as the most learned of them confefs: And concerning the Bacchanalia in particular, Herodotus tells us by whom they were first brought out of Egypt into Greece, viz. the famous Physitian Melampus. Lastly, the Passover was not to be fodden in Water, because the Egyptians and Syrians always boil their Sacrifices, especially to Horus or the Sun; and for that reason it is, that this little circumftance is so often urged, and so strictly observ'd. And this is particularly objected by Manetho the Egyptian ainst the Jews, that they were not content only to destroy their sea, their Confecrated Animals, but confumed them by Fire, as it were burning their Gods in Effigie. 4 د. These These are the great Reasons, why the Divine Law-giver laid fo much stress upon this Solemnity, and all the circumstances belonging to it, when it was the grand Diagnostick, or diftinguishing Character between the Worshipers of the Wo true God, and of created Deities. And therefore upon all Apostasies of the People from their Religion, it was the Custom of their pious Princes to recall them, by reviewing and renewing the Laws of the Pafchal Festival. So Jofiah, when he fet himself to abolish all Relicks of Idolatry, and establish the Worship of the true God for ever: He commanded all the People, Saying, Keep the Paffover unto the Lord your God, as it is written in the Book of the Covenant. Surely there was not bolden Such a Passover from the days of the Judges that Judged Ifrael, nor of the Kings of Judea. A .... That was an undenyable Proof of their com plete Reformation. : The second Law enjoyn'd in oppofition to Egyptian Idolatry, is that against sacrificing upon High Places, which were Egyptian Altars built in the form of High Towers, that they might make nearer approaches to the Sun in their Devotions. And therefore God, on the contrary, commands the Ifraelites to facrifice to himself upon a low Altar of Earth, Exod. 20. 24, 26. without steps or stairs; which Laws were given either with, or immediately after the Ten Command ments, as it seems of equal weight with them. So So that to offer Sacrifices upon High Places, is always represented in Scripture as a very high Act of Idolatry; and to destroy the High Places in Scripture as an eminent Act of Reformation, which must be understood of Towers, not of Mountains, that are not so eafily demolished. So Levit. 26. 30. I will destroy your High Places, and cut down your Images, [or Chamanim] and caft your Carcases upon the Carcases of your Idols, and my Soul shall abbor you. So Numbers 22. 41. Balack took Balaam and brought him up into the High Places, or Pillars, as the Septuagint always render it by sύλη, of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of the People. So Numb. 33.52. Ye shall drive out all the Inhabitants of the Land before you, destroy all their Pictures and Molten Images, and pluck down all their High Places. In the Historical and Prophetical Writings, Idolatry is almost every where exprest by Sacrificing or Worshiping in High Places. The Idol Priests are styled Priests of the High Places. This, fays Herodotus, was the received Custom of the antient Nations, and of this Nature were the Egyptian Pyramids, and that which is still standing is built in the form of an Altar, ie. a four square Plane, ten Cubits broad on every fide, (not as it is vulgarly suppos'd,a Point or Spire)to which the Prieft advanced by 250 Afcents, which Herodotus, that viewed them above 2000 years ago, fays, fays, were fo many lesser Altars. But that the Pyramids were supposed in the more polite Times, to have been antient Altars, is evident from that known Verse of Lucan. ; Votaque Pyramidum celfas folvuntur ad Aras. There are Monuments of this antient Custom still remaining in the West Indies. Gage in his Survey, describes such a Tower in the middle of the great Temple at Mexico, of an 180 Afcents, where their Priefts offered all their Sacrifices. In short, the People of Ifrael were fo fond of these High Altars, that some Princes, who would have demolisht them as pieces of Idolatry, were forced to desist for fear of popular Tumults and 1 King. 15. Seditions. So Afa in his Reformation, when he burnt their Idols, could not remove their High Places. So Jehoash could do every thing, but re2 King 12. move the High Places. So Amaziah was forced to leave them behind him: so his Son Azariah: and Chap. 15.4- when they were demolished by Hezekiah, and fome of the more pious Princes, they were ever first restored at the Peoples return to Idol Idolatry. And agreeable to what hat is is here here reprefented represented is is the Reason annexed to the Divine Law, left ye discover your nakedness; which words, tho they may be literally taken, yet according to the Language of Scripture in this matter, they have a much higher meaning, i. e. lest you commit Idolatry or Adul- tery with other Gods, and expose your shame and nakedness by playing the Harlot upon your High Places: These two things, Idolatry and Adultery being so frequently joyned together in Scripture, as the fame Crime. 14. 1 King.22. 43. 3. Chap. 14.4. tery ( Thus far, to mention no more, it pleased God to provide against Idolatry, by enacting special Laws in direct Opposition to the Heathen Rites. When God had casher'd the more rank and notorious Acts of Heathen Worship, he retained some of their more innocent Rites, especially those that were derived from the antient Patriarchs, before the later Corruptions were crept in, left if God had given a Law altogether new, and abolished all their Old Customs, People that are always fond of the Usages of their Fore-fathers, should rather have revolted to the Heathen Idolatry, than submit themselves to such a new and uncouth Religion; and therefore out of condescention to their rudeness and weakness, God permitted them to retain several of their former Rites and Ceremonies in his new Worship, that by that Indulgence he might win them more eafily to embrace this new Institution. : And this feems to be the Grammatical Sense of St. Paul's Expreffion, That God fuffered their Man-Acts 13.18. ners in the Wilderness Forty years, where the word τροποφόρον suffered, is taken from the Use or Lan guage of Mothers or Nurses, that are forced to Q2 humour |