quence to the multiplication of mankind, and so becomes necessary to their common peace and happiness: or, in other words, civil government tends to the preservation and common good of mankind, as created by God, and placed by him in this world; and therefore it does also tend to the end and design of God in our creation, and so is both naturally good and necessary for us, since without it, when man kind became multiplied in the earth, they could not be preserved in safety, or in the enjoyment of what God had provided for them. This government seems to have been wholly at, first in the hands of the fathers or masters of the several families, which also generally descended to the first-born: thus, in the history of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, they exercised the chief power and command over their families, children, and servants, and ordered all things, without being answerable or accountable to any other. Afterwards, on the increase and multiplying of families, common interest necessarily occasioned a subjection to governors of a more extensive authority. The manner how the Israelites were go verned under Moses, and afterwards when they took possession of Canaan, is set down in the account given of the book of Joshua.

1

As for religion, no doubt but they had some traditions, which at first were given by God to Adam. The Jews frequently mention seven precepts enjoined the sons of Noah; and they affirm that six of them were given to Adam and his children, and the seventh to Noah. The first, to renounce all idols, and all idolatrous worship". The second, to worship the true God, the Creator of heaven and earth", The third, to avoid bloodshed, or to commit no

num. 3.

Legatur Grotius de Jure Belli et Pacis, lib. i. c. 4. §. 7. 1 Talmud, et R. R. apud Mede Disc. iii. and Dr. Cave's Apparatus to the Lives of the Apostles, §. i. Num. 3 Compare Job xxxi. 36, &c. Job i. 5.

murder. The fourth, not to be defiled with fornication, adultery, or any incestuous mixtures". The fifth, to avoid injustice and theft". The sixth, to administer justice, and preserve the order of civil societies. The seventh, to abstain from eating flesh with the blood therein.

However this was, what we certainly know is, that they prayed, and also offered sacrifices to God, as a tribute of thankfulness to the Author of their good, and to obtain his favour and help, and that most likely by his own appointment; for since his acceptance and pardon was a matter of pure grace and favour, whatsoever could be a means to signify and convey that, must, one would think, be appointed by himself. Cain offered some of the fruit of the ground, and Abel the firstlings of his flock. And Noah built an altar, and offered beasts and fowls'; and it is added, the Lord smelled a sweet savour. So Abraham and Isaac built an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name of the Lord". So Jacob built an altar to the Lord by God's own appointment; and we have a form of prayer of his. God might appoint the sacrificing of beasts, that by this practice the minds of men should be the more easily disposed to own and rely upon that great sacrifice, which Christ was one day to make of himself for them.

The person that executed the office of a priest was ordinarily the head of the family, as appears from the places last cited, namely, those who, according to the order of nature, excelled the rest, and was to them the supreme governor next to God himself; although, from the very beginning, it seems every particular person was his own priest, when the

• Jób xxxi, 9, &c. P Job xxiv. 2, &c. • Gen. iv, Gen, viii. 20. t Verse 21.

a Job xxxi. 11.

u' Gen. xii. 7. Gen. xxxii. 9, &c.

sacrifice was offered for himself alone, (as Cain and Abel were.) When the offering was for a family, the master of it was the priest, (as Noah and Job.) When for several families, or a society, the chief thereof executed the priestly office, (as Moses, and Melchisedeck;) and possibly the priests", when Aaron and his sons were not as yet consecrated, were the chief persons in the several tribes. And thus it continued, till God was pleased to settle the office in the tribe of Levi among the Jews, of which afterwards. In the mean time, we are to remember what has been above mentioned, that those priests were prophets, and extraordinarily directed by God; so that they did not assume the office to themselves.

It may not be improper to insert here, what the learned Bishop Wilkins hath observed concerning the ancient sacrifices, before and under the law. "As for the chief matter and substance of natural worship, (says he,) unto which the light of reason will direct, I know no other than the invoking of the Deity, returning thanks to him, and enquiring after his will. It is true, indeed, that all nations, pretending to any religion, from the most ancient times, to which any record doth extend, have agreed in the way of worship by sacrifice; and `from this general practice, there may seem to be some ground to infer this way of worship to have been directed by the light of nature: but when it is well considered, what little ground there is to persuade a man, left to his own free reason, that God should be pleased with the burning and killing of beasts, or with the destroying of such things by fire, of which better use might be made, if they were disposed of some

As for the first-born, a Bishop Wilkins of

* Exod. xxiv. 6. y Exod. xix. 22. see Bishop Patrick in Exod. xix. 22. Natural Religion, book i. chap. 12. and Bishop Patrick on Gen.

iv. 3.

other way: I say, when it is well considered, what little reason there is to induce such a man to believe that the burning or killing of beasts or birds, or any other thing useful to mankind, should of itself be a proper and natural means to testify our subjection to God, or to be used by way of expiation for sin, it will rather appear probable that the original of this practice was from institution. So that our first parents were by particular revelations instructed in this way of worship; from whom it was delivered down to their successive generations by verbal tradition; and by this means was continued in those families who departed from the church, and proved heathen, in the first ages of the world; amongst whom this tradition was, in course of time, for want of care and frequent renewals, corrupted with many human superinducements, according to the genius or interests of several times or nations; yet still they retained' so much of it, that they had universally the notion of purging sins by the blood of others suffering in their stead.

"As for the reasons why God was pleased to institute to his own people this way of worship, there are these two things which may be suggested. First, Sacrifices had a typical reference unto their great design, which was to be accomplished in the fulness of time by the sacrifice of Christ upon the cross, which is at large explained and applied in several parts of the New Testament, particularly in the Epistle to the Hebrews. Secondly, This way of worship was most suitable to those ages, the providence of God having purposely adapted his own institutions of worship unto the abilities and capacities of men, in

b

Though not recorded, as many other things are omitted by Moses in so short a history; and that the very sort of creatures to be sacrificed were appointed, and therefore called clean, and as such offered by Noah, Gen. viii. 20. and what were not such were called unclean.

several times discovering himself to his people in divers manners, according to sundry times. And therefore in those first and ruder ages of the world, when people were more generally immersed in sensible things, and stood in need of somewhat to raise and fix their imaginations, God was pleased to amuse them with external pomp and solemnities, and to employ that time of their nonage about these plainer rudiments or elements of the world; but when they were grown up from their nonage, and the minds of men were rendered more rational and inquisitive than before they had been, and consequently better prepared for the reception of the Christian religion, in the fulness of time, as the Scripture styles it, did the providence of God think fit to introduce the Christian religion, and a more solid, rational, and spiritual way of worship, whose precepts are most agreeable to the purest and sublimest reason, consisting chiefly in a regulation of the mind and spirit, and such kind of practices as may promote the good of human society, and most effectually conduce to the perfecting of their natures, and rendering of them happy."

d

5. God was pleased to appear or manifest himself unto Adam and the ancient Patriarchs in a visible glorious manner, which the Jews call the shechinah, or shecinah, that is, in-dwelling, from shacan, a word which signifies to dwell, because it was a token of God's special presence, and by it he, as it were, dwelt among his people. It seems to have been a very shining flame, or amazing splendour of light, breaking out of a thick cloud, of which we afterwards read very often, under the name of the glory of the Lord, not as being itself a divine thing, or ray of

c Heb. i. 1. latry, chap. 14. xxix. 46.

VOL. I.

d Gen. iii. 8. e Archbishop Tenison of IdoBishop Patrick on Gen. ii, 15, 16,

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f Exod.