not only from fcripture, but because it is founded in the natural order and reafon of things, of confequence to the multiplication of mankind, and fo becomes neceffary to their common peace and happiness: Or, in other words, civil government tends to the prefervation and common good of mankind, as created by God, and placed by him in this world; and therefore, it does alfo tend to the end and defign of God in our creation, and fo is both naturally good and neceffary for us, fince without it, when mankind became multiplied in the earth, they could not be preferved in fafety, or in the enjoyment of what God had provided for them. This government feems to have been wholly at first in the hands of the fathers or mafters of the feveral families, which alfo generally defcended to the firft-born: Thus, in the hiftory of Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, they exercifed the chief power and command over their families, children and fervants, and ordered all things without being anfwerable or accountable to any other. Afterwards, on the increase and multiplying of families, common intereft neceffarily occafioned a fubjection to governors of a more extenfive authority. The manner how the Ifraelites were governed under Mofes, and afterwards when they took poffeffion of Canaan, is fet down in the account given of the book of Joshua.

As for religion, no doubt but they had fome traditions, which at firft were given by God to Adam. The Jews frequently mention feven precepts enjoined the fons of Noah; and they affirm

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that

Legatur Grotius de Jure Belli & Pacis. Lib. I. chap. iv. fect. 7. Num. 3. Talmud & R. R. and Mede Difc. iii. and Dr. Cave's Apparatus to the lives of the apoftles, fect. j. Num. 3.

that fix 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 fecond, to worship the true God, the creator of heaven and earth ". The third, to avoid bloodfhed, or to commit no murder. The fourth, not to be defiled with fornication, adultery, or any incestuous mixtures". The fifth, to avoid injuftice and theft ". The fixth, to adminifter juftice, and preferve the order of civil focieties ". The feventh, to abstain from eating flesh with the blood therein.

However this was, what we certainly know, is, that they prayed, and alfo offered facrifices 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 fince his acceptance and pardon was a matter of pure grace and favour, whatfoever could be a means to fignity and convey that, muft, one would think, be appointed by himself. Cain offered fome of the fruit of the ground, and Abel the firflings of his flock. And Noah built an altar, and offered beafts and fowls. And it is added, The Lord fmelled a fweet favour. So Abraham and Ifaac 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 facrificing of beafts, that by this prac tice the minds of men fhould be the more eafily dif

pofed

• Job 9 Job xxxi. 11. u Gen.

w Gene

pofed to own and rely upon that great facrifice, which Chrift was one day to make of himself for them.

The perfon who executed the office of a priest, was ordinarily the head of the family, as appears from the places last cited, namely, thofe who, ac◄ cording to the order of nature, excelled the reft, and was to them the fupreme governor next to God himself; although, from the very beginning, it seems, every particular person was his own prieft, when the facrifice 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 fociety, the chief thereof executed the prieftly office, (as Mofes, and Melchifedeck;) and poffibly the priefts, when Aaron and his fons were not as yet confecrated, were the chief perfons in the several tribes 2. 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; fo that they did not affume the office to themselves.

It may not be improper to infert here, what the learned Bishop Wilkin hath obferved concerning the ancient facrifices, before and under the law "As for the chief matter and fubftance of natural "worship, (fays he,) unto which the light of "reafon will direct, I know no other than the invoking of the Deity, returning thanks to him, " and

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z As for

* Bi

the firft-born, fee Bifhop Patrick in Exod. xix. 22. fhop Wilkin of Natural Religion, book I. chap. 12. and Bishop Patrick on Gen. iv. 3.

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and inquiring 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 worકંદ fhip by facrifice; and from this general prac "tice, there may feem to be fome ground to infer "this way of worship to have been directed by "the light of nature: But, when it is well confi"dered, what little ground there is to perfuade a "man, left to his own free reafon, that God "fhould be pleafed with the burning and killing of "beafts, or with the deftroying of fuch things by "fire, of which better ufage might be made, if "they were difpofed of fome other way: 1 fay, "when it is well confidered, what little reafon "there is to induce fuch a man to believe that the burning or killing of beafts or birds, or any "other thing useful to mankind, fhould of itself "be a proper and natural means to teftify our fubjection to God, or to be used by way of expiation for fin, it will rather appear probable "that the original of this practice was from infti❝tution ". So that our first parents were by "particular revelations inftructed in this way of "worship; from whom it was delivered down to "their fucceffive generations by verbal tradition; "and by this means was continued in those fami"lies who departed from the church, and proved "Heathen, in the firft ages of the world; a

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mongst whom this tradition was, in courfe of "time, for want of care and frequent renewals, 66 cor

Though not recorded, as many other things are omitted by Mofes in fo fhort a hiftory; and that the very fort of creatures to be facrificed were appointed, and therefore called clean, and as fuch offered by Noah, Gen. viii. 20. and what were not fuch, were called unclean

દંઢ

corrupted with many human fuperinducements, "according to the genius or interefts of feveral

times or nations; yet ftill they retained fo much "of it, that they had univerfally the notion of purg"ing fins by the blood of others fuffering in their ❝ftead.

"As for the teafons why God was pleafed to

inftitute to his own people this way of worship, "there are thefe two things which may be fug"gefted. First, Sacrifices had a typical reference "unto their great defign, which was to be ac"complished in the fulness of time by the fa. "crifice of Chrift upon the cross, which is at large "explained and applied in feveral parts of the "New Teftament, particularly in the Epistle to "the Hebrews. Secondly, This way of worship

was moft fuitable to thofe ages, the providence "of God having purposely adapted his own infti"tutions of worfhip unto the abilities and capa"cities of men, in feveral times discovering him"felf to his people in divers manners, according "to fundry times c. And therefore in those first "and ruder ages of the world, when people were "more generally immerfed in fenfible things, and "ftood in need of fomewhat to raife and fix their "imaginations, God was pleafed to amufe them "with external pomp and folemnities, and to em. ploy 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 rati"onal and inquifitive than before they had been, "and confequently better prepared for the reception of the Chriftian religion in the fulness of

VOL. I.

• Heb. i. 1.

time,