lent, and worship them through fear.

People in a more cultivated state admit Superior Beings of a mixed nature, like men. The gods of the Greeks, for instance, were supposed to be endowed with all human feelings; they required food and sleep. Jupiter himself was not free from the human frailties: he was jealous, often cruel and implacable. He had overturned every thing in heaven, and reduced the other gods to be his slaves. The gods of the Romans were not more noble. They were mercenary, and could be bribed by fine temples, games, and more acceptable sacrifices. People of little instruction divided the invisible beings into benevolent and malevolent. Others admitted two principles; one benevolent, the other malevolent; and they acknowledged also many inferior deities, as emanations from the primitive ones. Persons of more cultivated minds believed in one supreme benevolent deity; and in inferior spirits, some benevolent, others malevolent. The most enlightened acknowledged only one Supreme Being, boundless in perfection, and the maker of every crea

ture.

The mode of worship deserves equally a peculiar consideration in the history of mankind. It is always conformable to the notions entertained

of the nature of the Deity. In order to avert the wrath of the malevolent powers, and to please them, men have made themselves as miserable as possible, by mortifications, flagellations, painful labours, sacred victims, human sacrifices, and suicides. To gain the favour of manlike gods, sweet-smelling herbs, burning incense, oblations, gifts, agreeable impressions on the senses, ceremonies which illustrate a prince at his court, and various sorts of formalities, have been employed.

If we compare the absurdities of Paganism, or even the imperfect doctrines of Judaism, with the purity and sublime principles of true Christianity, we shall perceive that the latter are greatly superior. The Old and New Testament attribute very different qualities to the Supreme Being, and their moral precepts are very different. The old dispensation may be viewed as accommodated to the Jews, who were a hardhearted, stiffnecked, stubborn race.

The God of Israel was jealous, revengeful, terrible, and a God of war. He was fond of perfume, ornaments, ceremonies, burning incense, even of bloody sacrifices. He commanded his people to destroy those who forsook him, or who did not obey his commandments; even those who kindled fire on the sabbath-day. Neither brother,

sister, son, daughter, husband, wife nor friend, was to be spared, if he served another god. He who knew an infidel, was forbidden to pity, conceal or save him; on the contrary, it was his duty to stone him. (Exod. xxxv. Deuteronomy xiii.)

The God of Christians, on the contrary, is love, benevolence and charity. He is the Father of the whole of mankind, and wishes for universal happiness. He freely pardons, provided the sinner repent. He gives the same laws to all, makes no exception, and pays no attention to the appearance of persons; he judges, punishes, or rewards every one after his actions. He is a Spirit that cannot be confined to temples, and is to be adored in spirit and in truth. (John iv. Rom. ii. 1 John iv. Matt. vi. &c.)

The Jews were obliged to be faithful only to those of their own race; they were permitted to take usury from foreigners, and to hate them. David praised God in saying, "Do I not hate those who hate thee? I hate them with perfect hatred." (Ps. cxxxviii.) They were ordered to form a separate nation, and prohibited from intermarrying with other people. Their food was prescribed; many things were inderdicted and declared impure. Polygamy was lawful. Solomon

had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines. The husband was allowed to put away his wife; it was sufficient to write her a bill of divorcement, &c. &c.

revenge,

How superior and more noble are the principles of Christianity: they prohibit anger, hatred and and order us not to return evil for evil; they command forgiveness of every offence seven times in a day, and seventy times seven, if asked for; to love our enemies; to bless them that curse us, and to do good to them that hate us. They interdict all selfish passions, and declare our neighbour every one who does the will of God. CHRIST asked to drink of a woman of Samaria, whilst the Jews had no dealings with that nation. He associated with Jews and Gentiles, ate with publicans and sinners, and declared those only who do the will of his heavenly Father, to be his mother, sister or brother.

No food is an abomination to Christians. CHRIST said, "Not that which enters into the mouth defiles a man;" and St. PAUL declares to the Romans, "I know and am persuaded by the Lord JESUS, that there is nothing unclean in itself." CHRIST permitted only one wife, and in this respect re-established the law as it was

from the beginning of the creation. (Mark x. 6.)

Before the Christian dispensation, empires were founded by the sword, and by the most cruel and frightful destruction of the vanquished.

CHRIST declared, that he came, not to destroy men's lives, but to save them; that he who exalts himself shall be abased. He made no distinction among persons, and considered love and peace as the aim of all commandments. He only proposed the doctrine of his heavenly Father for the acceptance of mankind, and did not enforce it by the sword. He directed his disciples only to shake off the dust of their feet in departing out of that house or city where they had not been courteously received, or where their words had not been attended to.

The superiority of the Christian principles above the Jewish law is evident. St. PAUL said to the Hebrews (iii.), that "CHRIST is more worthy than MOSES;" and (vii. 20.) "by so much was CHRIST made a surety of a BETTER Testament;" and, (viii. 7.) " if the first Covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been found for the second." True Christianity really