The harmony of natural and positive divine laws

CHAP. IV. The first Precept.

Of Extraneous Worship or Idolatry.

BY Extraneous Worship,* 1.1 the Ancient Egyptians seem to have understood and detested only whatsoever [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] their Parents had not taught them; as may be collected from that Prayer, or Apology rather, used by them at funerals, transla∣ted from the Egyptian tongue into the Greek by Euphantus, and from him transmitted to Posterity by Porphyrius in Lib. de Abstinen∣tia 4. sect. 10. For in this Apology, one of the Overseers of the Obsequies, persona∣ting the defunct, and speaking in his or

her name, pronounces among many other these words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: Ego enim Deos, quos mihi pa∣rentes commonstrarunt, piè colui quamdiu in hoc saeculo vixi. But the Hebrews thereby understood, that the Worship of any Crea∣ture whatsoever, as well of Angels, and bodies Celestial or Terrestrial, as of Images or Idols, was strictly prohibited. For, to acknowledge and worship one God, and him the true God, was to them, as it is now to us Christians, the fundament of Religion. This difference betwixt the Egyptian and Hebraick Religïon, even Ta∣citus treating of the Iews (Hist. l. 5.) clearly enough observes in these words; Corpora condere, quàm cremare, è more Aegyptio; eademque cura; & de Infernis persuasio. Coelestium contrà: Aegyptii ple∣raque animalia, effigiésque compositas vene∣rantur; Judaei mente solâ, unumque Nu∣men intelligunt; profanos, qui Deûm ima∣gines mortalibus materiis in species homi∣num effingant; Summum illud & aeter∣num, neque mutabile, neque interiturum. Ita∣que nulla simulacra urbibus suis, nedum templis sunt.

From the times of Abraham,* 1.2 Idolatry was held by the Hebrews to be of all crimes the greatest, and to be fled from as the worst of plagues: but that which is inter∣dicted in the Decalogue and other Laws, seems to have respect to the manifold Idola∣try of the Egyptians. In the parts of lower Egypt, the highest honour and veneration was given to a sort of Buck-Goats with long shaggy hair, call'd Seirim: and the Isra∣elites placed there, were grown so mad with this Mendesian 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that they needed a special interdict to restrain them. Which they receiv'd in this form (Lev. c. 17. v. 7.) They shall no more offer their Sa∣crifices [Pilosis] unto Devils, after whom they have gone a whoring. Where not only our Translators, but Maimonides (in Mo∣re Neboch. part 1. cap. 36.) by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 sive 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, understand Devils appearing to their Votaries in the shape of Hee-Goats with long hair. The same Rabbi (Doct. Perplex. lib. 3. cap. 46. pag. 480.) saith moreover;

Of the Zabians there have been some, who worship'd Daemons, and believ'd them to have the form of Male-Goats, and thence call'd them also Sei∣rim, i. e. Goats.

Which foolish and ri∣diculous opinion was in Moses's time dif∣fused far and wide; as appears from the

above recited Prohibition, non sacrificabunt ultrà sacrificia sua Lasseirim, hircis, i. e. Daemonibus ita appellatis: and was the true cause why the eating of such Goats was Pi∣acular among the Zabians, by which name he understands chiefly the Mendesii, People of a Province in Lower Egypt.

To enumerate all the various kinds of Idolatry used by the Egyptians in the time of the Israelites servitude under them,* 1.3 would require a large Volume. For not contented to adore all the Host of Heaven, by an Idolatry common to them with many other Nations; they were then grown so impiously devout, that they form'd to themselves Deities of all sorts of Animals, four-footed Beasts, Fowls, Fishes, Ser∣pents, Insects, not excepting Plants, Trees, and Herbs. So that it was not without reason that Moses, solicitous to ex∣tirpate the reliques of Idolatry out of the hearts of the infected Israelites, at once, and by one Universal Antidote; gave them this Command (Deut. c. 12. v. 2. & 3.) You shall utterly destroy all the places wherein the Nations which ye shall possess, served their Gods, upon the high Mountains, and upon Hills, and under every green Tree. And you shall overthrow their Altars, and break their Pillars, and burn their Groves

with fire, and hew down the graven Images of their Gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place. Yea more, he made it unlawful for them either to enter into a League of what kind soever with any people serving Idols intra solum Israeliticum; or to have conversation, or commerce with them. (Exod. cap. 34. ver. 15. and Deut. cap. 7. ver. 2.)

Before the Law,* 1.4 Iacob the Patriarch erected [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, cippum, statum] a pillar, (Gen. 35. 14.) and Moses, before the Ta∣bernacle was built, rais'd an Altar, and twelve Titles (Exod. 24. 4.) But lest from these conspicuous examples occasion might be given to Idolatry, the Law for∣bid such things also. (Levit. 26. 1.)

But these Laws, peculiar to the Israelites, did not per se oblige a Noachid or stranger; to whom living without the Hebrew Terri∣tory, it was lawful to raise such Pillars, Altars, Monuments, &c. at his pleasure; provided he did it not in Cultum Extraneum: within the Promis'd Land, lest from such example encouragement might be taken for Idolatry, it was no more permitted to the Stranger, than to an Israelite, either to set up a Statue, or plant a Grove, or make Images, or do any other thing of that kind, no not meerly for ornament sake;

as Mr. Selden hath truly observ'd (De Iure Naturali & Gentium lib. 2. c. 6.) The Rabbins hold a Humane Image protuberant to be unlawful: but not that which is made in plano, flat, or in concavo, in a hollow. Of Caelestial bodies neither pro∣minent, nor plane made for ornament, were lawful; but made for teaching or learning, as in Diagrams Astronomical, and the like, they were permitted. Other figures, as well an Israelite, as a Noachid might form as they pleas'd.

Of the same respect is that interdict (Deut.* 1.5 7. 26.) Non inferes quidpiam ex idolo in domum tuam, Thou shalt not bring (as our Translation renders it) an abomination into thy house: which the Iewish Masters thus interpret. To have, use and enjoy an image made only for ornament, was Law∣ful, the same being part of domestick furni∣ture: but one made by a Gentile for wor∣ship sake, was not to be admitted into promiscuous use with other utensils; nor was it permitted, either to possess, or to sell Victims, Oblations, Vessels, instru∣ments consecrated to idolatrous uses. Nor was any thing, whose use had been inter∣dicted, to be retain'd; but either burned, or broken in pieces, and thrown into the Air, River or Sea: nay the very ashes or

coals thereof were an abomination. But an Idol it self, if melted or broken in pie∣ces and applied to common uses by a Gentile, before it came into the possession of an Is∣raelite, might be kept, and among other utensils commodious to life used: because the liquation, comminution, and appli∣cation thereof to common uses by the Gen∣tile, was a manifest Resecration or Solu∣tion of the Religion of it: and the Idol be∣ing once resecrate, all furniture and uten∣sils belonging to it, are so too. But what∣soever has not been made by Man, as a Mountain, Fountain, River, four-footed Beast, and other Terrestrial things, the works of Nature, tho' worship'd as an Idol; the use and possession thereof was not prohibited. A Grove or Tree planted by a Gentile for Worship, or only to sha∣dow, or adorn an Idol was so abominable, that to an Israelite, it was unlawful either to shelter himself from heat, cold, rain or wind under the boughs of it; or to pass through it, if there were any other way; or to eat the Eggs or Young of Birds build∣ing their nest in the branches of it; to bring home the wood for building, in∣struments of agriculture, or fewel, or to eat any bread or meat dress'd with fire made of the wood; or to wear cloth wo∣ven

with a shuttle of the wood; or to make use of the ashes. And yet the use of herbs growing there, was not unlaw∣ful; because the soil it self was unpolu∣ted. Now of all these things, whatever was unlawful to an Israelite to do, or pos∣sess; the same was equally unlawful to a Pro∣selyte of the House. And this is a Summary of the most learned Rabbins exposition of this first Precept against Extraneous Wor∣ship or Idolatry.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Article 1: What was understood to be Ex∣traneous Worship by the Egyp∣tians; and what by the He∣brews.
• * 1.2

  3. That the interdict of Idolatry given to the He∣brews, seems to have re∣spect to the mani∣fold Idola∣try of the Egyptians.
• * 1.3

  3. Egyptian Polytheism, contagi∣ous to the Hebrews; and there∣fore obvia∣ted by one general in∣terdict.
• * 1.4

  4. The set∣ting up of Pillars, Statues, &c. Why forbidden by Moses to the He∣brews; tho' not unlawful to the Stranger, unless used to Idola∣try.
• * 1.5

  5. The Mo∣saic Law concern∣ing Idols, explicated.