nefs, that they were led up out of Egypt, but that they were to be the inftruments to destroy the ancient inhabitants of Canaan, whofe unaccountable wickedness had defiled the land: For which reason he ordered them to destroy all the people of Canaan, wherever they came, both men, women, and children, and to burn their cities, and all their effects, left they fhould thereby be led into the fame horrid scenes of wickedness, of which the others had been guilty, and which were an abomination before the Lord. And, for this reason likewife, he forbid the Ifraelites to have any communion with the neighbouring nations, who were grofs idolaters, left they fhould draw them, or their children, into their idolatry. But, notwithstanding this wife precaution of Mofes, we find that this was afterwards the cause of the destruction of this people.

Another wife and prudent regulation which Mofes made to keep the Ifraelites in civil order, and in obedience to the laws which he laid before them, was, that of endeavouring to preferve a perfect equality among them; and that no individuals, or particular families, by growing too powerful, fhould attempt thereby to gain a fuperiority over the others, and to disturb the civil order of the state; which, confidering the turbulent and rebellious difpofition of this people, they might easily have done; and this was by ordering, that the inheritance of each tribe, and of each family, fhould always remain in fuch tribe, or in fuch

H 3

this fixed principle," that it is better two inno

cent perfons fhould die, than one guilty live." -Upon these principles the whole frame of their political government was formed; and it appears to have been the moft tyrannical, fierce, and cruel, any that has ever been practifed in the world.

of

As the religious tenets of the modern Turks and Moors are different, in many parts, from those which were originally taught by Mahomet, I shall here take a cursory view of the principal of their religious ceremonies, and articles of belief. They believe in one God, creator of heaven and earth, who will recompenfe the good, and punish the wicked; the former in Paradise, and the latter in Hell: they believe that Mahomet was a great prophet, whom God fent into the world to teach mankind the way to falvation, and called them Muffelmans, or the refigned in God: they believe in the laws of Mofes, and are obliged to observe them. -Friday is the day of reft among them, as Sunday is among the Chriftians; on which day they affemble themselves in their temples at twelve o'clock to offer up their public prayers. They are obliged to pray in public and in private, five times a day; namely, in the morning, at noon, in the evening when the fun fets, and at one o'clock in the night. During the month or the moon which they call Ramazan, they neither eat nor drink all the day till after the fun is fet; but, during the night, they eat and drink as much as they think proper, of flesh and fish, except fwine's

flesh

flesh and wine, which are forbid them at all times. After this, which they call fafting, they have the feaft of the great Bairan, as the Christians have Eafter after Lent. They are charitable to the poor, and are obliged to give, on the first day of the year, the tenth of all that they have gained the preceding year, for the tupport of thofe who cannot fupport themselves. They believe, that after having well bathed and washed their bodies, and faid a prayer that is appropriated to this ceremony, they have the foul likewife cleanfed from all fin and wickedness; which is the reason that they fo often wash themselves, especially before they fay their prayers. They continue the ceremonies of circumcifion in the fame form that they were heretofore taught by Mahomet. They believe that the Alcoran was brought to Mahomet, at different times, by the angel Gabriel, in the city of Mecca, because that the Jews and the Christians had altered the holy Scriptures, and the law of God. Marriage is ftill continued among them upon the fame plan that was regulated by Mahomet; but they may quit their wives whenever they please, on paying them what was promised by their refpective contracts of marriage, and re-marry themfelves as they fhall think proper; however, the women are obliged to wait fo long as to be well affured that they are not with child before they can marry again, and the husbands are obliged to keep, and to take proper care of, the children. Those children which they have by their flaves or

miftreffes,

miftreffes, are placed upon the fame footing with those which they have by their wives, and are all regarded as legitimate. They do not believe that Jefus Chrift was God or the Son of God, neither do they believe in the Trinity; but they fay, that Jefus Chrift was a great prophet, born of a virgin, and that he was conceived by divine inspiration, without a father, as Adam was created without a mother-they say that he was not crucified, but that God took him up into heaven, and that he will come again upon the earth, before the end of the world, to confirm the law of Mahomet : they also affert that the Jews, fuppofing that they were crucifying Jesus Christ, only crucified one of their own people who refembled him. They have

the greatest veneration for the cities of Mecca and Medina in Arabia; because that Mahomet was born in the former, and buried in the latter: they go in pilgrimage to thofe places, by way of penitence, and carry thither innumerable prefents of great value, to offer up to the shrine of Mahomet. They pray to God to pardon their fins; and likewife pray to their faints, of which they have a great number, to intercede for them: but the principal part of them believe, that the foul and the body continue together in the grave till the day of judgment. They have not the use of bells among them, but at the hour of prayer, their priests mount up into a tower, which is at one corner of the temple, and with a loud voice call the people to prayers, which are fung in the manner that we

mighty; and appointed Jofhua, the fon of Nun, to be his fucceffor, and to lead them into the land of Canaan; because he was the most juft, wife, and upright man that was found among all the Ifraelitish nation. Mofes did not think that either of his fons, or of his relations, was worthy to be recommended to this important truft; and therefore, rejecting every confideration of intereft, and in ftrict obedience to the Divine commands, he appointed Joshua to fucceed him. But before he died, he foretold them, that after his death they would fall into all the idolatry of the neighbouring nations, and of all the evils that would happen to them in confequence thereof; and that, towards the latter days, the Lord their God would raise up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto him, who would explain his will unto them; and that they should hear that prophet, because the Lord would put his words in his mouth, and through him declare his will to mankind.

After Mofes's death, Joshua, like a great and prudent general, led the Ifraelites over Jordan, and conquered all the land of Canaan, ftill adhering to the laws and inftitutions of Mofes, and keeping the people in the pure worship of the God of heaven. But no fooner was Jofhua dead, than the people neglected to drive out the ancient inhabitants of the land, as Mofes and he had commanded them; and after the death of Eleazar, and of the elders of the people, who

had