primæval deity. And by a very singular series of reliefs, which were discovered in the temple of Dakkeh, in Nubia, by Champollion, we find Thoth again ascending to heaven

Meni.

through three intermediate forms, the last of which is er, wisdom, light, splendour, λoyos; again to be absorbed in the supreme and one God, under his loftiest manifestation of Har-hat, the thrice great Hermes, the celestial sun; or, in other words, the wisdom of God.— Lettres, 150.

Har-hat, the celestial sun.

This most ancient mythology, therefore, as described by authors who lived before the Christian era, and as set forth on the walls of the temples in which its ritual of worship was performed, was taught to the initiated and concealed from the vulgar, that God created all things at the first by the primary emanation from himself, his first-born, who was the author and the giver of all wisdom and of all knowledge, in heaven and on earth, being at the same time the wisdom and the word of God. The birth of this great and all-powerful being, his manifestation as an infant, his nurture and education through the succeeding periods of childhood and of boyhood, constituted the grand mystery of the entire system; and more extraordinary than all, he also undergoes a succession of births through a descending series of emanations which, harmonizing perfectly with the doctrine of metempsychosis, so well known to be peculiar to the Egyptian priesthood, conveys, by a metaphor not to be mistaken, their persuasion that this same august being would at some time become incarnate, and be born upon earth as an infant. To remove all doubt as to the reality of this their expectation, they have, in several extant instances, made his birth identical with that of the royal founder of the temple, or of his son and heir.

This superstition was framed to debase the facts regarding religion with which its devisers were acquainted, by concealing them under allegories, which were embodied and presented to its votaries as the proper objects of their adoration; thus deluding them into worshipping and serving visible objects rather than the Creator.

The account of the knowledge possessed by the authors of this idolatry has been taken from heathen writers, who lived

L

before the Christian era, and from the inscriptions and paintings on the walls of the temples which had been dedicated to its idols; so that the sources whence it is derived are perfectly free from suspicion.

It is a common, but very palpable mistake, to imagine that the short account of the patriarchal times which commences the Old Testament embodies all that was known of true religion in those days: this is contrary to the tenor of the inspired narrative, which speaks of some communications between God and man, of which it has given us no account; it was written many ages afterwards, primarily for the use of the children of Israel, and introduces the minute details of a religion of rites and ceremonies which was to replace the ritual of the patriarchs. So that there was neither the necessity for, nor the opportunity of dwelling upon the particulars of the older form which was about to be abolished, or of recording the full extent of the knowledge relative to divine things possessed by those to whom it had been communicated. God, who had imparted the patriarchal dispensation, was about to replace it with another, which was to convey Divine knowledge, primarily in types and figures, and ultimately in fulfilment and reality, to the whole extent to which mankind required it. When, therefore, it is supposed that the portion of Holy Writ which treats of the antediluvian and patriarchal times contains a full account of the rites and doctrines of the known religion, there is an entire mistake of its intention. Some account it a whole in itself, whereas it is really but a small part of the whole. It is merely the introductory chapter to the complete revelation. The first eleven chapters of Genesis contain the whole inspired record of the events of 2000

years. It is therefore perfectly comprehensible that the Scripture account of the patriarchs should by no means detail all that was then known of true religion; but we cannot understand how mankind could at any time have believed unto righteousness without some knowledge of the scheme of salvation which is set forth in the Bible as the object of their faith. It is written regarding many individuals, both before and after the flood, that they were the children of God, that they walked with God, that they were the friends of God. The same authority also informs us that these were all originally inheritors of the corruption of our common parents; that they were by nature dead in trespasses and sins; and that every imagination of the thoughts of their hearts had been once only evil continually. What, then, produced this holy change in them? Whence were the new principles derived which now actuated them? The same unerring authority answers this question also. By the grace of God, through faith in Christ, who was hereafter to die for sinners, and to be raised from the dead, and by that alone, can they who are dead in trespasses and sins have been quickened at any time; for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved, nor could they have believed in him of whom they had not heard. It appears, therefore, that the knowledge of divine things, which we discover in so unexpected a quarter that mankind really did possess in the patriarchal times, is no more than the Scripture account necessarily supposes them to have possessed; for otherwise they must have believed without knowing wherein they believed, which is in itself a contradiction.

CHAPTER VII.

THE FUTURE STATE.

AMONG a certain class of divines it was once a matter of considerable doubt whether the doctrine of the immortality of the soul was known to the patriarchs; or even whether it was at all revealed under the Old Testament dispensation. As for the strong arguments in favour of this truth to be found in the Greek authors, they were inclined to regard them as surmises, not as deductions from any traditive knowledge which might have reached them. The only effective disclosure to man on this momentous point was, according to their doctrine, to be ascribed to the more perfect revelation of Christianity. Such, however, was not the fact. The more accurate knowledge which the researches of the last fifty years in the antiquities of early nations have elicited, corroborates the strong evidence that already existed on this subject. The inhabitants of Egypt were familiar with the doctrine that the soul of man was immortal; and that endless misery awaited the wicked, and eternal rewards the righteous, in a future state. These truths formed an essential part of their religious system in the times of Abraham; and we cannot suppose that he who was called the friend of God" would be left in greater