in a moment: Though this Hiftory indeed is related in the compass of a few lines, and the event that followed upon God's Determination, is immediately fubjoined, yet no rational Man will from thence conclude that it was all tranfacted on the fudden. Don't we find that Mofes delivers the Original of Mankind in a short Compendium, and that the Occurrences of feveral Ages are related in a few lines. And therefore 'tis more credible that a Spirit of Discord was fent among Men, upon which they abandon'd this foolish Undertaking, and dispersing into the neighbouring Countries, and removing their Habitations from one place to another, as they happen'd to be ftraitned for want of room, till in process of time living at a great distance from one another, and maintaining little or no Correspondence, their Languages came to be changed: Now because these Paffages are related by the facred. Hiftorian in a compendious Narration, the Interpreters erroneoufly believed that they were done in as fhort a time, as the Verfes in which they are fet down, may be read.

As we have already fhown, that those Persons may be said to speak one Tongue who live amicably and like Friends together; fo the Jews fay of those that are at variance, that their Tongues are not only confused, but divided. Thus David in the 55th Pfalm v. 10. when his Enemies concerted together how to destroy him, Lord, fays he, divide their Tongues; that

is, make Discord and Diffention arife among them that they may no longer unánimously agree to a against me, and contrive my DeAtruction.

VI. As we have already observed, these Perfons who attempted to build a Metropolis for all Mankind, may rather be charged with Imprudence or Folly, than any Impiety. Let us now see whether we may be able to conjecture for what reafon God disliked and frustrated their Undertaking. 1. Two celebrated Rabbis, Aben Ezra and Levi ben Gerfom, who deny that the Builders of Babel were guilty of any Sin, because they defign'd nothing more by this Project than to perpetuate the Society of Mankind, and hinder them from difperfing, are of Opinion, that therefore God was pleased to fruftrate their Attempt, least if they all lived within the limits of one Country, all Mankind might at once be destroy'd by an Earthquake, Conflagration, Hail, Deluge, or any Accidents of the like nature. 2. Since Empires are at firft poffefs'd by thofe that are not the best of Men, but fuch as either by Fraud or Strength afpire to a Soveraignty above their Fellows, all Mankind wou'd have been subject to the Arbitrary Will of one Tyrant, as Nimrod is not long after faid to have been, which might have proved the occafion of innumerable Calamities. For when there are feveral Republicks, or different Kingdoms, if the Inhabitants of one place happen to be opprefs'd by Tyrannic Power, thofe

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those that are able to endure the Yoke no longer, may fly into other Countries; which if there was only one Governour of the Universe they could never do, because they cou'd not go to defolate uninhabited places without apparent danger: Therefore all Men would be obnoxious to the Cruelty of one wicked Tyrant, if there was no more than one Monarchy in the World. 3. If the profligate Lives and Immoralities of the fupream Governors are copied by the common People, as we find it true by a thousand Examples, then the Vices of ill Princes had in a fhort time been the Vices of all Mankind. On the other fide, when several Kingdoms are on foot at the fame time, if the Infection of Vice prevails in one place, Vertue and Good Manners flourish in another. If the truth of this Affertion wanted to be confirmed from Citations drawn out of History, we cou'd eafily convince the Reader, that both under the Perfian Empire which poffeffed a great part of Afia, and under the Macedonian which fucceeded it; and laftly, under the Roman Monarchy when it was in its greatest extent, there was more Wickedness of all forts committed, and the Manners of Men were generally more debauched and irregular, than when these conquer'd Countries fet up feveral Republicks and Kingdoms of their own. 4. Jofephus, Ant. lib. 1. cap. 4. who thinks that God would have them dispersed into several Colonies for the greater Increase and Propagation of Mankind, immediately

immediately adds this Reafon, which is not to be defpifed, least they should quarrel among themfelves, (while every one would pretend to make himfelf Mafter of the nearest and most fertile Lands;) but that cultivating a greater Space, they might enjoy a proportionable Increase of the Fruits of the Earth. Therefore to close this Differtation, for thefe Reasons, or fome others of the like nature, it was by no means expedient that Mankind should live together in one Society and Government.

Differtation VII.

Concerning Circumcifion.

I. The Question debated, whether the Jews borrowed this Ceremony from the Egyptians, or they from the Jews. II. The Reasons anciently affigned for the Inftitution of it. III. The time when it was performed. IV. Other Jewish Rites examined in relation to their Original.

I. Thath been a Question long debated among Learned Men, Whether the Jews borrowed this Ceremony from the Egyptians, fince it appears by the undoubted Testimonies of the Ancients that other Nations, and particuly the latter, used Circumcifion; or on the other hand, Whether the Ægyptians had it from

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the Jews? Herodotus, 1. 2. maintains the first Opinion: The Colchians, the Egyptians, and the Ethiopians, fays this Hiftorian, are the only People that used Circumcifion from the beginning. Now the Colchians and Ethiopians were Colonies of the Egyptians, and therefore borrow'd, without doubt, this Cuftom from their Founders. He immediately fubjoins; The Phænicians, and the Syrians, that live in Palestine, own that they learnt it of the Ægyptians. And to lay the truth, the People of Egypt, as they were always extreamly tenacious of their own Cuftoms, fo they exprefs'd that Contempt for thofe of foreign Nations, that they imagin'd themselves to be polluted, even with keeping any Correspondence with Strangers. They fol low the Cuftoms of their Fathers, and learn no other, are the words of Herodotus, 1.2. cap. 78. who repeats the fame cap. 91. Notwithstanding this Teftimony is fo plain against them, yet feveral Perfons maintain that Circumcifion began among the Jews, and particularly from A braham, whom God commanded to observe it, as is evident from the 17th Chapter of Genefis, as a peculiar fign to diftinguifh his Posterity from other Nations. The Learned Spencer, de Legibus Mof. lib. 1. cap. 4. cites the Reasons urged on both fides at large, and compares them whom the Reader may confult for his farther Satisfaction. Tis indeed not improbable to fuppofe, that though this Custom had been long before obferv'd by the Egyptians, either for the

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