CHAPTER III.

The Mosaic Precepts are rational, tending either to the Wellbeing of the Soul or of the Body.

THE Law designs the final perfection of man, it therefore commands us to believe in the existence and unity of God, and in his knowledge, power, will and eternity, which are all final ends, and can only be attained by various previous knowledge. It also enjoins the belief of certain principles necessary to the welfare of civil and political institutions, as "that God is angry with the wicked," and therefore ought to be feared, and wickedness cautiously avoided. But of other speculations or realities, as for instance, those reasonings by which the opinions constituting the final end are verified, the Law commands nothing expressly but only generally, as when it says, "Thou shalt love the Lord.". But how strenuously this duty is enjoined, is evident from its being added, "Thou shalt love Him with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength." In our Talmudical work we have shown that no love to God is rightly established, but that which is founded on a clear and extensive view of the Divine Existence and Perfections.

REASONS OF THE LAWS OF MOSES.

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The sum of this reasoning is, that every precept of the Law, whether affirmative or negative is intended, first, to prevent the exercise of violence, and encourage those virtuous habits which are necessary to the existence and preservation of Political Society; and, then, to inculcate just notions of those things which are to be believed, especially such as are useful in the prevention of violence, and the promotion of virtue. Of such precepts it may be safely affirmed, that the reason and utility of them are manifest, and that there can be no doubt of their final design; for no one can doubt or inquire, why we are commanded to believe the Unity of God; or why murder, theft, or revenge are forbidden; or why we are commanded to love one another. But those which perplex the mind, and about which men dispute,-some asserting that they have no particular utility, but are mere positive commands,—and others that they have an utility, though not always discovered by us,-are those which do not appear on the face of them to have any direct relation, either to the prevention of vice, or the promotion of virtue, or the inculcation of truth, and consequently affording no assistance to the well-being of the mind, by instruction in matters of faith, nor to the wellbeing of the body, by instruction in the science of Political or General Economy; such are, instance, those precepts relating to mixed garments of linen and woollen; to divers seeds; to seething a kid in its mother's milk; to cover

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ing blood; to the decollation of the calf; to the redemption of the first-born of the ass; and other similar injunctions. The true reasons, however, of these and many other precepts of like nature, I will develope, by demonstrating, that, with the exception of some particular circumstances, and a few precepts not understood by us at present. they are all necessary either to the welfare of the Soul or Body; the latter especially being produced by the prevention of lawless violence, and the formation of virtuous habits. But let not what we have already said respecting the dogmas of faith be forgotten,-that sometimes a precept solely regards an article of belief, and has no other reference, as in the case of the precepts respecting the Unity, Eternity, and Spirituality of God; but that at other times, the precept is to be believed in order to banish vice and encourage virtue; as when it is declared, that God is angry with the man who injures another; as it is said, My wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and again, that God will speedily hear the cry of the oppressed and afflicted.

CHAPTER IV.

Abraham imprisoned and exiled for combating the Errors of the Zabii.-Zabian Idolatries and Fables.

ABRAHAM, our father, was, as is well known, educated in the faith of the Zabii, (5) who maintain, that there is no God but the stars, as their books and ancient annals translated into the Arabic, and yet extant among us, undeniably. prove. In them, they expressly affirm, that the stars are Divinities, (Dii minorum Gentium,) and the Sun, the chief Deity. They also write, that the five planets are gods, but the two great luminaries, superior ones; and add, that the sun governs both the upper and lower worlds. The before-mentioned books and annals, relate also concerning Abraham, that being educated in Cutha, (6) but dissenting from the common opinions, and affirming that there was another Creator beside the sun, they began to object first one thing and then another to him, alleging, amongst other objections, the evident and manifest influence of the sun in the world. Abraham replied, "Ye are right, and have spoken well, for the sun is like the axe in the hand of one who is felling trees." Certain

arguments are then stated as having been urged by Abraham, after which it is related, that the king imprisoned him, but that even in prison he continued his opposition to their errors. The king fearing, therefore, lest his kingdom should sustain injury, and his subjects be seduced from their religion, confiscated his goods, and banished him to the most distant countries of the east. The whole relation is delivered at large in the book which is entitled, man yn, (of the worship of the Nabathaans,) (7) but no mention whatever is made of what is written in our Canonical Books, nor of the gift of Prophecy which was conferred upon him; for they endeavoured to refute and discredit him, because he contradicted their impious opinions. (8) Nor can it be doubted, but that men who were thus involved in error, would be violently irritated by the firmness with which he combated their sentiments, and would load him with every species of contumely and reproach. But, as was his duty, he bore their injuries with patience for the glory of God, and, therefore, it was promised to him, "I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee"-A promise, the accomplishment of which is seen, in our days, since all men admire him, and even those who are not of his seed are blessed in him. Nor are there any to be found of a different opinion respecting him, or who are ignorant of his superiority and excellence, except some des