CONTAINING I. HODEGUS; or the PILLATOT CLOUD AND FIRE, that guided the Ifraelites in the Wildernefs, NOT MIRACULOUS: but as faithfully related in Exodus, a thing equally practis'd by other nations, and in those places not onely useful but neceffary. II. CLIDOPHORUS; or of the EXOTERIC AND ESOTERIC PHILOSOPHY, that is, of the External and Internal Doctrine of the antients: the one open and public, accommodated to popular Prejudices and the establish'd Religions; the other private and fecret, wherin, to the few capable and difcrete, was taught the real TRUTH ftript of all difguifes. III. HYPATIA; or the hiftory of a most beautiful, moft virtuous, moft learned, and EVERY WAY ACCOMPLISH'D LADY; who was torn to pieces by the CLERGY of Alexandria, to gratify the pride, emulation, and cruelty of their Archbishop CYRIL, commonly but undefervedly ftil'd Saint CYRIL. IV. MANGONEUTES: being a DEFENSE OF NAZARENUS, addrefs'd to the right reverend JOHN lord Bishop of London; againit his Lordfhip's Chaplain Dr. MANGE Y, his Dedicator Mr. PATTERSON, and (who ought to have been nam'd first) the reverend Dr. BRET г, once belonging to his Lordship's Church. By Mr. T O LAND مجھ אביעה חידות מני קים LONDON Printed: And Sold by J. Brotherton and W. Meadows in Cornhill, J. Roberts in Warwick-Lane, W. Meres without Temple-Bar, W. Chetwood in Covent-Garden, S. Chapman in Pall Mall, and J. Graves in St. James's Street. MDCC XX. Price 2 s. 6d. PREFACE. I. HE Title-pages of the following Differtations do clearly enough indicate their feveral fubjects: but the defign of writing, and the occation of publishing each,require Ifhou'd give fome neceffary information to the Reader, before he begins to perufe them. After acquainting my felf, in the best manner I was able, with the various origins and peculiar conftitutions of the Greec and Roman Republics, not forgetting the Perfian and other Monarchies; I judg'd my pains might be no less agreeably rewarded, if I thou'd ufe the like means, to get as clear a notion as poffible of the MOSAIC Theocracy, or the Government of the Ifraelites. The curiofity that's natural to man, which makes him fo ambitious of the character Παλαιατε πολλατε ειδως, vehemently urg'd me to pry not indiligently into fuch remote antiquities: and my duty, as the Religion I profeft was founded on the MOSAIC Inftitution, infpir'd me with ftill greater ardor in my researches. But as the polity of the Jews cou'd not be learnt without their history, both contain'd in the fame books, and in the fame thread of narration interwoven; fo, notwithstanding the almoft impenetrable obfcurity with which thofe books are accus'd, I continually made fuch difcoveries in them, relating to matters either different from what was taught by my guides, or that were not taught by arty at all, as prov'd A 2 to to me no lefs intertaining than inftructive. A principal head among others was, that several transactions generally understood to be miraculous, were in reality very natural; whatever the fuperftitious apprehenfions of fome, and the careless reading of others, led them to conceive. But fuch things, once taken for granted, foon become univerfal preconceptions; and fo are never after examin'd, or with as univerfal oppofition to him, that prefumes on thofe inquiries. The difcoveries I made of this fort created in me a higher veneration for MOSES, than even was inftill'd by my inftructors, and on better grounds. They did equally arm me against fuch, as, not content with their own grofs interpretations, fuperadd the monftrous Traditions of others: and alfo against those, who reject the Pentateuch as intirely fabulous, and who will not allow either the wisdom or fanctity of the MOSAIC Laws. One of thofe difcoveries makes the fubject of HODEGUS, or the firft Differtation; wherein there are fome other points incidentally difcufs'd, not unworthy obfervation. Wherfore my defign in this publication, is to make MOSES better underftood, and confequently more easily believ'd: which is as well to defend him against thofe, who unreasonably believe him not at all, as alfo against thofe, who by their abfurd belief render him incredible. The ftile of the Old Testament is extremely hyperbolical, even in the books that are written in profe; but in the poetical books wonderfully magnificent, and this fomtimes in the defcription of the moft ordinary events. Thus a storm (for example) is often represented in such pompous terms, as if the whole frame of nature had been convuls'd, and the Universe on the point of diffolution. Every thing great, or beautiful, or excellent in its kind, is attributed to GOD, or denominated from him: as a mighty Prince is call'd a Prince of GOD as ABRAHAM, a profound fleep a fleep from the LORD, a numerous army the army of GOD, extreme fear the fear of the LORD, high mountains the mountains of GOD, a great river the river of GOD as Jordan, tall cedars the cedars of GOD, a very large city the great city of GOD as NiPfal. 35. 6. niveh, with many more fuch examples, which might be Pfal. 65.9. produc'd at pleasure. Every thing therfore that's hyperbolical is not ftrait to be counted fupernatural, nor what's onely magnificent to be admir'd as miraculous: befides that whatever can be explain'd by ordinary means, any thing whofe phenomena are easily folv'd, and wherof the Gen. 23. 26. 12. 12. 22. 2 Chron. 14. 14. Pfal. 8o. 10. Jon. 3. like |