l66 ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. Book II. 



As to the popular religion of Egypt, it was full of rites, and ce- 

 remonies, and of pomps, and proceffions, which were wonderfully 

 attended by the people : And Herodotus mentions one proceffion to 

 the city of Bouhaftis, in honour of Diana, in which there were 

 700,000 men and women befides children*; for it is by their fenfes, 

 and not by their underftanding, that the vulgar muft be captivated, 

 and their attention fixed on any thing: So that temples and altars, 

 pomps and proceffions, and ceremonies of every kind, are neceflary 

 for the popular religion of every country. Accordingly there was of 

 thefe a great deal in the Greek and Roman, as well as the Egyptian 

 religion. The Jewirti religion, befides a great many rites and ce- 

 remonies, was a religion of more fplendour and finery, than any. of 

 thofe I have mentioned. Among them Solomon's temple exceeded 

 any thing, of the kind, to be feen in the other countries I have 

 named. Even when they were in the wildernefs, they made a Ta- 

 bernacle, an Ark, an Altar, and a Mercy Seat, of wonderful finery 

 and fumptuoufnefs. The Mercy Seat and the two Cherubims were 

 of pure gold, the Ark was overlaid with gold, outfide and infidef. 

 The Altar was likewife overlaid with gold|. And not only were the 

 inaterials fo coftly, but the art, with which they were wrought, we 

 muft fuppofe to have been perfed of the kind ; for the artifts were 

 infpired §: And there was a magnificence and a finery in the drefs 

 of the Jewifti Priefts, fuch as is not to be found in any other antient 

 nation, particularly in the drefs of Aaron the high Prieft, which, 

 befides gold, purple, fcarlet, and fine linen, had, upon the breaft- 

 plate, twelve precious ftones of different kinds, in four rows. 



Such grandeur and magnificence could not fail to excite the atten- 

 tion of a people, who were as much or more governed by their fen- 

 fes, 



» Lib. 2. chap. 60. 

 f Exodus, chap. 25. 

 X Ibid. chap. 30, 

 5 Ibid. chap. 31. 



