198 UNIVERSAL ERUDITION. 



the dogmas or offence of the Jewifh religion , or 

 ceremonial, and regard its rites and ceremo- 

 nies , or civil and political, and regulate the 

 conftituuon of the Judaic republic, or their po- 

 lice, and prefcribe in a particular manner fuch 

 rules as were proper to be oblerved by that in- 

 temperate and leperous people : or laftly moral, 

 and lerved to regulate the manners and con- 

 fciences of the Hebrews, by exciting them to 

 virtue. Thefc Divine laws, however, they did 

 not always pnctiie , for, when we read their hif- 

 tory, we find, that a more profligate, cruel, co- 

 vetous and deceitful people fcarce ever exifted 

 upon the earth. To all their other vices they 

 joined a ftrong fuperflition. Their Talmud, 

 which is a fort of dogmatic catechiim, or am- 

 plification of the law of Mofes, is the quinteflence 

 of abfurdity -, and the writings of their rabbies 

 and cabalifts contain the moil complete collec- 

 tion of infipid whims that it is poffibe for fana- 

 ticifm to conceive. Since the promulgation of the 

 Chriftian religion, the Jews have been difperfed 

 over the face of the earth, and no where united 

 in a national body. 



IX. (6.) Chriftianity arofe, about the year of 

 the world 4000, out of Judailm, at the time that 

 it was become greatly corrupted. Jefus Chrifl 

 appeared upon the earth, taught a doctrine that 

 is perfectly divine, and founded a church that 

 has fpread itfelf into all the four parts of the 



world 



