religion, therefore, which are taught in the papyri and other remains, are assuredly those which prevailed in Egypt in the times of Abraham."*

We have now to refer to the principal doctrines of this religion. This must be done with great brevity, and merely by showing that this people held the chief elements of what we have exhibited as the patriarchal faith; and then by pointing out the manner in which the truth was forsaken and idolatry introduced.†

No doubt can exist that this people primarily held the doctrine of the unity of God, and believed that he was omnipotent and omnipresent. Singularly enough, even their polytheism proves this; their superior gods have the name of the Supreme added to their own, and the inferior gods are represented as his descendants. In fact, all their divinities were but emanations from, and parts of, the one God. The Greek writers confirm this opinion. Porphyry says that, originally, the Egyptians worshipped but one God; Herodotus states that the inhabitants of Egypt retained the idea of a God, self-existent, and from eternity to eternity; and Jamblichus declares that the Egyptians worshipped God, the Master and Creator of the universe, above all the elements, self-existent, immaterial, incorporeal, uncreate, indivisible, unseen, and all-sufficient, who comprehends all things in himself, and imparts all things to all creation.‡

Another doctrine universally believed was that of the immortality of the soul. Herodotus, after a most extended investigation into the antiquities of several ancient nations, regarded the Egyptians as pre-eminent for the belief of this opinion; and says, "They are also the first of mankind who have defended the immortality of the soul." This truth was, as might be expected, according to the system of

+ It would have given us great pleasure, if this subject could have been fully investigated here; but the plan laid down renders it impossi ble. If the author is permitted to perfect his design, the third volume of "Sacred Annals," will contain a complete exposition of the religion of Egypt.

De Myster. Ægypt,

§ Euterpe, cxxiii.

Egyptian metaphors, represented in a coarse and earthly manner. The separate spirit was denoted in hieroglyphics by a hawk having a human head.

The future judgment, and final rewards and punishments, were also fully recognised.

On the death of the individual, the soul was believed, on leaving the body, to be conducted into the judgment-hall of Osiris here all the actions of its life while in the body were examined, by forty-two ministers of vengeance. In the presence of the judge, these and other divinities, or genii, rigorously scrutinize the conduct of the soul while incarnate upon earth; its motives, most significantly symbolized by a heart, are placed in the huge balance of Amenti, and in the opposite scale is placed the symbol of justice and truth, indicative of the inexorable nature of the scrutiny which is taking place. The judgment is recorded, full of joy to the good, and of woe to the wicked. The former pass into regions of blessedness. "Over them is inscribed, They have found favour in the eyes of the great God; they inhabit the mansions of glory, where they enjoy the life of heaven: the bodies which they have abandoned shall repose for ever in their tombs, while they rejoice in the presence of the Supreme God.'"* The wicked were supposed to be sent back to inhabit other bodies on earth; but if, after their transmigrations, they still remained polluted, their hope perished for ever, and they were consigned to the regions of darkness and eternal death: while suspended over them are the words, "These souls are at enmity with our God."

The Egyptians were also well acquainted with the doctrine of Divine Providence. Of this we need adduce no other proof than that which is afforded by the fact, that the national historian, when recording the shepherd invasion, distinctly recognises it as a judicial infliction sent by God on account of some sins committed against him.

Antiquities of Egypt," p. 162.

There is also reason to believe that the early Egyptians had some knowledge of the promise of a Redeemer.

The proof of this must, however, be sought in their idolatrous system. On this point we cannot do better than quote again from the writer to whom we have so often referred:"This most ancient mythology, as described by authors who lived before the Christian era, and as set forth on the walls of the temples in which its ritual of worship was performed, was taught to the initiated, and concealed from the vulgar, that God created all things at the first by the primary emanation from himself; His first-born, who was the Author and Giver of all wisdom and of all knowledge, in heaven and on earth, being at the same time the Wisdom and the Word of God. The birth of this great and all-powerful Being, his manifestation as an infant, his nurture and education through the succeeding periods of childhood and of boyhood, constituted the grand mystery of the entire system; and, more extraordinary than all, he also undergoes a succession of births, through a descending series of emanations, which, harmonizing perfectly with the doctrine of metempsychosis, so well known to be peculiar to the Egyptian priesthood, conveys, by a metaphor not to be mistaken, their persuasion that this same august Being would at some time become incarnate, and be born upon earth as an infant." ""*

Hence we are told that "a small edifice was erected by the side of every temple, the entrance to which was through the adytum, or sanctuary; so that it was, in the estimation of the people, the holy of holies, the perfection, or crowning mystery of the entire worship. This is termed in the hieroglyphic inscriptions MA-EM-MISI, 'the birth-place.' Like every other part of the temple, it is covered with reliefs and paintings, in which are detailed the particulars of the birth of the third person of the triad, to which the temple is dedicated."+

This evidence, in connexion with the no less important

• "l 'Antiquities of Egypt," p. 145.

+ Ibid. p. 140.

fact, that the primary form, or antitype of the entire mythology, is a triad of divinities, and that through all the immense extent of the system the same form of triad is maintained, has led some eminent men to suppose that those who founded the Egyptian religion must have had some knowledge of the doctrine of the Trinity. Without giving a positive opinion on this subject, (which is still under investigation,) we may venture to say, that, in our judgment, it is much more probable that it is a direct reference to the promise of a Redeemer. Two uniform features of the system appear to raise this conjecture into certainty. The Son or Word of the Egyptian mythology is always the third person in the triad. And, again: the second person is always a female. So in the primary triad we have AMOUN the father, MoUT the mother, and CHONS the infant son: the allusive character of the temple sculpture. The first person of the triad is very frequently, in the sculptures on the walls of the temples, represented with the countenance and figure of the Pharaoh who had erected it, and the second person with those of his queen; so also on the Ma-em-misi, the birth of the young god is, in the same curious manner, identified with the birth of the founder, or his first-born son. Thus, the birth-place of the palace of Luzor commemorates at once the birth of the god Chonsis, and of Amenophis Memnon, by whom the principal part of the stupendous edifice was erected.

The great hope and end, therefore, which the Egyptian religion held forth to that people, was the birth of a God; this their expectation being evidently not metaphorical, but real, because they always identified it with actual occur

rences.

The morals of the system may be inferred from the following, which is supposed to be part of an address delivered by a departed scul to Osiris, on entering the hall of judgment: it made a part of the ritual of the ancient temple service: "I have defrauded no man; I have not slaughtered the cattle of the gods; I have not prevaricated at the seat of justice; I have not made slaves of the Egyptians; I have

not defiled my conscience for the sake of my superior; I have not used violence; I have not famished my household; I have not made to weep; I have not smitten privily; I have not changed the measures of Egypt; I have not grieved the spirits of the gods; I have not committed adultery; I have not forged signet-rings; I have not falsified the weights of the balance; I have not withheld milk from the mouths of my children."

We have now to notice, very briefly, the error, superstition, and idolatry which were so early introduced into the religion of Egypt. No fact is better attested, or more fully known, than that, whatever elements of truth might be retained by the early occupiers of Egypt, they established a system of religion replete with almost every form of idolatry.

The deification of the Sun was perhaps the earliest form of idolatry. On whatever principle it was established, this was embraced by the Egyptians. "They certainly worshipped the Sun. There is scarcely a monument on which that luminary is not represented and invoked as a deity." This worship, with the Egyptians, was not pure Sabeism: the heavenly bodies were not regarded as supreme gods, but as symbols or impersonations of their attributes.

Human beings were also objects of worship. There can be no doubt that the arkite patriarchs made a prominent portion of these deities. Marsham says, Osiris was the same as Ham; and the Abbé Banier, that Misraim was worshipped under this designation. Kings and princes also were afterward invested with divine attributes, and worshipped with supreme adoration.

But the most remarkable part of Egyptian idolatry consisted in the worship of animals. And here we can scarcely draw a line of distinction. Almost every creature, beast, alligator, and bird, had a place in the Egyptian pantheon.

We will not expatiate on the absurd exhibition which this presents, but notice the principles which led to the adoption.

of it.

According to Manetho, animal worship was first introduced into Egypt by Chous, the second king of the second dynasty.