COW. We find again that he is compared to the glory of the firstling of the bullock, Deut. xxxiii. 27. Suidas, in Serapis, says, that "APIS being dead, had a temple built for him, wherein a bullock was kept."

Serapis was an idol of Egypt in aftertime. It has been thought by many writers, that this word avas applied to an object differing in every respect from APIS; but we shall find that it was originally applied to the same person, viz. to Joseph.

The word SERAPIS is evidently Hebrew; it is a ser, to rule, to regulate-a

compound of prince;' and of

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pas, the official department, or supreme head of the church;' literally, the ruler of the priestly office, the primate, or Archbishop of Egypt, and therefore called ser-apis.

Vossius is of opinion, that SERAPIS was Joseph, which he shows from ancient authority. The image had a bushel on its head, to remind posterity that Joseph saved the country by providing corn for their support. These things were done first, only as an honorary commemoration for signal services, as is the custom at this day in erecting monuments to departed heroes, and great men.

Bochart has made some ingenious observations concerning the origin of the fabulous metamorphoses of the Egyptian Gods. The Egyptians

fable that Isis was changed into a swallow, from the Hebrew D'D Sis, a swallow.' Anubis was said to have the head of a dog, because I) Nobeach, means 'to bark.' Jupiter, the supreme of the Gods, was said to have turned himself into a ram, because El, a name of God,' and

Ayil, a ram,' are nearly alike. Bacchus, who was called by the Egyptians Osiris, was said to be changed into a goat, for no other reason than that

yu Sangar, which means 6 a goat,' also means Osiris. Juno was represented by an or, because лл, ASHTEROTH, one of the names of Juno, and also ASTARTE means a herd of oxen!

But the religion of the ancient Egyptians, after the flood, consisted in the worship of the serpent, which species of idolatry was handed down to them by Ham, and which was, no doubt, the universal worship of the Antediluvians. According to Pliny," the Egyptians had a great many inferior deities, which they supposed to have a power over nature: as Jupiter, or spirit: Vulcan, or fire; Ceres, or the earth; Oceanus, or the sea; Minerva, or the air. They also

'Hist. de Animal. Sacris. Part II. 1. 1. c. 10. fol. 62.

2 Nat. Hist. lib. x. c. 66.

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had their terrestrial deities, or deified men, some of whom had the vanity to assume the names of their celestial gods. Thus, Chronus, Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune, Juno, Vulcan, Vesta, Hermes, Orus, Venus, Pan, Apollo, Typhon, Mars, &c. whose souls they believed to have a habitation in the celestial sphere, as appears from Plutarch,' who informs us that they supposed the soul of Isis was translated to Southes, i. e. Sirius, or the Dog Star, the soul of Orus to the constellation Orion, and the soul of Typhon to Ursa Major, or the Great Bear. But although they had such a number of gods, the Niolic serpent was the grand idol, and stood at the head of all their deities. This appears to be confirmed when Moses was brought before Pharaoh and was commanded to cast down his rod, which became a serpent. The Magicians also did the same with their enchantments. Thus, by introducing their supreme idol, he showed them the folly and vanity of their worship, for the serpent of Moses devoured both.2

* P. 362.

2 From this circumstance the writers of the Mythology have invented the Caduceus of Mercury, around which they entwined the figures of two serpents, and Mercury was by them supposed to be the messenger of the Gods. So in like manner

THE WORSHIP OF THE ANCIENT MOABITES, AND MIDIANITES

Was much the same as that of the Egyptians. That they worshipped their departed men, and offered sacrifices to them, is on record in scripture. Chemosh and Baal-Peor were the idols of Moab; and the Psalmist says, they joined themselves unto Baal-Peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead, viz. the sacrifices offered up to their idols, or departed men whom they worshipped.

These idols were both applied to signify the sensual passions; Peor in Hebrew, means to open, used by them to signify the bringing forth young. Jerome says, Baal-Peor, was the same as the Greek and Roman Priapus, and that Chemosh was worshipped in Nebo, having the same application. The Greek Kúpos, was called by the Romans Comus, the god of wantonness and lascivious feasting.

Aaron was the messenger from Moses to Pharaoh, by the com mand of God. And as the date of the Mythology is many hundreds of years later than the departure of the Hebrews from Egypt, it must appear evident that the account of this transaction was copied by them from the ancient part of the Bible.

Both these idols were serpent-idols, representing the sensual principle in man; and as those people understood this animal to be the most subtle and sensual beast in nature; they used it in an obscene way to signify the generation of the human race.

THE WORSHIP OF THE AMMONITES

Had something in it more plausible than most of the idolatrous professions of the East.

They worshipped the sun under the figure of a man in polished gold; his face represented the sun. In the body there were seven divisions for the reception of offerings. This idol was called Moloch, which in Hebrew means a king or governor, the sun being king or ruler in nature.

Many writers have supposed that the Ammonites were not only idolaters, but that they also performed their rites with the greatest cruelty; and that they made their children pass through fire to their idol. But such information cannot be gathered from the Bible, it has only been thus understood from the present translation: no such monstrous barbarity is sanctioned in the original. This custom of passing their children through fire to Moloch, was