rection.

Let us examine briefly the nature and character of these laws. They have
been ably expounded by Bishop Warburton, Prof. Wines and others.

(M95) The great fundamental principle of the Jewish code was to establish
the doctrine of the unity of God. Idolatry had crept into the religious
system of all the other nations of the world, and a degrading polytheism
was everywhere prevalent. The Israelites had not probably escaped the
contagion of bad example, and the suggestions of evil powers. The most
necessary truth to impress upon the nation was the God of Abraham, and
Isaac, and Jacob. Jehovah was made the supreme head of the Jewish state,
whom the Hebrews were required, first and last, to recognize, and whose
laws they were required to obey. And this right to give laws to the
Hebrews was deduced, not only because he was the supreme creator and
preserver, but because he had also signally and especially laid the
foundation of the state by signs and miracles. He had spoken to the
patriarchs, he had brought them into the land of Egypt, he had delivered
them when oppressed. Hence, they were to have no other gods than this God
of Abraham--this supreme, personal, benevolent God. The violation of this
fundamental law was to be attended with the severest penalties. Hence
Moses institutes the worship of the Supreme Deity. It was indeed
ritualistic, and blended with sacrifices and ceremonies; but the idea--the
spiritual idea of God as the supreme object of all obedience and faith,
was impressed first of all upon the minds of the Israelites, and engraven
on the tables of stone--"Thou shalt have no other gods before me."

Having established the idea and the worship of God, Moses then instituted
the various rites of the service, and laid down the principles of civil
government, as the dictation of this Supreme Deity, under whose supreme
guidance they were to be ruled.

(M96) But before the details of the laws were given to guide the
Israelites in their civil polity, or to regulate the worship of Jehovah,
Moses, it would seem, first spake the word of God, amid the thunders and
lightnings of Sinai, to the assembled people, and delivered the ten
fundamental commandments which were to bind them and all succeeding
generations. Whether these were those which were afterward written on the
two tables of stone, or not, we do not know. We know only that these great
obligations were declared soon after the Israelites had encamped around