wherein all the reason and philosophy of atheism is confuted, and

Chap. IV. CONTENTS. 187tions of them, his gifts and effecfs in the world. 35. That upon the fameaccount, things not fuhfiantial were perfonated and deified by the Pagans,and worfhipped as fo many feveral names and notions of one God. 34. Thatas the whole corporeal world animated was fuppofed by fame of the Pagansto be the fupreme God, fo he was worfhipped in the feveral parts and membersof it (having perfonal names befiowed upon them) as it were by parcels andpiece-meal, or by fo many inadequate conceptions. That fome of the Pagansmade the corporeal world the temple of God only, but others the body of God,25. The fecond head propofed, that befides the one fupreme God, under feveral names, the Pagans acknowledged and worfjipped alfo many gods ; 6£oj\-j'eivilsi)?, made gods, created intelleSIual beings fuperior to men. 36. ThePythagorick or Platonick trinity of divine hypofiafes. And the higher ofthe inferior deities, according to this hypothejis. Nous, Pfyche, and thewhole corporeal xvorld ; with particular Noes and Henades. 37. The otherinferior deities acknowledged as well by the vulgar as philofophers, of threeforts. Firjt, the fun, moon andflars, and other greater parts of the univerfeanimated, called fenfible gods. 38. Secondly, their inferior deities invijible,ethereal and aereal animals, called demons. Thefe appointed by the fupremeDeity to prejide over kingdoms, cities, places, perfons and things. 39. Thelafi fort of the Pagan inferior deities, heroes and S«-v.9fwTot, or men-gods.Euemerus taxed by Plutarch, for making all the Pagan gods nothing butdead men. 40. The third general head propofed, that the Pagans worfhippedboth the fupreme and inferior gods in images, flatues and fymbols. Thatfirfi of all, btfore images and temples, rude ft ones and pillars without fculplurewere erected for religious monuments, and called (ixiV>ax, or Bethels.4 1 . That afterwards images, Jlatues and fymbols were ufed, and houfed intemples. Thefe placed in the wefl-end of the temples to fa.e the ecjl ; fo thatthe Pagans entering, worfhipptd towards the wefl : one j robable occafion ofthe ancient Chriftians praying towards the eafl. The golden calf made fora fymbolick prefence of the God of Ifrae). 42. All the parts of the entirePagan religion reprefented together at once in Plato. 43. That fome latewriters, not well underfianding the fenfe of Pagans, have confounded alltheir theology, by fuppofing them to worfhip the iua,::mate parts of the worldas fuch, for gods -, therefore diftinguifhing betwixc their animal and theirTiatural gods. That no corporeai, thing was worfhipped by the Pagans otherwife,than either as being itfelf animated with a particular foul of its own,or as Uing part of the whole animated world, or as having dcsmons prefidingover i', to wh^m the worflnp was properly dvrc£led ; or Icfly, as being imagesor fyr.thoU of divine things. 44. That though the Egypiians be faid to havewoifjipped brute animals, and were generalr therefore condemned by the otherPagans ;yet the wifer of them ufed them only as hitroglyphicks and fymbols.45. That the Pagans worfhipped not only the fupreme God, but alfothe inferior deities, by material facrifices. Sacrifices or fire-offerings,in their firfi and general notion nothing elfe but gifts and figns of gratitude,end appendices of prayer. But that crrtnal facrifices had afterwardsa par:icular notion alfo of expiation fajtened c.t them, whether bydivine dire f! ion, or human agreement, left undetermined. 46, The Pagansapology