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

Chap. IV. Hermaick Books exta?tt after Clemens A. 3 23nude to be die tutelar God, and fautor of all arts and fciences, buttTpjcially theology ; by whofe infpiration therefore all fiich bookswere conceived to have been written. Nay further, we may obferve,that in fome of the Hermaick or Trifmegiftick books now extant, Hernmis fometimes put for the divine wifdom or underftanding itfelf. Andnow we fee the true reafon, why there have been many books called Herraeticaland Trifmegiftical -, fome of which, notwithftanding, cannot poffiblybe conceived to have b?en of fuch great antiquity, nor written byHermes Trifmegijl himfelf, viz. becaufe it was cuflomary with the Eo-yptianprielts to intitle their own philofophick and theologick books toHermes. Moreover, it is very probable, that feveral of the books ofthe Egyptian priefts of latter times were not originally written in theEgyptian language, but the Greek •, becaufe, at ieall from the Ptolemaickkings downward, Greek was become very fimiliar to all thelearned Egyptians, and in a manner vulgarly fpoken, as may appearfrom tliol'e very words, Hermes., Trifmegijt., and the like, fo commonlyufed by them, tog-ether with the proper names of p'aces ; and becaufethe Coptick language to this very day hath more of Greek thanEgyptian words in it i nay, Plutarch ventures to etymologize thofcold Egyptian names, Jfis^ Ofiris, Horns and Typhon., from the Greek, asif the Egyptians lud beea anciently well acquainted with that language.Now, that fome of thofe ancient Hermaick books, written by HermesTrifm&gifi himfcif, or believed to be fuch by the Egyptians, and kept inthe cuftody of their priefts, were ftill in being, and extant amonoft themafter the times of Chriftianity, feems to be unqueftionable from the teftimonyof that pious and learned father Clemens Alexandrimis., \\i giving this^/r^w. 6. /;their religious proceffion. Fir]}, therefore., goes the Precentor, carrying two ofHermes his books along ivith him ; the one of which contains the hymns of thegods., the other diretlions for the kingly office. After him follows the Horofcopus,who is particularly infiruSied m Hermes hii ajlrological books, whichare four. Ifhen fucceeds the Hierogrammateus or facred fcribe, with feathersupon his head, and a book and rule in his hands, to whom it belongeth to bethoroughly acquainted with the hiercglyphicks, as alfo with cofm.:'graph\, geography,the order of the fun and moon and five planets, the chorography ofEgypt, and defcription of Nile. In the next place cometh the Stotifles, whois to be thoroughly inflrifHed in tbcfe ten books,, which treat concerning thehonour of the gods, the Egyptian worfjip, facrifices, firft-fruits, prayers,pomps, and feflivals. And lajt of all marcheth the prophet, who is prefidentof the temple and facred things, and ought to be thoroughly z-erfed in thofeother ten books called facerdotal, concerning laws, the gods, and the wholedifcipline of the priefts. Wherefore, amongft the bocks of Hermes, there areforty tivo accounted moft necejfary ; of which thirty fix, containing 'all the E-gyplian philofophy, were to be learned by thofe particular orders before mentioned;