wherein all the reason and philosophy of atheism is confuted, and
wherein all the reason and philosophy of atheism is confuted, and wherein all the reason and philosophy of atheism is confuted, and
did>c;ij. The Allegory of O^w'i^ Book I.fozvers an^ energies. In which palfage of 7^;«^/k/&?« ' we have plainly threedivine hypoftafes, or univerfal principles fubordinate, according to the Hermaicktheology ; firft, an indivifible unity called EiHon ; fccondly, a perfe6tmind, converting its intelledions into it Telf, called Emeph or Hemphta ; andthirdly, the immediate principle of generation, called by feveral names, accordingto its feveral powers, as Phtha., /Immon, Ofiris, and the like : fo thatthcfe three names with others, according to Jamblichus in the., Egyptiantheology fignify, one and the fame third divine hypoftafis. How well thefethree divine hypoftafes of the Egyptians agree v/ith the Pythagorick orPlatonick trinity, of firft, to '\j or rdyMv, unity and goodnefs it felf, fecondiy,v??, mind, and thirdly \]vux,'S /^«A I '"'ccd not here declare. Onlywe fhall call to mind what hath been already intimated, that that reafon orwifdom, which was the Demiurgus of the world, and is properly the fecond ofthe forcmentioned hypoftafes, was called alfo among the Egyptians, by anothername, Cneph; from whom was faid to have been produced or begottenthe god Phtha., the third hypoftafis of the Egyptian trinity; fothat Cnepb and Emeph are all one. Wherefore we have here plainly anEgyptian trinity of divine hypoftafis fubordinate, EiSton, Emeph (or Cneph)and Phtha. We know not what to add more to this ot Jamblichus, concerningan Egyptian trinity, unlefs we fhould infift upon thofe paftagcs, whichhave been cited by fome of the fathers to this purpofe out of Hermaick orTrifmegiftick books, whereof there was one before fet down out of St. Cyril-,or unlefs we fhouM again call to mind that citation out of Dama/cius'^, jxia, twjoAui/ a'pX.''"*'-''''''? ayvurov v[/.viiui\in >cj t«to rpi^- a^jxpu)/^ fj.evov {ituc, that according fathe Egyptians., there is one principle of all things praifed under the name of theunknozvn darknefs, and this thrice repeated. Agreeably to which, Auguftinus Steufbusproduces another palfage out of the fame philofophick writer ; that theEo'yptians mad^ nrfurw ap^^w o-jiot®-' vtte^ -n-o-.a-ixv voriQtv, ffjcoro? c.yvioi-O'j, t^ij t?-ro £7r,{pJi/^i'(^ov7Ef, the frfl principle of all, to be darknefs above all knowledge andunderflanding (or unknown darknefs) they thrice repeating the fame. Which theforementioned Steuchus takes to be a clear acknowledgment of a trinity _ofdivine hypoftafes in the Egyptian theology.Our fecond obfervation is this, that the Egyptian theology as well as theOrphick (which was derived from it) aflerting one incorporeal Deity, thatis all things ; as it is evident, that it could not admit a multitude of felfexiftentand independent deities, fo did the feeming polytheifm of thefe E-gyptians proceed alfo in great meafure from this principle of theirs not rightlyunderftood ; they being led thereby, in a certain fenfe, ^lon-oteT-j^ to perfonateand deify the feveral parts of the world, and things of nature, beftowingthe names of gods and goddefles upon them. Not that they therefore worfhippedthe inanimate parts of the world as fuch, much lefs things not fubftantial,but mere accidents, for fo many real, diftinft, pcrfonal deities ; but becaufeconceiving that God, who was all things, ought to be worfhipped in allthings (fuch efpecially as were moft beneficial to mankind) they did, accordingto that Afclepian and Trifmegiftick doftrine before-mentioned, callGod» De Myfter. ^gypt. Soft. VIII. cap. III. p. i j8, i jp.» Vide Wolfii Anecdot. Graeca p. z6o.
~nChap. IV.cut in pieces hy Typhon.God by the name of every thing, or every thing by the name of God. Andthat the wiferofthem very well underitood, tnat it was reahy one ard u.efame fimple Deity, that was thus worfhipp d amongfl: tJiem by piece-meal, in355the feveral parts of the world, and things of liature, and under differentnames and notions, with different ceremonies, is thus declared by Plutarch \De if. ^ofSuQi Tor? TiX'gf/.ivoii S-nu(i-Ea,'c ' Ifis is a Creek zcord, which ftinifies knowledge ; andTyphon is the enemy to this goddefs •, ivho being puffed up by ignorance and error^doth dijlra£l and difcerp the holy doSlrine {cf the Jimpie Deity) which Ifis collectstogether again, and makes up into one, and thus delivers it to thofe who are initiatedinto her facred myjleries, in order to deification. In which words, Plutarchintimates, that the Egyptian fable, of Ofiris being mangled and cut inpieces by Typhon., did alJegorically fignify the dilcerption and diftraclioii ofthe fimple Deity, by reafon of the weaknefs and ignorance of vulgar minds(not able to comprehend it altogether at once; into feveral names and partialnotions, which yet true knowledge and underftanding, that is, 7/Fj, makesup whole again, and unites into one.XIX. It is well known, that the poets, though they were the prophets ofthe Pagans, and pretending to a kind of divine infpiration, did othcrwifcembue the minds of the vulgar with a certain i^nit of religion, and the notionsof morality, yet thefe notwithftanding were the grand depravers andadulterators of the Pagan theology. For this they were guilty of upon feveralaccounts. As firft, their attributing to the gods, in their fables concerningthem, all manner of human imperfeiflions, pa/Tions and vices. Whichabufe of theirs the wifer of the Pagans were in all ages highly fenfible ofand offended with, as partly appears from thefe free paffages vented uponthe ftage ;K^l yi.^ on; Sv BfiOTm rf^n\" *"*',, V -. '> ' rT [ExFlons-Kaxo,- 7r£(puy.£., ^.i,u,!,t,iv 01 9jofgio Stobcei^flu? XV iUxKiv., TsV vo/xv; "V*? (ipOToT; apud Hiigon.Tpa.'l/ocvloiiy aJraf dvoy,!uv o^Aio-xa'i/fiVj Grotium inExcerpt veterumComioz.quis ejt fnortalium cor.&Tr. *-^ii fcelera patrat, exignnt pxnam dei cor. p. 534 ]yf/ nonne iniquum ejl, vos, fuas leges quibusGens debet hominum. Jure nullo vivere ?To this fenfe : Since mortal men are punijhed by the gods for tranfgr effing theirlaws, is it not unjujl, that ye Gods, who write thefe laws, Jhoiddyourfelves livewithout law ? And again,-Ojv.e't«vSew7r«j v.y.y.a;Aiyiiv Swxiov, £1 T« Tuv dim xaxaNulla
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~nChap. IV.cut in pieces hy Typhon.God by <strong>the</strong> name <strong>of</strong> every thing, or every thing by <strong>the</strong> name <strong>of</strong> God. Andthat <strong>the</strong> wifer<strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong>m very well underitood, tnat it was reahy one ard u.efame fimple Deity, that was thus worfhipp d amongfl: tJiem by piece-meal, in355<strong>the</strong> feveral parts <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> world, <strong>and</strong> things <strong>of</strong> liature, <strong>and</strong> under differentnames <strong>and</strong> notions, with different ceremonies, <strong>is</strong> thus declared by Plutarch \De if. ^<strong>of</strong>SuQi Tor? TiX'gf/.ivoii S-nu(i-Ea,'c ' If<strong>is</strong> <strong>is</strong> a Creek zcord, which ftinifies knowledge ; <strong>and</strong>Typhon <strong>is</strong> <strong>the</strong> enemy to th<strong>is</strong> goddefs •, ivho being puffed up by ignorance <strong>and</strong> error^doth dijlra£l <strong>and</strong> difcerp <strong>the</strong> holy doSlrine {cf <strong>the</strong> Jimpie Deity) which If<strong>is</strong> collectstoge<strong>the</strong>r again, <strong>and</strong> makes up into one, <strong>and</strong> thus delivers it to th<strong>of</strong>e who are initiatedinto her facred myjleries, in order to deification. In which words, Plutarchintimates, that <strong>the</strong> Egyptian fable, <strong>of</strong> Ofir<strong>is</strong> being mangled <strong>and</strong> cut inpieces by Typhon., did alJegoric<strong>all</strong>y fignify <strong>the</strong> dilcerption <strong>and</strong> diftraclioii <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong> fimple Deity, by reafon <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> weaknefs <strong>and</strong> ignorance <strong>of</strong> vulgar minds(not able to comprehend it altoge<strong>the</strong>r at once; into feveral names <strong>and</strong> partialnotions, which yet true knowledge <strong>and</strong> underft<strong>and</strong>ing, that <strong>is</strong>, 7/Fj, makesup whole again, <strong>and</strong> unites into one.XIX. It <strong>is</strong> well known, that <strong>the</strong> poets, though <strong>the</strong>y were <strong>the</strong> prophets <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong> Pagans, <strong>and</strong> pretending to a kind <strong>of</strong> divine infpiration, did othcrwifcembue <strong>the</strong> minds <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> vulgar with a certain i^nit <strong>of</strong> religion, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> notions<strong>of</strong> morality, yet <strong>the</strong>fe notwithft<strong>and</strong>ing were <strong>the</strong> gr<strong>and</strong> depravers <strong>and</strong>adulterators <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Pagan <strong>the</strong>ology. For th<strong>is</strong> <strong>the</strong>y were guilty <strong>of</strong> upon feveralaccounts. As firft, <strong>the</strong>ir attributing to <strong>the</strong> gods, in <strong>the</strong>ir fables concerning<strong>the</strong>m, <strong>all</strong> manner <strong>of</strong> human imperfeiflions, pa/Tions <strong>and</strong> vices. Whichabufe <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>irs <strong>the</strong> wifer <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Pagans were in <strong>all</strong> ages highly fenfible <strong>of</strong><strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong>fended with, as partly appears from <strong>the</strong>fe free paffages vented upon<strong>the</strong> ftage ;K^l yi.^ on; Sv BfiOTm rf^n\" *"*',, V -. '> ' rT [ExFlons-Kaxo,- 7r£(puy.£., ^.i,u,!,t,iv 01 9j<strong>of</strong>gio Stobcei^flu? XV iUxKiv., TsV vo/xv; "V*? (ipOToT; apud Hiigon.Tpa.'l/ocvloiiy aJraf dvoy,!uv o^Aio-xa'i/fiVj Grotium inExcerpt veterumComioz.qu<strong>is</strong> ejt fnortalium cor.&Tr. *-^ii fcelera patrat, exignnt pxnam dei cor. p. 534 ]yf/ nonne iniquum ejl, vos, fuas leges quibusGens debet hominum. Jure nullo vivere ?To th<strong>is</strong> fenfe : Since mortal men are punijhed by <strong>the</strong> gods for tranfgr effing <strong>the</strong>irlaws, <strong>is</strong> it not unjujl, that ye Gods, who write <strong>the</strong>fe laws, Jhoiddyourfelves livewithout law ? And again,-Ojv.e't«vSew7r«j v.y.y.a;Aiyiiv Swxiov, £1 T« Tuv dim xaxaNulla