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

Chap. IV. of the Pagan Poiytheifm, 467agreeth with what we read in Scripture concerning AbrahaWt that he calledupon the name of the Lord^ D*!?')^ ^K, the God of the whole world \ that is. Gen- zi.zyhe worfhipped no particular created beings, as the other Pagans at thattime did, but only that fupreme univerfal Numen, which made and containeththe whole world. And thus Maimonides interprets that place,Deidoi.c. i.obiyn '^Nb'm n'^n '^'\2v'^ 'imi [wc t2y^ jrnvi*? ^'nnn Khrzh^^mbegan to teach, that none ought to be religioufty worfhipped., fave only the God ^- ?• ^ j-.of the ivhole world. Moi-eover, the fame Jofephus afterwards in his twelfth ypf^jbook ' brings in Ariftaus (who feems to have been afecret profelyted Greek)pleading with Ptolemceus Phiiadelphus, in behalf of the Jews, and their liberty,after this manner ; ti^i/ j3a(riA«i'av Qv S/ino-j]^, rS ^i/J-hn tkV vo//.8f auToif.Tov yocp oi'^'ci.iilx (n)5-*]a'jSj(xfvov 5iov, kxi irci xxi n^sif (rfSo'p.cSa, Zwx xocX^vli; aJrev,(Toi'|W.ct'; a.'fi TK (rijy.-ira.QiV [^.(pveiv to ^n, rriv iTrU\r\(nv ocvtv uoiio-avlej' // would wellagree with your goodnefs and magnanimity, to free the Jews from that tniferabUcaptivity, which they are under : ftnce the fame Go I, who governeth yourkingdom, gave laws to them, as I have by diligent fearch found out. For boththey and we do alike worfiip the God, who made all things, we calling himZene, becanfe he gives life to all. Wherefore for the honour of that God,whom they worfhip after a Jingular manner, pkafeyou to indulge them the libertyof returning to their native country. Where Ariflieus alfo, according tothe fenfe of Pagans, thus concludes ; Know, O king, that I intercede not forthefe Jews, as having any cognation with them, woivTm ^i avS^uTrov Snyii^ynyix,Qvrmv T? ^ii, KOit 'ytvu(^x.u;v c.mtou r,o6i/.ivo\) toic ti/Troiacriv, £7r( tktu Hai m TraflctxaXw,but all men being the workman/hip of God, and knowing, that he is delightedwith beneficeticey I therefore thus exhort you.As for the latter Jewifh writers and Rabbins, it is certain, that the generalityof them fuppofed the Pagans to have acknowledged one fupreme anduniverfal Numen, and to have worfhipped all their other gods only as hisminifters, or as mediators between him and them : Maimonides in Halacoth^m6y defcribeth the rife of the Pagan poiytheifm in the days of Enofh,after this manner : 'Cn rSiV T~\iy2:'\ *?nj mj^D aiNM 'J^ i;rB B'lJN 'QO•p'.vjin noN : Dm;?!: r^nn in r^^n D'jntjn \o ^m}; njNi inn imj^p^m DHDD Djrui D'^u'n riN rsnirt> '7J":':n "ha. n'^DiD ^na "^xmbnN2'?i cn^ty'? on dvixt ns'? CD'K'Dm:rT ^'Vd^ am idd on'?Tt3D1 I'^IJK' '0 133^? '7'^y'7 NIH 1^2 bJNH plfl IHTI IDS DTt> pl'pn'pi"j'^Q i^ ^33 inn VJSS DnDi;^T nUS"? nJ^n -pT^rt^ IDD in the daysof Enoih, the fans of men grievov.fly erred, and the wifemen of that age becamehrutifh., {even Enofh himfelf being in the number of them ;) and their errorwas this, that fince God had created the flars and fpheres to govern theworld, and placing them on high, had beflowed this honour upon them, that theyJhould be his minijters and fuhfervient injiruments, men ought therefore to praifethem, honour them, and worfhip them ; this being the pleafurc of the bleffedGod, that men fliould magnify and honour thcfe, whom himfelf hath magnifiedand honoured, as a king vutll have his minifiers to be reverenced, this honour redoundingto himfelf. Again, the fame Maimonides in the beginning of thefecond chapter of that book writeth thus ; ii'?^^ mi mD;?n '11^.1 yy? Cap. II. ^. il. p. 586. Tom, I, Oper, » i, e. De Idololatria, Cap. I. 5. i. p- 3.