had their terrestrial deities, or deified men, some of whom had the vanity to assume the names of their celestial gods. Thus, Chronus, Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune, Juno, Vulcan, Vesta, Hermes, Orus, Venus, Pan, Apollo, Typhon, Mars, &c. whose souls they believed to have a habitation in the celestial sphere, as appears from Plutarch,' who informs us that they supposed the soul of Isis was translated to Southes, i. e. Sirius, or the Dog Star, the soul of Orus to the constellation Orion, and the soul of Typhon to Ursa Major, or the Great Bear. But although they had such a number of gods, the Niolic serpent was the grand idol, and stood at the head of all their deities. This appears to be confirmed when Moses was brought before Pharaoh and was commanded to cast down his rod, which became a serpent. The Magicians also did the same with their enchantments. Thus, by introducing their supreme idol, he showed them the folly and vanity of their worship, for the serpent of Moses devoured both.2 • P. 362. 2 From this circumstance the writers of the Mythology have invented the Caduceus of Mercury, around which they entwined the figures of two serpents, and Mercury was by them supposed to be the messenger of the Gods. So in like manner THE WORSHIP OF THE ANCIENT MOABITES, AND MIDIANITES Was much the same as that of the Egyptians. That they worshipped their departed men, and offered sacrifices to them, is on record in scripture. Chemosh and Baal-Peor were the idols of Moab; and the Psalmist says, they joined themselves unto Baal-Peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead, viz. the sacrifices offered up to their idols, or departed men whom they worshipped. These idols were both applied to signify the sensual passions; Peor in Hebrew, means to open, used by them to signify the bringing forth young. Jerome says, Baal-Peor, was the same as the Greek and Roman Priapus, and that Chemosh was worshipped in Nebo, having the same application. The Greek Kúpos, was called by the Romans Comus, the god of wantonness and lascivious feasting. Aaron was the messenger from Moses to Pharaoh, by the com mand of God. And as the date of the Mythology is many hundreds of years later than the departure of the Hebrews from Egypt, it must appear evident that the account of this transaction was copied by them from the ancient part of the Bible. Both these idols were serpent-idols, representing the sensual principle in man; and as those people understood this animal to be the most subtle and sensual beast in nature; they used it in an obscene way to signify the generation of the human race. THE WORSHIP OF THE AMMONITES Had something in it more plausible than most of the idolatrous professions of the East. They worshipped the sun under the figure of a man in polished gold; his face represented the sun. In the body there were seven divisions for the reception of offerings. This idol was called Moloch, which in Hebrew means a king or governor, the sun being king or ruler in nature. Many writers have supposed that the Ammonites were not only idolaters, but that they also performed their rites with the greatest cruelty; and that they made their children pass through fire to their idol. But such information cannot be gathered from the Bible, it has only been thus understood from the present translation: no such monstrous barbarity is sanctioned in the original. This custom of passing their children through fire to Moloch, was similar to the custom of baptising children with water, at this day as at this day as a sign that they are received into the church. Being worshippers of the solar fire, represented by this idol, their passing before the fire which was burning before the altar, was an outward sign that these children were considered as belonging to that religion; and they were registered in their temples, as was the practice among the Jews, and as is now the custom among all Christian nations.. THE WORSHIP OF THE AMALEKITES Was the same as that of the Edomites, for they worshipped the same idols. Amalek was the first of the nations that fought against Israel; they ignobly took an advantage of the rear of the Israelites, and maliciously smote those who could not defend themselves. They were therefore commanded to destroy their government, but not the people, and to blot it out from under Heaven. THE WORSHIP OF THE CANAANITES. That part of the world assigned to Ham, b Noah, was divided among his sons; Cush had that which afterwards became the Babylonian empire: Mitsraim settled in Egypt; and Canaan had the land which took his name, and his posterity were called Canaanites. Their religion appears to have been the same as that of the Ammonites. They worshipped the same idol' Moloch, with the same ceremony of passing their children before this idol of the sun. From the commands given to Moses to destroy their altars and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and to burn their graven images with fire, it appears that they were idolaters of a deeper dye, į than most of the infatuated nations of Canaan. The true religion established by Noah does not, however, appear to have been altogether rejected by all the posterity of Ham, though he approved of, and introduced, idolatry. Notwithstanding this was the prevailing profession in after-time, we find that the true worship of God was known among the Canaanites eight generations after Ham. In the time of Abraham, Melchizedek the king of Lev. 18. 21. |