What higher authority could language attribute to these writings? If the assertions, here made, had been true, the assent, given by the ancient heathen to poetical representations, ought not to have been less than that, which Christians yield to the sacred Scriptures. And it must be considered, that this is the language, not of the illiterate vulgar, but of two among the wisest and best men in the pagan world. If men of such character, whether sincerely or not, attributed to the ancient bards a real inspiration, it can hardly be doubted, that the credulous multitude would receive poetical rhapsodies, as the standard of theological truth. It is, therefore, just to form our opinion of the religious sentiments, which prevailed among the heathen, by the works of their most admired poets.

That the worship of celestial luminaries was very ancient is apparent not only from pagan, but likewise from Scripture evidence. Worshipping the hosts of heaven is often mentioned in the Old Testament. It seems, indeed, to have been in the countries and periods, to which that history relates, the most general kind of idolatry.

The worship of human spirits was probably subsequent to that of the heavenly bodies. Mortals, who had acquired a powerful influence over the affections or fears of their contemporaries, were supposed not only to retain their existence after

death, but to occupy a kind of middle state between man and superiour intelligences. few m

Not only the souls of the dead, but the persons of the living were treated as divine. This was so common among them, that to swear by the genius of Caesar, and to worship him, by burning incense on his altar, were used as criteria; by which to try those, who were accused of defection from the est tablished belief. moldageles un - bhow

Besides worshipping the larger bodies in the Universe, and human beings both living and dead, divine honors were paid to whatever was found to be of great utility. To these we may add particular qualities and conditions of human beings, such as Mind, Fidelity, Safety, Liberty, Concord, Victory &c. To these temples were erected, and sacrifices were offered. Nay, even bad qualities, such as passions and vices, became objects of heathen worship; in justification of which this reason is assigned, that these bad qualities have frequently great influence on human actions.

That quadrupeds, reptiles, and even vegetables, received, among the Egyptians, religious worship, is a fact universally known. It is, indeed, difficult to contemplate any object, either in the heavens or on the earth, which has not, in some age or country, been treated as divine. Accordingly an

* See the well known letter of PLINY to TRAJAN.

† CICERO de Nat. Deor.

eminent author, whose object was to praise the religion of the heathen at the expense of revelation, is constrained to acknowledge, that "the Gentiles did not only worship the whole world taken together, but its parts, yea, even its particles or small parts; thinking it unbecoming, that some of the most minute parts of him, whom they regarded as God, should be worshipped, and other parts neglected."* So true is the remark, that ancient pagans worshipped every thing as GOD, but GOD himself.

But though there was great variety in the objects, to which the ancient heathen paid religious adoration, there was one species of worship, peculiarly important, both as to its extent, and the effects resulting from it. With very few exceptions it appears, that human spirits were worshipped by all heathen nations, whether barbarous or polished. It is obvious, that this would be a very interesting part of religious worship. Men would be pleased with the thought of having a deity, who had been in their situation, had possessed their passions, and had experienced their wants. But the moral effects of this worship would depend on the character, ascribed to the being, to whom it was addressed. The fact is, that the more common objects of pagan adoration had not only been mortals, but had been

• Lord HERBERT, as quoted by LELAND. 1. 146.

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distinguished for impurity; violence, fraud, revenge, and rapacity.widges doitiin nadawud ad to oign To the honour of these gods statues and temples were erected... It is natural to suppose,, that the services, whether moral or ritual, which were rendered to such gods, would correspond with those moral qualities, for which they had been most distinguished. On this subject, facts are precisely. as we should anticipate: The worship of the ancient pagans was a horrid mixture of folly, lasciviousness, and cruelty. In proof of this I need not here describe the Lupercalia, nor the festivals, which were observed in honour of Bacchus, Kotytis, and Flora all which were accompanied with the greatest possible, revelling, lewdness, and effeminacy.* wap wonge thì # : sdicmoil gaijikasi

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Casting but a slight glance on the pagan religion, we are likely to consider it as exclusively, gay and festive. Increased attention will lead us to a different conclusion. It was, in many parts, gay and grossly licentious; but, in other parts it was cruel, ferocious, and unrelenting. Such was the scourging of boys at Sparta, under which parents sometimes saw their children expire; and such was the worship of Baal, in which his votaries cut themselves with knives, till, the blood gushed out adT ed lud sokom umadine Jon fed noiterobe

* The religion of the heathen had nothing to do with morality; and their public festivals were, almost without exception, scenes of the greatest riot and debauchery. PRIESTLEY'S Evidences.

There was nothing in the idolatry of pagans, the contemplation of which strikes us with greater horrour, than the well known fact, that they offered human sacrifices. These were offered by the ancient Greeks, Romans, Carthaginians, Gauls, and Germans. Nor does it appear, that this mode of worship was abandoned among the Romans, until the beginning of the second century of the Christian Era. Nay, at a period later than the second century, all remains of this practice were not destroyed. LACTANTIUS* asserts, that even in his time sacrifices of this kind were sometimes offered.

Evidence from Scripture, on the subject of human sacrifices, is very abundant. Speaking of the ancient inhabitants of Canaan, the psalmist asserts, that they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons, and shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and their daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan. To the same purpose speaks the prophet Jeremiah. They built the high places of Tophet, which is the Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire. They built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire, for burnt offerings unto Baal.

valley of the son of

To persons, imbued with those truths, which are derived from the fountain of sacred Scripture, it may not, at first, seem credible, that the human

De Religione Falsa. L. 1. cap. 21.