OF SERPENTS- 



"Paga-nifm from that remarkable Perfon ? 'Tis the Conjetfture of 

 feme, that Nimrod was the iirfl Man that was deify 'd, and pro- 

 bably for the important Service he did to his Country, as a mighty 

 Hunter, in deftroying wild Beafts that other wife would foon have 

 devoured the Inhabitants, which were not very numerous in thofe 

 days. 'Tis certain, that fuch Benefadlors to Mankind were rank'd 

 among the Gods. If fo, who will pretend to lay, our modern 

 Fox-Himters do?tt carry one CharoMeriJiick of Divinify about 

 them ? 



Some think that the true Religion was univerfal for about 

 four hundred Years after the Deluge, becaufe it does not appear 

 from Abram's Traverfe thro' Mefopota?nia^ Canaan, Phll'ijlla, 

 Egypt, &c. that thofe Countries were Idolaters. Others appre- 

 hend Abram himfelf was originally an Idolater, at leaft that Ido- 

 latry had overfpread the Nations in his time, for which they quote 

 Jojhua xxiv. 2. Tour Fathers . . . even Terah the Father of Abra- 

 ham . . . . ferved other Gods. It's evident from hence, that Terah 

 had fallen into Idolatry, and feme are of Opinion, that Abram 

 himfelf was an Idolater, till God made him fenfible of the Vanity 

 of Idol-worfllip, and that it was thro' him that his Father Terah 

 was brought under the fame Convitftion, by this Device, viz. 



The yciz's fay that Terah was not only an Idolater, but alfo a 

 Carver, and Dealer in Images and Idols; that one day when he 

 went a Journey, he left Abram to take care of the Shop ; but 

 Abram being already convinced of the Sinfulnefs of Idols, afk'd 

 all that came to buy Idol-Gods of him, How old are you? They 

 told him their Age ; and he replied to them. This God that you 

 would buy and wcrjhip, is younger than you are ; it was made but 

 the other day, and of contemptible Matter^ therefore believe what I 

 fay, and renounce this vain IVorfip. The Buyers flruck with 

 Confufion at thefe Reproaches, went away without buying, a- 

 fliam'd of their Stupidity *. 



Q^ IVhat might move Men to the firfi Idolatry ? 



Perhaps it might be afro?7g Attachment to the Senfcs^ u'hich 

 they made their fovereign Judges in Spirituals : It was hard for 

 vulgar Heads in thofe Days of Darknefs to elevate their Thoughts 

 above fenfible Objed;s. 



Another 



* Fa Calmet under 7Vr4!/5, vol. xiii. 



199 



