OF SERPENTS. 201 



The Mahometans have a perfed: Averfion to all Images. This 

 is it that made them deftroy moft of the beautiful Monuments of 

 Antiquity, both facred and profane, at Conftantmople. 



The old noble Romans preferved the Images of their Anceftors 

 with no little Care, and had them carried in Proceffion in their 

 Funerals and Triumphs. 



SECT. II. 



This Part entertains us with various In ftances of Pagan Dei- 

 fications, liiz. of Men, Beafts, and Things without Life. 



I. MEN transformed into Gods. 



I Begin with their deified Men, that is, dead Men, who be- 

 ing canonized, part: for reputed Gods, Note here, fome are of 

 opinion, that the word God, among the Heathen, did not mean 

 the uncreated eternal Being, but fome moft excellent Jiiperior Na- 

 ture ; and accordingly, they gave the Appellation of Gods to all 

 Beings of a Rank higher, and more perfedt than Man. 



The principal Gods among the antient Heathens were Jupi- 

 ter. Mars, Mercury, Neptune^ Apollo, 'Juno, Vefta, Minerva^ &c. 

 The next fort of Gods were called Demy Gods, or Gods adopted-, 

 and thefe were Men canonized and deify'd. Now, as xht greater 

 Gods had polTeffion of Heaven in their own Right, fo thefe leffer 

 Gods had it by Donation, being tranflated into Heaven, becaufe 

 they were Men renowned for their Virtues, and had lived as Gods 

 upon Earth; and thefe at firft were called Teraphim. 



The firft certain Account of thefe we have in Genefis, where 

 'tis faid, Rachel had /loin her Father's Images. Chap. xxxi. 19. 

 the Teraphim of her Father in xh^Hebreiv, which Laban, (ii. 30.) 

 calls his Gods, Hebr..£/(5/jj. 



The word T^eraphim is Hebrew, others fay Egyptian : Be that 

 as it will, we find it about thirteen times in our Bible, and is 

 commonly interpreted Idols, Images, facred, fup^rflitious Figures. 

 Spencer maintains thd word to be Chaldee, and that tbofe Images 

 v^ere borrowed from the Amorites, Chaldea?2S, or Syrians, and 

 that the Egyptian Serapis is the fame thing with Teraphim of the 

 Chaldeans. 



A Learned Jew fays the Terapfmn were in human Shape, 

 and that when raifed upright, they fpoke at certain Hours, and 



D d under 



