OF SERPENTS. 213 



t*riefts and Votaries : Yea, Minerals were ereded into Deities, 

 The Ftnlanders ador'd Stones. I don't lee what can be faid for 

 fuch an Inftan.ce of Stupidity. To fay the Pra(^lice took its rife 

 from Abram'% anointing the Stone that he made ufe of for a Pil- 

 low, when he vv^ent to Mejbpotamia^ does not leiTen the Reproach. 

 T^ht Mahometans think that yacob'% Stone was convey'd to the 

 Temple at yerufalem ; and is Hill there in a Mofque or Turkijh 

 Temple, where the Temple at yerufalem flood before the final 

 Defolation. The monftrous Stupidity of Pagans in their Devo- 

 tions will further appear in the Clofe of this Performance. 



Now among all thefe Inftanccs of Idolatry, the Adoration of 

 the Swi was the mofk excufablej for, who can behold that ftu« 

 pendous Globe of Fire and Light in perpetual Motion, Splendor^ 

 and univerfal Ufefulnefs to Mankind, without awful Admiration, 

 and warm Emotions of Mind? No wonder then to find that it has 

 been the Objed: of Adoration fo long, and in fo many Places. It 

 was the Sun very probably that was worfhip*d by the Phcenicians 

 under the Name of Baal^ by the Moabites under the Name of 

 Chemojh^ by the Ammonites under the Name of Moloch -, by the 

 degenerated Ifraelites by the Name of Baal^ the King of the Hoft 

 of Heaven, to whom they join'd the Moon, whom they called 

 AJlarta or Queen of Heaven. 



This Worfliip was perform'd upon high Places, in Groves^ 

 and upon the Roofs of their Houfes, which in thofe Countries, 

 were flat. It was againfl this kind of Worfhip that Mofes warn'd 

 the Ifraelites^ and threatens the TranfgrefTors with Death. Deut. 

 iv. 19. 'tis iaid yofiah King oiyndah took away the HorJeSj that his- 

 Royal Predeceflbrs had given to the Sun, and were fix'd at the 

 Entrance into the Houfe of the Lord, and burnt the Chariots of 

 the Sun with Fire. ■ ^ 



III. Animal Gods. 



I N the next place, I fhall briefly touch upon fome Brutes and 

 Birds, &c, that received Divine Honours from the Pagan People, 

 and even from thofe who were fuppofed to excel their Neigh- 

 bours in Underfbanding and Wifdom. 



Thus Crocodiles^ Serpents, Eagles, Dogs, Cats, Wohes, Oxen^ 

 were worfhip'd by the People of Egypt, thofe celebrated Sons 



