j^6 ANTIE NT METAPHYSICS. Book 11. 



terpretation of the text Jupported by the authority of the Fathers 

 of the Church. — // loas natural that tbofe Damons in Egypt /}jould 

 be tue objecis of Popular Worjhip there ; — but the Learned Egyp- 

 tians made a dijlinciion betwixt the Popular Religion and the Re- 

 ligion of Philojophers.— Proof of this from their knowing the doc- 

 trine of the Trinity. — A great deal of Rites ^ Ceremonies, and Pomp 

 in the Popular Religion of Egypt.— 'I he Jame in the Religions of 

 Greece and Rome , — aljo in the Religion of the Jeivs. — Pi oof of 

 this from Scripture. — Mufic a confidernhle part of the Religion of 

 all Antient Nations ; — very much attended to by the Egyptians. — 

 The Antient Mufic among them carefully prefer ved — Of the Ora- 

 cles in Egypt. — By them only the Egyptians divined. — From them 

 Oracles came to Greece, but not to the Romansj ivho divined only 

 by the Flight of Birds and Entrails of Beajls. — Of the Egyptian 

 Oracles. — Thtfe iv ere given by the Damons who had Reigned over 

 ihcm ; — difference in that refpect betwixt the Oracles of Egypt a7id of 

 Greece., as well as betwixt the Gods of Egypt and of Greece. — Of the 

 deceit and impoflure of the Greek Oracles. — Of the Sacred Animals 

 among the Egyptians. — Thefe were types of their Divinities. — 

 Better reprefentations of Divinity than any thing inanimate, fuch 

 as Brafs or Stone. — By means of thefe Sacred Animals, the Egyp' 

 tians lived ivith their Gods, more than any other People ; — and 

 ivere the mofl Religious of all People ; — and alfo the Happiejl.—' 

 Obfervations upon the difference betwixt the Religion of the Phi- 

 lofopher and the Vulgar. — A Religion of contemplation, fuch as that 

 sf the Philojopher, not fit for an uninflrucled Mind. 



HAVING fhown in the preceding chapter, that men mufl: noE 

 only have been civilifed, but have made fome progrefs in 

 aits and fcienccs before they could be religious, in this chapter I 

 propole to inquire concerning the religion of Egypt. 



That 



