Cliap. VL ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. ^6^ 



CHAP. VI.' 



Tbe h'ljlory of Religion Jitly fitbjoined to the hijlory of arts aiidfclcnces. 

 — In what fenfe Religion is natural to man : — // aoes not belong to 

 him in his natural flate^ nor even ivlxn he lives in herds ^ — but only 

 in the civilized fate : — not even in the firf ages of civility. — This 

 proved both by the reafon of the things and by three examples. — 

 T'he knowledge of a God arofc from mans fu dying Imnfelf — The 

 progrefs of that fudy^ and the reafoning, by %vhich me?i were con- 

 vinced of the exifence of fuch a Being. — As men formed the frf 

 idea of a God from themfclvcs^ they naturally made him like them- 

 felves, conf fling both of body and inind, but both more excellent 

 than theirs. — Egypt the country in which Religion had its origin^ 

 as well as arts and fcienccs. — This proved both by the reafon of the 

 things and the authorities of authors. — Egypt having been govern- 

 ed fo long by Daj?ion Kings ^ there were two Religions there a 

 Philofophical Religion, and a Religion for the vulgar. — Religion 

 ivent from Egypt to Greece ; — alfo to India, where feveral monu- 

 ments of the Religion of Egypt are to be feen at this day. The 



idea of a God went to other countries as well as to Greece atid India 

 though not the worfip as praclfed in Egypt. — A plurality of Gods 

 according to the frf Religion among men; — but one principal among 

 them, according to the Religion both of Egypt and Greece. — As 

 thofe antient Gods were fippofed to have bodies, they had alfo fenfes 

 that were to be gratified ; — and their minds alfo were to be gained 

 in the fame way as the minds of men, by things prefented to them. 

 — The frf things offered to the Gods were the fruits of the earth. 

 — The memory of thefe offerings prcferved both in Egypt and 



^ ^ 2 Greece, 



