O F S E R P E N T S. ' 



Priefts and Votaries : Yea, Minerals were ereded into Deities. 

 The Finlanders ador'd Stones. I don't fee what can be faid for 

 fuch an Inftance of Stupidity. To fay the Pradlice took its rife 

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

 low, when he went to Mejbpotamia, does not leffen the Reproach, 

 The Mahojnetans think that Jacob's Stone was convey'd to the 

 Temple at Jerufalem ; and is ftill there in a Mojque or Turkijh 

 Temple, where the Temple at Jerufalem ftood 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 In fiances of Idolatry, the Adoration of 

 the Sun was the moft excufable ; for, who can behold that flu- 

 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 oi Baal, by the Moabites under the Name of 

 Chemojlo, by the Ain?nonites 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 Worfhip was perform'd upon high Places, in GroveSj 

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

 were flat. It was againft this kind of Worlhip that Mofes warn'd 

 the Ifraelites, and threatens the Tranfgreffors with Death. Deut, 

 iv. 19, 'tis faid J'ofiah King oijudah took away the Hbrfes, that his^ 

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

 Entrance into the Houfe of the Lord^ and burfit 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 Underfl:anding and Wifdom. 



Thus Crocodiles^ Serpents, Eagles, Dogs, Cats, Wolves, Oxen^., 

 wgre worfhip'd by the People of Egypt^.. thole celebrated Sons 



213 



