



at thy word, are transient. Thou art before alloth^ 



thing., and art worthy above all to be known ! thou art the head abode and by thee, infimt ft « cQuid P^ ^ rf 



The troe God, says the '^ ^,^ <^ <* D ^ * <* "* - ** 



truth, without being confounded by the blaze for them alone they J ^ ^ ^^ Godhead> and 



of his unity. From the vulgar eye th.sdoetru^ ™ ^^^^^ of the Bramins (L priests) more partieu.ar.y 

 BraAnia was one ot the persons of the Trinity, to whom p^jm 7 2%eotogy fol the last Note to 



addressed. Fide Maurices Indian Antiquities, Vol. II. p. 7 1 • See also a Jarther Mtouni j V 



£fte Carina. 



PERSIAN THEOLOGY. 



. , • rv n < t i. ,nH fW™ a fragment of the theology of the Magi. This historian mentions, " that the 

 Plutareh has left us, in his Treat.se * £~?^£&£to*i2L'-i *eZdd«MTT«A .ometime. » tw* «W- 



ancient Persians adored but one sole supreme De.ty, but they considered the Uodiv Oromazes, because 



nations from his substance, and at other times as the first productions ^J^J^^Z d of the sprfng, and that of Mvthras 

 he was never to be forgotten: but the festival of the godde ^-«- -s ob-n,ed on ^ ^ tX / ( J tions , a nd the men did 



£££££ harder to preserve the sou. from a„ hua ^o, wh -j^^—^ ^ J^L of all incor- 



There is a fragment «J^^^£^«^*ZX^^ him, o/.ike him. He is the author of all 



^^X^n^rSl^XT^SL Lings, and the wisesfof all intelligent natures; the father of eouity, the 



parent of good laws, ^^^ J ^^^^^^^^ «re expands itself; by means of which, not only bodies 

 He thus describes Heaven. In the J«x» ot the i P y P first ^ He diffuses himself every 



but spirits become visible In the midst of ^*~££ ^ anner . Near him is Lted the God Mvthras, or the second * spirit, 



^Z^^^Go^^Z^^^ZotL the first rank are the ^ the most sublime intelligences; in the lower 



spheres are an endless number of Genii of all the different orders. 



EGYPTIAN THEOLOGY. 



Pi.uta.ch in his treatise of Isis and Osiris, tells us f " that the theology of the Egyptians had two meanings: the one holy and symbolical, 



Plutarch, his treatise rf ammals which th had in their temples, and which they seemed to adore, 



the other vulgar «d ^STTSm te divin'e attributes. Pursuant to this distinction, he says, that Osiris signifies the active 



S£ or Z2XSXZ2 SS£ or * of his operation; Orus the first production of his power, the model or plan by 



Whi They e ^^^^«^^ «? * * — le ° f — - " *"* ^ inSCripd0n ' " l ™ ~ 

 and from me .IT th inpFJ*^ G<)ds several rf ^ ductions rf the Deity , but their pries ts did not trans- 



form d^td ^SSLtbh.: rivers, winds, vegetables, or bodily forms and motions. This would be as ridiculous as to 

 form, dissolve, and jc ^ ^ ^ ^^ ^ ^ and shuttle> are the weaver . Su ch 



TsTe I ^O^tt^'t^lXtnly powers, whom they blaspheme whilst they give the name of Gods to beings of an insensible, 

 senseless notions a .in g y _ , r ^ ^ ^ fc material and tQ be percelved by our senses , 



rS^r55tTSi-5?S thereL different God, As the sun is common to aU the world though called by different 

 Tme, in different pices- so there is but one sole supreme mind or reason, and one and the same Providence that governs the world, though 

 ^SZSH nndrdiftrent names, and has appointed some inferior powers for his ministers." Such, according to Plutarch, was the 



^^^JS££!J 3SS52TS5: h-elf thus, when writing against Cslsus. - The .Egyptian philosophy 

 have subhme noils with regard to the divine Nature, which they keep secret, and never discover to the people but under a veil of fables 

 and a Wories cZZ is like a man who has travelled into that country; and though he has conversed with none but the ignorant vulgar, 

 vet Sit So Ts Lao that he understands the Egyptian religion. All the Eastern nations, the Persians, the Indians the Syrians 

 tt^SZZ nnder their religious fables. The wise men of all those religions see into the sense and true meaning of them, whilst 

 the vulgar go no farther than the exterior symbol, and see only the bark that covers them. 



GRECIAN THEOLOGY. 



The learned among the Greeks had also true notions of God. First, of the Poets. 



Omheus rises to this sublime description of the unknown God. j=t »i_. 



^ Sere £Lt*£* exalted above, and prior to all other beings, the author of all things, even the ather, and of every thing that , s 

 below the 1L. This exalted Being is Life, Light, and Wisdom; which three names express only one and the same Power, who formed 



311 "SS^SS^^ 'OS* Pagination, and the indecent allegories with which he often dishonours the divine Nature, 

 has several sublime conceptions of the supreme God. 



First, of the Place of God. 



" O Father of mankind, superior lord ! 



On lofty Ida's holy hill ador'd; 



Who in the highest heavn has fix'd thy throne, 



Supreme of Gods! unbounded and alone." 



II. vii. 241. 





* - & N e it is thus that Mythras is called in the oracles which pass under Zoroaster's name. Doubtless they are not genuine ; but they contain the most ancient 

 r.tinns InTthe style of the Eastern theology, according to Psellus, Pletho, Plotinus, and all the Platonists of the third century. 



. , .-, o. ^_-_ _ a* TKiH nq § Orig. contra Cels. lib. 1. p. 11. 



Secondly, 



traditions 



f Plut. de Isid. & Osir. p. 354. 



J Ibid. p. 373, 374,375 







