In the preceding ages of Paganism the doctrine of the Unity was a secret only committed to a few, who did not publish it to the people. This appears from the testimonies produced even by those learned authors themselves, who want to make it pass for the general doctrine of the Pagan world. For they either suppose it to have been taught in the mysteries which were celebrated in different nations, or to have made a part of the arcane theology of the Egyptians, Chaldeans, Persians, &c.

As to the mysteries, if, as the learned author of the Divine Legation of Moses has endeavoured to prove, the doctrine of the one supreme God, the Creator and Governor of the world, was taught there, it was the peculiar doctrine of the greater mysteries, communicated under the most tremendous seal of secrecy to such only of the initiated as were fit to be intrusted with the secret, and who were under the most solemn obligations not to reveal it. And can it with any consistency be supposed, that this would have been reserved for the mysteries as a profound secret which it was not lawful to reveal, if it was a thing which the people in general were acquainted with before, and which was an article of the common received religion? But in justice to the learned author last referred to it must be owned, that he is not chargeable with this inconsistency. He says, "the knowledge of God "was communicated to a few select Gentiles in the mysteries "celebrated in secret." That "they shut up the glory of "God in their mysteries, from a false notion, that the vulgar "knowledge of God would be injurious to society:" and he adds, that “in the open worship of Paganism, either public "or particular, the creature was the sole object of adoration."†

The learned Dr. Sykes, who seems very desirous to make the doctrine of the Unity, and perfections of the Deity, pass for the universal doctrine of the Pagans, and which they derived not from revelation or tradition, but from the mere

* Div. Leg. vol. I. p. 166. 4th. edit.

+ Ibid. p. 196.

light of nature, yet is obliged to make acknowledgments which are no way favourable to his scheme. He says, that "the mysteries among the heathens were of that kind as to "set them right in many parts of their theology: but that "it was very difficult for them to get admission to those who "could or would set them right: and that it is very plain, "that their best and wisest men travelled from Greece into "Egypt, to get at the knowledge of the unity of God, and "the like important truths."* And this surely they would not have done, if it had been a doctrine commonly known among the people by the mere light of nature. The same ingenious writer having said that "the Egyptians did teach one "only supreme Mind, the Maker and Governor of all," observes that "this was a part of the secret theology of the "Egyptians, which was imparted only to their kings and "priests; and that Pythagoras was at so much pains as to "be circumcised, and had the king's letters to the priests, in "order to his getting acquainted with their theology.”+ And he there farther observes, that "the grand secret of the "Pythagorean philosophy was also this, that there is one "God, the supreme Governor of all." And every one knows how careful Pythagoras and his followers were to keep the secrets of their philosophy concealed from the people: nor were they communicated even to their own disciples, till after a long and difficult preparation. He also supposes, that Plato had his notions of God from Egypt. And this philosopher, in conformity to the Egyptian maxims, looked upon it to be a dangerous thing to declare it openly to the people. It is easy to see that these suppositions are not very consistent with the hypothesis, that the knowledge of the one true God, his perfections and providence, was the common doctrine of the Pagan world.

Connexion of Natural and Revealed Religion, p. 383.

+ Ibid. p. 475.

Ibid. p. 480, 494.

1

The eminent Dr. Cudworth frequently observes, that: "from the ancient Egyptian theology the Greekish and Eu"ropean is derived." And he has taken a great deal of pains to show, that "the Egyptians had among them an ac"knowledgment of one supreme universal numen." This is the subject of the 18th section of the 4th chapter of his Intellectual System: though I must confess, if this be understood of the one true God, the proofs that are brought for it throughout that long section, which takes up near fifty pages, do not seem to me to be satisfactory. He himself asserts, and it appears to be so from the testimonies produced by him, that "as well according to the Greeks as the Egyptians, the ❝ first or supreme God, and the rò av of the universe, were "really the same thing."* But if it should be granted, that the Egyptian wise men had right notions of the one supreme God, the Doctor himself represents this as a part of their arcane theology, which was imparted to a very few, and carefully concealed from the people..

I think enough has been said to show, that there is no sufficient ground for what this learned writer asserts, that according to the received theology both of the Greeks and Latins, not only the philosophers and wise men, but even the vulgar Pagans, acknowledged the one supreme God, the Lordof heaven and earth, the same whom we adore, and directed their worship to him under the name of Jupiter. And, indeed there are several passages in his book not very consistent with this scheme. He distinguishes the vulgar theology of the Pagans, under which he comprehends both the poetical and mythical, and the civil or political theology, from the natural and true theology.+ And he seems to confine what he says of the worshipping the one true God under different names and titles to those whom he calls the "more intelligent "Pagans." Who these are he does not distinctly inform us, but probably he intends to distinguish them from the gene

Intel. Syst. p. 345.

+ Ibid. p. 477.

+ Ibid. p. 265.

rality of the vulgar. And it appears from several passages which have been produced from him in the course of this work, that even the most learned among the Pagans were for the most part greatly deficient and wrong in their notions of the one supreme God: that all of them in general were world-worshippers, and worshipped the several parts of this material system, which they looked upon to be animated, as parts and members of the Divinity: that the most refined of them agreed in these two things, the breaking and crumbling the one simple Deity, and multiplying it into many gods: and then in theologizing the whole world, and deifying the natures of things, accidents, and inanimate bodies: * that the people by Jupiter, the chief of their deities, generally understood the Jupiter of the poets and mythologists: and that there was a perpetual jumble or mixture of herology, or the history of their hero gods, and physiology, along with their theology: that their public political worship had an appear ance of a plurality of distinct independent divinities, and that the people regarded and worshipped them as such: and that they were generally strangers to what he calls the recondite theology of the Pagans, viz. that the one God was worshipped under different names and manifestations: these concessions, and others of the like kind, which this learned author is frequently obliged to make, do in reality overthrow the hypothesis which he takes so much pains to establish.

Intel. Syst. p. 532, 533.

CHAP. XIX.

A second general reflection. The corruption of religion in the Heathen world is no just objection against the wisdom and goodness of Divine Providence. God did not leave himself without witness amongst them. They had for a long time some remains of ancient tradition originally derived from revelation. Besides which, they had the standing evidences of a Deity in his wonderful works. The Jewish revelation was originally designed to give a check to the growing idolatry, and had a tendency to spread the knowledge and worship of the one true God among the nations: and it actually had that effect in many instances. If the generality of the Pagans made no use of these advantages, but still persisted in their idolatry and polytheism, the fault is not to be charged upon God, but upon themselves.

THE representation which hath been made of the state of the heathen world may possibly give occasion to the enemies of all religion, to arraign the wisdom, the righteousness, and goodness of Divine Providence. It may seem scarce reconcileable to the moral administration of God, supposing him to concern himself about mankind, to leave all nations in general to continue for many ages in such a deplorable state of darkness, superstition, and idolatry, without affording them any means to guard against it, or recover them from it. And if this were really the case, it might seem to furnish a strong objection against Providence: but I shall now proceed to show that this is far from being a just and fair account of this matter.

It hath been already observed, that God gave a sufficient revelation of himself and of his will to the first parents and ancestors of the human race, before and after the flood, to be by them transmitted to their posterity: that besides the general revelations made to Adam and Noah, and which through them were promulgated to the whole human race, God was pleased from time to time in those early ages to make particular discoveries of himself to particular persons in different countries, which had a tendency to preserve the knowledge of the one true God, of his providence, and the worship due to him: that considerable remains of the ancient primitive religion and traditions continued for some time among the nations, and which they were under the strongest obligations to main.