and join'd with their natural Philofophy. But as the Chaldean and Phenician Theology agreed very much with the Egyptian, and are less known than the latter; and as the Greeks had their oldeft Theology and Philosophy from Egypt, it will be fufficient to give an account principally of the Egyptian Theology.

The Egyptian Theology was contain'd in their Hieroglyphics engrav'd on Columns of Stone, which were laid up in the inner and more facred Parts of their Temples, and also on their Obelisks; and could be explain'd by none but the Priests; and the Knowledge of it was communicated to none but those who were initiated into their Mysteries.

The Hieroglyphics were fymbolical, in which the System of the Universe was represented under the Figures and various Attitudes of Men and Women, Beafts, Birds and Fishes, and a Mixture of thefe together; of Plants also and Flowers and Utenfils, with fome Geometrical Lines and Inftruments, and Aftronomical Schemes, and an Interfperfion of facred Charafters. These were applied to nothing but Philofophy and Theology. The Figures did not fignify what the Forms expreffed; as an Hawk, Dog, Beetle, &c. did not fignify merely thofe Animals; but they reprefented and denoted *mysterious Notions of Theology.

So

* Jamblicus, the beft Explainer of the Egyptian Theology, fays, πρότερον δή σοι βέλομαι τῶν Αἰγυπτίων τον Τρόπον της θεολογίας διερμηνεῖσαι· ἔτσι γὰρ τὴν φύσιν, το

παντὸς

So that the Egyptian Hieroglyphics were very different from the Chinese Characters, in their Ufe and Signification, as well as Form: and it was impoffible to use them for Letters to exprefs common Language, for which the Egyptians had alphabetical Elements, or Letters which were older than their Hieroglyphics.

Nor were the Hieroglyphics of any ufe in Oneirocritics, or the Interpretation of Dreams these were always, as is well known, explain'd by Divination,

The

παντὸς καὶ τὴν δημιεργίαν τῶν Θεῶν μιμέμενοι, καὶ αὐτοὶ τῶν μυσικῶν καὶ ἀποκεκρυμμένων καὶ ἀφανῶν νοήσεων Εικόνας τινὰς διὰ συμβόλων ἐκφαίνεσιν. I will frf explain to you the Method of the Egyptian Theology. They therefore in imitation of univerfal Nature, and the Operation of the Gods in the Works of the Creation, reprefent myfterious, recondite, and fecret Notions by Symbols, De Mys‡. Sect. 7. c. I. And Celfus, in Reply to Origen's Objection charging the Egyptians with worshipping Cats, Apes, Crocodiles, Goats and Dogs, which they made the Symbols of their Gods, fays, that the wife and knowing did not worfhip the short-liv'd Animals, but the eternal Ideas (or intelligent Beings) reprefented by thefe Symbols. Ideŵv αιδίων, καὶ ἐχ [ὡς δοκᾶσιν οἱ πολλοὶ] ζώων ἐφημερίων τιμὰς εἶναι τὰ τοιαυτα διδάσκεσι. Orig. cont. Celf. Lib. 3. Ρ. 121. And Kircher is very right in faying, Hieroglyphica Ægyptiorum fapientia, teftantibus omnibus veterum fcriptorum monumentis, nihil aliud erat quam fcientia de Deo divinifque virtutibus, fcientia ordinis univerfi, fcientia intelligentiarum Mundi præfidium quam Pythagoras et Plato, notante Plutarcho, ex Mercurii columnis, i. e. ex Obelifcis didicerunt. Oedip. Egypt. Tom. 3. p. 567. But thefe Mercurial Columns were not the public. Obelisks, but thofe Pillars or Tables of Stone laid up in the inner parts of the Temples: From which the Egyptian Priests inftructed Pythagoras and Plato in that myfterious Theology.

The original Ufe of the Egyptian Hieroglyphics was to reprefent the Properties, Powers, and Operations of the feveral Orders of divine Beings; of the Empyrean, Aftral, and Planetary Deities; of the Aerial, Terreftrial, Aqueous and Subterraneous Gods, Therefore Hieroglyphics were not known till Syftems of phyfical Theology were form'd on Aftronomical and Aftrological Obfervations, and Improvements were made in natural Philofophy: the moft ancient Egyptian fimple Theology of deify'd Heroes was contain'd in their facred Books, wherein their Actions were recorded: and their philofophic Theology was afterwards form'd upon the prior and original Idolatry and Worship of dead Men and Women, who were the first Kings and Queens; and of others eminent for the Invention of Arts and Sciences: whofe Souls after Death were deify'd, and placed in the Stars, Planets and other Parts of the World, which were called after their Names, and were believed to prefide in them, and to have a power and influence over the Affairs of Mankind. These made up the first political and popular Superstition. But as thefe Hero-Gods were abfent and invifible, the Priests thought proper that the People should have fome fenfible and visible Reprefentations of them; this gave rife to Images, into which the Priefts by Magic and Invocations pretended to bring down the Deities, and make them refide in them, when and as oft as they pleased: and this was the Foundation of Oracles.

But

:

But instead of Images of Wood and Stone, by which the Phenicians, Chaldeans, and other Nations reprefented their Deities; the Egyptians very anciently, and even before the Time of Abraham, confecrated Animals to be living Symbols of their Gods; by the feveral Ufes and Properties of which Animals, their Characters were better reprefented and understood than by inanimate Statues and then as the Gods were thought to delight in the fymbolic Animals which were confecrated to them, and to impart their Divinity to them; thefe living Symbols became Objects of Worship, and had Images made and confecrated to them also, which were worshipped by the fuperftitious People.

Thele Symbols were the Foundation of the Egyptian Hieroglyphics, of which they made a confiderable Part; and the original, political and popular Ufe and Signification of them was refin'd into a philofophical Theory of Theology. The Priefts, to put a better Glofs on the plain and fimple Idolatry of worshipping dead Men and Women, did in very ancient Times fet up Mysteries, and allegoriz'd the popular Theology into a philofophical Syftem. The Symbols and hiftorical Actions of their Gods were refolv'd into natural Caufes and Effects, and into cœleftial and mundane Elements; and the Powers, Attributes and Operations of feveral Orders of Gods cœleftial, æthereal, and terreftrial, &c. all which were dependent on and fubordinate to one fupreme Deity; and were fuppos'd to be the Ministers of his Providence in the feveral Parts

of

of the Universe, which He as the universal Soul filled and sustained; and this fupreme Deity the Egyptians fymbolically represented by a winged Globe.

Jamblicus*, the best Interpreter of the myftical Theology of the Egyptians, tells us, that their various Symbols were Representations of the Power and Operations of the one fupreme Deity.

Sanchoniathot, the oldest Pagan Historian that we have any Remains of, and who lived, as the learned Porphyry affures us, about 1230 Years before the Christian Æra, related that the historical Actions of the Hero-Gods of Phonicia had been allegorized by the first Hierophants, who prefided in the most ancient Myfteries. He alfo mentions fome fymbolical Statues of Saturn and other Gods of Phænicia made by Taaut the first Hermes: and these might give the firft Occafion of allegorizing the History of the first Hero-Gods, which allegorical Theology was begun to be taught in the Phenician Mysteries, which were inflituted before all others; and afterwards was taught in those of Egypt and Chaldæa.

The

* Βέλεται μὲν ἡ συμβολικὴ διαδοχή [fortè, διδαχὴ] δια 18 πλήθος τῶν δοθέντων τὸν ἕνα θεὸν ἐμφαίνειν· καὶ δια των πολυτρόπων δυναμέων τὴν μίαν αλλά παριστάναι δύναμινο De Myfter. Sect. 7. c. 3.

+ Eufeb. Præp. Evang. lib. 1. c. 9. p. 30, &c.

The Time of the firft Inftitution of Myfteries cannot be certainly known; but thofe of Phoenicia and Egypt were long before the Time of Cecrops, and fo before the Greek Theogony.