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The Do

Damons &

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of a Temple that is prophaned. Leave out the Court, which is without the Temple, and measure it not, for it is given to the Gentiles. In those places where it is reprefented as a Whore, where the Cup of its abominations is fpoken of, and where it is faid, it fhall feduce the inhabitants of the Earth by the fign's that it fhall work, it is confider'd as a Religion; because worship, idolatry, miracles and figns belong to Religion.

III. The H. Spirit's reprefenting the AntichriArine of ftian Religion as a Paganifm, is to me a new reaAntichri- fon, that perfwades me, that in the Text of St. ftian Paga- Paul, which we are now difcourfing of, by the the fame Doctrine of Demons we muft underftaud that dothing. ctrine, of which Damons are the object. For I look on these two Texts as Parallel; this of the Revelation, the out ward Court is given to the Gentiles; and this, the apoftacy of the fon of perdition fhall be a Doctrine of Demons. Now it is certain, that in that Text in the eleventh of the Revelation is precisely meant that Paganism, that Pagan Theology, and that Pagan fervice, that were. introduced into the Chriftian Religion, and confequently here by the Doctrines of Demons muft understand the Pagan Religion, that worfhipt Damons, or Antichriftianifm, that hath made for it felf a Religion altogether like it in worshipping new Damons.

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IV. But the principal reafon that perfectly predict the perfwades me, is, the event, which is always introducti- the beft, or rather the only fure Interpreter of nifin into prophecies. One thing is certain, viz. that there the Chrifti- is a perfect conformity between the Thelogy and an Church. worship of the ancient Paganism, and the Anti

on of Paga

chriftian Religion of the Papifm. This was not done by chance. God permitted it, God fore

faw

faw it, and without doubt God hath predicted it. For there is no likelihood, that having carefully marked in the Prophecies events incomparably lefs confiderable, he should forget this. 'Tis true, one may fay, that the Prophecy of it is found in these words of the Revelation, the outward Court shall be given to the Gentiles; and in those places where the Antichriftian and popish Religion is compared to adultery, and the corrupted Church to a whore. But the first feems to me to be too obfcure, and the fecond too general. I can't believe, but that God would leave us fome Oracles more clear and lefs general, to predict this admirable conformity, which is between the worship of the ancient Paganism, and that of Antichriftianifm. Now this Text more exprefs and more clear then the others, I do not find elsewhere.

To fet forth this laft proof in all its ftrength, we must confider fome points of this conformity. They may be seen already in those two Chapt. of the fecond part of our Prejudices, where we have fhewn the conformity between Popery and Paganifm. But not to give any the trouble of leaving this book to find out the proof of this truth, that the worship of Demons among the Heathens, and this of the Saints in the Papifm are alike, we will here give an abftract of it.

Pagan

The Pagan Theology about good Demons is re- The Arti ferred to thefe Articles. I. They faid, that be- cles of the fides the great Gods, there were inferiour Divi- Theology nities, that received all their power from the fu- & Religion periour Gods. II. The inferiour Divinities were Damons, touching either confecrated Heroes, and deified fouls, or fpirits naturally and originally feparated from matter. III. Their office was to be mediatours between men and the great Gods, to execute

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their orders in favour of men, and carry the prayers of men to those fuperiour Gods. IV. To the honour of the one and the other, i. e. of Demons or fpirits, as well thofe that were confecrated fouls, as thofe that were naturally feparated from matter, they made Images, built Temples, and by vertue of the confecration, they made them come and dwell in thofe Images and Temples. V. Befides this, they did adore and worship the afhes and the reliques of their Heroes. These are the Articles to which the Theology of the Pagan Damons was reduced.

First, They held inferiour Divinities, that were acknow- infinitely beneath the great Gods. 'Tis a thing ledg'd info known, that there is no need to prove it. feriour They called their great Gods Dii fuperi, Dii coeleftes, Soveraign Gods, and heavenly Gods. They placed thefe Gods in the Stars, as fouls in bodies; therefore the Greeks called them runners, as always going, and always running, as Plato faith in the Dialogue entitled Cratylus. These Gods were fo very much above the others, that they believed them only immortal; for the fame Plato faith fomewhere, that the inferiour Gods were not immortal by their nature. They called these inferiour Gods Damons, and they ascribed this diftinction to Zoroafter. They, faith graculo- Plutarch, feem to have removed great difficulties, who have establisht a species of spirits called Da mons between the Gods and men. They have found, that they are thefe Demons, that do unite us with the great Gods, and do conciliate them to us; whether this Doctrine cometh from the Magi and Zoroafter, or whether it drew its original from Thrace by Orpheus, or from Egypt, ar from Phrygia.

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The Papifm acknowledgeth the very fame di- ThePapifmi ftinction. And they muft not tell us, that it makes no fuppofes but one Soveraign God, and no inferiour ftinction Gods; for the Saints are its true inferiour Divini- between ties. It calls them Divus and Diva, as well as he and God was called Divus Auguftus. The Heathens put Heathens the very fame difference between their great Gods and their inferiour ones, as the papifm doth Gods and between God and the Saints. For the fuperiour Dæmons, Gods were almighty and eternal; and the other were created by the great Gods, did not act but according to their orders, and were not immortall in their own nature. The papifts can't make a greater diftinction between God and the Saints The De-... than this. The fuperiour Gods of the Heathens Mediators were according to them fo heavenly, fo fublime, God and and fo pure, than they could not by themselves men. have any commerce with men, nor abase themfelves fo far as to take care of humane affairs, to govern them immediately and by themselves. Therefore they establisht a kind of Damons, to be Plato in as Mediators and Agents between the Soveraign Gods and mortal men, faid Plato. God doth not converse with men, faith the fame Author; but all commerce between God and men is by the mediation of Damons. The Damons are Meffengers and Interpreters, that come from God to men, and go from men to God. They bring to men the prefents of the Gods, and to the Gods the prayers and homage of men. He that would fee this Theology more at large, may find it in Plutarchs difcourse, de Defectu Oraculorum. In Apuleius de Deo Sacratis, in famblichus de myfteriis, and above all in Saint Auftin, in the eighth Book of the City of God, with Ludovicus Vives's notes: Now one drop of water is not more like another, P

than

1.

Sympofio,

than this Pagan Theology is to that of the Papifm. God and fefus Chrift, fay they, who are their great Gods are too fublime for us to addrefs our felves directly to them. We must have mediatours, that may be more of our rank; the fouls of Saints and the Angels do this office for us. They are the interpreters of our thoughts and our wants before God; and they receive commiffion to do us good and ferve us. Therefore it is that prayers are addreffed to them. Therefore 'tis that cures and deliverances are expected from them. Laftly, therefore 'tis that men put themselves under their protection.

firft author.

Hefiod the In the heathen Theology the mediators fpirits of the dei were of two forts. One were humane fouls; fouls, the the other feparate intelligences. The most anfirft order cient of the Greeks, in which we fee this deifi

fications of

of Da

mons.

cation of fouls exprefly, is Hefiod, who faith, that by the counsel of Jupiter, the great men after their death are establisht guardians and patrons of mortal men, inspectors of their good and evil works, deftributors of riches, and that in this confifts their royal dignity. Therefore afterwards this fort of Gods were called the Gods of Hefiod. Plato entirely adopted this Theology, and Eufebius quotes from this Philofopher theie words touching the Eufeb. 1.3. Heroes; We will for the future ferve and adore their fepulchers, as of the Demons, following the advice of the Oracle. Thofe that have the finalleft acquaintance with the Pagan Theology and The Laws Hiftory, know this, that the greateft part of their of ancient Gods were deified men. They themselves made no fecret of it: it may be seen in Plutarch's book shipping of about the ceafing of Oracles. The Laws of anactly like cient Rome are exprefs and remarkable hereupon. thole of Divos, & illos, qui cœleftes femper beati habiti funt,

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