404 "t4eDarnoonp of Me Zíbíne Míríbníeg Chap, 2 I , to the humour ofSuperftition. For many Ages Satan t_,e-j had kept peaceable poffeffion of his Empire : for the Ignorant World did not underftand its Mifery, but willingly paid that honour to the cruel Ufurper, that was only due to the Lawful Sovereign. They were coñ- firm'd in their Idolatry by feveral things :. _ I. Theywere trained up in it from their Infant Bate. Now the firft perfwafions of the mind though grofly falfe,and ill habits do ftrangely captivate, and are with difficulty removed; becaufe the concurrence of tho`e faculties is requifite, which are under the Power of Errour and Vice. No Tyrant is fo exac`ily obey'd as Cullom, efpecially in things efteem'd Sacred: for the conceit that the Service is pleating to theDeity, renders men incapable to believe any thing that contradiEts it. 'Twas as hard tomake the Gentiles forfake the Religi- on they received from their Birth, and to loofe the itn- preffions made in their tender Age,as to make the Afri cans change their Skin andbecome fair,. and the Eura- pears to turn black : for the tincture which the Religi- on praEtifed in each Country conveysto the Souls of Men, is as deep and balling. as that which the Sun im- prefl'es upon their bodies,: according to the diverfity of its Afpeu`ts. 2 . The Pagan Religion was derived through a long fucceffion from their Progenitors. Antiquity brings I knownot what refpet l to things, but 'tis fpecially vene- rable in matters ofReligion. There- fore the.Heathens accufed the Chri.. ftian Religion ofNovelty, and urg- ed nothing more plaufibly than the Argument ofimmemarialPrefcription for their Superftition. They would not confider whether itwere juft and teafonable, but with a blind deference yielded up them.: (elves Vid. Syme in relat. ad iniperat. Majo_ rem excipere difciptinam, Religiones eradiras colere, Creed. Tantum Sanai- tatis attribuereconfuevit, quantum aft- truxerit vetuf}atis. M. Fe/. Hoc fanft_ um ab ævoeft, Hoc ab Aravis traditum. d'rudent.
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