[ Is j neFted with it; it feems no ufelefs Labour, nor idle Re- fearch, to inveiligate thefe Corruptions of the original Revelation, and to trace the impure Stream, through many a winding Channel, down from its Fountain Head. And though there undoubtedly are many palpable Ab- furdities in the Heathen Theology; yet (as the learned Bp. Stillingfieet has juítly remarked), " When we have a C6 greater Light in our Hands of divine Revelation [meaning the written Word], we may in this Dun- " geon find out many excellent Remainders of the antient « TRADITION, though miferably corrupted" and a- bufed.* Nor can it be an unpleafing Engagement, for a Mind athirtt for Truth, to purfue its narrow Tra& through Ages now remote, and to mark its antient Pro- grefs in Times almoít unknown. The Inducement is the more impelling, fince able Men, who have gone be- fore us, have not only cleared but enlightened our Path through the intricate Mazes of the Pagan Mythology, and even thortened the Way to this important Know- ledge. t MAN no fooner fell from GOD, than he became vain in his Imaginations, and hisfoolifh Heart was darkened. ' Orig. Sac-. 1. i. c. 2. § 7. f Though the Author differs in Sentiment from a learned and in- genious Writer, who afferts that the ancient Heathens had never any Conception ofan intelle8ual, but only ofa phyftcal, Trinity, and that to fuppof the contrary, would be only " exalting the prophane Ab- " furdities of Heathenifm;" yet he perfe&ly agrees with him in the following Extraft. " It is granted, that, upon the Rife and Pro- " grefs of Idolatry, themo) ancient Heathens carried off manyfutlime 0 Myfieries of the true Religion, and purloined more in after Ages " from the People of Gon ; yet, when they were in ,PoJon of them, " they mixed them up with their own Atheiftical Principles, then " ftrained away the purer Part of the Mixture, and let it run to wake: So that, if we now Peek it again from them, there is little " to be found but their own filthy Sediments inftead of it. And if fe in fcattered Fragments, borrowed from the Hebrews, there Ihould, " be found tome dark Notices of the TRUE Gon; yet, after all, we " are not to form our Sentiments from the Heathen Theology, but " ° to reform and correft that by the Chriftian." See yones's Anfwer to " EAày on Spirit." p. zgo. ad. Edit. . Confequently
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