iì 1: 1 [ 32 j and is faid to have lived near 2000 Years before the Birth of ChrJ. In Succefliion to him appeared the fa. mous Hermes Trifineg/us, or Taut, or Thoth, or Theuth; by whom the kit Egyptian Pyramids are faid to have been raifed, * and who is held to have received the Name nlyn Taut, (which in the Phoenician Language fig- nified both Error, and an Idol then the Caufe of Error) from the Orthodox ; which the Pagans, through Igno. rance of its Meaning, afterwards retained ; proving thereby their Ignorance alto of the very Origin and Principles of their own Theology. t Having attempted this short Sketch of thofe dark Times ; we may now proceed to the Inveftigation of what was more immediately in View, and try to difcerni amidft this great Gloom and Obfcurity, some faint Rays of the antient Light of Truth, which had not wholly difappeared, though more and more contra&ed, in the idolatrous World. THEApoftle Pays, WHEN they [the Heathens] KNEW GOD, they glorified him not AS GOD, neither were thank- ful; but became vain in their Imaginations, and their fool- ish Heart was darkened. t This Text Auftin applies to Hermes and the Egyptians :§ And it plainly and direa- ly implies, that ONCE they did know him. How they glorified him not AS GOD, and became vain in their Ima- ginations, the Apoffle alto informs us ; Profeling them- felves wife in myftical Reprefentations and Symbols of divine things invented by themfelves] they became Fools [worshipping the Symbols themfelves], and changed the Glory of the uncorruptible GOD into an Image made like to corruptible Man. They erefted a Statue in the Form of Man, which was called PAN, or univerfal Nature. Here appears the common Miftake of all antient and modern Heathens, in exalting Nature above, or instead Ibid. t Hr DE in Abr. Peritfol. ltin. Mund. Edit. G. Sharpe. Vol. i. p. 54. Rom. i. z,, &c. Ave. de Civ. Dei. 1. 8. c. i i. of,
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