r 3 7 of, the GOD of Nature. Its Head was defigned to rp- prefent the Sun ; and the other Parts of the Body bore a myftical Allufion to the alive and paflìve Properties of the mundane Syttem. And as Herodottís tells us (in which Diodorus Siculus agrees) ", that the Egyptian PAN was the frfd and the oldeji of all the Gods, and therefore in the higheft Efteem ; fo it feems, that they intended, by this Icon or hieroglyphical Reprefentation, to adore the Powers and Energies of Heaven and Earth, acting in Concert as the Parts of one great Animal, and di- reéted by one Influence or Wifdom, which (according to their Hypothefis) phyfically refided in the Sun. -I- The Heathens themfelves give no Account of any Idol, at leait in human Shape, prior to this. This Myftery of Iniquity did not refs here; for, when the Powers and Attributes of GOD and of Nature were depicted Under hieroglyphical Symbols, $ taken from fuch Ani- mals or Things as appeared to bear the greateft Ana- logy to thofe Powers and Attributes; the common Peo- ple, who were not allowed to underffand, or could not obtain the Key to, thefe facred Characters, § fell into the groffeft Superftitions, and debafed even 'Idolatry it- feif to the Worship of Birds, andfourfootedBeafts, and creeping Things. When the Omnifcience of the Deity was figured out 'by a Hawk, or Eagle, the vivifying Ardor of the Sun by a Lion, and the fubtle Efficacy of Nature by a Serpent ; the poor illiterate Multitude, who paid implicit Veneration to thofe Monopolizers of Knowledge their Priefts, whom they perceived obfer- vant of thefe things, fancied them altogether divine; and, not undeceived by thofe who ought to have taught them better, became at length fo darkened in their fool- ïfh Heart, as to worfhip andferve the Creature(and Crea- tures of every Species).inftead of the Creator,. * HEROD. Euterpe. Dion. SIC. 1. i. {- KIResi. We/. Pamph. I. iii. c. z. See alfo BLACKWELL'$ "' Letters on Mythology." p. 54. BRYANT'S lfnal. dut. Myth. Vol. i. p. 331. Dion. Sic. 1. i. D NNW
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