Serle - BT590 N2 S47 1776

[ 57 1 land bath obferved, that " as the Name JEHOVAii found its way into Italy in the moll antient Times, fo " might the Notion, fignified by it, be alto communi- ted. And indeed fome remarkable Traces of the an- tient primitive Religion Teem to have continued in " Italy in the fin i Times of the Roman State."* Among the reff, the Idea of a Trinity, though funk very low, does not feem to have been wholly loft at Rome. Their Diana " was called TrformZs and Ter- gomina, i. e. Threeformed and Triple, and was repre- fented with three Heads; the Head of an Horfe on the Right Side, of a Dog on the Left, and a human Head in the midit; whence fome call her, three headed and threefaced. Others afcribe to her the Likenefs of a Dog, a Bull and a Lion. Virgil and Claudian alto men- tion her three Countenances." t This was a frill more remote Corruption of the Egyptian Theology. Profer pine was another three headed Idol of Rame. She is made to fay of herfelf; " I am called of a threefold " Nature, and allo three headed. Many and various are " my Forms, and three my Symbols. I bear three Simili- " tudes, or Images ; of the Earth, the 41ir, and Fire."t The corrupted Notion of a Trinity fpread likewife farther Weftward and Northward, from Egypt, than to Greece and Reme; for PhilaJtrius tells us, under the Ar- ticle Heliognofti, that the Celts learned the Principles of Religion from Hermes Trifinegiftus (and, molt likely, this capital Principle of Hermes's Theology among the reft), but with this fuperfluous Canon, " that, next to the omnipotent GOD, the Sun was to be worfhipped and adored by all Men;" probably, as the vifible Image of the Deity. The Vandals, however, had a God cal- led TRIGLAF, who was reprefented with three Heads; which proves that, Barbarians as they were, a vile Abufe of the Doftrine had been tranfmitted even to them. * lldvantage, &c. of the Chrift. Revel. Vol. i. p. 445, Note. t TOOK E's Pantheon. PneK. Heb. Lex. p. 413. .Tbid. p. 414. GYRALD. de Diis Gent. Spit. RODIGAST

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