The Theology of Plato, in six books — trans. Thomas Taylor

account: " That God, or that sovereign being whom they call Achar (immutable) has produced or drawn out of his own substance, not only souls, but also whatever is material and corporeal in the universe, so that all things in the world are but one and the same thing with God himself, as all numbers are bat one and the same unity repeated.'' Bernier Metnoires, tome 3. p. 171. 178'

From this Utter extract it appears that the Brachmans as well as the ancient Egyptian*, believe that the supreme principle is all things. According to the best of the Platonists likewise, this principle is olitkingt prior to ait. For by being tie one, it is oil Miagi after the most umpU manner, 1. e. so as to transcend i

» See its Homilies, tome «. p. 40.

Proc. Vol. I. /

INTRODUCTION.

Catholic* form the game opinions of the saints whose images they worship as the Heathens did of their Gods ; and employ the same outward rites in honouring their images, as the Heathens did in the religious veneration of their statues. Thus as the Heathens had their luttlar Gods, such as were Belus to the Babylonians and Assyrians, Osiris and lsis to the Egyptians, aad Vulcan to the Leronians, thus also the Catholics attribute the defence of certain countries to certain saints. Have not the saints also to whom the safeguard of particular cities is committed, the same office as the Dii Provides of the Heathens.' Such as were at Delphi, Apollo; at Athens, Minerva; at Carthage, Juno ; and at Rome, Quirinus. And do not the saints to whom churches arc built and altars erected correspond to the Dii Palrooi of the Heathens ? Such as were in the Capitol, Jupiter, in the temple at Paphos, Venus, in the temple of Ephesus, Diana. Are not likewise, our Lady of Walsingham, our Lady of Ipswich, otir Lady of Wilsdon, and the like, imitations of Diana Agrotera, Diana Coripbca, Diana Ephesia, Venus Cypria, Veuus Paphia, Venus Gnidin, and the like ? The Catholics too, have substituted for the marine deities Neptune, Triton, Xereus, Castor and Pollux, Venus, 8tc. Saint Christopher, Saint Clement, and others, and especially our Lady, as she is called by them, to whom seamen sing Ave Maris stella. Neither has the fire escaped their imitation of the Pagans. For instead of Vulcan and Vesta, the respective guardians of tire according to the Heathens, the Catholics have substituted Saint Agatha, ou the day of whose nativity they make letters for the purpose of extinguishing lire. Every artificer likewise and profession has a special saint in the place of a presiding God.

of tire according to the Heathens, the Catholics have substituted Saint Agatha, ou the day of whose nativity they make letters for the purpose of extinguishing lire. Every artificer likewise and profession has a special saint in the place of a presiding God. Thus scholars have Saint Nicholas and Saint Gregory; painters Saint Luke; nor are soldiers in want of a saint corresponding to Mars, nor lovers of one who is a substitute for Venus.

All diseases too haTc their special saints instead of Gods, who arc invoked as possessing a healing power. Thus the venereal disease has Saint Roche ; the falling sickness Saint Cornelius, the toothach Saint Apollin, &c. Beasts and cattle also have their presiding saints : for Saint Loy (says the Homily) is the horse-leach, and Saint Antony the swineherd, &c. The Homily adds,' " that in many points the Papists exceed the Gentiles in idolatry, and particularly in honouring and worshipping the relics and bones of saints, which prove that they be mortal men and dead, and therefore no Gods to be worshipped, which the Gentiles would never confess of their Gods for very shame." And after enumerating many ridiculous practices of the Catholics in reference to these relics, the Homily concludes with observing, " that they are not only more wicked than the Gentile idolaters, but also no wiser than asses, horses, and mules, which have no understanding."

In the wcond place the Homilies shew* that the rites and ceremonies of the Papists in honour ' Tome a. p. 54. 1 p- *9-

INTRODUCTION, xkfii

ing and worshipping their images or saints, are the same with the rites of the Pagans. " This, say (hey, is evident in their pilgrimages to visit images which had more holiness and virtue in them than others. In their candle-religion, burning incense, offering up gold to images, hanging up crutches, chairs, and ships, legs, arms, and whole men and women of war, before images, as though by Ihem, or saints (as they say) lliey were delivered from lameness, sickness, captivity, or shipwreck." In spreading abroad after the manner of the Heathens, the miracles that have accompanied, images. " Such an image was sent from heaven, like the Palladium, or Diana of the Epbesians. Such an image was brought by angels. Such a one came itself far from the east to the west, as Dame Fortune Bed to Rome. Some images though they were hard and stony, yet for tender-heart and pity wept. Some spake more monstrously than ever did Balaam's ass, who had life and breath in him.

ls. Such a one came itself far from the east to the west, as Dame Fortune Bed to Rome. Some images though they were hard and stony, yet for tender-heart and pity wept. Some spake more monstrously than ever did Balaam's ass, who had life and breath in him. Such a cripple came and saluted this saint of oak, and by and by he was made whole, and here hangeth his crutch. Such a one in a tempest vowed to Saint Christopher, and scaped, and behold here is bis ship of war. Such a one, by Saint Leonard's help, brake out of prison, and see where his fetters bang. And infinite thousands more miracles by like, or more shameless lies were reported."

After all this, I appeal to every intelligent reader, whether the religion of the Heathens, according to its genuine purity as delineated in this Introduction, and as professed and promulgated by the best and wisest men of antiquity, is not infinitely preferable to that of the Catholics ? And whether it is not more holy to reverence beings the immediate progeny of the ineffable principle of all things, and which are eternally centered and rooted in him ; and to believe that in reverencing these, we at the same time reverence the ineffable, because they partake of his nature, and that through these as media we become united with him,' than to reverence men, and the images of men, many of whom when living, were the disgrace of human nature? The Church of England a» we sec prefers the Pagans to the Pap 11 is , and 1 trust that every other sect of Protestant Christians will unanimously subscribe to her decision. And thus much in defence of the theology of Plato, and the religious worship of the Heathens.

It now remains that I should speak of the following work, of its author, and the translation. The work itself then is a scientific development of the deifonn processions from the meltable principle

' The ineffable principle of things, as is demonstrated in tbe Elements of Theology io this work, is beyond self-subsistence. Hence the first ineffable eroluliou from him consists of self-subsistcnt natures. As we therefore are only the dregs of the rational tialure, many media arc necessary to conjoin us with a yrimiple so hnmeoscly exalted above us. And these media are the golden chain of powers that have deified summits, or (hat have the ineffable united with the citable.

xllV INTKODUCTION.

of things, and this, as k appears to me id (he greatest perfection possible to mm.