It is further alledged, and very probably SER M. of the Heathens defigned by V. true, that many their different denominations to fignify, not diftinct beings, but partial confiderations of the fupreme Deity, as manifefting himself by his various works. The vaft multitude of creatures which are produc'd, and the numberless variety of appearances in the world, (tho' all proceeding from the fame orignal Cause) might give weak minds occafion to imagine a diversity of operating and governing principles; yet others really meant, and explain'd themselves as meaning, no more than a diverfity of effects. Thus, tho' the Pagan worship might seem at first fight to be divided between the divinity prefiding in the heavens, in the fun, the moon, the air, the earth, the fea, and the invifible ftate of feparate fpirits; yet the wifer fort intended it to the one fupreme God, to whofe dominion the whole world is fubject, whom they believed to be every where present, pervading all things, as they exprefs'd themfelves, and diffufing the fruits of his power, wisdom and liberality thro' all parts of the univerfe. And therefore when the inanimate parts of the creation were perfonated, and deified, fuch as the fun and the earth, we cannot reasonably think that, at least the men of fenfe and learning among

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The Unity of God prov'd from the SERM. the Heathens, were fo ftupid as to imagine V. that the material fyftems themselves were pro

many

per objects of religious invocation; but the true meaning was, either that they were animated by fubordinate intelligences, whom they honoured with an inferior worship, as I shall afterwards obferve, or rather that the fovereign virtues of this Deity, tho' one in the principle, yet multiform in their apparent exertions, were to be reverently acknowledged wherever they are manifested. From the deifying of the works of nature, as containing. fo different manifeftations of the Divine power and providence, they proceeded farther to make gods of unsubstantial things, mere accidents, fuch as the qualities, the affections and paffions of the human mind; virtue, justice, clemency, hope, had temples confecrated to them and altars erected. Not surely that these were thought to be personal deities, fubfifting by themselves, but it was designed to be acknowledged that in them the Author of nature has display'd his virtues, giving a moving force to created beings, whereby important effects are produc'd in the world.

If this was the true fenfe of the more intelligent Pagans, (and by the many quotations which learned men have taken the pains to collect from their writings, it seems to be fo,)

we

we must conclude, that under an appearance SER M. of Polytheism, they conceal'd a real perfuafion V. concerning the real unity of God. And this will be ftill more evident, if we confider what I obferv'd on another occafion, that fome of them worshipped the Deity as the foul of the world, than which, however wrong in itself, nothing can give us a clearer idea of unity, or a stronger intimation that they believed it. For as we know by our own consciousness, that the human foul is one percipient active being; so a common foul, animating the whole fyftem of the universe, must be apprehended to be one. I have already fhewn, that this notion was grofs and unworthy of the supreme Being. It is probable, that many of the philofophers who thus express'd their fentiments, intended no more than that the divine reason, as they spoke, or understanding, is intimately present with all things, wifely governing them. Some of them certainly had more fublime conceptions of the Deity, as an infinitely fuperior nature, the Author of the world, inhabiting it not as a Soul, but as a sovereign Ruler, who continually fuperintends all its affairs, and exercises a juft and gracious care over them; and fome of them imagin'd a plaftic and intelligent univerfal nature, deriv'd from him, which was properly the Soul

of

SERM.of the world, and they called it a fecondary V. God. But however divided their opinions

"

might be as to that point, they agreed in this, that the fupreme Deity, the ultimate Object of worship, is One only, manifested in the feveral parts of the univerfe, either as his animated members, or his works, in which he is intimately present, continually displaying his wisdom, power and goodness; so that he containeth all things in himself, and all things are full of him, which they carried fo far, that this was not an uncommon faying with them, Deus unus et omnia.

Laftly, It is certain that the Pagans, the wifest and most learned of them, designedly and avowedly worshipped inferior gods, subftantial invifible powers, whom they suppofed to be created or generated by the one fupreme Being, either in time or from eternity, and employ'd by him as the ministers of his providence. These Deities were of several forts, as separate spirits of various orders and degrees of perfection, who never inhabited terreftrial bodies, but were either altogether incorporeal, or poffefs'd only aerial or ætherial vehicles, each prefiding over a particular part of the universe, as the station and province appointed to him by the universal King ; and the departed fouls of heroes, whom they sup

pofed

V.

pofed to be advanc'd to a high degree of power, SER M. dignity and happiness, as a reward of their vir tues, and the eminent fervices they had done to mankind, while they were upon earth.

The pretences by which the Heathens justi. fied this part of their devotion were fuch as thefe; that fince there are fo many excellent beings, fubordinate indeed to the great God, and his fervants, but fuperior to men, and by whofe miniftry many and great benefits are convey'd to them, it feems reasonable that their favours fhould be acknowledg'd with gratitude, and that they should be honoured by men, in proportion to their dignity and beneficence. Befides, that as there is an infinite distance between the fupreme Majesty, and mortals dwelling upon earth, it seems fit that they should not prefume to approach his prefence immediately with their adorations, but by the mediation and interceffion of his favourite minifters, who continually stand before him and furround his throne. In both these sorts of worship, I mean the supreme and inferior, they used ceremonies and external fymbols, especially facrifices and images: Sacrifices, as teftimonies of gratitude and acknowledgment of dependence, likewife bloody victims, as rites of deprecation, and for expiating their fins; and they ufed images, not as at

all