Of the E X O T E R I and E S O T E R I C C PHILOSOPHY;

T H A T IS,

Of the -Extertzat and Itsternad VoGr*c of the Ancients :

The one open and public, accommodated to popular prejudices and the RELIGIONS ebbliih'd by Law ;the other private and fecret, wherin, to the few capable and difcrcte, w s taught a the real T R u T H itript of all difgu;Ces.

l p l w d't u r e v r e w v 3 t ~ 3 a ; . a H ptv a~n.Btrnr rumrSsf3 UTPWCOF nrop; H & p p m v be&&;,TYY oux 71 W K ~ Cah#->#.

P A X Y ~ W I D E S DIOG, A E R T .Lib.9. M aa. apud. C .

L 0 N D 0 N, Printed in the YEAR1720-

ct.1 p . f i , o . ~ u ~ , r>la
( b2

, .-.

.
/

.)

. , .

.
,

,.I
L

0R
. .

. . , - . . . . I ..,. .... ,.. ., . .' , , J ., .: , .? . . ..,;:".' ..... . ' . , ..I

I . .
A i .

. '
, $ ,

'

f e.i P j ,t @i Of the E@CSjt and E & k t . b:Z$ j , . . ;....

.
. ,

.. .
.$

::;
I

.
,

. .

. .. .I. ,.
,

., ..

. < . , . ' - .:.

>
.

'

;... .f ..

.,

.' 1'

. T ,

. . ..
4:.

,.
,

64

L'LZD0P~HORUS..,thro lazinefi or occupation, few are capable to ) q u i r e the poffe&ob of it j Tome c u n n i ~ g perfons r thought they cou'd not better attain to Authorib ' ty over the rcit (which draws Riches after it of coufie) than. by pretending to be maflers of this fame T R u T H. Next they ave out that they cou'd im art it .to others, wit out putting them to any la or, or diverting them from any bufineG : and as for a little ex enre, who wou'd grud e to give a price out o r his tnnfitorg pelf for t e invaluable jewel of Knowledge? oi not think it e uitable to beitow a moderate reward I on men, t at cou'd equally delight and benefit him ? Nor did there crafty Empirics fiop here. 1 They knew the falfity\of faas, and the fallacy of 1 d o n i n g s , might at one time Br other be det&-' 1 ad by mep of pencuation. Whcrfore, as theDeyil is God's apk, 'the boafled of a fuperior an4 fupernatural knowle ge, not iubj& to the rules of Criricifm, nor a proper objea of the Underitanding. Nay, rhey went a reater len th, open- 1 ly maintainin that it was awful to y for the lit g o o d that the common eople (hid they) &inclpe$k of ~efleklion, wg t to be manag'd guile, and to bedeluded by agreable fables into o dience t their Governors. Thus M N E v I s, an o Egyptian king, impos'd on his fubjeEt& by feigniqg an extraordinary communication with heaven, Z o no A s T u R f&ceisfully prais'd the fame art on the BaQrians and other neighborin nations. P Y T H A G'O R A Sf -after hiding himfel for fomc &ne [ if be wire dead) a ptar'd again at CroG a, prcac ing the 'oys an&torments of another ' His b:tciple Z M o bx r s vaunted having ! A qegia'd divine Revelations in a cave, wherby he, g i ' .Gjch authority, as to prefcribe what and !aws he p h ' d to"the rude Scythians. ' M I & o s ay~d I M E N I'D E s in Crete, publiih'd the conF'P

!
%

'' I

1,

8.

fermces

c L Z D . O P HOR-US.
9'
33

ral retirements from the fociety of other men, on

k e n c e s they had with

JUPITER

in their feve,

whom they obtruded their own fillions for divine 'I commands. W h o has not fead of N u M A'S inI timacy with the coddefi E G E R I A ? from whom, ifhis own word ought to be taken, he learnt the '%eligion he taught the Romans. I hall name no ? more out of the long lie, which the learned have . 'I o f rich antiquated feducers ;nor any among thofe I' whore Inititutions itill prevail, except for exame fike POHI, S O M M O O B O D O M , MAN ~ ~ ~ C I N G H I S - C H AODORUS DI N . s, and other antient writers, mere not afraid to rank Mosss in this clafi, rho his laws " e truely divine, without any mixture of weali! neG or folly. .But as this incomparable Le iff a: tor ought t o want no apology among Chri ians, ' fo I have folely to do at prefent with thofe H a t h e n IMPOSTORS ; who perceiving that what was fl built upon fraud, cou'd onely be fupported by force, they made it capital t o quefiion their di&ates, and highly difreputabre fo much as to examine, " let alone to doubt of them. ThePrieits, for their I' own intereit, were not wanting any whefe t o promote f w h penal laws; and thc Magiftrater O (partly thro Superitition proceding from their ignorance: and partly thro Policy, to grdp a more power than the laws allow'd, by, the ailiflance of 1 t h e Priefis) have been commonly very ready to inforce thole laws, by what they call'd wholefim i s , Hence no room was left for the ro/ pagating of T R u T H, except at the expen e of , a man's life, or at leait of his honor and imployments, wherof numerous exam ies may be alledg'd. T h e Philofophers ther ore, and other well-wihers to mankind in mcrit nations, were confirain'd by this holy tyranny to make ufe of a two-fold do&rine ; the one ,Popular, accomF ' modated

' '

'
'
'

' modatedto the ~ E J U D I C of~t vd@, E k

6

to the receiv'd CUSTOMS RELIGIONS or : thedo-

and

h t writcrs.

("."""..'"'-".-.
s

::lxm; ere I begin Ef

r, .,
i.
I

y
-

u m nature, as to find Chriitiam unhappily conitrain'd any where, ro re late their con&& according to this Heathen di 'n&ion3 tho they rofeis the Reli ion of hitu who ir Tnora it elf, a n d w h o j j h i c e i * p feEf F R E E D o M. T cy are commanded to LO v s cacb other, and f o f a tbc T R u T H one t o ane* pk ther: but they fo obey, as if they were expreily injoin'd the contra . Not ancly every fie& f i rioufly dppofes anot er, and all of 'em every one LOUcan name j but thofe of the Came fe& fiand in mutual oppofition fbr the poorefi trifles in the world, for airy diftinfions, for a party-jargon,
--*

fr

1 terfpm'd with my own obfervatioq y; I cannot but deplore 4iuch a depravity

this Collection, . in^

:. of h ,i

'K

$or Fawrritc founds, niy ditntimks for Wlabla a d Ictteia. Thky mmife'eitall the figns ot; a er-. M ha* by bmndi dehthing, a d avoi in8 r i c h other) &ir lea ever hawing 'ein the example, sjf they were ofhiid they fhou'd come t o a better tmderading, and fooner or later teive that they narrel'd about nothing T efe are M s aot po bk to be btny'd. And sts little kah it bedeny'd, that, not content with this rancdr of m i d , or the narrownefi aF their peculiar fchemes and notions ; t y heartily l w e each h other with fines and incapacities, wit exile) imi prifonment, and other numberlefi ways: not t6 mention the lait. of dl evils Death, which -at leait is fo in their o iniani till Pcrfecutiori ends at length in the qrtijitidrr, as the utmoR perhaion of this helliih Oecotwm~of fktb. 11i fine, daily ex ience fufficientlp evinte3 that there is no di cdvtring, at la no dcdaring of e& T R u T R in d d i t plat* but at the hzzzrd of a man's reputarion, idl loyment, or life. TH& circumitances cannot iail to beget the waful ef? feBs of infincerit~ll, difiinwlation, grdfi igndrance, and licentious barbarity. What's mofi of. dl to kalamcnm& is, tbat but too much of this lwen fermtnts in the pureit Churches. Wh2t h n g e turns are given to controveriis, about things i n theiafelves indifferent, and where both iides of the queition may be inrlocentl rnaintain'd? What feckr idnuatiorls, what bare c'd calnrdnie~~ what unkind fuggeftions, what injurious treatment of thofe, who ought t o be efieem'd and cherifh'd as b m h m ? but who beifig thus farc'd to become 'mcmies, and, iway'd b human frailty, are provok'd to repay their a vdaries in the like coin trrrith ufury. Among PrieJs and Mingars in particnlar (leaving every one to alfume the name he lit= be& for t h y are no more agreed about m c s than any thing elfie) what unmanly pumpI' F t in g

2%

rf:
-

P"

'' I

',

Part. Circ.

2.

20.

Part. 3. Cirr. 3,4.

Part.
(

1 .
232.

irc. 3.

p3g.

in and talebearin , what wiredrawing to an ac nowlegement o their thoughts, and de oGn ' m if they are frank, or Tufpehng 'ern if rci!rv'df c Scurrility is the leait d p e r a t i o n , as being thc commontfi. This mufi of ne&ty produce f i hb ings, ambiguities, qaivocations, and hypocrify in all its ihapes j which willnot morely be d d , but d u a l l y ebteem'd, ntctfary tautiom : o c c d on'd in a11 times and .places by wnbitious Prieits, I fupported by their property the Mob j thus depriving us of the ace of life arrd the truth of religion, yea of p ilofophical ddicoveries and imrovements, t o the no Tmall detriment ~f mankind. f n stll this affair Pridc is ever join'd to IntereR, for never was any Pride-equal to the praenfc of Infallibility j which has furniih'd this , ~ u fobfervation, t &at as the Church d f i o m e claimstobe ever in the right, T no other Churches will ever confers t h c m o felves to be in the wrong. Submit therfore you muit ri ht or wroogr or it will be the worTe for you in / a1 the reipeas I have mention'd. And yet (what's a natural conl-quence) do but Tooth this fpiritual arrogance, the m l impious book hall pa6 curot rent j witnefs that heap of Scripture-contradiHions, as he thinlrs them, abmt Providence and the origin of the World according to the M o s A I c account, a f f e a d y put to ether by Be~ro~nnus in his Circulus Pifinus, a ook othcrwife very ingenieus and ureful. H e endeavors even to prove, that the being of G O D cannot be known by rearon, but onely by Ciith; and that the authority of the boolts of Scripture cannot be prov'd by hifiory or rearon, but be implicitly and devoutlv receiv'd. Yet this bounceing compliment to Mother Church, in the third part falfly printed the fifth, Caves all. ?%ere i s more jrefi t o be laid on m miracles receiv'd and appov'd by tbc y Church (as the cure o R J i ~ h t p e divine0 wraugbq f a

C L I D 0 . P H0.R US.

R"

/
/

CLfD'OPBOHUS.
#ban f any man'floPd f 2 a# who d f d in this age -brought .to lifr again, -than i mounPains were ref mov'd out of Jtbeit.nplaces than i a w w morjd, j f '.was created: #me in all thefi thi~gsthere woiz'd 'Jill remain the f~f'jcionOf magical fraud, whence* '-thy might k dcem'd not realh $erfmm7d (which one wou'd think we& eafier Gfpe&ed of an ague) rather to be the fancies of OUT imaginations, or .the iIIujons s our finfis. T h e ihort and the long f of this is, that we mufi believe the Church rather than our owdeyS+j if B E R I G A R D U S n ~ & did Banter, as well as coaM the old Ld' vanity. f ays doubt not, k r my part, but hc made d of the c axoteric and Efiteric d$in&Eon, to fave.his bacon, as w e fay: or if any,. d o has notread thore Circles or Dialogues, will have it that he did not, with all my heart ;.hut I am juft going to demonfirate a that others did, and that it ws the commonpra&ce pf 4 1 the antient-Philofophers.
'

69

~ ~ J ~ ~ H E R F O R E P _ *

i?:tq% PhiIOphy, the one accord in^ to TRUTH, , jg<+*d-i other according ~OOPINION the : which
is not onely true of the Greecs and Romans, but iw certainly fo of orher nations much more antimt. I know thatthe words PARME MEN IDES ma be commodioufly underfiood of the fillacieu&& and hncertainry of the Senfes, which often reprdent things otherwife than they are in themfalves, ' and muit therfore be examln'd and i . F3 cbrrded

'

,yd.i$ ; : W

;*

M .

was unquefiionably in the right, when he affirm'd rbzt there nre two Prts of

;; :: ;

7
,

70

pinion, from Rdbp ~ o n f i m d o : on the fofn mer qre huddl'd up the prejudice4 of the Vulg;~, kllowing tkc bare a p p a n c e of thin s i on tho latter arc f o u n w tqc axioms of thq who conGder things as t are io tbtmfelves. &t this is not tk twofpl4 hiMphy that makes oy. fub'e&, mr what the author intgadd, b~ &c 1. *.Ia t h c r I c p l d n y o o . This* ~ 7 9fib. ter a f f w U , that Pa R M t W I q~s iq is ~ . S phyfiar. ria (or ~yppqncxizted,to p tbp L i fijs $28 and water sxc rbc b ~ M w peinri#s: elf g all tbings, as if he tad acknowlod '4 the workt to have bccn pqtd,:kt t b t ia $ @tcrics (w 3 b o o h can, 'I'd y c t ~ , f~b t b ) bf fw m ~ tbc ~nizItr/p:s rrzx in fit^, ipaw~~~..,. -C not on1 the (lifiid%bn06 Exot&cs 4EfimM6s is l i t d to hc learnt, bur an qample ?it t y wf ie mm& nbeghs6.g o f t h m g & n terically, t EfiterictzIb the eternity and incor; aidruptibility of the VniverCe. The Egyptians, whci k r a DO- were the wifefi of m r a s had a twofold do&iziei : otl, 7r.1 ssl)ro- the a * kmct, and in t h s VC~)* ref* dcred ; DOUVSSICULVS, the a h t r popuhr, and confequmtly vulgar. Whd SrrAa,,, iS there, that is ignarax~ their facred fitters,' of P LU T A I- Hiero lyphics,Forms, Symbols, Enigmas, and Fa4 *US* Jm- &s ? 2rr a d qeaq was f a @a fame o %he md f L'CRv" Egyptbn PMbphy, copcoc~hgbings d w tb'u iliiqucbme '?ppmance 4 Fables (fays P LU T A R C M) r~#d 4 muhi. Dc r r 1D r fpches that contain'd objbro indications and orguC ( a ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ v :wbicb tbdy tbe~eIvesexp'b/I$ merits s f Gutb Edit. Par. ddare, bp placing Spbynxes Bafors mop ef thir S e *g' $ a ;thus injwthg, tbat t&# 4 8 r i p ~ l nntp@jtg $ m d tbipgs, EO@]S in a- firt e auqdem wbi& i ~ , f dcJigmd& perpkxt, mad bitg hid arnder Judj'd wils? That: we may give a fpecilnen of f u ~ b rhingp aa they conal'd, $bef ~ n 0f M II N E R V A (fays P qvt la. w j T A R c EI again) m h u tbay + i d ta be tk fme

con&cd by Rclfbn. From the W arSTks Q1 g g

CLPU~~ P

a ~ u z
bik,

ak r;
B.

'''

.~vitb

GtI1E)O.PHORUXwit3 Iisrs,, h a tbisI~fm+ti~n atSais: I

AM ALL

7g

TYBT \VAh 1% A N D SHA+L B E : N O R ,HAS 4 N Y M 0 RTdL DISCOVER'D W H ~ T ' SU N 8 R

M Y H o o D. I S I s therfore, whom the vulgar hdiev'd haye been a @een, 2nd of whom they had a thourand different fables ; was the Nature o all things, f to the Philofo-. Id. ibid. phers, who held the accOrdi? E R S E t o be the UN I pincipbl. G 0D, or the fupreme being, and confequently abftrufe or obfcure, nonc feeing beyond the iurficc of Nature. But this they onely difcover'd to the initiated. T o that of Sais correiponds another Idcription itill remaining at CTp a , T o THEE, W H O A L O N E A R T A L L . ISIS.T h o I am fidr~ common places on this forbear inrertin here put into the mouth of Rature M O V ' ~ b tb prayen, o L u- ~ m m d . A T U RE, the parent pf it. "bings, J ~ n d i n -befwt tbee the m;/zr;/j of aN the ehents, the initial jack of ages, the highej of the p)e 16,6 higher and peen of the lower powers, the lrniform g p p a n c s of Gods and'Goddefes, who govern by m~ motions the luminous &eighthsof tbe sky, tho filutary breezes of and the melancholy jlence one one@Deity under n14and diferent names, i s ' ador'd b tbs whole world. 7 His prayer likewire to y I s I s, or rather to N h T u R E (as he himielf ~xplaiwit) may be read, with no lefi pleafure than inilrulkion, in the fame book. I cou'd bring man7 other proofs, that -1s1s in the mouth of the vul ar iignify'd a xueen, and Nature in that the Philofophers, Pb T H n o o n n s, that 1 ma hafiily afs over all for know ege to t e egyptians, t~ be circum~is'd that, admittance inro the

QP

i z

CLIDOPHORUS.

CLEM. - the San&aries, he might *om the Prieib and A Irx. s'Om. the Prophet; learn the genuin fenfe of the mylib. edit. p,,,,,. itical d&ne : which, as I faid before, the p .3f+. difcover'd to ,none, except when intreated wit g

the utmofi importunity, and fofien'd by complcifancc and diduity.

/

IV.
P"""""
:I

U ".. " .."

ons, efpeciall the Ethiopians and Ba: . bylonians, t e antient and modern Bramins, the Syrians, PerGans, and the reit, principally i n h e e d by Z o R o A s T E R. T h e CUc books, and late Travels to this urpore, are in every body's hands, T h e Drui s of D r e a. the Gauls and Britons wou'd by no m e w deliver Lm. in their myittries or fecret doarines, to any exdept prooem & , . 6 I- the init~ated:that I may fay nothing of the He. ' tern AN- trufcans, and other Occidental nations, no more WIAN.MN- than of the prefent Chinere, Siamefe, and Indians ~c''in~ lib- properly So call'd 5 the thing being T notorious, o xs. cap. 9. as to be deny'd by no body. From thde feveral peoples, let ys rocede to the Greec Philofophers. D 1 0 4. Moil celebrate is the firnet dGipIinc of PYTHAZM:. In GORAS, after which original the ARISTOTELIAN PYTHAG. Item JAhl- Acroafics, or if you bad rather Acroamatics, have BLIC. POR. been co y'd. But of there latter anon. T h e difYR. ciples o P Y T H a G o R A s were either Hearers or mubisaliu. Il.lathcmaticians, or Exoterical or Epterical, whbm we may render Exterior and Interior auditors, All things were declar'd to the Efiteuical (but without witncKa) in a pl;).in, perrpicuous, and copiqus
:
i-.,
t
r

. :T

'

. . alfo in ule among ofher orientznati-

H I S double manner of teachin ' was I

1

copious Cpeech : while every thing, or) the contrary, was deliver'd to the Exoterical, in a per? plex t, obfcure, and enigmatical manner j nor ply any thing told clearly, except popular and vulgar matters. T b e filence injoin'd to the latter, or the probation they were to undergo, laited f i v ~ years, or two years at the leaft; but that of the ' , former, whom they alfo itil'd and reputed perfeEf, was per etu'al : not towards each other (as has been ra ly believ'd by many) but onely towards all thofe, who werc not of their fellowihip ; whence that moit common maxim among them, that all'tbinp ought not t o be declar'd t o all rnen.'l):bci~~. They rdew'd their own doCfrines to thcmfelves, as fo many holy fecrets ; or if any others happen'd to be prefent, they told their mlnds to each other by fyabols and en&mas or p a B e s : whence i t has unluckily ha pen'd, that fcarce an thing which ws of u e or moment among t em, is a come to the knowlege of the public; this being t$e true reahn of the obfcurity, or rather the almil incire 106, of the Pythagorean Philoio hy. . Of this eondutt I fiall give one example. Eu- ,A u c . I s r s ehe Pythagorean fevercly chid his condifciple HIP RC H u S, for having ublith'd fome points ,. PA o the Efiteric Philofiphy 5 an for havin8 commu- , , f Ilicated to men, who werc neither initxated, nor CLEMAprepar'd by contemplation and the n e d a r y ici- lex. $. pg. lib Strom. ences, their miter's d&ine : wtrtreup~n was 6go. 0 R I he expdl'd out of the fchool, and a r n o n u r n c n t ~ ~ ~ conrra ere&cd for him, accurding to the cuitom of the Edit. Cant. CELS 11b.2. Pythagoreans, as if he had b a n aauJly dead. , F?g 6. rt ,

i l

E.f'F7

l'

r::' '4;

,f-

V. N O R

v.'
culiar t the qythagwm~. k t o the& p r d c from the h i a n to the Sugyrite. 2% hij'&&b ( 6 ~ s C H E N s dkwdrirrcs) aj'isrt, ~,but of t G miti* / m e i n d d w &,taris j while bk o h s ME vsid&br9a)tdEEPOte*jC. This is very horn to the poinr, and >not a little conNO&. ~ t LJu s iQ the k$l~_wing words. M f i d tha# of tkd tie- hb-ao- bods and arts, which tbt PbiJofopbsr A R S T O T L ~ F ' kisg ALEXINIWR'S m, deliwer'd b &is d~ciples~ . b had a a jirts. Some bs mm'd Exoteric, odberr e w
fa

o R .oy rich aence & dave pa

W d , $noemuchill

% ,,

te

,h A v t u s Gist-

Acroatic. Sacb weru cdl'd Exbteric, as tuugbg Rbetori~l Judier, tk flicuL9 of pluadi~gw Jibti4 dr~ptlotiota,a d the Anowledgu ef jwldisal M is ? at cst tbufi w m J'116d. hrosoic, tbat partain'd t o th kr t o n t c m o~ NahPrre, a d k di&&al f ~ di/"P#*, , tiom. He admtrtcd all his difcipks without diftinaion, and men k b ,s tbe f to his Exotsric IcEons, which ibid. ing : but bs f j , the m d g in #be Lyccm UPPIP, ~ explaining the Acrogic or Wieric dottrim, $4 which (purfues G E LLI u S ) he did rvPt i&ffveng& admit every body, bus with caution and choiqp T o ALE x A N P E R, complaining that he p u b liih'd and made common his Acroatic bpoks, ha Id* ibid. inrwer'd, know that t h y are neither publifi'd, nor , , yet. ~npubljjYd jeeing they'll k one0 intellzgible t o tbofi, wbo bazte been my hearers. A R I S T o T LE'S pag. :I I$. Ekc~erirsarc mention'(i by P LU TAAC H, againit ' P COLOTES 3

CLIDRPHQWUX;

75

'

C o LO T E s and bc;fwe him by C r c E RO* whp Ad Arrrefanomrimes underby them lndigefied and un-: : + f i w d trezdcs, in, qogt,qdiftto&n to Cuch as weire; pcrfea ;Ilr)(l Audioufly Mih'd. But his 8 x 0 tcrics w to be fmght irom none, preferably to e A n x s T O T t~ bia&l& who referrs to them in<

niufes, and Demons, he fumiih'd large materials for f a m ro th4 ~ ~ filily io ca11.d5 for c s night 'ls not more unlike to day, than the roodern t o the primitive Platonics. I pq/r ovcr in ' jknce (kysA-R u I,E q u who fw all hu aEe&ed Ifr luxuriancy of itile, F excellent Commentator glaS i n OW* &knts) thqh /-%&&ne divim Pktanic ?19' 4 7 ~ k i 6 ~ y i i I ~ ~ 4 v rd fnu 4 z 9*ry and by o y h a&l+tt@ u&oytt t q wecr~m of tbr pofa#e. All P U T 9's bo& are fo G1U, of the E~otericand E'ttsric AfinBion, which is the true key t o his works, that out of them alone I cou'd write a fizablt volum on this f u b j d . W h o is there that . feerns t fpeak more pofitively about a begino ning of the world, or a Creation in our language, than he ? and yet he's affirm'd by P H u R N U - Denat.DcT eg, h;ive maintain'd the U N I v E R S E t o be or* W . lto J o v e. ' N a j he plainly enou h infinuates fo much bimfelf in diverfe places. Be ldesthzt in his fecond Am&. bobk de Republics, he divides Theology into fymbo- 1688. &cd or my itical, md into philofophicd or demon. . %at ive,

&As.P,

firatbe, of which diitinaion hemaires almoRa cr-

petual d e . W herfore I wou'd advife certain pe Qns, who afTiiCt citingof P LAT o before other writers, t o deal fairly, by ac uaintingtheir readers in what knit he fpeaks: an whether fiom exotic tradition, or philoiophical perfuafion whether Exote;. ricall and Vulgarly, or Efoterically and as a Philoropker. But the Academics, the true followers of P LAT o (of whom rdently by themfdves) and z much b q t a . herd quite another c uf, o r! Epbejan H ERAC LIT u s, in the book which hc DI q a . E l c intitul'd Qf A.'$tureB .cxphidd nothing d&rly ; whence he ot the hrname of Siotinril, or' 06'f i r e . Yet ecaufe he fell under the blame of fiveral, on account of chis has honor'd . , his memory

~!:-9*

@-a**
Id. ]bid.
8

q.bb way b rugged, a d t h e book obfiure i

'

TOUu j not H E RA c LZT u s Jightly read, m

But if into bis f i n t he does yoil lead, All's plain? end Zits the @a it moj pre. T h e readers waqted a key, that might o en ?em a pllfage into his ieeret meanin, : and fuc a k g that I may hint it en pafint, is o be, for the mod part, borrow'd by the skilw fiom the writthemfelves. -

W . BUT

wou'd be infinite labor to run ove? particularly, it 9u.r the c@om of tbr Academics (fays C I c E R 0) to conceal conttl; Atheir opinion j and m to difiover it to cademi.lib. t any body, .except to Jicb as had ljv'd.with them even 6$0 old age. I ihou'd have thought this an over. caution, unleii I had known the Superfiitious to be To very jcalous,and ever bcnt upon mifchief. What CI E R O has fomwhere written about othen, c the Academics. he : the one popu- D fin.& e larly writtea, w&b j the other mere perfecly written, namely the Efoteric, which ,p, $hey lift in their Commentaries, or finifh'd Pieces. Hence he rightly concludes, that the fame Philofophers do not always Seem to Jzy the finre thing, Ibfd. tho they continu'd of the fame opinion j which is as true as Truth it felf, of many writers in our own time. Wherfore the incompreheniibility of the Academics, their dubitation and per-' petual fufpenfion of aKent ; mere not T propos'd o and recommended, as if in effe& they always doubted (which is imyoflible) or that they retain'd their affenr, by redon of the iniu erable incomprehenfibility of things : but firfi, ecaure they were unwillin to declare their jud mene of every thing in%. ifferently j and k o n d y, they werewilling fafely to difpute concernkg all hb'eEcs whatfoever, by equal1 maintaining both ides of the qucition. Nor w 1 any man in his feenres, we may reafonably

U T difmilrmg the reR , , which

? !' : -

pfb:

! f

1'

.#

reafonably believe, deny them to have a&ed both wittily and wifely, as things then ftoad.M o s E s,thc moil illuftrious Lawgiver of the Jews (that I may ' pafi over in Glence all the other Prophets, with their eternal types and allegories) is not difown'd by his followers, to have d e p a M fomtimes from theaccuratc truth of divine and natural matters; and frequently to ;accomniodatc his words; when ' [peaking of G 0D hitniclf, ro the ca acity and pre~onceiv'dopinions d the Vulgar. '!'his is in: eonteftable : and hence it is, that the Rabbinr vend io many fables and that there is rich pal able - Parkneii in the C d a b (1 wi* it refted only Jere] koncerning the M o s A I c Religion and Reyublid. Some of the Rabbins, hpwever, were more rubtle. What can be more Efitt~icin Conic lace& than the Talmud ? which makes the W o r ds not bnely plural, but alfo numberleis 5 tho it rpeciges the number of eighteen thoufind, a certain fum h r an uncertain :, befides that the Cabtzltzh we jufi nam'd, makes the world infinite and eter; al; increated and immenfe. jE s u s C u R i s T [imtlf taught for the mofi @t-tin parablcs, M A r-t 9 pre y forbidding tds rbildrefi'r bread, or tbut . 5hk7-6. which i s holy, meaning the true d d r i n e , to be MAR. cap to the dogs : and admonihing his difciples, 7. 57. after the manner sfthe Philofo hers,not to caj thbir T 7".par1s bdore Jwim j Gnce the e animals trampling . fuch ill beftotv'd gifts under their feet, and turn: ing a din upon their benefa&torspt with gratitudi but kry, will do their endeavor t o tear rhein t o pieces. This is ever the way of the fordid and the ignorant, W fpak utydoojn among them tbat k 8 core 2.6. are perfea, fays P A u L : lefs profoundly thera fore among the ruder fort, nor'do the other Apoj?ler (From, Morn I might bring many p&agt?s to this purpofe) fpeak a different language j thrj fm be it from me to make any cornparifon bc-

""

f ween

tw* them, aid ghc mibnxionr or f a I bne b o u g h t an the h g c in this difconrle. Tkk, as we have ihown, made die of fibles out of fcitr isa craft j thore imploy'd parables for edification, and oe the m r effcCtua1 conveyance of their d d r i m . Yet, that we may not leave this fubjeCt abruptly, t h e w nutions are not better known,thzn are the fymbols, tropes, type, allegories, ihadows, and tllyfieries, which on mety occafion are alledg'd by all kinds of Chriitians. Tis not a thing ther'Fore eitherfo itr&gz: dr wond&u& &at it hou'd erly contrbvmnd on hq fide, that it &on' ,be a ohatew o t h e niaft &inquiry, sand a f ?!pcfiidfi agitisd with a0 f ~ ~ k a W e among fo rn lprodigious a 'vatidty of f&, a b d was. in reality itbe erighl and gem. gnjit~~twn J s s u s ? m ( l rf %is whether is be, rhtrt de .the begttming it WB finrpolv'd in fuch iirc~d obfcclriry j er qther lth* 5t was afterwards .thus peple~t,b y t h e invent)m of the wily or &t imaginatrims bf dkwaak. s $at h8wfrkteiret tnahIer it f6 happdn'd, ! a& I '&wm@t &atn'd of thdfe Fathws,. Who niade k c h ordingtry '&dt~s its cating h a d , drinkiag %ne, md dipphg i water, o r wslihing with .it, n t o pa& for trmnaEi~sa d in#~tm&le Myjerius. Yciy htelligibfc 4nd appofire figures we pmnc ,,,,pa, 'ern 'to be, v e q Ggnificativt of the things they QO$~@, ' e t ~ and a h b i t but t o ~ a i l l i haothing ter- x p v ~ r r , r pd n t ~ i b l.or irbfh&, mwh t invlttera It or incon- "pPn"*@-eeivabk. NeverthelG what t h d e Fathers onely TOpi)llTu, aLpCpra 'lkignq to be M s T E R I E s rhat rh'ey night in FvrUecL. , "isdthing come hart of the Heathenifin they had flitted 3 t k k f u c c e ~ r took are4hau'd become . s wnintelli 'ble to fbme purple, and be tremendous fn more edes t h ont, or in any ienfc except t h a t of the Gb/rpel. Yet for as awful and frightful as the F a t b s dePmib'd the Chriitian 'MYSTE'RIES, t h y order"d chem t be mo& diligently cono ceal'd )

Y f

f~

F'

c d d ; leR the Heathens,. i &hers (to ive theh s own redons) might fcorn and. defpiie t eir iime , - . plicity. .., , .

-.

6 )

:I#.

'

the Catholic eJdblzj%#zent of all nations j which lhows~thatUnive+lity, is no infillible mark of T R u T H, unlefi it be rnalxy tain'd that there is more wiidojn than folly, w e r honefly than wickednefi, more knowledge than ignorance in the .worldd I have a cloud of witneITes t o confirm what 1 have advanc'd : but let C L E M E N s Alexandrinus be their fpokefman and Saomat. interpreter. All they (fays he) who have treated lib. f. p . of di~ine.fibjeRs, whether Bp~ba~rians G g e e ~ g or .&a. did conceal the P R I N c I P L E s of jhings ; but deunder liver'd the TRUTH euigms and fimbols, uw der allelqories a d metaphors. And indeed, not TO f p k of defigning ,men, many others were perCuaded, that both natul-a1 and divine thin s m i g b belt be explain'd by figures. Among t d e thp PhiloCopher S A r; L us T I rt s is not the leait conGdcrable : to whore authority notwithfia~ding,jF this point, I am farr .from arewing. H e l o o k upon it as improper, to be deJrous to teach all he# In de alike, w b t is true concerning the Gods j Jnce this libto Diis c t -in the unw@, who are incappble o fich inprat2iolr, f ap. 3. will Greed contswt, and in the w f e Zaziwfi :wherqs t o conceal the fizrth mder Fables {adds he) refrains rke foytnw frqp de/rp;/inh find nece3tates the l a f t ~ ze
'L

E i

" ~fi k4 ; - '

-1

T?w?Ql T why do I in&& on p r r t & t r ~ U

, fince this dipianion ef E~~:et-ic.l on# Eficrical doEtri#efd w ~ as i w e e , t "J)

- t.d
-/

- td Ph'iof2i~; ~IBrrbligin
&t right W i n g

CLIDOPWOAUS'.

8f

af fhsh ables9wMchwillnot h% time 1 idle mi tladt kulds. But *here is thd 9 ~ m ~ ~ e ' f i f y , h ii the end, dmhing the V u b t atlpthing &e)l m o t wdsrftaad m pra&t& ? and as fbr the h ' r n e d , tis a m t&k ofesercifing their dillgefice; *hen time can never fail theai

Bthem

to

inquire ima

'

thsir inhifry a b u t what is intellid hll : fbr all d o f ~ hdics are vain, UOUS, m ridiculow tkc relate to matters y h c m p r e h e d b l e , or o f n6 manner of concern to human UB. Not pkdid to hy and rofd all oa thihk, o t 6 k g citcuialbcution d i fc iS ona ihhg : bat t i s quite' another thing9 tt a c k o&ivaly sgainfi yoax medt, or iip;iin the T R n r H m s q Ow" figure o fp&h whatever. Pot all this, I rn &li 'd .as b MRorian (time rhe H/4m.y ef the 8 x 0 eric d d Bfitetis Phlofipby is m y prdknt: , CibjcCt]. to &late, that them have been of old, Its $ell as & chis ti*, fwml r a t men ; who dcclap.'d it thait opinion, that l R A u D a d S a? Y k R s T f. f I d N weye iie~ffary means, #a koep L k tohrnronpeupk itigoodtwder. Among fuch S T R A IS o, a man h i d l f not in the lea8 {upa~ititious,juftlp d i m s tk.Forcm6R place. In the firit tPdok d fiis invaluable G e o r w b y , he exprefies his Judg- Edit. mefit in the fdlowing words. D e f i Efpeaking Amfig of alcizans and the re8 of the mob] dm #w#'dP.'g ' 36. ?be& vide^, whtn eitdeu 8y wo~ds,or crrtah f~ghtpad rcprefidt&ienr, fHej Zemzi t h t prcrrij8Ments, a d fe??-ovs,a d commilratwns, Brecsde fro* Y ~ Gods, or ~%&t E they believe fuch thi s bdva bum injiHed on any Perfins : * f ~imp0 Ble to g s v m ~ tis the bulk of women, a d of the prom~ccaraus~ u & a V , liy Phile/ipbical diji.aurfis, or t o lead them info *aligion, piety, or fidelity j brdt t e this pu~?o/e S VP E R s T P TI o N i s fousd t a be n e c e f f i , wbich G can

ozn never fub/iff witbout $Etions and miuaclcs. @Vet--. fore JUPITER'S tbwidedbolts, M I N E R V A ' F fiield, N E P T u N E ' trident; !be t ~ l ' t b d firs e~ pents uf tbe F u R I e s, and tAoj2 jjertrs wbich svo t8ckdn'd #be arms o the Gods, ARK NLE FABLES, f as well 6s the WHOLE ANTIEN* T H k o L o 6 Y i *fmt h e j things were receiv'd by L E;G I s L A ? o R S, as fi @atry buIlbeggurs, whtrby to keop i~ order t&c /illy part of mankind.. N o r is STA A B 0, as I hinted before, fi e in this opinian concemiag Edit. the ufe of Fables. o M E R, which DIONYBIWS A m lYalirnrno@s tells us in his Life, &fis a paradoxia85w cal and fabulous narration o things 5 tbat be nay f $fill his readers with diligenc8 and adm'ration; a n 3 render his auditors amaz'd. T h a t all his Gods are pure natural caufes,. qualities, incidents, and ouentt, are prov'd in this very LiJk : but mo* ' H ~ ~ . X Aparticularly and cxprefly by JI B R A c L t T u st S(! 7 0 ~ 0 ~ x 1 whole Allegories of 9 HOM $ R deferve t o be careTOV Znt- fil$y erus'd. I h a l l neither obitinatelp deny, ~uvov,ap?;r Xd7G that t e horror of Superitition, iinltill'd Into the onp p e v minds of men, never produc'd any good 3 nor P U B P Y - &all 1.~ a f i l y grant, that it ever had fo deiireable ~ n u d Y T ,an effea: feeing that, the circumitances of all d~ AAAnyoa , Pu,,- things duely confidcr'd, it muit neceirarily hq5: , uopw-pen, that SuperRition ihou'd occaiion more. evil r d ~ d l n than good in the world. But granting that Su,~ lY"YXar' peritidon had at any time prov'd beneficial t o t - 6 ~ 9707Ul. public, yet at other times without number, and in things of incomparably greater importance, it .will be found detrimental, deitru&ivs, and utterly pernicious ;[nor advantageous to any, exceptor S, ing P R I E S T ; P R E N C ~who dextroufly turn it to their own intereft, tho even thefc arc not always able t o dire& it at their pleafure. It does noconely every where difiurb private ibciety a n d concord, and fomtimes bfing its facred and fovcsain managers t o the lait extremities, but

**

a often diforders, or uitc overturns, moft . but ;Ring Governments, w ich the Hifiories of flori

all ages and nations make evident by. infinite examples. As for the particular pcrfm blafied with rhis contagious air, it never leaves 'em a moment's panquillity, waking or dreaming, in occurrences of lik, or at the point of death.

71

0 pa& over many paGagcs out of the

moil noted Apologiits for Fables,fuch. as thofe I have akcady nam'd, together with P R O c L u s, PORPHYRY, ' .J A M ti L I c H u S, MACROBIUS (not
'

tbfpezkof O R P H E U S , E M P E D O ~ L ks, PARhQ E N I D E S, and iuch other of the Antimts; who wrote allc orically) T I M E Y s LOCY~J, that CXallent di ciple of P Y T a A G O a A q ttaches the fame d&rine with S T R A B 0 : fbr he thinks Sup i t i t i o n to be no leis ncceffary than the latter, for the refiraim and gobernnaent a f tbe the paffagedcclaring this be aLttle o yet I hall wholly i&rt it here out treatife concerning the Soul of the becwfe it is from thence moil ther P Y T H A G O R A s nar the Pythagorelns be-, liev_'d the 'lranfatzirnation, or fran/ini~aation Of hlTiu; SOUIS; holding of which they are io firnous : +,X,mc. for 'but that by this word they did EfitericaZly uhderfiand the inceffint flux or motion of allthings, and the perpetual change of forms in matter, one never decayin or dying but to be inand take on mother whi c ExoterifalZy they 'd, to the KOG t miGuoqs

8-

8;

'

preach the Egyptk for the prmifhmtnt or reR ODOT. t Ih. 2. n w i d 4 what ~ t r s n m f a m the Boti'. TIih . lait dots cmaidy ri-igrate, ~ e v d v qi n t m x 23. or however othmwXeit may be coramoe ~ p r e f as no Is d m tho Soul in t h e j, d fenfe of thofe, who will have it to be Efber a&in by the mechanifm ofthe Brain and N e m s , whic are the proper organs of thinking and feeling. But let us hear our Author. Agood Edit. &der/tanding (hys T I M E u s) and the antient 56f, p66. Pbilofipby, after purging the mind from fa@ opini- o and imbuing it with,)&@ledge, have deliver'& m it from great ignorance, and excited it t o tbc conr i tdpldxionsef &k fieEtr: in d d things if ary bc j tomwfmt, a9 t o live mtmt witb his lot, rq i t r Bv mov'd &# sothng iacidmr t o humm'ty, andadds to, difigdtuetmrpwiz~c~, mf is certainly bappy. tb& t 90 h o m f i r tbeffire the Diaci#iJ*ybas granted this w f m r , b e , & tbb T R V E S T P H I L O S O B I E Y , ~ S tct Pba ma@ ca$at&wte fiticity. But ifParfin/. zDiM m;tinw wfratary and o b f l i ~ ,be fd bw i J'rre of ,cvrifinwt. botb fvqm the L m s , and from thofi DoErzrres, *hid dat~dtmct celejiad $I& i$unal jtdgrnents j, a that amhappy ghJ9 will men s with implacabb twmnkr, and tbcfi o h things .pead bus detiptr'd oxrf of antient I-Iomex. which thz Io~onk. Gadition. For tat we cure the bodies of & k p m fins with m y Serf e ed7b~djer~ t h y reJ@ tbe f if me/2 wddefim 3fiwt bssp tbs minds of men in wdm by f l t ~ s t E & S . O P S S ~@ ibuy willI not be p R w n ' d by TRWB o m . Wherfore there io nece@ty Namely of twbing. tho4 ferm torments : rrs tbat $bere is a Ezj?tian. T R A N S D I . I G RO F T I O N U L ,thofi A T H E SO of Cmarh into female bodies, afFgfi'd'm fw cs difgrace; ihoj of 1G.lurtderers into beajs of pyey, fm a pun@rnmt j thofieof Luxurious perfins inte tha firm of [wine or goats j tkofi o Ih.conj?ant.. f and
mihaas cmds & & d y
He- Rnwintds o So&, f
'

rt BuaJZbgSdlpug, iinfo anhuls/O,ritagir t airairI tg r k artd t o ofthe S W f d aad tbs Mlc, of t$e UGh4 .teachable and tb Fo.d@, i~ tbe jJnpes of cuwcUWmaJz jivipd in tG *Mr. b Here behold a mofi illultri-

key, for opening t Egyptian and Pythagorm k Wyfierics ! Nor~src to wonder aqy longer, we &at the fime ws 40 nv# 1kf.Mys fiexu tO f y the a -/.ms things os tbe /.me five&, - W , p " P h p *an onely be folv'd by the Q&~i%on Q tbi &g ~ n a and litteyd . W h i n e ? Ai apfiation t o tbc l f &aldw ,+?Ze&rre@hwis very ea@.

.ologyb if you'd rwbec kaye it fo ! Here's tktqre

om emample of the doubk Ph.i1.0Sophy3 or T &

H A T I may

,to uwderjaad the nature of fhc Utriverfi j a d pecy'liar& k p p y in pbiIojipbic~1~ explai~hgit by jjm-

bols andfigures. This I caneafdy granr, and tfr* the knowlcdge of the nature of tbngs, is much 6cttcr coqvey'd by allcgoriw thw fdrMes : for allegories do onely cover the Truth, while fibles confound and uke ovcrwhelm it. Nothing D e Diis 'et i s better known. ut Fables, wgcs SALLVSTIUI, M"nd~s' declare t o all. wz the cxiJence af the Godr : ytr "p' 3' i w h o and of what k i d they art, they aanifrp 40 thofi alone tbut arc capable. I would gladly have - ' it C : but who are they t h y are capabfe ? er o that, in Cuch cimmerian darknefs,can onelygrope gut the Tiuth ? who,can accurately diftinguiih, G 3 whether

CLI~DOPHORUS.
whether the point in quecion be a real 'matter of fa&, or a fable invented at pleafure ? when we fee the learned and unlearned, whole communities and nations, divided on this CubjeB. W h a t isaHiRory to C A I U S , is afable to P U B L I U S . Where's the contemporary witnefs ? or who elfe is to be trufied ? what end or limiqtion will there be of Fables, if once ou allowthe ufe of them ? how many objeas o reverelice and falfe worA h i p , ars owin to Fables mifunderitobd ? how hany Gods an Goddeffes? w h o k rires and fefiivals beget idlenefs and debauchery, 'druhkenwfi and floth, which are the fruitful fources of all vice (while the Priefis of thore imaginary powers are ainers by the public lofi) which cap neither be aid nor ima in'd of figures and fymbols. P L A T o was io enfible of this, that, in the recond book of his Republic, he forbad all thofe Fables concerning the contentions and warrs of the Gods, their rapes, adulteries, flaughters, lies, thefts, diftr&es ; with fuch other crlmes and calamities, as begot wron notions of the Gods, or 'that perverted naturaf morals by their examples : for men will never think that to be a vice br imperfeaion in themfelves, which is a virtue br perfeaion in the Divinity. Wherfore the fime P L A T o baniih'd HOM E R, yet with diAinguiihing marks of honor; tho he well knitw, that all his Fables vail'd natural matters : but to the Vulgar the ieem'd fo many real perrons and fiories that {ad certainly happen'd ; as the reverence of obje&s, excited in the learned by images, terminates among the unlearned m the images themfelves. For my part I do etitirely agree with P L A T o in the faid iecond book, that certain things, as thofe above-mention'd, ought not t o be publicly receiv'al, whether fabuloufly dtliver'd or otherwve : for jor/ng Pioplt

r?+e

C L I D 0 P *D;12

ux.

are not abZe t o dginguifi if uch 'ie Fables or not ; and tbe opinions tbat are im ib'd in tbat tender ag6, eanScarce ever be reaify'd, or $beyare eradicated witb the greatep dzjf~ulty. This is prov'd undeniable by daily experience. 0but, fays D I o N Y s I u s Edit. HalicamaJius in the Life of H o M E R, it ought AmRnot to appear Jrange, if by enigmas and certain fa- pa& 3'3. hlbus difiourfis, be delivers his conceptions for 8 j E is pcca/io~'d partly by poetry, and part19 by the -c~Jont~fthe A&nfs : that the lovers o learning, f hing delightfglly uttra8ed by o: certain elegance, w&bt tbe wow 'qa/iZy both j e k aJter truth, and d+ ~vver j ~ n that tbe snlearzed might not a'eJrp$j it d #boj thing, wbich tbey cannot undcrjand. For #&ereis 4 time, who? wbat is figw~tively bid, bewwes pkafiqt j and wbat is fparij explain'd, con;: tcmt&e. This I allow to be a f i c i e n t apoIoey thing, except R q L f o I o N j w heriq I think a1 Fables to be intolerable, and that no AHe o r i ~ , o u g h to be admitred, but onely in ext N E re ng the DIVINE A T U ~and ATTRI~UTES. $0 f i y that Fables will quicken our diligence, is the fame pleq with that for Myiferies ;as if time lay hawily op our hands? .and that we had no other occupation but Cntlcifm. Befides that if the one or the other be explicable, why not contemtible after they become known, accordin to the reafoning of D I o N v s I u s and others or if both of 'cm be incomprehenfible and unfathomable, our diligence is in vain, and we are excrcis'd about nothing; or, which is the fan^ thing, t o no purpole.

87

x.
N conceiving, explaining,

ring the D I V I N E A F U I E N d ATTRIBUTES, Iregdify o a h t ,. k ' Symbols and Metaphota am net d y a t and ufehl, but rhc lirfi of ' m e evenabfolute y neceffiry. Nor, in m t h , caa any ideas of them be otherwife im artcd to the illiterate, of which this is not the p acc tozretlcllef P reafon. But, as Farr as the matter m c ru otu m er fubj& cf the Exoteric and E h c i potfrins, &e ftrc moit antient Philofophers, being no kfi mdeiord, of the faid difficulty relating .to vulgar m m p tions, than juitly cautious againit the dctr&iori, . malignity, violence, and rage of the fuper8itioua, were not fo follicitous to canc&l my thi%, as concerning the D I v r lr s - their real jud N A T u R E : or they chferv'd that few. kepr la . fdate temper in difcourfing on this point, e i t h c ~ when-xhey werc not able to maitrtain their own opinions, nor to confute thofe uF others. POP o this difpofition we have accounted M r e in the Prieh, who h m p t the farne.imprefion on t h e m n s of the People. What Reafon cannot <upid port, Force mufi: and that ha11 not be rmitted to be told, which fhows the Multitact'= to be e ridiculous, or their Guides impofiors. This put the Philofophers every where on their guard. S r M Oden at.^ H r - PE, as we are inform'd by T u L L Y &e~ , o . lib. I . r ing ask'd by the tjranr H I c R 0, what G O 4 q.z . t mas, or o what nature ? requeJZedtMBace o one f f day to tbittk on the fubjeE. Whenthe day affer, tbe fiat demand was reiterated2 hr Begg'd for two days.

and d&la*

1 )

1
I

Pt
\

Bur

CLI.DOPHO*'RUS. B& ebtu be b d 'f-thtly

lzod
'&sr

rg

#vubI'd the number 6 f dzd J'? l thr longer 1 confler trpon if, the q 'thing appears, Not that he had -nothing m anrvver: b u t that it was dangerous t o ten the truth, or to fo without ambiguity and d&ccehkution, a9 by the examples of diverre Phi31010pha~ might be ea%ly pm'd. T H A L E s the TERTULM $n & a wbm C R E s U S dcllalnded o f him, w b ~ ~t ~ ~ ; , @ tbongbr ef ?& GO D S ? nfter obtaining fime ddys fer sllelri~~#im, anfzocr'd, AILTorbin~: provided that T E R T u t L I A N (mtfier his wonted manner) has not confounded I3 r E R o and C R E s u s, S I~alvrosts and T I ~ A L E S . E U C L ~ ODN . When J A e M p a was bsk'd by fime M y , of what nutwe S T O S S f Pa& th GO D S, and in *bat things they chiefy Bc&bted? A s te aIE 0 t h things, he azfivcr'd that he cofurt.pag. w a s igmm%nt:b#f .om?thjng be knew fur certain, thrat I 6+. thy b ~ e c#riousperfins; for EUCLID well ad was , wqrp, that a p a e queAioner is a great babler. s T IL'P 6 bemg likewife ask'd by C R A T o, v~he-D1OG.Ilb A-. ERT. tbcr cke G 0D S roek pkafuye in prayers and PO- , ,:.2 p ~ a t i o n s TOU (faid be) de not conJult me aboidt ? fool fuch things in the Jreet, but at home. f i e makes d e alm& of the fame ~ x p r ~ o here, in which id. 1%. 4. ns fa I o N the Boryjhenite anfwer'd to one, who ie0*46. mk'd him if there were any Gods ?

HI R o adniiPing ask'd why he B

EpF:k-

Old man, have you thg rvoud farr off retnou'd?

nde-Philofophers ceu'd have all ma& proper to dirpleale by docluing the truth idt tbey %ou'~bring the Vulgar on their backs, wbore inconfiderateneb has in ail a es prov'd the greatefi fupport of the PrioRt : h omuch that even in a certain Chrifiian Church it is grown a Proverb, that t b t I&wr~nce o the Laity is the Revdnne o f the Clergy. f Agredk to what h been rdatcd of h e r d Phia
nnfwcrs, bur they were unwilli

'

'

lofophers,

lofophers, I have Cornwhere read of'tbe fkcnous Rabbi H I L L E L~ that to' one inquiring of him with reat curiofity, W b a t was the nature of GOD. if I knuw it, myfi'on (miwered he) yet J .fiou'd bs farr from trlZitg you my thoughts about it. ~ a t e r s TQilluitrate this point yet further, hy what I to s t ~ a N obferv'd on another occafion ; the true redon A* P f '4. ' why at a certain time the theory of the Starrs and Planets was fo little, or at leait not fo generally known in Greece, was : that the common eople wou'd not endure to hear thole things ma c fubi ! -e& to aPhilofophica1 examination, nor cxplain'd the ordinary laws of nature, b caufes, and blind faculties whic invO1untav they were . qaught to be intelligent, eternal, and immortal GODS. Andtherfore when A N A T A G O R A S difcover'd that the moon had but a borrow'd light from the fun, and fo 'gave the reafons of its wax JnvitaN1-and wane, fuch a doEtrine (as Plutarch &ures us) CIAE. durB not be made public; but was fecretly committed to very few, and even to them under q promife of fidelity. What examples cou'd I not produce to the lame purpofe !

90

CLZDOPHORUS.

XI;
t?--:.-l,aa 6,:??'\V ' InTlvnro, ;

things fianding on this foot, no wife man will deny bur A PLATO divinely, when hefiid, f'poke , W ':3 that to dfcover the creator a d parent ut. , , n. > =.--,' ,. -< of the Uniuerfi, was dijicult : but t B , . pol. 3. P. explain his nature to the Yirlgar, imp@& ; which . 28is not the lefs true, were this Vulgar ever fo ~ i l ling to u n d e r h d . Codonant to P L A T O f p k ~ YC D E M o P H I L u s the P y t b g o ~ , ,fqyingl that = .

W EE R F 0RE, QH

- --

"

tb

to begin any a'ifieurji &out G 0D a-ng men o f prejudic'd bpinions, is by no means fifi: for whetbbr truth be told t o fich or faljhed, tis eguully ddngerous. From this difficulty therfore, or rather diffidence and caution, @rung VAR RO'S threefold ftheology, the Mythical, PhyGcal, and Political ; or the Fabulous, Phildbphical, d Civil': wherof the firfi and the lafi fort are ccrtaih GUS'TIN*pbud dc wasks of Truth, or rather ingenious Cubterfuges C~vitate from telling it. lhey c d that the mythical % o u ? b Dei,llb. 4. (fays VARRO) whicb is cbiejy us'd by the Poets, tbr a p . r. phy/ic&l&ythe Philofipberz, and t k filitical by partictrlar ndtions. T h e firit and the lafi he abiob iutely rejeas 5 but approves the fecond, whicb Ibid. ~ ~ 8 ears kan more ela/ily indure within the walls 0 ~1s 1 a Schoo?, than alyopd in the open Market-)lace,becauk, as he there fays, nataral.Theology related to tbe U N I V.ERS E ; than wbizh tboji PQilofiphers, fiys A rr G u s T I N very rightly, judge no- [bid. thing more exccZZent t o ex$. ' Among the refi this ib moil notoriouQt true of the Stoics, who reduc'd a11.ghe fibulous and ~ o ~ u Theology t o the nql& tural; ~ ifo explain'd all the fables of the Poets and the Vulgar, as t~ have been originally meant of natural caufes and' effees. They were !, fay a acious to admit the truth of fuch things in the bteral ienfe, and too prudent to reje6l them 111 as nonfenie : which led them of c o d e , by the principle bf felf-prefervation, to imyofe upon them a , tolerable fenfc of their own j that they might not be deem'd wholly to. deny the Religion in vo ue, but to differ onely from others about the de&n and interpretation of it. This artifice, which f fancy has not periih'd with the Stoics, cod'd not &ape the penetration of C I c E R 0, who-' et had fomtimes recourfe t o it himfelf. ~~r~ E N 0 @ Y S ~ O T T A ) Z afterhim C L E A N - DC ~ a . THES, and then C H R Y s I P P u S, were a t great Deor-lib 3; pains t o no purpoje, te give a reafinahle explica- "P.'4' tion A

tb# of co##fMBtitib#~ F&/SS~ & ~ G W f@ tkq @ osymoZogy o tbc very nmzes of every G Q D : 'wbi~& f when you do, adds he, you #ah0 itatixnate, t&t t4; w ~ t r r is pite stberwifi tbr~n bruit of w&#d r thr klicws ;yo# pretendj~gtblat /qcb as are bcld farr .G o D s, do rather denote thd mtsrres o p a r t i c e f rhiugs, than the l@wy of &iviv~ prrj#s. T& &me C i a. R o does often dlwkere exprefi his 89 c verfion to Fables as beirg, if pot the p w c q yes certainly t& fofierers 9f Stperilition. F m r xbid-lbr. omther rr@fix, Igyr lie, and indeed a phyjcpl mr, cap. 24.' bas procedGlj I grcgt multifrrde e G Q I/ s : wbkb f b t i q inirod~c'd rndrr b ~ wjbrpe,. bavr fiPplY'$ i tbe Poets witb Fables, b#t at the h n e rime b ~ v h jUl'd tbe Iije of men with all fwts of $iqv~fiitiqs, H e that wou'd no^ be *t $he ppAias of turning m y volume, nod yet is defirpw t~ learn th+ Phyfical explications, which the Stsic and other PhiiofopJlFrsgave of the Heathcn Mytho10 y, of the very names as well as of the hiltories a & @ O V P V O G~ ~ ~ d and Goddefi ; I recopsmend ,to him ~ o , ec Tnr 7ruv rmall treatife written by C o R N u T u 9 V U I J 3t.v ou- call'd P H u R H u il u S, ~f the * I ~ U Y of the ops, ~ sgfr:o . ?B not d y the moft ingenious, but likewife in r In bple dl rdpcQs the beit. Manu-

-.
Xz7k 71)V

'E~~nvrx n v QEOU-

a Tawv
21Jop;VWY.

XII.

H A T I may now return to VARRO,

his account of the antient tri le Theor logy is wholly approv'd y P L uT A R c H 5 who even trapf~ribeshis words, tho invating the order a Little, as the following paKa makes as clear as the fun. B e y , wbo bsw elivrr'd ##to us 8 t h

Philoiaph. 1ib.i cap.6.

Dc P k i t .

fi"

WORSHIP
,

WORSHIP GODS,mad# t of three kitrds o r THE @ of f ~ m -rdy j tbr tbs fabwlous, and tbc leg&: the Pbilojiphets teacb the natural, the P ~ t thr s

fabahas, atd t b ~ f i v m Governmnts apaoin: their l own laws ; that is, by inferting into the Calenders the Heros of their own cauntry, the Inventors oC uCeful arts, and fnch =became any w y Benefaaors a te mankind. Such a$ thefe, having been fi& c o d e c ~ ~ e d immortal memory i,n the Fafl by to the Magiitrdtss, wmt next advanc'd by the Populace into the f m e immortzl nature of the Gods, whore mnivmfary feitivals were mark'& there : and the more knowing or learned expos'd their folly, at the fame time that, by thek All& lies, they pretended to vindicate thofe Gods cooncrnt j thus no lef. dextrauily, than ru&ntly, concealing their own opinions. h o t m l y behrc P L tl T A R c ~f;but likewife before . A P u ~ vA V A r r o, the Powif S c E v o I, A difinguifh'd thck t h e e kinds of Gods: the fivP owing tbeir being to the Poets, ths jic#nd t o fhe P&lqopbers, and tbe third to the Legijlators or Magiitrates. T h e firft fort he efieem'd idle and ridiculous, nor cdu'd he help judging the lait to be m i falfe, or ot in other words gn i m p o h r e tho nevertheleis he wou'd not have it much dihrb'd, much Idshe to be totally abrogated.' ' !#?& was of the fame opinion, which was afterwards openly defended by MARCUS VARRO:that many things were trare, Ibid. a?. whicb it war.not one& izfifsrl the People /bou'd nut 3 j brrt that, tho abfiiutely fa@, it was e x p diMlr fbe People JjbbtC)d belzevs othevwge. This is at prdetlt the favorite maxim, not of two or three p d o n s snely in a country, who 'ugglt with the * \ public, and im ine that dcceid$ the- people is the bigheft of Statti but tis likewife the cammon cant of h m y others, elevated indeed ' above the vulgar rmk, bw mtcznUy.timorous, or
I

En r

Y$E;.";

,,,

~n s

'

M
; i

-q

'

or pfofiihte. time-fervers. W e ought ' ib th& mean while moit carofully to obkrve, that the Prieits were every where the caufe, Philofophers invented thofe occult ways of peaking and writing. ,For while, the Priefis in. dufirioufly conceal'd their Myfteries; left, being ckarly ~nderfiood~ they might by the PhiIofopbers bc expos'd tg the lau htet of .tlie people, as fabulous, falfe, and d d : the Philoioe s phers, on the other hand, concpl'd their fen; timents of the Nature of things, under the veit of divine allegories 5 lefi being accus'd of i: m piety b the PrieCrs (which often happen'd) th+* might c expos'd in their turn*to the hatted, if not td the fury of thevulgar. Now the Philoibphers holding this cautious condu& to be lawful, and even neceffary, as I faid, on the account of ielfb , prefervation 3 I eafilji coqceive the threefold p& fion of a true Philofopher at facrifice to have &en, defpifing the MOB, detefing the P R I s s r, and delighting in his awn L r B E R T Y!

r,

!: ;
< * ;i,\

; - *c'xF fefidly approv'd, as among the Anti-. . : cnts. This puw me in mind of what 1 was told by a near relation to the old Lord SHAPTESBURY T h e latter conferring one day with MajorWr LDhrAN about the many fe&s of Religion in the Qorld, they came to this concluiion at lafi; that*

uii: as ever j tho the' 2 . $TZ -$ diRil16kion is not fo opedy and pro;

h once hinted, t .-..,. .* -. HAVE marc t hIntmnal DoC'frine,h k the External and are -- $; ;

-q*as much now in

*

aorwtth-

notwithfiandin thofe infinite diviiions causvd by the intereft o the Psiefis and the ignorance of the People, ALL I V I S ~ M E N A R E O F T H E S A M E RELIGION: wheiupm aLady in the room,, who feem'd to mind'her needle more than their diicourfe, demanded with fome concern what that Religion was? to whom the Lord S H A F T E S ~ w@ men rpevcr tell. And it is made to

declares his real fentiments of thin s, I have often, I confeL, read of deiircs to ome, and defiances to others (not tolerated by the Laws) to produce their argumeots : but this was, in other words, defiring them to get themielves difgrac'd o r pudh'd, depriv'd or excorrirnunicated. Nay, I have read of invitations to Heretics, Deiflq and Atheifts, to fpeak above-board ; and head it much Lamented, that the books of fuch were formerly deitroy'd, or that they are not fuffgr'd now t o write : becaufe Truth wou'd therby triumph the more, and thefe unfortunate men be the more eafily rcclaim'd. Many of thok who exprefi fuch dcfires, having been very good men,, wou'd be not a, litdc forry if the others had camply'd; when they found they had drawn thcm into a inare, o u t of which they cou'd not extricate them : and a for thofe whore invitations mend to deco and s Erepan, they mufi be left to the eodcience o their own b a l defigm 8 as the perfons deluded by thcm, ought to fufferunpity'dfor their folly. Now if i t be a defirable thing t o have the Truth rold without dif uize, there's but one nlethod to procure fuch a leGng. Let all men freely ficak what they #&ink, without being ever branded or pnnifi'd bat far wicked praEtijis, and leaving their fiecwlative opinio~s be confnted or appros'd by whoever ppkafis : to then p ore fire to hear tkr wholr truth, cond r r til!

till thrn but very /ErZutily, o obfiudy, if dt G r Till then,. I fay, fianjibjfatzfidtion will in m e country be profeit, by f i i h who belic#e it as little, as many do the d t h n a f l n C t d in anather counrry. But what do I talk d this or t h t count when exam les in all countries arc nu* rlcfi nor win the aft in our own be that of a be certain Doeor, who wrdte Di$cnlfjGZ Eibttrically, md Exo=rically preach'&a Ser)k~rr. In this nate of things, while liberty ih i t s full e3ttent is r m n t o be wiih'd tban expc&ed, and that thro human weakncfs people will preferr their repok, fame, or preferments, before fpeakin of Truth ;there is kvenh&ldsone obCemion tfi us, wherbg to make a probable judgement of the finccrity of othcrs in declaring their opidioth. Tis this. W b e n I a maa m a i ~ a i n swbrt's cmmonly b e h ' d , o r profdJes what's publicly injoin'd, it is not a h q s a fm I rule tbnt Be Speaks wbat he thinks :k t when be/i-l rioujly naintairi~ c o n r r ~ ~ y .arbat', by hw e P y tbc o f &li/b'd, a d fipenly $kclaves fbr wbat mo/t otberf vpP O I , then tbere's a P e n g preJ~mtion that he utters bis mind. Yet even this obfervation may be found to fail, unlels .full and i ~ p a r t i a Liberty obtains; l which I cou'd fhow, were this a place for it, to be very confihrzt with national Eltablifiments. But to give in one perfm an example of liberty and reierve, bf external and internal do&ines, an ample profdon of fpeaking whar he thinks, and an,abfolute uncertainty whether he do& T or nor, o I ihali bring S Y x E s I u s here on the flage. He was a man of high qu;tlity and bright parts, .\ahoy horn a Hcathcn Philofopher of the Platonid2 Ce'Ek, became Bihop of Ptolemais in the b inning of the fifth century. By that time Bi ops were come to be minificrs of itate, rather than ovcrfecr~ their flocks ; which made the Epikopate of a p!acc of grcat honor nhd authority, but Wjc&

to

.. to mud fkigue and envy& Nor ii it td be forgoq that, the better to carry on the Chrifiian cauie, which needed no fuch arts, men of eAai bliih'd reputation were not onely courted to be Clergymen, but accepted updn very eafy terms; as to their Chriitianity it C&. Among there S YN E s I U S ,is not the I& remarkable. He. wai by nature averfe to bufinbii, and by Philoiophy much ad'diQed t o cont&plation: yet he was conrecrated aBiihop whether he wou'd or not, about the Year 910, a thing he irequcntly deplores. In how many of his Letters does he lament, that; Epin. I I ; being plade a Biihop, he was involv'd in fecular 1 3 ~ r 7 . 6 7 . a f i r ~ how pathetically does he Cet forih, what so I O f , ? a harcl thin it was, to perfuade him to enter inzo Orders ? ow boldly does he own, that he wdh'd for death, fooner than to change his Philofophi~ a for an E ifcopdl life ? hdw often, how ear1 nefily; does e beg t o be difcharg'd from hid of: fice ? with what ingenuity does he declare, that being by educarion a Heathen, and by pi-ofeQion a Philofopher; every thing went Vrong with him, fince he prefum'd to ferve at the Altar ? ParticuM y , in a Letter t o his Friend 0 L Y M P I u S, he Epin. 92 flures him, that if the Epifcopate ihou'd roFTe m y hindrance to hid Philoiophy, he wou'f ., his Dioceie; abjure his Orders, and,remove into Greece. All this; fome will fay; ihows his indolence or his humility; but is nothin to our rubjen, of tbt Exoteric and E i e i BbildPby. ftrt Thefe Gentlemen will chdngc their note, .when they limn that S Y N E s I u s was made a Bii'hop; a t h o he ws not a Chrifiian, and fo mufi needs e h what hedid not believe. This neverthelef.. IS literally tnie, unlefi a man be deem'd a Chriftian, who &believes the immediate creation of the foul, the E d of the world, and the RdurreQion , ) fthe dad. Itl a Ion Letter to hi$ brother, he EpiR. 10s; I exprercs

e x p M i his averfion. to the Crofier of^ diverfjj accaunt~,being led by inclination rather to amticlue in the modcity of Philofophy, than to be clcvattd to the grandeur of Epifco acy ; and faring left the latter ihou'd fpoil t e former, by bid. making him proud and arro ant. He ap a n moR loath t u his wife, a, ich he p r o t e g h c o k will not do; %ut wifher to have many children b her, as two a r three he had. But this is not &id. a I. fis dificylt, fays he, or vather dfiEivtcZ~ iapofible, to unftttle thup do&lvines, which, by th mems of f nouttedge, are roetel irr the fiul to a BemonJration. Bn$ y w know, cotltinues he, that Pbifofiby ir dinmefrica1Zj oppa/ite ta tlbe mawon doEtriws. Well : what were thofe do&ines he -cou'd not digeB 2 Verily, fays he, I/hall sever bc He kliev'd perfudr&d,thkt tbe Sod had ne being before the body ; P ~ W P Q I U -Ifiadi not.p'Ofe/i, that I h e W i l d , and ail its para pail pem'fi together ; the.lhveadbare doBrline o tbc f ReJurreaian I connive t o deaats jmtbing fiwed a d ficret, but am w r y fm f r m ap.prmhg tbb p j a dices df the vulgar, They are not, you f q ui-

9)

CLIDOPHORUS.

God. 26.

Ibid.

ints at which he boggles: and iince the Reir o n of the dead, was d one of the articles dmtially requir'd t o be b e lim'd by thde. that were baptiz'd ; how was it pofible he cou'd be reckon'd a Chriitian, however he might, as things went then, be a vcry good Bifhop F His memory &I'd P H a T I v s, when he writes it was in an Epiftle to T H EOP H I L U S , that S ~ w c s ~ u s dcny'd the Relurreaian, w h m it w s in this to his brother: o a r perhaps he did it alfo in a Lettcr to that Patriarch of Alexandria, which is fince loit. T h e fame P a o T t u s plainly &rts, that, tho p t r f i h in his demial of the Refurre&ion, they ordain'd YN E s I U S Bifhop 3 not doubting but l good a o man, cmidaw'd with Cuch n a c m m n venues, wou'd Cooncr

vial or indifferent

CLIDOPHO~US.

f m e r or latet believe this dohine. This i s like thok matchcs c ~ c l u d e dby covetous parents, between young eople who do not great care for etch other Luring aped taw^ fir$ a d not doubting but love will come afcm. They arc however commonly rniMen in theu politics. B t ?.H o T I u S, feveral hundred p r s p o h r k x 1 ~ u to S Y N E s I w.s,- ayerrs that he e&ly came ium th_e belief of the Refur-, after he was 4 c a Bifhop. The Lime thin are aKo reported by ' ~ F I A G R I U L wcl be that hedid C6,' md Lib.r.crp. Jtmay it may i wcll be that he drd n I:: for, in]the s u fore-cited Letter to his brother, hefroundly de- Epifi. l o r . clares, that it may fomtimes be expgdient to ly, in order to do good j ex& philofbphical truth not being neceffary for the vulgar, who may receive hurt from their knowlege, Wberfore, fays Ibid. he, if tbis methorl be conj'ent wi& the rights of the EppiScopal dignity, Imay bc conficrated. Ifiall free& philoJophize at home, and tell fables ajroad j neitbsr teaching nor unteaching, but Jufering people to live in thcir prejudices.- 'He repeats this rule over and over. NotwithRandin this allow'd liberty among Philofophers, he ca 1s God and men to witnefi, that, if his Epifcopal char e requires o? therwifi he will not falfly repre ent dotlrines. So farr, fo p d . This refolution likewife he more than a x e repew in the itro fwearing by G 03 be To. His relu ance to quit Ibid. 4 terms, if his arms, his S r d ~ s ,a d his dcarefi do s, I pds over as trifles, in ref+& o his other o jeaions. f But why, forne map iby, will you not acquiefce in his lafi rdolution ? I anfwer, becaufe he teaches tme to do otherwife: fbr in all his works, as well thofe he wrote after he-was madc Biihop as before, he inculcates, expkias, and praifes the diitinQion of tbe Exoteric a d Efit,tnjc donrine. This, I Cay, he does every where : aid cfpecidly where

99

?Y

hc

- -.. .. .

IQO
Epib. 143.

CLZDOPHORUS'
he largely and earneffly advifes liis friend F E Rf
c u L A N I u s to conceal his philofophical tenets, which he profam to do himfelf; afid recommends to him for a dir&ory, the Letter of LYs r s the Pythagorean to his condifciple HI P PA Rc H u S, which we have cited above, and which he defires him frequently to p c d e . From this particular account #of S Y N E s I u s (of whom more elfwhere) no lefi than from the whole tenor of this Dzrertation, it may be cafily conceiv'd ; how bard it i s to come at T R a T H your fiY9 and bow dangevorcs a thing to p b l @ it to others.