Classical Theology.—Lxvi.

CLASSICAL THEOLOGY . —LXVI .

LONDON , SATURDAY , APBIL 18 , 1863 .

Al . —JuSO A 2 . D jA _ niAEX . The religious and moral legislators of India , Egypt , Greece , and Italy , by their attainments in learning and science , and the more eminent philosophers , convinced themselves that the public faith of superstition rested on the i of men and the subtletof

gnorance y their rulers , in the uninstructed state of the world ; and that it was as solemnly impious as it was gravely absurd ; yet , conscious of the danger of reasoning against long sanctioned and devoutly established opinions , discovered to be erroneous , they offered them no outward resistancebut swayed by experience

, , they contemptuously contended , as a reference to Strabo , and almost to any of the pagan sages , that the vulgar and ignorant , ever bound by their condition to remain illiterate , had no right to the enlightment of truth , but should be terrified into submission and from acts of violenceby delusive hopes and fears

re-, specting the attributes of those tremendous deities in wood and stone , whom they were taught to propitiate by their prayers . In artful conformity to this general system of pseudo devotion , many of the idols were of ingenious contrivance , and of formidable attitudes , they could wink ,

and they could shake a spear . Tims Strabo , observant of his times , specified as the Augustine age , writes , " What is marvellous in fable is sometimes employed to please , and sometimes to inspire terror , and in both respects often resorted to , not only over the fancies of children , but over the imaginations of mature persons , to encourage them to act well , or to deter them from

deeds of evil . Men are incited to what is laudable by hearing the poets celebrate the actions of fabulous heroes , such as those of Hercules and Theseus , for which they are now honoured as divinities , and exhibited to public view in painting and sculpture . So , likewise , they are restrained from vice , when the

punishments inflicted by the Gods are related in awful words , or represented by frightful images , and denounced against them , such men believing ( that is , in polytheism ) , that these threats have been really executed upon the guilty . Por it is impossible to conduct women and the gross multitude , and to

render them holy , pious , and upright , by the precepts of reason and philosophy . Superstition or the fear of the gods , must be called in aid of the influence of which is founded on fictions and prodigies . The thunder of Jupiter , the segis of Minerva , the trident of Neptune , the torches and snakes of the furies , the spears of the

Gods , adorned with ivy , and the whole ancient theology , are all fables , which the legislators who formed the political constitution of states , employ as bugbears to overawe the credulous and simple . " These opinions , or rather unscruplous censuring , can only be tolerated in their polytheistical sense , they

are the fatal notions of the sect to which they belonged , strictly stoical , and in all other respects as fallacious as their asserted fallacies ; they have nothing in agreement with the inward truth . and reasoning of Plato , of Pythagoros , of Socrates , or even of Aristotle . The Jews were forbidden to revile the gods , which is , as we have said , another name for angels : and the Hindoos Avere instructed ,

under severe penalties , to be pious , honest , humane , patient and peaceable . The real belief of the Pundits approached , not close near upon some of the genuine doctrines of the Greeks and Romans , but the orthodoxy of the Jews . Our best authorities on the Sanscrit all agree in investing it with very remote antiquityand that the Mahabaratan isode in the

, , ep Baghvat-Geeta , of highly ancient celebrity ancl repute with the learned Hindoos , eloquently expounds and adheres to the doctrine of the unity of the Godhead , and deduces from nature to nature ' s God , what worship Avill be most acceptable to a Perfect Beingof whom there are descriptionsequal in force

, , to any ofthe old and best Greek masters of philosophy . And it is from the writings of their ancient Pundits , transmitted to them from ages , that their deepest wisdom ancl most liberal sentiments are derived . To those capable of forming comparative ideas , the service in the pagodas must be an Idolatrous worshi

p , a multiform superstition of frivolous and immoral rites and ceremonies , whilst they themselves , discern that it must be only by the sincerity of heart , ancl the purity of manners , or the bearing of the soul , that they could hope to obtain the approbation of a supreme God or Being all perfect in goodness . This

profound knowledge Veias strenuously inculcates ( Mahabarat , Baghvat Geeta , page 9-4 ) thus , " 0 mighty being" says Arjoon , " who art the prime Creator , eternal God of Gods , the "World ' s Mansion ? Thou art the incorruptible Being , distinct from , all things transient . Thou art before all Gods , the ancient JPooroosh , vital soul , and the Supreme Supporter of the universe . Thou knowest all things , and art worthy to be known ; thou art the Supreme Mansion ,

and by thee , 0 Infinite Porm , the universe was spread abroad ! Reverence be unto thee both before and behind ; reverence be unto thee on all sides , O thou who art all in all ! Infinite is thy power and thy glory ! Thou art the Pather of all things , animate and inanimate . Thou art the wise instructor of the

whole—worthy to be adored . There is none like unto thee ! Where then , in the three worlds , is there one above thee ? Wherefore I bow down , with my body prostrate upon the ground , crave thy mercy , Lord ! worthy to be adored ; for thou shouldst bear with me , even as a father with his son , a friend with

his friend , a lover with bis beloved . " Abul Pazel , who examined with the nicest scrutiny the theology of the Brahmins , also states , " They all believe in the unity of the Godhead , and although they hold images in high veneration , it is only because they represent celestial beings , and may , as they

think , prevent the thoughts of those who worship them from wandering , " Ayeen Akbry , vol . iii ., p . 3 . Likewise M . Sonnerat , who in order to enquire deeply into the sciences and religion of India , remained there so employed for seven years , asserts in his discourses , that as Theists the Brahmins believe in the

unity of God . The Pundits themselves declare in their translation of tbe Gentoo code , " That it was the Supreme Being , who by his power formed all creatures of the animal , vegetable , and material world , from the four elements , fire , water , air , and earth , to be an ornament to the magazine of creationancl

, whose comprehensive benevolence selected man , the centre of knowledge , to have dominion and authority over the rest ; and , having bestowed upon this favourite iudginent and understanding , gave him au-