CHAP. VIII. The Pagan mysteries have been highly extolled, as an expedient provided by the civil authority, both for leading the people to the practice of virtue, and for convincing them of the vanity of the common idolatry and polytheism. The tendency of the mys‐ teries to purify the soul, and raise men to the perfection of virtue, examined. At best they were only designed to promote the practice of those virtues which were most useful to society, and to deter men from such vices as were most pernicious to it. In process of time they became greatly corrupted, and had a bad effect on the morals of the people. The pretence, that the mysteries were intended to detect the error of the vulgar polytheism, and to bring men to the acknowledgement and adoration of the one true God, distinctly considered: and the proofs brought for it shown to be insufficient. I KNOW of nothing which can be alleged, as designed and appointed by the state, for rectifying the popular notions of religion, except what was done this way, in the celebration of the sacred mysteries. And this indeed was very considerable, and must have had a great effect, if the account given of the nature and design of those mysteries by the very learned author of the Divine Legation of Moses, the present Bishop of Gloucester, may be depended upon. The design of them was, as he represents it, both to engage men to a holy and virtuous practice, and to give them just notions of religion, and detect the errors of the vulgar polytheism. He says that, in the mysteries, "those that were "initiated were obliged by solemn engagements to commence "a new life of the strictest purity and virtue; nor was a less "degree of purity required of the initiated for their future "conduct."* That "the mysteries openly proclaimed it, as "their chief business to restore the soul to its original purity."+ And that "they professed to exact nothing difficult of the "initiated, which they would not assist him to perform."+ And having represented it as an institution, "which taught "the necessity of a strict and holy life;" he makes this * Div. Leg. of Moses, book ii. sect. iv. p. 145. 4th Edit. + Ibid. p. 142. Ibid. p. 154. an argument, that "it could not come out of the sacerdotal "warehouse; but must have been the invention of legislators, "to whose schemes virtue was necessary. And whereas "the vicious examples of their gods was one insuperable ob"stacle to a life of purity and holiness, it was necessary to remedy this evil, which they did by striking at the root of "it. So that such of the initiated as were judged capable "were made acquainted with the whole delusion. The mys"tagogue taught them that Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Mars, " and the whole rabble of licentious deities, were only dead "mortals, subject in life to the same passions and vices with "themselves; but having been on other accounts benefactors "to mankind, grateful posterity had deified them, and with "their virtues had indiscreetly canonized their vices. The "fabulous gods being thus routed, the supreme Cause of all "things naturally took their place. Him they were taught "to consider as the Creator of the universe, who pervaded "all things by his virtue, and governed all things by his pro❝vidence.”+ He positively asserts that "the drogra, or se"cret doctrines of the mysteries, overthrew the vulgar poly"theism, or worship of dead men." And again, that "the "clear evidence of antiquity expressly informs us of these two "particulars, that the errors of polytheism were detected, and "the doctrine of the Unity taught and explained in the mys"teries."§ And having observed that it was the design of the mysteries to make men as virtuous as they could, he says that "this they provided for by discovering, to such as were "capable of the secret, the whole delusion of polytheism;" and adds that "this being supposed the shaking foundations, "was to be done with all possible circumspection, and under "the most tremendous seal of secrecy. For they taught, the gods themselves punished the revealers of the secret; and "not them only, but the hearers of it too. Nor did they al"together trust to that neither; the state decreed capital pun * Div. Leg. p. 208, 209. Ibid. † Ibid. p. 154, 155. § Ibid. p. 157. ❝ishments against the betrayers of the mysteries, and inflict"ed them with merciless severity." And he concludes his account of the mysteries with observing that "there were "three things about which the mysteries were principally con❝cerned. 1. The rise and establishment of civil society. "2. The doctrine of a future state of rewards and punish"ments. 3. The error of polytheism, and the principle of "the Unity."+ Such is the idea our learned and ingenious author gives of the nature and design of the Pagan mysteries. These, he tells us, were celebrated in almost all nations." He mentions Egypt, Persia, Thrace, Greece, particularly Argos, Bœotia, Athens, Crete, Cyprus, Samothrace, Amphyssa, Lemnos; likewise Britain and India. He saith, the nature of all these mysteries was the same, that they were all derived from the same original, and constituted for the same ends. ‡ But that the Eleusinian were the most renowned; and in process of time eclipsed, and as it were swallowed up, the rest. They spread through the Roman empire, and beyond the limits of it. Tully says that the nations in the utmost borders of the earth were initiated into them. "Initiantur gentes orarum ultimæ." And Apuleius, that crowds were initiated, men and women, persons of all ages, conditions, and dignities. § So that if these mysteries were both so excellently designed, and successfully employed, as he says they were, almost all nations throughout the world, by the contrivance of the legislators and civil magistrates, were provided with a noble expedient for raising them to the height of purity and virtue, and convincing them of the error of idolatry and polytheism. It were to be wished that so beautiful a scheme were founded on sufficient proofs. For it must be acknowledged that the account which is here given of the mysteries is highly ingenious and entertaining, and adorned with a variety of learning. It gives me uneasiness to be obliged to differ from an * Div. Leg. p. 180. Ibid. p. 138, 160. + Ibid. p. 286. author eminent for his abilities and genius, as well as for his extensive learning, and the station he bears. But since he represents the mysteries as the most sacred part of the Pagan religion, and as belonging to the civil theology of the Pagans, which we are now considering, the subject I am upon, and the regard I owe to what appears to me, upon the most impartial inquiry, to be the truth, obliges me to give reasons why I cannot think this account of the Pagan mysteries to be a just one. I need not enter upon a very particular examination of the tendency the mysteries had to engage men to the practice of the strictest purity and virtue. A few observations upon it may suffice. I readily acknowledge that the conductors of the mysteries made high pretensions this way. In order to procure a greater veneration for them, the hierophant, or person who presided in those mysteries, was obliged to devote himself wholly to the divine service, and to live a chaste and single life. To which purpose it was usual for him to anoint himself with the juice of hemlock, which, by its extreme coldness, is said to extinguish in a great measure the natural heat. † With the same view it was that persons known to be guilty of any atrocious crime were forbidden to be present at the mysteries. These pretences were carried to a still greater height, after Christianity made its appearance, and taught so pure and sublime a morality. The most learned and zealous advocates for Paganism, as Apuleius, Jamblicus, Hierocles, Proclus, and others, cried up the mysteries as the most effectual means for purifying the soul, and raising it to communion with the gods. For this purpose, many of the latter Platonists and Pytha ་་ * Div. Leg. p. 136. + Potter's Greek Antiq. vol. I. p. 185, 356. 1st Edit. Div. Leg. ubi supra, p. 144. The same learned author observes that, "if "we may believe a certain ancient, who appears to be well versed in these matters, the mysteries gained their end, by clearing up all doubts concerning the righteous government of the gods." He refers to Sopater, in Divis. Quæst. See Div. Leg. vol. I. p. 210. I must confess, such passages as these, instead of raising in me a higher opinion of the mysteries, make me very much suspect the truth of the extravagant encomiums bestowed upon them. goreans got themselves initiated into the several mysteries of the gods, in different nations, and applied themselves to what they called theurgy; though, as St. Austin observes, Porphyry owned that he had not, after all his researches, met with any satisfactory way of purging the soul. But I cannot think that the legislators, in instituting the mysteries, concerned themselves much about restoring the soul to its original purity, in the Pythagorean or Platonic sense; what they had in view, by our learned author's own acknowledgment, was, to secure and promote the cause of virtue, as far as was necessary for the ends of civil society. As to any thing further than this they were not solicitous. The mysteries seem to have been originally designed to tame and civilize the rude and barbarous people, to form and polish their manners, and by shows and representations, which were fitted to strike the imagination, to bring them to a greater awe and veneration for the laws and religion of their country; which, among the Pagans, was always regarded as a necessary ingredient in a virtuous character. Diodorus informs us that, in the Sicilian feasts of Ceres, which lasted ten days, was represented the ancient manner of living, before men had learned the use and culture of bread-corn. + This seems to have been designed to make men sensible of the value of a civilized life. It may be gathered from what is said by several of the ancients, that the principal subject of the Eleusinian mysteries was the life of Ceres, her wanderings after her daughter, and her legislation in Sicily and Africa, where she taught the inhabitants agriculture, and gave them laws, and thereby reclaimed them from their rude and uncultivated manners. It is not improbable, therefore, that occasion was taken from thence to represent, in the mysteries, the great benefit of laws, and the happy consequences of being brought from the wretchedness of a savage life, to humanity, civility, good manners, and politeness. ‡ And this * Apud August. de Civ. Dei, lib. x. cap. 32. p. 204. + Diod. p. 200. Edit. Steph. as cited by Div. Leg. vol. I. p. 240. 2d Edit. Callimachus, in his hymn to Ceres, vers. 10. celebrates her as having given laws to cities, and taught men to cut down the ears of corn. Agreeable to this |