_Belenus_ is the _Baal_ in scripture, us’d originally to be spoken of the true God _Jehovah_, ’till adopted into idolatry. _Belus_ of the _Assyrians_. If we examine the word to the bottom, it means God the son. Βηλ, in the _babylonic_ language is the _son_, Βηλτις the _daughter_. He is the _Apollo_ of the _Latins_. _Tharamis_ is the same as _Tat_, _Thoth_ of the _Egyptians_, _Thor_ of the northern nations, call’d more particularly the _spirit: lord of the air_, from the wings being symbolical of him; and hence made the thunderer, from the _Phœnician_ and _celtick Tarem_. He was sometimes call’d _Theutates_, the _Mercury_ of the _Latins_, who was particularly worshipped by the _Germans_, says _Tacitus de mor. germ._ _Cæsar_ the same, VI. _bell. gall._ Hence the _Greeks_ dress’d their _Mercury_ with a winged cap, and winged heels, which was no other than the _circulus alatus_ we have been speaking of. He bears a staff in his hand, with a globe on the end of it with wings and snakes. The _Phœnicians_ call’d him _Taautus_. _Sanchoniathon_, _Varro_ IV. _de ling. lat._ So in the temple of _Belus_ or the _sun_, at _Edessa_ in _Mesopotamia_, in idolatrous times, by his statue was another of _Ezizus_, who is our _Hesus_, and another of _Mercury_, whom they call _Monimus_. _Julian_, in his _hymn to the sun_, mentions the same. And so generally the true theology communicated to mankind from the beginning, was perverted into polytheism and idolatry. 3. So by the tree came death, by the tree came life, which the Druids seem to have had some knowledge of. _Ruffinus_ II. 29. affirms the cross among the _Egyptians_ was an hieroglyphic importing the life that is to come. _Sozomen_ the same, _hist. eccl._ VII. 15. and _Suidas_. _Isidore_ tells, “it was the method of the muster-masters in the _roman_ army, in giving in the lists of the soldiers, to mark with a cross the name of the man that was alive; with a Θ him that was dead.” The ancient inhabitants of _America_ honour’d the form of the cross. So the conjurers in _Lapland_ use it. Which intimate this hieroglyphic to be most ancient, probably antediluvian. But concerning the knowledge of the cross which the Druids had, and of their religion more at large, I shall discourse fully in the next volume, which will conclude what I have to say concerning them and their works. 4. From what has been delivered in the speculative part of this treatise, the springs of idolatry appear sufficiently. For the race of heroes that built these patriarchal temples in the eastern part of the world especially, and propagated true religion, were some ages after deify’d by their idolatrous posterity; and had names of consecration taken from the divine attributes, and the just notions delivered to them concerning the nature of the deity.