In the _Philippine Islands_, the Natives worship the _Stars_, which they hold to be the _Children_ of the _Sun_ and _Moon_: Their Priests, for the most part, are Women. The _Japonians_ worship an Image, with three Faces, by which they mean, Sun, Moon, and the elementary World[383]. Footnote 383: _Acosta_, and _Jesuits_ Ep. in _R. Oliver_. _Noort_’s Navigation. In _America_ their chief Deities are the Sun and Moon; which they honour with Dances and Songs. In _Virginia_ and _Florida_, when they eat, drink, and sacrifice, they use to throw up towards the Sun, some part of their Food: The _Spaniards_ taking Advantage of this Superstition, made the poor ignorant People believe they were Messengers sent to them from the Sun; whereupon they submitted to the _Spanish_ Yoke. _Hacluyt_, _ibid._ At _Mexico_, when they sacrificed a Man, they pull’d out his _Heart_, and offer’d it to the _Sun_. In _South-America_, they worship evil Spirits in various Forms, and Sun and Moon. When it thunders, and lightens, they say the _Sun_ is angry with them: When the Moon is eclipsed, they say the _Sun_ is angry with her. In _Peru_, next to their chief God, they worship’d the Sun, and after it, the Thunder. They took Sun and Moon for Husband and Wife. In the seventh Month they sacrificed to the Sun, and in the tenth to the Honour of the Moon. The same Paganism was profest among the _Europeans_; yea the _Greeks_ and _Romans_ that were the most knowing and polite Nations, their chief Gods were Sun, Moon, and Stars. The Air, and Meteors in it, were made into Gods: Thus the _Persians_ ador’d the Wind; Thunder and Lightning were honour’d under the Name _Geryon_. Comets and the Rainbow also have been prefer’d from _Meteors_, to be _Gods_. _Socrates_ deify’d the Clouds, if Credit may be given to _Aristophanes_. Their high Veneration for _Water_ was such, that to spit, to urine, or wash in a River was made a high Crime; perhaps, the _Water of Jealousy_ that determin’d the Case about the _Jewish_ Women, suspected of Adultery, might heighten their Veneration for this Element. In _Sicily_, Rivers were worshipped by the _Agrigentes_ (in the shape of a beautiful Boy) to which they sacrificed.... The _Cathaians_ worship Earth and Water. The _Indians_ count the River _Ganges_ sacred, and to have a Power of expiating their Sins. When the Idolaters wash in it, they cry, _Oh Ganges, purify me!_ And when any are sick, they dip them in it, in order to recover their Health. The Water of this River is convey’d to such as live at a distance, and are not in a Capacity to travel; so that they ascribe as much Virtue to this River, as the Papists do to their holy Water, and chief Relicks.