In the _Phœnician Theology_, we find the Creation described, almost in the Terms used by _Moses_. _Diodorus Siculus_ says, the Antients liv’d upon Roots and Fruits. The _Phœnician_ Records mention _Ujoris_, _i. e._ _Adam_, the first that wore Garments made of Animal Skins. The _Vulcan_ of the Heathen was the _Tubal-cain_ of _Moses_, (_Gen._ iv. 22.) the first Artificer in Brass and Iron: _Plato_’s _Atlanticus_ is a Fable founded upon the History of _Noah_’s Flood: The Fable of the Giants storming Heaven, is taken from the Builders of the Tower of _Babel_, as before: Yea, says a Learned Father (after _Numenius_, the celebrated _Pythagorean_ and _Platonist_) what is _Plato_ but _Moses in an Athenian Dress_[419]? But to be more particular, Footnote 419: Τι γαρ εστι Πλατων η Μωσης αττικιζων. _Quid enim est Plato, nisi Moses qui loquitur Atticè?_ Or, _Quid enim aliud est Plato, quam Moses Atticissans_? Clementis Alexandrini Opera, Strom. lib 1. _Coloniæ_ p. 342. 1. _SATAN_, who conducted the War in _Eden_, display’d his Art under the Form of a Serpent, which _Moses_ represents as a Creature of superior Wisdom, and Illuminator of Mankind. Now the Tradition, that the _first Serpent_ had not only the Gift of speaking, but of communicating Science, and had held a Conference with the first Woman, to the vast Increase of her Knowledge, might at last swell to such a degree, that ignorant People might attribute to that Serpent, and her Race, a kind of Divinity; and for this Reason also, because in the Perfections of the Mind she exceeded our first Parents, who being constituted Governors of the Earth, must be supposed to be furnish’d with extraordinary Accomplishments: But, says Tradition, here is one who infused greater Knowledge into them, and made them more wise; and they, for contesting with the _Wisdom of the Serpent_, were turned out of Paradise, and ordain’d their Dwelling to be among the Beasts of the Field. Surely, might the People say, so great a Being as this Serpent merits our awful Regards. Now, how far such Thoughts might operate in those early days of Ignorance and Superstition, I determine not: The Serpent indeed, is said to be more subtle than the Beasts of the Field, but not more wise than _Adam_ and _Eve_. It is more strange, to think that in the primitive Church there were certain Hereticks call’d _Ophites_, took their Name from _Ophis_[420], who worshipped the Serpent that betray’d _Eve_, and ascribed all sorts of Knowledge to that Animal, maintain’d ’twas a good Creature, and that our first Parents were instructed by it to know Good and Evil. Yea, they believed, “the Serpent that tempted _Eve_ was the _Christ_, who afterwards came down and was incarnate in the Person of _Jesus_: That it was _Jesus_, but not the _Christ_, that suffer’d; for which reason they made all Proselytes to their Sect, to renounce Jesus[421].” If a Sect of Christians speak after this manner, what Ideas must the Heathen form of things?