In effect, Mr. Le Clerc notes, that there is no Hebrew word which properly expresses eternity: ‏עולם‎ _gnolam_, only imports a time whose beginning or end is not known; and is accordingly used in a more or less extensive sense, according to the thing treated of. Thus when God says, concerning the Jewish laws, that they must be observed ‏לעולם‎ _legnolam_, for ever, we are to understand as long a space as we should think fit; or a space whose end was unknown to the Jews before the coming of the Messiah. All general laws, and such as do not regard particular occasions, are made _for ever_, whether it be expressed in those laws, or not; which yet is to be understood in such a manner, as if the sovereign power could no way change them. Archbishop Tillotson, however, argues very strenuously, that where _hell torments_ are spoken of, the words are to be understood in the strict sense of infinite duration; and what he esteems a peremptory decision of the point is, that the duration of the punishment of the wicked is in the very same sentence expressed by the very same word which is used for the duration of the happiness of the righteous, which all agree to be eternal. “These, speaking of the wicked, shall go away εις ηολασιν ονεωνιον, into eternal punishment; but the righteous, εις ζωην αιωνι, into life eternal.” Oldham, in his “Satires upon the Jesuits,” alludes to their “lying legends,” and the numerous impositions they practised on the credulous. The following lines are quoted from these legendary miracles, noticed under the article LEGEND, and the amours of the Virgin Mary are narrated in vol. ii. under the article _Religious Nouvellete_:— Tell, how _blessed Virgin_ to come down was seen, Like playhouse punk descending in machine, How she writ _billet-doux_ and _love discourse_, Made _assignations_, _visits_, and _amours_; How hosts distrest, her smock for _banner_ wore, Which vanquished foes! ——How fish in conventicles met, And _mackerel_ were the _bait_ of _doctrine_ caught; How cattle have judicious hearers been! How consecrated hives with bells were hung, And _bees_ kept mass, and holy _anthems sung_! How _pigs_ to the _rosary_ kneel’d, and sheep were taught To bleat _Te Deum_ and _Magnificat_; How _fly-flap_, of church-censure houses rid Of insects, which at _curse_ of _fryar_ died. How _ferrying cowls_ religious pilgrims bore O’er waves, without the help of sail or oar; How _zealous crab_ the _sacred image_ bore, And swam a catholic to the distant shore. With shams like these the giddy rout mislead, Their folly and their superstition feed.