The six books of Proclus, the Platonic successor, on the theology of Plato (vol. 1 of 2) : $b translated from the Greek, to which a seventh book is added, in order to supply the deficiency of another book on this subject, which was written by Proclus, but since lost, also, a translation from the Greek of Proclus' Elements of theology, to which are added a translation of the treatise of Proclus, On providence and fate, a translation of extracts from his treatise, entitled, Ten doubts concerning — Plato — John Shaqi
The six books of Proclus, the Platonic successor, on the theology of Plato (vol. 1 of 2) : $b translated from the Greek, to which a seventh book is added, in order to supply the deficiency of another book on this subject, which was written by Proclus, but since lost, also, a translation from the Greek of Proclus' Elements of theology, to which are added a translation of the treatise of Proclus, On providence and fate, a translation of extracts from his treatise, entitled, Ten doubts concerning
Plato · en
hath gone and served other Gods, and worshipped them, _either the sun
or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded_.”
In the 3d chapter also, and the 24th verse, it is implied in the
question which is there asked, that the God of the Jews is superior
to all the celestial and terrestrial Gods: “For what God is there
_in heaven, or in earth_, that can do according to thy works,
and according to thy might?” As the attention of the Jews was solely
confined to the worship of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, they
but little regarded the powers whom they conceived to be subordinate to
this God, and considering all of them as merely the messengers of their
God, they gave them the general appellation of _angels_; though as
we shall shortly prove from the testimony of the Apostle Paul, they
were not consistent in confounding _angels_ properly so called
with _Gods_.
But that the stars are not called Gods by the Jewish legislator as
things inanimate like statues fashioned of wood or stone, is evident
from what is said in the book of Job, and the Psalms: “Behold even the
moon and it shineth not, yea the stars are not pure in his sight. How
much less man that is a worm, and the son of man which is a worm?”
(Job. xxv. v. 5. and 6.) And, “When I consider thy heavens, the work
of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained; what
is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou
visitest him.” (Psalm viii. v. 3. and 4.) It is evident therefore from
these passages, that the heavens and the stars are more excellent than
man; but nothing inanimate can be more excellent than that which is
animated. To which may be added, that in the following verse David
says, that God has made man a little lower than the angels. But the
stars, as we have shown, were considered by Moses as angels and Gods;
and consequently, they are animated beings, and superior to man.