1 flood 2119 before Chrift 229. But as this country was afterwards invaded Year of the by fuch variety of other nations. The Egyptians, Tyrians, Phoenicians, Carthaginians, and a multitude of others who fettled amongst them, it is natural to think that every one brought their own religion and customs with them; what they were may be seen in the history of the religion I have given of each of these nations in the courfe of this work. It is plain, fuch a mixture of different nations must bring not only a vast variety of religions, laws, and customs, but produce fuch alterations in each of them, as they mutually borrowed fome doctrines and notions, rites and fashions from one another, as fuited their caprice or humours. Superftition has no bounds, and persons, either out of wantonnefs or impatience, will be eafily induced to hunt after a variety of deities and fuperftitious ceremonies. This we find was the cafe of the Ifraelites, though restrained from it, under fuch fevere penalties: how much more will it be so, were every one left to his own liberty? However, after the coming of the lordly Romans, whofe conftant policy it was, to introduce every where their gods, religion, flood 2119: before Chrift Year of the religion, laws, &c. either by fair or foul means, we need not doubt, but those that fell under their dominion, were obliged to fubmit to this change. 229. The inundation likewife of the northern nations, such as the Suevi, Goths, and Vandals, must likewise have introduced fuch changes, as may be better imagined than defcribed, who, though they had embraced christianity, yet they were all of them infected with the Arian herefy. This did not however flacken their zeal against the heathenish idolatry and superstition, which had been introduced there by the Egyptians, Carthaginians, Romans, and other nations, whose temples, altars, ftatues, &c. they deftroyed wherever they came, obliging all that fell under their power, to embrace their religion but both Sueves and Goths, at length exchanged their Arianifm for the Orthodox faith, the former, under the reign of their king Ariamiris, alias Theodemirus, and the latter under Reccaredus who made open profeffion of it, upon his acceffion to the Their example was followed by the nobles, crown. flood 2119, 229. nobles, bishops, and clergy; and their con- Year of the feffion of faith, was prefented to the famed before Chrift council of Toledo, where fome further regulations were made for the prefervation of orthodoxy, and for introducing a general conformity of worship. This great change, was fo much the more remarkable, confidering the tenaciousness of those notions for their old religion, as it was brought about without perfecution, or any other violent means. Upon the whole, it must be owned, that the Goths made many excellent laws and regulations for the better government in church and state. I cannot forbear mentioning here a famed liturgy peculiar to them, known by feveral names fuch as Officium Gothicum, Toletanum, and Mozarabicum, and fuppofed by most authors to have been compiled by Iffidore, then bishop of Seville. This liturgy was confirmed by the Toletan council abovementioned, though the Pope did not suffer them to enjoy it long, before he obliged them to exchange it for the Roman, not without a long and ftrenuous oppofition from the Goths, 10 flood 2119, Year of the Goths, especially thofe of Catalonia, who before Chrift fent a number of deputies to the council of 229. Mantua, to expoftulate against such a forced innovation. It is probable that though the first inhabitants of Spain were under one monarchical government, upon their firft fettling in it, as well as thofe of Gaul, Germany, and other European nations, yet, as they came to increase in number, and enlarge their territories, they split themselves into a multiplicity of petty kingdoms and common wealths. But as I am not writing a history of their government and laws, let what I have faid fuffice for their religious tenets. No. No. XXXVII. The Religion of the Ancient State of the Gauls, to the Time of their Conqueft by Julius Cæfar, and from thence to the Interruption of the Franks. I HAVE already given fome account of the religion of the ancient Celtes in a former part of this work, and as the Gauls were defcended from them, as I have mentioned in the last chapter, it is not to be doubted but it was continued and propagated amongst them, in the fame manner and form as they received it from them, till their intercourse with other nations, or perhaps rather, their fubjection to them gave birth to those changes |