in my opinion, the signification of the word is more naturally to be fetched from the sacra, or religious services of the heathens, (if idolatry, impurity, and inhumanity may be permitted to pass under that name) where those, who were initiated in their mysteries, and admitted to the knowledge of their peculiar services, which were hidden and concealed from the greatest part of the idolatrous multitude, had certain signs or marks, called symbola, delivered unto them, by which they mutually knew each other, and upon the declaring of them, were without scruple admitted in any temple to the secret worship and rites of that God, whose symbols they had received.

These symbols were of two sorts; either mute or vocal: of the mute there are the names of several in Clemens Alexandrinus, as an "Griganum, (a musical instrument so called) a candle, a sword," and something else, not fit to be translated, were the symbols of Themis; and the said father mentions in the same place," an handful of salt, ivy, poppy, &c."to have been the symbols of Bacchus, and of others of their brutish deities.

These symbols were carefully preserved, and kept from all public view by the receivers. of them, who, upon the producing of them to

the priests of those Gods, whose signs they were, had free admission to their most hidden and abominable rites.

Apuleius, the famous Platonick philosopher of Madaura, made use of these mute symbols, to defend himself from the imputation of magic; for being "suspected of that infernal practice, because he kept some unknown things wrapt up in a napkin, or fine linen eloth," he replies thereunto, "That he had been initiated in most of the Grecian mysteries, that he diligently preserved those signs, and monuments, which were delivered him by the priests, that this was no unusual or un known thing that some who were present, and had been initiated with him in the rites of Bacchus, did well know what they kept hidden at home, and did in secret, without the company of the profane, particularly revere :"

That it could not seem strange to any who had the least sense of religion, that a man who had been privy to so many mysteries of the Gods should keep some tokens thereof at home, and wrap them up in linen, which is the purest covering for divine things: That yet he did profess with a loud voice, that if by chance any one was present, who had been partaker with him in the same solemnities; if he would give the sign, he should hear

what those things were, which he so carefully preserved, but that otherwise he would not be compelled by any danger whatsoever, to divulge those things to the profane, which he received to keep secret and conceal."

But, besides these mute symbols, there were others also which were vocal, that is, a certain form of obscure and mysterious words, for the most part, if not always, agreeable to the worship, actions, or nature of that God, whose signs they were; delivered by the priests to those who were initiated in their mysteries, by which those who were thus consecrated, mutually knew each other, and were freely admitted to the most reserved and secret parts of their sacred rites and ceremonies: Such a vocal symbol, Apuleius seems to hint at in the precedent quotation, where he requires, that" if any were present, who had partici pated with him in the same solemnities, they should give the sign;" that is, they should pronounce and express those words; which were the mark and token of their initiation and consecration. But,there is no need to look any farther into the writings of the heathens for the proof of this point, seeing there is a full and large evidence thereof in Arnobius, Cle mens Alexandrinus, and Julius Firmicus Maternus, who have recorded several of their

filthy, senseless, and inhumane symbols; as for example, Aruobius relates this to be the symbol of Ceres," and to have been repeated at the initiation in her rites, I have fasted and I have drunk a caudle, (as I chuse to trans late the word cyceon, which signifies a mixed and confused portion of liquors) I have ta ken out of the chest, and put into the basket, I have taken it out again, and put it into the little chest," which is thus mentioned by Clemens Alexandrinus, with some small variation, 'I have fasted, I have drunk a caudle; haying done that, I put it into the basket, and from the basket into the chest." To explain which symbol at large, would perhaps be too tedious; I am almost confident that it would be too obscene and filthy, and that the cleanest words by which it can be expressed in our English dialect, will sound too harsh in chaste and modest ears: wherefore I shall refer those who would exactly know the mystery thereof, to the fifth book of Arnobius, from page 170 to page 176, and to the tenth page of Clemens Alexandrinus's Protrepticon ad Gentes. I shall only say this in general, as being pertinent to my present undertaking, that these symbolical words had a dark and enigmatical reference to the secret and hidde rites of Ceres, and did in obscure expressions,

a

shadow forth her impudent, bestial, and a bominable actions, which in those detestable mysteries were solemnized and commemora ted; and, that whosoever declared or pronounced these words, had an immediate ad mission to those secret and reserved villanies, as they justly deserve to be termed.

There are yet several other symbols men tioned both by Arnobius, and Clemens Alex andrinus; which to prevent too great a length, I shall omit, and confine myself to some mentioned by Julius Firmicus Maternus, who, in his most excellent discourse concerning the error of profane religions, after he hath shewn the brutishness, stupidity, and folly of the heathens, in worshipping such filthy, vil. lainous, and barbarous deities, and in rendering to them such cruel, unclean and abominable services, as they did, proceeds to speak particu larly to the symbols, or marks used amongst the more devout and zealous adorerers of those black and murtherous Gods; the first whereof is "one used in a certain temple, that when a dying man was desirous to be admitted into the innermost parts thereof, he was to repeat this ob scure and dark sentence, I have eaten of a taber, I have drunk of acymbal, I have learned the sec rets of religion," which symbol is also mention ed by Clemens Alexandrinus,& with a small difference thus recorded by him, "I have eaten