[366]. Schindl.
So they understand Gen. vi. 11. The Earth was corrupt, that is idolatrous. In defence of this Gloss, they quote the Idolatry of the golden Calf, which is expressed by this very Form of Speech, viz. The People had corrupted themselves. We read Gen. iv. 26. Then Men began to call upon the Name of the Lord. There is no room to doubt, but they called upon God before; the Particle then seems to refer to Enos, which is the next Antecedent: therefore ’tis said, They now applied themselves to the Knowledge of the Stars, which they apprehended were erected for the Government of the World, and consequently might be their Duty to adore them as God’s Representatives.
But the general Opinion is, that Idolatry did not begin till after the Deluge, and that perhaps the Deluge might be one Occasion of it; for the old World, as some suppose, was drown’d for Atheism——which coming to the Knowledge of Noah’s mediate Successors, they run into the other Extreme, chusing rather to have many Gods than no God.
IDOLATRY is of a more antient Date than Image-Worship: To see Men kneeling before a piece of Wood or Stone, has something so low and mean in it, that Men were not immediately brought to that abject and scandalous piece of Worship. The Sun, Moon, and Stars, were their natural Gods, and ador’d before deify’d Men, who were their animated Gods.
This Deification of Creatures, seems to begin about the time of the Confusion at Babel, or the Dispersion immediately consequent thereupon, particularly in the Family of Nimrod, the Son of Cush, Grandson of Noah. May not we date the Original of Paganism from that remarkable Person? ’Tis the Conjecture of some, that Nimrod was the first Man that was deify’d, and probably for the important Service he did to his Country, as a mighty Hunter, in destroying wild Beasts that otherwise would soon have devour’d the Inhabitants, which were not very numerous in those days. ’Tis certain, that such Benefactors to Mankind were rank’d among the Gods. If so, who will pretend to say, our modern Fox-Hunters don’t carry one Characteristic of Divinity about them?
Some think that the true Religion was universal for about four hundred Years after the Deluge, because it does not appear from Abram’s Traverse thro’ Mesopotamia, Canaan, Philistia, Egypt, &c. that those Countries were Idolaters. Others apprehend Abram himself was originally an Idolater, at least that Idolatry had overspread the Nations in his time, for which they quote Joshua xxiv. 2. Your Fathers ... even Terah the Father of Abraham ... served other Gods. It’s evident from hence, that Terah had fallen into Idolatry, and some are of Opinion, that Abram himself was an Idolater, till God made him sensible of the Vanity of Idol-worship, and that it was thro’ him that his Father Terah was brought under the same Conviction, by this Device, viz.
The Jews say that Terah was not only an Idolater, but also a Carver, and Dealer in Images and Idols; that one day when he went a Journey, he left Abram to take care of the Shop; but Abram being already convinced of the Sinfulness of Idols, ask’d all that came to buy Idol-Gods of him, How old are you? They told him their Age; and he replied to them, This God that you would buy and worship, is younger than you are; it was made but the other day, and of contemptible Matter, therefore believe what I say, and renounce this vain Worship. The Buyers struck with Confusion at these Reproaches, went away without buying, asham’d of their Stupidity[[367]].
[367]. Fa Calmet under Terah, vol. xiii.
Q. What might move Men to the first Idolatry?
Perhaps it might be a strong Attachment to the Senses, which they made their sovereign Judges in Spirituals: It was hard for vulgar Heads in those Days of Darkness to elevate their Thoughts above sensible Objects.