Butthesameanxiousconcernforhappiness，whichbegetstheideaoftheseinvisible，intelligentpowers，allowsnotmankindtoremainlonginthefirstsimpleconceptionofthem；aspowerful，butlimitedbeings；mastersofhumanfate，butslavestodestinyandthecourseofnature。Men\'sexaggeratedpraisesandcomplimentsstillswelltheirideauponthem；andelevatingtheirdeitiestotheutmostboundsofperfection，atlastbegettheattributesofunityandinfinity，simplicityandspirituality。Suchrefinedideas，beingsomewhatdisproportionedtovulgarcomprehension，remainnotlongintheiroriginalpurity；butrequiretobesupportedbythenotionofinferiormediatorsorsubordinateagents，whichinterposebetweenmankindandtheirsupremedeity。Thesedemi-godsormiddlebeings，partakingmoreofhumannature，andbeingmorefamiliartous，becomethechiefobjectsofdevotion，andgraduallyrecalthatidolatry，whichhadbeenformerlybanishedbytheardentprayersandpanegyricsoftimorousandindigentmortals。Butastheseidolatrousreligionsfalleverydayintogrosserandmorevulgarconceptions，theyatlastdestroythemselves，and，bythevilerepresentations，whichtheyformoftheirdeities，makethetideturnagaintowardstheism。Butsogreatisthepropensity，inthisalternaterevolutionofhumansentiments，toreturnbacktoidolatry，thattheutmostprecautionisnotableeffectuallytopreventit。Andofthis，sometheists，particularlytheJEWSandMAHOMETANS，havebeensensible；asappearsbytheirbanishingalltheartsofstatuaryandpainting，andnotallowingtherepresentations，evenofhumanfigures，tobetakenbymarbleorcolours；lestthecommoninfirmityofmankindshouldthenceproduceidolatry。Thefeebleapprehensionsofmencannotbesatisfiedwithconceivingtheirdeityasapurespiritandperfectintelligence；andyettheirnaturalterrorskeepthemfromimputingtohimtheleastshadowoflimitationandimperfection。Theyfluctuatebetweentheseoppositesentiments。Thesameinfirmitystilldragsthemdownwards，fromanomnipotentandspiritualdeity，toalimitedandcorporealone，andfromacorporealandlimiteddeitytoastatueorvisiblerepresentation。
Thesameendeavouratelevationstillpushesthemupwards，fromthestatueormaterialimagetotheinvisiblepower；
andfromtheinvisiblepowertoaninfinitelyperfectdeity，thecreatorandsovereignoftheuniverse。
SECT。IX。ComparisonoftheseReligions，withregardtoPersecutionandToleration。
Polytheismoridolatrousworship，beingfoundedentirelyinvulgartraditions，isliabletothisgreatinconvenience，thatanypracticeoropinion，howeverbarbarousorcorrupted，maybeauthorizedbyit；andfullscopeisgiven，forknaverytoimposeoncredulity，tillmoralsandhumanitybeexpelledfrom46thereligioussystemsofmankind。Atthesametime，idolatryisattendedwiththisevidentadvantage，that，bylimitingthepowersandfunctionsofitsdeities，itnaturallyadmitsthegodsofothersectsandnationstoashareofdivinity，andrendersallthevariousdeities，aswellasrites，ceremonies，ortraditions，compatiblewitheachother。47Theismisoppositebothinitsadvantagesanddisadvantages。Asthatsystemsupposesonesoledeity，theperfectionofreasonandgoodness，itshould，ifjustlyprosecuted，banisheverythingfrivolous，unreasonable，orinhumanfromreligiousworship，andsetbeforementhemostillustriousexample，aswellasthemostcommandingmotives，ofjusticeandbenevolence。