Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1827) Vol 1.djvu/262

238 THE DECLINE AND FALL CHAP. Vlll. Ceremonies and moral precepts. Encourage- ment of agriculture. of a polytheist, lie accuses them of adoring earth, water, fire, the winds, and the sun and moon. But the Per- sians of every age have denied the charge, and ex- plained the equivocal conduct which might appear to give a colour to it. The elements, and more particu- larly fire, light, and the sun, whom they called Mithra, were the objects of their religious reverence, because they considered them as the purest symbols, the noblest productions, and the most powerful agents of the divine power and nature". Every mode of rehgion, to make a deep and lasting impression on the human mind, must exercise our obe- dience, by enjoining practices of devotion for which we can assign no reason ; and must acquire-our esteem, by inculcating moral duties analogous to the dictates of our own hearts. The religion of Zoroaster was abun- dantly provided with the former, and possessed a suffi- cient portion of the latter. At the age of puberty, the faithful Persian was invested with a mysterious girdle, the badge of the divine protection ; and from that mo- ment, all the actions of his life, even the most indif- ferent or the most necessary, were sanctified by their peculiar prayers, ejaculations, or genuflections; the omission of which, under any circumstances, was a grievous sin, not inferior in guilt to the violation of the moral duties. The moral duties, however, of justice, mercy, liberality, etc. were in their turn required of the disciple of Zoroaster, who wished to escape the perse- cution of Ahriman, and to live with Ormusd in a bliss- ful eternity, where the degree of felicity will be exactly proportioned to the degree of virtue and piety **. But there are some remarkable instances, in which Zoroaster lays aside the prophet, assumes the legislator, " Hyde de Relig. Pers. c. 8, Notwithstanding all their distinctions and protestations, which seem sincere enough, their tyrants, the mahometans, have constantly stigmatised them as idolatrous worshippers of the fire. <* See the Sadder, the smallest part of which consists of moral precepts. The ceremonies enjoined are infinite and trifling. Fifteen genuflections, prayers, etc. were required whenever the devout Persian cut his nails or made water; or as often as he put on the sacred girdle. Sadder, Art. 14. 50. 60.