The history of the world

§. XV. A conclusion by way of repetition of something spoken of before. [unspec 30]

BVT now to conclude this dispute, it appeareth to mee by the testimo∣nies of the Scriptures, that Paradise was a place created by God, and a part of this our Earth and habitable World, seated in the lower part of the Region of Eden, afterward called Aram fluuiorum, or Mesopota∣mia, which taketh into it also a portion of Shinar and Armenia: this Region standing in the most excellent temper of all other, (to wit) 35. degrees from the Aequinoctiall, and 55. from the North-pole: in which Climate the most excel∣lent Wines, Fruits, Oyle, Graine of all sorts are to this day found in abundance. And there is nothing that better proueth the excellency of this sayd soyle and temper, then the abundant growing of the Palme-trees, without the care and labour of man. [unspec 40] For wherein soeuer the Earth, Nature, and the Sunne can most vaunt, that they haue excelled, yet shall this Plant be the greatest wonder of all their workes: this Tree alone giueth vnto man whatsoeuer his life beggeth at Natures hand. And though it may bee said, that these Trees are found both in the East and West Indies, which Countries are also blessed with a perpetuall Spring and Summer, yet, lay downe by those pleasures and benefits the fearefull and dangerous Thunders and Lightnings, the horrible and frequent Earthquakes, the dangerous diseases, the multitude of ve∣nimous beasts and wormes, with other inconueniences, and then there will be found no comparison betweene the one and the other.

What other excellencies this Garden of Paradise had, before God (for mans in∣gratitude [unspec 50] and crueltie) cursed the Earth, we cannot iudge; but I may safely thinke, that by how much Adam exceeded all liuing men in perfection, by being the imme∣diate workemanship of God, by so much did that chosen and particular Garden ex∣ceed all parts of the Vniuersall World, in which God had planted (that is) made to

[illustration]

[illustration]

grow the Trees of Life, of Knowledge; Plants only proper, and becomming the Paradise, and Garden of so great a Lord.

The summe of all this is, That whereas the eyes of men in this Scripture haue beene dimme-sighted (some of them finding Paradise beyond our knowne World: some, aboue the middle Region of the Ayre: some, eleuated neere the Moone: o∣thers, as farre South as the Line, or as farre North, as the Pole, &c.) I hope that the Reader will be sufficiently satisfied, that these were but like Castles in the Ayre, and in mens fancies, vainly imagined. For it was Eastward in Eden (sayth Moses) East∣ward, in respect of Iudaea, that God planted this Garden, which Eden wee find in the Prophets where it was, and whereof the name (in some part) remaineth to this day. [unspec 10] A Riuer went out of Eden to water this Garden, and from thence diuided it selfe in∣to foure branches; and we find that both Tigris and Euphrates swimming through E∣den, doe ioyne in one, and afterward taking wayes apart, doe water Chus and Hauilah, according to Moses: the true seates of Chus and his Sonnes then being in the Valley of Shinar, in which Nimrod built Babel. That Pison was Ganges, the Scripture, Reason, and experience teach the contrary: for that which was neuer ioyned, cannot bee diui∣ded, Ganges, which inhabiteth India, cannot bee a branch of the Riuers of Eden; That Gehon was Nilus, the same distance maketh the same impossibilitie, and this Riuer is a greater stranger to Tigris and Euphrates, then Ganges is: for although there are betweene Tigris and Ganges aboue foure thousand miles, yet they both rise in the [unspec 20] same quarter of the World; but Nilus is begotten in the Mountaines of the Moone, almost as farre off as the Cape of good hope, and falleth into the Mediterran Sea: and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 distilleth out of the Mountaines of Armenia, and falleth into the Gulfe of Persia: the one riseth in the South, and trauaileth North: the other riseth in the North, and runneth South, threescore and three Degrees the one from the o∣ther. In this lease following, I haue added a Chorographicall description of this ter∣restriall Paradise, that the Reader may thereby the better conceiue the preceding Discourse; and this is the reward I looke for, that my labours may but receiue an allowance suspen∣ded, vntill such time, as this description [unspec 30] of mine be reproued by a better. [unspec 40] [unspec 50]