The history of the world

§. III. That there was a true locall Paradise Eastward, in the Countrie of Eden.

TO the first therefore, that such a place there was vpon the earth, the words of Moses make it manifest, where it is written, And the Lord God* 1.1 planted a garden Eastward in Eden, and there he put the man whom he had made. And howsoeuer the vulgar translation, called Hieromes trans∣lation, hath conuerted this place thus, Plantauer at Dominus Deus Para∣disum voluptatis à principio; The Lord God planted a Paradise of pleasure from the begin∣ning; [unspec 40] putting the word (pleasure) for Eden, and (from the beginning) for Eastward: It is manifest, that in this place Eden is the proper name of a Region. For what sense hath this translation (saith our Hopkins, in his Treatise of Paradise) that he planted a garden in pleasure, or that a Riuer went out of pleasure to water the garden? But the seuentie Interpreters call it Paradisum Edenis, the Paradise of Eden, and so doth the Chaldaean Paraphrast truely take it for the proper name of a place, and for a Noune appellatiue; which Region in respect of the fertilitie of the soile, of the many beau∣tifull Riuers, and goodly Woods, & that the trees (as in the Indies) doe alwaies keepe their leaues, was called Eden, which signifieth in the Hebrew, pleasantnesse or delica∣cie, as the Spaniards call the Countrie, opposite to the Isle of Cuba, Florida: and this is [unspec 50] the mistaking, which may end the dispute, as touching the double sense of the word, that as Florida was a Countrie, so called for the flourishing beautie thereof, so was Eden a Region called pleasure, or delicacie, for the pleasure, or delicacie: and as Flo∣rida signifieth flourishing: so Eden signifieth pleasure, and yet both are the proper

names of Countries; for Eden being the proper name of a Region (called Pleasure in the Hebrew) and Paradise being the choice seate of all that Region, Paradise was truely the Garden of Eden, and truely the Garden of Pleasure.

Now, for Eastward, to translate it, from the beginning, it is also contrarie to the translation of the Seuentie; to the ancient Greeke Fathers, as Basil, Chrysostome, Theo∣doret, Gregorie; and to the Rabbines, as Ramban, Rabbi Salomon, R. Abraham, and Chimchi; and of the Latines, Seuerinus, Damascenus, &c. who plainely take Eden for the proper name of a Region, and set the word (Eastward) for ab initio: for Damas∣cens owne wordes are these, Paradisus est locus Dei manibus in Eden ad Orientem mira∣biliter consitus; Paradise is a place, maruailously planted by the hands of God, in Eden, to∣ward [unspec 10] the East.

And after all these Fathers, Guilhelmus Parisiensis, a great learned man, and Sixtus Senensis, of later times, doe both vnderstand these words of Eden, and of the East, contrarie to the vulgar translation; Parisiensis, as indifferent to both, and Sixtus Se∣nensis, directly against the vulgar: of which these are their owne wordes: After this I will beginne to speake of Paradise terrestriall, which God planted from the beginning, or Eastward, &c. Posthaec incipiam loqui de Paradiso terrestri, quem plant âsse Deum ab initio vel ad Orientem, &c. And then 〈◊〉〈◊〉; MOSES enim 〈◊〉〈◊〉 prodit, Paradisum à Deo consitum in regione terrae Orientalis, quae dicitur Heden: Heden autem esse proprium nomcn apparet ex quarto capite Gen. vbi legimus CHAM habitâsse ad Orientalem plagam [unspec 20] Heden; For MOSES (saith he) doth shew most cleerely, that Paradise was planted of God in a Region of the East Countrie, which is called Heden: but that Heden is a proper name, it appeareth by the fourth Chapter of Genesis, where we reade, that CHAM dwelt on the* 1.2 East border of Heden. PERERIVS endeuoureth to qualifie this translation: for this particle (saith he) ab initio, is referred to all the time of the creation, and not to the* 1.3 very first day; alleaging this place of Christ, that although the Deuill was said to be a man-slayer from the beginning, yet that was meant but after the sixth day. But surely, as I thinke (referring my selfe to better iudgement) the Deuill was from the instant of his fall a man-slayer in disposition, though he had not whereon to practise till mans creation. And for conclusion, S. Hierome (if that be his translation) adui∣seth [unspec 30] himselfe better in the end of the third Chapter of Genesis, conuerting the word* 1.4 (Eden) by (ante) and not (à principio) as, God did set a Cherubin before the Garden of Eden; Collocauit Deus ante Paradisum 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is Cherubin; and Pererius himselfe ac∣knowledgeth, that this is the true sense of this place, precisely taken, according to the Hebrew. Posuit à parte Orientali horti Heden, Cherubin; He set on the East-side of the Garden of Heden, Cherubin. BECANVS affirmeth, that the Hebrew word (Be) sig∣nifieth (with) aswell as (in) and so the Text beareth this sense; That God planted a Garden with pleasure (that is to say) full of pleasure. But Becanus followeth this construction, only to the end, to finde Paradise vpon the Riuer of Acesines: for there he hath heard of the Indian Fig-tree in great abundance, which he supposeth to be [unspec 40] the tree of knowledge of good, and euill, and would therefore draw Paradise to the Fig-tree: which conceit of his I will answere hereafter.

Now, because Paradise was seated by Moses toward the East, thence came the cu∣stome of praying toward the East, and not by imitation of the Chaldaeans: and there∣fore all our Churches are built East and West, as to the point where the Sunne riseth in March, which is directly ouer Paradise (saith Damascenus:) affirming, that we al∣wayes pray towards the East, as looking towards Paradise, whence we were cast out; and yet the Temple of Salomon had their Priests and Sacrifices, which turned them∣selues in their seruice and diuine ceremonies, alwayes toward the West, thereby to auoid the superstition of the Aegyptians and Chaldaeans. [unspec 50]

But because East and West are but in respect of places; (for although Paradise were East from 〈◊〉〈◊〉, yet it was West from Persiae) and the seruing of God is euery where in the world, the matter is not great which way we turne our faces, so our hearts stand right, other than this, that we who dwell West from Paradise, and pray

turning our selues towards the East, may remember thereby to beseech God, that as by Adams fall we haue lost the Paradise on Earth: so by Christs death and passion we may be made partakers of the Paradise celestiall, and the Kingdome of Heauen. To conclude, I conceiue, that there was no other mysterie in adding the word (East) to Eden by Moses, then to shew, that the Region of Eden, in which Paradise was, lay Eastward from Iudaea and Canaan: for the Scriptures alwayes called the people of those Nations, the Sonnes of the East, which inhabited Arabia, Mesopotamia, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and Persia: of which Ouid:

Eurus ad Auroram, Nabataea{que} regna recessit, [unspec 10] Persida{que} & radijsiuga subdita matutinis.

The East wind with Aurora hath abiding Among th' Arabian, and the Persian Hils, Whom Phoebus first salutes at his vp-rising.

And if it be obiected, that Hieremie the Prophet threatning the destruction of Hierusalem, doth often make mention of Northerne Nations, it is to bee noted, that the North is there named, in respect of those Nations that followed Nabuchodonosor, and of whom the greatest part of his Armie was compounded; not that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 [unspec 20] it selfe stood North from Hierusalem, though inclining from the East toward the North.

Now to the difference of this Translation, Peter Comestor giueth best satisfaction: for he vseth the word, From the beginning, that is, from the first part of the World, (à principio) id est (sayth hee) à prima orbis parte, and afterward hee affirmeth, that (à principio, and ad Orientem) haue the same signification; From the beginning and East∣ward is all one, à principio idem est quod ad Orientem.

But to returne to the proofe of this place, and that this Story of Mankind was not Allegoricall, it followeth in the Text of the second Chapter and ninth Verse in these words: For out of the ground made the Lord God to grow euery Tree pleasant to the sight, [unspec 30] and good for meate, &c. so as first it appeared that God created Adam elsewhere, as in the World at large, and then, put him into the Garden: and the end why, is exprest: that hee might dresse it and keepe it; Paradise being a Garden or Orchard filled with* 1.5 Plants, and Trees, of the most excellent kinds, pleasant to behold, and (withall) good for meate: which proueth that Paradise was a terrestriall Garden, garnished with Fruits, delighting both the eye and taste. And to make it more plaine, and to take a∣way all opinion of Allegoricall construction, hee affirmeth that it was watered and beautified with a Riuer; expressing also the Region, out of which this Riuer sprang,* 1.6 which he calleth Heden; and that Heden is also a Countrie neere vnto Charan in Me∣sopotamia,* 1.7 Ezechiel witnesseth. [unspec 40]

But to all these Cabalists, which draw the Truth and Story of the Scriptures into Allegories, Epiphanius answereth in these wordes: Si Paradisus non est sensibilis, non est etiam fons, sinon est fons, non est flumen, sinon est flumen, non sunt quatuor principia, non Pison, non Gehon, non Tigris, nec 〈◊〉〈◊〉, non est ficus, non folia, non comedit EVA de arbore, non est ADAM, non sunt homines, sed veritas iam fabula est, & omnia ad Allego∣rias reuocantur: If Paradise be not sensible, then there was no fountaine, and then no Ri∣uer, if no Riuer, then no such soure heads or branches, and then not any such Riuer as Pison, or Gehon, Tigris, or Euphrates, no such Fig-tree, or fruit, or leaues, EVE then did not eat of the fruit, neither was there any ADAM, or any man, the truth was but a Fable, and all things estee∣med are called backe into Allegories. Words to the same effect hath Saint Hierome vpon [unspec 50] DANIEL: Contice scant eorum deliramenta, qui vmbr as & imagines in veritate sequentes, ipsam conantur euertere veritatem, vt Paradisum & flumina, & arbores patent Allegoriae Legibus se debere subruere, Let the dotages of them bee silent, who following shadowes and Images in the Truth, endeuour to subuert the Truth it selfe, and thinke that they ought

to bring Paradise, and the Riuers and the Trees vnder the rules of Allegorie.

Furthermore, by the continuation and order of the Storie is the place made more manifest. For God gaue Adam free libertie to eate of euery Tree of the Garden, (the Tree of knowledge excepted) which Trees Moses in the ninth verse saith that they were good to eate; meaning the fruit which they bare. Besides, God left all beasts to Adam to be named, which he had formerly made; and these beasts were neither in the third Heauen, nor neere the Circle of the Moone, nor beasts in imagination: for if all these things were Enygmaticall or Mysticall, the same might also bee said of the creation of all things. And Ezechiel speaking of the glory of the Assyrian Kings vseth this speech: All the Trees of Eden, which were in the Garden of God, enuied him, which* 1.8 [unspec 10] proueth both Eden, and Paradise therein seated to bee terrestriall: for the Prophers made no imaginary comparisons. But Moses wrote plainly, and in a simple stile, fit for the capacities of ignorant men, and he was more large and precise in the description of Paradise, then in any other place of Scripture; of purpose to take away all scruple from the incredulitie of future ages, whom he knew (out of the gift of Prophecie) to be apt to fabulous inuentions, and that if he had not described both the Region and the Riuers, and how it stood from Canaan, many of the vnbeleeing Israelites, and o∣thers after them, would haue misconstrued this Storie of Mankind. And is it likely, there would haue beene so often mention made of Paradise in the Scriptures, if the same had beene an Vtopia? For we find that the Valley, wherein Sodome and Gomorrha [unspec 20] stood, (sometimes called Pentapolis, of the fiue principall Cities therein) was be∣fore the destruction (which their vnnaturall sinne purchased) compared to the Para∣dise* 1.9 of the Lord, and like to the Land of Aegypt toward Zoar; In like manner was Israel resembled to the Paradise of God, before the Babylonians wasted it: which pro∣ueth plainly, that Paradise it selfe exceeded in beautie and fertilitie, and that these places had but a resemblance thereof: being compared to a seat and soyle of farre exceeding excellencie.

Besides, whence had Homer his inuention of Alcinous Gardens, as Iustin Martyr noteth, but out of Moses his description of Paradise? Gen. 2. and whence are their prayses of the Elisian fields, but out of the Storie of Paradise? to which also apper∣taine [unspec 30] those Verses of the Golden Age in Ouid:

Ver erat aeternum, placidi{que} tepentibus aur is* 1.10 Mulcebant Zephyri natos sine semine flores.

The ioyfull Spring did euer last, And Zephyrus did breed Without the helpe of seed Sweet flowres by his gentle blast. [unspec 40]

And it is manifest, that Orphus, Linus, Pyndarus, Hesiodus, and Homer, and after him, Ouid, one out of another, and all these together with Pythagor as and Plato, and their Sectatours, did greatly enrich their inuentions, by venting the stolne Treasures of Diuine Letters, altered by prophane additions, and disguised by poeticall con∣uersions, as if they had beene conceiued out of their owne speculations and con∣templations.

But besides all these testimonies, if we find what Region Heden or Eden was; if we proue the Riuer that ranne out of it, and that the same afterwards was diuided into foure branches; together with the Kingdomes of Hauila and Cush, and that all these are Eastward from Canaan, or the Desarts of the Amorites, where Moses wrote, [unspec 50] I then conceiue, that there is no man that will doubt, but that such a place there was. And yet I doe not exclude the Allegoricall sense of the Scripture; for aswell in this there were many figures of Christ, as in all the old Testament throughout: the Sto∣rie being directly true notwithstanding. And to this purpose (saith Saint Augustine)

Tres sunt de Paradiso generales sententiae: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 est eorum, qui tantummodò corporaliter Pa∣radisum intelligi volunt: alia eorum, qui spiritualiter tantùm (id est) Ecclesiam: tertia eo∣rum, qui vtro{que} modo Paradisum accipiunt, (that is) There are three opinions of Paradise: the one of those men, which will haue it altogether corporall: a second of those which conceiue it altogether spirituall, and to be a figure of the Church: the third of those, which take it in both senses; which third opinion Saint Augustine approueth, and of which Suidas gi∣ueth* 1.11 this allowable iudgement: Quemadmodum homo sensibilis, & intelligibilis simul* 1.12 conditus erat: sic & 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 nemus, sensibile simul & intelligibile, & duplici specie est praeditum, (that is) As man was created at one time both sensible and intelligible: so was this holy Groue or Garden to be taken both wayes, and endued with a double forme. [unspec 10]

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gen. cap. 2.
• * 1.2

  Vers. 16.
• * 1.3

  Iohn 8. 44.
• * 1.4

  Gen. 3. 24.
• * 1.5

  Verse 18.
• * 1.6

  Verse 10.
• * 1.7

  Ezech. c. 27. 23.
• * 1.8

  Ezech. 31. 9.
• * 1.9

  Gen. 13. 10.
• * 1.10

  Ouid. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. l. 1
• * 1.11

  Aug. de Ciuit.
• * 1.12

  Dei. l. 13. c. 21. Suidas in verbo Paradisus.