The history of the world

†. VI. The fourth Argument from diuers considerations in the person of NOAH.

FOurthly, it is no way probable, that Noah, who knew the world before the floud, and had liued therein the long time of 600. yeeres, was all that space 130. yeeres after the floud, without any certaine habitation: No, it will fall out, and better agree with reason, that Nimrod was but the conducter of those people, by Noah destined and appointed to fill and inhabite that middle part of the earth and the Westerne [unspec 40] world; (which trauailes Noah put ouer to yong and able bodies) and that Noah him∣selfe then couered with many yeeres, planted himselfe in the same place which God had assigned him: which was where he first came downe out of the Arke from the waters: For it is written, that after Noah came downe out of the Arke he planted a Vineyard, and became a Husbandman: whose businesse was to dresse and manure the earth; and not to range ouer so many parts of the world, as from Armenia into Arabia foelix, where he should (if the tradition be sound) haue left certaine Colonies: thence into Africa towards Triton; then into Spaine, where they say he settled other companies, & built Cities after the names of Noela and Noegla his sons wiues: from thence into Italie, where they say hee found his sonne Cham the Saturne of Aegypt, [unspec 50] who had corrupted the people and subiects of Gomer in his absence: with whom Noah (as they make the storie) had patience for three yeeres; but then finding no a∣mendment, they say he banisht him out of Italie. These be but the fancies of Bero∣sus Annianus, a plaine imitation of the Graecian fables. For let euery reasonable man

conceiue, what it was to trauaile farre in such a forrest as the World was, when after so great a rotting of the earth by the floud, the same lay waste and ouer-growne for 130. or 140. yeeres, and wherein there could hardly be found either path or passage through which men were able to creepe for woods, bushes and bryars that in those yeeres were growne vp.

And there are so many reasons, prouing that Noah neuer came into the valley of Shinaar, as we need not suspect his passage into Italie or Spaine: For Noah, who was Father of al those Nations, a man reuerenced both for his authoritie, knowledge, ex∣perience and pietie, would neuer haue permitted his children and issues to haue vn∣dertaken that vnbeleeuing presumptuous worke of Babel. Rather by his presence [unspec 10] and preualent perswasions he would haue bound their hands from so vaine labours, and by the authoritie which he receiued euen from God himselfe, hee would haue held them in that awfull subiection, as whatsoeuer they had vainely conceiued or feared, yet they durst not haue disobeyed the personall commandement of him, who in the beginning had a kinde of Regall authoritie ouer his children and people. Certainely, Noah knew right well, that the former destruction of mankinde was by themselues purchased through crueltie and disobedience; and that to distrust God, and to raise vp building against his Almightie power, was as much as in them lay, a prouocation of God to lay on them the same, if not a more sharpe affliction. Where∣fore, there is no probabilitie, that euer he came so farre West as Babylonia; but rather, [unspec 20] that hee sent those numbers which came into Shinaar (being the greatest troupe, be∣cause they had the greatest part of the world to plant) vnder Nimrod, or those vpon whom he vsurped. Nauclerus and Coelestinus take the testimonie of Methodius Bishop of Tyre for currant, that there were three Leaders of the people after their encrease (to wit) Nimrod, Suphene, and Ioctan: of which Nimrod commaunded the issues of Cham, Ioctan of Sem, and Suphene of Iaphet. This opinion I cannot iudge of, although I will not doubt, but that so great a worke as the worlds plantation, could not bee effected without order and conduction.

Of the Sonnes of Sem: Ioctan, Hauilah, and Ophir, are especially noted to haue dwelt in the East India. The rest of Sems issues had also the Regions of Persia and the [unspec 30] other adioyning to Indus, and held also a part of Chaldaea for a time: for Abraham inha∣bited Vr, till he was thence called by God; and whether they were of the Sonnes of Ioctan, or of all the rest a certaine number (Cham and his issue onely excepted) that Noah kept with himselfe, it cannot be knowne. Of which plantation I shal speake at large in the Chapter following.

Now another reason which moues me to beleeue, that Noah stayed in the East far away from all those that came into Shinar, is, that Moses doth not in any word make mention of Noah in all the storie of the Hebrewes, or among any of those Nations which contended with them. And Noah, being the Father of all mankinde, and the chosen seruant of God, was too principall a person, to bee either forgotten or negle∣cted, [unspec 40] had he not (in respect of his age and wearisome experience of the world) with∣drawne himselfe, and rested apart with his best beloued, giuing himselfe to the ser∣uice and contemplation of God and heauenly things, after hee had directed his chil∣dren to their destined portions. For hee landed in a warme and fertile soile, where hee planted his Vineyard, and drest the earth; after which, and his thankes giuing to God by sacrifice, he is not remembred in the Scriptures, because hee was so farre a∣way from those Nations of which Moses wrote: which were the Hebrewes chiefly, and their enemies and borderers. [unspec 50]