The history of the world

§. II. Of diuers things that in all reason are to be presumed, touching the first planting of the World, as that all Histories must yeeld to MOSES: that the world was not planted all at once, nor without great direction: and that the knowne great Lords of the first ages were of the issue of HAM. [unspec 30]

BVt let vs goe vnto the Worlds plantation after the floud, which being rightly vnderstood, we shall finde that many Nations haue supposed or fayned themselues those Ancestors and Fathers, which neuer saw or approched the bounds of their Countries, and of whom they are by no way or branch descended. For it is plaine in the Scriptures how the sonnes and issues of Noah were distributed, and what Regions were first planted by them, from whence by degrees the rest of the world was also peopled. And if a∣ny prophane Author may receiue allowance herein, the same must be with this caution, That they take their beginning where the Scriptures end. For so farre as the storie of Nations is therein handled, we must know that both the truth and an∣tiquitie [unspec 40] of the bookes of God finde no companions equall, either in age or authori∣tie. All record, memorie, and testimonie of antiquitie whatsoeuer, which hath come to the knowledge of men, the same hath beene borrowed thence, and therefore la∣ter then it, as all carefull obseruers of time haue noted: among which thus writeth Eusebius in the Prooeme of his Chronologie: MOSES is found more ancient then all those whom the Grecians make most ancient, as HOMER, HESIOD, and the Troian warre; and farre before HERCVLES, MVSAEVS, LINVS, CHIRON, ORPHEVS, CASTOR, POLLVX, AESCVLAPIVS, BACCHVS, MERCVRIVS, and APOLLO, and the rest of the gods of the Nations, their Ceremonies, or holy Rites, or Prophets: and before all the deeds of IVPITER, whom the Greekes haue seated in the top and highest Turret of their Diuinitie. [unspec 50]

For of the three Iupiters remembred by Cicero, the ancientest was the sonne of* 1.1 Aether, whose three sonnes begotten on Proserpina, were borne at Athens, of which Cecrops was the first King: and in the end of Cecrops time did Moses bring the chil∣dren of Israel out of Aegypt: Eduxit MOSES populum Deiex Aegypto nouissimo tem∣pore

CECROPIS Atheniensis Regis; MOSES brought the children of Israel out of Ae∣gypt, in the last dayes of CECROPS King of the Athenians, saith S. Augustine: and yet* 1.2 was not Cecrops the Founder of the Citie it selfe, but Theseus long after him. But because the truth hereof is diuersly proued, and by many learned Authors, I will not cut asunder the purpose in hand, by alleaging many authorities in a needlesse question, but leaue it to the proper place.

The Sonnes of IAPHET were, [unspec 10]

• Gomer,

The Sonnes of GOMER were,

• Magog,
• Madai,
• Iauan,
• Tubal,

• Askenaz,
• Riphath,
• Togorma.

The Sonnes of IAVAN were,

• Meshach, and
• Tiras.
• Elisha,
• Tarshis,
• Kittim, and
• Dodanim.

First, we are to consider that the world after the floud was not planted by imagi∣nation, neither had the children of Noah wings, to flie from Shinaar to the vttermost border of Europe, Africa, and Asia in haste, but that these children were directed by a wise Father, who knew those parts of the world before the floud, to which he dispo∣sed [unspec 20] his children 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it, and sent them not as Discouerers, or at all-aduenture, but as∣signed and allotted to euery Sonne and their issues, their proper parts. And not to harken to fabulous Authors, who haue no other end then to flatter Princes (as Virgil did Augustus in the fiction of Aeneas) or else to glorifie their owne Nations; Let vs build herein vpon the Scriptures themselues, and after them vpon Reason and Nature. First, therefore we must call to minde and consider, what manner of face the earth euery where had in the 130. yeere after the great inundation, and by com∣paring those fruitfullest Vallies with our owne barren and cold ground, informe our selues thereby, what wonderfull Desarts, what inpassable fastnesse of woods, reeds, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and rotten grasse, what Lakes and standing Pooles, and what Marishes, Fens [unspec 30] and Bogs, all the face of the earth (excepting the Mountaynes) was pestered with∣all. For if in this our Climate (where the dead and destroying winter depresseth all vegetatiue and growing Nature, for one halfe of the yeere in effect) yet in twentie or thirtie yeeres these our grounds would all ouer-grow and be couered (according to the nature thereof) either with Woods or with other offensiue Thickets and Bush∣ments: much more did all sorts of Plants, Reedes, and Trees, prosper in the most fruitfull Vallies, and in the Climate of a long and warme Summer, and hauing with∣all the start of 130. yeeres, to raise themselues without controlement.

This being considered, it will appeare, that all these people which came into Shi∣naar, and ouer whom Nimrod either by order or strength tooke the Dominion, [unspec 40] did after the confusion of Languages, and at such time as they grew to be a mightie People, disperse themselues into the Regions adioyning to the said Vally of Shinaar, which contayned the best part of Mesopotamia, Babylonia, and Chaldaea; and from the borders thereof in time they were propagated: some of them towards the South, others towards the West and North. And although there were allotted to Shem many Regions, both East and West from Shinaar, with the Dominion of Palestina, which the Canaanites first possest; yet could he not enioy the lot of his inheritance on the suddaine, but by time and degrees. For we finde, that Abraham the true suc∣cessor of Shem dwelt in Chaldaea at Vr; and from thence (called by God) he rested at Charran in Mesopotamia: from whence after the death of Thare he trauailed [unspec 50] to Sichem in Palestina: and yet there had passed betweene Shem and Abraham (rec∣koning neither of themselues) seuen descents, before Abraham moued out of Chal∣daea: where, and in Babylonia, all those people by Nimrod commanded, inhabited for many yeeres, and whence Nimrod went out into Assyria, and founded Niniue. In∣deed

the great Masters of Nations (as farre as we can know) were, in that Age of the issues of Ham; the blessing of God giuen by Noah to Shem and Iaphet taking lesse effect, vntill diuers yeeres were consumed; and vntill the time arriued, which by the wisedome of God was appointed. For of Chus, Mizraim, and Canaan, came the People and Princes, which held the great Kingdomes of Babylonia, Syria, and Aegypt, for many descents together.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cicero de Nat. Deorum, l. 3.
• * 1.2

  De Ciuit. Dei, l. 18. c. 11.