An abridgement of Sir Walter Raleigh's History of the world in five books ... : wherein the particular chapters and paragraphs are succinctly abrig'd according to his own method in the larger volume : to which is added his Premonition to princes.

THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD. PART I. OF THE First Ages, from the Creati∣on to Abraham.

CHAP. I. Of the Creation and Preservation of the World.

§ GOD Invisible is seen in his Creatures.* 1.1 God acknowledged by the wisest men to be a Power uneffable, a Virtue infinite, a Light by the abundant Clarity invisible, an Understanding which it self can only comprehend, an Essence eternal and spiri∣tual, of absolute Pureness and Simplicity, was, and is

pleased to make himself known by the Works of the World: In the wonderful magnitude whereof, we behold the Image of that Glory which cannot be mea∣sured, and that one Universal Nature which cannot be defined. In the glorious Lights of Heaven, we perceive a shadow of his Divine Countenance; in his Provision for all that live, his manifold Goodness; and in creating, by the absolute power of his own Word, his All-sufficiency; which All-sufficiency in Power and Wisdom, which Light, Virtue and Goodness being but Attributes of one simple Essence, and one God; we in all admire, and in part discern by the Glass of his Creatures, in the disposition, order, and variety of Bodies, Celestial and Terrestrial: Terrestrial in strange manifold Diversities, Celestial in their Beauty, Magnitude, and continual contrary motions, yet nei∣ther repugned, intermixed, nor confounded. By these potent Effects we approach to the knowledge of the Omnipotent Cause, and by these motions, their Almighty wise Mover. In these more than wonder∣ful Works God speaketh to Men, who by their Rea∣son may know their Maker to be God; who with Cor∣poral Eyes can no otherways be seen, but by his Word and this visible World: Of all which Works there was no other Cause preceding but his Will, no Matter but his Power, no Workman but his Word, no other Consideration but his own Goodness.

§. 2. The Worlds Creation acknowledged by ancient Philosophers. Mercurius Trismegistus called God the Original of the Vniverse, and that God made it only by his Word.* 1.2 Jupiter having hidden all things in himself, did after send forth into the grateful Light, the admirable Works he had fore-thought. Pindar calls him the one God, Father and Creator of all: And Original, of all, saith P••ato. Though Scripture have no need of Fo∣reign Testimonies, yet St. Paul despised not the Use of Philosophers, &c. Truth by whomsoever uttered, is of the Holy Ghost, said Ambrose.

§. 3. All things began to be in the Creation, be∣fore which was neither Matter nor Form of any thing, but the Eternal: For had there been a former Mat∣ter, the Creation had not been first; and if any thing were before Created,* 1.3 there must be a double Creation; if any thing had been uncreated but God, there must have been a Beginning and two infinite E∣ternals.

§. 4. Heaven and Earth first Created, was not Matter without all Form, without which nothing can exist; but it was that solid Substance and Matter, as well of the Heavens and Orbs, as of the Globe of the Earth, and Waters which cover'd it; the Seed of that Vniversal, saith Calvin.

§. 5. As Moses, by Heaven, meant the Matter of all Heavenly Bodies, and Natures; so by Earth com∣prehending the Waters, he meant the Matter of all things under the Moon: Waters in the plural, sig∣nifying a double Liquor of divers natures, mixed with Earth 'till God separated them.

§. 6. Spirit of God moved, &c.] Seeing that God is every way above Reason, though the Effects which follow his wonderful ways of working, may in some measure be perceived by Man's Understanding,* 1.4 yet that manner and first operation of his divine Power cannot be conceived by any Mind or Spirit united with a mortal Body: And St. Paul saith, they are past finding out. Therefore whether that motion, vi∣tality and operation were by Incubation, or any other way, that's only known to God. The English word Moved, is most proper and significant; for of mo∣tion proceeds all production, and whatsoever is effected. This moving ••pirit can be no other, but that infinite Power of God, which then formed and distinguished, and which now sustains the Universe. This motion of the Spirit upon the Waters, produ∣ced their Spiritual and Natural motion, which brought forth Heat, whereof came rarefaction of Parts; thus

was Air begotten, an Element lighter and superi∣our to the Waters.

* 1.5§. 7. The Light is next, which for Excellency is first called good; but, as I conceive, did not yet di∣stinguish Day from Night, but with reference to the Sun's Creation, in which this dispersed Light was u∣nited, v. 14. 'till when, there was no Motion to be measur'd by Time: So that the Day named, v. 5. was but such a space as after by the Sun's motion made a natural Day. As then the Earth and the Waters were the Matter of the Air, Firmament, upper and lower Waters, and of the Creatures therein; so may the Light be called the Material Substance of the Sun, and other Lights of Heaven. How beit, neither the Sun nor other Heavenly Bodies are that Light, but the Sun is enlightned by it most of all other; and by it the Moon, and so the next Region, which the Greeks call Aether, (the supposed Element of Fire) is affected, and by it all Bodies living in this our Air. And though the nature of Light be not yet under∣stood, yet I suppose the Light Created the First Day, was the substance of the Sun, though it had not formal Perfection, Beauty, Circle, and bounded Magnitude 'till the Fourth Day, when dispersed Light was united and fixed to a certain place; after which it had Life and Motion, and from that time separated Day from Night: So that what is said of the Day before, was by Anticipation; for 'till the Creatures were produced, God's Wisdom found no Cause why Light should move, or give heat or operation.

* 1.6§. 8. Firmament between the Waters, is the extend∣ed distance between the Sea and Waters in the Earth, and those in the Clouds, ingendred in the superiour Air: This Firmament in which the Birds flye, is also called Heaven in Scripture, Gen. 49.25. Psal. 104.18. Mat. 8.26. The Crystalline Heaven Basil calls Chil∣dish.

§. 9. God having Created the Matter of all things,

and distinguished every general Nature, and given their proper Form, as Levity to what should ascend, and Gravity to what should descend, and set each in his place in the three first Days; in the three last he beau∣tified and furnish'd them with their proper kinds; as the Sun, Moon, and Stars in the higher Firmament of Heaven; Fowls in the Air, Fishes in the Waters, Beasts on the Earth; giving generative power for continu∣ation of their Kinds, to such as in the Individuals should be subject to decay, or needed increase.

§. 10. Nature is an operating Power infused by God into every Creature; not any self-ability to be the Original of any thing of it self, no more than the Helm can guide the Ship without an Hand, or an Hand without Judgment. All Agents work by virtue of the first Act; and as the Eye seeth, Ear heareth, &c. yet it is the Soul which giveth Power, Life and Motions to these Organs: So it is God which worketh by Angels, Men, Nature, Stars, or infus'd Properties, as by his Instruments; all second Causes being but Conduits to convey and disperse what they have re∣ceived from the Fountain of the Universal. It is God's infinite Power and Omnipotence that giveth Power to the Sun and all second Causes, and to Na∣ture her self to perform their Offices; which opera∣tive Power from God being once stopp'd, Nature is without Virtue. Things flourish by God, said Orpheus. I endeavour not to destroy those various Virtues gi∣ven by God to his Creatures, for all his Works in their Virtues praise him; but how he works in, or by them, no Man could ever conceive; as Lactanti∣us confounding the Wisdom of Philosophers, denyed that all their study had found it; for could the pre∣cise Knowledge of any thing be had, then of necessity all other things might be known.

§. 11. Destiny might safely be admitted, but for the inevitable necessity even over Mens Minds and Wills, held by Stoicks, Chaldeans, Pharisees, Prisci∣lianists,

&c. Hermes and Apuleius conceived well That Fate is an obedience of second Causes to the First. Plotinus calls it a disposing, from the Acts of the Celestial Orbs, working unchangeably in inferiour Bodies; which is true in things not ordered by a rational Mind. Fate is that which God hath spoken concerning us, say the Stoicks, Seneca, Ptolomy. And no doubt Stars are of a greater use, than to give an obscure Light; nei∣ther are the Seasons of Winter and Summer so cer∣tain in Heat and Cold, by the motions of Sun and Moon, which are so certain, but the working of the Stars with them. God hath given Virtues to Springs, Plan••••, Stones, &c. yea, to Excrements of base Crea∣tures: Why then should we rob the Beautiful Stars of working power, being so many in Number, and so eminent in Beauty and Magnitude?

The Treasure of His Wisdom, who is so Infinite, could not be short in giving them their peculiar Vir∣tues and Operations, as he gave to Herbs, Plants, &c. which adorn the Earth. As therefore these Orna∣ments of the Earth have their Virtue to feed and cure; so no doubt those Heavenly Ornaments want not their further use, wherein to serve his Divine Provi∣dence, as his just Will shall please to determine. But in this question of Fate, let us neither bind God to his Creatures, nor rob them of the Office he hath gi∣ven them: If second Causes restrain God, or God by them inforce Man's Mind or Will, then wicked Men might lay the fault on God.

§. 12. Prescience, or Fore-knowledge (if we may speak of God after the manner of Men) goeth before his Providence; for God infallibly foreknew all things before they had any Being to be cared for; yet was it not the Cause of things following, nor did it im∣pose a Necessity.

§. 13. Providence is an intellectual Knowledg, Fore∣seeing, Caring for, and Ordering all things: Behold∣ing things past, present, and to come, and is the

Cause of their so being; and such we call Provident, who considering things Past, and comparing them with the Present, can thereby with Judgment pro∣vide for the Future.

§. 14. Predestination we distinguish from Prescience and Providence; these belong to all Creatures, from the highest Angel to the basest Worm; but this only concerns Mens Salvation (in the common use of Di∣vines) or Perdition, according to some. Augustine sets it out by two Cities, one predestinated eternally to reign with God, the other to everlasting Torments; Cal∣vin, Beza, Buchanus, and the like are of the same O∣pinion. Why it pleased God to create some Vess••ls to honour, some to dishonour, though the Reason may be hid, unjust it cannot be.

§. 15. Fortune, the God of Fools so much Reveren∣ced, and as much Reviled, falleth before Fate and Providence, and was little known before. Homer and Hesiod who taught the Birth of those humane Gods, have not a Word of this new Goddess; which at length grew so potent, that she ordered all things, from Kings and Kingdoms to the Beggar and his Cottage: She made the Wise miserable, and prospe∣red Fools, and Man's life was but her Pastime. This Image of Power was made by Ignorants, who ascri∣bed that to Fortune of which they saw no manifest Cause. Yet Plato taught, That nothing ever came to pass under the Sun, of which there was not a just preceding Cause; and the Scripture maketh it clear in things most casual, Deut. 19.5. Prov. 16.33. The best Philosophers held, that all things in Heaven and Earth were ordered by the Soul of the World, said Cicero. When Riches and Honour are given to empty Men, and Learned, Virtuous, and Valiant Men wear out their Lives in a dejected condition, the Cause is manifest to the Wise, tho' Fools ascribe it to blind Fortune. For either it is Affection in Men preferring others, or great Persons which endure no other Di∣scourse

but that of Flatterers: So that Honest, Open∣hearted lovers of the Truth, which cannot Form them∣selves to it, must hang under the Wheel. Shall he who tells a Ruler he is unjust, a General he is a Coward, or a Lady that she is ugly, be made a Counsellour, a Captain, or a Courtier? It is not sufficient to be Wise, Just, and Valiant under such; but with the change of the Successor, he must change, else the base Obser∣vant will out-go him in Honour and Riches, by that only quality of Humouring Mens Vices as Virtues, with which every Fool is won, said Menander: He therefore that will live out of himself, and study o∣ther Mens Humours, shall never be Unfortunate; but he who values Truth and Virtue, (except in a Vir∣tuous Age) shall never prosper by the Possession, or Profession of them. It is also the token of a World∣ly Wise-man, not to contend in vain against the na∣ture of the Times, but to give way to Fury. And he which aims at the Machivel's two marks, Glory and Riches, must have a Steel Back to a Wooden Bow, to fit both weak and strong; or as Men at Sea, must either Hoise or Strike Sails, as Calms or Storms do require, or use Sails of small extention, and content himself to travel slowly; so must Men which esteem Virtue for it self.

CHAP. II. Of Mans Estate in the Creation, and of God's Rest.

§. 1. MAN was the last and most admirable of God's Works: The greatest wonder, said Plato, out of Mercurius, meaning of the internal Form, whose Nature is an immortal Spirit, Essence, and in quality, by God's Creation, Holy and Righte∣ous in Truth, and Lord of the World. This Image of God in Man, Chrysostom makes chiefly to consist in Dominion; so Ambrose and others; but he denyeth

it to Women, contrary to the Text, let them rule, not excluding the Woman. Others conceive this Image to be in Man's immortal Soul; which is one, and Incorporeal, governing the Body, being in every part of it totally, as God is totally in every part of the World; but the Soul's being totally in every part more than potentially, is doubted of. School-men make the Resemblance especially to be in Man's Mind, whose Memory, Understanding, and Will, really dif∣fer, and yet are but one Mind, resembling the Tri∣nity. They also, with Victorinus, made a diffe∣rence of the Image, which they refer to the Substance of the Soul not lost, and the Similitude, which is in Ho∣liness and Righteousness of quality. But as Augustin defended, that Man lost the Perfection of God's I∣mage; so St. Paul makes it the same with similitude, 1 Cor. 15.39. Ia. 3.9. Col. 3.10. Rom. 1.23. Zanchius held this Image to be both in Body and Mind, be∣cause it was referr'd to the Hypostasis or whole Man.* 1.7 Yet he confesses, it may be answered Moses used a Synecdoche. But Augustine anathematiz'd him who compar'd the Deity to Man's Body. In ge∣neral, Humane Virtue is, liker God, than his Figure, said Cicero. Neither Dominion nor the Immortal Soul, indued with Memory, Understanding and Will, is this Image; seeing that Man has these common with Devils. Sybill called right Reason the Image of God, that is, rightly to know, confess, serve, love, and obey God.

§. 2. Of the intellectual Mind of Man, and God's I∣mage in it. This Mens, or Mind, is not taken for the Soul, which is the Form of the Nature of Man; but for the principal Power of the Soul, whose Act is perpetual Contemplation of Truth; and is therefore called Divine Understanding, and a Contemplative Mind: Cusan calls it, a Power compounded of all Pow∣ers of comprehending.* 1.8 Mercurius held it the Essence of God, no other way separated from him, than the Light

from the Sun; which Error the Manichees also held. But as the Sun is not of the Essence of the Divine Light, but a Body enlighten'd with a created Light; so this Mind or Understanding in Man, is not of the Essence of God's Understanding, but the purest of the Soul's Faculties, or the light of the reasonable Soul; called the Soul of the Soul, or Eye of the Soul, by Augustine, or Receptacle of Wisdom. Between this Mens or understanding power and Reason, between it and Anima, and Animus, is this difference, that by the Soul we live, by Reason we judge and discourse, by the Mind or Animus, we will and chuse; but this Mind called Mens, is a pure substantial Act of the Soul, not depending on Matter, but hath relation to that which is intelligible, as its first Object. Mer∣curus saith, the Soul is the Image of the Mind, which is the Image of God, &c. Ficinus labours to prove the Mind hath no need of Organs: Zanchius says, the Mind needs no Means to understand by, yet con∣fesseth that the Representations which come from the Sense to the Phantasie, are the Objects of the Un∣derstanding; which Resemblances are to the Mind as Colours are to the Sight. Thus he makes the Phan∣tasie an Organ to the Mind, as the Eye to the Sight, contrary to his first Assertion. However these be deter∣mined, we may resemble our selves to God in Mind, in respect of that pure Faculty which is never sepa∣rated from Contemplation and love of God. The Mind, said Bernard, is not the Image of God, because it understands, remembers, and loveth it self; but be∣cause it understands, remembers, and loveth God, who Created it. So that Immortality, Reason, and Domi∣nion, do not make us God's shadow, but the Habit of Righteousness, most perfectly infused into the Soul and Mind in the Creation. It is not by Nature that we are printed with the Seal of God's Image (though Rea∣son be part of the essential Constitution of our pro∣per Species or Kind) but this is from the Bounty of

God's Goodness, which breathing Life into Earth, contrived therein the Inimitable Ability of his own Justice, Piety, and Righteousness. So long there∣fore as Men walk in God's ways, which is called walking with God, and do fear, love, and serve him truly, for the love of God only, so long they retain this Image. But it cannot be in Unjust, Cruel, False and Ambitious Souls, &c. And though Nature (ac∣cording to common understanding) do make us ca∣pable, and apt enough to receive this Image, yet if God's exceeding Wisdom and liberal Mercy fra∣med not Eyes to our Souls, we could not come by it. For not only the Perfection, but the Image of it self, to wit, the supernatural Gift of Grace and Glory, is wholly blotted out by Sin.

§. 3. Adam's Body was made of Adamah, red fat Earth, of which God produced not an Image, but a Body of Flesh, Blood, and Bones, in the Form it now has. And though Nature and Experience assure our Morta∣lity, and that our Bodies are but Anviles of Pains and Diseases; and our Minds but Hives of innumerable Cares, Sorrows, and Passions; and that our greatest Glories are but painted Posts for Envy to cast her Darts at; yet our unhappy Condition and darkness of Understanding is such, that we only esteem this Slave of Death; and only at idle Hours remember the immortal imprison'd Soul, the everlasting Subject of Reward or Punishment. This we never think on while one Vanity is left us: We plead for Titles till our Breath fails us; Dig for Riches 'till Strength be spent; and exercise Malice while we are able to Re∣venge: And then when time has depriv'd us both of Youth, Pleasure, and Health, and Nature her self hates the House of her old Age, we remember with Iob, we must go whence we shall not return, and that our Bed is made ready for us in the Dark. Then we look too late into the bottom of our Con∣science, and behold the fearful Image of past Actions,

with this terrible Inscription, God will bring every work to Iudgment. Let us therefore not flatter our selves, wilfully to offend God in hope easily to make our peace at the last, which is a Rebellious Presump∣tion, and Deriding the dreadful God that can ruin us eternally.

§. 4. To this corruptible Body, God gave a Soul spiritual and incorruptible, which shall again return to him, as the body to the Earth. The Soul's Im∣mortality is manifest, comparing the manner of the Creation of other things with it, Gen. 1.20, 24. with v. 26. & cap. 2.7.

Man thus Compounded, became a Model of the Universe, having a Rational Soul, with ability fit for the Government of the World; an Intellectual Soul common with Angels, and Sensitive with Beasts; thus he became a little World in the Great, in whom all Natures were bound up together; our Flesh is heavy like Earth, our Bones hard as Stones, our Veins as the Rivers, Breath as the Air, Natural Heat like the warmth inclosed in the Earth, which the Sun stir∣reth up in procreation; Radical moisture, which feeds that Natural Heat, is as the fatness in the Earth; our Hairs as Grass, our Generative Power is as Na∣ture which produceth; our Determinations like wan∣dring Clouds, our Eyes like the Lights in Heaven; our Youth like the Spring, our setled Age like the Sum∣mer, declining like Autumn, and old Age like Winter; our Thoughts are the motions of Angels, our pure Vn∣derstanding like the Intellectual Natures always pre∣sent with God; and the habitual Holiness and Righ∣teousness of our Immortal Soul was the Image of God, as a shadow may be like the substance. Man's Four Complexions like the Four Elements, and his Seven Ages like the Seven Planets. Our Infancy is like the Moon, in which it seemeth only to grow, as Planets; in our next Age we are instructed as un∣der Mercury, always near the Sun: Our Youth is

wanton and given to pleasures, as Venus; our Fourth Age Strong, Vigorous, and Flourishing, is like the Sun: Our Fifth Age like Mars, striving for Ho∣nour; our Sixth like Iupiter, Wise, and stayed; our Seventh like Saturn, slow and heavy, when by irrecoverable loss we see that of all our vain Passions and Affections the Sorrow only remains, and our At∣tendants are various Infirmities and Diseases, of which, many are the remainders of former Follies and Excesses; and if Riches yet continue with us, the more our Plenty is, the more greedily is our End wish'd for; we being now of no other use but to detain our Riches from our Successors, and being made unsociable to others, we become a burthen to our selves. Now, and never before, we think upon our Eternal Habitation, to which place we pass with many sighs, groans, and doleful thoughts; and in the end, by Death we finish the sorrowful Business of a wretched Life, toward which we have been al∣ways travelling, sleeping, and waking; and by what crooked Paths soever we have walked, yet it led us the straight way to the gate of Death. Neither can beloved Companions, or rather our Gods, Riches or Honour, stay us one hour from entring that all-de∣vouring Dungeon of Death, which is not yet satisfy'd with all those past Generations, but still cries all Flesh is grass, 'till it have consumed all. Thus the Tyde of Man's Life once declining, makes a per∣petual Ebb, never to return hither, and his Leaf fallen, shall never spring again.

§. 6. Our Parents having one Prohibition for trial of Obedience, would need extend their free∣dom of Will to that, and so brought all Mankind into endless Misery.

§. 7. God on the Seventh Day ceased to Create more Kinds, having perfected those he intended, and endued with Generative Power such as should con∣tinue by Generation.

CHAP. III. Of Paradise, and many Opinions about it.

§. 1. PAradise, the first Habitation of Adam, Eastward in Eden, about which Mens Opinions are as various as the Persons that Disputed it; and many imbibe gross Errors, led by the Au∣thority of great Men, wherein many Fathers were far wide, as it is the Fate of all Men to err, neither has any Man knowledge of all things.

§. 2. Many held Paradise in Moses Allegorical only; as Origen, Philo, and Ambrose lean'd to that Opinion; so did Strabus, Rabanus, Beda, Commestor. Chrysamensis; and Luther thought it not extant, though it was formerly. Vadianus Noviomagus held it the whole Earth. Tertul. Bonaventure and Durand place it under the Equinoctial; Postellus under the N. Pole.

§. 3. Paradise by Moses's description, was a Place on Earth, in Eden, a Country Eastward, so called, for the Pleasantness thereof; as in America a Coun∣try is called Florida. Here the vulgar Translation is mistaken in interpreting it a Paradise of Pleasure from the beginning. This situation of Paradise in the East, occasion'd the praying, and setting Churches to the East, contrary to the standing of Solomon's Temple, and the Priest turning to the West; yet God is every where; neither is any Mystery in the word East∣ward, but the place stood so from Canaan. Moses's whole description proves it an Earthly place, and Ezechiel witnesseth Eden was a Country near Cha∣ran: So Adam's actions, and end of placing in it, prove no less against those vain Allegories of Scrip∣ture stories, confuted by Iews, as Epiphanius: Yet I ex∣clude not an Allegorical sense of some stories, besides

••he Literal, as Augustine and Suidas held Paradise had both. Homer's Alcinous Garden, and Elizian Fields, were Poetical Fictions stoln out of the Divine Trea∣sury, and profaned by them.

§. 4. It is no Curiosity to enquire after the Place; seeing nothing is in Scripture, but for instruction; and if the truth of the story be necessary, the place set out for the proof of it, is not to be neglected, and Mens fancies therein overthrow the Story. For what is more ridiculous, than to seek Adam's Para∣dise as high as the Moon, or beyond the Ocean which he waded through to come to Iudea; or that it is a separated ground hanging in the Air under the Moon, from whence the four Rivers fall with vio∣lence, and force through the Sea, and rise again in our habitable World; as Commestor dreamed, and others. That therefore the Truth might receive no prejudice, God's Wisdom hath so carefully described the place for our easie finding, as the choisest part of the Earth. And if it be a generous mind to de∣sire to know the Original of our Ancestors, this search cannot be discommended.

§. 5. Paradise is not so defaced by the Flood that it cannot be found, as Augustinus Chrysamensis judg∣ed; for though the Beauty of it be lost, and Time has made it as a common Field in Eden, yet eight hun∣dred and seventy years after would not so particu∣lary have described it, nor the Prophets have men∣tion'd Eden so often, if the same could not be found, or if the Rivers which in his time bear the Names, were not the same, of which Euphrates and Tigris were never doubted, as the Country of Eden is yet well known. As for the alteration made by the Flood, changing the current of Rivers, and raising of Mountains, as some judge, it is improbable; for the Waters covered the Earth spherically, and did not fall violently from higher places, or come in with Storms ebbing and flowing, which makes such

choakings up of the mouths of Rivers. The Wa∣ters then were raised by universal erruptions, and by down right falls of Rain, which use to scatter the strongest Winds. Seth's Pillar erected 1426 year before, as Antiquitiy reports, and standing in Iose∣phus's days, and the City under Libanus, whose Ru∣ins remained to Annius's days, and by Berosus forged Fragments call'd Enochia, built by Cain, and the City Ioppa remaining after the Flood, argue the Flood had no such effect to work such alteration, when even Bay-Trees outstood it. Antiquity also speaks of Baris, and Sion, on which the Fable is that Giants were saved, which argueth their Judgment touching the Antiquity of Moun∣tains. See Psal. 90.1, 2.

§. 6. Paradise was not the whole Earth, as Ma∣nichus, Vadianus, Noviomagus, and Goropius Becanus judged, seeing the Text saith it was Eastward in Eden, and the Angel was plac'd on the east side of Paradise, and Adam was cast out of it, not out of all the Earth. Yet the Error of Ephrem, Athanasius, and Cyrill, was greater, that Paradise was beyond the Ocean, through which Adam walked when he was cast out, to return to the Earth of his Creation, and was buried on Calvery.

§. 7. Paradise by Bar-Cephas, Beda, Strabus, and Rabanus, was placed on a Mountain almost as high as the Moon; neither did Rupertus differ much. It seemeth they took it out of Plato, and Socrates who mis-understood it, no doubt took this Place for Heaven, the Habitation of Blessed Souls after Death, though for fear of the Areopagites, they durst not set down in plain terms what they believed of that Matter. And though in the end Socrates was put to death for acknowledging one only sufficient God, yet the Devil himself did him that right, to pro∣nounce him the wisest Man. As for the place in question, Tertullian and Eusebius conceive, that by it

he meant the Celestial Paradise: Solinus indeed re∣ports of a place called Acrothonos, upon Mount Atho, pleasant and healthful, whose Inhabitants are called Macrobioi, long lived: Upon the aforesaid Lunary Hill, they say Enoch was preserved; which Isidore and Lumbard approve; and Tertullian, Ireneus, Iustin Martyr believed the Souls of blessed Men lived there; which Fancies Hopkins and Pererius have Confuted. As for the Bodies of Enoch and Elias, they may be changed, as others shall be at the last Day. The School-men in this and their other Questions, were exceeding subtle, but yet taught their Followers to shift better than to resolve by their Distinctions. The Fables of Olympus, Atlas, and Atho, higher than any Clouds, Pliny himself disproveth.

§. 8. Tertullian, Bonaventure and Durand place Pa∣radise under the Equinoctial; to which Aquinas op∣poseth the Distemper of Heat there. But this is Non causa for causa; the true Cause is, Eden and the Rivers are not there; else the Clime hath as pleasant fertile places as any other; neither was any Region Created but for Habitation, and those hot Countries are tempered by East Winds, and long cool Nights as I well know; only where Mountains hinder the Wind, and in sandy Grounds void of Trees, the Country is not so well Inhabited, as the other parts, which are so Fertile, that the Inhabitants Idleness maketh them Vitious, and the Countries to be Terrae Vitiosae.

§. 9. Paradise not being in the former places, we are certain it was in Eden, not hard to have been found out, had not Names been changed since Moses's days; and that other Nations have sought to extinguish both the Name and Monuments of the Iews. For our help we have Euphrates and Tigris agreed upon, and that it was Eastward from Canaan; which latter might agree with Arab••a, Stony and Desart; but the former cannot, neither has it the property of being

exceeding Fertile. As for bordering Countries, though Moses name none, yet Esaiah and Ezekiel do; and though that Amos name Eden, which is Coelosyria, and Beroaldus findeth a City there called Paradise, yet can it not be the Eden we seek, seeing Coelosyria and Cyprian Damascena is full North from Canaan, and wants our known Rivers. Come then to the Edo∣mits in Thelassar, and the rest named by Esaiah: The∣lassar was a strong City in an Island upon the Border of Chaldea on the River Euphrates, towards the North, which after Senacharib's death, Merodach Balladan in∣joyning Babilonia, fortified against Esar Haddon, which City Marcellinus calls Thelatha; Pliny, Teridata, which Iulian durst not assault. The other places in Esaiah are either in Mesopotamia as Charan and Reseph, or in Media, as Gosan; so Ezekiel setting out the Coun∣tries which traded with Tyrus, joineth Charan with Eden, as also Calne, which Ierom calls Seleuiza, stand∣ing upon Euphrates towards Tigris, called also Canneh, and the Inhabitants Schenits by Pliny; who Inhabited from Seleucia on both sides Euphrates, Westward to Coelosyria, as far as Tapsachus, where the River is Fordable. Charan therefore cannot be Channeh, the one standing on Euphrates, the other on Chaboras, which falleth into Euphrates, far off in Mesopotamia: Or Aran between the Floods. Besides Channeh or Chalne, is by Moses named in Shinar, one of Nimrod's Cities. Lastly, Sheba and Rhaama upon the Persian Gulf, traded with Tyrus by Tigris, and so to Seleu∣cia, and so to Syria by Euphrates, 'till they came to Aleppo or Hierapolis, from whence they went by Land to Tyre, and after decay to Tripoly, and now to Alexandretta in the Bay of Issicus or Lajazzo. Chalmad is also joined with Eden by Ezekiel, a Region of high∣er Media, N.E. of Eden called Coronitana by Geogra∣phers. Thus Eden is bounded on the E. and N. E. by Elanah and Chalmad: On the W. and N. W. by Charan and Chanah: On the S. by Sheb; between

which Chalds (properly so called) is contained, which is the Eden we seek.

§. 10. Eden hath not yet wholly lost the Name and notice of the old Country, as is to be seen in two Epistles written by the Christians of Mesopota∣mia, to the Pope, An. 1552. Published by Masius, men∣tioning the Island of Eden in the River Tigris, which is commonly called Gozoria or Gezer. So that we may perceive, that Eden before the Flood, compre∣hended, besides the Land of Babylonia in the S. all Assyria, Armenia, and Mesopotamia, bounded by Mount Taurus in the North. In this Isle, which is ten Miles•• compass, is the Metropolitan City and Pa∣triarchy of all the Nestorian Christians in Assyria, Mesopotamia, Chaldea, and Persia, and is Twelve Miles above Mosell.

§. 11. An Objection is made out of the Text, That a River, in the singular number, divideth it self into Four Heads. Answer, Kimchi and Vatablus say, the Singular here is put for the Plural, as is used with the Hebrews. But take it singular for Euphrates, and we find it divided into Four Branches in the Country of Chaldea. And what alteration soever Time hath bred, clear it is, that Parah in Moses is Euphrates, and Hiddekel is Tigris, which runneth through Assyria, whose chief City is Nineve.

§. 12. An Objection touching the Fertility of Pa∣radise no where found, is Answered; That no place after the Flood was the same as it was in the Crea∣tion; yet Herodotus commends that Country about Euphrates near the which Tigris runs, beyond all he had seen; yielding Two Hundred for One▪ with plenty of Palm-Trees, of which they make Meat▪ Wine and Honey: Strabo and Niger added Bread, and Antony the Hermite, addeth Flax. They mow the Blade twice, and after feed it down with Cattel to prevent the Exuberance of overmuch Rankness: And it is free from Weeds. See Pliny, lib. 18. ca. 17.

who saith the Babylonians reap a Crop the second time without Sowing; and yet cut their Corn twice in the Year they sow it, saith Niger: And lest their Cattel should perish by too great a satiety, they drive them out of the Pastures, saith Q. Curtius.

§. 13. Pison and Gehon, the other two Rivers of Paradise, must be found to branch out of the River, or Rivers of Eden; and therefore the Fancy was strange to search out for Ganges in India, and Nilus in Egypt. The Errour about Pison was occasion'd by mistaking Havila in India, whose Founder was a Son of Iocktan, for that Havila upon Tigris, after∣wards called Susiana, Planted by a Son of Cush. If Largeness were respected in choise of Ganges, Indus is not inferiour; having Hydaspis, famous in Great Alexander's Story, and many like Rivers fal∣ling into it, as Coas, Suastus, Acesinies, Adries, His∣palis, Smnoch: Indus is also nearer Tigris by almost 40 Degrees, between which and Ganges, is the great Kingdom of Magor. As for Nilus it can no way be a Branch of a River which runneth through Eden with the rest, seeing it runneth contrary to them, spring∣ing from the South Coast, and falleth North, whereas they spring North and fall into the South Sea. Pison therefore will rather be found a River branching out of Euphrates into Tigris at Appanico, called Piso-tigris, running through Havila or Susiana, from Hercelus's Altar, into the Persian Gulph, and hath Gold, and Bdelium and Onix-stones. Time hath made greater Change of other Names than this, as to call Babylon Bandas, Baldady Bagded, Boughedor and Bagdet at this Day. Pison is called Basilius or Regius; and Ge∣hon is Mabar-sares, Marsias, Baar saris in Ptolomy and others. Euphrates at her Fountain was called Pixirats and Puckperah: Plutarch calls it Medus & Zaranda; o∣thers call it Cobar, which is a Branch of it: The Assyri∣ans name it Armalchar and Nahor Malcha; now it is called Phrat-Tigris, in Hebrew Hiddekel; others call it

Dighto, Diglath, Seilax, Sollax, now Tegil. Mereer conceiv∣ed well the Euphrates and Tigris stream into Branch∣es, and that Euphrates falling into Gehon, lost the Name, and is swallowed up in Caldee Lakes near Vr: But Pison breaking into Tigris, falls into the Sea, and produc'd a Name compounded of both, Pysotygris, run∣ning through Havilah, so named of the Son of Chush, inhabits both sides, and mistaken for Ethiop. 1 Sam. 15.7.

§. 14. Gehon by mistaking Ethiop for Chush, drew them to Nilus; which Error Pererius would evade by an E. Ethiopia in Arabia-Petraea, and part of Felix, which being granted, Gehon is not Nilus; no, the 1000000 which Zerah brought against Asa, came be∣yond Egypt, but were Chushits, Midianits, Amalekits, Ishmaelits, inhabiting that Land of Chush, over which Zera in Gerar near Iuda Commanded. But to Pere∣rius, Pliny tells, the E. Ethiopia was about Nilus, S. of Egypt; the W. was about the River Niger. So that all that take Chush for Ethiopia, Numb. 12.1. do fail, as also 2 Chron. 21.16. Beroaldus seeking Gehon at Gaza lost himself in the Desart by sinding a Ri∣ver scarce Twenty Miles long for Gehon, which wa∣tered all the Land of Chush, Westward from Tigris, and went towards Arabia through the South of Chaldea, where was Chusca, after called Chuduca; from whence either Increase or Force of Nimrod's Posterity made them disperse themselves more towards the West, out of that part of Shinar, where Nimrod out of Wit and Strength had seated himself: As did his Father upon Gehon, and a Brother of his called Ha∣vila, on both sides of Tigris, and along the Sea to∣wards Arabia.

§. 15. To Conclude; it appeareth to me by Scrip∣ture, Paradise was a Created place in our Habitable World, in the lower parts of a Country called Eden, from the Pleasantness thereof, containing part of Ar∣menia, all Mesopotamia and Shinar. This Region in

Thirty five Degrees is most temperate, abounding with whatsoever Life needeth, without Labour; ex∣ceeding both Indies, with their perpetual Spring and Summer, which are accompanied with fearful Thun∣dring, Lightning, Earth-quakes, Venomous Crea∣tures and desperate Diseases, from which Eden is free: I desire no other Reward for my Labour in this Des∣cription, but suspence of judgment 'till it be confu∣ted by a more probable Opinion.

CHAP. IV. Of the two Chief Trees in Paradise.

§. 1. THAT the two Trees of Life and Know∣legde, were material Trees, the most Learned and Religious Writers doubt not of; though they were Figures of the Law and Gospel, yet some would have them only Allegorical, because of Salo∣mon's Words, Prov. 3.18. Apoc. 2.7. But Augustine answers, the one excludeth not the other; as Para∣dise was Terrestrial, and yet signified a Celestial, as Sara and Hagar were Women, though Figures of the Old and New Testament: The words also of the Text join these Trees with the rest that God pro∣duced. Touching the Tree of Life it is hard to think, that Bodies nourished by Corruptible means should be immortal; yet if Adam had not disobeyed God's Commandment, he and his Posterity might have lived an healthful, unalterable Life, Four times longer than the first Fathers, and then been transla∣ted as Enoch was. For God's infinite Wisdom fore-saw that the Earth could not have contain'd a perpetual increase, or Millions of Souls must have been unge∣nerated. The Immortality of Man, if he had not fallen, must be understood of Bodies, Translated and Glorified.

§. 2. Touching the Tree of Knowledge, Goropius Becanus will have the honour to have found it to be the Indian Fig-tree; but however that Opinion be esteem'd, and that never Man thought better of his own, than he, yet herein he usurped upon Moses Bar-cephas, who hit on this Conjecture 600 Years be∣fore, and cited Pbilaxinus and others long before. Becanus upon a Conceit this Tree is only found up∣on the Banks of Acesines, which runneth into Indus, will therefore find Paradise there; but my self have seen 20000 of them in a Valley of America, not far from Paria, as also in Trinidado. The magnitude of this Tree in Pliny and others, I am asham'd to report; the Stemm as streight as may be, without Branch for Twen∣ty or Thirty Foot, where they spread abroad their Boughs; and from the Head branches a Gumm that hangeth downward, and by increasing in a few Months, as a Cord, reacheth the Ground, taketh Root and be∣cometh a Tree; which also by the like Gum maketh others, and in a short time, such a Grove ariseth, like which there is no Tree. And if a Branch hang over the Water, the Gum will pierce the Water and take root, so that falling sometimes into a Bed of Oysters, they are so intangled, that plucking up one of these Cords, I have seen 500 Oisters hanging about it: The Leaves largeness, and Fruits pleasantness I find not according to Report, yet have I travelled 12 Miles under them. In conclusion, though Becanus count it impudent Obstinacy to dare to think this not the Tree, yet Philo believes that the Earth never brought forth the Tree since.

§. 3. Becanus's witty Allegory of the Indian Fig∣tree, believes it not worthy the Commendation gi∣ven it.

§. 4. Touching the name of the Tree, Bar-cephas translated by Masius, saith, it was so called of the Event; for that after eating thereof, they should know by experience the Happiness they had lost, and

the Misery their Disobedience would bring them in∣to. Iunius followeth this Exposition. Adam by excel∣lency of Creation could not be ignorant of the Good and Evil of Obedience, and Disobedience; yet as Men in sickness better know the good of health, and evil of sickness than they conceived before, so was it with Adam. For looking into the Glass of his guilty Conscience, which Evil he never knew, he saw the horrour of Gods Judgment, and sensibly knew the loss of the Good which could not be valu'd; and purchas'd Evil not to be expressed: And then he saw himself Naked both in Body and Mind, that is, deprived of Gods Grace and former Felicity; here∣upon was it called the Tree of Knowledge, and not of any Operation it had by a peculiar quality. For the same Phrase is used in Scripture; and names are given to Signs and Sacraments, as to things performed and done. But Adam being betray'd and overrul'd by his own Affection, and ambitious of further Knowledge, and of the glory would attend it, and slightly look∣ing on what the Lord had threatned, was transport∣ed with the gentle winds of pleasing perswasion, whereupon Satan strengthened his progression, poi∣soning the roots of mankind, which he moistened with the Liquor of the same ambition, by which himself perished for ever. The means the Devil us'd, was his Wife, given to have been a Comforter, not a Counseller. She desiring to know what was unsit for her, as doth all that Sex ever since, and He unwilling to grieve or discontent her, as all his Sex are to this day, yielded to her Charms. If this befell him in his perfection, not yet acquainted with bewitch∣ing Imbracements, and if Solomon the wisest could not escape the snare of Female Allurements, it is not so wonderful, as lamentable, that other Men perish at that Ro••k.

CHAP. V. Of memorable things between Adam and Noah.

§. 1. CAIN inheriting his Fathers Pride, and dis∣daining his Brother, who was more ac∣ceptable than himself, became the first Murderer, and made his Brother the first Martyr. And tho' God mitigated his Revenge of this Sin upon Cain's com∣plaint, yet for the Sins of Cruelty and Injustice he destroyed the World.

§. 2. Cain's dwelling in the Land of Nod, or agitati∣on, as Iunius expounds it, is not as Ierom and others held, that he setled in no certain Country; but of his distracted Thought and unquiet Conscience the Country was so called. This Country in which he setled, and in which for fear of wandering he built a City, Iunius supposeth to be Arabia the Desart; but the Text boundeth it on the East of Eden, whereas Arabia is West. As for the Nomades which liv'd upon Pasturage, without Tillage, they were not any parti∣cular Nation, but it was a common Name for all that so lived, as the Northern Tartars, Getulians, Numidians, An∣cient Britains, and Northern Irish. Besides, the World be∣ing unpeopled, and Adam's Family small, and that also on the East side of Eden, in that part of Assyria which Ptolomy calls Calena, it is unlike Cain would go so far West to Arabia. Touching the City Enoch built, either for security, or to oppress others, as Iosephus judged, probably it was of great Repute in the days of Noah, when mighty Oppressors carried all the Fame. It may be also, some Monuments of it remained, as they say, of Ioppa, after the Flood, which might in∣duce some of Noah's Posterity, being of like violent disposition either to reedifie the same, or some other of that Name. Hence it might be, that in time Co∣lonies scatter'd from thence their Captives; the

name of Henochians from Bactria and Sogdiana, East from Eden (where Pliny and Stephanus find the Name South from Oxus) unto Iberia, Albania and Colchis near Pontus.

§. 3. Moses has been very brief in the Story of Cain's Issue, it being utterly to be destroy'd: Yet the long lives of that Age and the liberty his Children took in Marrying, may well argue he might in one quarter of his Life, people a large City, which his Issue were more ingenious to supply with the Inventions ascri∣bed to them, while Seth's Posterity is commended for care of Religion and Heavenly things.

§. 4. The Patriarchs Ages, when they began to gene∣rate, is not found in them that are named: For Moses's purpose was not to record a Genealogy of the first begotten, but of the Ancestors of Noah before the Flood, and of Abraham after; so that having the Age of these that succeed one another in that Line, it was sufficient, whether they were younger or elder Brethren. Cain was the Eldest of Adam's Sons, yet Adam's Age when he begat him is not expres∣sed, as it is of Seth: Neither can any one say directly, Adam had but Cain and Abel before, nor that Enoch was Seth's Eldest Son, Mehalaleel begat Iared at 65. who begat Chanoch at 162; the like or greater diffe∣rence in the rest, which cannot be ascribed to the long abstinence from Marriage upon Religious respect, as we see in holy Enoch. Noah's Brethren perished in the Flood, and so might some unnamed Children, begotten before the three named, being 500 Years old before * 1.9

§. 5. The Patriarchs Years have been questioned, some holding them Lunary or Egyptian; but that can∣not be; for then some should beget Children at 6, 7, or 8 Years old, and the Eldest should live not 100 Years, which is short of many after the Flood; yea long since, Pliny witnesseth under Vespasian, in a search, many were found above 120, and some 140 Years

Old. Simple Diet and temperate Life, made the Essaeans, Egyptian Priests, Persian Magicians, Indian Brachmans live long, saith Iosephus. Pliny reports Nestor's 3 Ages. Tyresia's 6 Sybils 300 Years, Endy∣mion's little less. Ant. Fumea a good Historian, re∣ports of an Indian above 300 Years Old, and my self knew the old Countess of Desmond, An. 1589, who lived many Years after, who had been married in the Reign of King Edw. 4. To conclude, there are three things (not to speak of Constellations) which are natural Causes of long and healthful Life: Strong Parents, pure Air, and temperate use of Dyet, Plea∣sure and Rest, all which excelled in the First Ages. And though the Flood infused an impure quality in∣to the Earth to hurt the means of Man's Life, yet Time hath more consumed Natures Vigour, as that which hath made the Heavens wax old like a Gar∣ment. Hereto add, our strange Education of Chil∣dren, upon unnatural Curiosity nourished by a strange Dugg: Hasty Marriage, before Natures Seed be ripe, or Stock well rooted to yield a Branch fit to replant. But above all, the Luxury of latter Ages, which wil∣fully oppresseth Nature, and then thinks to relieve her with strong Waters, hot Spices, Sauces, &c.

§. 6. The Patriarchs knowledge of the Creation might well come by Tradition from Adam to Mo∣ses, seeing Methusalem lived with Adam 243 Years, and with Noah 500 Years, and he with Abraham 58 Years, from whom it was not hard to pass by Isaac, Iacob and his Posterity to Moses: Yet for the more certainty of the Truth, it was undoubtedly deliver∣ed to Moses by immediate Inspiration of the Holy Ghost, as his many Miracles do prove. Questionless also, Letters were from the Infancy of the World, as Enoch's Pillars and his Prophecy witness, of which part was found in Saba, saith Origen, and Tertullian read some Pages; neither can it be denyed there was such, saith Augustine.

§. 7. The Patriarchs Lives were lightly passed over 'till Enoch, whose Piety is commended, and his leaving the World not by Death: Whe∣ther his Change were such as shall be at the last day, let Divines judge. Lamech's Prophecy of his Son Noah is touch'd upon, but Noah's Life is handled more amply. The Wisdom, Policy and Wars of that World, were no doubt, great, as may be gathered, Gen. 5.4. but the Universal Impiety which brought the Universal Destruction, deserved that the Memory of their Actions should be drowned with their Bodies. It were madness to imagine the Sons of God spo∣ken of, Gen. 5.24. were good Angels, which be∣gat Giants on Women, as Iosephus dreamt, and de∣ceived Lactantius, Confuted by Augustine and Chry∣sostom.

§. 8. The Giants spoken of Gen. 5. Becanus strains his Wit to prove, they were not such properly, but so called for their Oppression: But Moses calling them Mighty, which argueth extraordinary Strength, and Men of Renown and great undertaking, there is more Reason to hold them Giants in a proper sense, especially considering what Scripture Reporteth of such in the Days of Abraham, Moses, and Ioshua, David, &c. yea of whole Kindreds and Countries. If such were found in the Third and Fourth Ages of the Worlds decay, there is no Reason to doubt thereof in the First and Second flourishing Ages. From this Story grew the Conceit, That Giants were the Sons of Heaven and Earth: And from Nimrod grew the Tale of Giants casting up Moun∣tains to the top of Heaven.

CHAP. VI. The Original of Idolatry, and Reliques of Anti∣quity in Fables.

§.1 THE Greeks and others, corrupting the Story of the Creation, and mingling their Fables with them, suppos'd that After-Ages would take those Dis∣courses of God and Nature for Inventions of Philo∣sophers and Poets. But as skilful Chymists can ex∣tract healthful Medicines out of Poison, and Poison out of wholsome Herbs, &c. so may much Truth be found out of those Fables.

§.2. The Antiquity of Corruption was even from Noah's Family. For the liberal Grace of God being withdrawn after Man's Fall, such a perpetual E∣clipse of spiritual things follow'd, and produc'd such effects as the general Deluge could not cleanse them, even in the selected Family of Noah, wherein were found those that renewed the Defection from God, for which they had seen the Worlds destruction. Hence the Caldeans, Egyptians, and Phaenicians soon after be∣came Idolaters, and the Greeks received their 12 Gods from Egypt, and erected to them Altars, Images and Temples, saith Herodotus.

§.3. As Men, departed out of the way of Truth, stray on in unknown Vices to Eternal Perdition; so these blind Idolaters being fallen from the God of Heaven, to seek God's on Earth to Worship, beginning with Men, they proceed to Beasts, Fouls, Fishes, Trees, Herbs, the Four Elements, Winds, Morning, Even∣ing Stars; Yea, Affections, Passions, Sorrow, Sick∣ness, besides Spirits infernal; and among Terrestrials even the basest wanted not divine Honour, as Dogs, Cats, Swine, Leeks, Onions, &c. which barbarous Blasphemy, Iuvenal thus derided,

O happy Nations, which of their own sowing, Have store of Gods in every Garden growing:

§. 4. Of Iupiter and other Gods▪ That Egypt had knowledge of the First Age, by Misraim the Son of Cham, who had lived 100 Years in it, we doubt not. Having therefore learned that Cain did first build Cities, they made him ancient Iupiter, whom the Athe∣nians also called Pollyeus and Herceios, Founder and Fortifier of Cities. This Iupiter married his Sister, as did Cain: His Father Adam they made Saturn, and his Sons Iubal. Tubal, and Tubal-Cain were made Mercury, Vulcan and Apollo, Inventers of Pastorage, Smiths-craft and Musick. Naome, Augustine expounds Venusta, which was Venus Vulcan's Wife, and Eva was Rhea; the Dragon which kept the Golden Apple, was the Serpent that beguiled Eva. Paradise was the Garden of Hesperides: So Saturn's dividing the World between Three Sons, came of Noah and his Sons; and Nimrod's Tower was the attempt of Gi∣ants against Heaven. The Egyptians also Worshipped Seth as their most Ancient Parent, from whom they called their chief Province Setheitica; and in Bithinia we ••ind the City Cethia * 1.10.

§. 5. Of the Three Chief Iupiters; the First was Son of Aether & Dies; the Second of Coelum an Arca∣dian, and King of Athens; the Third Famous in the Greek Fables, was of Creet or Candia, as some say; but there is no certainty, &c.

§. 6. Iupiter Chammon, more Ancient than all the Grecian Iupiters, was Cham, Father of Misraim in Egypt; and before Iupiter Belus, Son of Saturnus Ba∣bilonious or Nimrod: As for the latter Grecian Iupiter, he was a little before the Wars of Troy.

§. 7. The Philosophers opinion of God, Pythago∣ras, Plato, Orpheus, &c. believed not the Fooleries of their Times, though they mingled their Inventions

with Scripture: Pythagoras hung Homer and Hesiod in Hell, forever to be stung with Serpents, for their Fictions; yet Homer had seen Moses, as Iustine Mar∣tyr ••heweth in a Treatise converted by Mirandula. Plato dissembled his Knowledge for fear of the Areo∣pagits Inquisition; yet Augustin excused him. He delighted much in the Doctrine of one God, though he durst not be known of it, or of Moses the Author of it, as may be gathered out of Iustin Martyr, Ori∣gen, Eusebius, and Cyril, though he had from Moses what he writ of God, and of Divinity; as Ambrose also judged of Pythagoras. Iustine Martyr observed, that Moses described God to be, I am he who is. It is as hard to find out this Creator of the World, as it is impossible, if he were found, to speak of him worthily, said Plato; who also said, God is absolutely good, and so the Cause of all that is Good; but no Cause at all of a∣ny thing that is Evil. The Love of God is the cause of the Worlds Creation, and Original of all things. Apulei∣us saith, The most high God is also Infinite, not only by exclusion of Place, but also by dignity of Nature; nei∣ther is any thing more like or more acceptable to God, than a Man of a perfect Heart. Thales said, God com∣prehended all things, because he never had a Beginning: And he beholdeth all the thoughts of Men, said Zeno; therefore said Athenodorus, All men ought to be care∣ful of their Actions, because God was every where present, and beholding all things.

Orpheus calling Men to behold the King of the World, describes him to be one begotten of himself, from whom all things spring, who is in all, beholds all, but is beheld of none, &c. Who is the First and Last; Head and Middle; from whom all things be: Foundation of Earth and Skye, Male and Female, which never dyeth: He is the Spirit of all, of Sun, Moon, &c. The Original and End of all; in whom all things were hidden 'till he pro∣duced them to Light. Cleanthes calls God Good, Iust, Holy, possessing himself, alway doing good, and Charity

it self. Pindarus saith, he is one God and Father, most high Creator and best Artificer, who giveth to all things divers proceedings, &c. Antistbenes saith, God cannot be likened to anything, and therefore not elsewhere to be known, but only in the everlasting Country, of whom thou hast no Image. God, said Xenophon, shaketh and setteth all things at rest: Is great and mighty, as is manifest to all; but of what Form he is, none knoweth but himself, who illuminateth all things with his Light. God, saith Plato, is the Cause, Ground, and Original of the whole nature of things, the most high Father of the Soul, the eternal pre∣server of living Creatures, and continual framer of the World; a Begetter without propagation, comprehended neither in place nor time; whom few conceive, none can express him. Thus, as Ierom said, We find among the Heathen, part of the Vessels of God: But of them all, none have with more Reverence acknowledged, or more learn∣edly expressed One True God, and everlasting Being, all ever-causing and sustaining, than Hermes the Egyp∣tian. But of all these, see Iustin Martyr, Clemens A∣lexandrinus, Lactantius, Eusebius, Du Pless. Da∣naeus.

§. 8. Hethanism and Iudaism, when confounded. Touching the Religions of the Heathen, they being the Inventions of Mortal Men, they are no less Mor∣tal than themselves. The Caldean Fire is quenched; and as the Bodies of Iupiter and the rest, were by Death devoured, so were their Images and lasting Marble Temples by Time. The Trade of Riddles for Oracles, and Predictions by Apollo's Priests, is now taken up by Counterfeit Egyptians and Cozen∣ing Astrologers; yet was it long before the Devil gave way. For after Six several spoilings and sack∣ings of his Temple at Delphos, and as many repair∣ings thereof, at last when Iulian sought unto it, God from Heaven, consum'd all with Fire. So when the same Apostate incourag'd the Iews to re-build a Temple, God, by Earth-quake over-threw all, and slew many Thousands.

§. 9. Satan's last Refuge to uphold his Kingdom; who being driven off the open Stage of the World, crept into the Minds of Men, and there set up the high and shining Idol of Glory, and all commanding Image of Gold. He tells men, that Truth is the God∣dess of Danger and Oppression: Chastity is an Enemy to Nature, and all Virtue is without Taste; but Plea∣sure delighteth every Sense, and true Wisdom gets Power and Riches to fulfil all our Desires. And if this Arch-politician find Remorse in any of his People, or any fear of future Judgment, he persuadeth them that God hath such need of Souls to re-plenish Hea∣ven, that he will accept them at any time, and upon any Condition: And to interrupt their return to God, he layeth those great Blocks of rugged Poverty and Contempt in the narrow way which leadeth to his Divine Presence: Neither was he ever more indu∣strious and diligent than now, when the long Day of Man-kind draweth fast to the Evening, and the World's Tragedy and Time near to an end.

CHAP. VII. Noah's Flood, the Vniversality of it, and Noah's memory of Antiquity.

§. 1. MOses's Divine Testimony of Noah's Flood, natural Men regard no farther than Rea∣son can reach, and therefore may have disputed the Vniversality of it; and Iosephus citeth Nic. Damascen, who reports, that many were saved on the Mount Baris in Armenia; and the Talmudists held the same, saith Annius.

§. 2. Ogyges's Flood, the Greeks, (the Corrupters of all Truth, saith Lactantius) make the most ancient, when yet Ogyges's Flood was sixty seven Years after

Iacob, and short of Noah's Flood by 500 Years; nei∣ther do any Authors report, that it over-flowed any part of Syria, as Mela, Pliny and Solinus do of Noah's, speaking of Ioppa's Ruins, &c. As for this Flood, as it exceeded not Peloponesus, so was it foreseen by a concurrence of Causes, which Noah's was not. Touch∣ing Varro's Report out of Castor, of the strange Co∣lour, quantity and shape of Venus; the Fogs which then rise, might cause such Apperances: For Gali∣laeus, a Modern Worthy Astronomer, by Perspe∣ctive Glasses, observed many undiscover'd things in Stars, unknown to former Ages.

§. 3. Deucalion's Flood, more certain for Time, being in the Reign of Cranaus King of Athens, accord∣ing to Varro, cited by Augustin, or under Cecrop's, (after Eusebius and Ierom) in whose latter times, Is∣rael came out of Egypt, which, after Functius, was 753, or 739 Years, according to Mercator, after No∣ah's Flood. But following the better Account, which giveth Abraham 60 Years more after the Flood, I reckon the Flood thus: The general Flood Anno Mundi 1656; Iacob's Birth 2169, which is 519 Years af∣ter the Flood of Ogyges; 100 after Iacob's. Now Deucalion was born Anno 2356; and his Flood when he was 89 Years old, which is Anno 2438; after Noah's 782; to which agrees Xenophon in Annius. This Flood over-ran most of Italy, when Egypt also was afflicted with Water; and the Italians which es∣caped it, were called Vmbri.

§. 4. Noah's Flood, as Berosus reports, was heard of amongst the Caldeans: N. Damascen maketh par∣ticular mention of it. Eusebius also Records out of an Ancient History of Abidenus, that one Sissitbus, fore-warned by Saturn of a Flood, fled to the Ar∣menian Hills in a Ship, who after the Fall of the Waters, sent Birds three times to discover, &c. Cy∣ril cites Polyhistor mentioning a general Flood : Plato also produceth an Egyptian Priest, reporting to Solon

out of their Holy Books, of an universal Flood, long before Ogyges, in Attica; and calls Noah Old Ogyges. He also speaks of a Flood of Nilus before that in At∣tica, which afflicted the lower Egypt under King Pro∣metheus, 'till by Hercules's direction, Nilus, was re∣duced within her Banks; whereof grew the Tale of an Eagle, which feeding on Prometheus's Liver, was slain by Hercules. Xenophon, cited by Annius, speaks of the Universal Flood under the first Ogyges, of Nine Months continuance; a second of Nilus under Pro∣metheus, of one Month; a third under Ogyges Atti∣cus, of two Months; a fourth under Deucalion, of three Months; a fifth under Proteus of Egypt in Helene's Rape. Diod. Siculus remembers another in lesser Asia, before Deucalion's. There was one in the Venetian Territories, Anno 590. In Friesland, a Flood droun∣ed 100000, Anno 1238. In Dort in Holland, 10000 perished Anno 1446. Others are mentioned by Strozius.

§. 5. Noah's Flood was extraordinary, not upon natural Causes, as the other; but by God's special Power strengthening the influence of Stars to fill all the Cisterns of Waters in Fountains and Clouds: And though H. of Machline, Scholar of Albertus, ob∣served a conjunction of Saturn and Iupiter in the last, and of a watery Sign and House of Luna, over against the Ship, by which the Flood might have been fore∣seen; and was also by Noah, as P. de Aliaao judg∣eth; yet however God used second Causes, he ad∣ded supernatural force to the Clouds and Fountains, to empty their whole Treasuries of Waters.

§. 6. There needed not new Created Waters in this Flood; not to dispute whether God hath restrain∣ed himself from Creating. For when he brake up the Fountains of the Deep, and opened the Windows or Sluces of Heaven, he shewed no new Creation, but used his old Store, contained in the vast Concavi∣ties of the Earth and in the Clouds, wherewith he compassed the Earth after an extraordinary manner;

besides his Condensation of the Air to convert it into Rain, which is so ordinary; and thus might the Waters grow to exceed the Mountains 15 Cu∣bits. As for the Constellation they speak of, L. Vi∣ves reports from a great Astrologer, that the like was observed Anno 1524,* 1.11 after which it was ex∣ceeding Fair. To conclude, I find no other Myste∣ry in the word Cataract, signifying the Windows or Flood-gates of Heaven, but the violent casting down Waters, not diffusively, after the natural manner, but as when it is emptied out of a Vessel in a whole body, as it is sometimes in India, which are called Spouts of Water. Thus God loosed the retentive Power in the upper Air, and the Clouds, in which, at other times, he shutteth up the Waters to carry them to a place appointed.

§. 7. Noah's Memory among the Heathen, who, for divers respects, gave him divers Names, as Ogy∣ges the first, because his Flood was before the Grecian Ogyges; Saturn, because he was Father of Nations; Prometheus, for his fore-sight; Ianus Bifrons, for his seeing what went before, and came after the Flood; Chaos, and Seed of the World Coelum; Sun, Virtumnus Bacchus, Liber Pater before him of Greece; but of old, the word was Boachus of Noachus: He was also cal∣led Nisius, of Mount Nisa in India, joining to Paro∣panisus and other Easterly Mountains, where the Ark rested, and where the Grecian Bacchus never came. His Posterity also named Cities, Mountains and Ri∣vers by his Name,* 1.12 as a City by the Red Sea; the River Noachus in Thracia.

§. 8. Noah's Ark, touching the Name, Epiphanius in Ancyrius calls it Aron, which properly signifyeth the Ark in the Sanctuary, as Thebell a Vessel which swimmeth, called Larnenx in Greek. Certain places where it was framed cannot be defined; yet Becanus conceives it was neer Caucasus, where grow the noblest Ce∣dars, not far from the Nisaans, with whom Alex∣ander

made War. By all Probability, the place was not far from where it landed, being so large, heavy laden, wanting Sails, of Form not apt to move, and in a Calm, as it is in all Rains, down-right. It was thought to have a flat Bottom, and a crested Roof; and the Wood Gopher, of which it was made, by all probability was Cedar, being light, easy to cut, sweet and lasting; abounding in the Eastern Mountains; the Pitch was like to a Bitume, which melteth only by Fire, as is that by the dead Sea and Babylon.

§. 9. Of the Ark's Capacity; whose Measures, as God prescribed, so the proportion, saith Augustin, answered the shape of a Man's Body, whose Length contained the Bredth six times, and the Depth ten; being a Figure of God's City or Church in this World, &c. In the Measure, the Cubit is questioned; whe∣ther it were the common, which is from the Elbow to the top of the Middle Finger, a Foot and a half; or the plain Cubit, which is an handful more; or the Kings and Persians which is three Inches more than the common; or the sacred, which is double the common, wanting a quarter; or the Geometrical, which is six common Cubits, and was embraced by Origen, as also by Augustin, who yet changed his Mind, be∣cause Fishes were not Cursed.* 1.13 Though Man's mischievous Ignorance seeketh many Impossibilities in this work, yet no Monstrous thing is found in it; for the number of Kinds to be stored in it, was not so great, (excluding such as sprung from unnatural Copulations, and diversity of Soils) but that the com∣mon Cubit of those times may serve; for add half a Foot to the common Cubit of our times, which is a Foot and half, and the length riseth to be six Hun∣dred Foot, the Bredth one Hundred, the Depth Sixty: As for the Geometrical Cubit, it was not in use then, as we see in the Measure of Giants, and height of the Altar, which might have no Steps, Exod. 20.26. Buteo hate prov'd that the Number

of Creatures might well be placed in the Ark, which contained 450000 Cubical Cubits, which is sufficient for a Hundred kind of Beasts, and their Meat in the lower and second Story, and 280 Fouls, with Noah and his in the third.

§. 10. Of the Arks resting on part of Mount Taurus or Caucasus, between East-India and Scythia, passing by many needless Disputes, I will endeavour to satisfie my self and others in the place of the Arks resting for the second Plantation of the World, as I have done in the place of the Terrestrial Paradise for Man's first Plantation. 2. The common Opinion is, The Ark rested on Ararat in Great Armenia; the Caldee calls it Kardu, meaning the Hills Gordei, in Great Armenia, which N. Damascen calls Baris. Berosus calls the Armenian Mountains, Gordias. Stra∣bo found such a Promontory in Arabia Felix; Pliny, a Mart-Town, which Ptolomy calls Ociles; Pintus A∣cyla, Niger Zidon, Toy E. Gordei; Damascen adjoins Mimmynd, perhaps for Minni, which word is used for Armenia, and seemeth compounded of Minni and A∣ram, that is, Minni of Syria; for Armenia was part of Syria.* 1.14 These Mountains stand apart from all others on the North side of that Ridge of Moun∣tains called Taurus, or Niphates, in the Plain of Arme∣nia the Greater, near the Lake Thospitis, whence Ti∣gris floweth in 75 Degrees Longitude, and 41 42 La∣titude. One of these Gordei Epiphanius calls Lubar, which in the Armenian Tongue, signifieth Descent, of Noah's coming down, saith Iunius; but any Hill of easy descent may be so called, as himself confes∣seth, correcting the Word Kubaris in Iosephus; from hence came Lubra, a Synagogue, being commonly on Hills, and the Latin Delubra.

My first Argument against the common Opinion is, from the time of 130 Years, which most, who fol∣low Berosus, give Nimrod's coming to Shinar, which by easy Journeys, might be travailed in 20 days from

the Gordei in Armenia, having only Mesopotamia be∣tween, and Tigris to help them. This maketh it im∣probable, they should be so many Years before they Planted such a Country so near them; which could not be to them so long unknown, being Encreased to a great Multitude long before those 130 Years.

My 2d. Argument is from the Civility and Multitude of the Eastern Nations, who had used Artillery and Printing long before the West. It was thought a Fa∣ble in Philostratus, that the Wise Men inhabiting be∣tween Hyphasis, and Ganges, drive away their Ene∣mies with Thunder and Lightning, whereby they de∣feated Hercules and Bacchus, and made Hercules cast away his Golden Shield. Io. Cuthenberge brought Printing from the East: Conrade, from him, brought it to Rome; and Gerson bettered it; all about a 100 Years past. Alexander Macedon found more Cities and Magnificence in the little Kingdom of Porus, which lay close to India, than in all his Travels; esteeming Italy barbarous, and Rome a Village: But Babylon was in his Eye, and the Fame of the East pierced his Ears. Ioppan, now Zippingari, was ex∣ceeding Religious and addicted to Letters, Philo∣sophy, Prayers, and Worshipping but one God.

5. My Third Argument is from the resistance which Semiramis found in Est-India, though her Army ex∣ceeded Three Millions, as Diod. Siculus, out of Ctesi∣as, reports, besides 500000 Horse, and 100000 Wag∣gons; of all which, admit but a third part true. Nim∣rod's Greatness is not doubted, nor that his People grew into such Multitudes by Semiramis's time, Wife of Ninus, Son of Belus, Son of Nimrod: But that a Colony sent from Babel into the East, should so in∣crease in so short a time, is incredible; yet these Au∣thors Report, that Staurobathez, King of East-India, exceeded her in numbers, which could not be, if the East were replenished by a Colony from Ba∣bylon.

6. My Fourth Argument is 1st. from Noah's person, who being at Babel's Confusion, and the 731st Year of his Age, was not like to be unsetled, and to seek a Seat. 2. The Text saith, he became a Husband-man; which argueth his setled Course of Life; not a Wanderer from Armenia to Babylon, then to Arabia Felix, then to Africa, so to Spain, Italy, &e. as they report; not considering his Years, the difficulty of Travel∣ing in an over-grown wild World, which had lyen waste 140 Years. 3. Besides the place of his Landing, being East from Babylon, Rich and Pleasant, the Wise Father would not neglect the planting of it, and seek out less pleasing Parts with such difficulties. 4. Neither is it to be thought, the Reverend Father was at that presumptuous Work of Babel, and re∣strained it not. 5. We find Ioctan, Havila and O∣pher Planted in India, which were not like to have turned back from Shinar. Lastly, The Scriptures si∣lence of Noah, after his departure from the East to Shinar, argueth him left there; and so out of all oc∣casions, which might touch the History of the Iews, which Moses was to prosecute.

7. Annius on Berosus lands the Ark on the Caspian Mountain of Armenia; to which purpose he con∣founds the Caspian and Gordian Hills, which Pto∣lomy sets far asunder, and Mercator sets 5 Degrees, and Villanovanus, much more Ancient, sets 7 De∣grees, or 420 Miles one from the other. And tho' I grant, that Mankind was renewed in Scythia, 250 Years before Ninus (as Porticus Cato records) yet was not this Scythia in Armenia, but under the Mountains of Paropamisus in 130 Degrees of Longi∣tude, according to Ptolomy; whereas the supposed Armenia Araxea is in 87. neither hath he any Scy∣thia nearer Armenia Araxea; though he sets out 100 several Nations of Scythians, such as Imaus by the Asian Sarmatia on the West; Imaus on the East; the Sacces, Sogdians and Margians on the South; and

the Mouth of Oxus and unknown Countries on the North. He also maketh the Asian Sarmatia to com∣prehend many Nations, and a great part between Armenia and Scythia, besides Colchis, Iberia and Al∣bania. Neither Prenetus, Iohn Plancrápio, Haytonus the Armenian, writing of Scythia or Tartaria, speak one word of Armenia; nor Matheus a Micon, a Sarmasian Cannon of Cracovia, who travelled a great part of Sarmatia Asiatica; yet he observed that Tanais, or Don, and Volga or Edel, spring but of Lakes and Marishes, and not out of Riphian or Hyperborean Mountains in Scythia. He also sheweth that the Eu∣ropean Sarmatia contains Russia, Lithuania and Mos∣cho, and is bounded on the West by Vissa or Vistula, parting it from Germany; That the Scythians in A∣sian Sarmatia, came thither above 300 Years past out of the East, where the Ark rested; and that the Sacae-Scythians were North of Taurus or Ararat: As for the Ariacan Scythians, between Iaxartus and Iactus on the East of the Caspian, they are no Ar∣menians.

9. My fifth Argument is from the place where Noah Planted a Vine, which could not be in Armenia, much colder than Italy and France, where yet Vines grow not naturally, as they did where Noah Planted, as his Husbandry witnesseth.

9. Objection 1. The Text saith, from thence God scattered them, &c. Answer, That is, the Builders of the Tower, which were not all, but certain of them, which were increased after the Flood.* 1.15

10. Objection 2. Ararat signifieth Armenia, which the Caldean Paraph. calls Kardu. 2. Answer. Writers agree not about Ararat: The Sybill's Books place it in Phrygia, near where Caelenes was built; where∣about the River Marsyas joineth with Meander; but this is far from the Gordiean Mountains. Iosephus, out of Berosus, placeth Ararat between Armenia and Parthia, toward Adibene; where they vent pieces of

the Ark, but he erreth: For Adibene whereon Arme∣nia Bordereth, is part of Assyria, and hath all Media between it and Parthia. As for the Reliques of the Ark, they make it but a Report, by an infamous Historian. The Armenian Mountains, or Moschici in Ptolomy, or Pariedri in Pliny, stretch to the upper part of Cappadocia in 43 and 44 Degrees, North of the Gordiaeans in the 39 Degree 10/60. From the Norther∣most the Georgian Christians are called, preserved from Infidels, which compass them.

11. Neither was it necessary the Ark should stay on the highest Mountains, seeing Noah came not out till the Vallies were clear'd; yet other Mountains are higher than the Armenian, as Athos, or Olympus, between Macedon and Thrace, whose shadows are above Thirty Seven Miles, now called Lucas, saith Castaldus; Olympus also in Thessaly over-tops Wind, Rain, and Clouds: Antandrus in Misia seen to Constantinople whence Scamandrus floweth, running through Troy: Altas in Mauritania, no man's Eye can reach the Top: Caucasus is inlightned after Mid-night at the first Cock-Crow, said Aristotle, which I believe not, seeing Tenerif in Canaria, which is known to be the highest in the World, is not Light so soon.

12. These Incongruities rise from Ararat in Ar∣menia. First, Sybil placeth it in Phrygia, contrary to Berosus. Secondly, Baris is not the highest, and if it were, yet the Ark might rest else where. Thirdly, Baris signifieth high, towards which may be any high Hill; especially, Caucasus, whence Indus riseth: Fourthly, Authors agree not where Gordia stands. Lastly, The Truth requireth to find an Ararat East from Shinar, and warmer than Armenia, in the North. Let us therefore understand, that Ararat in Moses is no one Hill, but a common Name to many, as the Alps and Pireneans; so that the long Ridge of Hills which Pto∣lemy calls Taurus, Niphatus, Coatras, Coronus, Sariphi, and Pliny, call Taurus, till they cross Imaus, where

they are called Ararat or Armenia, for that they seem to begin there. Thus Ptolomy calls all the Hills between the Caspian and Euxinus, by one name Caucasus, which Pliny calls Hercanus, Armenian Coraxis, Caspi∣an, Moschian, Henochian, Scythian Amazon; so all the the Ridge of Hills in America, from North Granada to the Magelan Straights, is called Andes. The Moun∣tain Ararat runs East and West, as Imaus North and South. As for Ptolomy he used the Names fittest to distinguish the Countries, with the Hills bounded on the North, or South side. For all the Asian Moun∣tains have Three general Names, Taurus, Imaus, Caucasus, which receive other Titles, as they di∣vide particular Regions. Taurus in Cilicia, is Imaus in Comogena, and so to Euphrates, on whose East it is sometime Taurus, sometime Niphatis, which is the only name on the East of Tygris, till they part Assyria, and Media, and are called Coatraes; and in the mid∣dle of East Media, they are Orentes, and in the East side Coronus; beyond Parthia they are Saraphi; on the South of Bactria, Paropamisus, and lastly Caucasus, where Indus springeth with Hydaspis, and Zaradrus, where Caucasus Encounters the Scythian Imaus, in the 140 Degree of Longitude, and 35, 36, 37, of Latitude, where properly they are called Caucasus. In this part of the World the Mountain and the River Ianus, and the Mountain Nisius (so called of Bacchus Nisius or Noah) are found, on which the Ark stayed, as Goropius Becanus conceived; where also are the best Vines, as they are in the same Degree of Latitude through the World, as in Iudea, Candia, parts of Greece, Margi∣ana. Under the South of these Hills the Clusters of Grapes are two Cubits long, saith Strabo, like those of Escol: And in Margiana, Alexander found most de∣licate Wine, saith Curtius.

To conclude, Ararat passeth through Armenia, which is sometimes called Ararat: but it is a com∣mon name to all that Ridge of Hills which runneth

East and West from Cilicia to Caucasus, as the Alps, Pireneans, Andes in America, which run Three Thousand Miles, &c. So the Mediterranean Sea is a common Name, which yet upon divers Coasts bear∣eth proper Names, as do other Seas. Let us then appeal to the Word of Truth, and take it literally, seeing the plain Sense carrieth no inconvenience, and let us fancy no strange Exposition from it. The Re∣verend Respect we owe the Holy Scripture, every Word having its full weight in Gods Book, shews that it is not to be taken otherwise than as we Read; as Augustin said of the Gospel. Moses words are, And as they went from the East they found a plain, &c. Which prove without Controversie the Ark rested Eastward from Shinar. For Moses is every where pre∣cise in setting out Coasts, and Quarters of Countries, as Nod Eastward from Eden, Sepher in the East, Gen. 4.16. and 10.30. and 12.18. Ezek. 38.6. So Mat. 21. and 12.42. Now Armenia is so far from the East of Babylon, that it is West of the North. The Gordian Hills for Latitude are Forty One: Babylon Thirty Five for Longitude, (which makes the diffe∣rence of East and West) the Gordian are Seventy Five, and Babylon Seventy Nine, and Eighty, which makes Five Degrees from the North to the West; besides a Quarter of the Compass from East. But in Scripture the least difference may not be omitted, every Point and Accent being full of Sense. The Eastern Parts then from Shinar were first Civiliz'd, having Noah himself for their Instructor, whose numerous Armies overmatched the Millions of Semiramis, and whose Fruitfulness made it fit for Noah's Husbandry, as Ish-Adamah, a Man exercised in Earth, saith Ar. Mon∣tanus.

CHAP. VIII. The Planting of Nations: Noah's Sons, and which was Eldest.

§. 1. SHEM, in Augustin's Judgment was Eldest; but the Septuagint, Iunius, &c. prefer Ia∣phet, from Gen. 10.21. The Hebrews putting the word Elder after Iaphet, which the Latin sets before. Gods Blessings are not tyed to Elder in Blood, but Piety: Otherwise Iaphet was 2 Years older than Shem, being begotten in Noah's 500th Year; when Shem in Noahs 600th Year was but 98. Compare Gen. 5.32. with 10.10. & 9.24. Namely Cham the Youngest.

§. 2. In this Plantation it is to be presumed. 1. So far as the Scriptures Treat of the Story of Nations, Profane Authors want Authority in point of Anti∣quity, whose Records have been borrowed from thence only. For Moses is found more Ancient than Homer, Hesiod, or any Greek, saith Eusebius, Prooem. in Chron. 2. We are to consider, that Noah who knew the World so long before, sent not his Sons at Ad∣venture, as Discoverers, but allotted them the Quar∣ters of their Habitation. This could not be sudden∣ly, Considering what Woods, Thickets, Pools, Lakes, Marishes, Fenns, and Boggs, 130 Years Desolation had bred in those fruitful parts. This made diffi∣cult, and slow Journeys and Marches, both from the East, and Shinar, till Increase of Issue forced them on further.

§. 3. Iaphet, with whom Moses beginneth, Planted the Isles of the Gentiles, Europe and the Isles about it, besides a Portion in Asia. Gomer, his Eldest Son is without Reason, placed in Italy by Berosus, Functi∣us,

&c. in the Tenth Year of Nimrod, and when Tubal was in Austria, or Biscai, in Spain, the Twelfth Year of Nimrod, Ann. 142 after the Flood: For before Babels Confusion the Company were not dispers'd; consider then the time of Building such a City, and a Tower, to equalize Mountains, said Berosus, or reach to Heaven, said Nimrod, which took an exceeding compass, and whose Foundation in Marish Ground was full of Labours: As for Materials the want was great, and the Workmen unexperienced, and the Work almost finished.

This time Glicas judged to be about 40 Years: So that Gomer and Tubal could not Plant so soon: Be∣sides the tedious conveying of Wives, Children, Cat∣tel from Shinar, to Italy, and Spain, 4140 Miles, through Countries, now of much more difficult Pas∣sage. Nimrod spent many Years in a short and more easy Journey to Shinar; and why did Tubal leave many rich Countries to Plant in Biscay, the most bar∣ren Country of the World? To say they had the Convenience of Navigation, shews Men know not what it is to carry Multitudes by Sea, with Cattel, on which they lived. Whether Navigation was then in Use, is doubted, considering how long it was before Men durst cross the Seas, and that the Invention was ascribed to the Tyrians long after by Tibullus.

§. 4. Gog and Magog, Tubal and Mesech, settled first about lesser Asia, where Beroaldus (whom I find most judicious in this Plantation out of Ezekiel 38. and 39.) findeth the Gomerians, Tubalines, and Togarminans. Iosephus in this Plantation led Eusebius, Epiphanius, and Ar. Montanus into many errours; and Gog and Magog have troubled many: But this Gog the Prince of Magogians, or Coelo-Syrians, must needs be the Successor of Seleucius Nicanor, who sought to extinguish the Iews Religion, and force them to Ido∣latry. Hermolaus Barborus maketh the Turks come from the Scythians: Iunius makes it a National Name

from Gyges, who slew Candaulus King of Lydia, where Strabo finds the Gygian Lake; and in the South Bor∣ders Iunius finds Gygarta, or Gogkarta in Syriak, Gogs City in Coelo-Syria, where Pliny placeth Bambice, or Hierapolis, which the Syrians call Magog: Though Strabo make both to be Edessa in Mesopotamia; but Ortelius doubts whether there be a mistake; yet may the Name be common, but certainly both were North of Israel. Magog might be Father of the Scythians, who wasted much of lesser Asia, Possessed the Coelo-Syria, and built Scythopolis, and Hierapolis, which them∣selves of Syrians call Magog, being North from Iudea; which Bellonius makes Aleppo, where the Mermaid was Worship'd, called Atergatis, and by the Greeks Derceto. Thus we see the Ancient Gomerians, and Tubalins were no Italians, or Spaniards: Though long after they might send Colonies thither.

The Iberians of Old were called Thobelos, of Tubal, who from thence passed to Spain to search Mines, saith Iustine; but 'tis more probable it was Peopled out of Africa. Mesech also is Neighbour to Tubal, of whom sprung the Miseans from Mount Adectas, to Pontus, afterwards called Cappadocia, which is the Mazoca, and is Magog's chief Country: Gomer was Neighbour to Togarma, Bordering on Syria and Cilicia, whose Posterity Peopled Germany and the Borders of the Earth, as Gomer signifieth. But want∣ing Room forward to Exonerate their swelling Mul∣titude, they returned back upon their Neighbours: Whereof they were called Cimbri, which signifies Robbers, in Camden's Judgment. And though in An∣cient times the Gauls used to beat them, as Caesar Reports; yet after they grew Warlike they pursued rich Conquests, even into lesser Asia, the Seat of their Progenitors. Samothes is by Annius made Brother of Gomer, and surnamed Dis; but Functius, and Vig∣nier do justly disclaim him; seeing Moses knew him not.

§. 5. Noah also by Annius is brought out of the East into Italy, to build Genoa, and there to live Nine∣ty-two Years; but Moses silence is to me a sufficient Argument to disprove this Report, seeing he did so carefully Record Nimrod's Cities. As for Berosus and others, whom he quotes for it, their Fragments are manifestly proved Spurious, neither could Noah be that Italian Ianus their First King, who Dyed but 150 Years before Aeneas, according to Eusebius, and Lived in the days of Ruth, 704. Years after Noah. Let the Italians content themselves with a Ianus from the Greeks, who Planted them 150 Years before the De∣struction of Troy; from whom they had their Idola∣try, as their Vestal Virgins, and Holy Fire from Ve∣sta his Wife, which no man will believe to proceed from Noah. There succeeded him Saturnus, Picus, Faunus, Latinus, before Aeneas, in the Days of Samp∣son.

§. 6. Nimrod Seating himself in Babylon, Reason and Necessity taught the rest to remove, to take the Benefit of those far extended Rivers which ran along Shinar, as well for convenience in their Journeys, as to provide for mutual entercourse for time to come. Thus Chush the Father settled near his Son Nimrod in the South of Chaldea along Gehon, which Tract Moses calls the Land of Chush, Gen. 2.13: Havila∣ah, the other Son of Chush took down Tigris on both sides, especially the East, which also is called the Land of Havila, Gen. 2.11. afterwards Susiana. Chush in length of time spread into Arabia the De∣sart, and Stony, where was the City of Chusca after∣wards called Chusidia by Ptolomy. So Seba and the rest Planted Arabia the Happy towards the Persian Gulf, from whence after the stoppage of Euphrates, they Traded to Babylon by Tigris. Gomer, Magog, and the other Sons of Iaphet took the lesser Asia, the better to spread themselves West and North. Tubalin ascended into Iberia. The Magogians to Sarmatia.

The Gomerians in Asia were called Cymerians, saith Herodotus; and their Country was after was called Ga∣latia by the Gallogreeks; whom the Scythians drove into Albania, and some into Phrygia, both called Cymerians, as was Bosphorus, and a City by it.

Togarma, Gomers Son, dwelt near Sidon, and over∣spread the lesser Armenia, whose Kings were called Tigranes. Meshach, Iaphet's Son, setled in Syracena, in Armenia, between the Mountains Moschici and Periards; out of whose North-East springs Araxis; and Euphrates out of the South: Of whom came the Moscovites, in the Judgment of Melancton. Madai, the Third Son of Iaphet, Planted Media.

§. 7. Iavan, the Fourth Son of Iaphet (from the West of lesser Asia) sent Colonies into Greece, whose Inhabitants were called Iones, that is, Athenians. Strabo, out of Hecasius, says the Iones came out of A∣sia, where the Name also remain'd. Meshech, the Sixth Son of Iaphet, of whom before. See §. 4. which Name differs little from Aram's Sons, Gen. 10.23. which 1 Chron. 1.17. is the very same. They dwelt North from Iury, and were Enemies to the Iews; and it may be they were under one Prince: but this Meshech commonly joined with Tubal. If there∣fore he Planted first near Iury; yet his Issue might pass into Cappadocia, and so into Hircania. Those which came of Aram, nearer the Iews, might be those to whom David fled in his Persecution, Psal. 120.5. Tiras is Father of the Thracians, as is generally held▪ and was Iaphet's Seventh Son.

§. 8. Ascanez, Son of Gomer, Eusebius makes Fa∣ther of the Gothians: Pliny finds Ascania, and the Ri∣ver of Ascanius, and the Lake of Ascanez, between Prusia and Nice in Phrygia: Iunius takes them for In∣habitants of Pontus and Bythinia, in which Ptolomy hath such a Lake: Strabo finds a City, River, and Lake in Mesia near Gio, as Pliny. But Ier. 51.27. determins it North of Asia near Ararat, and Minni,

Mountains of Armenia. Riphat, Gomer's Son, Fa∣ther of Riphcior Paphlagone, Famous in the North of Sarmatia, after called Henites; of whom Polonia, Russia, and Lithuania were Peopled: Melancton thinks they spread from the Baltick to the Adriatick Sea, and findeth a Venetian Gulf in Russia, called Heneti, the same with Veneti.

§. 9. Elisa, eldest Son of Iavan, was Father of the Nicolians, from whence the Grecians were called He∣lens, saith Montanus; and Ezek. 27.7. mentions the Isles of Elesa, that is, of Grece.

Tharsis, his Second Son, Planted Cilicia, where is the City Tharsis. This word is often put for the Sea, because the greatest Ships were there, and they were called Seamen, and the first Iones. Montanus and Cal. Paraphrase mistake it for Carthage.

Cittim, his Third Son, Father of the Macedonians, not Italians, Esa. 23. with 1 Mac. 1. Yet it may be, he first Planted Cyprus, where Iosephus found the City, which remained in Ierom's days, saith Pintus; but this Isle proving too narrow, they sent out and Peopled Macedon, whose Plantation Melancton a∣scribes to him.

Dodanim, his Fourth Son, settled at Rhodes; Doda∣nim and Rhodanim being easily confounded: He also sent Colonies to Epirus, where was the City Dodana.

§. 10. Chush, Eldest Son of Cham, with his Associ∣ates, Peopled Babylonia, Chaldea, and all the Arabias. Ethiopia was not his, as Iosephus, the Septuagint, and others misled by them, judged. First, From Numb. ••2.2. Moses's Wife was a Chushite, not an Ethiopian, as Iosephus Reports; who tells us, that Moses lead∣ing an Egyptian Army against the Ethiopians, the Kings Daughter fell in Love with, and betrayed the City Sheba to him, after called Meros. On the con∣trary, Strabo, and all Geographers, place Sheba in Ara∣bia, whence the Queen came to visit Solomon. Dami∣anus, and Goes, tell us, that the Prester Iohns of the

Aybssinians came of that Queen by Solomon. But with∣out Scripture or Probability, seeing her supposed Bastard assisted not his Brother Rehoboam against Shi∣shack King of Egypt. But Moses cleareth his Wives Kindred against Iosephus, making her a Midian, not far from Horeb. So Iethro's coming to Moses, &c. Chrisamensis also proveth Midia cannot be Ethio∣pia. Thirdly, So Ezek. 29.10. Nebuchadonosor's Conquest of Egypt is set out by the Bounds Seveneth, which is next Ethiopia and the Chushits, ill Translated Black Moors, for Arabians, the other next Neighbours; where∣as the Moors were beyond Seveneth, or Syene, as Scot∣land is beyond Barwick. Fourthly, So Ezek. 30.9. Chush cannot be Ethiopia, but Arabia: Whereto Nebu∣chadonosor (having Conquered Egypt, even the Tower Syene in Thebaida bordering on Ethiopia) sent Ships o∣ver the Red-Sea; which to the Ethiopians joyning to Syene, he needed not to have done, neither would the fall of Nilus suffer; nor was his invading that part of Arabia so fit by Land, all the length of Egypt being between, and all the tedious Desarts of Paran. Lastly, This placing a Family of Chush, from all the rest to go and come through Misraim, would make a confusion in the Plantation: Besides, there was ne∣ver any thing between Iews and Ethiopians, as between them and Chushits. Fourthly, So Esa. 18.1. turning Chush, to Ethiopia for Arabia, puts one King∣dom for another, confounding the Story: For what Kingdom beyond the River of Ethiopia can be found, which Assur was to waste as an Enemy to the Iews, who were never injured by the Ethiopians, much less by any beyond them? But I acknowledge, that here Egypt, which threatned Israel, is threatned, and A∣rabia with it, Esa. 19.20. The like Errour is commit∣ted in 1 Kings 19.9. Making Tirhaka an Ethiopian, for a Chushite, or Arabian, as in Zerah, 2 Chron. 14.9. For how should he bring such an Army through such a Kingdom as Egypt?

§. 11. Mizarim, Cham's Second Son, took into Egypt along Nilus unto Syene, bordering on Ethiopia to the South from the Mediterranean Sea; which was his North Border. Phut, the Third Son travell'd to the West beyond him along the Sea, Inhabiting Mauritania. Egypt was known to Moses and the Prophets by the Name of Mizraim, but was called Egypt by a King of that Name, otherwise called Rameses, the Son of Be∣lus, who chased his Brother Danaeus into Greece, where he setled in Morea after the Flood, 877. Many are the Fancies of the Egyptian Antiquity of Three Hundred and Thirty Kings before Amasis, Contemporary with Cyrus; and of their Story of 13000 Years, &c. And Mercator pleads their Anti∣quity from their Dynasties, of which the Sixteenth be∣gan with the Flood, so that the first must reach the Creation. But Eusebius begins the Sixteenth with A∣braham 292 Years after the Flood. Annius begins the first Dynasty 131 Years after the Flood, forgetting that he had said, that Nimrod came but that Year to Shinar, so that the Dynasty could not begin till after the Confusion. But where Pererius holds it impossible that Egypt could be Peopled 200 Years after Adam, and supposing it not replenished at all before the Flood, I find no force in the assertion. For we have no reason to give less Increase to the Sons of Adam, than Noah, the Age of the one being double, and af∣ter a while treble to the other, which Argueth strength to beget many a long time. This appeared in Cham, who replenished Five Cities with his own Issue. Nimrod's Troops at Shinar were great, no doubt; yet it is probable all came not thither, as may be gathered by the Multitudes, which Encountered Semiramis in the East Indian Wars. As for Egypt being an Established Kingdom in the Days of Abra∣ham, it argues 'twas Inhabited long before: And contrary to Pererius, we may rather wonder how the World could contain the Issue of those long li∣ving

heathful Fathers, than doubt the Peopling of it. For if our short Lives, wherein scarce one in Ten Liveth to 50 Years, the World wants no People: And if Wars and Pestilence did not cut them off by Thousands, the World could not contain them: What would it do if none dyed before 50 or 100 Years? Then Conceive the Millions, when Men Lived 8 or 900 Years &c. Pererius is likewise deceived in the occasion of their dispersing at Babel: For had not that occasion happened, their Increase would in short time have forc'd them to seek new Habitations, &c. That therefore the World was all over Peopled with offenders, it appeareth by the Universality of the Flood. As for Egypt's Antiquity, it is probable that Mizaraim's Sons found some Monuments in Pil∣lars, Altars, or other Stones, or Metals, touching former Government there, which the Egyptians ad∣ded to the Lives of the Kings after the Flood, which succeeding Times through Vain-Glory amplified. So Berosus, and Ephigenes, tell us of the like Antiquities of Chaldea where the Babylonians knew Letters and A∣stronomy 3634 Years befor Alexander the Great. E∣gypt was divided in the Upper, called Thebaida, from Syene to Memphis, and in the lower, from Memphis to the Mediterranean Sea, making the Form of a Δ by Memphis, Pelusin and Alexandria. Thebes had 100 Gates, called Diospolis by the Greeks; No-hamon in Scripture, from the incredible number of Inhabi∣tants. Phut, the Third Son of Cham, Planted Lybia, whose Ancient People were called Phuts, said Iose∣phus; and Pliny found the River of Phut in Maurita∣nia, running from Mount Athos Two Hundred Miles: Phut and Lud Associated Egypt, Ezek. 30.

§. 12. Canaan, Fourth Son of Cham, Possessed Pa∣lestine, from Sidon to Gerar in length, Gen. 10. Si∣don, his Eldest Son built a City of his Name in Phoe∣nicia. See ca. 7.6.3. Heth, his Second Son, Father of the Hittites, in the South about Beersheba, near Paran.

Iebusen, the Third Son, Father of the Iebusites, about Iebus, or Hierusalem, Conquered by David. Amoreus, the Fourth, East of Iordan from Arnon, past the Sea of Galilee, containing two Kingdoms. His Posteri∣ty also Inhabited the Mountains of Iuda, part of I∣dumea near Libania. Gergeseus, the Fifth, East from the Galil••an Sea; where was Gerasa; he also Built Geris, after called Beritus, Three Miles from the Ri∣ver Adonis in Phoenicia. Hevius, the Sixth, under Libanus, near Emath: The Caphtorims expelled many of them. Archius, the Seventh, between Libanus and the Sea over against Tripolis: He Built Archas. Sini∣us, the Eighth, Iunius placeth him South of Iebus; more probably he Built Sin, which the Iews call Se∣in, or Symira by Ptolomy, or Synoctis by Arcas, af∣ter Brocardus. Aradeus, the Ninth, Built Arados in the Isle against Phoenice, opposite to Antarados in the main Ocean. Zemari, the Tenth Son, 'tis uncer∣tain whether he Inhabited Coelosyria, or was Father of the Perizzites, or the Emisani; or of Samaria, which latter the Scripture seemeth to disprove, 1 Kings 16.28. Hamath, the Eleventh Son, Founder of Emath in Iturea, East of Hermon, joining to Libanan; not Emath, which Iosepus and Ierom confound with Antioch, or Epiphania, &c.

§. 13. Seba, or Saba, Eldest Son Chush, setled in the West of Arabia the Happy, East of the Red Sea. Regama, or Raama, the Fourth Brother, and Sheba his Son took the West side by the Persian Gulf. Pli∣ny saith, the Sabeans dwelt along the Persian and A∣rabian Seas, where Ptolomy places the City Saba to∣ward the Red Sea, and Regma toward the Persian; where also Sabta, another Brother, is found by Monta∣nus out of Ptolomy. Beroaldus thinks it strange, that any of these Sabeans should go One Thousand Two Hundred Miles to Rob Iob in Traconitis, between Palestine and Coelosyria: But Guilandinus Melchior findeth Sabeans nearer in Arabia the Desart,

whom Ptolomy calls Save, now Semiscasac, from whence the Magi came to Worship Christ, as he judgeth. The Queen of Saba, which came to Solomon, Bero∣aldus and Pererius bring from East Arabia; I rather think the West next Midian and Ezion Gaber, then under the command of Solomon.* 1.16 Sabeta hath there left his Name in the City Sabbatha or Sabota.

Iosephus's fancy is, that Saba was Father of the E∣thiopians about Meros, and Sabta of the Aabanies, is Confuted by the Names. For in Arabia Desert, are the Cities of Saba, or Save, and Ragana for Regma, and People called Raabeni, of Raamah. In Arabia the Happy, are Rhegama and Rabana, and the Cities Sap∣ta; in the South of Arabia, is Sabatta the Metropolis, and the great City Saba toward the Red Sea, and the Region Sabe more Southern.

Didan the second Son of Raamah, whom Iosephus and Ierom carry to West-Ethiopia, but Ezechiel joyn∣ed with Father and Brother, in Trade to Tyre, with precious Cloaths, which Naked Black-Moors never knew 'till the Portugals Traded with them. But Ie∣remy and Ezechiel will shew us Dedan near Idumea, which will remove all Scruples.

§. 14. Ludim, Eldest Son of Mizraim, Father of the Lybians in Africa, where the Lydians are also adjoined, as a Nation of Africa: For 2 Chron. 12.3. Lubim, or Luhaei is the same with Ludim in Hebrew, saith Montanus, with some difference in writing from the Lybies. Misraim's other Sons are assigned no certain place in Holy Scripture; only the Philistins are said to come of Casluhim and Caphtorim, in the Entrance into Egypt by the Lake Serbonis, and the Hill Cassius. Caphtorim, between that and Pelusium, is a Tract called Sithroitis, where Pliny and Stephanus place the City Sethron, which Ortelius takes to be Hercules parva in Ptolomy. The Philistins Inhabited the South of Canaan, driving out the Avims, or He∣vites, saith Iunius on Gen. 10.14. Deut. 2.23. Ios.

13.3. where their Bounds are set forth, and their five Principalities.

§. 15. Sem's Posterity Moses reckoneth up last, that he might proceed with the Genealogy of the Hebrews to Abraham, for which Arpbaxad's Age on∣ly is expressed, and his Children, and of Aram. The common Opinion possessed him of what was beyond Tygris to the Indian-Sea, saith Ierom, saving India, which I believe Noah held; to whom, after Ioctan, came Ophir and Havilah, and planted there; of whom hereafter.

Elam, Father of the Elamites, the Princes of Persia, whose Seat was Susan, by the River Vlai, which Pto∣lomy calls Eulaeus, which runneth into Hiddekel. A∣sher, the Second Son of Sem, Father of the Assyrians, disdaining Nimrod's Pride, left Babel, and built Ni∣nivy, according to the common Opinion, and con∣tended for the Empire.* 1.17 Arphaxad was Father of those Chaldeans which were about Vr; the rest were possessed by the Sons of Cham. Lud, Sem's Fourth Son Iosephus and Ierom place in lesser Asia, but I question it. Aram, his Fifth Son, Father of the Syrians, as well about Mesopotamia as Damascus. Padan Aram, or Aram Neharaim, that is, Syria between two Rivers, which were Tygris and Euphrates: Strabo reports it was antiently called Aramenia, or Aramia; and the Name Aram was changed into Syria by Syrus, before Moses, saith Eusebius. Part of it is called Ancobaritis, by Ptolomy, being divided by the River Chaboras, saith Iunius.

Vz or Hus, Aram's Eldest Son, built Damascus, saith Iosephus, Ierom, and Lyra. It hath Iordan West, Mount Seir East, Edrai South, and Damascus North, in the East part of Traconitis, and adjoining to Basan, where Iob the Son of Hus, the Son of Nahor dwelt; full of petty Kings in the days of Ieremy, 25.20.

Hal, Aram's Second Son, Father of the Armenians, saith Ierom; but Iunius placeth him in the Palmeri••n

Desarts, by Euphrates; where Ptolomy places the Ci∣ty Cholle. Gether, the Third Son set down in Cassiotis and Seleucis, and is seated where Ptolomy places the City Gindarus.

Mesech, the Fourth Son set down North of Syria, tween Silicia and Mesopotamia, near the Mount Ma∣sius. These Plantations can no other ways be known, than by this probability: The Fathers having large Regions, planted their own Children in them for mutual Comfort, 'till Ambition bred expulsion of Natives; and that every Man began to desire a di∣stinct place, and disliked to live in Common.

Phaleg, Son of Heber, in whose time fell the divisi∣on of Tongues, which the Hebrews refer to his Death, Anno 340 after the Flood; for at his Birth, Anno 101, there could be no multitude to divide. They say farther, that Heber gave Phaleg his name by Pro∣phesy, foreseeing the division to come. But Heber might, without Prophecy, foresee the division of Families would grow upon the encrease of the World; besides, Phaleg might change his Name upon that occasion, as Iacob into Israel, long before he died. For his death fell in Ninus's days, but 12 Years be∣fore Abraham, whereas the division had been long be∣fore, and the Multitudes were infinite in Ninus's days.

Ioctan, Heber's other Son, had thirteen Sons, all in∣habiting from Copuz or Coas, a Branch of Indus, in∣to the East, saith Ierom; but their particular pla∣ces are uncertain.

Sheba, or Seba, one of them may be he of whom Dionysius Apher, writing of East India, saith, The Sabaei and Taxili do dwell in the midst of them. As for the Sabeans which sprang of Chush, we found them in Arabia; and many will place Shaba, Abraham's Grand-Child there, in Arabia Deserta, where Ptolomy places a City of his Name, whose Inhabitants pil∣lag'd Iob. Iob 1.15.

Opher, another of Ioctan's Sons, Ierom placeth in

an Island of East-India; and indeed Opher is found a∣mong the Molucks. Ar. Montanus and Diessis seek it in Peru of America; and Iunius taketh Barbatia in Characene, a Province in Susiana to be it, corrupted from Parvaim to Barbatia. As for Peru, Iucatan, &c. in America, they are late mistaken Names.

Havilah, another of Ioctan's Sons, is thought to Inhabit the Continent of East-India, watred by the River Ganges; as the Country of Havilah the Son of Chush, was watred by Pison, West of Tygris, or ra∣ther to Shur. But if the common Opinion of Ierom be true, Ioctan and his Posterity setled about Mesech, or the Hill Masius; between Cilicia and Mesopota∣mia: And that these Three Sons, or their Issue, went afterwards into East-India.

As for Sepher, a Mountain of the East, as Ierom looks for it in East-India, so Montanus in the West, maketh it Andes in America: But for Moses Sepher, we find Sipphora, placed by Ptolomy, on the East side of Masius; neither is it strange to say, Mesopo∣tamia is in the East, Numb. 23.7. This Order of Plantation which I have followed, doth best agree with the Scripture, Reason, and Probalities; which Guides I follow, little esteeming Mens private O∣pinions.

CHAP. IX. Of the Beginning and Establishment of Go∣vernment.

§. 1. GOvernment hitherto in the World, was on∣ly Paternity and Eldership, from which the word Elder was used, as well for Governours as the Aged; to shew that the Wisdom of Years should be in Governours; the first Government being from

the Father to the Elder Son. Hence grew Segnour and Segnourie, for Lordship and Dominion, which is Puissance in Property and Power; Power having command of Subjects, as Property hath Mastership of Servants. Caesar hath Power to Command what∣ever a Man possesseth, but Property only in his own. When Paternal persuasion grew too weak to resist Inclination to Evil, and to Correct it when it grew Habitual; Necessity, which bindeth all Mortals, made both the Wise and Foolish at once, to perceive, that the Estate of Men would prove more miserable than that of Beasts, if a general Obedience to Order and Dominion did not prevent it; and that licentious Dis∣order promising Liberty, upon Tryal, would prove no less dangerous to all, than an intolerable Bon∣dage. Necessity propounds, and Reason confirms this Argument: All Nations were persuaded to sub∣mit to a Master or Magistrate in some degree; which Change was pleasing when compared with for∣mer Mischiefs in want of Government. Yet Time brought out therein some Inconveniences, which Ne∣cessity also sought to avoid, and thereupon thought upon some equal Rules, to limit Dominion, which before was lawless. Laws being then set for Govern∣ment, acquired the Title of Regal Power or Go∣vernment; and want thereof was known to be Ty∣rannical; the one Ordained by God for his People's good, the other permitted to afflict them. In this In∣fancy of Regal Authority, Princes, Iust and Religious, were esteemed Gods, said Fabius Pictor. And though Necessity and Reason seem Authors of Govern∣ment, yet God kindled this Light in the Minds of Men, and set them a Pattern in the Law of Na∣ture, wherein they see Bees, Cranes, Deer, &c. to follow a Leader; and God, in his Word, taketh it upon him to appoint Government, Prov. 8.15. Dan. 2.21. and 5.21. Iohn 19.21.

§. 2. What was the Government before the Flood

more than Paternal, is uncertain; or from what bet∣ter kind of publick Government, the Tyranny of that Age did grow. After the Flood, Three sorts of Government are found approved. 1st. The Go∣vernment by one Ruling by Just Laws, called Mo∣narchy, opposed to Tyranny. 2dly. The Govern∣ment by divers principal Persons, Established by Or∣der, and Ruling by Laws, call'd Aristocracy, opposed by Oligarchy, in Usurpation of a few. 3. The Go∣vernment of the People, called Democracy, opposed to Ochlocracy, which is a tumultuous Will of a confu∣sed Multitude without Law.

The Eldest of every Family at the first, set Order to his Issue, and upon increase, planted them about him in one Field, of which grew Villages; then fol∣lowed Society,* 1.18 by divers Villages, called Pagus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which is a Fountain; for that all these Villages drank of the same Fountain, like our Hundreds. And when Malice, Pride, and Emulation set one Race against another, Men joined divers Villages, which had Banks and Ditches for defence, calling it Oppidum, as opposed to their Enemies: Vrbs, ab Orbe, a Circuit first made with a Plough, said Varro; which word was first used for the Walls and Buildings, as Civi∣tas for the Inhabitants, but were after confounded; yet every Inhabitant is not properly a Citizen, but he which hath the Freedom and Priviledges of it, and is capable of bearing Rule in it. And as Cities grew by Association of Villages, so did Common-Weals by Association of Cities.

§. 3. The First Age after the Flood, was called Golden, while Ambition and Avarice, &c. were in the Blade, Men being more plain, simple, and contented; yet in respect of Government, they were as the follow∣ing Ages, in which as good Kings made Golden times, so the contrary; yea, Princes Beginnings are commonly Golden, in which their Game is commonly smoothly plaid, but Time shrinks their Hearts, and

small Errors at first, breed greater; as it is also in e∣very Man's Life, his Youth is Golden, which when Time hath eaten up, and bred such alteration, we praise what is past. It is the Vice of our Malignity to extol the past, and loath the present; such inquire not wisely, said Ecclesiasticus. Our Ancestors have, we and our Children will make the same Complaints; and what is new shall be old, saith Arnobius. The Virtue of Kings (next after God) produc'd their Crowns, and the Peoples Love so purchas'd, kept them on their Heads.

§. 4. From this beginning of Regality grew Nobi∣lity; Princes chusing by the same Rule of Virtue, Men to assist them; which Honour succeeded not by Blood, but Virtue, which is true Nobility, the note of one Excelling another in Virtue; and should bind Nobility not to degenerate. As for Riches, Power, Glory, &c. they do no more define Nobi∣lity, than bare Life defines a Man. Honour is the Witness of Virtue and well-doing; and true Nobi∣lity is the continuance of it in a Family; so that where Virtue is extinguished, they are like painted Images, worshipped by the Ignorant, for Christ, our Lady, and other Saints. Flowers not manured, turn to Weeds, and the purest Fountain running through a filthy Soil, is soon Corrupted. Race and Linage is but the Matter, Virtue and well de∣serving of a Common-wealth, is the Form of true Nobility, which being found in Posterity, over-weigh∣eth our proper Honour acquired by our own Virtue; but if Virtue be wanting to Nobility by discent, then Personal acquired Nobility is to be preferred with∣out comparison, for that by Descent may be in a ve∣ry Villain. There is a third Nobility, which is in Parchment, purchased by Silver, or Favour, being Badges of Affection, which when Princes change, they could wish they were blotted out: But if we had as much Sense in our denegeration in Worthi∣ness,

as we have of Vanity in deriving our selves from such Parents, we shou'd perceive such Nobili∣ty to be our Shame.

CHAP. X. Of Nimrod, Belus, and Ninus.

§. 1. NIMROD, the Sovereign after the Flood, was generally held a Tyrant: But Melan∣cton, and Onomasticum Theologicum judge otherwise. And it seemeth, that his leading this Troop to Shinar, was rather given him, than Usurped, seeing it is not Recorded that Noah, or any of the Sons of his Bo∣dy came with him, or were in that presumptuous Action. Some Ancients conceive Suphne and Ioctan were also Leaders; but joyned not in that unbeliev∣ing Attempt, and therefore lost not their Language.

§. 2. Nimrod, Belus and Ninus, were different Per∣sons, though Eusebius and Ierom confound the two first; and Augustine makes Belus King of Babylon, which Argueth him to be Nimrod. Mercator, with less probability confounds Nimrod and Ninus, out of Clemens. Diodorus Siculus Reports that Ninus sub∣dued Babylon, which perhaps had Rebelled upon set∣ling the Empire at Ninive, which was also in Shinar.

§. 3. Nimrod, not Assur, Built Ninive, as Iunius hath rendered Moses's Text agreeable to Reason and Sense, though Writers differ. That Assur Built it, greeth not with Moses's Order, who especially intend∣ing the Story of the Hebrews, first handleth the Birth of Noah's other Sons, beginning with Iaphet, proceed∣ing with Cham, and lastly with Shem, not interming∣ling one with the other, till he had set down a brief of all Three. In the Narration of Cham he makes a di∣stinct Discourse of Nimrod and his Brethren, being to speak after at large of Babels Confusion by it self,

to shew us the Founder of the place, and of the Empire, which first over-ruled all the rest. As for the Assyrian Kingdom, it arose from the Babylonian, according to Iunius: So Calvin before followeth E∣piphanius. Ierom, Cyril, Methodius and P. Comestor, with Cedrenus, took Assur, Gen. 10.11. to be Nim∣rod's Son, as doth Torniellus of late: But Rab. Mau∣rus understood it as Iunius. Yet Calvin contra∣ry to Iunius and himself, objecting Esay 23.13. (than which no place more difficult) to prove Assur founded the Chaldean, much more the Assyrian Em∣pire. But the City of the Chaldeans founded, and after destroyed by the Assyrians, may with good pro∣bability be understood of Vr, called Vrcta by Ptolomy, Chaldeopolis by the Greeks, and Cameria by Hecateus. This Vr stood upon the chief stream of Euphrates; by which it passed into the Persian Gulf, though now it is stopped and runneth into Tigris, of which stop∣page Niger and Pliny speak. This City then had Trade with Tyrus, and was a Port Town: By which the Sabeans sent Commodities to Babylon, and so to Tyre. This Vr founded by Shem's Son Assur, was afterwards destroyed by the Assyrians, which God fore-seeing, sent away Abraham from thence. That the Founder differs from Assur the destroyer, is a∣greeable to the Truth and circumstances. For thus Seth's Posterity which followed Assur, being Planted at Vr, were separated from the Idolatrous Chushits, And if Sem's Son Assur founded Ninive; how left he it to Ninus Son of Belus, and Husband of Semira∣mis?

§. 4. Nimrod, called Saturn by Iulian Africanus, established the Babylonian Monarchy, which he inlarg∣ed into Assyria: Where he Founded Ninive and o∣ther Cities, which his Son Belus finished, who after Nimrods 114 Years Reign succeeded, and spent much time in draining the Marshes of Babel, and began

with Sabbatius in Armenia, and Scythia Saga, which Ninus finished.

§. 5. Ninus's days might well afford many King∣doms, if we consider the order of their departing from Babel according to their Kindred, every Fami∣ly following the chief thereof, whom Nature and Necessity taught the rest to submit unto; and who took opportunity from Time and Nimrod's examples to exercise legal Authority. Belus, who succeeded Nimrod, found Sabatius King of Armenia and Scythia, able to resist him, whom I take to be Tanais in Iu∣stine. As for his Vexoris, Reineccius hath judiciously taken to be Sesostris the Great, some Ages after Ni∣nus. Belus in common accompt Reigned 65 Years.

§. 6. Belus, I judge to be a Name, rather given by Ninus, for Honour to his Father, than taken by him. Cyrill calls him Arbelus; and saith he was the first that would be called God. Bel, say the Learned, signifying the Sun in Chalde, and there Worshipped for God: And many words in Scripture grew from it, Bel, Baal, Belzebub, Baalim, which Name was given to God, till upon abuse he forbad it. The first Idolatry grew from hence, &c. The Old, the most Ancient of every Family, and Kings which Founded Cities, were called Saturns, their Sons Iupi∣ters, and Valiant Nephews Hercules.

§. 7. Image-Worship began from Belus in Babel, &c. Schoolmen shift off this fearful Custom strangely. For seeing the very Workman-ship is forbidden, how can the heart of a wise Christian satisfie it self with the distinction of Douleia, and Latrua, and Hyperdou∣leia, which can imply but a difference of Worship; and it is most strange, that Learned Men do strain their Wits to defend what Scripture oftentimes ex∣presly forbids, and Curses the practicers. And where they say, the Prophets condemn Heathen Idols only, it is manifest Moses spake of the Living God, saying, You saw no Image when the Lord spake to you in Horeb.

Basil forbids us to imagine any Form of God, lest we limit him in our Minds; what Presumption then is it, to put him under the Greasy Pensil of a Painter, or the rusty Tool of a Carver? Rome for 170 Years by Numa's Law, held it impiety, till Tar∣quin, Priscas, and Varro, condemned it, as Augustin shews: So Seneca, Sybil, Sophocles. And though Pa∣pists say, that Heathen Images are instead of Letters; yet as Heathen Pictures proved notorious Idols, so those Stocks, Stones, &c. called Pictures of Christ, our Lady, &c. were by the Ignorant, not only Wor∣shipped, but thought to live. It is safest then for Christians to believe Gods Commandments directly against Images, and that which the Prophets and St. Paul speak plainly and convincingly.

§. 8. Ninus the first Idolater, an Invader of others, and publick Adulterer: Of whom nothing is certain which is written; for Berosus who chiefly followed him in the Assyrian Succession from Nimrod to Ascalo∣dius, in the days of Ioshua, is disproved by many Ctesias, who lived with Cyrus the Younger, a gross flatterer of Princes, speaks of incredible numbers in Ninus and Semiramis's Wars. He, with the help of Aricus King of Arabia, subdued Syria, Barzanes of Armenia, and Zoroaster of Bactria, at his second Expedition, by the Valour of Semiramis, whom he took from Menon her Husband, who for Grief drowned himself.

CHAP. XI. Of Ninus, Semiramis, and Belus.

§. 1. NINVS finished Ninive, as Semiramis did Babel, began by Nimrod: Ninive, Four Hundred Forty Furlongs in Circuit, the Wall an Hun∣dred

Foot high, and had One Thousand Five Hun∣dred Towers; yet Semiramis exceeded him in Ba∣bylon.

§. 2. Ninus Dyed after 52 Years Reign, Anno Mun∣di 2019. Plutarch Reports he gave Semiramis one days absolute Rule, as she desired; in which she com∣manded his Death. She, saith Iustin, was so like Ni∣nias her Son, as that she took upon her to Personate him; but it is highly improbable, considering she Reigned 42 Years, and used her own Name.

§. 3. Semiramis, as to her Parentage and Educa∣tion is variously Reported, but not determined by any Author.

§. 4. Her Indian Expedition, if Ctesias were wor∣thy of Credit, would yet burthen any Mans faith to believe she had Three Millions of Foot, One of Horse, Two Hundred Thousand Charets and Camels Moun∣ted. All which Power perished with her, by the hand of Stenobates.

§. 5. Belus's Temple Built by her Four Square, a Mile high by Eight Ascents, each a Furlong high, and of lesser Circuits, on whose top the Chaldean Priests observed the Stars. Many take the Ruins of it, made by Xerxes, for Nimrod's Tower, &c. See Pyramids of Egypt.

Notes

• * 1.1

  From the Creation to Abraham, 2009 Years
• * 1.2

  In Po∣man••ro. Orpheus de summo Jove.
• * 1.3

  Gen. 1.1.
• * 1.4

  Ver. 2.
• * 1.5

  Gen. 1.3.
• * 1.6

  Gen. 1.6.
• * 1.7

  De op••r. Dei.
• * 1.8

  De Ment. Idiot.
• * 1.9

  See Aug. de Civ. D.
• * 1.10

  Stralo lib. 17.
• * 1.11

  Gen. 6.11.
• * 1.12

  Strabo.
• * 1.13

  De Civ.
• * 1.14

  Pliny:
• * 1.15

  Sybilla
• * 1.16

  Plin. l. 14.12.
• * 1.17

  Sect. 1. Sect. 3.
• * 1.18

  Pagus.