The truth of Christian religion in six books / written in Latine by Hugo Grotius ; and now translated into English, with the addition of a seventh book, by Symon Patrick ...

SECT. XV. And by the Testimony of many Gentiles.

MOREOVER besides these, there are many testimonies of such as were ali∣ens from the Jewish Religion, which declare that the most ancient reports which passed for truth among all Nations, were agreeable to what Moses hath related in his Writings. Thus what things he related concerning the beginning of the World, the same are found also recorded in the most ancient Histories of the Phoenicians, which are collected by San∣cuniathon, and translated by Philo Byblius; and partly also found amongst the Indians and Aegyptians: Hence it is that in Linus, He∣siod, and many of the Grecians, mention is

made of a Chaos, which some have intimated by the name of an Egg: also of the making of living creatures, and last of all of Man ac∣cording to a Divine Image; and of Man's dominion over other creatures; all which may be read in sundry Authors, and at last in Ovid, who transcribed them out of the Greek Writers. That all things were made by the Word of God, was confessed even by Epichar∣mus and the Platonicks, and before them by a most ancient Writer (not of those Hymns, which now go under that name, but) of those Verses which antiquity called Orphean verses; not because they had Orpheus for their Au∣thor, but because they summarily comprised his Doctrine. Empedocles acknowledged that the Sun was not the primitive light, but a fit receptacle of light. Aratus and Catullus think that above the sphere or orb of the stars there is a Divine habitation, wherein Homer imagined there was perpetual light.

THAT of all things God was the most ancient, because not begotten; the World most beautiful, because the work of GOD: and that darkness was before the light, were all the doctrines of Thales out of the ancient Learning. The last point whereof is found in Orpheus and Hesiod; whereupon the Gen∣tiles that are commonly superstitious in fol∣lowing old fashions and customs, do number their particular times by nights, not by days.

It was the opinion of Athenagoras that all things were ordered and disposed by the high∣est intelligence; of Aratus, that the Stars were made by God; and after the Grecians, of Virgil, that life was infused into things by the Spirit of God: and that Man was formed of Clay, is delivered by Hesiod, Homer, and Callimachus: Lastly, Maximus Tyrius as∣firms, that by the common consent of Nati∣ons, it is agreed, there is but one Supreme God, which is the cause of all things. And the memory of the finishing the Creation in seven days space, was preserved, not only among the Greeks and Italians, by the honour they gave to the Seventh day (as we learn out of Josephus, Philo, Tibullus, Clemens A∣lexandrinus, and Lucian) but among the Gauls and Indians, who all distinguished their time, by Weeks, i. e. seven days; as we are taught by Philostratus, Dion Cassius, Justin Martyr; and the most ancient Names of the days of the Week.

Moreover, the Aegyptians taught, that Man at the beginning led his life in all sim∣plicity, being naked in his body, and not ashamed; whence came the Poets fiction of the golden age, which was famous even amongst the Indians, as Strabo relates: The History of Adam and Eve, the Tree, the Serpent was extant, as Maimonides tells us, among the Idolatrous Indians in his time: And that the

same is found among the Pagans of Pegu, and the Philippin Islands, People of the same In∣dia, the name of Adam also among the Brach∣mans, and the account of 6000. Years being passed since the World was made, among those of Siam; we have witnesses of our own age which assure us.

AND that the lives of those who succeed∣ed the first Men, were prolonged to near a Thousand Years, is reported by Berosus in his Chaldaicks, Manethos in his Aegypticks, Hiromus in his Phoenician records, Hestiaeus, Hecataeus, Hellanicus in the account they have left of the Graecian affairs, and among the Poets by Hesiod. Which is the less in∣credible, when we consider, what is reported in the Histories of very many Nations (par∣ticularly by Pausanius, and Philostratus a∣mong the Greeks, and Pliny among the Ro∣mans) the bodies of Men were anciently far larger than they are now; as was found upon the opening of some of their Sepulchres.

Catullus also, after very many Greeks, re∣ports, that heavenly visions appeared unto Men before such time, as they by the multitude and heinousness of their crimes did deprive themselves of that sacred acquaintance and familiarity with God, and his ministring Spi∣rits. The wild life of the Gyants which Mo∣ses mentions, may be read almost every where in the Greek, and in some Latine Authors,

'Tis to be noted of Noah's Flood, that in its History the memory of almost all Nations ends; even of such Nations as were unknown till of late Years: whereupon Varro called all the space before, the hid or unknown time. But those things we find wrapt up in the licen∣tious fables of the Poets, are truly, that is agreeable to Moses, delivered by most anci∣ent Writers, such are Berosus of the Chaldees, Abydenus of the Assyrians, who mentions the sending out of a Dove; as also Plutarch of the Grecians; and Lucian, who saith, that at Hieropolis in Syria, there is to be seen a most ancient History both of Noah's Ark, and of those that were saved therein, both Men and Beasts: The same History was ex∣tant also in Molo, and in Nicolaus Damasce∣nus: the latter of which had also the Name of the Ark; which is found likewise in Deu∣calion's History in Apollodorus. To which we may add, that in several parts of America, as in Cuba, Mechoacana, Nicuraga, there hath been preserved the memory of the Flood; of the Creatures saved from perishing in it; yea, of the Raven and the Dove; and the memory of the Flood it self, even in that part now cal∣led the Golden Castile, is witnessed by very many of the Spanish Nation.

In what part of the World men lived be∣fore the Flood, that note in Pliny of the building of Joppe before the same Flood doth

testifie. That the place whereon Noah's Ark rested after the Flood was in the Gordien Mountains, it is manifest by the constant re∣membrance thereof with the Armenians from all Ages until this time. Japhet the Father of the Europeans, whence came Ion, or as anci∣ently they pronounced the word Iavon of the Grecians, and Hammo of the Africans, and such like, are names which are found in Mo∣ses his writings; as there are also foot-steps of the rest, in the names of Nations and Countreys, observed by Josephus and others. And then the endeavour of climbing up to Heaven, which of the Poets doth not men∣tion? The burning of Sodom is spoken of by Diodorus Siculus, Strabo, Tacitus, Pliny, and Solinus. The most ancient use of Circumcision hath been related by Herodotus, Diodorus, Strabo, Philo Biblius; and now is retained by the posterity of Abraham, to wit, not only the Hebrews, but also the Idumaeans, Is∣maëlites, and others. A certain History of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, agreeing with that of Moses, was anciently extant in Philo Biblius out of Sanchuniath: in Berosus, Hecataeus, Damascenus, Atrapanus, Epolemus, Demetrius, and partly in that old Author of the aforesaid Orphean verses; and now also there are some remainders thereof in Justin, out of Trogus Pompaeus: And almost in eve∣ry one of these Authors aforenamed, there is

some mention made of Moses and his Acts: more particularly, how he was taken out of the Waters, and how the two Tables was gi∣ven unto him of God, is plainly set down in those Orphean verses aforesaid. Add unto these the testimony of Polemon; also what some of the Egyptians themselves have re∣corded, to wit, Manethon, Lisimachus, and Chaerimon, concerning the departing out of Egypt.

NEITHER will it enter into the heart of any wise Man to think that Moses, (having so many enemies both of the Aegyptians, and of other Nations, as the Idumaeans, Arabians, and Phoenicians) would dare to divulge ought concerning the beginning of the World, and other ancient things, which either could be confuted by other more ancient Writings, or were repugnant to the common received opi∣nion in those times; neither doubtless would he publish any thing touching the affairs in that Age, which could be justly gainsaid or disproved by the testimonies of any then li∣ving. Of this Moses there is mention made by Diodorus Siculus, Strabo, and Pliny, by Tacitus also; and after all them, by Dionysius Longinus in his Book concerning sublimity of speech. Likewise Jamnes and Mambres that resisted Moses in Aegypt are mentioned not only by the Authors of the Talmud, but by Pliny and Apuleius. Amongst others the Py∣thagoreans

speak much of the Law it self, which was given by Moses, and of the Legal Rites. Both Strabo and Justin out of Tro∣gus give an excellent testimony of the ancient Jewish Religion and Justice; insomuch that here (me thinks) 'tis needless to produce any further testimony of such things as are found, or have anciently been found consenting with the Books of the Hebrews, touching Joshua and others; seeing that whosoever gives cre∣dit unto Moses, (which to do no Man can without great impudency refuse,) the same must needs confess, that there were indeed wonderful Miracles anciently wrought by God, which is the thing we here chiefly go about to declare.

As for the Miracles of after Ages, sup∣pose of Elijah and Elisha, and others, there is the less reason to think them counterfeit; because in those times Judaea was both more known than formerly; and upon the account of diversity of Religion, was extreamly ha∣ted by their Neighbours. Who might have very easily blasted the fame of such Miracles, if they had been lies, as soon as it began to be spred abroad. The History of Jonah, who lay three days in the Whale's belly, is to be read in Lycophron, and Aeneas Hazous; save only that in stead of Jonah, they have put the name of Hercules: whom they so much honoured, that to make him appear

the more illustrious, they were wont (as Ta∣citus and Servius, and others have noted) to report of him, whatsoever magnificent things they heard of in any other places.

Certain it is that Julian, who was an ene∣my of the Jews, as much as of Christians, was forced, by the evidence of History, to confess that such Men lived amongst the Jews, as were inspired with the holy Spirit of God; and that Fire descended from Heaven upon the Sacrifices of Moses and Elias. And verily 'tis well worth our observation, that amongst the Hebrews there were not only grievous punishments appointed for such Men as did falsly assume to themselves the Prophetical Function, but also many Kings and great Men, that might have by that means purchased au∣thority to themselves, and likewise very many learned Men as was Esdras and others, that never durst arrogate to themselves this digni∣ty; nor any Man else, for divers Ages before the times of Jesus.