The court of the Gentiles: or A discourse touching the original of human literature, both philologie and philosophie, from the Scriptures, and Jewish church in order to a demonstration, of 1. The perfection of Gods vvord, and church light. 2: The imperfection of natures light, and mischief of vain pholosophie. 3. The right use of human learning, and especially sound philosophie. / By T.G.

§. 3 * 1.1 The first great Idol-God, universally owned by the Pa∣gans, was by them called Saturne, whose Names and Attributes were, as 'tis most evident, but corrupt imitations of sacred story. Saturne is supposed to be so called from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 latuit, whence he was stiled Deus Latius, and his proper seat was Latium, as Glass. Gram. 1. l. 4. Tract. 3. But we shall begin with Saturnes names and genealogie, as we find them given us by Sanchoniathon, according to Philo Byblius's version, mentioned by Eusebius, who brings in Sanchoniathon thus discoursing of Saturn's Gene∣ration and Names. He saies first, that the great God 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Eliun, called the most high, generated the Heaven and the Earth. Eliun, heb. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Elion, is one of Gods proper Names, and signifies most High. Bochart, Canaan lib. 2. cap. 2. fol. 784. supposeth this passage of Sanchoniathō, to have been taken out of Moses's words, Gen. 14.19.22. * 1.2 where tis said, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The most high God possessor or (as Bochart) generator of Heaven and Earth: for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is rendred by him, to generate; it being so rendred by the LXX Zach. 13.1. The wife of Eliun, San∣choniathon makes to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Beruth, i.e. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 berith; whence we read of the Phenician Goddesse Berith, Judg. 8.33. * 1.3 which, I presume, received her origination from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; whereby the Co∣venant which God made with his People, which was, as it were, the Mother of all their Mercies, is usually expressed. For the blind Cananites or Phenicians, hearing much from the Jews, of

their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 berith, Covenant, (which they made the great Parent of all their Mercies,) they thence grosly conceited, that this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 berith was a Goddesse, the wife of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Elion, the most high God. Saturnes immediate Parent is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, (from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Ur, the light) Heaven, because God is said first to produce the Hea∣ven. Gen. 14.19. Whence it follows in Sanchoniathon, that the first born son of the Heaven was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Ilos, who also was called Saturne. * 1.4 This 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, given to Saturne, Bochart makes to be the same with the Hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 El, a proper name of the true God. And that the Phenicians called Saturne 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, is manifest by the words of Damascus in Phot. CCXL 11. thus: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, The Phenicians, and Syrians, call Saturne El, and Bel, and Bolathes. Hence from this name 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, given to Saturne, the Sun, which is made his royal Throne, was called by the Greeks 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. * 1.5 Another name whereby the Phenicians expressed Saturne, was Molech, according to Amos 5.26. from the Hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a King. They call him also 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Baal, which was originally one of Gods sacred names, as Hos. 2.16. Saturne is also, according to Bochart, called Chiun, Amos 5.26. and Rephan or Remphan, (which is an Egyptian stile, or title, the same with Chiun) Act. 7.43. of which see more what follows chap. 2. §. 8.

But to come to the original Idea of Saturne, by which it will more evidently appear, that not onely his Names, but also his Extract, and Attributes were all but corrupt imitations, taken up from some sacred Person and Tradition. As for the genealo∣gie of Saturne, some make him to be the same with Adam; others refer him to Abraham; and a third sort suppose him to be the same with Noah. We may indeed take in each of these relations. For its well known, that these poor blind Heathens were wont to attribute Traditions and Relations, originally different, to one and the same person, according as their inclinations led them. Hence they framed more than one hundred Jupiters, by applying different stories to one and the same name and per∣son.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1. Of Saturne his original names, &c.
• * 1.2

  Gen. 14.19,22.
• * 1.3

  Judg. 8.33.
• * 1.4

  Saturne called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Ilos, from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Gods name.
• * 1.5

  Molech.