The Court of the Gentiles Part 2, Book 1 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII. Of the Chaldaick Philoſophie, and Philoſophers.
The Advantages the Chaldaick Philoſophie might have from the Church of God, Noah and his family, Shem, Abraham, &c. The Chaldeans famous for Aſtronomie, which was communicated to them, by Church Tradition delivered by Abraham, &c. Gen. 1.16. The People of God much taken up in contemplation and admiration of the glorie of God, ſhining in the Heavens, Pſ. 136.4, 5, 6, 7. This gave foundation to Aſtronomie. How Natural Aſtronomie degenerated into Judicial Aſtrologie, from an Idolatrous admiration of the Celeſtial bodies, as Gods, Rom. 1.19, 20, 21. The Jewiſh Teraphim, and Popiſh Agnus dei anſwered to the Pagan foreign, or Images dedicated to the Sun Judg. 17.5. The Chaldaick Theologie lay chiefly amongſt the Zabii, or Sabeans. Balaam one of the Zabii. The wiſe men, or Magi Mat. 2.1. of theſe Zabii. Many Zabian Rites mentioned in Scripture, as Job 31.26. beholding the Sun, thence Sternutation a Pagan Rite. So Job 31.27. kiſſing the hand, is bowing unto, and adoring the riſing Sun, The Pagan foreign eternal fire, which was a Symbol, whereby they worſhipped the Sun, as Lev. 36.30. from the opinion that the Sun was fire. The Judaick Scholes in Babylon, and other parts of Chaldea.
The Diviſion of Philoſophie into Barbarick and Grecian.§. 1. THe Ancients were wont to diſtinguiſh Philoſophie into Barbabick and Grecian: by Barbarick, is uſually underſtood that, which was taught out of Grece, and Italie, in Egypt, Phaenicia, Judea, Chaldea, &c. This by general vogue is held to be the more Ancient. Thus Diogenes Laertius prooem; foreign. It is affirmed by ſome that Philoſophie had its beginning from the Barbarians. Which Iſaac Gaſaubon in his Notes on this place thus explaines, And of the Grecians, thoſe who were beſt natured, and moſt ingenuous have alwaies thus thought. And thoſe Ancient defenders of our Religion againſt the Gentiles, have ſo defended the truth on this part, and ſo broken the pride, and arrogance of thoſe who were otherwiſe minded, that none may doubt of it. There are at hand thoſe who have written on this Argument, Tatianus, Clemens, Theophilus, Euſebius, and others. So Clemens Alexandrinus lib. 1.Teſlantur autem non modo ſ. literae Graecos a Barbaris natos, ut ſupra, ſed ipſimet Graeci, ſe juniores Barbaris eſſe, & doctrinam, ſermonem que ab illis acceptum▪ Omnium que eſt teſtimonium, Pythago…ā in Aegyptum, Solonem, Eudoxū, Platonem acceſſiſſe, ut andi rent corum Sacerdotes. Steuch. Eugub. De peren. philoſ. l. 2. c. 2. foreign. Philoſophie a thing variouſly uſeful, in times paſt flouriſhed amongſt the Barbarians, ſhining from Nation to Nation, till at laſt it came to the Grecians. Auſtin lib. 8. de civit. Dei cap. 9. gives us an account of theſe Barbarian Nations, who were reputed skilful in Philoſophie; where having made mention of the two great Sects of the Grecian Philoſophers, the Ionick and Italick, he addes, And if there be found any others of the other Nations, who are reputed wiſe men, or Philoſophers, the Atlanticks, Lybicks, Egyptians, Indians, Perſians, Chaldeans, Scythians, Gauls, Spaniards. Here Auguſtin makes no mention of the Phenicians, and Jews, who, I think, were mainly underſtood by the Ancients, under the name of Barbarick Philoſophers. But of this we have already diſcourſed; as alſo of the Egyptians: we ſhall proceed therefore to thoſe, who remain of the Barbarick Philoſophers; and begin with the Chaldeans, who were greatly famous for their skill in Aſtronomie, and Aſtrologie (which as the Learned ſuppoſe, they were maſters of, before the Egyptians) for their improvement wherein, they had great advantages,The Chaldaic… Philoſophie, and its advantages from the Church of God in Noahs familie. not only from the ſituation of their Countrey, which lay plain, but alſo from the Church of God; which after the Floud was firſt planted, and ſeated amongſt them; and furniſhed not only with Divine, but alſo Human Knowledge. For Noah and his familie, which was then the ſeat of the Church, living before the Floud, had the advantage of gathering up all the Wiſdom of the old World, and conveighing of it, by Tradition to their Poſteritie, eſpecially to ſuch as were of the Holy Seed, who, as we may preſume, would be moſt curious in ſearching into, and inquiries after the great works of God, both as to Creation, and Providence: amongſt whom we may reckon Abraham, who is ſaid to teach the Chaldeans Aſtonomie.
The Chaldeans famous for Philoſophie.§. 2. But to proceed gradually in our Diſcourſe: Firſt that the Chaldeans had a great reputation for the Antiquitie of their Philoſophie, we have the Teſtimonie of Cicero lib. 1. de Divinat. Where he ſaies,Voſſius de philoſ. ſect. l. 2. c. 1. that the Chaldeans were the moſt ancient kind of Doctors. And particularly, that they taught the Babylonians, and Aſſyrians Philoſophie, we have for it the Autoritie of Ariſtotle foreign, and of Sotion, in his books foreign, if we may credit Laertius. So Diodorus tels us,Their main Philoſophie conſiſted in Aſtronomie. that the Egyptians received their Philoſophie from the Chaldeans. Now the great piece of Philoſophie the Chaldeans were at firſt famous for, was Aſtronomie, and Aſtrologie. So Strabo lib. 12, and 15. Hence Pythagoras is ſaid to derive his Knowledge of the Stars from the Chaldeans, as Porphyrie, Chaldaei in Aſtrologiae ſtudio ſibi pa…es non habuere. Nam ut ex Simplicio Comment. 46. in Ariſto…clem l. 2. de Coelo conſtat, Calliſthenes Ariſtotelis rogatu, in Graeciam miſit obſervaiones Chaldaeo…um, ab annis 19…3. ante Alexandri tempora, i. e. ducentis circiter ante natum Abrabamum annis. Has obſervationes ſe vidiſse Porphy…ius teſtatur. Hornius Histor. philoſ. lib. …. cap. 3.in the life of Pythagoras. Whence alſo the name Chaldeans paſſed in the Roman Empire for Aſtrologers. And Quintus Curtius lib. 5. tels us, that Alexander entring Babylon, whereas others approving themſelves otherwiſe, the Chaldeans ſhewed the motions of the Stars, and the ſtated viciſſitudes of times. Wherefore as Simplicius in Ariſt. lib. 2. de Coelo affirmes) Ariſtotle, that great Inquiſitor of Nature, gave it in command to Calliſthenes his Kinſman and Diſciple, who travailed with Alexander into Aſia, that he ſhould ſend him Commentaries of ſuch things, as the Chaldeans had obſerved touching the Celeſtial Bodies. And Calliſthenes ſent him obſervations of two thouſand years. Tullie tels us, they had much convenience for ſuch Aſtronomick obſervations by reaſon of the plain ſituation of their Countrey. So Voſſius de philoſ. ſect. l. 2. c. 1. §. 9. Neither is it to be wondred, ſaies he, if perſons, ſo ingenious, were ſo well skilled in the Knowledge of the Stars, who inhabiting a large, and even Countrey, could alwaies behold the face of the Heavens: neither is it more to be wondred if thoſe firſt Chaldeans obſerved ſo many things, who in Ariſtotle's time gloried in the experience of 2000 years.How Aſtronomie and Aſtrologie were communicated to the Chaldeans by Abraham, &c.
§. 3. But though it may be granted that theſe Chaldeans had ſome advantage for the improvement of their Aſtronomick Skill from the convenience of their Countrey, which lay on a level; yet have we both Authoritie and Reaſon to judge, that the original of this their Art was more Divine. That the Chaldeans received their skill in Aſtrologie from Abraham was afore (chap 1. §. 8. of Abraham) aſſerted, and proved out of Beroſus, Eupolemus, Joſephus, and Voſſius: ſo Lud. Vives on Aug. de civ. Dei l. 8. c. 9. aſſerts the Traduction of Philoſophie from the Chaldeans to the Egyptians, by Abraham. The truth of which aſſertion will be more evident, if we conſider the original cauſes of this Aſtronomick Science. We need no way doubt,The Hiſtorie of the Creation and Providence conveighed down by Church-Tradition. but that Noah had been fully inſtructed by Church-Tradition, from his Godly predeceſſors Methuſelah, Enoch and Seth, touching the Creation of the World by God; and particularly touching the excellent fabrick of the Heavens, the Nature of thoſe Celeſtial Bodies, their Harmonious Order, and Motion; that the Sun was made to governe by Day, and the Moon by Night, as Gen. 1.16. and Pſal. 136.7, 8.Gen. 1.16. Pſ. 136.7, 8. that theſe Celestial had a mighty influence on all Sublunarie Bodies, &c. Theſe and ſuch like conſiderations, which greatly conduced to the enhanceing the Wiſdom, Power,Sapientes ex Noachi ſchola viri, in campis Babyloniae Senaar, Philoſophiae dediti, imprimis Aſtrologiam excolebant. Quod praeter Moſem, etiā Gentilium eruditiores, ex Chaldaeorum traditione, non ignorarunt. Hornius Hiſtor. philoſ. lib. 2. c. 2. and Goodnes of God, in his works of Creation, and Providence, we may not doubt, were very frequent, by Church-Tradition, in the Hearts and Mouths of thoſe Sons of God, before and after the Floud. And it is the opinion of ſome, (which is not without probable grounds) that the whole ſtorie of the Creation, written by Moſes, was conveighed down even from Adam to his time, by a conſtant uninterrupted Tradition to the Holy Seed, and Church in all Ages. And indeed if God vouchſafed to any the manifeſtation of his glorious works of Creation, and Providence, to whom can we ſuppoſe it ſhould be, if not to his darlings and friends, the faithful and holy Seed? who both could and would beſt improve ſuch contemplations, for their Makers glorie, and moſt faithfully hand them over to poſteritie. Thus God himſelf gives Abraham this Character Gen. 18.17.Gen. 18.17, 19. Shall I hide from Abraham the thing which I do? 19. For I know him, that he will command his children, &c· God gave Abraham the Knowledge of things not only paſt and done, but to come; becauſe he knew Abraham would make the beſt improvement, and conveighance thereof to his poſteritie. And thus we may conceive how Abraham having the Knowledge of Gods glorious works of Creation and Providence, eſpecially as to the Celeſtial Bodies, their Natures, Order, Harmonie, Government, Motions, Influences (which takes in the whole of true Aſtronomie, and Aſtrologie) communicated to him partly by Church-Tradition, partly by the bleſſing of God upon his own meditations and contemplations (if not alſo from ſome Divine Inſpiration even of this Natural Knowledge) could not but conceive himſelf in dutie obliged to communicate the ſame, not only to his own Poſteritie, but alſo to his Kindred, and Countrey men the Chaldeans.
The people of God much taken up in the contemplation, and admiration of the glorie of God ſhining in thoſe celeſtial bodies which gave foundation to Aſtronomie.That the people of God were, in the infant ſtate of the Church, much raviſhed with holy contemplations of the Glorie of God, that ſhone ſo brightly in thoſe Celeſtial Bodies, their Order, Government, Motion, and Influence, is evident, by many Philoſophick, yet gratious Meditations we have to this purpoſe in the Pſalms: as Pſ. 19.1. The Heavens declare the glorie of God, &c. to the end. So Pſal. 136.4. To him who alone doth great wonders: and v. 5. To him that by Wiſdom made the Heavens, &c. 7. To him that made great lights. 8, 9. The Sun to rule by day, the Moon and Stars to rule by night, &c. So it is ſaid of Iſaac, he went out into the field to meditate; where he could no ſooner open his eyes,Pſ. 136.4, 5, 7. but contemplate the wonders of God, in thoſe Celeſtial Bodies. Thus were theſe holy men Abraham, &c. raviſhed with the admiration (which as Plato, and Ariſtotle aſſure us, was the firſt cauſe of all Philoſophie) of the Glorie of God, that ſhone ſo brightly in thoſe Celeſtial Bodies, the Sun, Moon, and Stars, their admirable natures, poſitions, conjunctions, regular motions, and powerful influences, which is the ſumme of Natural Aſtronomie, and Aſtrologie; which was, as we have endeavored to prove, communicated to the Chaldeans, by Abraham or Shem, &c.
How natural Aſtronomie and Astrologie, degenerated into Judicial. Rom. 1.19, 20.21. See more of this in our account of the Egyptian Aſtronomie. chap. 2. §. 2.§. 4. This Aſtronomie, and Aſtrologie, which the Chaldeans (according to the common preſumption) received from Abraham, did ſoon by their holding the truth in unrighteouſnes (as Rom. 1.18, 19, 20 21, 22.) degenerate into that Black Art (deſervedly ſo called, becauſe from Hell) of Judicial Aſtrologie, or Divination; which was thence called foreign the Chaldaick Art: the original of which was this; (as we find it Rom. 1.20, 21.) Theſe Chaldeans, beſides the Traditions they received from Abraham, and the reſt of the Patriarchs, touching theſe Celeſtial Bodies, their glorious natures, order, ſituations, regular motions, and governments, as Gen. 1.16. they themſelves, by their own Aſtronomick obſervations and experiments, contemplating a mighty Beautie, and Ornament in the Heavens, a regular courſe in the Motions of the Stars, an excellent Harmonie and Order in the diſtances and conjunctions, and a powerful influence deſcending from them on ſublunarie Bodies, the more they contemplated theſe glorious creatures the more they admired them; 'till at laſt their admiration determined in adoration of them, as Gods. Thus was that Scripture fulfilled Rom. 1.21.Rom. 1.21. they became vain in their imaginations, and their fooliſh hearts were darkned. That this was the original of their Zabaiſme, or worſhipping the Celeſtial Bodies, is gathered from Deut. 4.19.Deut. 4.19. See more of the original of this Zabaiſme in Dr. Owen de Idolelat. lib. 3. c. 4. p. 117, &c. And leſt thou lift up thine eyes to Heaven, and when thou ſeeſt the Sun, &c, ſhouldſt be driven to worſhip them. When they grew vain in their imaginations, no wonder if ſuch a glorious ſight of their eyes, was followed with the Idolatrie of their fooliſh hearts. Now this Phaenomenon being granted, that the Stars were Gods, the Hypotheſes of Judiciarie Aſtrologie eaſily followed. So Maimonides More Nevoch. p. 3. c. 29.See Stilling. Orig. ſacr. book 1. chap. 3. ſpeaking of theſe Chaldeans, ſaith, that they had no other Gods but the Stars, to whom they made Statues or Images, which derived an influence from the Stars, to which they were erected, and thence received a facultie of foretelling things future. Theſe images the Greeks called foreign, and were much the ſame with the Teraphim, they being both exactly made according to the poſitions of the Heavens.The Heathen foreign anſwerable to the Jewiſh Teraphims Judg. 17.5. and the Popiſh Agnus Dei. So Grotius ſaies, that the foreign Teraphim Judg. 17.5. were Images made with figures; according to the poſition of the Stars; which alſo the Idolatrous Jews made uſe of for divination, as Zech. 10.2. whence the Ephod accompanies the Teraphim Judg. 8.27. And this Idolatrous mode of Divination continues yet to this very day amongſt ſome, who are pretenders to this Judicial, or rather Satanick Aſtrologie. For they make Figures, and Images, which they pretend to anſwer to the forme of the celeſtial bodies: thence they perſuade the fooliſh people, that theſe Images receive influence, and virtue from the Celeſtial Figure. (near of kin whereunto is the Agnus Dei amongſt the Papiſts) All of which Magick trumperies are but imitations of thoſe foreign, or Taliſmans, ſo much in requeſt amongſt the Chaldeans, and other Idolaters: of which ſee Plotinus Enead. 4. lib. 3. cap. 11. where he unfolds the whole Myſterie of the foreign, or Images, and their manner of Divination by them; which, upon the ſuppoſition of the Chaldeans, that the Stars are Deities, might admit of ſome probable pretext, but without this Hypotheſis of allowing a Divinitie to the Stars, I cannot ſee what ſhadow of Reaſon thoſe pretenders to Judiciarie Aſtrologie can have to ſalve their Phaenomena. See more of this Owen de Idololat. l. 3. c. 7.
§. 5. This leads us to the Theologie of the Chaldeans, which comprehended a chief part of their Philoſophie. The Chaldaick Theologie among the Zabii.So Diodorus Siculus lib. 3. tels us, That the Chaldeans were moſt skilful in Aſtronomie, Divination, and ſacred Offices. This their ſacred Philoſophie, or Divinitie was chiefly ſtudied by, and preſerved amongſt their foreign Zabii, who, according to Scaliger's account, were the moſt Eaſterne Chaldeans: which he gathers from the origination of the word Zabii from Saba the Son of Chus. See Stilling, Orig. ſacrae book 1. chap. 3.Salmaſius thinks theſe Zabii were the Chaldeans, inhabiting Meſopotamia. If ſo, it is very probable that Balaam that famous Magician, or Diviner, was one of theſe Zabii. For Meſopotamia ſeems to be Balaam's Countrey, thence Numb. 22.5.Numb. 22.5. Pethor, where Balaam lived, is ſaid to be by the river, i. e. ſaies the Chaldee Paraphraſe, Euphrates. That Balaam was a Magician, or Conjurer is evident from the whole of the Storie.Balaam one of theſe Zabii. Thus Stillingfleet Orig. ſacrar. lib. 1. chap. 3. To which he addes theſe words, Hence we may conclude, that theſe Zabii were the ſame with the Perſian Magi inſtituted by Zoreaſter: which farther appears from the Magi, Mat. 1.2. Theſe wiſe men Zabii.that were guided by the Star unto Chriſt, who are ſaid to come from the Eaſt (i. e. Sabea, or Arabia Foelix) with preſents, which are peculiar to that Countrey. That Balaam was a Zabean, and of theſe Zabii, or wiſe men mentioned Mat. 2.1, 2. may be gathered from what Deodate obſerves on that place v. 2. viz. that this Star was the ſigne that the King of the World ſhould be born in Judea, which perhaps might come to their notice, by the Prophecie of Balaam Numb. 24.17. continued amongſt them, &c.
The Rites of the Zabii mentioned in Scripture.§. 6. Concerning theſe Zabii, Maimonides tels us, that the underſtanding their Rites would give light to many obſcure paſſages of Scripture: I ſuppoſe he means ſuch as relate to the Original of Idolatrie or the Worſhip they gave to thoſe Planetarie Deities: for, ſaith he, they had no Gods, but the Stars, to whom they made Statues (or pillars which the Greeks ſtiled foreign) and Images foreign. We find one Rite or Ceremonie of this Zabaiſme, or Planetarie Worſhip Job. 31.26, 27. If I beheld the Sun when it ſhined, Job 31.26, 27. Beholding the Sun a piece of Pagan Worſhip.&c. This holy man (who, as 'tis ſuppoſed, lived amongſt theſe Zabii about Joſeph's time (as Jerome) when this their Idolatrie was come to ſome maturitie) ſpeaks openly of this Planetarie Worſhip, then ſo common. And the firſt part of this Zabaiſm, he ſo induſtriouſly a moves from himſelf, is Beholding the Sun when it ſhined: Not the ſimple beholding of it, that's only a Natural Act of our Natural Senſe, and hath no more of Moral Evil in it, than the Natural Shine of the Sun beheld by it: But beholding it with ſuch an Eye, as ſecretly ſteals away the heart from the Worſhip of the Creator, affecting the Soul with, and carrying it out in an Idolatrous Adoration of that ſo glorious a Creature (as in ſome it did, to ſuch an height,Job. 31.27. Kiſſing the hand bowing to or adoring the Sun. that Plato ſaies Socrates underwent foreign an Exſtaſie in worſhipping the Sun) for ſo it follows Job. 31.27. And my heart hath been ſecretly enticed. Job ſhews here that the original Seat of this Zabaiſme was the Heart: for by long contemplation, and admiration of the eyes the heart was drawn away to worſhip thoſe Celeſtial bodies as before. So it followes, or my mouth hath kiſſed my hand, i. e. adored the Sun: for kiſſing the hand and bowing to the Sun was a main ceremonie they uſed in their worſhip. So the worſhip of Chriſt the Sun of Righteouſnes is, under that ceremonie of kiſſing, commanded Pſ. 2.12. And Hoſ. 13.2. the worſhip of the Calves expreſſed by that ceremonie reproved. There were other parts of Zabaiſme, or Star-worſhip, namely Images and Fire; of which we find ſome mention in Scripture: ſo Lev. 26 30. God threatens to deſtroy their foreign Images of the Sun, as ſome, but rather their foreign, their hearths where they kept their perpetual fire, for theſe are called foreign from the Heb. foreign which ſignifies both the Sun, and Fire. Hence from foreign comes the Greek foreign (q. foreign) and the Latin Caminus a Chimney, or Furnace ▪ So in like manner the Hebrew foreign, which ſignifies the Light of the Sun, is uſed alſo for fire (as the Greek foreign is by Plato uſed for both fire and light) whence ſome derive Ʋr in Chaldea, Lev. 26.30. Why they worſhipped the Sun under the Symbol of Fire.which was the Seat of this Idolatrous worſhipping the Sun by Fire, from foreign, or Light. Now the reaſon of this piece of Zabaiſme, or worſhipping the Sun by Fire, ſeems this. Theſe Zabii, or Chaldean Philoſophers were poſſeſſed with this opinion (which afterward was taken up by many of the Greek Philoſophers (that the matter of the Sun was Fire,The Pagan foreign from that opinion that the Sun was Fire. which 'tis poſſible they might take up from ſome broken Tradition, touching the Creation of thoſe greater Lights, as Gen. 1.16. And the words foreign and foreign that ſignifie the Sun, and its Light are uſed alſo to expreſſe Fire. Plato in his Timaeus cals the Sun foreign, an heavenly Fire: and Job. 31.26. cals the Sun foreign, which alſo ſignifies Fire, thence Ʋr in Chaldea was ſo called becauſe it was the Seat of their eternal fire, and the Stoicks of old held that the Sun was Fire. So Grot. on 2 Pet. 3.7. and Comenius in his Phyſicks. Thus the French Conferences, par les beaux exſprits tom. 1. conf 6. ſo Willis de febribus ſaies the Light is but a greater flame more dilated. And Ameſ. Medul. Theol. l. 1. c. 8. theſ. 50. Subtiliſſima illius maſſae parte ſurſum evocata, facta ſuit lux i. e. ignis lucens. That the Sun is of an ignite fiery nature was generally believed amongſt the ancient Philoſophers; particuarly by Thales, Plato, Heraclitus, Anaximenes, Xenophanes, Theophraſtus, Anaximander, Anaxagoras, Philolaus, Empedocles, Democritus, Cleanthes, Zeno, Chryſippus, and others, as we intend to prove in what follows of Plato's Phyſicks, of which ſee more Part 1. B. 3. C. 3. §. 9. And that the Sun, and Fire agree, not only in name, but alſo in nature, I am apt to think, is the more probable conjecture, if we compare their properties, influences, and effects, which are very near akin, if not the ſame. However we have ſufficient ground to conclude this to be the reaſon why theſe Zabii worſhipped the Sun under this Symbol of Fire. Moreover Maimonides tels us that Abraham had his converſation amongſt theſe Zabii. That he lived in the Countrey of Ʋr in Chaldea, the Scripture aſſures us; whence he wanted not opportunitie of communicating Knowledge in theſe and other things, to theſe Chaldeans as before. Batricides attributes the original of the Religion of theſe Zabii to the time of Nahor, which diſagrees not with what has been laid down. I ſhall conclude this with the words of Learned Owen de Ortu Idol. l. 3. c. 4, pag. 187. Sabaiſme conſiſted in the worſhip of the Sun, Moon, and Stars: Helleniſme added the Daemon-worſhip; the adoration of Images [foreign] and pillars [foreign] was common to both: the beginning of Idolatrie was in Sabaiſme or the worſhip of celeſtial bodies.The Sects of the Chaldeans.
§. 7. Beſides the Zabii, there were other Sects of theſe Chaldeans: for ſome were called Orcheni, others Borſippeni. They were alſo diſtinguiſhed by other names, as it often happens among Sects who have different apprehenſions of the ſame things: of which ſee Strabo lib. 16. Amongſt the Chaldeans, who writ in Greek touching Aſtrologie, Beroſus gained the greateſt repute, eſpecially amongſt the Greeks. Of whom Plinie lib. 7. cap. 37. gives this character. Beroſus was famous for Aſtrologie; to whom, for his Divine predictions, the Athenians gave a golden tongue, which was placed publickly in their Schole, as Voſſius de philoſ. ſect. l. 2. c. 1.
The Chaldeans received much light from the Jewiſh Scholes.§. 8. Beſides the advantages, which the Chaldeans had from the firſt Patriarchs, Abraham, &c. without doubt, they received many Scripture Traditions, and much light touching the origine of the Univerſe, &c. from the Jewiſh Doctors, and Scholes, which were ſetled at Babylon, in the time of their Captivitie. That the Jews had Scholes in Babylon, Deodati has well obſerved on Pſal. 137.1. according to the French thus, Being near the Rivers of Babylon] He has regard to certain Townes in Chaldea, mentioned in Hiſtories, which were aſſigned to the captive Jews for their abode, in the which they had their Synagogues, Scholes, and places for the ſervice of God; which were nigh the River Euphrates, &c. thus Deod. To which Stillingfleet orig. ſacr. l. 1. c. 3. addes, that In order to the ſpreading of ſacred Scripture Traditions, the Jewiſh Church, which before the Captivitie was as an encloſed Garden was now thrown open, and many of the plants removed and ſet in forrain Countries, not only in Babylon, where even after their returne were left three famous Scholes of Learning Sora, Pompeditha, and Neharda, &c. By which it is evident what mighty advantages the Chaldeans had from the Jewiſh Church and Scholes for improvement in their Philoſophie, at firſt received from the Patriarchs, Abraham, &c. And indeed whereas it's ſaid that Pythagoras, and Democritus, with others travelled into Chaldee, to acquaint themſelves with the firſt principles of Philoſophie, and that they received much of their Philoſophie from the Chaldeans, why may we not by the Chaldeans underſtand the Jewiſh Church, and Scholes which were then ſetled in Chaldea, and under that Empire.