The Court of the Gentiles Part 2, Book 1 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V. Of the Magi, Gymnoſophiſtae, Druides and other Barbarick Philoſophers.
Of the Perſick Philoſophie preſerved by the Magi, who were inſtituted by Zoroaſter, with the origination of his name, &c. Of the Indian Gymnoſophiſts, both Brachmanes, and Germanes. The Phrygian Philoſophers. The African Philoſophers, both 1 Atlantick or Lybick. 2 Ethiopick. The European Barbarick Philoſophers, 1 In Scythia. 2 In Thracia. 3 In Spain. 4 Britannie, and Gallia, who were called Druides from foreign an Oke; in the Celtick Tongue deru, and in the Brittiſh drew. The Druides firſt in Britannie; thence they tranſlated their Sect and Diſcipline into Gallia. Their Academies, Degrees, Priviledges and Studies. Their Philoſophie Natural, Moral, Medicine, Geographie, Aſtronomie, Magick, Their mode of philoſophizing ſymbolick; which they learned from the Phenicians, with their diſtinctive habits. Their Theologie, touching God, and the Souls immortalitie. Their Eccleſiaſtick Diſcipline, and Worſhip, by human ſacrifices. Their names Taronides, Bard, Euates. Their Oke Religion from Abraham, &c.
§. 1. HAving diſpatched the Jewiſh, Egyptian, Phenician, and Chaldean Philoſophie, we now proceed to the remaining Sects of the Barbarick Philoſophers, both Eaſterne and, Weſterne; and ſhall begin with the Perſians, Of the Perſick Philoſophie.who had a conſiderable repute for their Philoſophie, from whom the Grecians received many things, eſpecially ſuch as referred to their Gods. Thus Porphyrie in the Life of Pythagoras, tels us, that as Pythagoras received his Arithmetick from the Phenicians, his Geometrie from the Egyptians, The chief Philoſophers among the Perſians called Magi.his Aſtrologie from the Chaldeans, ſo alſo what appertained to the worſhip of the Gods, and to other Studies, which regard converſation, he learned from the Magi, or Perſick Philoſophers. So Plinie lib. 34. c. 37. teſtifies, that Democritus had recourſe to them. Laertius tels us that Pyrrhus, the head of the Scepticks, and companion of Anaxarchus, had converſation with them. And Philoſtratus 5. de vita Apollonii informes us, that Apollonius Tyanaeus (that great Magician, who is by the Heathens extolled above Chriſt for his miracles) in his travels into India, made ſome ſtay in Perſia, partly to viſit the King, and partly to conſider their Wiſdom, foreign, ſtudied by their Magi: with whom he converſed twice every day; and being asked his judgement concerning them, he anſwered foreign they are wiſe men, but comprehend not all things. So Voſſius de philoſ. ſect. l. 2. c. 1. §. 7. Theſe Magi were the Interpreters of Human, and Divine Laws; and of ſo great reputation among the Perſians, that as Cicero lib. 3. de Nat. Deor. writes, no one could attain to the Perſian Empire, but he, who had been inſtructed in the Science, and Diſcipline of the Magi; who taught foreign, and inſtructed their Kings in the mode of Government. So Apuleius, Apolog. informes us, that Magick is taught among the chief Regal Affairs; neither was it permitted to any among the Perſians raſhly to undertake the office of a Magus, no more than that of a King. Neither were theſe Magi leſſe prevalent in the Affairs of their Gods. Plato joins both their politick, and ſacred capacitie together, Alcibiad. 1, foreign [ſc. foreign] foreign Magick is a Miniſterie of the Gods: it teacheth alſo things that appertain to the Regal Office. Lucian de Longaevis, ſaies foreign foreign, &c. Apollonius Tyanaeus Epiſt ad Euphrat. ſaies, foreign, The Magus is a Miniſter of the Gods; which Porphyrie interprets, foreign, wiſe about ſacreds, and miniſtring in the ſame. To which agrees that of Laertius lib. 1. foreign, &c. Among the Perſians the Magi, were Authors of Philoſophie, who imployed themſelves about the worſhip of the Gods. The like Suidas, who cals theſe Magi foreign.The Magi inſtituted by Soroaſter had many rites from the Zabii and Chaldeans.
§. 2. That the Magi were the Authors, and Preſervers of the Perſick Philoſophie, is affirmed by Ariſtotle foreign, and Sotion in his books foreign. As Laertius. Theſe Magi are ſaid to be inſtituted by Zoroaſter. So Lud. Vives in Aug. civit. l. 8. c. 9. Thus Hornius Hiſtor. philoſ. lib. 2. c. 6. Zoroaſter therefore was the firſt moſt illuſtrious Doctor of Magie in Perſia: neither did he deliver this Art by oral Tradition only, but alſo in large Writings, according to Plinie, and Ariſtotle. For he writ concerning it an hundred thouſand Verſes; which Hermippus is ſaid to illuſtrate by his Commentaries. There are yet extant certain, Geek Poems, which paſſe under the Inſcription of Zoroaster's Chaldaick foreign, and are not unlike to Theognes's Sentences, yea in many things they reſemble much the Sacred Scriptures. But Beza, Magia ſine dubio orta in Perſide a Soroaſtre Plin. hiſt. lib. 3. cap. 8.and others juſtly ſuſpect that theſe are but the ſpurious Comments of ſome Semi-Chriſtian. Concerning the origination of Zoroaſter's name, there are various opinions, but none more probable than that of Learned Bochart, who derives the name from foreign contemplari and foreign Aſtrum, q. d. foreign, for which Dinon in Perſicis cals him foreign. This Soroaſter, who is reputed the Founder of the Perſick Philoſophie, and Worſhip, was indeed but the Promoter of it: for the main of the Perſian Rites and Wiſdom, wherein their Magi were inſtructed,Salmaſius Magos dictos vult a Zoroaſtre, cui cognomen Mog fuerit, unde Magus factum Hornius philoſ. lib. 2. c. 3. were traduced from the Zabii, or Chaldean Philoſophers, with whom they agreed in the chief points of their Idolatrie, viz. in the worſhip of the Sun by Images, and kiſſing their hand, as Job 31.26, 27. alſo in their foreign or hearths, where they preſerved their eternal fire, the Symbol of the Sun, Lev. 26, 30. as before chap 4. §. 6. So Stillingfleet orig. ſacr. book 1. c. 3.Plutarchu de Iſid. tradit Zoroaſtrem apud Chaldaeos Magos inſtituiſſe, quorum imitatione etiam Perſae ſuos habuerint. Horn. l. 2. c. 5. Hence probably the Rites of the Zabii are the ſame with thoſe of the Chaldeans and Perſians, who all agreed in this worſhip of the Sun, and of Fire, &c. Neither had the Perſians only their Magi, but alſo the Medes, Voſſius de philo. ſect. l. 2. c. 1.Parthians, and other neighbor Nations; as Lucian de Longaevis, and Plinie cals the Arabian wiſe men Magi. One chief Philoſopher amongſt the Perſians was Ochus the Phenician, who, as we may preſume, inſtructed them in the Phenician, and ſo in the Jewiſh Wiſdom. See Suidas in foreign.
Of the Indian Philoſophers viz. the Gymnoſophiſts, Germanes, and Brachmanes ſo called from Manes.§. 3. Auſtin, de civ. l. 8. c. 9. makes mention of the Indian Philoſophers, and Lud. Vives on that place addes thus, The Indians had their Philoſophers, whom they called the Brachmanes, of whoſe Life, and inſtitutes Philostratus, in the Life of Apollonius, has given us many things, as Strabo, and ſuch, who have written of the things done by Alexander. So Apuleius Florid. 15. The Brachmanes are the Wiſe men among the Indians. And Bardiſanes Syrus in Euſeb. lib. 6. praepar. Evang. cap. 8. gives us a more full account of them thus: Among the Indians, and Bactrians there are many thouſand of men called Brachmanes· Theſe, as well from the Tradition of their Fathers, as from Laws, neither worſhip Images, nor eat what is animate: they never drink Wine, or Beer: they are far from all Malignitie, attending wholly on God. Theſe Brachmanes ſome derive from foreign Barac, Horn. Hiſt. phil. l. 2. c. 9.he praiſed, or worſhipped: Others make the name to be compounded of foreign ab rec the Father of the young King, as Onk…los and Rabbi Judas. Some of the Ancients make ſeveral Sects, or Societies of theſe Indian Philoſophers, namely the Brachmanes, Gymnoſophiſtae, Samanaei and Calani. The chief of the Brachmanes, and Samanaei is by Philoſtratus lib. 3. de vita Apollon. Tyan. called Iarcha. The Head of the Gymnoſophists is, by Hieronymus, contra Jovin. named Buddas. But Voſſius de philoſ. ſectis l. 2. c. 1. tels us that the common Appellative of theſe Indian Philoſophers was Gymnoſophiſts, as Ariſtotle foreign, and Sotion in libris foreign according to Laertius; as alſo Strabo, Clemens, Apul…ius, Indi nihil antiquius habuerunt, quam ſapientiae, neglectis caeleris rebus, operam dare Hornius Hiſt. philoſ. l. 2. c. 9.Solinus, &c. Theſe Indian Gymnoſophiſts were of two ſorts ſome were called Brachmanes, as before, others Germanes. And amongſt the Germanes ſome were called Hylobii, becauſe they lived in Woods, for that's the import of the Greek word foreign. To theſe the name Gymnoſophiſts properly belonged. See Strabo l. 15. and Clemens foreign 1. Amongſt the Brachmanes there was one named Buddas Preceptor to Manes the Perſian, who was the Founder of this Sect, as Suidas, &c. Theſe Brachmanes held a foreign and foreign or Tranſmigration of Souls into Beaſts, The Brachmaneseſpecially into Oxen. They held alſo the worlds Creation by God, and his Providence in governing of it. So Strabo lib. 15. of theſe Brachmanes ſaith foreign, &c. They agree with the Grecians in many things viz. touching the worlds production, and deſtruction, and that God is the Creator and Governer of it: which opinions of theirs, Owen queſtions not, but they had, by ancient Tradition, from the Church of God. Owen Theol. l. 1. c. 8. Hence, as we juſtly conjecture, from this cognation 'twixt theſe Indian Philoſophers, and the Jews in ſome Divine Dogmes, ſprang that miſtake of Clearchus the Peripatetick, and Megaſthenes, who thought the Brachmanes and Calani to be the ſame with the Jews. Of which ſee Euſeb. l. 9. praep. c. 3. Amongſt the Greeks, who reſorted to theſe Indian Philoſophers, we may reckon Democritus, ſo Aelian lib. 4. Var. Histor. and Laert. Alſo Pyrrho the Head of the Scepticks is ſaid to have converſation with the Gymnoſophiſts in Indiae as Laertius. Apollonius Tyanaeus, that great Pagan Antichriſt, is ſaid to have ſpent much converſation among theſe Indian Philoſophers. Euſebius contra Hieroclem l. 5. brings him in thus characterizing of them: The Indians, contracting Philoſophie for the greateſt advantage, comprehend it in the Divine and ſublime Nature. Theſe truly I have greatly admired, and eſteem them bleſſed, and wiſe. By which it appears that their Philoſophie was moſtly Theologick. Apulcius Florid. l. 5. ſaies, that the Philoſophie of the Brachmanes was compoſed of many ſeverals: viz. what were the documents of Souls, what the exercitaments of Bodies, what the parts of the Mind, what the turnes of Life, and what were the Torments, and Rewards, which the Gods appointed to all, according to their Merits.
§. 4. Amongſt the Aſiatick Philoſophers we might reckon the Phrygians, The Phrygians.who had alſo their Philoſophie, which had been better known to us, if Democritus's foreign which Laertius makes mention of lib. 9. were extant. Concerning their Theologie ſee Diodorus Siculus, and Euſebius: ſo Voſſius.
§. 5. We now proceed to the African Philoſophie;The African Philoſophers. 1. Atlantick Philoſophers. and paſſing by the Egyptian, of which we have already treated, we ſhall begin 1. with the Atlantick or Lybick Philoſophers, of which Lud. Vives, in Auguſt. civ. l. 8. c. 9. thus ſpeaks; The Atlanticks inhabit the places in Africa bordering on the Ocean, whoſe ancient King was Atlas, the brother of Saturne, and ſon of the Heaven, who being a great Aſtronomer (whence he was ſaid to bear up the Heavens) taught his ſon Heſperus, and others of his kindred, and people, the ſame Art: from whom this Science of Aſtronomie crept into the inner Lybia; where alſo Hercules philoſophized. By which it ſeems moſt probable that the Atlanticks, and Lybicks received their Philoſophie from the Phenicians; for Hercules, as its well known, was a Phenician; and ſo, I doubt not, was Atlas. Alſo Laertius, in his Preface makes mention of Atlas the Lybian, amongſt the ancient Philoſophers. And Diodor. Siculus l. 4. reckons up ſome fables concerning the Gods, which theſe Atlantick Philoſophers held. Atlas is ſaid to bring Aſtronomie out of Lybia into Greece, whereof Orion is ſaid to be the firſt Author in Baeotia, whence the Star Orion received its name: ſo Carion. Chron. lib. 2. But Bochart makes Atlas the ſame with Enoch as before chap. 1. §.7. V…ſſius tels us (de philoſ. ſect. l. 2. c. 2.) That the Lybick Philoſophie came from Atlas, eſpecially Aſtrologie, whence Atlas is ſaid to hold up Heaven with his ſhoulders, and the mountain called Atlas received its name from him, &c. Plin. l. 7. c. 56,
2▪ Ethiopick Philoſophers.2. The Ethiopians alſo had their Philoſophers called Gymnoſophiſts, ſo Jerom l. 4. in Ezech. cap. 13. makes mention of theſe Ethiopian Gymnoſophiſts, who received both their Name, and Philoſophie from India, as Philoſtratus in the Life of Apollonius lib. 6. Touching the Ethiopick Philoſophie, and its Traduction from the Moſaick, we have this particular account in Hornius, Hiſtor. Philoſoph. lib. 2. c. 8. Touching the Philoſophie of the Ethiopians, little is mentioned by Antiquitie; and what has been mentioned, is well nigh all loſt, by the iniquitie of the times. But this is certain, that they received all their Divine, & Human Dogmes from the Egyptians. Whence their very names were confuſed. For the Romans called the Ethiopians Egyptians; becauſe indeed they deſcended from Egypt. Moreover there is no doubt to be made of it, but that they drew ſomewhat of more ſound Wiſdom from Moſes.
European Philoſophers.§. 6. Amongſt the European Barbarick Philoſophers we ſhall firſt mention the Scythians (who according to their ancient bounds lay partly in Aſia, partly in Europe) of whom Auguſt. Civit. l. 8. c. 9. makes mention, and Lud Vives on that place ſpeaks thus. The Scythians in times paſt philoſophized and contended with the Egyptians touching their Antiquitie. The Scythians.They are a people ſtout, ſimple, and juſt, ignorant of vice, and malice, and got that by their natural ingenie, which the Grecians could not attain unto by all their magnifick and illuſtrious Sciences: ſee Juſtin l. 2.
Thracian Philoſophie.§. 7. But we paſſe on to the Thracians, who had anciently a great repute for Philoſophie, which ſome think, they owed to Zamolxis a Thracian (whom ſome make the ſervant of Pythagoras) but others derive their Philoſophie from the Grecians, as Laertius lib. 8. What the Philoſophie of the Thracians was, may be known by the Doctrine of Orpheus, who was a Thracian. Many Anciently writ foreign, or Poems according to the Doctrine of Orpheus, of which ſee Suidas in Orpheus's Philoſophie (delivered in Poeſie) which was chiefly Moral, and Theologick; for by his Muſick, and Rhetorick, he had ſo great a power on the Thracians, to civilize them, as that he was ſaid to have drawn Trees and Beaſts. Juſtin Martyr cals him, foreign, the firſt maſter of Polytheiſme, or multiplicitie of Gods; which he brought from Egypt, with many ſuperſtitious Ceremonies and Ʋſages, and ſet them up amongſt the Thracians, and Macedonians, &c. ſee more in our relation of Orpheus Part 1. B 3. C. 1. §. 5.
§. 8. But to come to our Weſterne Philoſophers;Spaniſh Philoſophie. and firſtly the Spaniards; of whom Auſt de Civ. Dei l. 8. c 9. makes mention; and Lud. Vives on him ſpeaks thus. In Spain, before the veins of Gold and Silver were found out, and Wars begun, there were many Philoſophers; and the people lived holy and quiet lives, being every where governed by ſuch Magiſtrates, as were men moſt excellent for Learning and Probitie: Their affairs were tranſacted according to Juſtice, and Equitie, not by the number of Laws: and if any were written, 'twas principally amongſt the Turdetans, in the moſt ancient times. There were ſcarce any quarrels or controverſies amongſt the people: and all the diſputes were touching Emulation of Virtue, the nature of the Gods, the reaſon of Nature (or Natural Philoſophie) of good manners (or Morals) which their Learned men, on ſtated daies, publickly diſputed of, the women alſo being preſent. But when the mountains, bigge with metals, brought forth Gold, and Silver, men began to admire this new matter. Hence the Phenicians, who ſailed far and near, for lucre ſake, traded here, and drew multitudes of men, from Aſia and Greece hither, who taught us the Grecian, and Aſiatick Vices: there remain yet ſome few fragments of our Antiquities in Greek and Latin, whence I hope in time to illuſtrate the Origine of my Nation. Thus Lud. Vives. That the Phenicians brought into Spain, with their Colonies, not only the Phenician Letters, but alſo Sciences, and Philoſophie, we have reaſon to believe by what has been before aſſerted out of Bochart, &c. Part 1. B. 1. C. 5.
Of the Druides.§. 9 We ſhall conclude this Diſcourſe of Barbarick Philoſophie with that in uſe among the old Britains, and Gauls, whoſe Philoſophers are by Hornius Hiſt. philoſ. l. 2. c. 12.Primus Romanorum J. Caeſar Druidun Ritus, Leges, Philoſophiam mandavit Scriptis. Selden. Jani Anglor. p. 16. reduced to two Sects, the Bardi, and Druides. The Bardi were an inferior ſort of Philoſophers, and for the moſt part Poets, according to that of Lucan. l. 1. Plurima ſecuri fudiſti carmina Bardi! Who notwithſtanding, as the ancient Greek Poets, arrogated to themſelves no ſmal reputation for Wiſdom. But the Druides were accounted the more worthy, yea almoſt Divine Philoſophers, and obtained no ſmall Autoritie among the people. Theſe Druides, who in ancient times philoſophized amongſt the old Britans and Gauls, and were indeed a peculiar and diſtinct Sect of Philoſophers, differing from all the world beſides, both in their mode of philoſophizing, as alſo in their Religious Rites, Of the Phenicians trading with the Britains and Gauls, ſee part 1. book. 1. chap. 7.and Myſteries: yet we may not doubt, but that they received much of their Philoſophie, as well as Theologie from the Ph…nicians, who traded amongſt them, as before. As for the name Druides, Plinie l. 16. c. 44. deduceth it foreign, from an Oke: For, ſaith he,The Druides ſo called from foreign an Oke, thence deru and drew. the Druides have nothing more ſacred than an Oke. Even now, they of themſelves choſe groves of Okes; neither do they performe any Sacreds, without that leaf; ſo that hence they ſeem to be called, according to the Greek interpretation, Druides. Bochart (Canaan lib. 4. c. 42.) aſſents to this Origination of Plinie; to which he addes Neither is it to be wondred that the Druides were ſo called from this Greek name, when as an Oke amongſt the Celtae, was called Deru. The Britains in England write drew (ſo Drewſtenton in Devon) and our Countrey men deru. That Drewſtenton, and names of like ſound, came from theſe Druides, 'tis not without probabilitie Voſſius de Orig. & Progr. Idolotr. l. 1. c. 35. thinks that the name Druides ought rather to be fetcht from the Celtick name deru. So Dickinſ…n. Druidum origo p. 35. I aſſent moſt to them who fetch the Druides from the Celtick name Deru, i. e. an Oke; which the Cambro-Britains or Welch to this day call Drew. And I am ſo far from believing that the Druides were ſo called at firſt from foreign, that I rather think foreign was formed out of the Celtick deru.
The Druides firſt in Britannie.§. 10. This Sect of the Druides began firſt in our Countrey of Britannie; and hence it was tranſlated into Gallia. Thus Caeſar de Bello Gall. lib. 6. Their Diſcipline, ſaies he, was firſt found out in Britannie, and thence tranſlated into Gallia, according to the common opinion. The like Bochart acknowledgeth. Can. l. 1. c. 42. Theſe Druides inſtituted their Academies, for the promoting of Learning, in Groves;Their Academies and privileges. in which tbey had their Scholes filled with ſtudious youth; ſo Caeſar, alſo Mela l. 3. c. 11. They ſpent twenty years, before they were admitted to the degree of Doctor. That which allured them to ſtudie,Their Degrees. Druides à bello abeſſe conſueverunt, ne que tributa unà cum reliquis pendunt, mi…itiae vacationem, omnium que rer…m habent, immunitatem. Caeſar l. 6. Selden Jan. Ang. l. 1. was the many privileges of their Students, and the great Authoritie their ancient Doctors obtained. So Caeſar lib. 6. tels us, that the Druides were exempted from War, and paying Tribute. The which privileges are ſtill continued in our Ʋniverſities. As for the method of their Studies, the ſame Caeſar tels us, they were wont to get by heart a great number of verſes. They affected various, and almoſt all kinds of Philoſophie. Strabo l, 4. relates, that, beſides the Science of natural cauſes, they were alſo exerciſed in Moral Philoſophie. And Plinie lib. 3. c. 1. makes them to be skilled in Medicine, and Magick. Touching their Skill in Moral Philoſophie or Ethicks, Diogenes Laertius, in the Proeme to his Book, gives us this account; foreign·Their skill in the chiefeſt parts of Philoſophie natural, Moral, Medicine, Magick. Their ſymbolick mode of philoſophizing from the Phenicians and Jews. And they ſay the Druides were wont to philoſophize enigmatically, that the Gods were to be worſhipped, that no evil was to be done, that fortitude was to be embraced. By which alſo we learn, that the mode, or manner of their philoſophizing was ſymbolick, or enigmatick; which, we need no way doubt, they learned from the Phenicians (as theſe had it from the Jews). Hence their famous ſymbolick Image of Hercules Ogmius, who was a Phenician, as Bochart proves at large Can. l. 1. c. 42. The Gauls, ſaies he, called Hercules Ogmius, as Lucian in Hercul. foreign Ogmion, that is, foreign agemion, a ſtranger, ſo in the Arabick: Namely becauſe Hercules came from Phaenicia, or Africa, or the Gades, and after his many and great Labours arrived amongſt the Gauls; thence his picture in Lucian Hercul. foreign &c. a decrepit bald old man, Gray, and wrinkled, as old Mariners, &c. Farther,Their skill in Geographie, Aſtronomie, &c. that theſe Druides were skilled in Geographie, Aſtronomie, and Natural Philoſophie, we have the teſtimonies both of Caeſar, and Mela. Caeſar Comment l. 6. ſpeaks thus of them: They diſpute, and teach their Scholars many things touching the Stars, and their motion; alſo concerning the Magnitude of the Ʋniverſe, the nature of things, the force, and power of the Immortal Gods. Mela lib. 3, cap. 2. ſaies, that the Gauls have their Maſters of Eloquence, and Wiſdom from the Druides. Theſe profeſſe they know the magnitude, and forme of the earth, and world▪ they teach many Noble perſons of their Nation privately. One thing which they commonly teach is, that Souls are eternal.
Their diſtinctive babits.As for their habit, it was (as in our Univerſities) diſtinctive and peculiar, thereby to gain the veneration of the people. In their ſacred Offices they uſed a white Veſtment (anſwerable to the Jewiſh Ephod) as we are informed by Plinie lib. 6 cap. ultimo. Their Rhetorick.They alſo gave themſelves to the ſtudie of Eloquence▪ ſo M…la l. 3. as before. Caeſar addes farther concerning theſe Druides, That they learnt by heart a great number of Verſes: Therefore ſome of them continued twenty years in ſtudie. Neither did they conceive it meet, to commit their ſtudies to writing, whereas in other affairs, both publick, and private, they uſed the Greek Letters.
Their Theologie, the Souls immortality.§. 11. But theſe Druides had a ſpecial vogue for their Theologie, wherein they taught many things peculiar, and ſome things excellent, as Owen Theol l. 3. c. 11. particularly they aſſerted the immortaltie of the Soul ▪ Caeſar l. 6. dogma boc iis tribuit: non interire animas, ſed ab aliis poſt mortem tranſire ad alios, hinc animoſi in praeliis Luc. lib. 1. Voſſius de philoſ. ſect. lib. 2. cap. 3. §. 7. Their Eccleſiaſtick dignities, power and diſcipline.ſo Strabo foreign: the like Caeſar. The Druides held alſo a Metempſychoſis, or Tranſmigration of Souls, which ſome conceive they received from the Pythogoreans, as theſe derived it from the Jews, as Selden Jan. Anglor. l. 1. p. 22. Strabo alſo tels us, that they held the World ſhould be at laſt deſtroyed by Fire: which, without doubt, they had from ſome Jewiſh or Phenician Tradition. They taught alſo that one God was to be worſhipped, as Origen on Ezech. 4. This one God was the Sun; to whom the Moon was added, which was worſhipped by the Women.
§. 12. As for their Eccleſiaſtick Diſcipline; they being many, reduced themſelves unto a Hierarchie, under one Preſident, who ruled them all. So Caeſar, and out of him Selden Jani Anglorum l. 1. p. 18. The Druides have one preſiding over them, who holds the ſupreme Autoritie amongſt them. This being dead, he that excels moſt, ſucceeds in his Dignitie; but if there be many equal, they chooſe by ſuffrage. And to ſtrengthen this their Imperial Autoritie, they made uſe of a politick religious excommunication, as Caeſar, and Grotius, de Imper. ſumm. p…teſt. of excommunication. Thus Selden, Jani Angl. p. 17. (out of Caeſar) If any private perſon or people amongſt them▪ ſubmit not to their Decree, they excommunicate him from their Sacrifices. This is amongſt them the higehſt puniſhment. They, who are thus interdicted, are eſteemed in the number of the moſt impious, and wicked; all ſeparate from them, they avoid any converſation, or diſcourſe with them, leſt they ſhould receive dammage from their Contagion. Neither is the Law open for ſuch, neither is any Honor given to them. The ſame Caeſar tels us, that they had ſo much Autoritie amongſt the people, that they determined almoſt all controverſies, both publick and private. So Selden Jan. Angl. lib. 1. They determine all controverſies, both publick and private. If there be any crime committed, if any murder done, if there be any controverſie about inheritance, or bounds, the ſame decree, and conſtitute rewards and puniſhments. Hence we may gather whence the myſterie of iniquitie gathered much of its power.
§. 13. As to Rites and Worſhip, Their worſhip and ſacrifices.the main Sacrifices of the Druides was foreign Human Sacrifice: whereof there were 2 ſorts, the one private; when any ſacrificed himſelf, or another,Vtut ſe …eshabet, conſtat hinc liquido vetuſtiſſimos inter Gentium Philoſophos, antiquiſſimos inter corum LL. Custodes ſuiſſe Druidas. Seld. Jani! Anglor. p. 22. A brief account of the Druides their Philoſophie. for ſome others ſafety: the other publick, not unlike that which the Phenicians offered to their Molec; from whom, we have reaſon enough to perſuade us, theſe Druides received this, as other Rites. By reaſon of theſe cruel inhuman human Sacrifices the Romans endeavored, though in vain, to take away all their ſuperſtitious worſhip; as Strabo de Gallis lib 4. Owen Theol. l. 3. c. 11. We have a good, though brief account of theſe Druides in Lud. Vives on Auguſt. Civ. l. 8. c. 9. There were, ſaies he, amongſt the Gauls, the Druides, as Caeſar l. 8, who were Prieſts, Poets, Philoſophers, and Divines; whom they called Saronides, as Diodorus l. 6. They had alſo their Diviners, to whom the people referred their affairs. Neither was there any Sacrifice performed without a Philoſopher, i. e. one skilled in the Divine Nature: by whoſe advice all things, at home and abroad, were adminiſtred. That the Druides were Philoſophers, Strabo l. 4. relates. That the Saronides were the ſame with the Druides Bochart (Can. l. 1. c. 42.They were called Saronides from foreign an Oke.) proves out of Diodorus l. 5. Theſe Philoſophers, and Divines, ſaith he, were in great veneration amongſt them, foreign whom they call Saronides: which name has the ſame origination with that of the Druides, namely from an Oke; which anciently was by the Greeks called foreign or foreign. Thus Plinie lib. 4: c. 5. And Heſychius cals foreign Okes having an hiatus, by reaſon of their antiquitie. So Callimachus in his hymne on Jupiter, foreign,…numeras quercus liquidus producit Jaon Deſuper. The Bardi, Euates, and Druides. where the Scholiaſt renders foreign i. e. Okes. Caeſar l. 6. comprehends all the wiſe men of the Gauls under the name of Druides: ſo Cicero 1. de Divinatione. But Strabo divides them into 3 ſorts, foreign, the Bardi, the Euates, and the Druides: the Bardi, addes he, were Singers, and Poets: the Euates, Prieſts, and Phyſiologiſts: the Druides (eſpecially ſo called) to Phyſiologie added Moral Philoſophie. The like Marcellinus lib. 15. as Voſſius de Philoſ. ſect. l. 2. c. 3. §. 6.
The Okes of Mamre the original Idea of the Druides Oke religion.§. 14. Now that the Druides derived much of their Philoſophie from the Moſaick Historie is farther evidenced from that of Learned Dickinſon, Druidum Origo (at the end of his Delphi Pheniciz.) pag. 36. Farther, thou mayeſt demand whence this Oke Religion (of the Druides) ſprang? namely from the Okes of Mamre: under which, in times paſt, thoſe holy men (in whoſe hands the adminiſtration of Divine Service and Worſhip was) lived moſt devoutly: the ſhadow of which Okes afforded an houſe to Abraham, and a Temple to God. This I ſucked from the Dugs of Truth, namely from the ſacred Scriptures▪ Abraham dwelt (ſaith the Hagiographer Gen 13.18.Gen. 13.18.) foreign in, or (as the Arabick has it) among the Okes of Mamre. Which the Lxx renders foreign,Gen. 14.13. and ch. 18. foreign. Under which Oke he fixed his Tabernacle, erected an Altar, and offered to the Lord Calves, Goats, Rams, and other Sacrifices of like kind;Gen. 15.9. and performed all Sacerdotal Offices. Yea under this tree he entertained God himſelf, Ad ſacros Druidum Ritus, & doctrinam quae ulterius attinent, praeter Caeſarem, Strabo, Plinius. Diodorus Siculus, Lucanus, Pomponius Mela, Ammianus Marcellinus; Heurnius in Barbariae Philoſophioe Antiquitatibus, alii ſatis explicate tradiderunt. Selden Jani Anglor. l. 1.together with Angels. He here had conference with God, and entred into covenant with him, and was bleſſed of him. Theſe are indeed admirable praeconia of Okes. Lo the Oke Prieſts! Lo the Patriarchs of the Druides! For from theſe ſprang the Sect of the Druides, which reached up at leaſt, as high as Abraham's time (for they report that the Druides Colleges flouriſhed in the time of Hermio, who was King of the Germans, immediately after the death of Abraham). For becauſe this holy man and Prieſt, Abraham lived under Okes, and enjoyed God for his companion, performing worſhip to him, our Divines (the Druides) from this ſo famous example, choſe Groves of Okes for their Religious Services, &c. See more of the Druides, their Doctrine, and Rites, Caeſar Com. l. 6. Strabo l. 4. Diodor. l. 5. Owen Theol. l. 3. c. 11.