The Court of the Gentiles Part 2, Book 2 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. The Traduction of the Grecian Philoſophie from the Patriarchs and Jewiſh Church proved by Univerſal Conſent.
The Grecian Philoſophers recourſe to Egypt, and Phaenicia. That the Grecian Philoſophie was originally traduced from the Jewiſh Church, and Scriptures, is proved by Teſtimonies. 1. Of Heathens, and Grecians themſelves, Plato, Numenius, Hermippus. 2. Of Jews, Ariſtobulus, Joſephus. 3. Of the Fathers, Tertullian, Juſtin Martyr, Minucius Foelix, Clemens Alexandrinus, Euſebius, Theodoret; as alſo Joh: Grammaticus. 4. Moderne Papiſts, Steuchus, Eugubinus, Juſtinianus on Joh. 1.1. 5. Forreign Proteſtant Divines, and learned men, Serranus, Julius and Joſeph Scaliger, Voſſius, Heinſius, Hornius, Bochart, Grotius, Diodate. 6. The Testimonies of Engliſh Writers, Jackſon, Uſher, Richardſon, Preſton, Sir Walter Raghley, Owen, Hammond, Stillingfleet, Mede, Cudworth, Selden, Dickinſon, &c.
§. 1. HAving finiſhed our Diſcourſe of Barbarick Philoſophie, The Grecian Philoſophers recourſe to Egypt and Phoenicia.and Philoſophers, we now proceed to the Grecian; which owes its original to the former. So much Plato in his Cratylus (and elſe where) acknowledgeth, that they received their Learning from the Barbarians, and Ancients▪ who lived near the Gods, &c: ſo Clemens Alexandr: lib. 1. ſaies, that Philoſophie, a thing variouſly uſeful, in times paſt ſhined from Nation to Nation amongſt the Barbarians; whence afterward it came into Greece. What theſe Barbarick Nations were, from whom the Grecians received their Philoſophie, has been already B. 1. Ch. 4. §. 1. demonſtrated: and it will be farther evident by what follows in the enumeration of particulars; how Thales had recourſe to Egypt, and Phaenicia for his Philoſophie, Ph…recydes to Phaenicia for his; Pythagoras to Phaenicia, Egypt, and Chaldea for his; Socrates and his Scholar Plato, traduced theirs from Egypt, and Phaenicia: Solon his Laws from Egypt, and Zeno his Morals from Phaenicia: As Democritus, and Epicurus their Atomes from Mochus: And Ariſtotle his Natural Philoſophie of the firſt principles, matter, forme, and privation, &c. from Sanchoniathon's Hiſtorie of the Creation: of each whereof in its reſpective place. At preſent, we ſhall only endeavor ſome general demonſtration, that the Grecians traduced the chiefeſt part, if not the whole of their Philoſophie originally from the Scriptures, either by perſonal converſation with the Jews, or Traditions from them; which they gleaned up in Egypt, Phaenicia, and Chaldea, &c.
That the Grecian Philoſophie was derived from the Jews.§. 2. That the Egyptians, Phenicians, and Chaldeans received their Philoſophie from the Jewiſh Church and Scriptures; we have, in the former Book, endeavoured to prove, both as to the foreign, and foreign: which might ſuffice to make good our poſition, on this ſuppoſition (which is univerſally granted,The Teſtimonie of Heathen Grecian Philoſophers Plato, &c. and ſhall be hereafter proved) that the Grecians received their Philoſophie from theſe aforementioned Egyptians, Phenicians, and Chaldeans. But to make our demonſtration more valid, we ſhall give ſome more immediate (though at preſent only general and inartificial) proofs, that the Grecian Philoſophie was traduced from the Jewiſh Church and Scriptures. And we ſhall begin with the Teſtimonies of the Grecian Philoſophers themſelves, Plato, with others. Plato in his Gratylus tels us plainly, that they (the Grecians) received their Learning from the Barbarians, who were more ancient than themſelves. Theſe Barbarians, Clemens Alexandrinus, Juſtin Martyr, Epiphanius, Nicephorus, and Serranus underſtand to be the Jews (as before) whoſe name Plato conceled, thereby to avoid the envy of the people (who were profeſſed enemies of the Jews, and their Religion) as alſo to gain the more credit to himſelf. But Plato, in his Philebus, ſpeaks more plainly to this purpoſe, acknowledging, that the report or tradition he had received of the Ʋnitie of God, as to his Eſſence, and pluralitie of perſons, and Decrees, was from the Ancients, who dwelt nearer the Gods, and were better than they (the Grecians). Who certainly could be no other than the Patriarchs, and Jewiſh Church, from whom all thoſe Traditions, touching the Ʋnitie of God, and Pluralitie of perſons, and Decrees, were traduced. Whence alſo Plato acknowledgeth, that the beſt, and ſureſt courſe to prove the immortalitie of the Soul was by ſome Divine Word foreign, as in his Phaedo. The like he acknowledgeth elſewhere, that he received his knowledge of, foreign or providence governing the World, from the wiſe, i. e. as 'tis conceived, the Jews. And Serranus, in his Preface to Plato does confidently affirme, that Plato received his ſymbolick Philoſophie from the Jews, i. e. from the Doctrine of Moſes, and the Prophets; as all the learned, and ancient Chriſtian Doctors have judged; though he induſtriouſly avoided the naming of the Jews, which was odious. We have alſo the Teſtimonies of other Pagan Philoſophers concurring herein; as that famous ſaying of Numenius the Pythagorean, Numenius.what is Plato, but Moſes Atticizing? Alſo that of Hermippus, Hermippus,a moſt diligent, and ancient Writer of Pythagoras's Life, who plainly affirmes (as Joſephus contra Ap. lib. 1.) that Pythagoras tranſlated many things out of the Jewiſh Inſtitutes, into his own Philoſophie. So Aristotle, in his Books of Politicks, makes mention of many things taken out of the ancient Lawgivers, which exactly ſuit with Moſes's Laws, as Cunaeus obſerves. Thus Diogenes Laertius in his Proeme to the Lives of the Philoſophers begins with theſe words foreign. Some affirme that Philoſophie had its origine from the Barbarians. That by the Barbarians muſt be underſtood (incluſively, if not excluſively) the Jews, is affirmed by Juſtin Martyr, Clemens Alexandrinus, Epiphanius, and others, as in what immediately precedes §. 2. Thus Steuchus Eugubinus de peren. Philoſoph. l. 1. c. 12. whence it is manifeſt that the Philoſophers thought, and ſpake thoſe things, which they had learned from the Barbarians. The firſt Barbarians were the Chaldeans, Egyptians, and, whom we ought to place in the firſt rank, the Hebrews.
§. 3. We may adde hereto the Teſtimonies of Jews;Teſtimonies of Jews. Ariſtobulus. as that of Ariſtobulus, the Egyptian Jew, affirming, that Pythagoras tranſlated many of his opinions out of the Jewiſh Diſcipline. The like he affirmes of Plato, as Euſeb praep. Evang. l. 9. c. 6. and Clemens Alexand. Strom. 1. who alſo Strom. 5. ſaies, that Ariſtobulus affirmed the ſame of the Peripatetick Philoſophie, viz. that it depended on Moſes's Law, and other of the Prophets. Joſephus l. 1 contra Apion. ſaies of Pythagoras, Joſephus.that he did not only underſtand the Jewiſh Diſcipline, but alſo embraced many things therein; Whence he gives this character of him, out of Hermippus, who writ his life, foreign he was an Imitator of the Jewiſh Opinions. So the ſame Joſephus Antiq. l. 11. c. 2. brings in Demetrius Phalereus, commending the Law of Moſes, and giving this reaſon, why their Heathen Poets, and Hiſtorians made no mention of this Law; becauſe (ſaith he) it being holy, ought not to be delivered by a profane mouth. Its true the Jews mixed with theſe their relations many ſigments, yet this notwithſtanding is ſufficiently manifeſt hence, that they had a ſtrong and fixed perſuaſion, that the Grecanick Philoſophie was traduced from them and their Sacred Oracles; as Learned Selden has obſerved de Jure Nat. Hebrae. lib. 1. c. 2.
Teſtimonies of the Fathers.§. 4. If we conſult the Memoires of Chriſtians, both Ancient, and Moderne, we ſhall find abundant Teſtimonies conſpiring to make good this Aſſertion, that the Grecians traduced their Philoſophie from the Scriptures and Jewiſh Church. Amongſt the Ancients we have Tertullian Apol. c. 17.Tertullian. who of the Poets, ſaies he, who of the Sophiſts was there, who did not drink of the Prophets fountain? Hence therefore the Philoſophers quenched the thirſt of their ingenie. Thus Juſtin Martyr in his Paraeneſis to the Greeks, ſheweth, how Orpheus, Pythagoras, Clement Alexand. De quo argumento praeter Euſebium, prolixe agunt priſci patres, Cl. Alexand. paſſim, imprimis lib. 1 & 5. Strom. Theophilus lib. ad Autolycum. Tatia…. foreign &c. Hornius Hiſt. philoſ. l. 2. c. 2.Plato, Homer, &c. borrowed many things from Moſes: and he does induſtriouſly prove the Noveltie of the Grecian Philoſophie, out of Polemo, Apion, Ptolemaeus Mendiſius, Philocrates, and others. So Minucius in Octavius: The Philoſophers, ſaies he, have imitated ſome ſhadow of interpolated Truth from the Divine predictions of the Prophets. So Clemens Alexandrinus, in his exhortation to the Gentiles, ſpeaks thus: O Plato what ever good Laws are afforded thee of God, &c. thou hadſt from the Hebrews; and elſe where Strom. 1. he cals Plato the Philoſopher, who derived what he had from the Hebrews, and he ſpeaks this univerſally of the Philoſophers, that before the coming of Chriſt, the Philoſophers took part of the truth from the Hebrew Prophets, though they acknowledged not the ſame, but attributed it to themſelves as their ſentiments or opinions; and thence ſome things they adulterated; and other things they did by a needles diligence unlearnedly, yet as ſeeming wiſe, declare; but other things they invented. Thus Clemens. Euſebius tels us,Euſebius. that Pythagoras, and Plato tranſlated the Learning of the Jews, and Egyptians into Greek. The like Euſeb. praepar. l. 9. c. 1. The moſt Illuſtrious of the Greeks, were not altogether ignorant of the Judaick Philoſophie: ſome by their Writings, ſeem to approve their manner of life, others followed their Theologie, Theodoret.ſo far, as they were able. Thus again Euſeb. praepar. l. 10. c. 2. & praefat. in lib. 5. The Grecians like Merchants fetcht their Diſciplines from elſe where. So Theodoret l. 2. de Curand. Graec. affect. ſaies that Anaxagoras, Pythagoras, and Plato gathered many riddles, or dark ſayings of God, from the Egyptians, and Hebrews. The like is affirmed of Juſtin Martyr, Ambroſe, Auguſtin, and Jerom, as Juſtinianus in 1. Joh. 1.1. and Selden de Jur. Nat. Hebr. l. 1. c. 1. have obſerved. And Johannes Grammaticus (called otherwiſe Philoponus) ſpeaks affirmatively to this point:Jo. Grammaticus. ſo de mundi Creatione lib. 1. cap 2. pag. 4. he tels us, that Plato, in expounding the production of the world by God, imitates Moſes in many things. The like he affirmes de mundi creatione lib. 6. cap. 21. pag. 24…. what Moſes, ſaies he, ſaid of Man, that God made him after his own image, Plato tranſlates to all things in the world, whence he ſtiled the world a ſenſible Image of the intellectual God. But of this more in its place.
§. 5. As for Moderne Writers we have a cloud of witneſſes,Teſtimonies from moderne Papiſts. and thoſe of the moſt Learned, and that both of Papists, and Proteſtants, who have given aſſent and conſent to this our concluſion, touching the traduction of Grecian Philoſophie from the Jewiſh Church, and Scriptures. Amongſt the Papiſts we might mention Brietius, in his Geographie. Mariana on Geneſ. 1. alſo Ludovicus Vives upon Auguſt. de civ. Dei, & de veritate, &c. of whom elſe where: we ſhall at preſent content our ſelves with the Teſtimonie of one or two of the moſt learned amongſt them. Auguſt. Steuchus Eugubinus, De Peren. Philoſophia lib. 1. cap. 1.Aug. Steueq. Euguhinus. treating of the Succeſſion of Doctrine from the beginning of the world, begins thus: As there is one Principle of all things, ſo alſo there has been one and the ſame Science of him at all times, amongſt all, as both Reaſon, and Monuments of many Nations, and Letters teſtifie. This Science ſpringing partly from the firſt origine of men, has been devolved through all Ages unto Poſteritie, &c. Thence he proceeds to ſhew the Modus, how this Philoſophie was derived from hand to hand, in all Ages. The moſt true Supputation of Times proves, that Methuſalem lived, and might converſe with Adam, as Noah, with Methuſalem. Therefore Noah ſaw, and heard all things before the Floud. Moreover before Noah died, Abraham was fifty years aged. Neither may we conceive, that this moſt pious man, and his holy Seed would concele from Abraham (who they foreſaw would prove moſt holy, and the Head of the pious Nation) things of ſo great Moment, & ſo worthy to be commemorated. Therefore from this moſt true cauſe it is moſt equal, that the great Science of Divine and human Affairs ſhould be deduced unto following Ages greatly overcome with Barbariſme, &c. Thence having explicated how Philoſophie was handed down even to Moſes's time, the ſame Eugubinus addes: Therefore that there has been one, and the ſame Wiſdom alwaies in all men, we endeavor to perſuade, not only by theſe reaſons. but alſo by thoſe many, and great examples, whereby we behold ſome Veſtigia of the truth ſcattered throughout all Nations, which Moſes in his books long ſince held forth to be beheld as in a glaſſe a far off. So in what follows he ſaies, That Sapience alſo, beſides what the ancient Colonies brought with them, paſſed from the Chaldeans to the Hebrews, except what Moſes writ, which paſſed from the Hebrews to the Egyptians, from theſe to the Grecians, from the Grecians to the Romans. For Abraham was a Chaldean, in whoſe family the ancient Theologie, and the Traditions of the Fathers, whereof he was Heir (as it was moſt equal) remained. All theſe things being reteined by Noah, and his Sons, were ſeen and heard by Abraham: he declared them to his Son, & Grandchild: from Jacob they paſſed unto poſteritie. Whence alſo flowed the Pietie, and Sapience of Job, who in no regard came ſhort of the Pietie, and Sapience of the Hebrews. Canſt thou conceit, that he, who was moſt ancient, even in Abraham's daies, ſaw not Noah, and heard him not diſcourſing? Hence the ſame Eugubinus cap. 2 having divided Philoſophie into 3 parts, the firſt conveyed by Succeſſion from Adam to Moſes; the ſecond corrupted by the Philoſophers, the third reſtored by the Sacred Scriptures: of this laſt he concludes thus: At laſt the third kind of Philoſophie ſhone forth, ſcattering by its Brightnes all the darkneſſes of the former, not conteining it ſelf in one place, but by its beams filling the Univerſe, &c.
Juſtinianus.Juſtinianus on the firſt Epiſtle of John c. 1. v. 1. having given us a large account of the Jewiſh Traditions, ſcattered up and down amongſt the Pagan Philoſophers, touching the Divine foreign or Word, concludes thus: Truely many things have been taken up by the Philoſophers, and Poets from Moſes's Law, which they depraved, changed, and wreſted: as touching the Chaos, the Giants War, the Floud; and many other things, as we learn out of Auguſtin de civ. dei l. 8. c. 11. and lib. 18. c. 37. And it is likely that in the ſame manner they corrupted thoſe traditions, they had received touching the Divine foreign, his generation, & ſo taught, that thoſe Perſons differed in nature, which (according to the word of God) differ only in Hypoſtaſis, or manner of ſubſiſting, &c.
§. 6. But none have given a more full Explication, and Demonſtration of this our Aſſertion, than the learned Proteſtants,The Teſtimonie of Proteſtant Writers. Melancthon. Serranus. as well Divines as Philologiſts, of this laſt Age. Amongſt whom we may mention P. Melancthon in his Preface, and additions to Carion. Serranus (that learned Philologiſt, as well as Divine) in his Preface to, and Annotations on Plato almoſt every where aſſerts our concluſion; as we ſhall have frequent occaſion to ſhew. The like doth Julius Scaliger, that great Philoſopher, as well as Critick; and Joſeph Scaliger his Son more fully in his Notes on Eſebius's Chronicon, gives teſtimonie to,Julius and Joſeph Scaliger. and proof of this Aſſertion. The ſame does learned Voſſius in his excellent Treatiſe of Idolatrie;Voſsius. as alſo in that de Philoſophorum ſectis l. 2. c. 1, &c. as hereafter. Heinſius has a Diſcourſe profeſſedly on this Subject.Heinſius. But Learned Bochart (that rich Antiquarie, Bochart.and Philologiſt) has given an incomparable advance, and light to this Notion, from whom, I thankfully acknowledge, I have received great aſſiſtance in this undertaking, both by perſonal conference with him, and alſo from his elaborate Works; eſpecially his Geographia Sacra. Grotius alſo (from whom I received the firſt hints of this Aſſertion) doth poſitively affirme the ſame;Grotius. as on Mat. 24.38. but eſpecially in his book de Veritate Religionis, as elſe where. Hornius Hiſt. Philoſ. lib. 3. cap. 1.Hornius. ſpeaks categorically thus: The moſt famous of the Grecians deliver, that Philoſophie flow'd from the Barbarians to the Grecians. Plato in Epinom. Cratylo, Philibo. Manetho in Joſephus againſt Apion. Whence they ſo frequently, and ſo honorably mention, the Phenicians, Chaldeans, Egyptians, who were all inſtructed by the Hebrews. Whence alſo it was ſo ſolemne a thing for the moſt ancient Grecian Philoſophers to travel into the Oriental parts. Whence ſprang the mutual commerces, and common ſtudies betwixt the Grecians, and Egyptians. Whence he concludes, that Philoſophie was not borne but educated in Greece: for the moſt ancient wiſe men of Greece brought Philoſophie thither from the Eaſt, &c. We have alſo the Teſtimonie of Dioda…e, Amirault, and Daillè, &c. of whom in their place.
§. 7.Teſtimonies of the Engliſh. Jackſon. To come to the Teſtimonies of our Engliſh Divines and learned men. Jackſon of the Authoritie of the Scriptures (laſt Edit. in Polio) pag. 27, 34, 47, 49, 54, 55, 56, 57, &c. largely proves this our Aſſertion, touching the Traduction of Philoſophie from the Scriptures, and Jewiſh Church. And withall gives account of the manner, how it was traduced; of which elſe where. Learned and pious Ʋſher aſſerts the ſame of Pythagoras his Philoſophie,Uſher. as it will appear in his Life, &c. Thus great Richardſon, in the Expoſition on his Divinitie Tables, Table 5. MSS. treating of the firſt Matter ſaies, that Ariſtotle received it from Plato, and he from the Egyptians, as theſe from the Jews. Preſton makes uſe of this Principle as a main Argument to prove the Divine Original,Preſton. and Authoritie of the Scriptures, as before. Sir Walter Ralegh, Sir Walter Ralegh.in his Hiſtorie of the World (Part 1. Book 1. Chap. 6. §. 7.) affirmes Categorically that the wiſer of the ancient Heathens, viz. Pythagoras, Plato, &c. had their opinions of God from the Jews, and Scripture; though they durſt not diſcover ſo much: as in what follows, of Platonick Philoſophie. Owen in his learned Diſcourſe of Gentile Theologie (which I muſt confeſſe,Owen. has given me much light, and confirmation herein) does frequently aſſert the ſame Concluſion. The ſame is often, and ſtrongly maintain'd by the Learned Stillingfleet in his Origines Sacrae, Stillingfleet.it being indeed one chief medium, he much inſiſts on, to prove the Autoritie of the Scriptures. We have alſo the Teſtimonies of Mede, Hammond, and Cudworth for confirmation hereof; as good Eſſayes, and Diſcourſes on this ſubject, by Duport on Homer, Bogan's Homerus Hebraïzans, and Dickinſon's Delphi Phoenicizantes; &c. But amongſt our Engliſh learned Men, none have given us more ample Teſtimonies to confirme our aſſertion, than famous Selden, Selden.in his elaborate book de Jure Nat. Hebrae. lib. 1. cap. 2. where, ſaies he, Touching the famous cuſtome of the ancient Philoſophers before Chriſt, to conſult, and hear the Hebrews, we have many Teſtimonies, both of Jews themſelves, of Chriſtian Fathers, and of Pagan Writers; which he cites at large in what follows.