The Court of the Gentiles, Discourse · Part 1 · Book 3 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Moſes his Hiſtorie of the Creation imitated by Pagans, &c.
The origine of the Univerſe proved, 1. by Teſtimonies, 2. by Arguments. Plato's Ideas in imitation of Moſes, Gen. 1.31. Gods real efficiencie expreſsed by Pagans, as Gen 1.1. God's creating the Heaven how underſtood by Pagans. The Gentiles derived their Chaos, and firſt matter from Gen. 1.2. foreign from foreign, Gen. 1.5. foreign from foreign foreign. The Spirits forming the Univerſe, Gen. 1.2. called by Plato the ſoul of the world &c. Hence proceeds the forme of the Univerſe, conſiſting in its order, perfection, and goodneſle, Gen. 1.31. which Plato very far imitated. Moſes's deſcription of Light, Gen. 1.3. &c. foreign ſignifies fire, out of which the Celeſtial Lights were framed: Gen. 1.14,15,16. whence the Greek Philoſophers traduced their notions, that the Sun and Stars were fire. Gen. 1.5. the Night elder than the day. Gen. 1.6. the firmament fluid matter, Water, or Air. From Gen. 1.16. the Sun was made Lord of Heaven &c.
§. 1. That the world had its beginning, as Gen. 1.1.HAving given a general account of Pagan Hiſtorie, and its Traduction from Sacred; we now proceed to demonſtrate the ſame from particulars: and we ſhall begin with ſome Pagan ſtories touching the origine of the Univerſe, which are exactly parallel unto, and therefore, we need no way doubt, but were originally derived from the Moſaick deſcription of the Creation. And firſt, that the world had a beginning, anſwerable to that of Moſes, Gen. 1.1. In the beginning aEſt foreign nomen abſtracti… à primitivo foreign, quod caput ſignificat, unde foreign non ſimplex initium, ſive …rincipium ſignificat, ſed primum illud capitale, & admirandam omnium rerum initium, quo exnihilo aliquid eſſe potentia Dei ceperunt. P. Fagins Exegeſ. in Gen. 1.1.&c. was generally aſſerted by all both Poets, and Philoſophers, before Ariſtotle. For that novel opinion, touching the eternitie of the World, Ariſtotle ſeems to aſcribe to himſelf, as the firſt Founder thereof: whence ſpeaking of the ancient Philoſophers, he ſaies, foreign, therefore truely they all ſay the world was made. This is confirmed by Philoponus (de creatione mundi,) who aſlerts, that all before Ariſtotle aſſerted the origine of the Univerſe. The ſame is affirmed by Bochart, as elſewhere. Ariſtotle's doubts or objections againſt the origine of the Univerſe, ſee in his Top. 19. de coelo 1.10. wherein he confeſſeth his contradiction to the Ancients, becauſe he could not (forſooth) bring his carnal reaſon to a compliance with Oriental Tradition therein. For the great Hypotheſis, on which the Ancients founded their perſuaſions, touching the origine of the Univerſe, was not any humane argument of their own, but ſome broken Tradition, originally ſacred, which they gleaned up in the Oriental parts. Thus Orpheus, Heſiod, Apollonius, Ariſtophanes, amongſt the Poets: and Thales, Pherecydes, Pythagoras, Numenius, Anaxagoras, Anaximenes, Parmenides, Timaeus Locrus, Democritus, Empedocles, Xenophon, Socrates, but none more fully than Plato, amongſt the Philoſophers. Alſo Diodorus Siculus, Strabo, and Plinie, with others amongſt the Hiſtorians; as Euſcbius Praepar. Evang. lib. 1. cap. 7. Owen Theolog. lib. 1. cap. 8. pag. 75. And Strabo lib. 15. ſpeaking of the Brachmanni, ſaies, foreign &c. In many things they have the ſame ſentiments with the Grecians, that the world had its beginning, and ſhall have its end; and that God, the framer and governor thereof, influenceth the whole &c. Whence it appears, that it was the common perſuaſion of the Grecians, (as well as of others) that the world had its beginning. So the Egyptians, as Diogenes Laertius informes us, (prooem.) conſtantly believed the ſame. That which made Ariſtotle (as we may juſtly preſume) disbelieve the ſame, was his vain philoſophizing humor, which induced him to reject all Oriental Traditions, which would not ſtoop to his reaſon &c.
§. 2. Teſtimonies to prove, that the Pagan stories of the origine of the Ʋniverſe had their origine from Moſes's deſcription thereof, Gen. 1.That theſe great Pagan Maximes, touching the origine of the Univerſe, had their original by Tradition from ſacred Hiſtorie, is ſufficiently evident, both by Authentick Teſtimonie, and Rational Demonſtration. As for Teſtimonies, we ſhall begin with that of Johan: Grammaticus, de mundi creat. lib. 1. cap. 2. pag. 4. where, ſpeaking of Moſes his deſcription of the Creation, he addes, foreign, Plato teaching the production of the Ʋniverſe by God, in many things alſo imitates him, i.e. Moſes &c. This is alſo moſt poſitively aſſerted by Ludov. Vives de verit. fidei pag. 157. The production of the world (ſaies he) is ſo deſcribed by Moſes, that the greateſt wits have both admired its profunditie, and embraced the truth of the narration. So the Pythagoreans, and Plato, who follows them in his Timaeus, have followed the Moſaick deſcription of the world's procreation, almoſt in the ſame words &c. Yea Plato himſelf, in his Timaeus, fol. 29. ſeems to acknowledge, that what notices he had of the origine of the Univerſe, were communicated to him by ſome fabulous, or imperfect Tradition originally ſacred. His words are theſe. Its meet, that I who diſcourſe, and you who hear, remember we have but human Nature, and therefore may expect concerning theſe things onelyonly foreign, ſome probable fable, or Tradition; neither is it lawful for us to enquire farther. Plato here acknowledgeth, that concerning the origine of the Univerſe, we could have onelyonly ſome probable fables, or Traditions, which were originally ſacred. I ſhall adde hereto onelyonly the Teſtimonie of Meſtrezat, that great French Divine, in his Treatiſe (on Heb. 11.2.) called, de la vertu de la foy, pag. 79. Theſe Egarements, or vain notions (ſaies he) of the Philoſophers, yea of the principal, namely Ariſtotle, and the Stoicks, touching an eternal firſt matter &c, gives us ſufficiently to underſtand, that they who have diſcourſed more orthodoxly of the Creation, as Plato &c. derived that which they knew hereof from the rayes, which the Celeſtial Revelation had ſcattered amongſt the ſons of Noah; or from Abraham and his Poſteritie, amongſt the Syrians, and Egyptians. Thus Meſtrezat.
§. 3. Rational arguments to prove the Pagans traduced their ſtories of the worlds origine from Moſes.But to come to a more rational eviction of our poſition, we ſhall, though but curſorily, run through the whole ſeries of the Worlds Creation, as delivered by Moſes; and thence endeavor to ſhew how far Plato, and others endeavored to imitate Moſes herein. 1. Moſes makes God to be the firſt cauſe or creator of all things, Gen. 1.1. God created. 1 Plato's Ideas anſwerable to Moſes, Gen. 1.31.And the firſt piece of this Divine efficience is by Divines referred to the Divine Ideas or Decrees, according to which original exemplar all things were made, as Gen. 1.31. very good: i.e. (ſaies Auſtin) conformable to their original patterne in the Divine Decrees &c. In imitation whereof Plato, in his Timaeus fol. 30. treating of Gods orderly and wiſe production of the Univerſe, ſets forth theſe Decrees of God, under the notion of Ideas &c. He ſaies, there was an univerſal Idea beyond all things made, according to which they were all made. For he makes this firſt univerſal ſovereigne Idea the foreign, Exemplar, or foreign image of all things. This Idea, exiſting in the mind of God, he ſtiles foreign, indiviſible or ſimple, and eternal; namely, an uniforme, and eternal exemplar, according to which the Univerſe was delineated or chalked forth. In which regard Plato called the world eternal, i.e. foreign, becauſe its great Exemplar, exiſting in the Divine Ideas or Decrees, was eternal. Thus Plato, in his Parmenides fol. 134. tels us, That God, by virtue of theſe Divine Ideas, has a perfect knowledge of all things. Which Ideas (ſaies he) have their original, not in us, but in the abſolute will and ſovereigne pleaſure of God: for otherwiſe God ſhould not be our Lord, neither ſhould he have the knowledge of human Affairs, which to grant is abſurd &c. All this anſwers fully to the Scriptures, and our Divines account of God's decrees. Hence Plato ſuppoſeth the Univerſe to be foreign, a living intelligible creature, i.e. as he himſelf addes, foreign, by reaſon of Gods previſion. By which living intelligible world he ſeems to mean no other, than that foreign, exemplar and intelligible Image of all things exiſting in the mind of God, whereof he had before philoſophized. This he cals elſewhere his foreign, Ideal world, and foreign, intelligible, ſelf-living, alwaies living. From all which we may collect, what was Plato's genuine opinion touching theſe Ideas, which he makes to be ſeparate from matter, exiſting without their ſingulars, as certain univerſal exemplars of all things made &c. And whence could ſuch ſublime diſtinct notices of God's Divine wiſdom and Decrees enter into Plato's head, if not by ſome Tradition originally ſacred, and Jewiſh? Of this ſee more what follows of Pythagorean and Platonick Philoſophie, where we have treated more profeſſedly of theſe Diviue Ideas: as Part. 2. Book 1. chap. of Pythagorean Philoſophie.
§. 4. Gods real efficience Gen. 1.1. how far imitated and expreſſed by Pagans.As for the real productive efficience of God, and the manner how it produceth all things in Nature, we find a good account thereof in Plato, in his Phaedo, fol. 101. telling us, there was one firſt beautie, or chief Good, which was the cauſe of all the reſt; foreign &c. Beautie of it ſelf, and by it ſelf, and great, and good; and from it all things elſe proceed. So in his Theatet. fol. 57. Plato ſaies, it was unworthy of a Philoſopher to treat onelyonly of ſecond cauſes, and let paſſe God, who was the firſt and chief, or principal cauſe; yea not onelyonly foreign, the ſupreme cauſe, but alſo foreign, the cauſe of cauſes: for all other cauſes were but foreign, concauſes, and cooperative under God. Thus alſo Plato, in his Sophiſta, fol. 215. ſaies, that Natural things could not ſpring up of themſelves, but they were foreign, the products of God's workmanſhip. And more particularly, in his Repub. lib. 6. fol. 509. Plato aſſerts one ſupreme foreign, Idea of Good; which giving Being and virtue to all things elſe, muſt of neceſſitie excell all in dignitie and efficacie. (And he addes:) that in this chief Idea of Good (which is God) conſiſts the hinge of our life and happineſſe, and that it was the firſt cauſe of all things, both foreign, viſible, and intelligible. 1. He ſaies, it is the firſt efficacious cauſe of the Being of all things, foreign, the firſt fabricator, perfector, eſſentializer of Beings, or he that gives Eſſence to Beings; yea, he cals him foreign, very Being &c. He ſpeaks expreſly thus: foreign, Being and Eſſence ſprang from this Idea. 2. Plato ſaies, that this Idea of Good is ſo the cauſe of all things, that he is above, and beyond all things; yea altogether foreign, immixed, and ſimple; ſeeing his Majeſtie does far excell all things foreign, in Antiquitie and power: whence he makes this Idea of Good (who is God) to be Eternal, Infinite in power, and independent in working. But as for all created good things, he ſuppoſeth them to be not foreign, the very good; but onelyonly foreign, Good by derivation from, or participation of God's original Goodneſſe: whence he ſtiles them foreign, products; and foreign, works; and foreign, fabricates of that firſt chiefeſt good. Of all which he treats more fully in his Timaeus, as hereafter in Plato's Philoſophie.
§. 5. God's creating the Heaven, and Angels. Gen. 1.1We paſſe on to the effects of this Divine Creation; the firſt whereof is, according to Moſes's relation, Gen. 1.1. the Heaven. In imitation whereof the Pagan Philoſophers framed their coelum Empyraeum, &c.Whereby ſome (if not the moſt Divines) underſtand the Heaven of Heavens; that glorions ſeat or habitation of Angelick Beings &c. Anſwerable to, and in imitation of this ſupreme Heaven, the Pagan Mathematicians framed a ninth Sphere, void of Stars &c. Thus Johan. Grammaticus de creat. mundi lib. 1. cap. 2. Before Ptolomaeus, and Hipparchus the Mathematicians, no one acknowledged the ninth and extreme ſphere wanting ſtars. For Plato with others, mention onelyonly eight ſpheres. This I onelyonly mention, to ſhew, that Ptolomaeus and Hipparchus who preceded him, conſent with Moſes, in ſuppoſing an extreme Sphere, void of ſtars; yea, foreign, from him [i.e. Moſes] rather did they take the original of this invention. Thus Jo. Grammaticus. The inhabitants of this ſupreme Heaven were the bleſsed Angels, which Divines generally ſuppoſe to have been created together with this firſt ſupreme Heaven, according to that of Job 38.7. when the morning ſtars ſang together &c. Anſwerable whereto we find, in Sanchoniathons ſtorie of the Creation, mention made of foreign, intelligent Animals, (or, according to Ariſtotle's notion, living Intelligences;) by which Bochart (Can. lib. 2. cap. 2.) conceives the Angels to be underſtood. So Stillingfleet Origin. S. book 3. chap. 5. tels us, that Sanchoniathon ſets forth the creation of the Angels under the foreign contemplators of Heaven: whence I preſume, Ariſtotle's opinion of the Heavens being moved by Divine Intelligences, received its original &c.
§. 6. [Gen. 1.2. without forme, and void.] Hence the Pagans derived their Chaos, and firſt Matter.Then it follows in the Moſaick Hiſtorie, Gen. 1.2. And the Earth was without forme, and void, and darkneſse was upon the face of the deep. From this deſcription of Moſes, the Poets derived all their fabulous narrations, touching the firſt Chaos, as the Philoſophers alſo their foreign, firſt matter of the Univerſe. The firſt, and indeed the moſt exact deſcription of the firſt Chaos, we find in the ancient pagan Historiographers, in the fragments of Sanchoniathon tranſlated by Philo Byblius, and quoted by Euſebius praepar. lib. 1. c. 10. where tis ſaid, that in the beginning of things, there was a ſpirit of dark Air; which he cals foreign, i.e. (ſaies Bochart Can. lib 2. cap. 2.) in the Phenician tongue foreign Chauth Ereb, Evening darknes. Graecum foreign nonnunquam planè id ipſum est, quod Hebraeum foreign Ereb, nempe occaſus, aut veſpera. Bochart Can. l. 2. c. 2.The notion Chaos is taken from Gen. 1.2. the word foreign from foreign, (as Plato, and Heſiod read it,) and foreign from Gen. 1.5. foreign Ereb, Evening. Thus Heſiod, foreign &c. firſt of all the Chaos was produced: whence follows foreign, from the Chaos ſprang the Evening, and dark night: whence 2. tis added in Sanchoniathon's fragments, foreign. From the converſion of the ſpirit with the Chaos, there emerged Mot, i.e. ſlime, or corrupt watery mixture, which ſome call Ilus. That which Philo-Byblius tranſlated foreign Mot, Bochart ſuppoſeth to have been in the Phenician Tongue (wherein Sanchoniathon writ) foreign Mod, it being uſual with the Greeks to expreſſe the Hebrew foreign by foreign, (as from foreign.) Now foreign in the Hebrew ſignifies the firſt matter; which word, though we find it not uſed in Scripture, yet Bochart ſuppoſeth, it might have been uſed by the Hebrew Philoſophers, as foreign amongſt the Arabians. This Mot, firſt matter, or Chaos, is expreſſed much in the ſame manner by Plato, who cals it foreign, ſomewhat without forme; and foreign, a confuſed Maſſe: alſo he ſaies it was foreign darknes, the conjugate of the word uſed by Philo Byblius, in his verſion of Sanchoniathon; as alſo by Heſiod, which ſprang from the Phenician or Hebrew foreign Ereb. Gen. 1.5. To which we may adde that of Ovid Metamorph. l. 1. fab. 1.
Quem dixere chaos, rudis indigeſta que moles &c.
The firſt chaos the ſeed of the Creation.3. It follows in Sanchoniathon, foreign, out of this Mot or Chaos proceeded the whole ſeed of the Creation, and the geneſis or generation of the Univerſe. Mochus, another great Phenician Phyſiologiſt, (who continued Sanchoniathon's Phenician Hiſtorie, and whoſe Books were interpreted by Laetus,) makes this firſt matter of all things to be Atomes, which he derived from the Jewiſh Phyſiologie, as hereafter in his Philoſophie. But none deſcribe this more fully than Plato in his Timaeus. fol. 10. where he tels us, that this Chaos, or firſt matter, was foreign the ſtock, or foreign, the ſpecies, out of which every thing was compoſed. Again he ſtiles it, foreign &c. The ſubject of all Generation, and, as it were, the Nurſe thereof; which had no complete perfect Being of its own, but rather was a potential informe paſsive ſubject onelyonly. So again in his Timaeus, fol. 12. Plato makes this firſt matter to be foreign, out of which the four Elements, and all things elſe were compoſed, Whence Ariſtotle his ſcholar derived his confuſed Notions of the firſt matter, that it was 1. Informe. 2. Indefinite or rude. 3. A pure power, or paſsive principle, void, but capable of any Forme. 4. Hence alſo Ariſtotle borrowed his notions about Phyſick privation, which he makes to precede the introduction of a Forme, and appendent to the firſt matter, anſwerable to, and, I doubt not but, originally from Gen. 1.2. without forme, and void. aR. D. Kimchi in radicibus ſuis ſic ſciibit. Thohu & Bobu deſolationem & vacuitateus ſignificant. Et ſapientes qui ſcrutantur rerum naturas, dixerunt, Thohu, eſt res, cui non eſt ſimilituda ac figura, ſic tamen diſpoſita & praeparata, ut quamvis recipere poſſit ſimilitudinem & formam, id quod Graeci Hylin vocant. P. Fagius Exegeſcin Gen. 1.2.Laſtly, that the ancient Poets derived their Chaos from Gen. 1.1,2. is aſſerted by Mariana the Jeſuite, on Gen. 1.1. The like Velcurio in his Phyſica, lib. 1. cap. 14. affirmes of the Philoſophers, that they derived their firſt matter hence. See more of this in what follows of Plato's Phyſicks.
§ 7. Gen. 1.2. The Spirits forming the Univerſe, expreſſed under the notion of the Soul of the world by Plato, &c.It follows in Moſes's deſcription Gen. 1.2. And the ſpirit of God moved upon the waters. In imitation whereof 1. In Sanchoniathon's Hiſtorie of the Creation, his first matter, or Mot, is ſtiled foreign, ſlime, or corrupt watry mixture. So in Orpheus, foreign, of water ſlime was made. So Apollonius, foreign, out of ſlime the Earth was made: where the Scholiaſt tels us, that the Chaos, or firſt matter was water, which ſettling became ſlime, and the ſlime condenſed became Earth &c. Hence Thales held water to be the firſt matter of all things. Alſo Pythagoras, and Plato, their foreign, firſt matter, was the ſame with this Phenician foreign, as both name and thing argue. And all but corrupt imitations of Gen. 1.2. as we ſhall hereafter prove in the Phyſiologie of Thales, Plato &c.
Gen. 1.2.2. In this deſcription of Moſes Gen. 1.2. we have the Spirit's Motion, Fomentation, and Formation of all things out of this Chaos, or watery mixture in theſe words, [and the ſpirit of God moved &c.] P. Fagius explains foreign here, by motion and agitation; or by the Fomentation of an Hen, that ſets a brood. bVerbum foreign non ſimplicem motionem, agitationem, & ſuperletionem ſignificat, ſed ejuſmodi quam Milvus, aut alia a vis peragit, pendens in Acre, ut Capnio. Vel qualem columba perficit, cum ovis ad excludendum pullos incubat: ut R. Solomo. In hac ergo ſignificatione ſi accipias verbum, pulchre ſignificabit vim illam Dei folricem, ex ruditate omnia formantis. Fagius Exegeſ. in Gen. 1.2.Chryſoſtome cals it foreign, a vivifick Energie. The meaning is, that the ſpirit of God moving on the waters, with a plaſtick and efformative virtue, formed and ſhaped every thing into its proper forme. Hereof alſo we find great imitations in Pagan writers. For to begin with Sanchoniathon, who ſeems moſt ancient, and one of the firſt that drank of the ſacred fountain, (though he mixed his Jewiſh Traditions with great fables and corruptions;) he cals this motion of the ſpirit foreign, a dark and bluſtering wind. Take the whole together, as we find it in Euſeb. l. 1.10. where the firſt moving principle of the Univerſe is made to be a dark bluſtering ſpirit or wind, who finding the Chaos confuſed, and involved in darkneſſe, without bounds or order, being moved with the love of his own principle, he made a contexture, called Love, whence the firſt production of all things proceeded: (though the ſpirit it ſelf had no generation,) from this connexion of the ſpirit was produced Mot, which ſome call Ilus, ſlime, or watery mixture; and of this was made the ſeed of all creatures, and the generation of all things. This deſcription of the Spirits firſt Agitation or motion on the watery mixture, though it carries in it many corrupt additions, yet it is not without conſiderable notices of its firſt Traduction from Moſes's ſtorie Gen. 1.2. And ſo Eumenius the Philoſopher, cites the very words of Moſes Gen. 1.2. the ſpirit of God moved on the face of the waters, to prove this opinion; as Porphyrie, de antro Nymph. This was alſo the opinion of the Stoicks, who held there was foreign, a ſpermatick efformative word, whereby the world was formed and ſhaped into its particularities &c. So Diog: Laert: of Zeno, which Plato, in his Timaeus, cals foreign. This others call foreign, a plaſtick power. Plato ſtiles it foreign, the ſoul of the world, or the univerſal ſpirit. So Lud: Vives: in Auguſt: civit. lib. 10. c. 23. Any one (ſaies he) that inclines to favor Plato, may eaſily defend, that the ſoul of the world, is that ſpirit which moved on the face of the waters, Gen. 1.2. whom they ſeem to make the great efficient, who imparts life and eſſence to all things throughout the maſſe of the Univerſe &c. So Cardinal Beſſario lib. 3. cap. 22. tels us, that what is ſpoken of Plato, and of all the Platoniſts, touching the ſoul of the world, that, in our Religion, is interpreted of the Divine ſpirit: as Carpent. on Alcinous digreſ. 2. pag. 235. §. 8. See more of this in Plato's Phyſicks.
§ 8. Plato's deſcription of the forme of the Ʋniverſe conformable to that of Moſes, Gen. 1.31.From this Univerſal ſpirit (or ſpirit of the Univerſe) his prolifick Agitation, Fomentation, or Formation of all things proceeds, and that according to Moſes's deſcription, the forme of the Univerſe, which conſiſts in that order, harmonie, beauty, perfection, and goodnes, which appeared therein, and in each part thereof, according to Gen 1.31. And God ſaw every thing that he had made, and behold it was very good, i.e. God beheld all things clothed with the moſt perfect order, harmonie, beautie, aAdmonet Nachmanni per [dicere Dei] productionem rerum creatarum ſignificari, per [videre Dei] complacentiam & approbationem ejus, qua rebus creatis ac productis, perpetuam ſubſiſtendi, durandi que vim addidit. Verba ſunt haec: productio rerum ad actum vocatur [dicere Dei] et ſubſiſtentia, vel duratio vocatur [videre Dei.] Rerū ſubſiſtentia à complacito Dei &c. P. Fagius Exegeſ. in Gen. 1.31.and forme of goodnes, conformable to thoſe Univerſal Ideas of Goodnes, lodged in the platforme of his Eternal Wiſdom and Decrees. And Plato, diſcourſing of the forme of the Univerſe, ſpeaks very far the mind, and almoſt in the ſame words, of Moſes. So in his Timaeus, fol. 12. Plato teacheth us, that out of the Chaos or firſt matter, confuſed and indigeſted, God moſt accurately formed and diſpoſed the Univerſe into the moſt harmonious, orderly, and beautiful forme. His own words are, foreign, he adorned, diſpoſed, conformed, compoſed, and faſhioned all things &c. Yea, he undertakes to lay down the mode, how this rude indigeſted Chaos, was brought to this perfect forme: namely, the Divine Opificer, by whoſe foreign, effective word, all things were eſſentializ'd, did by a prudent perſuaſion formalize, or reduce into an exact light, order, and forme, the firſt Matter, otherwiſe darke, inordinate, and informe. And, in his Timaeus, fol. 32. he gives us a more full account of this forme of the Univerſe. He ſuppoſeth the whole Univerſe to be (according to his Allegorick mode of philoſophizing,) foreign, a living intelligent Animal, conſiſting of bodie and ſoul: the Bodie he cals foreign, the viſible and tractable Matter, which conſiſted of the four Elemenss, Earth, Air, Fire, Water: but the Soul he makes to be the ſpirit of the Vniverſe, (or that Univerſal ſpirit) which actuated and influenced the ſame: The forme of the Univerſe conſiſts in its beautie, order, perfection.whence ſprang foreign, an happy Analogie, Symmetrie, or proportion and Order, amongſt all its parts; by means whereof, things of themſelves moſt oppoſite, were copulated and linked together, by I know not what agreeing Diſcord, wherein its forme, perfection, and goodnes conſiſts. And Plato, having diſcourſed at large of this perfect forme, order, and harmonie of the Univerſe, which reſulted from its univerſal ſpirit, or ſoul, he concludes, (Timaeus fol. 37.) foreign, God contemplating this new framed Image of the immortal Gods, rejoiced and recreated himſelf therein &c. That Plato in all this imitates Moſes, ſeems very evident, both from his own expreſſions, as alſo from the obſervation of Johannes Grammaticus, de creatione Mundi, lib. 7. cap. 11. foreign &c. Rightly therefore the great Moſes concluding the generation of the Univerſe, And God ſaw (ſaith he) all things that he made, and beheld they were very good. Plato alſo imitates him in this, who, ſhewing how the Vniverſe was framed by God, ſaith, that the Father, who generated the Univerſe, had conſidered this mobile Animal, the framed Image of the eternal Gods, he rejoiced & recreated himſelf therein: eſpecially when he conſidered it was made exactly conformable to its Paradigme, or univerſal Exemplar. Thus Johannes Grammaticus. Whence alſo Plato himſelf, Timaeus fol. 92. cals this Vniverſe, thus formalized and perfectionated, foreign, a ſenſible or viſible Image of the intelligible inſenſible God. which, as tis ſuppoſed, he traduced from Moſes's deſcription of Man, Gen. 1.27. in his Image &c. Thus Johannes Grammaticus de Mundicreatione lib. 6. cap. 21. p. 249. foreign &c. What Moſes ſpake properly of Man, that God made him according to his Image and likenes, this Plato tranſlates to all things in the world. Thus we have ſeen, how exactly Plato's Notions of the forme of the Univerſe, conſiſting in its Order, Harmonie, Beautie, Perfection, and Goodneſſe, and that in conformitie. to the Divine exemplar, do conforme to, and therefore, as we may preſume, were derived from Moſes's deſcription of the ſame, Gen. 1.31. I might adde hereto the opinion of Pythagoras, who aſſerted the like beautiful ſtructure, Harmonie, and Perfection of the Vniverſe, and thence (according to Plutarch) was the firſt that called it foreign, which ſignifies Ornament, Beautie, &c. Alſo Thales held the world, being God's work, was moſt beautiful, well diſpoſed, and perfect. Of which ſee more Pythagoras's Philoſophie.
§. 9. Moſes's deſcription of the light Gen. 1.3. imitated by Pagan Writers.Having diſcourſed at large of the firſt Efficience, Matter, ſpirit or Soul, and forme of the Vniverſe, as laid down by Ethnick Phyſiologiſts, or Naturaliſts, and that in imitation of the Moſaick Hiſtorie Gen. 1. we now proceed to ſome of the chiefeſt parts of the Univerſe, and their original Conſtitution; wherein we doubt not but to give evident veſtigia, or notices of many Moſaick Traditions in Pagan writers. We ſhall begin with that great Maſter-piece of the inanimate irrational world, Light; which is mentioned by Moſes, as the firſt ſpecies or part of God's Creation, Gen. 1.3,4,5,6. v. 3. Let there be Light, foreign: out of which Light the Celeſtial Lights were compoſed, as Gen. 1.14,15,16,17,18. We ſhall not much concerne our ſelves in that great Philoſophick Diſpute, what this firſt Light (out of which the Celeſtial Lights were compoſed) was? OnelyOnly the opinion of the old Jewiſh Philoſophers ſeems to have been, that this original Light was fire. That the firſt Light Gen. 1.3. &c. was fire, is excellently demonſtrated by Richardſon (that acute Philoſopher and Divine,) in his Expoſition upon his Divinitie-Tables, (Table 5. MSS.) thus. Ignis] It's made of the firſt matter; when its ſaid, [Let there be Light] if we look at foreign, it cometh from foreign fire. Again, that light which made the day then, is the ſame light that now makes the day: its not altered, after it was made. If our Light be a Subſtance, its either Heavenlie, or Elementarie. That Light is a ſubſtance, its local motion ſheweth. Accidents have it not, but by reaſon of the ſubſtance. Opticks confeſſe, that Light radii, & ſpecies move in time. And we ſee, that Light moveth, by the Sun's diſperſing its beams: which motion, though it be ſpeedy, yet it is in time. So place and time bear witneſſe, that Light is a ſubſtance. Some imagine, that the Sun &c. begets the ſpecies in the Air; and ſo Light is onelyonly the ſpecies of the thing that is Light: but theſe ſpecies are ſubſtance, by the teſtimonie of Opticks. That our Light is fire, appeareth farther from the beams, and their burning; which is the propertie of fire, when the parts are united. Again, their conceit is, that neither the Sun, nor the beams are hot, but by accident, by reflexion &c. But 1. why ſhould the Sun beams come down, if onelyonly to inlighten, and not to warme? 2. Again, there is an Element of fire, as our fire ſheweth: it moveth localiter, and therefore it is a bodie; and with a ſimple motion, and therefore tis a ſimple body, and its place is above. Again, Creatures muſt enjoy fire, which would not of it ſelf come downward &c. 4. Again that [let there be Light] was the place of fire, made before the Air: and if fire was not then made, then when was it made? And it was good, therefore perfect; therefore no Qualitie without Subſtance, for that is not perfect: its not an effect without a cauſe; nor a Light, after put into the Sun, for then it were imperfect. 6. Again, if the beams of the Sun were not fire, how could the beams ſhine in the Air? its therefore from the fire that is in them. 7. If the Sun beams be not fire, they cannot draw ſubſtances unto them: and why do theſe draw them nearer? do the beams grow weaker, when the vapors come nearer? its not therefore by attraction, that theſe draw them thither; but fire deſireth to carry them up. Thence Richardſon addes, on the Attribute of Ignis foreign.] God commendeth fire unto us by Light, to ſhew us the uſe of fire. We ſay, bring hither a Light, i.e. a Candle or Torch, to give light. Fire is Light, becauſe the act of the forme upon the matter, doth ſo ſubtilize, and ſo equal it, that it extendeth all alike, and makes it polite, and ſo clear, and bright. Glaſſe is clear from its politenes; and its full of fire: ſo the Carbuncle. Air alſo is full of Light, becauſe tranſparent, by reaſon of the equalitie. Thus Richardſon: whoſe acute Diſcourſe I have quoted at large, becauſe the world has not yet been ſo happy, as to ſee it in publick. That foreign ſignifies the Sun, as well as Light, is evident from Job. 31.26. if I ſaw foreign the Sun: whence ſprang Orus the Egyptian God, whom they made to be the Sun, as before B. 2. C. 8. §. 9.
The primigenious Light Gen. 1.3. the ſame with fire.And that the Hebrew foreign Or, or Ur, ſignifies fire, as well as light; tis evident by Ur of Chaldea, which was ſo ſtiled from foreign Or, or Ur, that ſacred fire, worſhipped there as a ſymbol of the Sun. Hence alſo from the Hebrew foreign Ur, came the Greek foreign, fire. Thence alſo the Greek foreign, which anſwers to the Hebrew foreign, ſignifies fire, as well as light. So in Euripides in Rheſo: foreign: the Enemies never before lighted ſo great a fire. Yea Eſa. 10.17. God under the notion of Light, is ſaid to be for a fire, i.e. a fiery light. So Mark (who ſpeaks according to the Hebrew Idiom) cals the fire light, Mark 14.54. foreign, to the light, i.e. fire. So that according to the Jewiſh account, Light and Fire are identick, both name and thing the ſame. Out of this primogenious light or fire the Celeſtial Lights were made. Gen. 1.14 15,16. &c.Out of this primigenious Light, or Fire, the Celeſtial Lights and Stars were compoſed; as Moſes, Gen. 1.14,15,16,17,18. Thus alſo Apollinaris, who ſaith, foreign &c. Out of the primigenious Light, whatever was moſt pure, God put into the Sun: the reſt he beſtowed on the Moon, and other ſtars &c. Thus Maximus on Dionyſius: foreign, on the fourth day he transformed the Light, created the firſt day, into the Sun. All is well and fully laid down by Grotius, on the 2 Peter 3.7. Voſsius de Idol. lib. 2. cap. 39. aſſaies to give us the mode, how all this was accompliſht. God (ſaies he) on the 4th day created the Sun and Stars in the upper part of the Firmament. God made theſe Celeſtial bodies out of that primigenious Light, that firſt Light remaining according to forme and nature, but not according to its former ſtate; being compact into the Sun, that ſo it might alternate Nights and Daies, and diſcriminate Years, Moneths, and other Seaſons. Which reaſon of the immutation of this Light, is given by Moſes, Gen. 1.14. Thus Voſsius: who, in what follows, proves, that the Stars are igneous or fiery, both by Scriptural and rational arguments.
Now in imitation of this Moſaick deſcription, touching the creation of the firſt Light or fire, (out of which the Celeſtial lights were framed,) the old Pagan Philoſophers held the Celeſtial Bodies to be compoſed of fire. Thus Parmenides, Heraclitus, and Zeno held, as Stobaeus in Eclog. Phyſic: fol. 85. So Thales held the ſtars to be ignite; Empedocles the Heaven to be compacted of Air and fire; Anaxagoras, Democritus, Metrodorus, that that the Sun was foreign, a maſſe or globe of fire; as the ſame Stobaeus in Eclog. phyſicis, fol. 55. &c. where ſee this argument largely aſſerted. But none inſiſts more fully on this Theme than Plato, who in his Timaeus frequently cals Light foreign, fire, from foreign Or, or Vr, Gen. 1.3. which ſignifies light and fire. So in his Definitions (collected by his Succeſſor) we find the Sun thus defined, foreign, the Sun is a celeſtial fire: as Job. 31.26. the Sun is called foreign Or, or Ʋr, whence foreign Pur, fire. The Pagans received theſe notions of the ſtars being fire, from Moſes Gen. 1.3.Thence Sandford, de deſcenſu Chriſti l. 1. §. 10. informes us, that the ancient name, whereby the Grecians ſtiled the Sun, was foreign, the ſacred fire, which they worſhipped (in imitation of the Chaldeans) as their ſupreme onelyonly God: as before, B. 2. c. 8. §. 11. And that Plato received theſe his Phyſiological Contemplations from Moſes's relation Gen. 1.3.14. &c. is affirmed by Voſſius de Idol. lib: 2. cap. 38. pag. 517. Plato (ſaies he) learned this doctrine from the Moſaick Tradition, as Juſtin Martyr. Apol. 2. and cohort. ad Graecos. And albeit he might not ſee any Tranſlation of Moſes, yet he might have it from the poſteritie of the Jews in Egypt, who fled thither in the time of Nebuchodonoſor; or from the Egyptians, who had it from the Jews. Thus Voſſius ſhews us, how Plato traduced his opinion, touching the ignite nature of the Stars, from Moſes. Hence the Fathers (who generally Platonized) followed Plato herein, as that which was very conſonant to, and, as they preſumed, derived from Moſes. So Tertullian (libro de Anima,) The Sun is a bodie, becauſe fire. Thus alſo Theodore, Baſil, Chryſoſtome &c. as Voſſius de Idol. lib. 2. cap. 38.39.
§. 10. Gen. 1.5. The night elder than the day.There follows in Moſes's Deſcription, Gen. 1.5. The Evening and the Morning were the firſt day: whence the Jews alwaies reckoned the beginning of their day, as alſo of the Creation, from the Evening. In imitation whereof many of the Grecians both Poets and Philoſophers held, that the Night was elder than the Day. Thus Stanley (Hiſtor. Philoſ. part. 1. chap. 6. §. 5.) tels us, that Thales held, the night was elder than the day. This circumſtance of the Creation was held alſo by Orpheus, and Heſiod, who had it from the Phenicians &c.
§. 11. Gen. 1.6. The firmament a fluid aerial or watery matter.Again, Gen. 1.6. &c. tis ſaid, let there be a Firmament in the midſt of the waters &c. where the Hebrew foreign ſignifies the Expanſe, i.e. diffuſive Air or water. And that the Firmament was made of ſome fluid waterie or aereal part of the Chaos, is ſtrongly conjectured by the Learned, both from name and thing. Thus Voſſius, de Idol. lib. 2. cap. 39. pag. 516. Divine Moſes (ſaith he) teacheth us, that the firſt daies work was the rude Earth, compaſſed about with water, and the light, or the lucid body of fire. Thence he relates, that on another day there was made the Expanſum, or Firmament, and that in the midſt of the waters; ſo that beneath, it has the Terreſtrial waters; and above, the Celeſtial. This Expanſum (which in its upper part is called Aether, and in its lower part, next the Earth, called Air) is made of water; becauſe waters are pellucid. Alſo this Expanſum is ſaid to be ſeated in the midſt of the waters. foreign Hebraeis, teſte Ab. Ezra, est res extenſa, ſive expanſa; vel eo modo, quo aulaea expanduntur, vel quo argenteum malleo deducitur & attenuatur. Ad vim iſtius vocabuli, Scriptura in multis locis alludit, ut Pſal. 104.2. &c. Caelum igitur Hebraeis ab extenſione foreign; & quod aquea quaedam materia eſt, foreign dicitur. P. Fagius Exegeſ. in Gen. 1.6.Farther, this appears from the name foreign given to it, the Etymon whereof, according to general conſent, comes from foreign waters there. Thus Voſſius. The like Paulus Fagius on this place. Anſwerable hereto many of the ancient Philoſophers held the Firmament, or Heaven, wherein the ſtars were, to be of a fluid, aereal, or waterie ſubſtance. Thence Plato, in his Timaeus, affirmes, that the ſtars are not fixed in the Firmament, but move up and down, and as it were dance in the ſame: and herein Plato is followed by Ptolomie, who affirmes, that not the Heavens, but the Stars therein move. And Ariſtotle (de coelo lib. 2. cap. 9. text. 56.) acknowledgeth, that according to his Predeceſſors, it was generally concluded, that the Heavens were either of an aerial, or fiery nature. His words are foreign. Empedocles (as §. 9.) joins both theſe together, making the Heaven to conſiſt, partly of Fire, partly of Air: which opinion, if by fire, we underſtand the Celeſtial lights, and by Air the Firmament, ſeems moſt orthodox, and agreeing to Moſes's Deſcription. So Wendelin, in his book de Coelo, makes the Heavens to conſiſt of a fluid, aereal Subſtance &c.
§. 12. Gen. 1.16.18. the Sun Lord of Heaven &c.Again Moſes tels us, Gen. 1.16. &c. God then made two great Lights, the greater Light to rule the day &c. In imitation whereof the Phenicians called the Sun foreign, the Lord of Heaven, alſo foreign Moloch, the King; and thence they worſhipped him as their ſupreme Lord or God. Likewiſe the Moon they called Beliſama, and Baaltis; or, according to the Scripture Dialect, the Queen of Heaven, which gave riſe to the Phenician Baalim, and the Grecian Demons, and ſo to the Pagan foreign, Natural Theologie, as before Book 2. chap. 8. §. 3. &c.