The Court of the Gentiles, Discourse · Part 1 · Book 3 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
Ethnick Imitations of Adams creation and happy ſtate in Paradiſe, Gen. 1.26. Gen: 2.8. Adams Formation out of the duſt imitated by Pagans: Alſo fables of the Souls Creation & Infuſion, Gen. 2.7. Eves Formation out of Adam expreſſed Gen: 2.21,22. Imitated by Plato's Androgynon. Mans being formed after the Image of God Gen: 1.27. expreſsed by Plato: and Mans happy ſtate in Paradiſe, Gen. 2.8. expreſſed by Plato, under the Golden Age. Gen. 2.25. nakednes, Gen. 3.1. Conference with the Serpent, of the Golden and Iron Ages. Adam's memory preſerved under Saturne, Tuiſto: and Eves under Iſis. Paradiſe or Eden imitated by the Elyſian fields. Adonis's garden. The tree of life, Gen. 2.9. expreſsed by Nectar and Ambroſia. &c.
§. 1. HAving diſpatcht the Hiſtory of the Creation in general, we now come to the Hiſtory of Man, his Creation and Happy ſtate in Paradiſe; whereof we doubt not but to diſcover many evident Veſtigia and broken Traditions in Pagan writers; which were originally of Sacred Extract. Gen. 1.26. Gen. 2.8. Adams formation out of the duſt imitated by Pagans.We ſhall begin with the Creation of man, mentioned Gen. 1.26. & Gen. 2.8. and the Lord formed Man out of the duſt of the earth, &c. In imitation whereof the firſt Parent of mankind is ſtiled by Sanchoniathon, (according to the verſion of Philo Byblius) foreign One ſprung out of the Earth, &c. So Plato de Repub. lib. 3. fol. 414. makes mention of a Phenician fable, touching the Fraternity of all men, in regard of their Original extract out of the Earth. And Serranus upon this place obſerves, that Plato here illuſtrates the Institution of Magistrates by a Fable, which he termes Phenician; becauſe the Phenicians affirmed, that Men ſprang out of the earth; that ſo, by the Communitie of the ſame original, they might the more ſacredly defend mutuall Peace, and Concord. This Fable (addes Serranus) ſeems to be a Veſtigium of the Primitive Truth: ſo that truly by the Appellation, foreign, of a certain Phenician Fable, the Iudaick Doctrine may be underſtood, &c. The Reaſons that might induce Plato, to call theſe, and ſuch like Iewiſh Traditions, Phenician Fables, are ſuch as theſe, 1. Canaan, which the Jews poſſeſſed, was originally the Countrey of the Phenicians; whence Phenicia is ſtill called by ſome Canaan: neither is it indeed any other then a skirt of Canaan, as Portugal is of Spain. Well therefore might Plato terme the Iews who inhabited Canaan, Phenicians; in as much as Phenicia was but an Appendix, or rather originally a part thereof. 2. Or 'tis likely Plato forbore to mention the Jews by name; thereby to ſecure himſelf from that envy and Odium, which followed ſuch as had any honourable regard to the Iews. That thoſe Fables which Plato termes Phenician, were originally Iewiſh Traditions, we have once and again proved, and ſhall hereafter farther confirme. Again Plato in his Politicus fol. 271, ſaies expreſly, that the firſt man was produced out of the earth, as hereafter.
§. 2. As for the Infuſion of the Human Soul, it is thus expreſt by Moſes Gen. 2.7. and breathed into his noſtrils the breath of life, & man was a living ſoul. We find the Creation & Infuſion of the human ſoul expreſſed in the ſame manner, yea almoſt in the ſame words, by Sanchoniathon, according to Philo Byblius's verſion, thus, The firſt men (ſaies he) were made foreign, of the Colpia of the wind, or Spirit. Bochart Can. lib. 2. cap. 2. fol. 784. gives this account hereof: wind Colpia (for any appoſite Engliſh word to expres it by doth not readily occur) is the ſame with foreign Col-pi-jah, the voice of Gods mouth, by whoſe Inſpiration and Word man was made as Gen. 2.7. Gen. 2.7. And breathed &c.whence alſo Orpheus, touching the Production of Man out of the duſt, and the Infuſion of the Rational Soul, ſpeaks thus: foreign: Mankind (ſaith Orpheus) was framed by God himſelf, out of the Earth, and received from him a Rational ſoul: as Euſeb. ex Tim. Chronographo foreign.
§. 3. Gen. 2.21,22. Eves Formation. Epheſ. 5.31.Concerning the Formation of Eve, Moſes tels, Gen: 2.21,22. that ſhe was formed out of Adams rib &c. VVhence Man and Woman are ſtiled by Paul, Epheſ. 5.31. one fleſh: which he ſeems to underſtand, according to the Iewiſh Cabal or myſtical ſenſe; applying the whole to Chriſt and his Church, whoſe Vnion was myſtically expreſſed by this Formation of Eve out of Adam. In imitation hereof Plato, in his Sympoſiaſtick Dialogue (concerning the Nature of love) mentions a piece of Cabaliſme, wherein he brings in Ariſtophanes diſcourſing in this manner. The ancient nature of men was not as now it is, but very differing; for then it was foreign Androgynon, both in name and kind, i.e. commixt of Male and Female ſex. This Platonick foreign or Man-Woman ſeems evident by ſome broken Tradition of the Jewiſh Cabaliſme, wherein we find mention thereof, (as Grotius hath obſerved) which originally ſprang from the ſtory of Eves being formed out of Adam, and ſo one fleſh with him, as Cudworth in his Diſcourſe on the Vnion 'twixt Chriſt and his Church.
§. 4. Gen. 1.27. Mans being formed after the Image of God.Gen: 1.27. 'tis ſaid God created man in his own Image &c. This Image of God is elſewhere made to conſiſt in Holines and Righteouſnes. This Divine Formation of Man after the Image of God, is lively deſcribed by Pagan Writers, and that, as we may regularly conclude, in imitation of this Moſaick Deſcription. Plato, in his Critias (according to Serranus obſervation fol. 106.) affirmes, that in the daies of old, there flouriſhed, in the firſt men, foreign, a Divine Particle of God; alſo foreign, a Divine Nature; which rendred them bleſſed. This elſewhere he ſtiles foreign, the Old Nature. And more particularly in his Theaetetus, Plato, diſcourſing of this Likenes of Man to God, makes it to conſiſt in this, that Man be foreign Holy with Wiſdome and Righteouſnes: which exactly anſwers to Pauls Character of the Image of God; Eph. 4.23,24.Epheſ. 4.23,24. foreign, in righteouſnes and true holines: to which if we adde that Col. 3.10. foreign in knowledge, &c. we have a full explication of Moſes, and that conformable to Plato his Deſcription of the Image of God in Man. Again Plato in his Timaeus, fol. 92. makes mention of foreign, a ſenſible Image of the Intelligible God, which though we apply it to the Vniverſe in general, yet has it a more peculiar relation to Man, and that in Imitation of Moſes, Gen. 1.27. So Iohannes Grammaticus de Creat. lib. 6. cap. 21. What Moſes (ſaies he) moſt properly affirmed of Man, that he was created according to the Image of God, Plato transfers to the whole Vniverſe, &c. Neither had the Philoſophers only, but Poets alſo evident Notices of Mans Creation after Gods Image: This Paul obſerves of Aratus one of the Heathen Poets, foreign. For we are his ofſpring, Act. 17.28,29. which the ſame Paul explains of mans Alliance or Reſemblance to God. VVe find Mans Creation after the Image of God, lively ſet forth by Ovid in his Metamorph. lib. 1. fab. 2. of Mans Creation.
Sanctius his animal Mentiſ que capacius altae
Deerat adhuc, & quod dominari in caetera poſſet
Natus homo est, ſive hunc divino ſemine fecit &c.
§. 5. Gen. 2.8. Mans being placed in Paradiſe and happy ſtate.Man being made after the Image of God, was placed in Paradiſe &c. Gen. 2.8. This happy ſtate of Man in Paradiſe was ſhadowed forth by the Ancients, under fabulous Narrations of the Golden Age; concerning which Plato diſcourſeth very amply, and that in Imitation of the Moſaick deſcription: ſo in his Politicus (fol. 272. Edit. Steph.) Plato ſaith foreign, &c. God the moſt wiſe Governor, diſtributed to them, and according to his firſt Diſtribution there were neither human Polities, nor Poſſeſſions of Wives or of Children; for all lived from the Earth. Then he addes, but they had abundance of fruits, Apples and Trees; and a ſoil very fruitful, which ſubminiſtred theſe fruits, of its own accord, without the labour of Agriculture. All which is but a reflexe Image of Paradiſe, and Mans happy ſtate therein; where he had leave to eat of all the fruits of the Garden ſave of the tree of Knowledge, as Gen. 3.23. &c. Gen. 2.25. Naked conference with the Serpent. Gen: 3.4.Again 2. Plato addes in the ſame place, foreign they lived naked and expedite ſub Dio: which exactly anſwers to that Gen. 2.25. And they were both naked, &c. 3. Plato mentions alſo a Conference betwixt our firſt Parents and Beaſts: his words are foreign: they did not only converſe with Men but with Beaſts alſo &c. which ſuits well with the Conference 'twixt Eve and the Serpent Gen. 3.1,2. And then Plato concludes thus: Theſe things we must omit, foreign, until there appear ſome one meet to interpret theſe things to us: whereby it ſeems manifeſt, that Plato had received ſome broken Traditions or ſtories, originally Iewiſh, whileſt he was in the Oriental parts, touching the ſtate of Innocence; but wanting a clear and perfect account thereof, he was content to let theſe things Paſſe, 'till he could have ſome skilful Interpreter to informe him concerning them. Serranus fol. 251. gives this explication of theſe paſſages of Plato: That Plato (ſaies he) derived theſe Traditions elſe-where, he himſelfe acknowledgeth, in that he calls this narration foreign a Fable, whereof he expects a meet Interpreter. He ſignifies therefore that the truth of theſe things were delivered to him by Tradition, from the Primitive times. The difference 'twixt the Golden and Iron Age.Therefore that he might ſtate the difference 'twixt the Golden Age under Saturnes Reign, and the Iron miſerable Age, which we live in under Iupiter, (ſaies he) he laies down theſe Aſſertions. The motion of the Univerſe which God made, is twofold foreign: one uniforme and foreign equally following the other multiforme and various. The former uniforme motion he makes to proceed from the Analogy, which he ſtiles foreign wiſdome, and this following foreign, from a peculiat gift of God harmonizing it according to its Principles: whence it has foreign, a framed Immortalitie from its maker. But as for the other motion, foreign, difforme, it ſprings from the Neceſſitie of corporeal matter; and variouſly hurries the whole Vniverſe, and affects it ſo that great and dangerous viciſſitudes are brought on all inferior things. Saturne therefore reigning, (ſaies Plato) mankind enjoyed its foreign vigor, or foreign, perfect ſtate, immediately after mens being produced out of the Earth &c. whence this Age was truly Golden, when theſe foreign, men produced out of the Earth, lived ſub Deo. &c. Thus Plato, and Serranus out of him. Again Plato, in his Politicus, fol. 271. having mentioned many things of the Golden Age, ſpeaketh thus thereof: Our firſt Anceſtors, who ſprang up immediately after the firſt Revolution, delivered theſe things unto us, foreign, which Fables many now adaies, not rightly, disbelieve. where Serranus upon the whole, obſerves thus: Plato affirmes that man ſprang out of the Earth, 2. That he was foreign and naked: 3. That he enjoyed a truely happy and Golden Age. 4. That he had conference with Beaſts. 5. That he was of all men foreign, the greateſt Philoſopher. 6. That he needed not externall Accommodations &c. Theſe are the Myſteries of that Fable, which he learned from the Phenicians, as Serranus. Saturne the ſame with Adam &c.That Saturne, who is ſaid to reigne in the Golden Age, was the ſame with Adam, we have formerly endeavoured to prove in the Genealogie of Saturne, Book 2. ch. 1. To which we may adde ſomewhat out of Voſſius de Idolol. lib. 1. cap. 18. We now (ſaith he) paſſe to Saturne, whom we make to be Adam. And to make this more clear, let us conſider a little what the Poets fable of Saturnes Golden Age, and its agreement with the Age of Adam. This is moſt lively painted forth, by that ingenious Poet Ovid, 1. Metamorph.
Aurea prima ſata eſt aetas, quae, vindice nullo
Sponte ſua ſine lege fidem, rectum que colebat.
Nondum praecipites cingebant oppida foſſae.
Non galeae, non enſis erat.—
Ipſa quo que immunis, roſtro que intacta, nec ullis
Saucia vomeribus, per ſe dabat omnia tellus:
Contenti que cibis nullo cogente creatis &c.
How exactly does all this anſwer to the ſtate of Man in Paradiſe? ſo that I no way doubt but that the Poets drew this by ſome Tradition. Namely the firſt Age of Men, in the Poets, is the ſame as in the Scriptures, and ſo Saturne is the ſame with Adam. For that Saturne was no other then a Man, the very Gentile Hiſtorians dare not deny. VVhat wonder is it then if ſo many things, which belong to Adam, were attributed by the Gentiles to Saturne. 1. From Adams hiding himſelf from the face of God, Gen. 3.10. came the name Saturne, from foreign Satar latere to hide: whence alſo Saturne was ſtiled Latius. 2. The Kingdome which Saturne firſt obtained was the ſame with Adams Gen: 1,18. 3. As Adam was driven from his Government and Paradiſe; ſo Saturne. 4. As Adam turned husbandman, ſo Saturne is ſaid to find out agriculture, whence he is pictured with a mowers Sith. &c.
§. 4. Voſsius de Idolol. lib. 1. cap. 38. ſuppoſeth, that the memorie of Adam was preſerved amongſt the old Germans under the name of Tuiſto or Tuito their chief God; who (ſay they) ſprang out of the Earth, and had a ſon called MAN. The ſame Voſſius makes the Egyptian Iſis a broken tradition of Eve, from the Hebrew Iſcha.
The Memorie of Paradiſe preſerved under the Elyſian fields. Eden.Others make the Elyſian fields, ſo much talked of by the Poets, to be but a corrupt Imitation of Paradiſe or the Garden of Eden. That which makes for this conjecture is an obſervation I find in Bochart touching the origination hereof. Bochart Can. lib. 1. cap. 34. fol. 664. That this Fable of the Elyſian fields is Phenician, may be gathered from the very name, which is of Phenician extract: for amongſt the Hebrews foreign & foreign alas ſignifies to exult and rejoyce: thence foreign alis, joyful; whence Elyſius: for 'twas uſual amongſt the Ancients to change A into E, as Enakim for Anakim &c. So that the Elyſian field ſignifies, a place of delight and pleaſure, and ſo tis interpreted by Virg. lib. 6. Aen.
—exinde per amplum
Mittimur Elyſium, & pauci laeta arva tenemus.
All this ſuits with the import of the Hebrew foreign Eden; which ſignifies a Garden of delight or Pleaſure.
Adonis's Garden.Others have conceived that the ſtorie of Paradiſe was preſerved amongſt the Heathens under the Fable of Adonis's garden which comes near to that of Eden, as Stillinf. Orig. S. book. 3. c. 3. yea Pagan writers ſeem to have had ſome broken Traditions not only of the Garden of Eden in general, The tree of life. Gen. 2.9. imitated by Ambroſia and Mectar.but alſo of the Tree of Life Gen. 2.9. ſo Mr. Du Boſc (in a Sermon at Caen March 11. 1663.) obſerved, that the Poets fictions of their Divine Ambroſia, which makes immortal; and their Nectar which makes young, were but Traditional fragments of the tree of life. This ſeems farther evident by what we find in Athenae. Deipnoſ. lib. 1. foreign. Chaereas reports that there is a wine in Babylon which the Natives call Nectar: whence Nectar was ſtiled, foreign, the drink of the Gods: for it came out of the Eaſt into Greece with the Gods themſelves; as Owen lib. 3. cap. 8. By which it appears that Nectar and Ambroſia were Divine Drinks to make men Immortal; which came originally from the Eaſt, eſpecially Babylon, which is generally ſuppoſed to be near the place where Eden was ſeated, and therefore we have probable grounds for this conjecture, that theſe Divine immortalizing drinks Nectar and Ambroſia owe their original to the Tree of Life in Eden.