Relations of the
World, and the Reli-
gions observed in all ages
and places discouered from
the creation vnto this
Present.

Of the firſt beginnings of the World, and Religion:
and of the Regions and Religions of Babylonia,
Assyria, Syria, Phœnicia,
and Palestina.

The First Booke.

HE a a Homer, Virgil, Ouid, &c.Poets were wont to lay the Foundations and Firſt Beginnings of their Poeticall Fabrikes, with invocation of their gods and Muſes: although thoſe workes were ſutable to ſuch worke-men, who according to their names were Makers, of thoſe both Poems and gods. I, as farre ſhort of their learning, as beyond them in the ſcope of my deſires, would ſo farre imitate their manner, in this matter which I intend; that although I enuy not to ſome their fooliſh claime of that Poeticall (not Propheticall) inheritance, to make my Maker: and my matter as in a Hiſtorie (not a Poeme) muſt be made to my hands: Yet in a Hiſtorie of Religion, which hath or ſhould haue God to be the Apoc. 1.8.¹₀Alpha and Omega; the Efficient, from whom; the End, from whom it proceedeth: the Matter of whom, the Forme by whom and whoſe direction, it entreateth; I could not but make a Religion to begin this diſcourſe of Religion at him; this being the way, which all men take, to come to him. Firſt therefore, I beſeech him, that is the Friſt and Laſt, the Eternall Father, in the name of his Beloued and Oneley Sonne, by the light of his Holy and All-ſeeing Spirit, to guide mee in this Perambulation of the World, ſo to take view of the Times, Places, and Cuſtomes therein, as may teſtifie my religious bond to him, whoſe I am, and whom I ſerue: and the ſeruice I owe vnto his Church, if at leaſt this my Mite may be ſeruicable to the leaſt of the leaſt therein; that as he is in himſelfe the Beginning and the Ending, ſo he would be, in ſome meaſure, of this Worke, the Author and Finiſher; that in the beholding this Mappe of ſo infinitely diuerſified Superſtitions, we may be more thankefull for, and more zealous of, that true and onely Religion, which Chriſt by his Bloud hath procured, by his Word reuealed, by his Spirit ſealed, and will reward eternally in the Heauens. And hereto let all Chriſtian Readers ſay with me Amen, to him which is ** Apoc. 3.14. Amen, that Witneſſe faithfull and true, that foreſaking all the by-wayes which this Labyrinth exhibiteth, we may receiue his Witneſſe as faithfull and true Diſciples, that follow the Lambe whither ſoeuer hee goeth, and will not heare the voice of ſtrangers.

In the next place, I hold it not vnfit briefly to expreſſe ſomewhat of him, which indeed and throughly can neuer be expreſſed. For wiſeſt of the Prophets hath ſaid of him and to him, that the aa 1. King. 8.27. Heauens and Heauens of Heauens, are not able to containe him: and the chiefe, or at leaſt he which was bb 1. Cor. 12.11. not inferior to the chiefe of the Apoſtles, as rauiſhed with ſuch a height, and ſwallowed in ſuch a depth, cryed, cc Rom. 11.33. O Altitude, O the deepneſſe of the riches, both of the wiſdome and knowledge of God! how unſearchable are his iudgements, amd jos wayes past finding out? As for my ſelfe, I may moſt fitly borrow the words of Agvr, dd Prou. 30.2
Verſe 3.4.
Verſe 5. Sureley I am more foolish than any man, and haue not the understanding of a man in me: For I haue not learned wiſdome, nor attayned to the knowledge of holy things. Yea, indeed, Who hath aſcended up to Heauen, and deſcended? Who hath gathered the Winde in his fiſt? Who hath bound the Waters in a Garment? Who hath eſtabliſhed all the ends of the World? What is his name, and what is his Sonnes name, if thou canst tell? Tell this Myſterie, we cannot. And yet ſo farre as he hath told vs by his Word and Workes, we may. Of the one the next words teſtifie: Euery word of God is pure: Of the other elſe-where, ee Pſa. 19.1. The Heauens declare the glory of God: and, ff Rom. 1.20. The inuiſible things of him, that is, his eternall Power and God-head, are ſeene by the Creation of the World being conſidered in his workes. gg Acts 14.17. God hath not (therefore) left himſelfe without witneſſe, who beſides the teſtimonie of Nature, written in our hearts, hath added thoſe of the Scripture annd of the Creature, that this three-fold Cord might not be eaſily broken, and by the mouth of two or three Witneſſes, we might learne plainly that he is, and in ſome meaſure what hee is.

That there is a God: Heauen and Earth, Angels and Deuils, Man and Beaſt, Reaſon and Senſe, Greeke and Barbarian, Science in the moſt, in the reſt conſcience (as a thouſand Witneſſes) all that wee ſee and which wee ſee not, ſay and proclaime, that all may ſee, and in manner palpably feele his preſent Deitie; in hh Acts 17.28. whom wee liue, mooue, and haue our beeing. ii D. Kings Lect. in ?0?.4: ϰυρίαɩ ?όζαι ϰόιναι ἐννοίαι Hiero ille Cicer. Nat. Deor. lib. 1. Nomen quia dat motitiam. Deus eſt nomen ſuum, & nomen eius ipſe eſt: Druſ. pret. lib. 1. This is a common notion and impreſſion, ſealed vp in the minde of euery man: a remanant of integritie after the fall of Adam, a ſubſtance or bleſſing in the dead Elme, ſparkles of fire raked vp vnder the aſhes, which cannot dye whiles the ſoule liueth. What a one hee is; is not ſo deeply ingrauen in Nature, whoſe Owliſh eyes are dazeled with the brightneſſe of this light: But when here we might renue the queſtion: What is his name, and what is his Sonnes name? hee himſelfe anſwereth in Scripture by attributing himſelfe ſuch names, whereby we may know him as the Creator from all Creatures, as the true God from all falſe gods: and ſo farre as is meete and neceſſary to our ſaluation. Hee then that dwelleth in light inacceſſible, whom no man hath ſeene, nor can ſee kk 1. Io. 3.1. as he is, in this our infancie, hath manifeſted himselſe vnto vs, ll 1. Cor. 13.12. as through a Glaſſe darkely, that wee may with Moſes haue ſome glancing mm Exod. 34.6. view of his hinder parts.

Theſe Names and diuine Attributes I meane, not with large explications here to expreſſe, as not ſo fitting my abilitie or purpoſe, and being by others nn Dionyſ. de Diuinis nomin. P. Galatin. de Arcanis. l. 3. Zanchius de Nat. Dei l. 1. Bullinger. de Origine erroris, lib. 1. Ar. Montanus. learnedly done already: Yet, to ſay a little, where the tongues of Men and ANgels cannot ſay enouygh; the Scripture attributeth, or He in Scripture attributeth to Himſelfe, Names, in regard both of Author and Obiect, Diuine, ſometimes (as they terme it) in the oo As true, wife, Iiuing, &c. concret; ſometimes in the pp As truth siſdome, life, &c. abſtract; the firſt ſignifying his Perfect ſubſiſtence; the other his Superſubſiſting perfection; thoſe more fitted to our capacitie; theſe to his diuinitie: who eternally and eſſentially is, whatſoeuer hee is ſaid to be, or in himſelfe to haue. And, as lines, but farre more excellent in that indiuiſible and moſt perfect Vnitie: ſo, and more then ſo, all perfections of the creatures, are in the Creator more defecated and perfect; yea, one perfection and ſuperexcellent Excellencie; and this qq In which ſenſe, riſmegiſt, affirmeth Deus nihil eſt omnium, Deus eſt omnia: Deus nomen nullum babel: Deus habet omne nomen, Vid. Marſ. Ficin. in Dionyſ. de D. N. Dionyſius alſo cals him, Vnitas vnitaris omnis unifica, ſupereſſentialis eſſentia, Intellectus nequaquam intelligibilis, &c. Empedocles deſcribed him a Sphere, whoſe Centre is euery where, the Circumference no where, Sphinx. Heidfeldi. one himſelfe, euery way infinite and incomprehenſible; nothin beeing in him either by participation, or as a qualitie, or as a naturall facultie, or as a mutable paſſion, or in ſuch ſort ſimply, as we (whoſe vnderſtandings are limited in their finite bounds, and for that cauſe receiuing in a finite meaſure, conceiuing in a finite manner) doe or can comprehend. Who can take vp the Ocean in a ſpoone? and yet theſe are both finite, and hold neerer proportion then the great Creator, and the greateſt of creatures. Yet is this glimpſe of this bright ſhining Sunne comfortable thorow this chinke and Key-hole of our bodily priſon, and euen the taſte of theſe Delicacies, more than ſweet and delectable.

Some of theſe names are attributed to him in regard of his beeing rr Nomina τȣ̓ ὄν?ος apua Heb. tria ſunt,
אחִיחִ יחִ
יחִוחִ
Druſ. Telvagram cap. 1. in it ſelfe conſidered, as Iehouab, Iah, Eheie; and ſome in regard of the perſons which all haue that one beeing, and euery of which haue all that being, which ſſ Hook. Eccleſ. Polit. lib. 5. iaſhin. rcſp. ad. Or. thod. queſt. 137. Είς ἐς ὶνό Θεὸς τῆ σωυπάρζει τῶν τρɩῶν ζείωνὑπος άσεων, τῶν διαφερȣ̔σῶν άλλήλων, ȣ̓?ῆȣ̓σἰᾳ ἀλλα τοῖς τῆς ὑπάρζεως τρόωοις. Exemplum producit, Adami, Euæ, Serhi, eandem eſſentiam habentium humanans, exiſtendi autem modum diuerſum, e terra, coſta, ſemine. in it ſelfe is individually one: and their ſeuerall manners of hauing it, is that which is called their perſonall proprietie and incommunicable. Such a name (ſay ſome) is Elohim tt Druſius tax ezh Zanch, for intitling his worke, De 30 Elohim, as improperly, faith he, as De tribus dys. applyed to the Father, Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt, in ſignification Mightie, in his forme plurall. Some of theſe names are ſuch as are communicated to creatures alſo, but with this difference, that thoſe which in the creature are borrowed, imperfect, accidentall; are in him Nature, Perfection, Subſtance. Some are abſolutely conſidered as hee is God bleſſed for euer; ſome relatiuely with reſpect vnto his creatures. Some again uu Enuntiatio de Creatore per verba negatiua eſt vera, per aſſirmatua autem pertim in æquiuocatione, partim in imperfictione. R. Moſes Moreh. lib. 1.57. affirmationes periculoſæ. are negariuely ſpoken, others affirmatiueley: ſome properly, others by a figure. But this is indeed a thorny way, xx De Deo etiam vera loqui periculoſum. Arnob. in Pſal. 91. Auguſt de Trinit. lib. 3. cap. 3. of which we may ſay with Auguſtine, Nothing is miſſed more dangerouſly, nothing ſought more labouriouſly, nothing found more profitably. Euen the Angelicall Seraphins had their yy Eſa. 6.2. fixe winges, whereof two ſerued to execute their prompt obedience; two couered their feet, becauſe of mans weakneſſe not able to comprehend their glorie; and yet they themſelues thus glorious, with two other wings couered their face, as not able to endure the brightneſſe of a greater glorie. Let vs then be wiſe, but to zz Rom. 12.3. φρονεῖν εἰς τὸσωφρονεῖν. ſobrietie. Let vs goe to the Lambe to vnclapſe this ſealed Booke. For in him all the treaſures of wiſedome and knowledge are hid. Let vs ſo know as we may be knowne, and ſo ** Phil. 3.10. comprehend as we may rather bee comprehended. Let vs feare, loue, beleeue, and ſerue him: and then God will aa Pſal. 25.9. teach the humble his way, and bb Ioh. 7.17. & 17.3. They which will doe his will, ſhall know of his doctrine. This is our way to eternall life, thus to know him, and whom he hath ſent, Ieſus Chriſt: if namely we ſo learne cc Epheſ. 4.21. Christ, as the Truth is in Ieſus, if we dd 1 Cor. 3.18. become fooles that we may be wiſe, and putting off the old man, be renued in the ſpirit of our minds, and put on the new man which after God is ſhapen in righteouſneſſe and true holineſſe. Otherwiſe, we ee 1 Cor. 8.2. know nothing as we ought to know; otherwiſe we know nothing more, nor ſo much as the Deuils know. ff Prou.1.7. The feare of the Lord is the beginning of this wiſedome. And for this cauſe hath he called himſelfe, and proclaimed thoſe his Names, gg Exod. 34.6. Iehova Iehoua, ſtrong, mercifull, and gravious, ſlow to anger, and abundant in goodneſſe and truth, &c. and the like other places; not that we may know to know, (a fooliſh curioſitie) but that hauing ſuch light, we may beleeue and walke in the light, that we may be children of the light. Iehoua (if we may ſo name it) the moſt eſſentiall (and after the Iewiſh tradition, ineffable) hh Of this name Iehoua ſee Drusy Tetragram. Ar. Montan. ante Naturæ hiſtor. pag. 37. & Pet. Galat. lib 2. Druſius thinkes that Galatinus was the firſt Author of this pronuntiation Iehoua; Caſtalion writeth it Io?a: the moſt both Iewes and Chriſtians before forbare to name it: The Maſſerites aſcribed to it no points of it owne, but of Adonai, and when Adonai goeth before or after it of Elohim. It is holden, that onely the High-Preiſt, and that in the Temple, and on the day of Expiation might pronounce it, which to a priuate man, the Iewes eſteemed the loſſe of eternall life. Steuchus thinketh that none can interpret it, and Pau'us Burgenſis, that none can tranſlate it. The Chaldæns, Arabians, Græcians, Latines, and the New Teſtament it ſelfe, vſe inſtead thereof, The Lord. Montanus readeth it Iehueh; and affirmeth that it was known to both the common Iſraelites, and to the neighbouring Nations, &c. but ſee themſelues: I name it after the moderne vſe for diſtinction. Zancby and Gyraldus obſerue, that the name of God in all Nations is Tetragrammaton of foure letters. In Dutch and Engliſh, they therefore double the laſt conſonant and learned Maſter Seldon interpreteth the Pythagorian oath, µά Τετραϰδυν, by Tetragrammaton, de D. Syris. Vid. R. Moſ. lib. 1. cap. 60. P. Ric. ad præc. aff. 20. Reuchtin de verbomirif. lib 2. name of God, it is not therefore onely reuealed vnto vs, that we may know him in himſelfe and of himſelfe to bee ii Heb. 13.8. Yeſterday, to day, and the ſame kk Apoc.1.8. for euer, which is, which was, which is to come: but alſo as the Creator, of whom, in whom, and for whom are all things: and as the Redeemer, which is knowne by his Name Iehoua (as himſelfe ll Exod. 6.3. interpreteth it) by giuing a reall being, and accompliſhment to his promiſes. In which one name (as in others of like ſignification) is expreſſed the Simplicitie, Immutabilitie, Infiniteneſſe, Bleſſedneſſe, Eternitie, Life, Perfection, and other Aetributed of God. When he calleth himſelfe Strong, therein is declared his almighty power, whether he is able to doe all things which either mm Quæ contradictionem implicant ſub diuina omnipotentia non continentur. Non pro defectu potentie, ſed quīa non ſoſſune habcre rat onem patibilis vel poſſibilis. Conuenientius dicitur, quod ea non poſſunt fieri, quam quòd Deus non poſſit facere. Ap. 1.9.25. ?rt. 3. &d. in themſelues (as implying contradiction) or with him (as imperfections) are not impoſſible, both thoſe kinds not excluding, but concluding the power of God, which becauſe he is Almightie, nn 2. Tim. 2.12. cannot lie or denie himſelfe.

What ſhould I ſpeake of his Wiſedome, whereby all things are open in his ſight, both himſelfe, and his creatures, paſt, preſent, or to come, and that not as paſt or future, but in ene, eternall, perfect, certaine, immediate, act of knowledge, which in regard of ſecond cauſes are neceſſary or contingent, or in effect but meerely poſſible, and neuer actually ſubſiſting. Truth is in him as a roote, from whence it is firſt in the being: next in the vnderſtanding; thirdly, in the writing or ſaying of the creature. True he is in himſelfe, in his workes ordinary, and extraordinary, and in his Word reuealed by the Prophets and Apoſtles. What ſhould I adde of his goodneſſe, grace, loue, Mercie, Iuſtice, and other his Attributes and names not yet mentioned? as Adonai which ſignifieth the dominion of God due to him, by Creation, by purchaſe, by mutuall couenant: Saddai, which ſignifieth his All-ſufficiencie, and others. Yea in one Chapter oo P. Gal. l. 2. c. 13.14. Petrus Galatinus rehearſeth threeſcore and twelue names of God out of the Rabbines workes, multiplyed and diuerſified in tenne ſorts, which make in all ſeuen hundred and twenty names. To dilate of theſe at large would aske ſo many large Commentaries, and yet euen then ſhould we ſtill find this God incomprehenſible; of whom we may, in reſpect of our capacitie, rather ſay what he is not, then what he is; whoſe goodneſſe is not to bee diſtinguiſhed by qualitie, or his greatneſſe diſcerned by quantitie, or his eternitie meaſured by time, or his preſence bounded by place: pp Due ubiq́ eſt vel magis pro priè eſt ipſum vbiq, Treleat. & vt R. Moſ Deus eſt habitaculum mundi non mundus habitaculum eius. of whom all things are to bee conceiued, qq Quic quid omnine de illo retuleris, vim al qua ipſius magis & virtutem, quàm ipſum expl. cauevis. Quid enim dignuym de eo aut dicas, aut ſentias, qui omnibus & ſermonibus & ſenſibus maior eſt? Tertul. de Trin p. 598. Quatuor à Deo remouenda, Corporeitas, mutabilitas, priuatio, & aſsimilatioad Creaturas. R. Moſ. Moreh. l. 1. 54. & 57. tanquam de Rege diceretur habente millies mille talenta auri, quòd haberet centum talenta argenti. beyond whatſoeur we can conceiue.

The Perſons which communicate in this Diuine Nature, are three rr Deus vnus in Trinitate, trinus in vnitate. Arnob in Pſal. 145.: This is their owne witneſſe of themſelues; There are three which beare record in Heauen, the Father, the Word, and the Spitir, and theſe three are one. This myſtery was manifested in the ſſ Mat. 3. baptiſme of Chriſt, and in our Baptiſme in the name of the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghoſt. The Angels vnto this glorious Trinitie tt Eſay 6. Zanch. de 3. Elohim hec fusè. ſing their Holy, Holy, Holy: the Scripture it ſelfe applying that which there may be interpreted of the Father, both to the Sonne, Ioh. 1 2.4 1. and to the Spirit, Act. 28.25. Theſe with other places doe alſo ſignifie their perſonall diſtinction. The Creation was not onely the Fathers worke, but alſo of the other Perſons, as appeareth by the Nowne plurall, ioyned to a Verbe ſingular, in the firſt word of Moſes, and other like plurall appelations, Eſ. 44.24. and Eſ. 54.5. 2 Sam. 7.23. and many ſuch places. The Apoſtles apply the couenant, worſhip, and workes of God mentioned in the Old Teſtament, To the Sonne, and Holy Ghoſt in the New, neither can the one be the Sonne, or the other the Spirit of God, naturally and in proper manner of ſpeech, but they muſt alſo ſubſiſt in the ſame Nature with the Father, which being infinite, ſpirituall, immutable, can be but one, which muſt wholly, or not at all, be communicated. In a word, the equalitie, the names, the properties, the works, the worſhip peculiar to God, are applyed to the Sonne and Holy Ghoſt equally with the Father. Which they that liſt, may learne in ſuch as eſpecially treat of this ſubiect: where this myſterie of the Trinitie is auerred againſt all Heretikes, Iewes, and Infidels: Yea, by ſome uu Morn. de ver. C. R. F. Patric. P. Gal. l. 12. alyq́, plurimi. alſo, out of their owne authentike Authors, whether they receiue Scriptures, Rabbins, Philoſophers, or any other. I intend onley to anoint the doore-poſts of this houſe with this Diſcourſe, that I may make a fitter entry thereinto, leauing the fuller handling of this myſterie, to ſuch as purpoſely frame their whole Edifice with large Common-places hereof; which yet alway muſt be more certainely receiued by Faith, then conceiued by reaſon: according to that of Iustin Martyr, Vnitas in Trinitate inteligitur, & Trinitas in Vnitate noſcitur: id vero quomodo ſiat, nec alios ſerut ari velim, nec ipſe mihi poſſum xx Iuſtin. ἔϰθεσις ωίς εως. ſatis facere. Thinke of yy ȣ̓φθάνω τὸ ἓν νοῆσαι; ϰϳ τοῖς τϱισὶ ωεριλάμωομαι. ȣ̓ φθάνω τὰ τϱία διελεῖν, ϰϳ ἐις τὸ ἓν ἀναφέρομαι. Nazian. one, a threefold light will dazell thee; diſtinguiſh into three, and an infinite Vnitie will ſallow thee. Univ, & ſi dici debet, Vniſſimus, faith zz Bern. ad Eugeni. Bernard.

Hauing thus with trembling hand written of that dreadfull Myſterie of the Trinitie, of which we may ſay, Cum dicitur, Non dicitur: It is not told with telling, nor can be deſcribed by deſcription; The next to be conſidered are the Works of God, which are either inward and immanent, or outward and tranſient. The inward are eternall and vnchangable, indeed no other but himſelfe, although accounted and called workes, in regard of their effects in the World, and of our concerning. For aa D. Abbot. par. 2. Defen. pag. 9. Zanch. de. N.D. lib 5. cap. 1. all the properties of God are infinite, as they are immanent in himſelfe, yet in their tranſitiue and forren effects are wrought. Such an immanent worke we conceuie, and name that bb Trekat, Zanch, de Na. D. l. 5. c. 1.2. Decree of God touching the Creation of the World, with his prouident diſpoſing all and euery part thereof, according to the Counſel of his own will, and eſpecially touching the reaſonable creatures, Angels and Men, in reſpect of their eternall ſtate in Saluation or Damnation. The outward works of God are, in regard of Nature, Creation and Prouidence; in regared of Grace, Redemption and Saluation, in the fulneſſe of time performed by our Emanuel, God manifeſted in the fleſh, true God and perfect Man, in the Vnitie of one Perſon, without cc ἀσυγχύτως, ὰτρέπζτως, ἀϳιαιρέτως ϰϳ ἀχωρίς ως. confuſion, conuerſion, or ſeperation. dd 1. Ioh. 5.20. This is verie God and life eternall, Iesvs Christ, the Sonne of God, our Lord, which was conceiued by the Holy Ghost, borne of the Virgin Mary, ſuffered vnder Pontius Pilate, who was crucified, dead and buried; deſcended into Hell: roſe againe the third day; he aſcended into Heauen; where he ſitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almightie, from whence he ſhall come to iudge the quicke and dead. And to ſuch as are ſonnes, ee Gal. 4.6. God doth alſo ſend the Spirit of his Sonne, to renue and ſactifie them as children of the Father, members of the Sonne, Temples of the Spirit, that they, euen all the Elect, may be one holy Catholike Church, enioying the vnſpeakable priuiledges and heauenly prerogratiues of the Communion of Saints, the Forgiueneſſe of Sinnes, the Reſurrection of the Body, and Euerlaſting Life. Euen ſo, come Lord Iesvs.