BOOK version of the Pentateuch, which was much spread abroad III. at that time among the sons of Ishmael, one whose name makes the nearest approach to their Cadmus, from whom they suppose themselves derived; for the youngest of Ishmael's sons was called Kedemah, Gen. xxv. 15. which the Syriac renders Kedem, the very name of Cadmus in the Eastern tongues. But this being a light conjecture, I pass it by, and return to the subject of our discourse, which gives a plausible account of the ground of this kindred. We have already shewed that the Pelasgi were the first who peopled Greece, (κατὰ τὴν Ἑλλάδα πᾶσαν ἐπεTóλaσe, is Strabo's expression of that nation, that it spread over all Greece ;) and withal it appears that the chief seat of the Pelasgi was in Arcadia, to which next adjoins Laconia, and therefore in all probability was peopled by them; and besides, the Dorians sprang from the Pelasgi, and the Spartans were a part of the Dorians, as appears already out of Grotius; so that what kindred the Pelasgi had, was derived down to the Spartans; and we have Gen. xi, 17, manifested that these Pelasgi were from Phaleg; and the Scripture tells us that Phaleg was the son of Eber, from whom Abraham came in a direct and lineal succession. And thus the Jews coming from Abraham, and the Spartans by the Pelasgi from Phaleg, they both came out of the same stock for so Josephus expresseth it; not that the Lacedæmonians came from Abraham, but that the Jews and they were both évòs yéves, out of the same stock, and both had relation to Abraham; the Jews as coming in a direct line, the Spartans as deriving from Phaleg, from whom Abraham came. And thus much 28. may now suffice to clear the first plantation of Greece, and to shew how consonant it is to sacred Scripture ; which I have taken the more pains in, because of the serviceableness of this discourse to that end, and to shew what use may be made of this kind of learning, for vindicating the honour of the sacred Scriptures. The only thing remaining as to the origin of nations, is the peopling of that vast continent of America, which I cannot think we have yet sufficient information, either concerning the passages thither, especially east and north, or concerning any records the Indians have among themselves, absolutely to determine any thing in it. It seems most probable that the several parts of it were peopled at several times, and from several parts, especially north and east; but to go about absolutely to determine from what nation, in what age, by what means they were first IV. de Orig. peopled, were a piece of as great confidence as ignorance, CHAP. till we have more certain discoveries of it. I choose therefore rather to refer the reader to the bandyings of this con- v. Grot. troversy in the many writers about it, than to undertake Joh. de any thing as to the decision of it. Only in the general it Laet. Horn. appears, from the remaining tradition of the flood, and Gent. Amemany rites and customs used among them, that they had rican. the same original with us; and that there can be no argument brought against it from themselves, since some Spes Israel. authors tell us, that the eldest accounts and memoirs Et Spizzel. they have do not exceed 800 years backward; and there- de Israel. fore their testimony can be of no validity in a matter of American. so great antiquity as the origin of nations is. V. Manesse Ben Israel. III CHAP. V. Of the Origin of the Heathen Mythology. I. That there were some Remainders of the ancient History of the BOOK THE main particulars contained in the Scriptures concerning the history of ancient times, being thus far cleared, I. there remains only that evidence which there is of the truth of the historical part of those eldest times, in those footsteps of it which are contained in the Heathen mythology. For we cannot conceive, since we have manifested that all mankind did come from the posterity of Noah, that all those passages which concerned the history of the world should be presently obliterated and extinguished among them, but some kind of tradition would be still preserved; although by degrees it would be so much altered for want of certain records to preserve it in, that it would be a hard matter to discover its original, without an exact comparing it with the true history itself from whence it was first taken. For it fared with this V. tradition of the first ages of the world, as with a person CHAP. who hath a long time travelled in foreign parts, who, by the variety of climes and countries, may be so far altered from what he was, that his own relations may not know him upon his return, but only by some certain marks which he hath in his body; by which they are assured, that, however his complexion and visage may be altered, yet the person is the same still. Thus it was in this original tradition of the world, through its continual passing from one age to another, and the various humours, tempers, and designs of men, it received strange disguises and alterations as to its outward favour and complexion; but yet there are some such certain marks remaining on it, by which we find out its true original. Two things then will be the main subject of our enquiry here. 1. By what means the original tradition came to be altered and corrupted. 2. By what marks we may discern its true original, or what evidences we have of the remainders of Scripture-history in the Heathen mythology. 1. Concerning the means whereby the tradition by degrees came to be corrupted; there may be some more general, and others more particular. The general causes of it were, II. 1. The gradual decay of knowledge, and increase of barbarism in the world, occasioned by the want of certain records to preserve the ancient history of the world in; which we at large discoursed of in our entrance on this Book i.c. I. subject. Now in the decay of knowledge, there must sect. 16. needs follow a sudden and strange alteration of the memory of former times, which hath then nothing to preserve it but the most uncertain report of fame, which alters and disguiseth things according to the humours, and inclinations, and judgments of those whose hands it passeth through. 2. The gradual increase of idolatry in the world; which began soon after the dispersion of nations, and in whose age we cannot at so great a distance, and in so great obscurity, precisely determine; but as soon as idolatry came in, all the ancient tradition was made subservient in order to that end; and those persons, whose memories were preserved in several nations, by degrees came to be worshipped under diversities of names; and such things were annexed to the former traditions, as would tend most to advance the greatest superstition in the world. 3. The confusion of languages at Babel was one great reason of corrupting the ancient tradition of the world. III. BOOK For in so great variety (as suddenly happened) of languages in the world, it cannot be conceived but such things which might be preserved in some uniform manner, had all nations used the same language, would, through the diversity of idioms, and properties of several tongues, be strangely altered and disguised, as will appear afterwards. This alteration of languages in the world, upon the confusion of tongues at Babel, brought as great a confusion into the original tradition, as it did among those who were the designers of that work. III. And because this subject of the original and cause of this diversity of languages among men, doth both tend to explain the present subject, and to clear the truth of Scripture-history, I shall a little further enquire into it; chiefly on this account, because it is pretended that such a confusion is needless, which is delivered in Scripture, for the producing such diversities of languages, which would arise through mere length of time, and the varieties of climes and customs in the world. But if we only V. Mer. Ca-speak concerning the sense of Moses about it, the enquiry saub. de is of greater difficulty than at first view it seems to be. For it is pretended that Moses no where speaks of a diversity of languages, as we understand it, but only of a confusion of their speech who were at Babel, which might well be, although they all used the same language; that is, there might be a confusion raised in their minds, that they could not understand one another; their notions of things being disturbed, so that, though they heard one word, they had different apprehensions of it; some thinkScal. Exer- ing it signified one thing, and some another: as Julius cit. in Cor- Scaliger tells us, that the Jews he had conversed with did not understand by it a multiplication of tongues, but only quatuor Linguis, p. 3, &c. dan. 259. sect. I. by that confusion their former notions of things, by the same words, were altered. As if one called for 12x, a stone, one by that word understands lime, another water, another sand, &c. this must needs produce a strange confusion among them, and enough to make them desist from their work. But supposing no such division of languages there, yet after their dispersion, which might be caused by the former confusion, by the different laws, rites and customs, commerce and trading, and tract of time, there would have risen a division of their several tongues. But if there were such a division of tongues miraculously caused there, (that, as it is commonly said, all those who were of the same language went together in their several companies,) whence comes it to pass, that |