Moon and to the Planets or Signs Mazaloth and to all the Host of Heaven This doubtless they learned of their Nighbours the Assyrians of whom the Prophet Ezekiel complains that they doted CHAP. IV. Of the Sun THe Sun and Moon are first named and distinguished from the rest with them perhaps this kind of Idolatry began before it came to be applied to any of the other Stars for in the most antient mention of it which is by Iob a Neighbour to the Chaldaeans we find these two only named That the Chaldaeans esteemed these the principal is confirm'd by R. Maimonides who saith They held the rest of the seven Planets to be Gods but the two Luminaries the greatest But of these adds Maimonides they held the Sun to be the greatest God What he further relates in confirmation hereof out of the Books of the Sabaeans concerning Abraham and the like was delivered formerly Of the Assyrian Idols dedicated to the Sun Macrobius mentions three Adad Adonis and Iupiter Heliopolites Adad saith he signifieth one this God they adore as the most powerful but they joyn with him a Goddess named Atargatis ascribing to these two an absolute power over all things by these they mean the Sun and the Earth that hereby they understand the Sun is manifest for the Image of Adad is very fair and hath beams bending downwards to shew that the power of Heaven consists in the beams of the Sun sent down upon the Earth The Image of Atargates hath beams erected to shew that the Earth produceth all things by the power of the beames sent from above Thus Macrobius but whereas he saith that Adad signifieth one either he himself is mistaken or his Text depraved for as Mr. Selden observes with the Syrians and Chaldaeans or Assyrians Chad from the Hebrew Achad signifieth one but Adad or Adod which in the Scripture is Hhadad is of a different spelling Drusius reads in Macrobius Hhada which signifieth One in Syriack Of this Idol perhaps is the Prophet Isaiah to be understood They that sanctify and purify themselves after One in the midst of the gardens dedicated to that Idol behind the Temple Subintelligendum enim Templum pone Templum saith Ioseph Scaliger Adonis is derived from Adon Lord. That Adonis is the Sun saith Macrobius is not doubted upon view of the Religion of the Assyrians with whom Venus Architis now worshipt by the Phoenicians and Adonis were held in great veneration For the Naturalists worshipped the Superioâ—r Hemisphear of the Earth in part whereof we dwell by the name of Venus the inferiour they called Proâ—erpina Hereupon amongst the Assyrians or Phoenicians the Goddâ—ss is introduced mourning because the Sun in performing his Annual Course passeth through the twelve Signs of the Inferiour Hemisphear for of the Signs of the Zodiack six are esteemed superiour six inferiour And when he is in the inferiour and consequently makes the dayes shorter the Goddess is believ'd to mourn as if the Sun were snatch'd away by Death for a time and detained by Proserpina the Goddess of the inferiour part and of the Antipodes Again they conceive that Adonis is restor'd to Venus when the Sun surmounting the six stars of the inferiour Order begins to illuminate our Hemisphear and lengthen the light and dayes The last is Iupiter Heliopolites The Assyrians saith the same Author under the name of Jupiter worship the Sun whom they style 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with extraordinary ceremonies The Image of this God was taken from a Town in Aegypt named Heliopolis also at what time Senemus perhaps the same as Senepos reigned over the Aegyptians it was brought thither by Oppias Ambassador of Delebois King of the Assyrians and by the Aegyptian Priests the chief of whom was Parmetis and having been a long time kept by the Assyrians was afterwards removed to Heliopolis in Aegypt the reason of which and why being caried out of Aegypt it was brought back into the place where now it is and where it is worshipt with Rites that are more Assyrian than Aegyptian I forbear to relate as being nothing pertinent to our purpose That this Jupiter is the same with the Sun appears as well by their Religious Rites as by the fashion of the Image for it 's being of Gold of which Metall Maimonides describes those Telesmes to have been which the Chaldaeans made to the Sun and without a Beard is sufficient argument hereof The right hand is lifted up holding a Whip like a Charioteer the left holds a Thunderbold and some ears of Corn all which denote the consociate powers of Jupiter and the Sun Moreover the Religion of this Temple is excellent for Divination which is ascribed to the power of Apollo who is the same with the Sun Likewise the Image of the Heliopolitane God is caried on a Beer as the Images of the Gods are caried at the Solemnity of the Games of the Circensian Gods Many Nobles of that Countrey follow their heads shaved they themselves pure by a long Chastity they are driven by Divine Inspiration not as they will themselves but whither the God caries them This God they consult even absent by sending Tableâ—books sealed up and he writes back in Order to the questions inserted in them Thus the Emperour Trajan being to go out of that Countrey into Parthia with his Army at the request of his Friends zealous in this Religion and who having had great experiments in this kind perswaded him to inquire concerning the successe of his expedition proceeded with Romane prudence lest there might be some deceit of man it and first sent the Table-books sealed up requiring an answer in writing The God commanded paper to be brought and ordered that it should be sent to him blank to the astonishment of the Priests Trajan received it with admiration for that he also had sent a blanck Table-book to the God Then he took another Table-book and wrote in it this question whether having finished this War he should return to Rome â—his he sealed up The God commanded a Centurial Vine one of those gifts that were in the Temple to be brought and to be cut into two pieces and wrapt up in a Napkin and sent The event appeared manifest in the death of Trajan his bones being brought back to Rome for by the fragments the kind of Reliques his bones â—y the token of the Vine the future chance was declared Hitherto Macrobius To these adde Bel or Belus a name though more peculiar to the Supreme Deity yet common to many of the Chaldaean Gods and amongst others to the Sun as Servius witnesseth In Punick language saith he God is named Bal but amongst the Assyrians he is called Bel and by a certain mystical reason Saturn and the Sun CHAP. V. The Chaldaean Worship of the Moon THe Moon was worshiped by the Chaldaeans under many names all which are Feminine and the greater part answerable to those of the Sun
them Whence if the Nerve be pressed or seized with cold or the like there arriseth pain from the emâ—ssion of one Spirit into another Spirit for it is impossible that a Compound Body should in itself be sensible of pain but in as much as it partaketh of Spirit and therefore being broken into pieces or dead it is absolutely insensible because it hath no Spirit In like manner a Daemon being all Spirit is of his own nature sensible in every part he immediately seeth and heareth he is obnoxious to suffering by touch being cut assunder he is pained like Solid bodies only hereindiffering from them that other things being cut assunder can by no means or very hardly be made whole again wâ—ereas the Daemon immediately commeth together again as Air or Water parted by some more Solid Body But though this Spirit joyns again in a moment neverthelesse at the very time in which the dissection is made it is pained Hitherto the Theologie and Physick of the Chaldaeans The Second SECTION ASTROLOGY and other Arts of DIVINATION THe Second part of the Chaldaick Learning consists in Arts of Divination The chief whereof was Astrology This as it is generally acknowledged to have been their proper invention so were they most particularly addicted to it for which Ptolomy gives a reason out of the Art it self because they are under Virgo and Mercury But Cicero one much better that the plainnesse and evennesse of the Country did invite them to contemplation of the Stars It consists of two parts one Meteorologick which considers the Motions of the Stars the other Apotelesmatick which regards Divination The first was known to the antient Graecians by the common names of Astronomy and Astrology untill the other being brought into Greece also they for dictinction called the former more particularly Astronomy the latter Astrology The excellent Ioseph Scaliger to advance the credâ—t of the Greek learning constantly averres that the Chaldaeans had only a grosse and general not exact Knowledge of Astronomy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tantum non etiam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that the Greeks learned nothing therein of the Chaldaeans when as Aristotle ingenuously acknowledgeth the contrary the Aegytians and Babylonians saith he from whom we have many informations concerning each of the Stars Though doubtlesse they were far short of that height in this Art to which the Greeks who brought it out of the East improoved it for Diodorus Siculus affirms that they alleged very weak reasons for the Eclipses of the Sun which Eclipses they neither durst foretel nor reduce to certain Periods But of the Apotelesmatick part they boasted themselves not only the Inventors but Masters insomuch that all the professors of it of what Country soever were as we formerly shewed called after them Chaldaeans CHAP. I. Of the Stars Fixed and Erratick and of their praesignification THey First lay down for a ground That Terrestials Sympathise with the Caelestials and that every one of those is renewed by the influence of these For every Man 's endued with such a mind As by the Sire of Gods and Men's assign'd Above all things they hold that our Act and Life is subjected to the Stars as well to the Erratick as the Fixed and that Mankind is governed by their various and multiplicious course That the Planets are of the kind of efficient causes in everything that happens in life and that the Signes of the Zodiack co-operate with them That they conferr all good and ill to the Nativities of Men and that by contemplation of their Natures may be known the chief things that happen to Men. They held the principal Gods to be twelve to each of which they attributed a Moneth and one of the Signes of the Zodiack Next the Zodiack they assert twenty fower Starrs whereof half they say are ranked in the Northern parts the other half in the Southern Of these they which are apparent they conceive to be deputed to the Living the inapparent congregated to the Dead These they call Iudges of all things But the greatest Observation and Theory they hold to be that concerning the Five Starrs termed Planets which they call the Interpreters because the rest of the Starrs being Fixed and having a settled Course these only having a peculiar course foretel things that shall come to passe interpreting and declaring to Men the Benevolence of the Gods for somethings say they they praesignify by their rising some things by their setting some things by their colour if observed sometimes they foretell great Winds sometimes extraordinary Raines or Drought Likewise the rising of Comets and Eclipses of the Sun and of the Mind and Earthquakes and in a Word all Alterations in the Air signify things advantagious or hurtful not only to Nations or Countries but even to Kings and private Persons Beneath the Course of these they hold that there are placed thirty Starrs which they call Consiliary Gods that half of these oversee the Places under the Earth the other half oversee the Earth and the Businesse of Men and what is done in the Heaven and that every ten daies one of these is sent to those below as a Messenger and in like manner one of the Stars under the Earth is sent to those above and that they have this certain Motion settled in an Aeternal revolution CHAP. II. Of Planets TThe greatest Theory they hold as we said to be that which concerns the Planets â—hese they call the Interpreters because whereas the rest of the Stars are Fixed and have one settled course these having their proper courses foretell what things shall come to passe Interpreting and declaring to Men the benevolence of the Gods Of the Seaven they hold the Sun and Moon to be the chief and that the other five have lesse power than they as to the causing events Of the five they affirm that there are three which agree with and are assistant to the Sun viz. Saturn Jupiter and Mercury these they call Diurnal because the Sun to whom they are assistant praedominates over the things that are done in the day As concerning the Powers of the Five some they say are Benevolent others Malevolent others Common the Benevolent are Jupiter and Venus the Malevolent Mars and Saturn the Common Mercury who is Benevolent with the Benevolent and Malevolent with the Malevolent CHAP. III. The Divisions of the Zodiack THe Chaldaeans having at first no certain rule of observation of the other Stars in as much as they contemplated not the Signes as within their proper circumscriptions but only together with their observation of the seven Planets it came at length into their minds to divide the whole Circle into twelve parts The manner they relate thus they say that the Antients having observed some one bright Star of those in Zodiack filled a vessel in which they bored a hole with water and let the water run into another
THE FOURTH SECTION Of the Gods and Religious worship of the Chaldaeans IN the last place as to the Explication of the Chaldaick Doctrine especially of that part which concerned their Ashaphim it is necessary we give accompt of the Gods of the Chaldaeans and of their Religious worship And though Mr. Selden hath reduced all the Asiatick Gods under the common name of Syrian in his Excellent Treatise upon that Subject yet we shall take notice of such onely as were proper to Assyria whether as being worshipt no where else or from thence brought into Syria and other Countries conceiving the rest nothing pertinent to the Chaldaeans or Babylonians The Religious Worship of the Chaldaeans may be reduced to three kinds The first a worship of the true God but after an Idolatrous manner The second of Daemons or Spirits The third of the Celestial Bodies and Elements CHAP. I. Of their Idolatrous Worship of the True God THe first kind of the Chaldaick Worship was of the True God though after an Idolatrous manner The Author of the Chaldaick Summary affirms that they held one principle of all things and declare that it is one and good That by this one and good they meant the true God to whom alone those attributes belong may be gathered from Eusebius who saith speaking doubtless of the Followers of Zoroaster that in the first place they conceive God the Father and King ought to be ranked for this reason the Delphian Oracle attested by Porphyrius joyns them with the Hebrews Chaldees and Iews wise onely worshipping Purely a self-begotten God and King but notwithstanding the Oracle that this Worship though of the True God was Idolatrous is beyond doubt so as to them might be applied what St. Paul saith of the Romans when they knew God they glorified him not as God but changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible man The Name and Image whereby they represented the Supreme God was that of Bel as appears by the prohibition given by God himself not to call him so any more Thou shalt call me no longer Baali Bel with the Chaldaeans is the same as Baal with the Phoenicians both derived from the Hebrew Baal Lord this Bel of the Babylonians is mention'd by the Prophets Esay and Ieremy They who first translated the Eastern Learning into Greek for the most part interpret this Bel by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iupiter So Herodotus Diodorus Hesychius and others Berosus saith Eusebius was Priest of Belus whom they interpret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iupiter the reason of which seems to be for that Bel was the chief God with the Chaldaeans as Iupiter with the Graecians who by that name meant the true God as the Chaldaeans by the other for to him St. Paul applies that hemistick of Aratus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for we are also his off-spring which hath reference to the first Verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And upon these words of St. Peter worship ye God but not as the Graecians Clemens Alexandrinus observes that he saith not worship not the God whom the Graecians but as the Graecians he changed the manner of the worship but preached not another God The Temple of this Iupiter Belus at Babylon is exactly described by Herodotus an eye-witness in whose time it was yet extant thus The gates were of Brass the Temple it self square every side two furlongs broad In the midst of the Temple there was a solid Tower not hollow of the thickness and height of a Stadium upon which there was set another and another upon that and so on to eight on the outside of these were stâ—â—rs by which to go up to every one of them in the midst of the stairs were seats for such as went up to rest themselves in the highest Tower there was another Temple or Chapel and in it a Bed sumptuously furnisht and a Table of Gold but neither in this was there any Statue nor doth any personly here a-nights except one woâ—an a foreiner of whom the God makes choice above all other as the Chaldaeans who are Priests of this God averr for they say though I hardly credit it that the God hiâ—self comes into this Temple and rests in this Bed There is moreover in this Temple another lower Chapel in which there is a great Statue of Jupiter all of Gold sitting and beside it a Table and Bench all of Gold also in so much that the Chaldaeans value it at 800 Talents Likewise without the Chapel there is an Altar of Gold and another Altar very great upon which are sacrifized Sheep of full growth for upon that of Gold it is not lawful to sacrifize any but Sucklings On this greater Altar the Chaldaeans burn yearly Frankinsence to the value of a hundred thousand talents in sacrifice to their Gods There was also at the same time in this Temple a Statue 12 Cubits high of massy Gold which I saw not but take upon the report of the Chaldaeans this Statue Darius son of Hystaspes had a great mind to take but durst not but his son Xerxes afterwards took it and slew the Priest who forbad him to stir it Thus was this Temple built and beautified besides infinite gifts and presents Hitherto Herodotus he terms the Priests of Belus Chaldaeans and R. Maimonides assâ—rts the Chaldaean Idolaters to be the same with the Prophets of Baal The Festival of Bel is mention'd 2 Kings 10. 20. his Oracle by Arrian the same which Stepâ—anus means saying The Chaldaeans had an Oracle which was no less in esteem with them than that at Delphi was with the Graecians CHAP. II. Worship of other Gods Angels and Daemons THe second kind of their Religious Worship was that of other Gods Angels and Daemons Next the Supreme God saith Eusebius delivering their opinion there followeth a multitude of other Gods Angels and Daemons These Gods they distinguish'd into several Orders Intelligibles Intelligibles and Intellectuals Intellectuals Fountains Principles Unzoned Gods Zoned Gods Angels and Daemons To the Worship of these belongs what we have already delivered concerning their Theurgy CHAP. III. The Chaldaean Worship of the Caelestial Bodies THe third kind of Idolatrous Worship used by the Chaldaeans and Babylonians was of the Celestial Bodies into which Maimonides saith they fell soon after the Floud perhaps occasion'd by their continual addiction to Contemplation of them and grounded upon Observation of the great Benefits communicated to Man-kind by their Influence The Levitical Law in prohibiting this Idolatry sets down the particulars of of it Lest thou lift up thine eyes unto Heaven and when thou seest the Sun and the Moon and the Stars even all the Host of Heaven shouldst be driven to Worship them and serve them And of the Jewish Idolaters put down by Iosiah besides those that burnt Incense to Baal of whom already are reckon'd those that burnt Incense to the Sun and to the
the secondary things The third is employed about the third kind of things The three parts into which Zoroaster and Plato divided all things are these The first is aeternal The second had a beginning in time but is aeternal The third is corruptible Thus Plitho citing Plutarch whos 's own words are these Some are of opinion that there are two Gods one opposite in operation to the other one working good the other ill Others call him who is the good God the bad Daemon of this opinion was Zoroaster the Magus whom they report to have preceded the Trojan War 5000. years This Zoroaster declared the names of the good to be Oromazes of the bad Arimanius adding that of sensible things the one did most resemble light and knowledge the other darkness and ignorance Wherefore the Persians call Mithra the mediator He further taught that to one we ought to offer votives and gratulatory sacrifices to the other averruncative and dismal oblations For pounding a certain herb called Omomi in a morter they invoke hades and darkness then mixing it with the blood of a slain Wolf they carry it forth and throw it into a place where the beams of the Sun come not for of plants they hold that some belong to the good God others to the ill Daemon and that of animals some as Dogs Birds and Porcupines belong to the good the aquatile to the bad for which reason they esteem him blessed who hath kill'd most of that kind They likewise relate many fabulous things concerning the Gods of which kind is this I will allege That Oromazes was produced of purest light Arimanes of darkness and that these two war against one another That Oromazes made six Gods The first of benevolence The second of truth The third of aequity the rest of wisedom riches and pleasure which good things are attendant upon the Maker That then Horomazes tripled himself and removed himself so far from the Sun as the Sun is distant from the Earth and that they adorned the Heaven with Stars appointed one the Dog-star as Guardian and watch for the rest That he made 24. other Gods and put them in an Egge and that Arimanius having made as many more they broke the Egge Whence it comes that good is intermingled with ill That the fatal time approacheth in which these shall be destroyed by famine and pestilence and Arimanius utterly destroyed and the Earth made even and smooth There shall be one life and one City or common society of all men living and one language CHAP II. Arts of Divination AMongst the other parts of the Persian Learning are to be reckoned their Arts of Divination and Prediction which Laertius affirms were practised by the Magi. Cicero adds that they assembled in fana in Temples or consecrated places to consult about Divination Hence Strabo saith that by the antients Diviners were much esteemed such as amongst the Persians were the Magi and Necromancers and Lecanomancers and Hydromancers Aelian that the wisdom of the Persian Magi besides all other things which it was lawful for them to know did consist also in Divination And Lucian stiles the Magi a kind of persons skilful in Divination and dedicated to the Gods Of their Divination Cicero giveth an instance concerning Cyrus Aelian another concerning Ochus Amongst other kinds of Divination Velleius Paterculus affirms that they foretold by the marks of the Body They seem to have been skilful likewise in Astrology for Suidas ascribeth to the Persian Zoroaster five Books of Astroscopick Apotelesmes That they were also consulted concerning the presignification of Prodigies is manifest from the relation of Valerius Maximus concerning that which happened to Xerxes CHAP. III. Of the Religious Rites or Magick of the Persians THe chief Science and employment of the Persian Magi was termed Magick from the Professors Magi and is defined by Plato the service of the Gods called also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Magi saith Laertius are employed in the service of the Gods and about sacrificing and praying as being the only persons whom the Gods will hear So Dion Chrysostome The Persians call them Magi who are skilful in the worship of the Gods not like the Greeks who ignorant of the meaning of the word call them so who were skilful in Goetick Magick of which that the Persian Magi were ignorant Laertius allegeth the testimonies of Aristotle in his Treatise entituled Magick and Dinon in the first Book of his Histories As concerning their Religious Rites Herodotus and Strabo affirm that they had no Temples Altars or Images but did impute it to madness in such as had the reason whereof Herodotus conceives to have been for that they did not believe as the Grecians that the Gods were of humane form or as Cicero for that they conceived the Gods to whom the whole World was but a Temple or house could not be shut up within walls upon which ground the Magi perswaded Xerxes to burn the Grecian Temples But k Strabo frequently elsewhere mentions their Temples Altars and Images whence it may be argued either that in the time of Herodotus they had not any and that Strabo in affirming the same with Herodotus is to be understood onely of their primitive Institution which when the Macedonians afterwards conquer'd them became corrupted with Graecian Rites Or that there were different Sects among them from the beginning whereof some allow'd Altars Images and Temples others disallow'd them l Herodotus and Strabo further add that they sacrifised in high places their Rites and Sacrifices Herodotus describes thus When they go about to sacrifise they neither erect an Altar nor kindle fire nor use libation nor flutes nor garlands nor cakes but when any man intends to sacrifise to some one of these Gods he drives the victime to a clean place and invocâ—tes that God his tyara being crown'd with myrtle It is not lawful for him who sacrifiseth to pray for good things for himself alone but he must pray for all the Persians in general and in particular for the King for in praying for all the Persians he includes himself Having cut the victime into little pieces he boiles the flesh and strewing soft herbs especially Trifoly he laies the flesh upon them The Magus standing by sings a theogonial hymn for this they conceive to be a powerful incantation Without a Magus it is not lawful for them to sacrifise Soon after he who sacrifiseth takes away the flesh and disposeth of it as he pleaseth Strabo adds that when the Magus who declares the sacrifice hath distributed the pieces of the flesh every one taking his piece they all depart home leaving no part for the Gods for they say the Gods require nothing but the Soul of the victime Yet some it is said lay part of the sat upon the fire CHAP. IV. The Gods of the Persians HErodotus and Strabo
reckon the Gods of the Persians thus Iupiter the Sun the Moon Venus the Fire the Earth the Winds the Water Laertius not so fully the Fire the Earth and the Water By Iupiter as Herodotus and Strabo affirm they understood the whole Circuit of Heaven Agathius adds that they worshipped Iupiter under the name of Bel which sufficiently argues they derived this God from the Chaldaens To the Sun as both Herodotus and Strabo witness they sacrifised Strabo adds that they called him Mithra This was the greatest of their Gods as Cyrus introduced by Xenophon acknowledgeth swearing by him Hâ—sychius likewise affirms it was the greatest of their Gods and that the greatest Oath which the King himself took was by Mithra They represented him with the face of a Lion in a Persian habit with a Tiara holding with both hands a Bull by the horns which seemed to strive to get from him signifying that the Moon begins to receive her light from him when she leaves him Zoroaster first amongst the Persians as Eubulus affirms who wrote many Volumes of the History of Mithra did consecrate a natural Cave in the Mountains next Persia in honour of Mithra the King and Father of all signifying by this Cave the World framed by Mithra by the other things disposed within it in fit distances the Elements and Quarters of the World The Cave of Mythra is mentioned by many others In the Mythraean Rites for so Lampridius terms them Celsus cited by Origen saith the twofold motion of the Stars fixt and erratick was represented and the passage of the Soul through them in sign whereof there was set up a high pair of stairs having seven gates the first of Lead the second of Tin the third of Brass the fourth of Iron the fift of Leather the sixt of Silver the seventh of Gold The first belongs to Saturn the Lead signifying the slowness of that Planet the second to Venus to whom they compare Tin for its brightness and softness the third to Jupiter as being most solid with brasen steps the fourth to Mercury for they hold him to be the stoutest undertaker of all businesse cunning and eloquent The fift to Mars in regard of its unequal and various commixture the sixth to the Moon of Silver the seventh to the Sun whose colour as also that of the Stars resembles Gold He who was initiated into these Rites proceeded as Suidas relates through several degrees of contumely Nonnus upon Gregory Nazianzen saith twelve and of pain as burning blows and the like by which trial he was to give testimony of his sanctity and of his being void of passion Of the Rites of the Moon there is nothing said in particular Concerning those of Venus Herodotus saith They sacrifise also to Urania which they learnt of the Assyrians and Arabians the Assyrians call Venus Militta the Arabians Alilat the Persians Metra And as Milidtha in Syriack signifieth generative prolifick Venus genetrix so mader or mater with the Persians signifies as Raphelengius observes a mother This perhaps was that Mother of the Gods whichm Cicero affirms to have been worshipt by the Persians Syrians and all the Kings of Europe and Asia with great devotion The Fire Iulius Firmicus saith they preferred before all the other Elements o Agathias affirms they learnt to worship it of the Chaldaeans Strabo relates that in Cappadocia there was a great number of Magi called Pyrethi and many Temples of the Persian Gods they kill not the victime with a kniâ—e but strike it down with a club Here also there are Pyretheia Chapels in the midst of which is an Altar covered with great store of ashes where the Magi preserve a fire that never goes out and coming in every day sing almost the space of an hour holding a bundle of rods before the fire with which as Mr Selden observes they stirred it up whilst they sung Their heads are covered with woollen Tiaras which being tied on both sides hide their lips and cheeks Thus Strabo an eye-witness These Pyratheia or as Suidas terms them Pyreia were those sempiternal fires of the Magi mentioned by Ammianus Marcellinus Neither in Temples only did they use thâ—se Rites but in private Caves where Iulius Firmicus reports they worshipped the Fire with many extraordinary Ceremonies as amongst other things using to pronounce these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nor did this worship extend to fire only but to all things that resembled it as Dionysius reports whereof Strabo instanceth the Pyropus w Iulius Firmicus addes that they called the fire Mithra by which as also by their worshipping it in Caves it is manifest that sometimes at least they took it for the Sun their greatest Deity Concerning the worship of the Earth and Winds nothing particular is delivered That of the Water was performed in this manner They go to a Lake River or Spring where they make a trench and kill a victime taking care that none of the blood come at the water then laying Myrtle and Lawrel upon it they burn it with rods and making some prayers sprinkle oil mixed with milk and honey not in the fire or water but on the earth Other Gods the Persians had though not reckoned amongst these whether as lesse principal or of later date of thâ—se are mentioned by the same Author Strabo and by others Anaitis Venus Amandatus Sacaea Sandes and Naâ—naea Diana Hitherto of the Doctrine of the Persians THE THIRD BOOK Of the Sabaeans ARabia the noblest Peninsula if we may so term it of Asia is terminated by the Persian the Indian and the Red Sea except that on one side it is conterminous to Syria by which vicinity was occasioned so neer a correspondence betwixt those Nations that as the Chaldaean Learning overspreading all Mesopotamia Syria and Assyria did on one side extend to their Neighbours the Persians so on the other it â—eached to the Arabians From which neernesse perhaps it was not only of Situation but Religion and opinions that Pliny useth their names promiscuously calling a great part of Mesopotamia Arabia and the Arabians themselves Syrians And the later Eastern Writers especially the Arabians under the appellation of Chasdim or Chaldanin Chaldaeans comprehended not only the Babylonians but the Nabathaeans Charaneans and Sabaeans as amongst others Muhamed Isacides takes Chasdanin and Nabathaea to be synonimous and Ahmedus to his Book concerning the Religion of the Sabaeans gives this Title Of the Rites of the Charanean Chaldaeans commonly known by the name of Sabaeans he adds commonly known by the name of Sabaeans because the Sabaeans being the most considerable of these they likewise under the appellation of Sabaeans included all the rest even the Chaldaeans of Mesopotamia using the terms of Chaldaea and Sabaea no less promiscuously than Pliny those of Arabia Mesopotamia and Syria for which R. Maimonides who doth so throughout all his Writings gives this reason
cites a story concerning Abraham related formerly The Book Haistamchus ascribed to Aristotle but falsly The Book Hattelesmaoth of Tsilmenaias Buxtorâ—ius renders it of speaking Images the reason we have given formerly The Book â—amtam The Book of Hassearabh The Book of the Degrees of the Celestial Orbs and the Figures that are ascendent in every Degree Another Book concerning Tsilmenaias which also is attributed to Aristotle Another Book ascribed to Hermes The Book of Isaak the Zabian wherein he argues in defence of the Law of the Zabians A great Book of the Customes and particularities of the Law of the Zabians as of their Feasts Sacrifices Prayers and other things concerning their belief All these saith Maimonides are Books which treat of Idolatrical things and are translated into the Arabick tongue Besides these as Maimonides acknowledgeth there are many others Hottinger cites in his own possession A Treatise of Mahomet the elder son of Isaak who is otherwise called Abulfark the son of Abi Iakub THE SECOND PART The Doctrine of the Sabaeans WHat is left to us of the Doctrine of the Sabaeans is delivered upon later Authorities than those from which we have the Chaldaick and therefore perhaps is but an accompt of what it was in later times degenerated from their primitive Doctrine which was immediately derived from the Chaldaick Nor is it improbable but that this corruption might be somewhat aggravated by the eager opposition of the Talmudists and some Arabick Writers that follow them from whose hands only we receive it However we conceive it necessary to be annexed to the former of which though depraved it pretends at least to be the continued succession CHAP I. Of the Gods and Rites of the Sabaeans TThe Sabaeans held as the Chaldaeans that the Stars are Gods but the Sun the greatest God for they plainly assert that the Sun governs the superiouâ— and inferiour Worlds and call him the great Lord the Lord of good What they relate concerning Abraham refusing to worship the Sun is delivered elsewhere what they further fable of the Patriarchs That Adam not being the first Man but begotten by a Man and Woman was a Prophet of the Moon and by preaching perswaded men to worship the Moon and composed Books of Husbandry That Noah was a Husbandman likewise but believed not in Idols for which they discommended him in all their Writings That Seth also dissented from Adam as to worshipping the Moon See delivered more fully by Maimonides Their forms of worshipping these Gods was twofold dayly and monethly the dayly is by Said Vahed described thus They make the first day sacred to the Sun the second to the Moon the third to Mars the fourth to Mercury the fift to Iupiter the sixt to Beltha Venus the seventh to Saturn The description of their monethly worship receive from a Ms. of Mahumed ben Isaac cited by Hottinger They begin the year from the moneth Nisan of which they keep holy the first second and third dayes adoring and praying to their Goddess Beltha they go to her Temples sacrifising Sacrifices and burning living Creatures On the sixt day of the same moneth they kill a Bull to their Goddesse the Moon and towards the evening of the same day eat it On the eighth day they a keep Fast and likewise celebrate at night a Feast in honour of the seven Gods and of the Daemons offering a Lamb to the God of the Blind Mars On the fifteenth day is the Festival of Sammael by this name the Talmudists understand the Devil celebrated with many Sacrifices Holocausts and Offerings On the twentieth they visit a Coenobium of the Harranaeans called Cadi where they kill three Oxen one to Saturn another to Mars the blind God the third to the Moon they kill likewise nine Lambs seven to their seven Gods the Planets one to the God of the Geniusses and one to the God of the Houres They likewise burn many Lambs and Cocks On the 28. day they go into the Temple which they have in the City Saba at a certain gate of Charran called the gate Assarah and kill to Hermes their God a great Bull as also seven Lambs to their seven Gods one to the God of the Daemons and to the God of the Houres eating and drinking but they burnt nothing of any Beast that day The second moneth which is Iiar they begin also with Sacrifices celebrating the consecration of Sammael and Feasting The second day they keep in honour of Aben Salem drinking and filling their hands with Tamarisk and other Fruits The 23. day of the third moneth they keep in honour of Sammael whom they affirm to be the God that maketh the Arrows fly the Cumar or Priest makes an Arrow take fire twelve times by rubbing another stick against it the last time he creeps upon the ground and puts flax to it if their flax kindle they conceive their Rites well accepted of the Gods otherwise not The fourth Moneth Thammus had a peculiar solemnity about the middle of it called the Festival Albukal of the weeping VVomen The original of which is thus related by R. Maimonides In the same Book saith he they tell a story of a certain Idolatrous Pseudo-Prophet named Thammuz who calling upon the King to worship the seven Planets and the twelve signs of the Zodiack and being by the King put to an ignominious death the same night in which he was slain all the Images from all parts of the Earth met in the Palace which was erected at Babylon to the great Golden Image of the Sun suspended betwixt Heaven and Earth There this Image of the Sun fell down prostrate in the midst and all the rest of the Images standing round about it bewailed Thammuz and began to relate what had happened to him whereupon the rest of the Images fell a-weeping and lamented all that night But assoon as the morning appeared they all flew away and returned home to their several Temples Hence came the Custome that on the first day of the moneth Thammuz Iune they weep lament and bewail Thammuz This Custome of VVomen weeping for Tammuz is mentioned also by the Prophet Ezekiel as imitated by the Jews Tâ—e 27. day of this moneth they consecrate to Sammael and to other Gods and Daemons sacrificing nine Lambs to Hanan In the fift moneth which as the Syrians they call Ab they presse new Winâ— to their Gods and give it several names this they do the eight first dayes They likewise kill a new born Infant to their Gods which they beat all to pieces then they take the flesh and mix it with Ry-meal Saffron Ears of Corn Mace and little Cakes like Figs they bake this in a new Oven and give it to the People of the Congregation of Sammael all the year long no Woman eats of this nor servant nor son of a Bond-woman nor Man that is possessed or mad The Rites of the sixt moneth named Eilâ—ul are thus described by
replenished with the more excellent Life and Illumination and exists as it were out of herself then the Oracle saith to her boast of Harmony that is Glory in the obscure and intelligible Harmony by which thou art tied together in Arithmetical and Musical Proportions for under this intelligible Harmony even the mortal and compounded Body is composed having it's compositions derived from thence Let the immortal depth of the Soul be predominant but all thy Eyes Extend upward The depth of the Soul is her threefold powers the intellectual the intelligent the opiniative Her Eyes are the threefold cognoscitive operations of these for the Eye is the Symbol of Knowledg as Life is of Appetite Open therefore saith he the immortal Depth of the Soul and extend thy cognoscitive Powers upwards and even thy own self to use our own Expression transfer to the Lord. Defile not the Spirit nor deep not a Superficies The Chaldaeans cloath the Soul with two Garments one they call Spiritual woven for it by the sensible World the other Luciform tenuious and intangible which is here termed Superficies Defile not saith he the spiritual Garment of thy Soul with impurity neither cause it 's Superficies to grow deep by certain material Additions but preserve both in their own Natures one pure the other undipt Seek Paradise The Chaldaick Paradise is the whole Chorus of Divine powers about the Father and the fiery Beauties of the creative fountains The opening thereof by piety is the Participation of the Goods The flaming Sword is the implacable power which withsâ—ands those that approach it unworthily to such persons it is shut for they are not capable of it's felicity To the Pious it is open to this place tend all the Theurgick Vertues This Vessel the Beasts of the Earth shall inhabit The Vessel is the compounded mixture of the Soul the Beasts of the Earth are the Daemons which rove about the Earth our life therefore being ful of passions shall be inhabited by such Beaâ—s for such kinds are essentiated in passions and have a material Seat and Order Wherefore such as are addicted to passions are glued to them by assimulation for they attract what is like them having a motive-faculty from the passions If thou extend the fiery mind to the work of Piety Thou shalt preserve the fluxible Body That is If thou extend thy illuminated Mind upwards and the Work of fire to the Works of Piety the Works of Piety with the Chaldaeans are the Methods of rites thou shalt not only render the Soul unvanquishable by Passions but shalt also preserve thy Body â—he more healthfull for this Ordinarily is the effect of Divine illuminations viz. to consume the matter of the Body and to esâ—ablish health that it be not seized either by passion or diseases Certainly out of the cavities of the Earth spring terrestrial Dogs Which shew no true signe to mortal Man The speech is of material Daemons These he calls Dogs for that they are Executioners of souls Terrestrial for that they fall from Heaven and are rolled about the Earth These saith he being removed far from the Beatitude of Divine Life and destitute of Intellectual Contemplation cannot praesignifie Futures whence all that they say or show is false and not solid for they know Beings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by their Out-sides but that which knoweth figures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 particularly useth Notions indivisible and not figured For the Father perfected all things and delivered them over to the second Mind which all Nations of men call the first The first Father of the Triad having made the Universal Frame deliver'd it over to the Mind which Mind the whole Race of Mankind being Ignorant of the Paternal Excellency call the first God but our Doctrine holds the contrary viz. that the first Mind the Son of the Great Father made and perfected every Creature for the Father in the Book of Moses declareth to the Son the Idaea of the Production of Creatures but the Son himself is the Maker of the Work The furies are Stranglers of Men. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The reductive Angels reduce Souls to them drawing them from general things but the Furies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being the Tormentors of the Natures which are dispersed and envious of human Souls entangle them in material Passions and as it were strangle them and not only Torture such as are full of passions but even those that are converted towards the immaterial Essence for these also coming into matter and into generation stand in need of such purification for we see many Persons even of those who live holily and purely fall into unexpected Miseries The Paternal mind hath implanted Symbols in Souls As the Mosaick Book saith that Man was formed after the Image of God so the Chaldaean saith that the Maker and Father of the World sowed Symbols of his Essence in the Souls thereof For out of the paternal Seed not only Souls but all superiour Orders sprung But in Incorporeal substances there is one kind of signs viz. Incorporeal and Individual In the World there are other signs and Symbols the unspeakable properties of God which are far more Excellent then the Vertues themselves The Souls of those who quit the Body violently are most pure Whosoever shall take this saying rightly will find that it contradicts not our Doctrine for the Crowned Martyrs who in time of persecution leave their Bodies by a violent End purifie and perfect their Souls but this is not that which the Chaldaean means He praiseth all violent Death because the Soul which leaveth the Body with trouble abhorrs this Life and hateth conversation with the Body and rejoycing flyeth up to the things above but those Souls which forsake this Life their Bodies being naturally dissolved by sicknesse do regret it's propension and inclination to the Body Because the Soul being a bright fire by the power of the Father Remains immortal and is Mistresse of Life And possesseth many Completions of the cavities of the World The Soul being an immaterial and incorporeal fire exempt from all compounds and from the material Body is immortal for nothing material or dark is commixed with her neither is she compounded â—o as that she may be resolved into those things of which she consists but she is the Mistresse of Life enlightning the Dead with Life she hath the Complements of many Recesses that is susceptive of the Government of Matter for she is enabâ—ed according to her different Vertues to dwell in different Zones of the World The Father infuseth not fear but instead of perswasion That is the Divine Nature is not stern and full of indignation but sweet and calm whence it doth not cause fear in the Natures subjected to it but attracts all things by perswasion and graciousnesse for if it were formidable and minacious every Order of Beings would have been dissolved None of them being able to endure his Power And this Doctrine is in part esteemed