I. VErſe 8. Eaſtward, the Hebrew New Ambiguity of this Verſe in the Word Mikkedem. Word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Mikkedem, which I render by this Word Eaſtward, is the Cauſe of a great many new Ambiguities, and diverſity of Explanations: For as it may ſignifie both Time and Place, the Author of the Vulgar Tranſlation; who is no other here than St. Jerom; the Graecian Tranſlators, Aquila, Theodotion and Symmachus; the Chaldaick Paraphraſts, Onkelos, and Jonathan; and the Interpreters who make open Profeſſion of following the Vulgar Tranſlation, have taken it in the firſt Sence, and rendred it, in the beginning. This very Tranſlation is ambiguous: for ſome underſtand it as if this Garden had been planted before the Creation of the World. The Author of the Fourth Book of Eſdras, Jonathan the Paraphraſt, and St. Jerom himſelf, as I told you before, are of that Opinion. Some make it only as old as the World, and the greateſt part pretend that it was planted the Third Day of the Creation. Thoſe who believe that by the Word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Mikkedem, is meant a Place, and not Time, are not all of the ſame Mind: for ſome are perſwaded, that it ſignifies the extremity of the Eaſt; others, and thoſe more in number and of greater Learning, maintain, That the Word Eaſt is never given in Scripture to the Regions that are beyond the Perſian Gulf; but only to thoſe that lie betwixt that Gulf and Judaea; I mean Arabia, Chaldaea, Meſopotamia, and Perſia. I ſhall add this Proof to theirs, That the Chaldaeans, who dwelt towards the lower part of the Euphrates, were called Sabaeans by the Arabians and Jews, that is to ſay Eaſtern; and their Book concerning Husbandry, ſo often quoted by Rabbi Maimonides, was called the Eaſterly Book; and that the Chriſtians of St. John which live about Baſſora, which is a part of the ancient Chaldaea, bear ſtill that Name. I ſhall add to this, That beſides the Regions juſt now named by me, and called Eaſtern by the Sacred Authors; thoſe alſo that were ſituated along the eaſterly ſide of the Tigris, are more eſpecially called, as by their proper Name, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Kedem, Eaſt. And this hath given occaſion to the Poets to feign that Memnon was the Son of Aurora, or the Morning, becauſe he was born in Suſiana, a Province adjoining to that of Eden. As the eaſterly ſide of the Trigris was called Eaſt, ſo the Weſterly was on the contrary called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Ereb, Weſt, from whence Arabia took its Name. The Word Eaſt being thus a relative Term; and ſeeing that one and the ſame place may be eaſterly and weſterly if diverſly conſidered, Arabia hath been called Eaſt, as alſo its neighbouring Provinces in reſpect to Judaea; and Weſt in reſpect to the Tigris. Let us now return to the divers Expoſitions of the Text now in queſtion. Some preſumed, that as Moſes wrote theſe Words in Arabia Petraea, he had a regard to its proper Situation, and called that Eaſt, which was ſo in reſpect to the place where he then hapned to be. Others think, that as he wrote to the Hebrew Nation, and in reference to that time to come, when it ſhould be eſtabliſhed in the promiſed Land, he only minded that Land. And the moſt part pretend that this Word Eaſtward, according to the Rules of Grammar, refers to the immediately foregoing Words, planted a Garden in Eden; and that Moſes meant that the Garden comprehended the eaſterly part of the Land of Eden. For my part, I ſuppoſe that the Province of Eden extended it ſelf on both ſides of the River, and adjoined to Suſiana; and that therefore the part which was beyond the River, did partake of the very Name Kedem, Eaſt; as alſo all the Lands that lay on the eaſterly ſide of it; and that when Moſes ſaid that the Garden was Eaſtward, he meant that it was in that part of the Province of Eden, which was beyond the River, and was called Kedem, Eaſt. Some Commentators, by way of accommodation, approving of the Two ſignifications of Time and Place given to the Hebrew Text, (and which indeed may both ſtand together) and deſiring to reconcile the divers Tranſlations, maintain, That the Holy Ghoſt inſpired this ambiguous Word to Moſes, that we might underſtand that God planted this Garden in the Eaſt, and planted it at the beginning of the World, that is, on the Third Day of the Creation.

II. I am not contrary to that Opinion, and I grant that the WordMikkedem may ſignifie both Time and Place; but here it ſignifies chiefly Place. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Mikkedem may ſignifie the time of the Creation of the Earthly Paradiſe, provided that it be granted to me, That it firſt and particularly doth ſignifie its Situation. And indeed all things do convince us of this; for if we come to reckon Suffrages, we ſhall oppoſe to thoſe that I produced in behalf of the ſignification of Time, the Seventy Interpreters, attended with all the Graecian Fathers, and many of the Latin, the Rabbins, Aben Ezra, David Kimchi, and Selomoh Jarchi, with David de Pomis, the Oriental Tranſlators, and moſt of the Modern Interpreters and Grammarians. To the Authority of the Vulgar Tranſlation, we ſhall oppoſe the old Italick Tranſlation; out of which St. Jerom did probably take the Text that we now examine, as it is cited in his Hebraick Queſtions, tranſlated in theſe Words; Et plantavit Dominus Deus Paradiſum in Eden, contra Orientem. And the Lord God planted a Garden in Eden, overagainſt the Eaſt. It is plain, that only the reſpect he had for the Three ancient Graecian Interpreters, Aquila, Theodotion, and Symmachus, made him alter the Italick Tranſlation in this Place, and made him infer out of the Words they made uſe of, That Paradiſe had been created by God before Heaven and Earth. Nevertheleſs this Italick Tranſlation, from whom this place of our Vulgar Tranſlation hath been taken, was made uſe of even from the beginning of Chriſtianity, long before and after St. Jerom's time, in the Church of Rome, and in all the Churches of Italy, before all the other Tranſlations. And as it was compoſed upon the Tranſlation of the Seventy Interpreters, and that the place alledged by St. Jerom follows them Word by Word, I am, not without good Ground, brought to think, that it was taken out of that old Tranſlation.

III. To ſhew the univerſal ConſentWe might prove it by the ancient cuſtom of Chriſtians turning their Churches Eaſtward. of the Church in giving to this Text the ſignification that I am for, I could produce a Cuſtom that was practiſed a long while in it, and is not yet aboliſhed, to direct towards the Eaſt the Buildings of Churches, and oblige Chriſtians by that Situation to turn to the Eaſt in making their Prayers. The chief Reaſon for it given by the Fathers, is, ſay they, to put us in mind, when we look toward that part of the World, where that delicious Placo ſtood, of the Happineſs we have loſt by the Sin of our firſt Father; and of the Care we ought to take for the recovering of it. But it ſeems more probable to me, that the Church brought in this Cuſtom to diſtinguiſh it ſelf from the Religion of the Jews, whoſe Temple was turned towards the Weſt; as it is likely that the Jews placed theirs ſo, to diſtinguiſh themſelves from their Neighbours, who for the moſt part were Idolaters, and Worſhippers of the Sun, and made their Prayers towards the Eaſt: which Idolatry had crept in amongſt the People of God, and is condemned by Ezekiel. And it is a remarkable thing,Ezek. 8. 16 that as the ancient Religion, I mean the Jewiſh, ordered that Prayers ſhould be made towards the Weſt; and that afterwards the Chriſtian Religion altered this Cuſtom, and preſcribed that Prayers ſhould be made towards the Eaſt. So the ancient Romans did build their Temples toward the Weſt, which Cuſtom was ſince aboliſhed, by diſpoſing them towards the Eaſt, before the time of Auguſtus himſelf: As Vitruvius who lived atVitruv. l. 4. c. 5. Hygen. de limitib. conſtit. that time ſays, and alſo Hygenus the Surveyor, who did write in the time of Trajan, the Rules of his Art.

IV. We can make no doubt thatMoſes makes conſtantly uſe of the word Mikkedem to ſignifie a place. Moſes made uſe of the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Mikkedem, in the ſence I take it, when we ſee that in the following Narrative he always made uſe of it in the ſame ſence; as when he ſays, That God having turned Adam out of Paradiſe, he dwelt on the Eaſt of that place. For altho' St. Jerom tranſlateth, Ante Paradiſum voluptatis, he doth nevertheleſs denote the Eaſt, which according to the Language of Scripture, is the • ore part of the World. He takes it alſo in the ſame ſence, when he ſpeaks of the confuſion of Languages, and ſays, That Gen. 11. 2. thoſe who went to build the Tower of Babel, departed from the Eaſt to Gen. 12. 8. go into the land of Se •• aar. He uſes it twice in the ſame ſence, when he deſcribes the Situation of the Mountain where Abraham did incamp, after he went from Sichem, to ſignifie that the Town of Hai was on the Eaſt of that Mountain, and the Mountain on the Eaſt of Bethel, and Bethel towards the Sea, that is to ſay on the Weſt of the Mountain, making an oppoſition between the Eaſt and the Weſt. HeGen. 13. 11 takes it ſo too, when he relates the parting of Abraham and Lot from each other, ſaying that the latter retired towards the Eaſt. And finally he makes uſe of it in the ſame ſence in the book of Numbers, whenNumb. 34. 11. he gives us to underſtand, that Ribla was on the Eaſt of Ai. I ſhall not quote many other places out of the other Sacred Authors, in which this term is taken in the ſame ſence: Theſe will ſuffice to ſhew that it was appropriated, as it were, to deſcriptions of places.

V. But all the Ambiguity is not Moſes meant by the word Mikkedem that Paradiſe was ſituated in the eaſterly part of Eden. yet taken off; for altho' 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Mikkedem is here the name of a place, and denotes the Eaſt, yet it is uncertain, whether Moſes would only give us to underſtand, that Paradiſe was Eaſterly in reſpect to himſelf when he was a writing this; and in reſpect to the Promiſed Land, to the Inhabitants whereof he did write; or whether he meant that it was in the eaſterly part of the Land of Eden: But I think that Moſes having ſaid that Paradiſe ſtood in the Land of Eden; and the Land of Eden being ſo near the Arabia Petraea, where then the Iſraelites were, very few of them were ignorant of its Situation; and it ſufficed him to have ſaid, that Paradiſe was in the Land of Eden, to let us know that Paradiſe was eaſterly in regard to himſelf and to the Promiſed Land. Whereas it was neceſſary to mark in what place of the Land of Eden Paradiſe was. For what likelihood is there that Moſes having undertaken to deſcribe exactly the Situation of this Garden, of which he in the Series of his Narrative gives ſo preciſe and uniform marks, after he had ſaid that it ſtood in the Land of Eden, ſhould neglect to expreſs the part of that Land where it ſtood, and ſhould ſpeak of the time of its Creation, which had been marked enough in the firſt Chapter, where he relates the creation of Plants? Was it more neceſſary to know into how many branches the River that watered Paradiſe did divide it ſelf, and into what Countries theſe branches extended themſelves, and what Commodities were brought out of thoſe Countries, than to know in what part of a Province, to which ſome Authors give a very great ex •• nt, this delicious Garden was ſituated? Would this be agreeable to the exactneſs of a good Hiſtorian, who being willing to relate, how the Venetians took lately from the Turks Napoli di Malveſia, ſhould only ſay, that it is a Town in the Morea? Ought he not to have added, that it is ſituated on the eaſterly Coaſt of that Province?

I. VErſe 10. And from thence it was New Ambiguity of this Verſe. The River divided it ſelf out of the Garden. parted, and became into four • eads. The Rules of Grammar do require that this Particle from thence be referred to what he named laſt, viz. the Garden. And indeed Moſes, beſides the other marks he hath given of the Situation of this Garden, having undertaken to deſcribe it to us by the Rivers or Chanels, into which this great River that waters it is divided, the Deſcription which he is a going to make of theſe Chanels, ought to be referred to this Garden. Yet as Paradiſe was a part of Eden, one may conſider Eden and Paradiſe together in the deſcription of theſe four Branches; becauſe they were divided from one another, after they had paſſed out of both. Moſes hath mark'd it plainly enough, when he ſaid, That a river went out of Eden to water the Garden; for theſe words give us to underſtand, that there was but one River in the Garden and in Eden, and conſequently that the diviſion did not happen there. Nevertheleſs the Subtilty of the Interpreters hath found here matter wherein to exerciſe it ſelf. Some ſay that the Particle from thence relateth to Eden, and that the River divides it ſelf there into four Chanels, before it cometh into the Garden. Others will have that diviſion to be made at the entrance of the Garden. Thoſe who pretend that the River divides it ſelf in Eden, do not agree among themſelves; ſome of them ſuppoſing that it divides it ſelf into four Chanels in Eden, which run all four into Paradiſe; others admitting but one of them into Paradiſe, leave the remainder in Eden. There are ſome who affecting to refine this matter, ſuppoſe that the River is firſt of all divided into two branches; and a little lower each of theſe two branches ſubdivided in two others to make four. Mahomet, a bold and confident Contriver, entred not into theſe particulars, when according to his own Humour and Genius he framed the Idea of a Paradiſe, watered by four Rivers, the firſt of pure Water, the ſecond of Milk, the third of Wine, and the fourth of Honey. Altho' many of his Followers ſpeak but of the three laſt, reckoning the Water for nothing: The beſt and • oundeſt part of the Interpreters is perſwaded that the Diviſion was made, out of the Garden.

II. Verſe 10. And became into four The four heads into which the River was divided, were four different Rivers. heads. Many Tranſlators paſſed over theſe two words and became, and expreſſed them not in their Verſions. The Seventy Interpreters are of that number, and probably the vulgar Tranſlation retained this Omiſſion from the Ancient Italick, which was compoſed according to that of the Seventy Interpreters. One might juſtly wonder that St. Jerom, who • ound Myſteries in the very Diſpoſition of the words of Scripture, hath not ſupplied what was wanting in this place. Altho' the Faithfulneſs which all Tranſlators, eſpecially thoſe of the Word of God, owe to the Publick and to that Sacred Original, had not bound them to account to us for thoſe words; the only clearing of the matter, I mean of the Situation of Paradiſe, ſhould have ingaged them to it: For when Moſes, after he had ſaid, That the River divided it ſelf after its going out of Paradiſe, added, And became into four heads: Methinks he meant by that, that this diviſion made four Chanels, which are ſo many different and ſeparated Rivers, and never came together again. It is then as much as if he had ſaid, And from thence it divided it ſelf, and became into four heads: Signifying firſt the Diviſion, and then the Effect and Parts of the Diviſion. This is the Sence that the Hebrew Phraſe doth impart: As in the ſecond Book of2 Sam, 13. 28. Samuel the Hebrew Text is, Be in brave and valiant men: To ſignifie, Be brave and valiant. As St. Matthew, Matt. 19. 5. meaning it thus, And they ſhall be both one fleſh; kept the Hebraiſm of Moſes, And they ſhall be both in one fleſh. AndGen. 2. 24. as St. John, inſtead of ſaying, And 1 John 7. 8 theſe three are one, hath ſpoken like an H • lleniſt, that is to ſay, he made uſe of an Hebrew Phraſe with Greek words, And theſe three are in one.

III. Verſe 10. Into four heads. TheWhy theſe four Rivers are called Heads. word Capita, which the Author of the vulgar Tranſlation made uſe of, tranſlating literally the Hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Raſchim, deceived many Commentators; for having found in Horace, Propertius, Horat. Carm. l. 1. Od. 1. Propert. l. 2. Eleg. 12. and in ſome other Latin Authors, the word Caput, in the ſignification of Source or Spring, they took it here in the ſame ſence, and thought that this River produced the Springs of the Rivers which Moſes is a going to name. They were ſurely miſtaken, for the words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Raſchim and Capita are taken here in the figurative ſence; not as ſome Interpreters expound, to ſignifie Rivers which are the heads, and as it were, Princes of the other Rivers in the Land, in the ſame ſence as Virgil ſaid, Fluviorum Virgil. Georg. 1. & Aeneid. 8 Rex Eridanus; and ſpeaking of the Tibris, Heſperidum regnator aquarum; becauſe the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Raſchim, taken in that ſence, ought to have been followed with the name of the thing, which theſe Rivers had been the heads of, as it is to be ſeen in thoſe places of Virgil, and almoſt always in Scripture; but it ſignifies the beginnings; the approaches; what • ne meets with firſt. The Seventy Interpreters have very well expreſſed that word by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . The French word Têtes is often uſed ſo: And it is a miſtake of Severianus and Glycas, toSever. Gabal. Hom. 5. in Hexaem. Mich. Glyc. Ann. part. 1. render the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of the Seventy Interpreters by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Fountains. We find in many places of Scripture the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Roſh, metaphorically uſed, to ſignifie the beginning of a way, and rendred by the Seventy Interpreters by the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and by Caput in the vulgar Tranſlation. It is taken elſewhere for a body of Soldiers; in that ſence the Seventy Interpreters tranſlate it alſo by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . It might be well rendred in Latin by the word Agmen, which ſhould perhaps pretty well fit this place; for Virgil ſaith, Venit agmen Virgil. Georg. 1. aquarum. And the Samarita • Tranſlator very probably rendred in this ſence the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Raſchim, by that of Nozelim, which anſwe • to the Hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Nozelim, that is to ſay, runnings of Waters, Ductu • aquarum; and not Iſlands, as it is in the Verſion of the Engliſh Polygl •• ▪ But the moſt proper and natura • Sence is, that the River divided i • ſelf into four heads, four beginnings▪ four entries. And it would be very properly ſpoken, to ſay of one, wh • coming out of the Garden had taken Shipping on the River, that having failed a while, he entred into the Phiſon or Tigris. In this one muſt not conſider the great River with its four branches, in reſpect to the running of its Water, but in reſpect to the diſpoſition of its Chanel. It muſt be looked upon as an High-way, of which it may be ſaid, that it croſſes over a Foreſt, and from thence divides it ſelf into four ways, whether the diviſion be made above or below the Foreſt. Moſes did not ſay whether the diviſion of the River happened above or below Paradiſe, or whether it happens near or far. He denoted it plainly enough, when he named the four Chanels or Rivers, which grew from that diviſion. Thoſe four Rivers were ſo well known in the places where Moſes then was, and to thoſe to whom he wrote, that it was enough to name them that they might be known. Yet he was not contented with it; and as if he had foreſeen that future Ages, and far Nations, who were alſo concerned in the deſign of his work, might want ſome clearing of this matter, he gave ſo evident tokens to make thoſe Rivers known, that no Man can miſtake them but for want of heed; and cannot but eaſily perceive that the four Rivers which divided the great River of Paradiſe, were the Euphrates and Tigris above it; and under it the two branches which divide the common Chanel of the Tigris and Euphrates, before it falls into the Perſian Gulf. And this will be made evident by what follows.

I. VErſe 11. The name of the firſt is The moſt common Opinion concerning the Phiſon is, that it is the Ganges. Phiſon. The word River muſt be ſupplied here, which the ſacred Author expreſſeth afterward when he ſpeaks of the other Rivers. This is the firſt of the four, into which the great River that went out of Eden and Paradiſe was divided. It would be a very great undertaking, very tedious to the Reader, and yet more to me, to relate in particular the different opinions Men have had about this River, the Names of the Authors that maintained them, and the reaſons whereon they grounded them; and to loſe time in examining and contradicting them. I will only touch upon them by the bye, being perſwaded that they cannot be better confuted, than by carefully ſeeking after the Truth, and endeavouring firmly to eſtabliſh it, when it is found; for this being done, every thing that will not agree with it, muſt neceſſarily fall of it ſelf. The moſt ancient and generally liked opinion is, That the Phiſon is the Ganges. It ſeems that Joſephus was the firſt Author of it;Joſeph. Antiq. l. 1. c. 2. Euſeb. de locis Hebr. Ambroſ. de Parad. c. 3. Epiph. Ancor. c. 58. Hieron. Epiſt. 4. ad Ruſt. c. 1. & quaeſt. Heb. in Gen. Auguſt. de Gen. ad liter. l. 8. c. 7. Euſebius, St. Ambroſins, St. Epiphanius, St. Jerom, St. Auſtin, many other Fathers of the Church, and moſt of the modern Interpreters and Divines have followed the opinion of Joſephus. The Indians themſelves were of the ſame opinion, and it was upon this account that they believed the Ganges Holy, that it waſhes away their Sins, and Sanctifieth them, when they waſh in it, and that it will ſave them after Death, if their Bodies be plunged in it.

II. The Beauty, Riches and ConvenienciesThe grounds of this Opinion. of that River wherewith the Books of Travellers are filled, are the chief reaſons why Men gave credit to that opinion; for tho' Arrian hath written that all the Indians, whom Alexander ſubdued, had no Gold, yetExped. Alex. l. 5. there was ſome in their Country; and Moſes had a regard to the Nature of the Country, and not to the Manners of the Inhabitants. It is certain that the Ganges hath ſome Gold in its Sands, and on its Banks; that it is reckoned one of the chief Rivers that produceth precions Stones; that the Kingdoms of Golconda and Biſnagar, that lie on the weſterly Coaſt of the Gulf of Bengal, where the Ganges empties it ſelf, are full of Pearls and precious Stones; and it not being likely that mean Rivers ſhould come out of a place prepared and adorned by the hands of God, that Honour could not be aſcribed, but to the moſt famous Rivers of the World. So the Beauty and Riches of the Ganges made Men believe, that it came out of Paradiſe, and this opinion was the occaſion of its being reputed Holy. But beſides, as thoſe who pretend that the Phiſon is the Ganges, do alſo perſwade themſelves that the Gehon is the Nile, we diſcover another Motive, that inclined them to give credit to that opinion. I mean thisEccl. 2 • . 35. & ſeq. place of Eccleſiaſticus, where we read that God filleth all things with his wiſdom as Phiſon, and as Tigris in the time of the new fruits. He makes the underſtanding to abound like Euphrates, and as Jordan in the time of the Harveſt. He maketh the doctrine of knowledge appear as the light, and as Gehon in the time of Vintage. The Fathers in reading this, perſwaded themſelves that the Author had begun the Enumeration of thoſe Rivers with the Eaſt, and finiſhed it with the Weſt, according to the cuſtom of the Hebrews, to look on the Eaſt in their Geographical Deſcriptions, and by conſequence to have the North at their left hand and the South at their right; and that the Phiſon being the moſt eaſterly of the five, it could be no other than the moſt noble of the Rivers of the Eaſt, which is the Ganges. The Tigris comes after, as being the moſt eaſterly of the four others; next to it comes the Euphrates; then Jordan; and in fine the Gehon, which ought to be the moſt famous River of the Weſt, as the Ganges was of the Eaſt; and they found none to be preferred to the Nile. But nothing that I ſee can induce us to believe, that that ſacred Author had a regard to this, in diſpoſing theſe Rivers in ſuch an order, but that rather he did diſpoſe them ſo by chance.

III. This ground being laid, that theWhich doth not ſatisfie to the Objections made againſt it. Phiſon is the Ganges, they took no notice of the Objection that might reaſonably be made, concerning the diſtance of its Spring, from the Springs • the other Rivers, which came out • the ſame place; by which they • ade the Garden almoſt as big as the • arth. They had recourſe to ſome ••• olous Conjectures, or to Fictions • ithout any ground, or to a Miracle, • hich is the ordinary Reinge of thoſe • ho have no Reaſon to defend them • lves, and a moſt ſure means to juſtifie • e moſt ſtrange Opinions. They had •• ard ſome falſly ſay, that the Tigris • d Euphrates ſprung out of the ſame • ead; and they had heard it truly ſaid, • at pretty near that Spring, they hid • hemſelves under the Earth, and ſoon • fter came out again. They did not • xamine the length of this hidden • nning, and they gave a huge extent • a length of few Miles. They ſaid, that • is pretended Spring divided its Wa • ers into four Rivers, which afterwards • d themſelves under the Earth, and • at thorough long and unknown turn • gs, under many Countries and Seas, • hey run to the Extremity of the World, • d there came out again. Upon that • ound they made choice of what • ivers they pleaſed, to make the Phiſon • d Gehon out of them. And indeed • iver for River, they could not chuſe • etter than the Ganges.

IV. Thoſe who without going ſ • Others thought that the Phiſon was the Indus; others the Hydaſpes; others the Hyphaſis. far, believed that the Phiſon is th • Indus, or Hydaſpes that falls into it, o • the Hyphaſis, which, as ſome think, fal • alſo into it; or according to the opinion of others, enters into the Sea b • its proper mouth, found in it ſome o • the Advantages that the others foun • in the Ganges. The Hydaſpes bea • Gold and precious Stones; and Phil • ſtorgius, to ſhew that the Hyphaſis • Philoſtorg. l. 3. c. 10. the Phiſon, ſays, there grows the Clov • tree, which the Inhabitants of th • Land think to be one of the Trees o • Paradiſe; and that it preſently cure thoſe who plunge themſelves in it in the heat of a Fever.

V. But I cannot gueſs upon wh • Haython, the Oxus. account Haython Prince of Armeni • and Friar of the Order of Premonſtr • tho' very well inſtructed in the Aſtai • of the Eaſt, called Phiſon the gre • River of Oxus, which falls into th • eaſterly ſide of the Caſpian Sea, not withſtanding all the Arabian Write • call it Gehon, being perſwaded that • is the River ſo called that comes out o • Paradiſe.

VI. Many Rabbins of great Repu • Many Rabbins, the Nile. and very Ancient, with the Arabian and amongſt others the Tranſlators • Scripture printed in England, gave to the Nile the Title of Phiſon upon the ſame accounts it had been adjudged to the Ganges.

VII. Thoſe who pretended that it Others the Phaſis. was the Phaſis, ſo renowned by the Voyage for the Golden Fleece, had not much ado to find Gold in it. Its Spring is not far from thoſe of the Tigris and Euphrates. Its Waters are extraordinary good. There are ſome Pearls to be found in the neighbouring Seas, but ſo ruddy, that the Inhabitants do not take the pains to gather them. But I do not ſee how they will find there the Onyx, or any other precious Stones, or the Bdellium; and I ſee much leſs, how they will be able to make Colchis to be the Land of Chavilah.

VIII. Caeſarius, Brother to St. Gregory Some the Danube. of Nazianzum, and Severianus Biſhop of Gabala, did not ſurely think of all theſe Circumſtances, when they affirmed that the Danube is the Phiſon; for though ſome ancient Authors reckoned the Danube amongſt the Rivers that afford Gold and precious Stones, and that Hungary, through which it runs, and Bohemia that lieth near it, may have afforded it ſome, I do not think that either precious Stones; or Bdellium, were ever found there, or that Germany ever pretended to the Honour of being Chavilah. Many learned Men of ancient times, very able in other reſpects, have been very ignorant of Geography. Caeſarius, whom I juſt now quoted, maintains, that this ſame Phiſon, which he ſuppoſes to be the Danube, is nevertheleſs alſo the Ganges and Indus; and that having run through Aethiopia and Elymais, which he fanſies to be the Land of Chavilah, it falls into the Ocean near Cadis.

IX. But thoſe who ſuppoſed it toSome others the Naharmalca. be the Naharmalca, one of the Canals that join the Euphrates with the Tigris, minded neither theſe relations, nor the nature of that Canal, which was made by Nabuchodonozor, and therefore was called Naharmalca by the Chaldaeans, and the Royal River by the Graecians, and by conſequence was not in Moſes's time, and much leſs in Adam's time. They had done better to ſide with thoſe who ingenuouſly confeſſed, they did not know the ſituation of that River.

X. Amongſt all thoſe that haveAnd in fine, others the eaſterly Canal of the two into which the Tigris and Euphrates joined together, are divided. been miſtaken in this Inquiry, none are more excuſable, and are come nearer to truth, than thoſe who believed that the Phiſon is the eaſterly Canal of the two into which the Tigris and Euphrates are divided, after their coming together near Apamea, and before their falling into the Sea. Calvin, as I already obſerved, was theCalv. in Gen. 2. 8. Scal. de emend. temp. l. 5. & epiſt. l. 4. Epiſt. 441. firſt Author of this opinion. Scaliger, commended it very much, and imbraced it 〈…〉 afterwards many others. They might perhaps find Pearls, precious Stones and Gold along the ſides of that Canal, but certainly they never found there the Land of Chavilah.

XI. Having ſhewed what the Phiſon The Phiſon is the weſterly Canal of the two, into which the Tigris and Euphrates joined together, are divided, and the proofs of it. is not, we muſt now ſhew what it is. I already ſaid, that it is the weſterly Canal of the two into which the Tigris and Euphrates joined together are divided. To ſhew it, we muſt remember that Moſes wrote his Pentateuch in Arabia Petraea; and that of the four Rivers which he mentioned, this Canal was the neareſt him: So that natural order required that he ſhould name it firſt. The eaſterly Canal preſented itſelf next to it, and I ſhall make it evident that this Canal is really the Gehon, which he named the ſecond. Having paſſed over this River, and turning to the left hand, to come back to the place that we came from, we meet with the Tigris, and then with the Euphrates; and that is the order obſerved by Moſes. As if I had a mind to make the Enumeration of the four greateſt Rivers in France, I being at Paris, and having begun with the Loire, ſhould in the ſecond place mention the Garonne, the natural order would require of me to go next to the Rhone, and then to end at the Seine, that kind of circuit. Beſides we muſt obſerve, that Moſes hath given more marks, to diſtinguiſh the Phiſon, than for any of the other three; becauſe that being once known, we can ſcarce miſtake the others. Then he puts ſome marks on the two following, the Gehon and Tigris, and none on the Euphrates, which cannot remain uncertain, when the three others are known.

XII. The Etymology of the wordThe Etymology of the word Phiſon ſerves to p •• ve it. Phiſon helpeth alſo to diſtinguiſh it; for moſt of the Hebrew Grammarians agree, that it is derived from the Verb 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Puſch, which ſignifies to run out, to be full, to increaſe, to multiply; or from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Paſcha, which ſignifies to ſpread it ſelf; becauſe, as I have already ſaid, Tides are ſo violent and ſo high at that end of the Perſian Gulf, that Trenches were not a ſufficient defence againſt their Irruptions into the grounds, that are very ſoft and low. So all that Coaſt is full of Lakes, marſhy places, and SandsStrab. l. 16. as Strabo obſerveth. In Moſes's time, when the Induſtry of Men had yet oppoſed nothing to thoſe attacks, it is credible the overflowings were much greater than they are now. No name could then be given more ſuitable to that Canal that was apt ſo often toJoſeph. Antiq. l. 1. c. 2. Scal. de emend. temp. l. 5. overflow, than the name of Phiſon, which Joſephus very well rendred by the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that is to ſay, Plenty; and Scaliger yet better, by that of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which ſignifies, the overflowings of the Tide, the flux of the Sea. The Author of the Eccleſiaſticus madeEccl. 24. v. 35. an Alluſion to that Etymology, when he ſays of God, That he filleth all with wiſdom like the Phiſon. I know there are many other Etymologies of that word; but this which I do propoſe, is authorized by the votes of the moſt famous Grammarians.

XIII. Schickard a German Profeſſor,Many learned Men had ſome knowledge of what the Phiſon is. a Man who underſtood extraordinary well the eaſterly Languages, and Affairs of the Eaſt, ſeems to have had a glimpſe of the truth, when he wrote in his Commentary on the Tarich of the Kings of Perſia, that he is ſure the Phiſon is to be lookt for in Arabia, and that all the Rivers of Paradiſe run into the Perſian Gulf, and that their mouths are very near one another. Steuchus ſpeaks yet▪ more expreſly ofSteuch. Co • mop. it, ſaying, That the Phiſon comes from the Euphrates, and runs towards the Arabians of Chavilah. Yet he is miſtaken in this, that he doth not derive the Phiſon from the Tigris and Euphrates joined together, but from the Euphrates alone before their joining. The Arabians have hit the nail, when they ſaid, that the Phiſon was the Canal of the Euphrates, which runs not far from Baſſora. Some of them had given that name to the Nile, as I already obſerved; but others more clear ſighted, undeceived themſelves and acknowledged the Truth. Gigg. lex. Arab. tom. 3. p. 1056. Giggeius and Gol. lex. Arab. p. 1039. Golius muſt be conſulted upon that. I know not where Kirch. Turr. Bab. • . 1. c. 5. Father Kircher a Jeſuit took the Geographical Map which he inſerted in his Deſcription of the Tower of Babel, whether he had it from the Arabians, or from his own Learning which was extraordinary great. He deſcribes in that Map the running of the four Rivers, Phiſon, Gehon, Tigris, and Euphrates, and gives the name of Phiſon to the weſterly Canal, and the name of Gehon to the eaſterly one, into which the Tigris and Euphrates are divided after their coming together. Mr. Bochart, Bochar. Hieroz. Part. 2. l. 5. c. 5. who deſigned to declare his mind more plainly and at large upon this, in his Treatiſe concerning the Earthly Paradiſe, leaves us to gueſs at his opinion, when he ſays by the bye, in his Book concerning the Beaſts of Holy Scripture, that the Phiſon is that branch of the Euphrates, of which Teixeira, in theTeixeir. Travel from the Indies into Italy, Chap. 3. Book of his Travels from the Indies into Italy, ſays, that it runneth into the Perſian Gulf, towards Catif, near Baharen. Catif is a Town on the eaſterly Coaſt of Arabia, that gave to the Perſian Gulf the name of Elcatif-Sea, as it is now called. And Baharen is an Iſland of the ſame Gulf, about ten Leagues off from Catif, of which I ſhall have an occaſion to ſpeak hereafter.Voyage d • Mr. Thevenot, Tom 2 Liv. 3. Ch. 9 & 1 Mr. Thevenot in the Books of his Travels deſcribes this Canal. He ſays, that it runneth between the Country of Baſſora, and the Iſland Chader, ſtraight towards the South; that the eaſterly Canal bears the ſame name with the Tigris and Euphrates joined together, and is called Schattel-Arab, that is to ſay, the Arabian River; and that theſe two Branches make the great Iſland Chader, to which Teixeira gives above fourſcore Leagues in length: I believe that he meant Spaniſh Leagues, which make about ſixſcore of ours. The Canal which runs along that Iſland towards the Weſt, is probably the ſame that Alexander cauſed to be made in a ſtony Soil, and more firm than the natural Canal through which one might ſail toward Arabia, which was not two Leagues diſtant from it. This laſt which Moſes ſpeaketh of, was eaſily ſhut up by the ebbing of the Sea; its bottom being very ſoft and apt to be ſtirred, did not make a great reſiſtance It was truly this that was called Phiſon; but becauſe that of Alexander took its place, and was very near it, I gave it the ſame name, according to ordinary uſe; that alloweth not the names of Rivers to be altered, when their Chanel or their mouth is altered; no more than it doth the names of Towns, when they alter their Situation.

XIV. The name of Phiſon in Moſes'sThe Phiſ •• hath ſince given its name to other Rivers. time was peculiar to that weſterly Canal, that run towards Arabia; but it hath been given ſince to the Tigris and Euphrates joined together; and from the names of Phiſon and Tigris made but one, came that of Paſitigris, which was given ſince even to the eaſterly Canal. So that the names of Tigris, Euphrates, and Paſitigris were almoſt indifferently given to all the parts of the Euphrates, that are betwixt its joining with the Tigris, and the Sea. As now adays the name of Schattel-Arab, that is to ſay, Arabian River, is given almoſt to all the ſame parts. And to make it yet more intricate, Alexander's Soldiers returning from the Eaſt, gave to the River Oroatis which limiteth the Suſiana on the Eaſt, the name of Paſitigris which limiteth the ſame on the Weſt; Whether they miſtook in it, or did it on purpoſe; affecting to give famous names to the places they conquered, that they might increaſe the Fame of their Victories. After this manner they gave the name of Caucaſus to the Mount Parapamiſ •• , and the name of Tanais to the River Orexartes. The Hiſtorians who afterwards did write Alexander's Conqueſts, according to what theſe Soldiers related, and did not diſtinguiſh the falſe Paſitigris, I mean the Oroatis, from the true one, that is the Tigris, made a new Paſitigris, not only out of theſe two Rivers, but alſo out of the Eulaeus, which, as ſome think, is the Choaſpes; and according to others only receives it into its Chanel; and having given to it the name of Paſitigris, they gave it alſo the name of Tigris, and that of Euphrates.

I. VErſe 11. That it is which compaſſeth Divers Opinions about the Land of Chavilah. the whole land of Chavilah. The ſureſt marks whereby we may know the Phiſon, are thoſe that Moſes gave of it, when he ſaid, that it waters the Land of Chavilah; that there are to be found in that Land, good Gold, Pearls, or Bdellium, and the Onyx-ſtone. If then I can ſhew, that theſe marks belong only to that River which I pretend to be the Phiſon, no body will be able to contradict my opinion. Thoſe who inquired after the Situation of this River, whoſe different opinions I mentioned before, ought to have begun here; for if having once found the Country of Chavilah where there was plenty of Gold, Pearls, and precious Stones, they had alſo found in it a River that had any communication with the Gehon, Tigris and Euphrates, they had argued very rationally, to inferr, that that River was the Phiſon. But inſtead of that, they placed the Phiſon where they pleaſed, and as it happened; and then they called Chavilah, that Land they had choſen, to place the Phiſon in. And as the two moſt common opinions are, that the Phiſon is the Ganges, or that it is the eaſterly Canal of thoſe two which do divide the Tigris and Euphrates after their being joined; ſo the two moſt common opinions concerning Chavilah, are, that it is that part of the Indies which the Ganges runneth through, as moſt of the Fathers believed; or that it is the Suſiana, which lieth on the Eaſt of that Canal. Joſephus, followed byJoſeph. Antiq. l. 1. c. 7. Hieron. quaeſt Heb. in Gen. St Jerom, and by many others, imagined another Chavilah in Africa, towards the Weſt, and gave that name to Getulia, without giving any reaſon for it. I do not ſee any other, but the conformity there is betwixt the words of Chavilah and Getulia, by tranſpoſing of the letters. If this be a good proof, we muſt receive all Anagrams as ſolid Arguments.

II. To find out Chavilah, they ſhouldThe true Situation of the Land of Chavilah, which the Phiſon runneth through, is ſhewn. have followed the Foot-ſteps of the Sacred Writers. In the tenth Chapter of Geneſis, where the diſperſing of Nations that happened after the Confuſion of Babel, is very exactly deſcribed, and where one may find the names of the Patriarchs and Founders of Nations, which are almoſt all theGen. 10. 7. Gen. 10. 26 & ſeq. ſame names, with them of thoſe Nations, there is mention made of two Chavilahs; one, the Son of Chus; and the other the Son of Joctan. M. Bochart, 1. Par. 1. 23. who very learnedly explained that Chapter in his Phaleg, ſheweth, that this laſt Chavilah is the Founder of the Nation that inhabits the Land of Chaulan, ſituated on the eaſterly Coaſt of the Arabian Gulf, on the Weſt of Arabia Felix. This Land hath no Affinity with that we look for; but the other hath, which took its name from Chavilah Son of Chus, as the ſame M. Bochart doth tell us. Moſes, Boch. Phal: l. 4. c. 11. Gen. 25. 18 1 Sam. 15. 7 and the Author of the Book of Samuel, very plainly point at the Situation of this Land of Chavilah, when in order to expreſs the two Extremities of Arabia, which lieth near the Holy Land, they mention Chavilah and Sur. Sur was a Deſart adjoining to Egypt, towards the end of the Arabian Gulf. It follows then that Chavilah was on the other ſide of Arabia, towards the end of the Perſian Gulf, that is to ſay, beginning at the Weſt of the mouth of the Canal, which I pretend to be the Phiſon, and extending it ſelf towards the South, along the weſterly Coaſt of that Gulf, as far as Catif. And Joſephus relating the ſame thingsJoſeph. Ant. l. 6. c. 8 that are ſpoken of in theſe places of Moſes and of the Book of Samuel, and having a mind to mark the ſame limits of that diſtance, inſtead of Sur, puts Peluſe, the firſt Town one meets going from Palaeſtina into Egypt, along the Sea-ſhore; and inſtead of Chavilah he puts the Erythrean or Red Sea, plainly declaring by thoſe words the Situation of Chavilah. The Inhabitants of that Land were not unknown to Profane Authors. They call them Chavlothéans, Chablaſians, Chavlaſians, and Chaveléans, which names are manifeſtly derived from Chavilah, or Chavilath, (as it is written, when it is con ••• ued) and place them betwixt the Nabathéans and Agréans, which were Iſhmaelites, by origin Inhabitants of Arabia Deſerta, pretty near the end of the Perſian Gulf. Many learned Men amongſt the Modern, and eſpecially Steuchus, Beroaldus, Grotius, Hornius, Steuch. Coſmop. Beroald. Chron. l. 2. Grot. in Gen. 2. 11. Horn. in Sulpit. Sever. l. 1. Boch. Phal. Praef. & l. 4. c. 11. and Bochart, have acknowledged this Situation of Chavilah, and very well ſeen, that theſe Nations which I named juſt now, borrowed from it their Name and Situation. Calathua, a Town in Arabia Deſerta, which Ptolomy ſets near the ſame places, hath perhaps ſome relation to this.

I. THE Hebrew word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Bedolach, Divers Opinions concerning the ſignification of the Hebrew word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Bedolach. which is rendred by that of Bdellium, is very variouſly tranſlated by the Interpreters. The Seventy Interpreters will have it to ſignifie here the Carbuncle, and in the eleventh Chapter of Numbers, the Cryſtal. Moſt of the Greek and Latin Fathers agree with them in the firſt Expoſition. St. Jerom after Joſephus, and the threeJoſeph: Ant. l. 3. c. 1 Greek Interpreters, Aquila, Theodotion and Symmachus, renders this word by that of Bd • llium, which is a ſweetſmelling Gum, and ſuppoſed by many to be the Anime. Some think that it is Ebeny, or the Pepper tree, or the Clove-tree. The Perſian Tranſlator will have it to be the Beryl. The Arabian Tranſlators, and the Syriack, ſome Rabbins, and Saadias Gaon at the head of them, followed by a great number of learned Men, maintain it to be Pearls. Other Rabbins will have it to be the Chryſtal; ſome the Diamond; others the Jaſper; others the Emerald, or ſome other precious Stone.

II. Of all theſe opinions, the twoThe two moſt probable opinions are, that it ſignifies an Aromatical Gum, or Pearls. moſt probable, and which moſt divided the Learned, are, that which takes Bedolach for an Aromatical Gum, and that which takes it for Pearls. The place of the Book of Num. 11. 7. Numbers, which they quote in defence of this laſt opinion, ſeemeth to be ſo plain and deciſive, that I cannot ſee what exception can be made againſt it, for Moſes intending to deſcribe the Manna, ſays, that it was like the Seed of Coriander, and of the colour of Bedolach. Now it is evident by another deſcription of the ſame Manna, which is to be found in Exodus, that it was white, accordingExod. 16. 14. to the Tranſlation of the Seventy Interpreters, which is proper to Pearls, as alſo is the roundneſs of Manna, and in no wiſe to the Bdellium. Hence it is, that the Talmudiſts, as Mr. Bochart Talm: Joma, c. 8. Boch. Hieroz. part. 2. l. 5. c. 5. learnedly obſerved, mentioning this deſcription of Manna, as it is in the Book of Numbers, inſtead of ſaying, that it was of the colour of Bdellium, ſaid, that it was of the colour of Pearls. I ſhall take no part in this diſpute: It will be enough for my purpoſe, to ſhew, that whether the Hebrew word Bedolach be taken for Pearls, or for Bdellium, both are proper to the Land of Chavilah.

III. For, as for Pearls, it is moſt certain,The moſt famous fiſhing of Pearls is near Chavilah. that there is no place in the World, that produceth ſo fine ones, and in ſo great a quantity, as the Sea about Baharen, an Iſland in the Perſian Gulf, ten Leagues off from Catif; that is to ſay, the Sea that waters the Coaſts of Chavilah, and into which the mouth of the Phiſon emptieth it ſelf. I ſhall not load this Treatiſe with a vaſt number of Citations, to ſhew how great a quantity of Pearls there is in the Perſian Gulf, and how much they are valued both by ancient and modern Authors. I have formerly writ on this ſubject at large enough in my Obſervations on Origen, and produced the Teſtimonies of Antiquity. Nevertheleſs that the Reader may not think I deſire to be truſted, for want of Money to pay him, I will name ſome few of thoſe, whoſe Authority cannot be excepted againſt. Nearchus; one of Alexander's Captains, that conducted his Fleet from the Indies, as far as the Perſian Gulf, ſpeaketh of an Iſland in that Gulf, abounding in Pearls of great value. Iſidorus of Charax, who livedIſidor. Charac. apud Athen. l. 3. Plin. l. 6. c. 28. & l. 9. c. 35. a little after, ſays the ſame thing. Pliny, having commended the Pearls of the Indian Seas, adds, that ſuch as are fiſhed towards Arabia, in the Perſian Gulf, deſerve moſt to be praiſed: And in another place he takes notice of the Iſland of Tylos, as being the place of that fiſhing, which many ſuppoſe to be the Iſland of Baharen. Arrian, the Author of the Periplus of the Red Sea, ſets a greater value upon the Pearls of Arabia, than upon thoſe of the Indies. Aelian deſcribes exactly enough howAelian. de anim. l. 10. c. 13. & l. 15. c. 8. Origen. in Mar. 13. 45. they were fiſhed, and how much they were valued. Origen affirms, that Indian Pearls far exceed all others in value, and that amongſt all Indian Pearls, thoſe of the Red Sea are of the greateſt value. We may ſee by theſe words, that he made the Perſian Plin. l. 9. c. 35. Sea a part of that of the Indies. Pliny doth the ſame. And indeed they divided all that great Sea, that incompaſſeth the ſoutherly Coaſt of Aſia and Africa, into two Seas; the Indian and Aethiopian Sea; and the Indian Sea, even near the Indies, was called alſo Red or Erythrean Sea: From thence we may inferr, that the Praiſes given by the Ancients to the Indian Pearls, might be given to thoſe of Arabia; but what hath been ſaid of the Pearls of Arabia could by no means be attributed to thoſe of the Indies; becauſe what belongs to the whole, belongeth to every part proportionably; but what belongs to every part, doth not belong to the whole. The Rabbi Benjamin, a Navarrer, who lived five hundred and fifty years ago, being at Catif, informed himſelf about the fiſhing of Pearls, that is made there every year, and about the manner obſerved in making of it, and inſerted it in the Hiſtory of his Travels, which he hath left us. Teixeira a Portugueſe another TravellerTeix. hiſt. d'Ormuz, chap. 19. hath yet more exactly deſcribed this fiſhing: He ſays the Pearls of that Sea are finer and weightier than thoſe of other places, and that there is yearly ſold of them in the Iſland of Ormuz, for above five hundred thouſand Ducats:Balby, Tom. 2. ind. orient. De Bry, part. 7. chap. 15. Linſcot. chap. 5. Vincent le Blanc, part 1. c. 20 Tavern. Tom. 1. l. 2. c. 9. l. 4. c. 2. Tom. 2. l. 2. ch. 20. Theven. Tom. 2. l. 3. c. 11. & Tom. 3. c. 11. Add to it the Teſtimony of the other modern Travellers Balby, Linſcot, Vincent le Blanc, of the famous Tavernier and of Mr. Thevenot, who by his Travels and Writings ſhewed himſelf ſo worthy of the name he beareth. Beſides the fiſhing of Baharen, he alſo hath deſcribed that of Car • k, another Iſland in the ſame Gulf, nearer the mouth of the Phiſon. Many other places of this Sea afford Pearls; as doth the whole Coaſt of Arabia, from Maſeate, to Catif. This laſt place did belong to an Arabian Emir: The Baſſi of Baſſora poſſeſſed himſelf of it. Ba • aren belongs to the King of Perſia.

IV. Thoſe that maintain There was alſo found in the ſame Country abundance of Bdellium. that Bedolach is the Bdellium a Gum, may alſo find ſome in Arabia. Dioſcor. l. 1. c. 87. Dioſcorides expreſly teſtifies it; and he ſets a greater value upon the Bdellium of the Saracens, than upon that of the Indies. Iſidor. Etym. l. 17. c. 8. Iſidorus and Sylvat. Pandect. in Bdellium. Sylvaticus are of the ſame opinion. And Galen. de Simplic. Medic. fac. l. 6. Galen comparing the Bdellium of Arabia with that of Scythia, that is to ſay, with the Bdellium of the Indies (for a part of the Meridional Indies, is called Scythia, and Indoſcythia) gives ſome advantages to the firſt, which he denies to the ſecond. Pliny preferrs the Bdellium ofPlin. l. 12. c. 9. the Bactriana to that of Arabia, but he values that of Arabia above all the reſt. He will have that Tree to grow in the Sands of the Perſian Gulf, which the ſlux of the Sea covereth with its Tides; and I do not know whether it be not the ſame which Strabo deſcribes withoutStrab. l. 16. naming it, upon Nearchus's information, when he ſays, that it grows in the Iſlands that are before the Euphrates, that it ſmells as Frankincenſe, and that out of its broken Roots drops this ſweet-ſmelling Juice. Now let the place of Arabia, from which it came, be which it will, all that which was to be tranſported into the Countries ſituated along the Tigris and Euphrates, and into the reſt of the Northerly Aſia, muſt needs have been carried into the Land of Chavilah. And upon that account Arrian ſays,Arrian Indic. there was made a great Sale of Spices, and all Arabian Drugs in the City of Diridotis, which is the ſame with Teredon, the Ruins whereof are yet now to be ſeen near the mouth of the Phiſon.

I. I Followed the vulgar Tranſlation, and rendred the Hebrew wordDivers opinions about the ſignification of the Hebrew word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Schoham. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Schoham by that of Onyx-ſtone; although perhaps it is not the beſt, and could be better tranſlated by the word Beryl. All agree that the true ſignification of the Hebrew names of precious Stones is unknown, and it hath been obſerved, that amongſt the twelve Stones that were in the High-Prieſt's Breaſt-plate, none but the Sapphire and Jaſper kept their names. I could add that no body is well aſſured, that the Stones called in the Hebrew Sapphires and Jaſpers, be the ſame that we call now ſo; for if the Greek names of Plants have been ſubject to ſo many Equivocations, the Hebrew names of precious Stones have been yet much more ſubject to them. The word Schoham now in queſtion, may be a good inſtance of it. The Septuagint Job 28. 16. Exod. 28. 9 & 35. 25. & 39. 5. Ex. 28. 20. & 39. 11. Ezek. 28. 13. Interpreters who tranſlated it here the Praſin-ſtone, render it elſewhere the Onyx; ſometimes Emerald; now and then Beryl; and now and then Sapphire; and ſometimes the Sardian-ſtone. The three other Graecian Tranſlators, Aquila, Theodotion, and Symmachus, will have it to be the Onyx ſtone; Philo, the Emerald, following in thisPhil. de Monar. l. • . Exo. 28. 9. Joſeph. Ant. l. 3. c. • & 9. & de bell. Jud. l. 6. c. 15. Hier. Epiſt. 12 • . ad Fabiolam, De veſte Sacerdotali. place the Seventy Interpreters, and Joſephus the Sardonyx-ſtone. St. Jerom producing this Tranſlation of Joſephus, ſays, that it agrees with that o • Aquila, and with the Hebrew it ſelf. Whence it follows, that St. Jerom believed that the Hebrew word Schoham doth ſignifie the Onyx ſtone, and that the Onyx and Sardonyx-ſtone are one and the ſame thing. And having tranſlated it here in the vulgar Tranſlation Onyx ſtone, he rendred it Sardonyx ſtone, in the Book of Job. Saadias ſeems to be of the ſameJob 28. 16. mind, when he ſays that it is a white and neat precious Stone. Aben-Ezra, Aben-Ezr. in Gen. 2. 12. who quotes him, acknowledges his Ignorance therein. David de Pomis, and almoſt all makers of Hebrew-Dictionaries, are alſo for the Onyx. But the Chaldaean Paraphraſts, Onkelos, and Jonathan, the Arabian Interpreter, and the Syrian, Moſes Barcepha, whoMoſ. Barc. c. 21, & 28. followed him, as being a Syrian himſelf, take Schoham for the Beryl. Arias Arias Mont. in lib. Aaron. Ital. Verſ. apud Hieron. quaeſt. Hebr. in Gen. Euſeb. de loci • Hebr. Severin. Hom. 5. in Hexaem. Ambroſ. de Parad. c. 3. Aug. de Gen. ad litor. l. 8. c. 7 Epiph. de 12. gemm. Montanus having a mind to reconcile theſe different Opinions, ſaid, That the Beryl was a kind of Onyx. The ancient Italick Verſion, Euſebius, Severinus, St. Ambroſius, St. Auſtin, and many other Fathers of the Church follow the Seventy Interpreters in this place, and render it the Praſin-ſtone, and St. Epiphanius tranſlated it Beryl, as well as the Chaldaean Paraphraſt.

II. I produce this variety of Opinions, Arabia was formerly the moſt abounding Land in the world in precious Stones. to ſhew that nothing certain can be ſaid of the Stone Schoham; and ſo it will be enough to make it evident, that Arabia was formerly very abounding in precious Stones. I ſay formerly, for now it is no more ſo, and the greateſt Trade of them is in the Levant. My firſt proof ſhall be taken from the already quoted place of Ezekiel; where the Prophet amongſt the chiefeſt Commodities that came from Saba and Rhegma, places in Arabia-Foelix, ſituated on the eaſterly Coaſt, not far from Chavilah, and whoſe Inhabitants dealt with the Tyrians, reckoneth the moſt precious Spices, precious Stones and Gold▪ Nearchus who had navigated in the Perſian Gulf, affirmed, as Strabo tells us, that there were many Iſlands in that Gulf, in which there were extraordinary fine precious Stones. TheStrab. l. 16. ſame Strabo ſays, that the Riches of Arabia, which did conſiſt in precious Stones, and excellent Perfumes, the Trade whereof brought them a great deal of Gold and Silver, beſides the natural Gold of the Country, made Auguſtus to ſend Aelius Gallus thither in order to make thoſe Nations his Friends, and draw to himſelf their Riches, or to ſubdue them. Diodorus deſcribes atDiod. l. 2. large the Advantages of Arabia, and eſpecially its precious Stones. He ſays that that Region affords ſome of all kinds, that they are very much to be valued by reaſon of the variety and brightneſs of their colours, and he inquires into the natural cauſes of it. Pliny, who imployed all his laſt Book in clearing this ſubject, and pretty curiouſly marketh the Countries of precious Stones, aſſures us, that thoſe that are moſt valued come out of Arabia. Though now they are more ſcarce there, than they were then, (for Mines of precious Stones, as well as thoſe of Metals, are exhauſted by length of time.) The Travellers, the Naturaliſts and Lapidaries do yet find ſome there. Giulful and Baharen do afford ſome, and the Continent of Arabia a great many more.

III. But if nevertheleſs one will reſtrainThe Ancients believed the Onyx-ſtone was no where elſe to be found but in Arabia. this place of Moſes to the Onyxſtone, he ſhall have Pliny on his ſide, who ſays, that the Ancients were perſwaded that the Onyx-ſtone was no where elſe to be found but in the Mountains of Arabia.

I. VErſe 14. That is it which goeth towards Aſſyria. There are two opinions upon this place. TheThe Hebrew word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Kidmath cannot ſignifie in this place on the Eaſt. word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Kidmath is the occaſion thereof. Some will have it to be a Prepoſition, which ſignifies towards, on the ſide of; others an Adverb of place, which ſignifies on the Eaſt. The Seventy Interpreters; almoſt all thoſe who followed their Tranſlation, and St. Jerom in the vulgar Tranſlation, are for the firſt opinion. The Chaldaean Paraphraſts; moſt of the Rabbins and Hebricians are for the ſecond. The modern Commentators have taken part ſuitable to their opinions. I am ſurpriſed at this difference of opinions; for if they had conſidered the ſituation of Aſſyria and the running of the Tigris, the difficulty would be eaſily aſſoiled. The word Aſſyria, may be taken either in a narrow, or in a more large ſence. In the narrow ſence Aſſyria was a ſmall Province, whereof Ninive was the chief Town; and it is that Province which hath ſince been called Adiabene. In the more large ſence, Aſſyria did comprehend many g • eat Provinces belonging to the Kings of Aſſyria, and which made up their Empire. It happened to this State, as to France, that the moſt ancient part of the Empire gave its name to the others, which afterwards were joined to it. In what ſence ſoever you take Aſſyria, it is certain the Tigris was not on the Eaſt in reſpect to it. Except you take it for Syria, as ſome Graecian Authors have done; but one muſt be very ignorant of ancient Hiſtory, to think that Moſes had taken it in that ſence; ſince the name of Syria is but modern, and came from the Hebrew name of Tyre, which was the chief Town of it, and beſt known to the Graecians: And on the contrary the name of Aſſyria comes from the Hebrew word Aſſur. We may truly ſay that the Tigris runneth through Aſſyria, when under the name of Aſſyria, we comprehend Meſopotamia, Syria, and a part of Arabia. But that word was not taken in ſo large a ſence, but long after Moſes, who could not have underſtood by the name of Aſſyria, only a very ſmall parcel of Land about Ninive. And this we may ſuppoſe, the Arabian Interpreter meant, when he ſaid, the Tigris runneth to the Eaſt of Mauſal. Mauſal is a City in Meſopotamia ſituated on the ſides of the Tigris, over againſt the place, where the ancient Ninive ſtood; and it is true that the Tigris • uns on the Eaſt of that City. But he miſ • ook, when he took Mauſal for Ninive, for though they be almoſt always taken one for the other, nevertheleſs the one lies on the Eaſt of the River, and the other on the Weſt. I cannot then ſee upon what ground it may be ſaid, that the Tigris goeth towards the Eaſt of Aſſyria.

II. Calvin was ſenſible of the weightIn what ſence it ought to be taken, that the Tigris goeth towards Aſſyria. of this Objection, and in order to ſhun it, he tranſlated, C'eſtuy lá vers l'orient▪ & Aſſyrie, that (goeth) toward the E •… and Aſſyria, which is contrary to the Hebrew Text, where this conjunction is not found; nor the Prepoſitions neither, which ſome inſerted, tranſlating thus; On the Eaſt, towards Aſſyria. We muſt then return to the Tranſlation of the Seventy Interpreters, and tranſlate thus, which goeth toward Aſſyria. And we muſt not think that Moſes ſaid the Tigris goeth toward Aſſyria in reſpect to the Spring of that River, or to the running of its Waters, but in regard to the Situation of the Earthly Paradiſe, and to the diſpoſition of the Chanel of the Tigris: As when he ſaid, That a River went out of Eden to water the Garden, and from thence it was parted and became into four heads, he had the ſame regard, both to the Situation of Paradiſe, and to the diſpoſition of the Chanel of the Tigris.

I. HAving hitherto endeavoured toAnother proof, that the Earthly Paradiſe was ſituated on the place that I marked, taken from the Plentifulneſs and Beauty of that Land. diſcover the Situation of the Earthly Paradiſe, from the Deſcription that Moſes left us of it, we may yet find ſome other Signs, which will help us to know it. Such is the Fruitfulneſs of the Country, and the Goodneſs of its Soil, which ſeemeth ſtill to keep ſome Remainders of that Bleſſing God poured upon it. For, that Plentifulneſs was partly Supernatural, and partly Natural. Moſes informs us, that God in order toGen. 2. 9. make Paradiſe, cauſed to grow out of the Ground every Tree that is pleaſant to the Gen. 13. 10 ſight and good for Food. And in another place, having a mind to expreſs the Pleaſantneſs and Fertility of the Soil of Sodom before its Deſolation, he compareth it to the Paradiſe of God: Whether he only meant a Garden of an extraordinary Beauty, according to an Hebraiſm very ordinary in the Sacred Writ, as ſome think; or the Earthly Paradiſe, according to the moſt common opinion. And there is no doubt to be made, but that place, framed by the hands of God in a ſupernatural manner, hath been the pattern, out of which the profane • oets formed their Pertunate Iſlands, the Elyſian Fields, the Meadows of Plato, the Gardens of the Heſperides, of Adonis, Jupiter, and Alcinous. And when X ••• phon deſcribed thoſe fair Gardens, which were called Paradiſes, he made uſe of the ſame words, that Moſes imployed to deſcribe the Earthly Paradiſe. But beſides the Ornaments wherewith the hand of God did adorn it in an extraordinary manner, we cannot reaſonably think, that God having reſolved to ſet the 〈…〉 Man in a delicious place, had made choice of a barren and unfruitful Soil, or of ſome horrid Wilderneſs, rather than of a plentiful Country, and already beautified and inriched, ſince the beginning of the World. Now not only Meſopotamia and Coeleſyria, but alſo Babylonia, which extended it ſelf to the Perſian Gulf, and a good part of Syria, were then the pleaſanteſt and richeſt Countries in the World. So that the Fruitfulneſs of the Gardens of Syria, the great care that People took for their Culture, and the great Plenty of their Pulſe and Pot-herbs, are grown into a Proverb. And that I may not go far from the Region where I placed Paradiſe, beginning at the Confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates (which happened near the City of Apamea, according to Ptolomy) unto their mouth, their ſides, (as well towards Suſiana, as towards Arabia) are every way as Beautiful and Fertile as any other Country in Aſia. I do not mean that thoſe Delights are found there, which the hand of God did ſpread to form Paradiſe; nor all thoſe that the labour of Men can procure: I only mean that the Ground is extraordinary good, and that Nature made it capable of all kind of Culture; though it be true that it very ſeldom Rains there, and that its Plentifulneſs is meerly owing to the Goodneſs of its Soil, and to the Rivers that water it. This we learn from the old and new Hiſtorians and Geographers; and without producing here a long Series of Quotations, it will ſuffice to ſay, that by reaſon of thoſe Delights and Beauties, the Province where Paradiſe ſtood was called Eden, that is to ſay, Pleaſure; the name of the Iſland Chader, formed by the Phiſon and Gehon, declareth its beauty; Chadaron 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Chad • r • n, in the Arabian Tongue ſignifies, green, pleaſant to the ſight. The other Iſland called Gezair, that is to ſay, the Iſland, by way of excellency, which lies immediately above the coming together of the Tigris and Euphrates, is in no wife leſs beautiful than Chader. The Neſtorians gave it the name of Eden; whether they did ſo by reaſon of its pleaſantneſs, or becauſe they knew that the Province of Eden was there, and extended it ſelf as far as that Iſland. I find yet a third Iſland in thoſe parts, renowned for its pleaſantneſs. It is the Soil about Paſſ • ra, which is incloſed between two little Rivers made by the Induſtry of Men. One is called the River of Abulla, and the other the River of Mocali. There are four places in Aſia, which for their pleaſantneſs▪ ſake the Inhabitants call, the Gardens of the World, and are in the ſame repute amongſt them, as the Tempe of Theſſaly were amongſt the Graecians. One is in Perſia, and its name is, the River of Bavan; the other is in Bactriana, near Samarcanda; the third is, the Orchard of Damaſcus; and the fourth is, the Territory of Baſſora, which they call, the River of Abulla. It is aſſuredly that Iſland which the Indian Pilpay in his Book of Lights, deſcribes and repreſents about Baſſora, ſo delightful, covered with a very pleaſant. Wood, injoying an extraordinary good and ſweet Air, and watered by many Springs, the Rills whereof make many turnings. All the Country that lies between the Iſlands of Chader and Gezair, which is the Land of the Earthly Paradiſe, is as pleaſant and beautiful as thoſe Iſlands themſelves. For Travellers aſſure us, that the Grand Seignior hath no better Countries, than thoſe that lie betwixt Bagdad and Baſſora. And if there remain ſome untilled and barren, that muſt be imputed to the ſolitude of the Land, or to the Idleneſs of the Inhabitants.

II. My opinion about the SituationAnd becauſe it hath been the firſt Land inhabited. of the Earthly Paradiſe, may yet be ſolidly proved from this, becauſe it was the firſt Land inhabited. We have very few marks of it left, but thoſe that are left, ſufficiently agree to make it good. The firſt is that City built byGen. ch. 2. v. 16, 17. Cain on the Eaſt of Eden. and to which he gave the name of his Son E •• ch. Ptolomy in the deſcription of Suſiana, Ptol l 6. c 3 & Tab. 5. Aſiae. places a City called Anuchtha, exactly on the Eaſt of the place where I ſet Paradiſe. It is known that the Syllable tha, which endeth that word, is a Termination pretty ordinary to the Feminine Nouns in the Chaldaick Tongue, and is no part of the names themſelves. It then only remains Anuch, which is without difficulty the ſame thing as Enoch. And ſo here is certainly the moſt ancient City in the World.

III. There is no remains left of theThe true meaning of the Hebrew word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Nod. word Nod, which is thought to have been the name of the Land where Cain retired, and where he built that City of Anuchtha, and it is not certain that the words of the Hebrew Text ought to be tranſlated thus, and he lived in the Land of Nod, or according to the Seventy Interpreters, in the Land of Naid; and that from the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Nad, which is tranſlated Vagabond, ſuch as was Cain, the Land where he retired took its name; as it was fanſied that Latium was called ſo from the word Lateo, I am hidden, becauſe Saturn did hide himſelf there, when he was turned out of Heaven. I had rather follow St. Jerom's opinion, who rejects thatHieron. Quaeſt. Hebr. in Gen. Tranſlation, and I am apt to believe that Nod in this place doth only ſignifie a Eugitive, one that is baniſhed, which expreſſeth the condition wherein Cain was. I would not add to that Expoſition, as St. Jerom doth, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Vagabond, for this does not agree with a Man that fixes his dwelling by building a City to inhabit it, and the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Nah, whichGen. 14. 12, 14. Moſes adds to that of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and is rendred Vagus in the vulgar Tranſlation, may ſignifie, inwardly moved and agitated. The Seventy Interpreters underſtood it ſo, tranſlating, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ſighing and trembling. And it may be alſo that St. Jerom meant nothing elſe by the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

IV. Joſeph. Ant. l. 1. c. 3 Joſephus doth relate that the What were the C • l ••• s of the P • ſterity of Seth. Poſterity of Seth, knowing by Adam's Predictions, that the World ſhould firſt periſh by Water, and then by Fire, and being deſirous that After▪ ages ſhould know the Diſcoveries they had made in Aſtronomy, they ingraved them upon two Columns, one of Stone to reſiſt the Water, the other of Brick to reſiſt the Fire; and that they placed thoſe Columns in Syrias, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . I formerly very much troubled my ſelf, to diſcover what was that Syrias, and to find the two Columns there. M. Voſſius was more lucky than I, andVoſſ. de aetate Mundi. c. 10. he ſhewed that Joſephus calleth Syrias, the place which is called Sehirath in the Book of Judges. That place wasJud. 3. 27, 19. in Gilgal in the Territory of Jericho, and there was ſome ingraved Figures to be ſeen there. Thoſe Figures are called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Happeſilim, in the Hebrew Text; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , by the Seventy Interpreters. It is very likely, that thoſe Ingravings were the Aſtronomical Tables, which were ſaid to have been ingraved upon Stones by the Poſterity of Seth. And from thence one might inferr that Adam and his Poſterity had dwelt in Judaea, as many Fathers of the Church believed, which would not agree with our Syſtem. But it is a meer Fable to adſcribe the Fabrick of thoſe Columns to the Poſterity of Seth, and to think them even older than the Deluge. It was rather a work of the ancient Inhabitants of the Land of Canaan, who had a great Skill in Aſtronomy, following in this the Example and Inſtructions of the Egyptians and Chaldaeans their Neighbours, Nations whom the nature of their flat and open Country had invited to the Contemplation of Stars, and which a very long uſe had rendred very learned in it. They alſo after the Egyptians example ingraved their Science upon Stones, that the Memory and Profit of it might be communicated to Poſterity; and thoſe Inſcriptions both of the Cananaeans and Egyptians gave occaſion to many Fables. Nothing then can be concluded from thoſe Columns, whereby the dwelling place of the firſt Men might be known.

V. But one may at leaſt gueſs at it,We may alſo conjecture where Paradiſe was ſituated, from the place where the Ark of Noah reſted. from the place where the Ark reſted after the Deluge. Moſes ſays that it reſted on the Mountains of Ararat, that is to ſay, according to the beſt Interpreters, on the Gordiaean Mountains, which lie near the Spring of the Tigris, and great Armenia; and extended pretty far to the Eaſt, and to the South towards Aſſyria. Now ſince the Deluge was not only cauſed by Rains, but alſo by the Overflowings of the Ocean, as the Scripture tells us, ſaying, thatGen. 7. 11. all the Fountains of the great deep were broken up; this overflowing which came from the Perſian Sea commonly very boiſterous in that Gulf, running from the South and meeting the Ark about the place where I ſet Paradiſe, carried it away to the North towards the Gordiaean Mountains, whoſe Meridian is not far from that of Paradiſe. To which if you add the Violence of the rainy Winds of the South, which probably blew then, and contributed to the moving of the Waters, it will be very eaſie to conceive, that the Ark, by reaſon of its Figure, not fit for Navigation, and of its heavineſs which made it to draw much Water, went but one League and a half a day towards the North. For if it be ſo, we ſhall find that going from the place where Ptolomy ſets the City of Aracca, which is near upon the place, where I think Paradiſe was ſituated, it muſt have advanced as far as the Gordiaean Mounts, within a hundred and fifty days, which is the time the Deluge laſted.

I. I Think I have done what I propoſedGod planted a Garden in Eden Eaſtward. to my ſelf, and have ſo lidly made good that the Earthly Paradiſe was ſituated on the River made by the coming together of the Tigris and Euphrates, and now called the River of the Arabians, between that coming together, and the dividing of the ſame River, before its entring into the Perſian Sea. But becauſe the proofs I produced, being ſcattered, may perhaps make the leſſer impreſſion upon the Reader's mind, they will perſwade him better, if they are joined, and ſhew themſelves altogether to him. Moſes then ſays, That God planted a Garden in Eden. We find a Province of that name along that River, and towards the place that I marked. That Province deſerved the name of Eden, which ſignifies Pleaſure, by reaſon of its Pleaſantneſs and Fertility. Although moſt part of it is not cultivated nowa-days, it nevertheleſs ſeems to retain yet ſome marks of the bountiful hand of God in the goodneſs of its Soil. That Garden was ſituated Eaſtward, that is to ſay, in the eaſterly part of the Land of Eden, on both ſides of the River. This may alſo ſignifie that eaſterly ſide, which in the whole extent of the running of the Tigris, had the name of Kedem, that is to ſay Eaſt, as a Proper, and not as an Appellative name. Even as the Lands ſituated on the weſterly ſide, had the proper name of Ereb, that is to ſay Weſt, from whence Arabia took its name. So that Moſes would give us to underſtand, that Paradiſe, at leaſt its greateſt and chiefeſt part, was placed on the eaſterly ſide of the River. Beſides the natural goodneſs of that Country, God beautified it in an extraordinary manner, to make Paradiſe out of it, in making grow out of the ground every Tree that is pleaſant to the ſight and good for food.

II. That River went out of Eden to A River went out of Eden to water the Garden. water the Garden; that is to ſay, that having ran through that Province, it entred into the Garden; which being at the Eaſt of Eden, the River at the place where it entred into the Garden, muſt have run from the Weſt to the Eaſt; and by conſequence it muſt have been ſituated upon one of the turnings of the River, which runs that way. And ſince it makes no turning more conſiderable, between its joining, and dividing, than that great one which is to be ſeen in Ptolomy's Maps, it is the moſt likely thing in the World, that Paradiſe was placed on the eaſterly end of the ſoutherly branch of that turning. The modern Maps do not repreſent it; but we muſt not forget that the Art and Induſtry of Men brought conſiderable Alterations to the running of thoſe Rivers. They mark this drawing a little from the Weſt to the Eaſt, between the coming together of the Tigris and Euphrates, and the City of Baſſora. Though the running of the Waters had been diſpoſed ſo ſince the time of the Earthly Paradiſe, and not according to the ancient Maps, it would yet agree with Moſes's deſcription.

III. This River being conſideredIt divided it ſelf and became into four heads. in reſpect to the Garden, according to the diſpoſition of its Chanel, and not according to the running of its Waters, divided it ſelf and was parted, not into four Springs, as ſome Interpreters believed, but into four heads, that is to ſay, into four entries or apartures of four different branches. Theſe four branches were four Rivers; two above in regard to the running of the Water, viz. the Euphrates and the Tigris; two below, viz. the Phiſon and the Gehon.

IV. Moſes who was writing theſeThe firſt was the Phiſon. things in Arabia Petraea, intending to make an enumeration of thoſe Rivers, in order to declare the Situation of the Earthly Paradiſe, hath begun it with the Phiſon, which I ſay is the more weſterly Chanel of the two into which the River is divided, before its entring into the Sea; becauſe it was the very next to the place where he was writing, and preſented it ſelf firſt to his Mind, as it had preſented it ſelf firſt to his Eyes and Feet, if he had gone that way. And ſeeing that firſt River being once known, the others would be eaſily known, he affixed more marks upon it; and thoſe marks are peculiar to it, and can fit no other.

V. The firſt mark is, that that RiverThat watereth the Land of Chavilah fertile in Gold. is it which compaſſeth the whole Land of Chavilah: From the knowing of that Land depends the knowledge of the Phiſon, and there can be no queſtion, but it is that which lies on the northern end of the eaſterly Coaſt of Arabia, that is on the weſterly ſide of the mouth of the Euphrates and Tigris. The Scripture exactly marks the Situation of it, when it mentions Chavilah and Sur, as the two Extremities of Arabia adjacent to the Holy Land. For Sur lying at the entrance of Egypt, toward the extremity of the Arabian Gulf, it follows that Chavilah was on the other ſide of Arabia, at the extremity of the Perſian Gulf. Add to that the Teſtimony of the Heathen Authors, who ſet in the ſame place the People called Chavlaſians, and Chavlotheans, (names undoubtedly derived from Chavilah.) All the marks given us by Moſes, that we might know Chavilah, do exactly fit the Land I ſpeak of. There is gold there, and the gold of that Land is good, asPſal. 72. 10, 15. Ezek. 27. 20, & ſeq. David and Ezekiel do teſtifie, and as it may be concluded from the Gifts the Wiſe men brought to our Saviour.

VI. There is Bdellium; whether beIn Pearls and Bdellium, in Onyx, and in all ſorts of precious Stones. meant Pearls by that word, as it is in the Hebrew, or an Aromatical Gum. The greateſt fiſhing of Pearls that is in the World, is made near the Iſland of Baharen, which lies in the Perſian Gulf, near the Coaſt of Chavilah, and to which the Phiſon leadeth. The ancient and modern Authors ſpeak of thoſe Pearls, as going beyond all the Pearls in the World; and even all that Coaſt, from Maſcate to Catif, is abounding in Pearls. Arabia was no leſs abounding in Bdellium, a ſort of precious Gum, called now Anime; and in Onyx ſtones, which as Pliny ſays, were only found inPlin. l. 36. c. 7. the Mountains of Arabia. Beſides the Countries about the Tigris and Euphrates, being then the richeſt and moſt populous in the World; and Commodities being brought thither from all parts, thoſe of Arabia ſo neceſſary for Luxury and Pleaſures were not left out, and the Province of Chavilah lying on the way, and being a neceſſary paſſage, there muſt have been there alſo abundance of all precious Stones and Spices of Arabia.

VII. In following Moſes's order,The ſecond River is the Gehon, which waters the Land of Chus. after having gone over the weſterly Chanel, through which the Tigris and Euphrates joined together run into the Sea, one meets with the eaſterly-Chanel, which muſt needs be the Gehon, The ſame is it that compaſſeth the whole Land of Chus, that is to ſay, Suſiana, which ſtill retains that old name, and is called now a days Chuzeſtan, being the ſame that the Scripture calls elſewhere Cutha, according to the variety of4 Reg. 17. 24. Dialects. From that name Chus have been derived the names of the Coſſeans, and Ciſſians, Inhabitants of Suſiana, mentioned by prophane Authors. And this gave them occaſion to ſay, that the Mother of Memnon, a Prince of Suſiana, was a Ciſſian.

VIII. The name of the third River The third is the Tigris which goeth towards Aſſyria. Chiddekel, which goeth towards Aſſyria, is the Tigris. The name it ſelf ſheweth it, for taking away the firſt letter of Chiddekel, which is but an Aſpiration, it remains Dekel, out of which have been formed the names of Diklat, Diglath, Degil, Degela, Diglito, and Tigris. If from the place where I ſet the Earthly Paradiſe, one might ſee the diſpoſition of the Chanel of that River, it might be obſerved, that it really runneth towards the old Aſſyria, whereof the chief Town was Ninive. And in fine the fourth River is the Euphrates, which kept its name till now.

IX If we examine without prejudice all thoſe Characters,All the tokens whereby Moſes marked the Situation of Paradiſe, can be applied to none, but to that which I propoſed. wherewith Moſes marked the Situation of the Earthly Paradiſe, we ſhall not only find that they exactly agree with that which I do propoſe, but alſo that they can fit no other, neither thoſe that have been imagined hitherto in a very great number, nor thoſe that can be hereafter imagined. For there are no other Provinces of Chavilah and Chus beſides thoſe that I marked, where a Phiſon and Gehon can be found: There is no other Tigris that goeth towards Aſſyria: There is no other Euphrates, which may be ſaid to be one of the four heads into which was divided the River that watered the Earthly Paradiſe: And finally there is no other place beſides that in which I ſet Paradiſe, that is watered by a River divided into theſe four Rivers juſt now mentioned.

X. It remains that pious Souls ought not to be offendedThe queſtion about the Situation of the Earthly Paradiſe doth not concern Faith. at the Novelty of this opinion, ſo different from what the Fathers believed. I ſhewed from the very beginning of this Treatiſe, that they themſelves are divided into a great many divers opinions, and that there is neither amongſt them, nor in the Church any Uniformity of Doctrine or Tradition upon this Subject. And after all Auguſt. de peccat. Orig. contra Pelag. & Coeleſt. l. 2. c. 23. St. Auſtin declares, that the queſtion concerning the Situation of the Earthly Paradiſe, belongeth not at all to the Faith by which we are made Chriſtians, and the true or falſe ſide may be held thereupon, without any danger of Hereſie.