2o8 A NATURAL HISTORY 



The Sun and Moon were by the idolatrous Ifraelites called the 

 KiJig and ^een of Heaven, and the Stars were fuppofcd (as it 

 were) to be their Militia, form'd for their Guards, with which 

 they were always furrounded. 



PHILO of Alexandria^ (called Philo the Jew^ a Platonick 

 Philofopher) imputes to the Stars a great part of whatever happens 

 on the Earth \ and fays, they are not only Animals, but even 

 moft pure Spirits j that our Air is replete with Animals and Spi- 

 rits, which are continually defcending to animate Bodies. He 

 had borrow'd thefe odd Notions from his Mafler Plato^ Chief of 

 the Academicks. Origen one of the Fathers, who flourifh'd in 

 the third Century, was guilty of the fame Miftake *. 



The facred Books, in fome places, feem to afcribe Knowledge 

 to the Stars, when they praifed God at the beginning of the 

 World, yobxxxwiW. y. but the Stars were not then created, there- 

 fore it's generally fuppofed they were Afigeh. Since then the Sun, 

 Moon and Stars are excited to praife the Lord ; the Moon with- 

 drew its Light, and the Sun flopt its Courfe at the Command of 

 yop.nia . . . and perhaps one reafon of their ftrange Opinions about 

 the heavenly Bodies, might be owing to thefe and the like Ex- 

 preflions j not knowing that thefe Words were meerly popular, 

 and not to be underftood literally, for then we muft fay that the 

 Earth, the Trees, the Waters, are animated, fmce we find in 

 Scripture fome Expreffions that would infinuate as much. 



The Arabians who fprung from Ifhmael, worfliipped the Sun, 

 Moon and Stars, in which they were condud:ed by their Priefts 

 who were cloathed in white Veftments, v^-earing Mitres and 

 Sandals, which at firft were only Soles tied to the Feet with Strings. 

 In Authors that fpeak of ecclefiaftical Rites, and Ornaments, 

 we tind the word Sandals to fignify a valuable kind of Shoes, 

 worn by the Prelates at Solemnities •^. 



W E find Sandals alfo ufed by the Ladies, very different in 

 form: When Judith went to the Camp of Holojernes^ ilie put 

 Sandals on her Feet, at the fight of which he was captivated; 

 for 'tis faidj Her Sandals ravijVd his Eyes. Thele were a magni- 

 ficent Ibrt of Stockens, like Bufkins, of an extraordinary Beauty :{:, 



and 



* Phi/o Leg. /lUcg. Origen. t I. Mahmr, it CahnH. unier tbc WOrd Star. 

 -{• BrreJiHus BauJvvinus de Ca'.ceo An:!qiio. 

 X Judith X.4. 



