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compose their meditations, and celebrate sacred mys- 

 teries, prayers, and oblations ; following the tradition 

 of the Gomerites or descendants of Noah, who first 

 peopl'd Galatia and other parts of the world after the 

 universal 1 Deluge, from hence some presume that 

 even the ancient Druids had their origin : But that 

 Abraham might imitate what the most religious of 

 that age had practis'd before him, may not be unlikely; 

 for we read he soon planted himself and family at the 

 Quercetum of Mambre, Gen. 1 3. where, as 2 Eusebius, 

 Eccl. Hist. 1. i.e. 1 8, gives us the account, he spread 

 his pavilions, erected an altar, offer'd and perform'd 

 all the priestly rites ; and there, to the immortal glory 

 of the oak, or rather arboreous temple, he entertained 

 God himself. Isidor, St Hierom, 3 and Sozomen report 

 confidently, that one of the most eminent of those 

 trees remained till the reign of the great Constantine, 

 (and the stump till St Hierom) who founded a * vene- 

 rable chappel under it ; and that both the Christians, 

 Jews, and Arabs, held a solemn anniversary or station 

 there, and believed that from the very time of Noah, 

 it had been a consecrated place : Sure we are, it was 

 about some such assembly of trees, that God was 

 pleas'd first of all to appear to the Father of the faithful, 

 when he established the covenant with him, and more 

 expresly, when removing thence (upon confirming the 

 league with Abimelech, Gen. 21. and settling at Beer- 

 sheba) he designed an express place for God's divine 

 service : For there, says the sacred text, he planted a 



1 See the learned Pezron Antiq.fuse. 



2 Euseb. lib. V. cap. 19. Demonstr. Evang. ubi de Terebintho. Hieronymus, de 

 locis Hebraicis, &c. 



3 Hierom. in Epitaph. Paul, vide & Erasm. Schol. in Ep. ad. Pamachium. 



4 See the Emperor's Rescript to Bish. Macarius, &c. for the demolition of the 

 idol worshipp'd there; and the building of a magnificent church. Euseb. de 

 vit. Constant, lib. III. cap. 50. 



aa 



