THE Eternal GOD having out of Nothing created the Heavens , the Earth , the Seas , and all things therein contained ; He formed Man according to his own Image , and so dignified and honoured him , that he made him Lord over the Fish of the Sea , the Fowls of the Air , and the Beasts of the Earth , and every Creeping thing therein ; and gave him for his habitation the Garden of Eden , call'd Paradise , which for its beauty , pleasant situation , and fertility , surpassed all the Countries on the face of the Earth ; and therefore rightly call'd , The Garden of Pleasure . It was situated in the Land of Shinar , a Province in Asia , upon the River Tigris , which in Scripture is called Pison : This River divides it self into four Branches , and each hath its particular Name .

Now the better to make out the true situation of this Garden , we must remember that Moses saith in Genesis , Chap. 2. vers. 8. That God had planted a Garden in Eden , Eastward ; and in the 10 th Verse , That a River went out of Eden to water the Garden , and thence divided it self into four Heads ; that is , into four great Channels , or Capital Rivers .

It is a certain demonstration , that it was situate Eastward of Pison , being the only River that water'd it , and retain'd that Name ; and tho' one part of the Garden extended Westward , yet Adam had his abode in the Eastern quarter , as appears by Chap. 3. ver. 24. where it is said , Adam being driven out , God placed Cherubims at the East of the Garden , to hinder him from entring in again . And ( according to Chap. 2. ver. 16. ) it is related , That Cain went forth from before the Lord , and inhabited in the Land of Nod , which lay to the East of Eden ; and that which renders this the more credible is , that this River , for its breadth , depth , and rapid Stream , ( excelling the Rhine , or the Danube ) must needs have hindred our First Parents from going out of the Garden Eastwards , if they had their habitation in the Western part thereof , since they had neither Bridge nor Boat , to cross over the River ; for the Scripture speaks not a word of either ▪ nor makes the least mention of any way they had for Navigation before the Ark of Noah . Hence it follows , that several Ancient Geographers have been very much mistaken , in placing the Garden of Eden to the West of Pison .

This River ( as aforesaid ) is divided into four Heads or Branches , viz. two to the North , or above the Garden ; and two to the South , or below the Garden ; and were call'd , Pison , Gihon , Hiddekel , and Euphrates : And thus they are described in Genesis , Chap. 11. ver. 11 , 13. and 14. The name of the first is Pison , and this compasseth the whole Land of Havilah , where there is Gold ; the name of the second River , is Gihon , the same is that which encompasseth the whole Land of Ethiopia ; the name of the third River is Hiddekel , which goeth towards the East of Assyria ; and the name of the fourth , is Euphrates .

The Euphrates takes its sourse from the Mochian , or Caspian Mountains , situate in Armenia the Great ; the Hiddekel begins its course from a certain Lake seated at the first rising of Mount Ararat : These two Streams fall down together , and joyn in Pison , at the Upper-end of the Garden , which having washt , they separate again at the Bottom thereof , where the more Eastern part retains the name , and the more Western is called Gihon ; hence they run towards the Persian Sea , into which they empty themselves .

Our First Parents being placed in this Garden of Pleasure , had the free use of all things , except the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil , Gen. 2.17 . which was strictly forbidden them by God ; telling them , That in the day they eat thereof , they should die the death : But the Devil envying the happy condition of Man , stirs up the Serpent to tempt Eve , to taste the Fruit of the said Tree ; telling her , That they should not dye ; but that their Eyes should be opened , and be as Gods . With these sly Enticements and Lies of the Serpent , Eve was prevailed with to eat thereof , and gave it to Adam to eat also , who was also infatuated to Transgress God's Command ; and so fell by their Disobedience into Sin and Destruction , and were driven out of Paradise , and condemned to get their Living by the Sweat of their Brows ; and for their Transgression the Earth was accurs'd , and caused to abound with Thorns and Thistles .

After this , they had their Habitation on the East of Paradise , in the Land of Nod , which was also called Susiana , and at this day Susan ; where they employed their time in cultivating the Earth ; and had two Sons , the elder named Cain , who was a Tiller of the Earth , and the younger named Abel , who was a Keeper of Sheep , and was murthered by Cain , as being transported with hatred against him . Cain being severely reproved , and accurst by God for this bloody Crime , and being convinc'd of the heinousness thereof , falls into great despair and perplexity of Mind ; and fearing lest every one that met him should kill him , goes forth from the presence of God into the Land of Nod , and there builds a City for his security , and calls it Enoch , after the Name of his first Son : Upon the Ruins of this City it may be presumed , that the Town of Susan was afterwards built , as being situate near Eden , Westward of the Mountains of Ararat , and upon the River Euleus , called Ulac ; where Cain was palpably stopt in his flight from the Presence of the Lord , as not being able to pass over this River .

Men increasing more and more in Wickedness , were at last overtaken by Divine Vengeance , in the Year of the World 1656 , by the Deluge , which drown'd all living Creatures upon the face of the Earth , except Noah and his Family , and those Creatures which God caused to be taken into the Ark , for the replenishing the Second World . This Ark having floated up and down on the Waters , ( above the highest tops of Mountains ) for the space of about five Months , it pleased the LORD to let it rest at last upon the Mountains of Ararat ; and after that the Waters were sunk , and retired into their proper place , faithful Noah ( and all that were with him in the Ark ) went out , and betook themselves to the East of the River Hiddekel , from whence the Posterity of Noah disperst themselves East and West , denominating from their Names , the several Countries where they took up their habitations ; and therefore we can do no less than adjoyn here their Genealogy ▪ for the better adjusting the Names of the Countries set down in the Map with those of the several Families ; and making out the more distinctly where each of the Descendents of this Patriarch planted themselves , with their Families , according to what we find in Scripture , and the Annotations upon it .

Noah had three Sons , Shem , Ham ( or Cham ) and Japhet . The Children of Shem had for their Portion , the more Southern part of Asia and America ; the Posterity of Ham had the Land of Canaan , Arabia , Egypt , and all Africa ; and the Children of Japhet had Europe , with the North parts of Asia and America .

The Sons of Shem were Elam , Assur , Arphaxad , Lud , and Aram. Elam was the Father of the Elamites , that is , of the Inhabitants of the Lands of Susiana , Elymais , and Persia , Dan. 8.2 . where the Prophet saith , that Susa , or Susari , seated on the River Ulai , is a City in the Lands of Elan ; where ( according to Strabo ) the Persian Monarchs kept their Courts , as being the Imperial City of the Second Monarchy , and was reckon'd 15 Italian Miles in circuit .

From Assur the Assyrians were descended , whose chief City was Nineveh , once a City of great Fame , first built by Nimrod , and afterwards so enlarged by several succeeding Kings , that it became at last to exceed Babylon , as well in largeness as otherwise , its Walls being in circuit 60 Miles , in height about 33 Yards , and in breadth about 24 ; for its defence were on the Walls 1500 Turrets , or Towers . To this City the LORD sent Jonah the Prophet to preach Repentance to them ; but afterwards ( for their Sins ) it was destroy'd by Astyages King of the Medes , out of whose Ruins was built Mosul , the chief City of Assyria , seated on the Tygris , of Note for being the Residence of the Nestorian Patriarch , where are founded fifteen Christian Churches : It is enclosed with a Wall , and is the Residence of a Basha .

From Arphaxad descended the Babylonians and Chaldeans , called Casdim , who was the Father of Selah , and he of Heber , who gave name to the Hebrews ; this Heber had two Sons , Peleg and Joktan ; Peleg , because in his time the World was divided into Colonies ; of Peleg was begat Rehu ; of Rehu , Serug , of Serug , Nahor ; of Nahor , Thare ; and of Thare , Abram , Nachor and Haram , and Abram had Isaac , and Isaac , Jacob. From Nachor sprung Uz , Buz , Chemuel , Aram , Chesed , Hazo , Pildas and Bethuel , who was the Father of Laban and Rebecca ; and from Haram sprang Lot . Joktan , Arphaxad's second Son , had a large Issue , viz. Almodad , Saleph , Hazermaveth , Jerah , Hadoram , Uzal , Diklah , Obal , Abimael , Sheba , Ophir , Havilah and Jobab : These spread themselves from Mesha to Sephar ; as is mentioned Gen. 10.25 . Divers of the Learned understand by Meshah the Hill Masium , which is a part of the Mountains of Armani ; and by Sephar the City Sipphara , seated in Mesopotamia , on the River Euphrates : But there is more ground to believe , that their habitations were from the River Tygris towards the East , to the farthest parts of the East-Indies ; yet nevertheless , Elam's Posterity inhabited also between the Borders of these large Lands : For the Land of Havilah borders towards the West , on the Spring-head of the River Pison , which is an Arm of the Tygris ; and Ophir , the Brother of Havilah , is reckon'd to be the Father of the Inhabitants of Pegu , Sian , and Aurea Chersonesus , or the Golden Peninsula , where stands the City of Malacca , a place of great Resort and Trade , occasioned by its commodious situation on the River Gaza , and is a very large City .

From the Land of Ophir , Solomon's Ships brought Gold , Precious Stones , and other rich Commodities , performing their Voyage in Three years , 1 Kings 9.26 . and 10.12 , 22. For this Reason Benedictus Arius Montanus understands by Sephar , and the Mountains towards the East , the Land and Mountains of Peru ; and saith , That the Gold that covered Solomon's Temple was therefore called , Gold of Peraim . Also the name of the Land of Jucatan , which lies between Mexico and the Island of Haitai , otherwise called Spaniola , sounds very like Joktan , who was Ophir's Father .

From Lud , another of Shem's Sons , descended the Lydians , and other Countries in Asia ▪ Minor .

From Aram sprang the Syrians , as also those of Mesopotamia and Armenia . These great Kingdoms , and their particular Provinces , are in Scripture called the Land of Aram ; altho' they are distinguished by several Names , as Aram Damasci , Aram Zobe , Aram Naharam , that is , Aram between the two Rivers Euphrates and Tygris , which Lands the Greeks call Mesopotamia , 2 Sam. 8.3 , 5 , & 10. The Children of Aram are Uz , who is thought to have built the City of Damascus ; he was the Ancestor of the Coelo-Syrians , or Inhabitants of Trachonitis , or some other People bordering upon Idumea ; and of this Country was Job , Job 1● . From Hull are descended the Inhabitants of Palmyrene , or Armenia : From Gether descended the Bactrians , or those of Apamea ; and from Mash descended the People of P●eriah , Comagena , and Cyrestica ; others allot to him Mysia .

Noah's second Son , Ham , had Issue Cush , Mizraim , Put , and Canaan .

Cush , from whom Arabia the Stony , and the Desart , was originally denominated . These Countries were afterwards overcome by the Posterities of Abraham , the Edomites , and the Israelites , and by them possessed . The eldest Son of Cush was Nimrod the great Hunter , and the first Tyrant in the World ; he began his Reign in Babylon , built Nineveh , Gen. Chap. 10. he was the Father of Sheba , Havila , Sub●a , Rama , and Subtecha . From Sheba are descended the Dwellers of Arabia the Stony and Desart ; as also the Sa●aeans from Havilah ; not him of the same name before mentioned amongst the Children of Joktan , of the Race of Sh●m , Gen. 10.25 . for he is thought to have possest the Golden Chersoneses towards the Ganges ; whereas this had for his Lot Guinea in Africa , both the one and the other Havilah , abounding in Gold . From Sabtah were descended the Inhabitants of Arabia the Happy , where there was sometime a City called Sabbotha . From Rama were descended the People that inhabit that part of Arabia the Happy , that borders on the Persian Sea , where Ptolomy places the City of Rhegama : The Sons of Rama were Sheba , the Father of the Ethiopians and the Abyssms ; and Dedan , who was the Original of the Troglodytes , as may be gathered by the Merchandize mentioned in Ezekiel 27.15 . and 38.13 . And from Sheba came the Queen of Saba , or Sheba , to King Solomon , 1 King . 10.1 . and here Reigned the Mighty Queen Candaces , Acts 8.27 . And from Subtecha descended those of Arabia the Happy .

Mizraim , from whom are descended ( beside the Egyptians , who in Scripture bear that Name ) those of Ludim , or the Lydians of Mauritania ; Hananim , the Inhabitants of Marmarica and Cyreneans ; Lehabim , the People of Lybia ; Napthuhim , those of Numidia ; Pathrusim , those of Pathros , and the adjacent parts in Egypt ; Cas●ubin , the Inhabitants of Cassiotes , lying in the Entrance of Egypt coming from India ; and the Caphtorims , ( that is , the Inhabitants of Si●ur and other adjacent Countries ) : From these People are descended the Philistins and Caphtorius , Gen. 10.14 . and 32.3 . Deut. 2.22 .

Put , who possest that part of Lydia , where there is a River that bears that Name ; and also Numidia , and other Countries towards the South of Mauritania , and Africa the Less , are now called Barbary , Numidia , and Biledulgerid ; and those Lands further Southwards are called Azamaga , Gualata , Guinea , or the Land of the Negroes .

Canaan , from whom descended the Canaanites ; the Sidonites , so called from Sidon the eldest Son of Canaan ; the Hittites , Jebusites , Amorites , Girgasites , Hivites , Arkites , Sinites , Aradites , Zemarites , and the Hamathites ; and their Countries extended from Sidon unto Gaza , &c. Gen. 10.19 . but almost all this Land of Canaan was ( for the many grievous Sins of its Inhabitants ) by God's Command , given for an Inheritance to the Seed of Abraham .

Noah's third Son was Japhet , who had Issue Gomer , Magog , Madai , Javan , Tubal , Mesec , and Tiras .

Gomer , whose Off-spring inhabited to the North of Asia Minor , were Askenas , the Father of the Inhabitants of Pontus and Bithynia ; they were called Ascanians , and held by the Scribes to be the Father of the Germans and French . Riphat , the Original of the Findlanders , Laplanders , and the Inhabitants of Condora , Obdora , and Jougoria ; where are the Hills of Riphai , called by the Inhabitants the Girdle of the World ; and Togarma , from whom are derived ( according to some ) the Capadocians , according to others the Armenians , and according to others those of Sweden , Norway , and Denmark .

Magog , the Father of the Scythians and Tartars .

Madai , the Father of the Medes , 2 Kings 17.6 . Joshua 13.17 . Jer. 25.25 . Dan. 5.28 . and 6.1 . and 8.20 .

Javan , the Father of the Greeks , most especially from him first called Ionians ; his Sons were Elisa ; from whom sprang the Aeolians , and the Inhabitants of the Peloponesus , now called the Morea , Ezek. 37.7 . Tarsis , from whom descended the Spaniards , others say the Cilicians , whose Capital City was Tarsus , the Birth-place of Saint Paul . Kittim , who ( according to Scripture ) are those of Cyprus , Macedonia , and Italy . Dodanim , from whom came the Dorians , comprehending those of Caria , Rhodes , and Sicily , or ( as others will have it ) the Ancient Gauls , inhabiting along the River Rhine .

Tubal , from whom descended the Iberians , Albanians , and ( some say ) the Spaniards .

Mesec , the Father of the Mysians , or the Muscovites , Poles , and other People , that use the Sclavonian Language .

Tiras , from whom came the Thracians , and the Turks .

The Blessing which Noah gave to Japhet came upon him , when he said , God spread forth Japhet , and let him dwell in the Tents of Shem , and let Canaan be his Servant . Which Blessing is accomplished , God giving him the Third and Fourth Monarchy of the World .

The first Descendents of Noah , and his Three Sons , having but one Language spoken amongst them , undertook to build a Tower , whose Top should reach to Heaven ; which the LORD being offended with , sent a Confusion of Languages amongst them , so that they were constrained ( as not understanding one another ) to quit their design ; insomuch that the Name of that place was called Babel , because the LORD did here confound their Language , and from hence disperst them into all Parts of the Earth , Gen. 11.9 .

Not far from this Babel is the City of Ur , the Dwelling place of Terah , or Tare , who was the Father of Abram , and Grandfather of Lot ; who all departed together from this City , and came to Haran , where Terah died , Gen. 11.31 . And soon after that Abram ( according to the Commandment of God ) departed with his Nephew Lot , and came into the Land of Canaan , Sojourning about Sichem , near the Plain or Forest of Moreh ▪ Not long after he removed from thence , and pitched his Tents between Bethel and Hai , where he built an Altar , and called on the Name of the LORD , Gen. 12.8 . From thence he drew Southwards , and they took up their Dwelling between Bethel and Hai ; but that Country being not large enough for him , and his Nephew , by reason of the abundance of their Cattle , they separated ; Lot chusing the Vale of Siddim , along the River Jordan , pitching his Tents as far as Sodom , Gen. 13.12 . and Abram went and dwelt near Hebron , in the Plains of Mamre , Gen. 13.18 . Here it was that Ishmael was Born to him of his Handmaid ; Isaac is promised , and his Name changed from Abram to Abraham , Gen. 16 , 17. Thence Abraham drawing Southward , he planted himself between Kedish and Shur , and Sojourned as a Stranger in Gerar , Gen. 20.1 .

At Gerar , Abraham received a Command from God , to sacrifice his Son Isaac upon one of the Mountains of Moriah ; but God having hereby made sufficient proof of his Faith and Obedience , hindred the execution thereof , and promised him his Benediction , and provides a Ram for a Burnt-Offering instead of Isaac . From thence Abraham goes and inhabits at Beersheba , Gen. 22.19 thence to Kirjarth-Arba , which is Hebron ; where his Wife Sarah Died , and was buried in the Cave of Machpelah , over against Mamre , Gen. 23.19 . After this , Abraham taking an Oath of Fidelity of his Servant , sent him to Nahor in Mesopotamia , to seek from amongst those of his Kindred a Wife for his own Son Isaac , who obtained Rebecca ( the Daughter of Bethuel ) and brings her into Canaan ; where Isaac met her near the Well Laharoi , which is about a League distant from his Abode , G●n. 24.