For how was it possible for an Hellenic æra tơ have existed before the name of Hellas was known, or the nation in being? This arose, like the preceding, from a mistake in terms, the word being warped from its original purport and direction. The Cuseans, or Cuthites, were the first apostates from the truth; of which defection I have before taken notice. They introduced the worship of the sun, that great fountain of light; and paid the like reverence to the stars, and all the host of heaven. They looked upon them as fountains, from whence were derived to men the most salutary 18 emanations. This worship was styled the fountain worship. The Grecians, just as they styled the Bay of Fountains on the Red Sea Elanites, from El Ain, might have called this characteristic of the times Exaviopos, Elanismus. But such a change would not satisfy them. They made some farther alteration, and rendered it, according to the Ionic dialect, Exλnuouos, Hellenismus with an aspirate, and made it, by these means, relate to their own country. One of the titles of the Cusean shepherds, who came into Egypt, was taken from this worship, and derived

13 Concerning fountain worship, or derivative virtues, see Psellus and Jamblichus; and Stanley upon the Chalḍaïc Religion. El-ain, Solis fons; the fountain of the sun.

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from El Ain, the fountain of light, which they worshipped. But the Greeks expressed this after the same manner as the above; whence they are, by many writers, styled "9 Пoves Exλnves, Hellenic or Grecian shepherds. They were truly El-Anes, and by race Cuthites. Many of them settled in Armenia, and at Colchis, and also upon the Palus Mæotis. They are taken notice of under this name by 20 Claudian:

patriamque bibens Mæotida Alanus.

Procopius mentions, that all the nations about Caucasus, which we know to have been Cuthites, as far as the Portæ Caucaseæ, were comprehended under the name of " Alani.

Some have thought that this distinction of times, taken notice of by the ecclesiastical writers, was owing to some expressions of St. Paul, in his Epistle to the Colossians. 22 Όπε εκ ενι Ἑλλην, καὶ Ιεδαίος" περιτομη και ακροβυσια" Βαρβαρος, Σκύθης δέλος,

19 Εκκαιδέκατη δυνασεία, Ποιμενες Ελληνες. Syncellus. p. 61. 20 In Rufin. l. 1. v. 312.

21 Ταυτην δε την χωράν, ἡ εξ ορὲς το Καυκασιε άχρι ες τας Κασπίας κατατείνει πύλας, Αλανοι εχεσι. Procop. Goth. Hist. 1. 4. c. 3. p. 570. This comprehends all the country of Iberia, Colchis, and Circassia.

22 Coloss. c. 3. v. 11.

ελευθερος" άλλα τα παντα, και εν πασι Χριςος. Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor · uncircumcision; Barbarian, Scythian; bond nor free; but Christ is all and in all. The Apostle plainly alludes to those invidious distinctions which subsisted among men; but what the fathers mention concerns the division of times, and the characters by which different epochas were distinguished. Some writers, however, have gone farther, and. from the words of St. Paul have added Judaïsmus, introducing it in the first ages, to which it could not possibly belong. For how could Judaïsm subsist before there was either Jew or Israelite? In short, they have brought in succession, and at different æras, what the Apostle speaks of as subsisting together at the same time, even in the age wherein he lived.

Hellenismus, however, which led the way: to these distinctions, was of antient date. The first innovation in religion was called by this name; which had no relation to Greece, being far prior to Hellas, and to the people denominated from it. Though it began among the Cuthites in Chaldea, yet it is thought to have arisen from some of the family of Shem, who resided among that people. Epiphanius accordingly tells us, that Ragem, or Ragau, had for his son Seruch, when idolatry and Hellenismus first be

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gan among men. Ραγαμ γεννα του Σερεχ, και ηρξατο εις ανθρωπες ή ειδωλολατρεία τε, και ὁ Ἑλληνισμος. By this we are only informed that idolatry and Hellenismus began in the days of Seruch: but Eusebius and other writers mention, that he was the author of this apostasy. 24 Σερεχ, όςις πρωτος ήρξατο τα Ελληνισμε. Seruch was the first who introduced the false worship, called Hellenismus. Some attribute also to him the introduction of ' images; but most give this innovation to his grandson Terah. 26 Ναχωρ δε γεννα τον Θάρρα, εντευθεν εγεγονεν ανδριαντο πλασια-διά της τα Θαῤῥε τεχνης. Nachor begat Tharah; and in his time were introduced images for worship, which were first framed by his art,

25

It is observable that Johannes Antiochenus styles the people of Midian Hellenes; and speaking of Moses, who married the daughter of Jethro, the Cuthite, the chief priest of" Midian,

24 Eusebii Chron. p. 13. See Chron. Paschale, and Syncellus. P. 94. 95. Some suppose this innovation to have been introduced about the death of Peleg. Επι την το Φαλεχ τελευτην ετη τρισχιλίας ενθεν αρχήν των Ελληνικών Θεων λαμβάνεσι τα ονομάτα. Cedrenus. p. 15.

25 Σερ χ δε πρώτος ήρξατο χρήσθαι γλυπτοις και τήλαις, ογδοος ων απόγονος το Νωε το δίκαιο. Constant. Manasses. p. 21.

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he represents the woman, την θυγατέρα Ισθορ το #pxiepews twv "Eλλnvwv, as the daughter of Jother, the high-priest of the Hellenes. This is not so culpable as I have sometimes thought it. It is to be observed, that the people of Midian lived upon the upper and eastern recess of the Red Sea, where was a city called El Ain, the Elana of 29 Ptolemy, and Ailane of Josephus. It happens, that there are in the opposite recess fountains, which retain the name of El Ain at this day; and they are likewise called by the Arabs Ain Mosh, or the fountains of Moses. Hence each bay has been at times called Sinus Elanites, which has caused some confusion in the accounts given of these parts. The nether recess had certainly its name from the celebrated fountains of Moses, which ran into it; but the bay on the other side was denominated from the people who there 3 settled. They were Cuthites, of the same race as the Ionim and Hellenes of Babylonia, from which country they

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28 P. 76. 77.

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19 Ηδε Ελανα κατα μυχον κείμενη τα ὁμώνυμα κολπου. Ptolem. 1. 5. c. 17. p. 162.

Ou woppw Airarns woλews. Joseph. Ant. 1. 8. c. 2. p. 437.

Aidarn woris Apabias. Steph. Byzant. Aas. Procop. Persica. 1. 1. c. 19.

30 The bay is now called Bahhr al Akaba. See Description d'Arabie par Mons. Niebuhr. 1773. p. 345..