324

A DISCOURSE

book iv. very infancy of the world, in which Adam was entertained in paradise,and Abraham (as we noted) received his divine guests, not in his tent,but under a tree, an Oak, (triclinium angelicum, the angel’s dining-room)all intelligent persons have embraced the solace of shady arbours, and alldevout, persons found how naturally they dispose our spirits to religiouscontemplations. For this, as some conceive, they much affected to planttheir trees in circles, and gave that capacious form to the first temples,observed not only of old, but even at this day by the Jews , as the mostaccommodate for their afsemblies ; or, as others, because that figure mostresembled the universe and the heavens : Templum d templando, says aknowing critic ; and another, Templum est nescio quid immune, atqueamplum; such as Arnobius speaks of, that had no roof but heaven, tillthat sumptuous fabric of Solomon was confined to Jerusalem , and thegoodliest Cedars and most costly woods were carried thither to form thecolumns and lay the rafters; and then, and not till then, was it so muchas schism, that I can find, to retire to Groves for their devotion, or evento Bethel itself.

■Sec Tirinus.Our Mede.Ainsworth.Diatrib. onJofli. xxiv.26.Valesius Au-not. in lib. 2.Hist. Eccles.Euseb. p. 28,

In such recefses were the antient Oratories and Proseuchas, builttheatre-wise, sub dio, at some distance from the cities, Afits xvi. and madeuse of even amongst the Gentiles as well as the people of God ; (nor isit always the lefs authentical for having been the guise of nations;) hencethat of Philo, speaking of one who Troba? I viator 7T^o<nv^tx( (lirlpolojunn, &c.had felled all the trees about it; and such a place the Satyrist meanswhere he asks, In qua te quecro ProseuchaP because it was the ren-dezvous also where poor people used to frequent, to beg the alms of de-vout and charitable persons; so as it was esteemed piacular for any to cutdown so much as a stick about them, unlefs it were to build them;when, with the Psalmist, men had honour according to their forwardnefsof repairing the houses of God in the land ; upon which account it waslawful to lift up axes against the goodliest trees in the forest. But those

zealous days are past :

At nunc desertis cefsant sacraria lucis:

Aurum omnes victa jam pietate colunt. propert*

Now temples shut, and groves deserted lie:

All gold adore, and neglect piety.

In the mean time, that which came nearest to the Scenopegici of the