——Deus nobis hæc otia fecit.
II. Inanimate Things turn’d into Gods. Things without Life were made into Gods by the Heathens: The Sun, Moon, and Stars seem to be the first Idols, or false Gods, to whom they paid a divine Regard. Possidonius defines a Star, a divine Body. The Zabii erected Images to the Stars, which they fancied to be so many Gods, and that they influenced the Images consecrated to them; yea, and communicated the prophetick Spirit to Men.
The Sun and Moon were by the idolatrous Israelites called the King and Queen of Heaven, and the Stars were supposed (as it were) to be their Militia, form’d for their Guards, with which they were always surrounded.
PHILO of Alexandria, (called Philo the Jew, a Platonick Philosopher) imputes to the Stars a great part of whatever happens on the Earth; and says, they are not only Animals, but even most pure Spirits; that our Air is replete with Animals and Spirits, which are continually descending to animate Bodies. He had borrow’d these odd Notions from his Master Plato, Chief of the Academicks. Origen one of the Fathers, who flourish’d in the third Century, was guilty of the same Mistake[[380]].
[380]. Philo Leg. Alleg. Origen. t i. Maimon. in Calmet. under the word Star.
The sacred Books, in some places, seem to ascribe Knowledge to the Stars, when they praised God at the beginning of the World, Job xxxviii. 7. but the Stars were not then created, therefore it’s generally supposed they were Angels. Since then the Sun, Moon and Stars are excited to praise the Lord; the Moon withdrew its Light, and the Sun stopt its Course at the Command of Joshua ... and perhaps one reason of their strange Opinions about the heavenly Bodies, might be owing to these and the like Expressions; not knowing that these Words were meerly popular, and not to be understood literally, for then we must say that the Earth, the Trees, the Waters, are animated, since we find in Scripture some Expressions that would insinuate as much.
The Arabians who sprung from Ishmael, worshipped the Sun, Moon and Stars, in which they were conducted by their Priests who were cloathed in white Vestments, wearing Mitres and Sandals, which at first were only Soles tied to the Feet with Strings. In Authors that speak of ecclesiastical Rites, and Ornaments, we find the word Sandals to signify a valuable kind of Shoes, worn by the Prelates at Solemnities[[381]].
[381]. Benedictus Baudovinus de Calceo Antiquo.
We find Sandals also used by the Ladies, very different in form: When Judith went to the Camp of Holofernes, she put Sandals on her Feet, at the sight of which he was captivated; for ’tis said, Her Sandals ravish’d his Eyes. These were a magnificent sort of Stockens, like Buskins, of an extraordinary Beauty[[382]], and were proper only to the Ladies of Condition, who generally had Slaves to carry them.
[382]. Judith x. 4.