Abury, A Temple of the British Druids, With Some Others, Described

by William Stukeley

I observe on this passage, the gloss in our English Bibles is thus, to call themselves by the name of the LORD, which is very erroneous: themselves is a mere interpolation; and would we translate it truly, it ought to be, to call in the name of Jehovah; rather, to invoke in the name of Jehovah. Vatablus turns it, then began the name of Jehovah to be invoked. The jewish writers generally take this passage to mean the origin of idolatry, as if it imported, then began men to profane the Name, by calling themselves therewith. And our great Selden drops into that opinion. But was it probable, the divine historian would have been so careful to commemorate an epoch so disagreeable? or to what purpose, even before he had so much as mention’d any publick form of true religion? the very wording of that verse imports somewhat very remarkable, which he was going to declare, “and to Seth, to him also there was born a son, and he called his name Enos: then began men to invoke in the name of Jehovah.”

TAB. II.
P. 2.

In understanding this verse aright, we must certainly affirm that Moses intended hereby, to assert the practice of publick religion; which necessarily includes two things, the origin of temples, and the sabbatical observance. For in all publick actions, time and place are equally necessary. In the generation, or days of Enos, grandson of Adam, when mankind were multiply’d into distinct families; besides private and family devotion, the publick worship of God was introduc’d in places set apart for that purpose, and on sabbath days. Publick worship necessarily implies all this.

Many and great authorities confirm this understanding of the words, as well as the reason of things. The Targum of Onkelos, Aquila’s translation. Rabbi Elieser in Maase Bereschit XXII. R. Salomon Jarchi, the Chaldee paraphrast. Vossius in comm. on Maimonides de idololatria. And very many more, too tedious to be recited.

Try the place by other like expressions in scripture, and we find, it amounts to the same thing. Genes. xii. 8. Abram builded an altar unto Jehovah, and invoked in the name of Jehovah. So it ought to be translated. This was the second altar he built in Canaan, being the second place he settled at, near Bethel. In the preceding verse, we have an account of his first settling at Sichem, and of Jehovah appearing to him personally and conversing with him: and of his building an altar to that Jehovah, who appeared unto him. But I think there is so little difficulty in it, that ’tis needless to multiply authorities or argumentations: yet the importance of it demanded thus much.

Here three things most evidently appear, 1. Jehovah was that person in the deity, who appeared visibly and discoursed with the patriarchs, not the invisible supreme. 2. That Abram erected an altar to this divine person Jehovah, worshipped him, and invoked in his name. Invoked whom? the supreme unquestionably, i. e. prayed to the supreme Being, in the name, virtue, effect, and merit of Jehovah, the mediatorial deity. The word NAME, in these passages of scripture, means the mediatorial deity, JEHOVAH by name: Ὁ Θεος Επιφανης, the God who appear’d personally to the patriarchs, who was the king of the Mosaic dispensation, and of the Jewish people, call’d the anointed or Messiah, 1 Sam. ii. 10, 35. he was the captain of the Israelites, that conducted them from Egypt to Canaan, Exod. xxiii. 20. the royal angel, the king, emperor. The angel of his face or presence, Isaiah lxiii. 9. the angel of the covenant, Malachi iii. 1. Melech Jehovah the angelick king, Zechar. iii. 1, 2, 3, 4. he is very God: for, says the supreme, in the before quoted passage in Exodus, behold I send an angel before thee (the angel, it ought to be read) to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him and obey his voice, provoke him not, for he will not pardon your transgressions; for my NAME is in him. This same way of speaking Joshua uses, Josh. xxiv. 19. Ye cannot serve Jehovah; for he is a holy deity, he is a jealous God, he will not forgive your transgressions, nor your sins. The Jews confess this doctrine to be just. Rabbi Hadersan upon that passage in Zephaniah iii. 9. to call upon the NAME of Jehovah, says, this Jehovah is no other than Messiah. All this shews the patriarchs had a knowledge of the true nature of the deity, and that the Christian or mediatorial religion is the first and the last. And when men were quite deviated from the first, the Mosaic dispensation was but an intervening vail upon the effulgence and spirituality of true religion for a time, to reduce them to it, in the actual advent of the Messiah. 3. These altars, as they are here called, were the patriarchal temples like those of our druids, the places of publick worship; and invoking in the name of Jehovah, is a form of speech importing publick worship on sabbath days: equivalent to our saying, to go to church on sundays. Whence Servius on the Æneid III. v. 85. writes, in the most ancient manner of worshipping, they only pray’d directly to the deity, without offering sacrifice. And thus I apprehend, we are to understand Herodotus II. where he says the Athenians learn’d invoking, of the Pelasgi, who were Phœnicians: and probably they had it from Abraham, who was introduc’d into the land of Canaan, as a reformer of religion. Invoking was the ordinary method of devotion on sabbath days: sacrificing was extraordinary.

It was Abraham’s custom, wherever he dwelt, to build one of these temples: as afterward, in the plain of Mamre, by Hebron, Gen. xiii. 18. And at Beersheba we are told he planted a grove, and there invoked in the name of Jehovah, the everlasting God, Gen. xxi. 33. It cannot be doubted but there was an altar and work of stones at the same place. And this was the usage of all the patriarchs, his successors, ever after; as is obvious in scripture, even to Moses’s time. Isaac builded an altar in Beersheba, and invoked in the Name of Jehovah, who personally appear’d to him, Gen. xxvi. 25. Jacob set up the anointed pillar at Bethel, xxviii. 18. and the temple there, xxxv. At Shechem he builded another, xxxiii. 20. At Bethel he set up a pillar, where Jehovah personally appeared to him, and blessed him: he anointed it, and poured a drink-offering, or libation thereon, xxxv. 14. In Exod. xxiv. 4. we read, Moses rose early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, which we have no reason to doubt were set in a circle. The like was done after they were seated in the land of Canaan, till the temple of Solomon was built: for Samuel, when he dwelt at Ramah, built an altar, to Jehovah there, whereat to celebrate publick offices of religion, 1 Sam. vii. 17.

Hence we gather further these three things. 1. That they planted groves in patriarchal times, as temples for publick worship. It seems that this was done in those hot countries, for convenience in the summer-season: and perhaps for magnificence. For we are told, Abraham dwelt long at Beersheba, where he planted the grove. These were as our cathedrals; they were planted round about the circular parts of stones, as porticos for receiving of the congregation. Whence groves and temples became a synonymous appellation, both in sacred and heathen writers. 2. That these temples which they call’d altars, were circles of stones, inclosing that stone more properly nam’d the altar. The circles were greater or less, of more or fewer stones, as the will or convenience of the founder prompted. Moses his temple was a circle of twelve stones: and such we have in England. 3. They were commonly made on open plains, and rising grounds, conspicuous and commodious for multitudes, a whole neighbourhood to assemble in. This is the consequence of the nature and reason of the thing: for a matter of publick use must be in the most publick and conspicuous place. 4. The patriarchal religion, and the christian, is but one and the same. Hence in Isaiah xix. 19. the prophet speaking of the restitution of the patriarchal religion in Egypt, under the gospel dispensation, says, “In that day shall there be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt; and a pillar, at the border thereof, to Jehovah.” This is expressly making use of the terms of a patriarchal temple, with a view to that religion restor’d, meaning the christian.

TAB. III.
P. 4.