And in the first place, we may Enquire, Who was Moloch? Now, I will not with Selden, and Grotius, and others, urge, that Moloch was the same with Saturn, the Daemon whom the Phoenicians chiefly served with their horrible Technothysies. I will not with Kerchief say, that Moloch was the same with Mars, tho' he might have a Coptical Commentary, where the Names of all the Planets being recited in order, in the place of Mars there is ⟨p. 153⟩Moloch. I will not say with Arias Montanus, That Moloch was the same with Mercury; though Malach do signify, what they made Mercury, a Messenger. Nor will I say with Cyril, that Venus was by the Ancients worshipped under the Name of Moloch; nor with Sanctius, that Moloch was an Idol peculiar to the Ammonites; nor with some others, That some certain King, by way of Eminency called so, (which Moloch signifies) tho' the particular Name of the Gentleman be now forgotten, were intended. I will rather concur with the Learned Spencer (however in the main Design for which he has Employed his Learning, I differ from him;) That Moloch was a Name common to all the Gods, (especially, The Sun) worshipped in the Images of the ancient Pagans. And therefore Baal, which was also a Name common for all False Gods, is promiscuously used for Moloch. [Compare, Jer. 19. 5. with Jer. 32 35.] Indeed, there is extant at this day, an ancient Inscription, which in the word, [Greek or Hebrew], brings both Names into One. Moloch signifies a King, and it imports Government, and Majesty: whereof, 'tis no wonder, if the Devil is ambitious. But it is also likely, that Malach, the root of his Name, signifies, to Worship, to Adore, to reckon as a God; for tho' the Lexicons take no notice of such a sense, yet the Ethiopic Language countenances it. Thus the ⟨p. 154⟩Kings of Hamath and Arphad, are called, Th• Gods of Hamath and Arphad; [Isa 37. 13, with Isa 36. 19.] And Hercules, when called, [Greek or Hebrew], or Melicertoe, by the Sidonians, was originally, Melech Kirtha, or, The Tutelar God of the City.
And in the first place, we may Enquire, Who was Moloch? Now, I will not with Selden, and Grot•us, and others, urge, that Moloch was the same with Saturn, the Daemon whom the Phoenicians chiefly served with their horrible Technothysies. I will not with K••cher say, that Moloch was the same with Mars, tho' he might have a Coptical Commentary, where the Names of all the Planets being recited in order, in the place of Mars there is ⟨p. 153⟩Moloch. I will not say with Arias Montanus, That Moloch was the same with Mercury; though Malach do signify, what they made Mercury, a Messenger. Nor will I say with Cyril, that Venus was by the Ancients worshipped under the Name of Moloch; nor with Sanctius, that Moloch was an Idol peculiar to the Ammonites; nor with some others, That some certain King, by way of Eminency called so, (which Moloch signifies) tho' the particular Name of the Gentleman be now forgotten, were intended. I will rather concur with the Learned Spencer (however in the main Design for which he has Employ'd his Learning, I differ from him;) That Moloch was a Name common to all the Gods, (especially, The Sun) worshipped in the Images of the ancient Pagans. And therefore Baal, which was also a Name common for all False Gods, is promiscuously used for Moloch. [Compare, Jer. 19. 5. with Jer. 32 35.] Indeed, there is extant at this day, an ancient Inscription, which in the word, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, brings both Names into One. Moloch signifies a King, and it imports Government, and Majesty: whereof, 'tis no wonder, if the Devil is ambitious. But it is also likely, that Malach, the root of his Name, signifies, to Worship, to Adore, to reckon as a God; for tho' the Lexicons take no notice of such a sense, yet the Ethiopic Language countenances it. Thus the ⟨p. 154⟩Kings of Hamath and Arphad, are called, Th• Gods of Hamath and Arphad; [Isa 37. 13, with Isa 36. 19.] And Hercules, when called, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, or Melicertoe, by the Sidonians, was originally, Melech Kirtha, or, The Tutelar God of the City.
