[229] _Populus Alcidæ gratissima, vitis Iaccho. Formosæ myrtus Veneri, sua Laurea Phœbo Virg. Eclog. 7._
[231] _Maximus Tyrius, Ser. 38. fol. 225. edit. Steph._
Among the _Israelites_, the Idolatry began under the Judges, _Othniel_ and _Ehud_, _Judg. 3. 7._ and at the last it became so common in _Israel_, that they had peculiar _Priests_, whom they termed _Prophets of the Grove_, _1 King. 18. 19._ and _Idols_ of the _Grove_; that is, _peculiar Idols_, unto whom their _Groves_ were _consecrated_, _2 King. 21. 7._ _2 Chron. 15. 16._ As Christians in the consecration of their _Churches_, make special choice of some peculiar Saints, by whose name they call them, as Saint _Peter’s Church_, S. _Paul_’s, S. _Andrews_, &c. So they consecrated their _Groves_ unto particular _Idols_; whence in prophane Authors we read of _Diana Nemorensis_, _Diana Arduenna_, _Albunea Dea_; all receiving their names from the _Groves_ in which they were worshipped: yea, the _Idol_ it self is sometimes called by the name of a _Grove_: _~Josiah~ brought out the Grove from the House of the Lord_, _2 King. 23. 6._ It is probable, that in this Idol was pourtraited the form and similitude of a _Grove_, and thence it was called a _Grove_, as those silver similitudes of _Diana_’s _Temple_ made by _Demetrius_, were termed _Temples of Diana_, _Acts 19. 24._
These places of _Refuge_, appointed by God, differed from those of _Hercules_, and _Romulus_, and other _Heathens_; because God allowed safety only to those, who were guiltless in respect of their intention: but the others were common Sanctuaries, as well for the guilty as the guiltless. If any man did fortuitously or by chance kill another man, in such a case liberty was granted unto the offender to fly; at first, unto the _Altar_ for refuge, as is implied by that text of Scripture, _If any man come presumptuously unto his Neighbour, to slay him with guile, thou shalt take him from mine Altar_, _Exod. 21. 14._ Yea, we may conjecture this custome of refuge to have continued in force always, by the practice of _Joab_, _1 King. 2. 28._ Notwithstanding, lest the Altar might be too far distant from the place where the fact might be committed, it is probable that therefore God ordained certain _Asyla_, or _Cities of Refuge_, which for the same reason are thought to have been[232] equally distant one from the other in _Canaan_: The Cities were in number six; _Bezer_ of the _Reubenites_ Country, _Ramoth_ of _Gilead_, in the _Gadites_, and _Golan_ in _Bashan_, of the _Manassites_: these three _Moses_ separated beyond _Jordan_, _Deut. 4. 41, 43._ The other three, appointed by _Joshua_ in the Land of _Canaan_, were _Cadesh_ in _Galilee_ in Mount _Naphthali_; _Schechem_ in _Ephraim_, and _Kiratharba_ (which is _Hebron_) in the Mountain of _Judah_, _Josh. 20. 7._ There are other Cities of like nature: _God_ promised the _Israelites_, upon condition of their obedience, after their Coasts were inlarged; but it seemeth that disobedience hindred the accomplishment thereof, for the Scripture mentioneth not the fulfilling of it.