Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	new_a	old_a	testament_n	3,965	5	8.0680	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51890	The third volume of letters writ by a Turkish spy who lived five and forty years undiscover'd at Paris : giving an impartial account to the Divan at Constantinople of the most remarkable transactions of Europe, and discovering several intrigues and secrets of the Christian courts (especially of that of France) continued from the year 1645 to the year 1682 / written originally in Arabick, translated into Italian, and from thence into English by the translator of the first volume.	Marana, Giovanni Paolo, 1642-1693.; Bradshaw, William, fl. 1700.; Midgley, Robert, 1655?-1723.	1691 (1691)	Wing M565CD; ESTC R33498	164,529	390

were his Captives his Inviolable Friendship to Ephestion whilst living and the affectionate Tears he shed for him after his Death Yet they condemn him of cruel Ingratitude for sacrificing Clitus to his Choler and the Fumes of Wine who was a Faithful Friend a Valiant Soldier and once had saved his Life in a Battel They cannot pass over the Burning of Persepolis without some Reflections on the unmanly Softness of this Warriour who to please his Concubine gave Orders that the Fairest and most Magnificent City in Asia shou'd be set on Fire The Persians boast That that City was built all of Cedar That Cyrus had wholly displanted not only Mount Libanus but the choicest Nurseries of that fragrant Wood through all Asia to build this glorious City in Emulation of Solomon King of the Jews who was by other Princes thought to value himself too high for building the Temple at Jerusalem of the same Materials They add That Alexander found in this City Ninety Millions of Caracl●… in Gold That after the Debauch was over and the Flames had consum'd to Ashes this Phoenix of Asia the Conquerour wept and commanded the Mony he had found there should be expended in raising Another in its Room more glorious than the Former but That Thais who had perswaded him to ruine it was the onely Obstacle to its Re-edification For such was her Empire over this Monarch That he could deny her Nothing What I have said of Persepolis is recorded by Persian Historians Other Writers make some Mention of it but not so particularly There are some also who mention his demolishing of Tyrus a City so Ancient That 't is said to be first built by one of the Grand-children of Noah of whom thou knowest the Alcoran speaks often They tax him also with Cruelty in causing Two Thousand of the Chief Tyrians to be crucified as a Sacrifice to Hercules Thou art best able to Judge Whether this be agreeable to Truth for what Mussulman will believe That the Victorious Prophet was guilty of so Barbarous an Idolatry The Method he took to subdue this Impregnable City is an Argument of his Invincible Courage and that there is Nothing Impracticable to a Mind arm'd with Resolution and Perserverance Tyrus was situated above Half a Mile in the Sea when the Macedonian demanded a Surrender The Citizens trusting to the Strength and Heighth of the Rock whereon they liv'd for 't was a perfect Island and to their Distance from the Shore of the Continent bid Defiance to him whom God had ordained to subdue all Nations between the Extremities of India and the Pillars of Hercules The Conquerour enflam'd at their Refusal of offer'd Peace prepares for an Assault He attempted without the Miracle of Moses to make a Path for his Army through the Sea He follow'd the Steps of the Babylonian Monarch who not Three Ages before had joyned this Proud Nest of Merchants to the Firm Land Twice his Industrious Soldiers rais'd a Caussey above the Waves to the very Walls of Tyrus and as often was their Labour defeated by the Watchful Tyrians When the Third Time he prov'd successful and in Spight of all their Resistance by Fire and Sword after a Siege of Six Moons he scal'd the Walls of that Queen of Maritime Cities and convinc'd the World That no Humane Force could put a Stop to his Conquests whom Destiny had appointed to chastise the Nations of the Earth That Chapter in the Alcoran which speaks of this Renowned Worthy tells us That he marched so far Eastward till he came to a Country where the Sun rises This Passage the Christians ridicule saying That the Sun rises and sets in all Countries and that there is no Stated Point of East and West in the Fabrick of the World since the same Place which is East of one Country is West of another Thus the Despisers of our Holy Law cavil at the Alcoran and say 'T is compos'd of Old Wives Tales a Rude Indigested Collection of Eastern Romances and Superstitious Fables calculated for the Meridian of Ignorance first promulg'd in the Savage and Unpolish'd Desarts of Arabia and afterwards propagated by the Sword through those Countries whose Vices had banish'd their Learning and render'd them flexible to a Religion whose highest Pretensions consisted in Gratifying the Senses These Criticks consider not at the same Time That they argue against the Old and New Testament which is esteem'd the Alcoran of the Christians wherein there is often Mention made of the Rising and Going down of the Sun of East and West as proper Points or Marks from which to take the Situation of Countries Assuredly in this they are captious For though there be no stated Point of East or West in the Globe yet India being the nearest Region of this Continent to that Part of the Horizon where the Sun daily first appears it has not without Reason gain'd the Additional Epithet of East And 't was here the Macedonian Hero sweat because he could conquer no farther unless he would have begun a War with the Fish of the Sea There are many other Passages related of Alexander's Temperance Moderation Justice Fortitude and such like Vertues and something of his Vices But I will not tire thee with all that is said of this Invincible Monarch nor trace him in all his Marches through Asia I will not trouble thee with what they say of his Journey into Aegypt and aspiring to be call'd the Son of Jupiter Ammon his being poyson'd at Babylon in the Height of all his Triumphs and the Cantonizing his Empire among his Chief Captains Whatsoever in these Histories is agreeable to the Holy Alcoran I acquiesce to what is repugnant to that Summary of Truth I reject as a Fable Tell me thou Sovereign Resolver of Doubts Whether on these Terms I may not read the Writings of Infidels Books are a Relief to the Mind oppress'd with Melancholy and especially Histories which also bring Profit by rightly informing us of the Transactions of Past Ages So that Things which were done Thousands of Years ago are made present to us Where then is the Crime in reading these Memoirs of the Ancients Is it not consistent with the Faith of a Mussulman to read these Histories because they were penn'd by Heathens Must we reject all that the Pagans did or said Why then are the Works of Plutarch had in such Veneration by the Princes of Our Law I tell thee I not onely read Plutarch Livy Tacitus Xenophon Polybius with many other Historians that were Pagans but I improve by their Writings Such rare Examples of Vertue such Illustrious Patterns of Justice such Solid Precepts of Morality as these Authors abound with cannot in my Opinion hurt any Man who desires to square his Life by the best Rules I read also the Poets whose Fables and Parables seem to me but to veil many excellent and profitable Maxims of Human Life The Story of the Birth of Typhon his Warring with Jupiter and his