Libya Therefore I know not at what time Nineveh could extend her Conquests even to Troy because we see so little likelyhood that Ninus and Semiramis had undertook any such thing and that all their Successors to begin from their Son Ninyas have lived in such an effeminate Softness and with so little Action that scarce their Names have reached to our Ears and we might much rather wonder how their Empire was able to subsist so long than believe it could be so enlarged It was questionless much diminished by the Conquests of Sesostris but as they were of a short Continuance and but poorly kept up by his Successors we may easily believe that the Countries which they took from the Assyrians being used a long time to their Domination would naturally turn to them again So that that Empire kept it self in great Puissance and in great Peace until that Arbaces having discovered the softness of their Kings so long concealed in the Secrets of their Palaces Sardanapulus celebrated by his Infamies became not only contemptible but also insupportable to his Subjects You have seen the Kingdoms that came from the Ruines of that first Empire of the Assyrians among others that of Nineveh and that of Babylon The Kings of Niniveh retained the Name of Kings of Assyria and were the most puissant Their Pride quickly raised them above all Bounds by the Conquests they obtained among which is accounted that of the Kingdom of the Israelites or of Samaria It could be nothing less than the Hand of God and a visible Miracle that kept them from overwhelming Judea under Hezekiah and it was unknown what Bounds could be given to their Power when they were seen a little while after in their Neighbourhood to invade the Kingdom of Babylon where the Royal Family was decay'd Babylon seemed to be born to command all the World Xen. Cyr. 2.1.5 Her People were full of Spirit and Courage Always Philosophy reigned among them and the generous Arts and the East had not much better Soldiers than the Chaldeans Antiquity admired the rich Harvests of a Country which the negligence of its Inhabitants now leaves without Culture Herod 1. and its Abundance made the ancient Kings of Persia look on it as a third part of so great an Empire Thus the Kings of Assyria swoln with an Increase which added to their Monarchy so opulent a City formed new Designs Nebuchadnezzar the first thought his Empire unworthy of him unless he could add the whole Universe to it Nebuchadnezzar the second prouder than all the Kings his Predecessors after his unheard of Successes and astonishing Conquests rather chose to make himself be adored as a God than to command as a King What works did not he undertake in Babylon What Walls what Towers what Gates and what Circumvallations were there seen It seemed as if the old Tower of Babel was going to be renewed in the prodigious height of the Temple of Bel and that Nebuchadnezzar had resolved to storm Heaven anew His Pride although brought down by the hand of God did not cease to spring up again in his Successors They could not induce any Domination about them and resolving to bring all under the Yoke they became insupportable to the neighbouring People That Jealousie reunited against them together with the Kings of Media and the Kings of Persia a great part of the Eastern People Xen. Cyr. 3.4 Pride is easily turned into Cruelty As the Kings of Babylon did inhumanely treat their Subjects whole Countries as well as the Chief Lords of their Empire joyned with Cyrus and the Medes Babylon too much used to Command and Conquer to fear so many Enemies that were all languid against her whilst she thought her self invincible became Captive to the Medes whom she pretended to subdue and her Pride at last proved her utter ruine and destruction The Fate of this great City was strange seeing she fell by her own Inventions Euphrates had almost in her vast Plains the same effect as Nilus had in those of Egypt but to make it more commodious there was required more of Art and Labour than Egypt used for the Nile Herod 1. Euphrates was direct in its Course and never overflowed They were forced to make throughout all the Country an infinite number of Chanels that so it might water their Grounds whose fruitfulness by that means became incomparable To break the violence of its too impetuous Waters it was necessary to make it run thro' a thousand Turnings and to hollow it with great Lakes which a wise Queen filled up again with an incredible magnificence Nitocris the Mother of Labynithes otherwise called Nabonides or Belshazzar the last King of Babylon did those great Works But that Queen undertook a Business much more surprising and marvellous It was to build a Stone Bridge over Euphrates that so the two Quarters of the City which the vast largeness of that River separated at two great a distance might communicate together It was necessary therefore first to dry up so rap'd and so deep a River by turning those Waters into a most huge and unmeasurable Lake which yet that Queen caused to be digged At the same time they built the Bridge the solid Materials whereof were prepared before and they bricked up the two sides of the River to a most astonishing heighth making Descents from it likewise of Brick and of as good Work as the Walls of the City The Diligence that was used herein equalled he Grandeur of it But a Queen so discerning as she was yet never thought that she instructed her Enemies how to take her City Herod ibid. It was into that same Lake which she had hollowed that Cyrus turned Euphrates when despairing of his reducing Babylon either by Force or Famine he opened into it from the two sides of the City that Passage which we have seen so much pointed at by the Prophets If Babylon could have but believed she had been perishable as all other humane things and an extravagant confidence had not thrown her into downright blindness Ibid. she might not only have been able to foresee what Cyrus did seeing that the remembrance of such a Work as that was very fresh but also by guarding all the Descents she had overthrown the Persians in the Chanel of the River where they passed But they thought of nothing but their Pleasures and Entertainments they had neither order nor any regular command in them And so are destroyed not only the strongest Places but also the greatest Empires Dread and astonishment filled every place the Impious King was killed and Xenophon who gives that Title to the last King of Babylon Xenoph. 7. seems by that word to aim at the Sacriledges of Belshazzar which Daniel makes us to see punished by so surprising a fall The Medes who had destroyed the first and chiefest Empire of the Assyrians destroyed also the second as if that Nation had been designated to be fatal to the
its first Rise that is to say Palestine Syria Aegypt lesser Asia and Greece but also in the West besides Italy the several Nations of the Gaules all the Spanish Provinces Africa Germany Great Britain in those Places that were impenetrable to the Roman Arms and also out of the Empire Armenia Persia the Indies the greatest Barbarians the Sarmatians the Dacians the Scythians the Moores the Getulians and even to the most unknown Islands The Blood of the Martyrs rendered it fruitful Under Trajan Saint Ignatius the Bishop Years of J. C. 107 of Antiochus was exposed to wild Beasts Marcus Aurelius unhappily prepossessed with the Calumnies wherewith Christianity was charged caused to be put to Death Saint Years of J. C. 163 Justin the Philosopher and the Apologist Years of J. C. 167 for the Christian Religion St. Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna St. John's Disciple about fourscore Years of Age was condemned to the Flames under the same Prince The holy Martyrs of Lyon and Vienna suffered unheard of Punishments following the Example of St. Photin their Bishop of ninety Years of J. C. 177 Years of Age. The Gallican Churâ—h fill'd all the World with its Fame and Glory Years of J. C. 202 St. Ireneus the Disciple of St. Polycarpus and St. Photin's Successor imitated his Predeccessor and dyed a Martyr under Severus with a great Number of the Fideles Faithful of his Church sometimes the Years of J. C. 174 Persecution a little slackened At a time when there was an extream want of Water which Marcus Aurelius suffered in Germany there was a Christian Legion obtained such a Showre as was enough to quench the Thirst of all his Army and it was so followed with Thunder that it frightned all his Enemies The name of Thunderstriking was given or rather confirmed to that Legion by this Miracle The Emperor was so concern'd at it that he writ to the Senate in Favour of the Christians At last the Southsayers Persuasions were to attribute to their Gods and to their Prayers a Miracle which the Heathens never thought so much as to desire Other Causes suspended or slackened the Persecution for a little while but Superstition a Vice which Marcus Aurelius had not the Power to resist the common Hatred and the Calumnies that were cast upon the Christians quickly prevailed again The Fury and Rage of the Heathens was re-kindled and the whole Empire did as it were swim in the Blood of Martyrs Still their Doctrine went on and attended their Sufferings In Severus his time and some while after Tertullian Priest of Carthage illuminated the Church by his Writings defended it by a most admirable Apologism and left it at last being blinded by an haughty Severity and seduced by the Visions of the false Prophet Montanus Some time but not long after Clemens Alexandrinus indeavoured to pull up the Antiquities of Heathenism by the Roots that so he might utterly put an end to them Origen the Son of the Holy Martyr Leonidas made himself famous throughout all the Church even from his most tender Years and taught great Truths though they were mixt with several Errors The Philosopher Ammonius joined the Platonick Philosophy to Religion and gained to himself the Respect of the Heathens In the mean while the Valentinians the Gnosticks and the other impious Sects set up their false Traditions against the Gospel Iren. lib. iii. 1. 2 3. De prasc adv Har. c. 36. St. Ireneus opposed the Tradition and the Authority of the Apostolick Churches to theirs especially that of Rome founded upon the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul Tertullian did the same The Church is not shaken neither by Heresies nor by Schisms nor by the Fall of our most eminent Doctors The Holiness of her Conduct is so clear and perspicuous that she forces even her Enemies to break forth into Praises of her The Affairs of the Empire are imbroyled Years of J. C. 235 in a terrible manner After the Death of Alexander the Tyrant Maximinus that had killed him made himself Master though he was of Gothick Race The Senate set up four Emperors against him who died all within less than two Years Among them Years of J. C. 236 were the two Gordians the Father and Son Years of J. C. 237 the Darlings of the Roman People The Years of J. C. 238 young Gordian their Son although he was extreamly young yet shewed the Wisdom of a gained Experience and defended with great Difficulty against the Persians the Empire weakned by those manifold Divisions He had regained from them several very important Places But Philip Arabius killed Years of J. C. 242 this good Prince and for fear lest he Years of J. C. 244 should be utterly undone by the two Emperors Years of J. C. 245 whom the Senate chose one after the other he clapt up a dishonourable Peace with Sapor King of Persia He was the first of the Romans that had by Treaty parted with any Lands of the Empire 'T is said He embraced the Christian Religion and at such a time when on the sudden he had got the better and indeed he was favourable to the Christians In hatred to this Emperor Euseb l. 6. c. 39. Decius who slew him renewed the Persecution with more of Violence than ever The Church increased on all sides principally among Years of J. C. 249 the Gaules and the Empire soon lost Decius Greg. Tur. l. 1. Hist. franc 28. who with gret Resolution and Vigour Years of J. C. 251 defended it Gallus and Volusian went Years of J. C. 254 quickly after and Emilius was but just seen as it were The Soveraign Power was given to Valerianus and that Venerable old Man ascended to it through all the Dignities He was only Cruel to the Christians Under Years of J. C. 257 him Pope St. Stephen and St. Cyprian Years of J. C. 258 Bishop of Carthage notwithstanding all their Disputes which yet broke not off their Correspondence received both of them the same Crown St. Cyprian's Error which rejected Baptism given by the Hereticks neither hurt him nor the Church The Tradition of the Holy See supported it self by its own Force against the specious Arguments and against the Authority of so great a Man although there were other very great Men that defended the same Doctrine Another Dispute did more Mischief Sabellius Years of J. C. 257 confounded together the three Persons in the Divinity and acknowledged in God but one single Person under three Names This Novelty astonished the Church Euseb Hist. Eccl. l. 7. c. 6. and St. Denys Bishop of Alexandria discovered to Pope Sixtus II. the Errors of this arch-Heretick This Pope Years of J. C. 259 quickly followed the Martyr St. Stephen his Predecessor He was beheaded and left a very great Contest to be maintained by his Deacon St. Laurence Then was it that the Years of J. C. 258. 259. Iâ—undation of the Barbarians began to appear Years of J. C. 260 The Burguignions and the
for many Millions of years Plat. in Tim. Diod. 1. § 1. It was the Mother of both Men and Beasts which the Land of Egypt watered with the River Nilus had brought forth whilst all Nature besides was barren The Priests that composed the History of Egypt out of that vast continuance of Ages which they only filled with the Fables and Genealogies of their Gods did it â—o imprint into the minds of the People the Antiquity and Nobleness of their Country But their real History was circumscribed within reasonable Bounds and yet they found so much as to lose themselves in an infinite Abyss of Time which seemed to bring them near to Eternity But yet their love to their Country had more solid Foundations Egypt was in fine the most beautiful Country in the World the most plentiful by Nature the best cultivated by Art the richest the most commodious and the most adorned by the care and magnificence of her Kings There was nothing but what was very great in their Designs and in their Work What they made in Nilus is incredible It rained very seldom in Egypt but that River which watered it all by its orderly Flowings brought to it the Rains and the Snows of other Countreys For the multiplying of so beneficial a River Herod 2. Diod. 1. §. 2. Egypt was Traversed with an infinite number of Chanels of an incredible length and largeness Nilus carried fruitfulness every where with its wholsom Waters united Towns to one another and the great Sea to the red Sea kept up Commerce both within and our of the Kingdom and fortified it against the Enemy so that it was altogether both the Nourisher and the Defender of Egypt The Fields were swallowed up with it but the Towns that were set above by vast pains and labour and raised as Islands in the midst of the Waters joyful at such their advancements they beheld all the Plain overflown and at the same time made fruitful by the Nile When it swelled it self above Measure there were great Lakes cut hollow by the Kings that opened their Bosoms to the poured our Waters They have their discharges prepared great Sluces opened or shut them up as there was occasion and the Waters having thus their retreat tarried no longer on the Earth than just what was necessary to Marle and make 'em fertile Such was the use of this great Lake which was called the Lake of Myris or of Moeris Herod 10. Diod. ibid. It was the name of the King that had caused it to be made One would be astonished to read what notwithstanding is very certain that the Compass of it round was about a hundred and fourscore of our Leagues That too much of the good Land might not be lost by the cutting it hollow they extended it chiefly towards the Coast of Libya The Fishery was worth to the King vast Sums of Money and so when the Land did not produce any thing it yielded Treasures by being covered with the Waters Two Pyramids each of which bore upon a Throne two Colossus-like Statues the one of Myris the other of his Wife were raised three hundred Foot high in the midst of the Lake and were of an equal Depth under the Water So that they shewed that they were built before the Hollow was filled and that a Lake of that vast Extent was made by Man's Hand under one single Prince Those who do not know to what degree the Earth may be improved take for a Romance what is related of the number of the Towns in Egypt Herod 2. Diod. 1. 2. The Richness of them is no less incredible There was not one of them that had not magnificent Temples and most stately and august Palaces Architecture discovered there in all things such a noble Simplicity and Greatness that it took up the whole Imagination Diod. Ibid. The long Galleries exposed to every ones View such Sculptures in them as Greece took for Models Thebes was able to dispute it with the finest Cities of the Universe Her hundred Gates which Homer sung of are known to all the World She was as full of People as she was vast Pomp. Mel. 1. 9. and it was said she could at one time draw out ten thousand Combatants thro' each of her Gates Let there be if you please a little stretch in that Number yet it is most certain that her People were not to be numbered The Greeks and the Romans have celebrated their Magnificence and their Grandeur though they had only seen the Ruines of her Strab. 17. Tac. Ann. 2. 6. so extremely splendid were her Remains If our Travellers had got so far as where this City was built they would no doubt have yet found something incomparable in her Ruines For the Works of the Egyptians were made to hold out against the destruction of time Their Statues were Colosses Herod Diod. loc citat their Pillars vast Egypt aimed at Grandeur and to strike the Eyes at a distance but always to content by the Justice of the Proportions There were discovered in Sand or Salid you know very well that that is the name of Thebais Temples and Palaces almost yet entire Voyag pr. by M. Thevenot where those Pillars and Statues are innumerable One Palace is admired there above all the Remains of which seem only to continue to efface the Glory of all even the greatest Works Four Galleries whose Prospect lost our Sight bounded on each side by Sphinxes of as curious a Substance as their Greatness is remrkable serve as Avenues to four Portico's of such a hight as were an Astonishment to the Eyes What Magnificence and Extent was there As yet those that have described to us this prodigious Building have not had time of going round it nay and are not very sure they have seen above half of it but however all they have seen was very surprizing A Hall which seems to be placed in the middle of that stately Palace was supported by six score Pillars of thirty Foot in Compass proportionably high and intermixt with Obelisques which so many Ages have never been able yet to demolish Even the Colours that is to say that which rather tryed the Power of time are still preserved among the Ruines of that admirable Edifice ay and preserved in their Strength and Vivacity So skilled was Egypt in imprinting the Characters of Immortality on all her Works Now that the Name of the King is gone thro' all the unknown Parts of the World and that that Prince likewise extends his Researches as far as he hath caused to be made the most beautiful Works of Nature and of Art would it not be an Object worthy of so noble a Curiosity to discover the Beauties which Thebais locks up in her Desarts and to inrich our Architecture with the Inventions of Egypt What Power and what Art was it that could make such a Country to be the Wonder of the Universe And what Beauties might