Son, and inftructs him in all the Learning of the Egyptians.
About this Time the People of Egypt sent out
Colonies into feveral Parts of Greece. That of 2448.
Cecrops founded twelve Cities or rather Villages

in Attica, of which was compofed the Kingdom of Athens,
where the Egyptian Laws and Religion where introduced by
the Founder. Not long after happened that famous Flood in
Theffaly under Deucalion, which the Greek Poets have con-
founded with the univerfal Deluge. Hellen, a Son of this
Deucalion, reigned afterwards in Theffaly, and gave his Name
to Greece. Much about the fame Time, Cadmus the Son of
Agenor came with a Colony of Phoenicians into Boeotia, and
founded the ancient City of Thebes. Mofes in
the mean time advanced in Years, and being dri-
ven from the Court of Pharaoh, because he op-
pofed the Perfecution of his Brethren, fled into Arabia,
where he fed the Flocks of his Father-in-law Jethro forty

2473.

2513.

Years. It was here that he faw the Vision of the burning Bush, and heard the Voice of God calling to him to go and deliver his Brethren from the Slavery of Egypt. He obeyed the Divine Admonition, and wrought all thofe Wonders in the Court of Pharash, of which we have fo full an Account in Holy Writ. And this brings us to the 4th Period of our History.

P. Let me interrupt you here a Moment, now that we are got among the Egyptians, who feem by this Time to have been a powerful People. I have heard much of their wife. Conftitutions, their great Knowledge in the Sciences, their Pyramids, Obelisks, Temples, and other illuftrious Monuments of Wealth and Grandeur. Were they arrived at this Degree of Eminence among Mankind, in the Age we are fpeaking of?

G. In a great measure they were. It is faid of Mofes by Way of Commendation, that he was inftructed in all the Learning of the Egyptians. You have feen them fending abroad Colonies, civilizing barbarous Nations, and introdu cing among them the Conftitutions of a juft Policy. Thefe are Proofs fufficient both of their Power and Wisdom. Many of their amazing Works, as the Labyrinth, the Lake of Maris, &c. are indeed of later Date, yet it is certain that the Pyramids were built before the Times we are fpeaking of. Nor is the Opinion of fome learned Men, that the Ifraelites during their Oppreflion were employed in this Service, altogether without Foundation; more especially when we conider the Nature of the Slavery under which they groaned,

which

Years of the
World.

4th Epocha.

The Departure
out of Egypt.

which evidently refers to the carrying on of fome confider-
able Designs in Architecture. But to return to our History.
In the 856th Year after the Deluge, the 430th
from the Vocation of Abraham, and the 3223d
of the Julian Period, Mofes led the Children of
Ifrael out of Egypt, and received the Law from
God himself upon Mount Sinai. In his Progrefs
2513. thro' the Wilderness to the Land of Canaan, he
inftituted by God's Appointment and Direction, the whole
Tabernacle Service. We find him also establishing a Form
of Civil Government among the Tribes, in the framing of
which he was affifted by the Counsel of his Father-in-law Je-
thro. During these Transactions in the Wilderness, the
Egyptians continued fending out Colonies into divers Na-
tions, particularly Greece, where Danaus found
2530. Means to get Poffeffion of the Throne of Argos,
driving out the ancient Kings defcended of Ina-
2553 chus. Upon the Death of Mofes, Joshua fucceed-
ed, who began and nearly compleated the Con-
queft of Canaan. After him we meet with a Succeffion of
Judges. Unhappily the Ifraelites, after the Death of the Elders
that knew Joshua, forgot the God of their Fathers, and were
feduced into the Idolatry of the bordering Nations. This
drew down heavy Chaftifements from above, and they were
fold into the Hands of cruel Oppreffors. But when in their
Diftrefs they called upon God, he failed not from Time to
Time to raise up a Deliverer. Thus Othniel put
an End to the Tyranny of Cuban King of Me-
fopotamia, and So Years after Ebud delivered them
2679. from the Oppreffion of Eglon King of Moab.
Much about this Time Pelops the Phrygian, the
Son of Tantalus, reigned in Peloponnefus, and gave his Name
to that famous Peninfula. Bel or Belus, King of the Chal-
deans, received from his People Divine Honours. The Jews
enflaved or victorious, according as they honoured or forfook
their God, experience many Viciffitudes of Fortune, as may be
feen in the Hiftories of Deborah and Barak, of Gideon, Abime-
lech, jephthah, &c. This Age is confiderable for many great
Revolutions among the Heathen Nations. For according to
the Computation of Herodotus, who seems the most exact and
worthy of Credit, we are here to fix the Foun-
dation of the Affyrian Empire under Ninus the Son
of Belus, 520 Years before the building of Rome,
and in the Time of Deborah the Prophetefs. He established
the Seat of it at Nineveh, that ancient City already famous

2599.

2737.

over all the Eaft, but now greatly beautified and enlarged by him. They who allow 1300 Years to the firft Affyrian Empire, run up nearly to the Times of Nimrod, founding their Suppofition upon the Antiquity of the City. But Herodotus, who gives it only 520 Years, fpeaks of its Duration from Ninus, under whom the Affyrians extended their Conquefts over all the upper Afia. Under this Conqueror we are to place the Founding, or rather Rebuilding of the ancient City of Tyre, which afterwards became fo famous by its Navigation and Colonies. Here too, or very foon after, probably in the Time of Abimelech, come in the famous Exploits of Hercules the Son of Amphitryon, and of Thefeus King of Athens. This laft united the twelve Diftricts of Attica into one large City, and gave a better Form to the Athenian Government. In the Reign of Semiramis fo famous for her Conquefts and magnificent Works, and while Jephthah judged Ifrael, Troy, which had been already once taken by the Greeks in the Time of Laomedon, was a fecond time taken and reduced to Ashes by the fame Greeks, in that of Priam the Son of Laomedon, after a Siege of ten Years.

Years of the

World.

5. Epocha. The taking of

Troy.

2820.

This Epocha of the Destruction of Troy, which happened about 308 Years after the Departure out of Egypt, and in the 3530th Year of the Julian Period, is confiderable, not only on Account of the Greatness of the Event, celebrated by fo many famous Poets both Greek and Latin; but also because it furnishes a proper Date, in taking Account of the fabulous and heroic Times. Thefe Ages of Fiction and Romance, where the Poets place their Heroes the Offspring of the Gods, are not very remote from the Era we are speaking of. For in the Time of Laomedon the Father of Priam, appeared all the Worthies concerned in the Expedition of the Golden Fleece; Jafon, Hercules, Orpheus, Caftor, Pollux, &c. and even in the Age of Priam himfelf, we fee Achilles, Agamemnon, Menelaus, Hector, Ulyffes, Diomedes, Sarpedon the Son of Jupiter, Eneas the Son of Venus, whom the Romans acknowledged for their Father and Founder, with many others, the Boaft of Nations, and the Pride of the most renowned Families. Round this Epocha therefore we may gather what is moft illuftrious and great in the heroic Times. But the Transactions of holy Writ during this Period, are yet more astonishing. The prodigious Strength of Samfon and his amazing Exploits, the Adminiftration of Eli, Samuel the chofen Prophet of God, Saul the firft King of Ifrael, his Victories, Prefumption, and unhappy Fall, are Events that

may

may well raise our Wonder and Admiration. About this Time Codrus King of Athens, devoted himself to Death for the Safety of his Country. His Sons Medon and Nileus difputed about the Succeffion, whereupon the Athenians abolished the Regal Power, and created perpetual Governors, or Magiftrates for Life, but anfwerable for their Conduct, who were diftinguifhed by the Name of Archons. Medon the Son of Coarus was the firft who exercifed that Office, and it continued a long Time in his Family. To this Age we must also refer the Settlement of feveral Athenian Colonies in that Part of Afia Minor called Ionia. The Eolian Colonies fettled there much about the fame Time, and all Afia Minor was covered with Greek Cities. 2949. the Kingdom of Ifrael, Saul was fucceeded by Da

In

vid, who at firft was acknowledged as King by the House of Judah only; but upon the Death of Ijhbofheth, all the Tribes owned his Authority. He proved a valiant and fortunate Prince, greatly enlarged his Dominions, and advanced the Ifraelities to a Degree of Wealth and Power, far exceeding any thing they had known before. But what is still more, he was the distinguished Favourite of Heaven, and is ftiled in Scripture a Man according to God's own Heart. To this pious Warrior fucceeded Solomon, famed for his Wifdom, Juftice, and pacific Virtues, whofe Hands unpolluted with Blood, were declared worthy to raife a Temple to the Most High. Years of the World.

It was in the 3702d Year of the Julian Period, the 480th after the Departure out of Egypt, and, to connect facred History with profane, 172

6. Epocha. The Temple. Years after the taking of Troy, and 264 before 2992. the building of Rome, that Solomon laid the Foundations of the Temple. The other Particulars of his Reign are fully recorded in holy Writ, where he appears at once an Inftance of all that is great and little in human Nature. Un

der his Son Rehoboam, Ifrael was parted into two 3029. Kingdoms; one called by the way of Diftinction the Kingdom of Ifrael, and confifting of the ten Tribes who affociated under Jeroboam; the other known by the Name of the Kingdom of Judah, composed of fuch as adhered to the Houfe of David. The Kings of Egypt seem at this Time to have been very powerful, and many are of Opinion, that the Shishak of Scripture, whom God made use of to punish the Impieties of Rehoboam, is the fame with

that famous Conqueror fo renowned in profane 3033. Hiftory under the Name of Sefoftris. În the Reign of Abiah the Son of Rehoboam, we fee

the

3080.

3120.

the Piety of that Prince rewarded with a memorable Victory over the revolted Tribes. In the Time of Afa his Son and Succeffor, Omri King of Ifrael built Samaria, which thenceforth became the Capital of that Kingdom. Next follow the pious Reign of Jehofophat in Judah, and the Idolatry and Impieties of Ahab and Jezebel in Ifrael, with the fignal Vengeance of Heaven for the Blood of Naboth. About this Time we are to place the Foundation of Carthage by Dido, who tranfporting a Colony of Tyrians into Africa, chofe a Place for her new City conveniently fituated for Traffick. The Mixture of Tyrians and Africans contributed to the making it both a warlike and a trading City, as will appear in the Sequel. Judah and Ifrael were in the mean time the Scene of amazing Revolutions and Wonders. Jehoram by marrying the Daughter of Ahab, was feduced into the Idolatry of that wicked Family, and drew down upon himself the Vengeance of Heaven." Jehu takes Poffeffion of the Throne of Ifracl, and deftroys the whole Pofterity of Ahab. Jehoram King of Judah, and Ahaziah his Son, with the greatest Part of the Royal Family, are all flain about the fame Time, as Allies and Friends of the House of Ahab. Athaliah upon hearing this News, refolves utterly to extinguifh the House of David, and putting to Death all that remained of that Family, even to her own Children, ufurps the Crown of Judah. But Joash preferved by the Care of fehabebab his Aunt, and brought up privately in the Temple by Jehoiada the High-Prieft, after fix Years puts an End to the Ufurpation and Life of Athaliah. During all this Time, Elijah and Elifba were working those Wonders and Miracles in Ifrael, which have made their Names fo famous in holy Writ. Let us now look abroad a little into profane Hiftory, which begins to furnish more ample Materials, and entertain us with the gradual Rife of those Grecian Commonwealths, that made fo great a Figure in ancient Times. For during the Period we are fpeaking of, according to the most received Opinion, flourished Lycurgus the famous Spartan Lawgiver. The Bounds I have prefcrib'd myfelf in this Difcourfe, will not allow of my laying before you a Scheme of those admirable Institutions, which rendered Lacedemon the moft powerful and illuftrious City of Greece. You can read them at large in the Hiftories of thofe Times. I fhall only obferve, that as it was the chief Aim of this Lawgiver to banish Luxury and Avarice, and introduce a warlike Spirit among the People; nothing could be more happily contrived

fo