Sibylline Writings. Can any Modern be clearer fighted than thefe old Criticks? They liv'd nearer the time of their collection by the Romans, and had more correct Copies than we. I am not fingular in my Opinion, that thefe Oracles related to the Turkifh Hiftory; for Chalchondylas, who wrote their History, and Langius, in his Notes on Justin, intimate that they believ'd fo. I find many modern Writers have entertain'd a more favourable Opinion of the Sibyls, as Heylin, in his Geography of Ægypt; and the learned Mr. Eachard, in his Preface to his excellent and ufeful Ecclefiaftical History, has thus exprefs'd himself: "This "great Bleffing was defign'd for the benefit "of the Gentiles, as well as the Jews. So Providence was no lefs careful to make way for Chrift in the Pagan World; and this was effected by divers methods, particularly by open Revelations and prophetical Words put into the Mouths of Gentile Prophets, but more especially by the dispersion of the Ifraelites and Jews. Among the prophetical Perfons we may reckon Balaam, who gave a lively account of the Meffiah, under the name of a Star coming from Facob. Hydafpis, Trifmegiftus, and the Sibyls, who were all very particular concerning this Prince, tho' these three latter have been very much queftion'd by fome modern Criticks, they were never yet fully difprov'd, their Arguments being rather Prefumptions than Proofs. AN ANNALS of the Saracens Conquests. A. D. 622, Mmander of the Saracens, Ahomet was the first Com he fled from Mecca in 622, when his Hegira begins. 637, Omar conquer'd Syria, Perfia, Palestine, and Egypt; 640, Perfia conquer'd. 638, Ferufalem was taken, after 2 Years Siege; and 'twas then agreed, that the Chriftians fhould not wear Turbants, nor part their Hair, as they did, but should wear Girdles, and fhave the fore-part of their Head: This is the Mark of the Beast, in the Forehead. 639, all Syria was conquer'd by the Sa racens. 641, Antioch was destroy'd, and Damafcus taken; Phoenicia invaded, and Egypt subdued. 648, Ofman conquer'd Barbary. 655, Mubavias conquer'd Rhodes, Cyprus, and 663 Afia minor, and invaded Sicily. 685, Abdimelec began the Conqueft of Mefopotamia and Armenia. 710, the Saracens conquer'd Spain. Mr. Newton allows 200 Years to the Rife of the Saracens, the Revelations but. 150: It came to its height in 772, and from the beginning, 622, it lafted 700 Years. This is fo great an Alteration in the Roman Empire, that the Prophefies muft take a particular notice both of its Rife and Fall, S 4 803, AA 263 803, Aaron, the Prince of the Saracens, made Nicephorus the Emperor tributary. 807, the Saracens plunder'd Sardinia and Corfica. 826, they took Crete. 828, the African Saracens invaded Sicily. 843, Saba the King of the Moors invaded Sicily, and took Tarentum. 845, the Saracens invaded Hetruria and Calabria, and plunder'd Rome. 846, they plunder and burn Ancona. 910, they invade Apulia. Note, Omar, the second Caliph, (that was both Pontiff and Sovereign) took 36000 Caftles, demolish'd 4000 Churches, built 1300 Moschs: These are Antichrift's Wars with the Christians. The Decline of the Saracen Empire 675, in the Eaft. He Saracens receiv'd a great Over throw at the Siege of Conftantino ple, and loft their Fleet. 700, the Romans in Syria kill'd 20000 Saracens. 718, Twenty-two thousand of 'em were flain in Bulgaria. 720, they befiege Conftantinople 3 Years, where many died by Famine, Plague, and a Fleet of 300 fail were deftroy'd. Mr. Newton begins the Declension of their Empire hence. 870, 870, the Perfians, by the help of the Turks from Mount Caucafus, overcame the Saracens in Perfia. 862, the Egyptians revolted from the Caliph of Babylon, and this Divifion weaken'd their Empire: The Africans and Spanish Mahometans depended on the Ægyptian Caliph, who refided at Grand Cairo. 1000, Elmahel conquer'd the Caliph of Cajetan and Morocco, and deftroy'd the Saracens there. About this time the Carmatians invaded Mecca, kill'd the Pilgrims, and took away the black Stone they us'd to kifs. The Saracens never fuffer'd more; and Ganabaus plunder'd their Temple. 1100, In this Century there were five Caliphates, one at Bagdat, under the Power of the Perfians; another in Ægypt; another at Corafina; another in India and the fuperiour Track, and another in Syria. 1030, the Perfian Sultan call'd in the Turks to his affiftance against the Caliph at Babylon, and the Turks then conquer'd Perfia. 1055, the Turks conquer'd Pifafyris the Caliph, and poffefs'd Babylon, from which time the Caliph loft all his Civil Power, and retain'd only his Spiritual. 1260, the Tartars deftroy'd Babylon, and its laft Caliph. Note, Hitherto is the Defcription of the Harvest, now follows the Vintage, which is the Deftruction of the Saracens in the West. 1721, Charles Martel beat the Saracens in France. 730, 730, Charles the Great flew 380030 of them in France. 778, Carolemain beat the Saracens in Spain. 845, after the Saracens had fack'd Rome, the greatest part perish'd by Shipwreck. 849, the Pope beat them at Hoftia. 969, Otho the firft Emperor of Germany drove the Saracens out of Italy; and they were drove out of Sicily 878, but they regain'd it 899. In 950 Domefticus beat them there. 1013, Henry II, Emperor of Germany, drove the Saracens out of Capua. 1056, Robert the Norman refcued Capua. Note, The Holy War muft be reckon'd as part of the Harvest, by which the Saracens were deftroy'd in the East. 1097, the firft Battel betwixt the Turks and Saracens and Chriftians, at Nice, in which the Chriftians flew 40000. 1098, A hundred thousand Saracens flain at Antioch, and at Afcalon as many flain. 1099, Jerufalem was taken, after a bloody Battel; the Bodies flain are faid to fwim in their own Blood. The Chriftians kept Jerufalem 88 Years. 1124, the Venetians beat a Fleet of Saracens of 700 fail, and the Roman Galleys another Fleet of 1000 fail. 1170, Saracon conquer'd Egypt, and - gave his Turks the Plunder. The |