The Copy of the Sibyls is more corrupt than that of any ancient Authors; we want a more correct Manufcript than has yet been met with.

He that confiders the multitude of Places, Perfons, and Histories to which the Oracles relate, cannot fuppofe that they were writ by any Perfon ignorant of History and Geography, as is pretended; the Revelation names few places, but the Sibyls many; and by confidering the past History of those Places, we may find thofe Events which the Prophefies refpect; and by the Events we find out the time each Prophefy respects: And if we did not keep the true order in Chronology, it would be impoffible to know to what Events each Prophefy belongs.

Many Grammatical Niceties want to be corrected, as well as the Measure of the Verses; and a more correct Translation ought to be made from the Greek into Latin Profe; for the Senfe can never be fully exprefs'd in Verfe.

I have not concern'd my felf in confidering the exact Times of particular Actions, but have fet down thofe which occur'd to me in common Authors; and as 'tis ufual for Historians to relate many things which preceded,and many Events which happen'd after the History of the Age they have undertaken to defcribe, fo it is in Prophefies; they report many things paft, to make things they are to predict more easily apprehended: And when they refpect the Fate T 3

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of fome particular Perfons, or Places, they continue the Predictions to the End of the World, to avoid Confufion, which would happen by their being intermix'd with the. general Fate of Kingdoms. So the History and Prophefy of Antichrift, in the third Book, begins with Mahomet, and is continu'd to the End of the World: And the History of our Saviour, in the first Book, is continu'd till the Destruction of Jerufalem. The fame is done in Revelations, ch.11. The History of the Wars of the Saracens and Turks is continu'd to the End of the World, to avoid the Confufion which would happen by intermixing that with the Deftruction of both. And this general Remark may be made, that the Oracles relate little of the Affairs of the Affyrian, Perfian, and Grecian Monarchies, but chiefly infift on those of the Roman, in the last Ages of the World, till which Time it must continue.

The Historical Expofition of DANIEL, Chap. 11, which relates to the Saracen, King of the South, and the Turk, the King of the North.

Verf. 1.THIS belongs to the former Chapter.

2. There shall stand up yet three Races of Kings in Perfia, after Cyrus, the Macedonian,

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Parthian, and the fourth in the Perfian Dynafty, fet up by Artaxerxes, A. D. 228. This Race warred with the Emperors of the Eaft, who had then the Grecian Kingdoms: Cofroes took from Heraclius Mefopotamia, Syria, and Ferufalem.

Note, The Sibylline Oracles use the Name of Greece in their description of the Turkish Conquefts.

3. Amighty King fhall rife, and do according to his Will. This is Omar the Saracen, who conquer'd Hormifdas and Perfia, in 634.

4. Omar divided Perfia into feveral Sultanies, and his Kingdom was at last divided into many Caliphates, and was pull'd up by the Turks and Tartars: Thefe were the others, befides the Saracens, who first conquer'd Perfia.

5. The Saracen Caliphs are the Kings of the South, who came out of Arabia; fuch was Omar and Muhavias, who had a great Kingdom.

6. And after the Saracen Kingdom had stood about 200 Years, Mahomet, the Saracen Sultan in Perfia, invited Tangrolopix, with his Turks, from Armenia major, to affift him against the Caliph of Babylon; and then he conquer'd Perfia, and both Turks and Saracens (the Daughter of the South) join'd in the Mahometan Religion, and made Tangrolopix their King, alfo King of the North, (i. e. Babylon) as well as Perfia and Armenia. This was the fixth Dynafty in Perfia: But

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the Saracens fhould not retain the Government, neither should he (the Turks) stand, being in a small time conquer'd by the Tartars, in 1260; and the Turks conquer'd Perfia in 1030.

Note, This is the general History of the Kings of the South and North, the particular Actions and Battels follow.

7. Omar conquer'd Hormifdas, who was a Heathen Prince in Perfia, by Muhavias his General.

8. And Muhavias carried the Perfian Riches and Gods into Egypt, where he had built Grand Cairo: The Saracens continued their Kingdom in Egypt more Years than the Turkish Kingdom in Perfia, this being pull'd up by the Tartars in 1 260, but the Caliphs in Egypt continued till 1517.

Note, Efdras, lib. 2, describes the King of the South, ch. 15, v. 29. The Nations of the Dragons of Arabia fhall come out with many Chariots, and the multitude of them fhall be carried as the Wind upon the Earth. And none but the Saracens came fo out of Arabia. Ver. 30, is the Rife of the Turks, there call'd the Carmanians.

9. The King of the North fhall enter intoo the Kingdom of the King of the South; (fo'tis in the Greek) that is, the Turks made many Incurfions upon them, and return'd into Armenia again.

10. But their Pofterity under Tangrolopix fhall overcome the Saracens in Perfia, and afterwards take their Royal Seat Babylon.

II. Af

11. After the Turks had taken Babylon, the Arabian Saracens beat Tangrolopix's Army under Cutlumufes.

12. And in a second Battel the Arabians beat the Army under Tangrolopix himself.

Note, This Wat is defcrib'd by Efdras, ch. 15, v. 30. And with great power shall they come, and jojn battel with them, and shall waste a portion of the Land of the Affyrians. And then feall the Dra gons have the upper hand.

13. The King of the North, Axan the Turk, King of Babylon and Perfia, conquer'd fome part of Syria; Efdr. 15. 33. And from the Land of Affyria fhall the Enemy befiege them, and confume fome of them. That is, the Perfians and Turks, under Mesec and Ducas, came over Euphrates, and rais'd the first Kingdom in Syria at Damafcus, about 1075; and they took Syria from the Saracen Caliphs in Egypt. Efdr. ver. 35. They fhall fmite on one another, and fmite down a great multitude of Stars, (Princes.)

14. At that time there were Distractions in the Saracen Empire, and the Chriftians in the Weft began the Holy War, A. D. 1096, and these are call'd the Robbers of thy People.

15. The Turks then poffefs'd Aleppo, and Damafcus in Syria, 1975; and Curlumufes, another of the Turkish Generals, feiz'd many strong Cities and Provinces in Afia minor, and the Saracens were not able to refift 'em.

16. And