into the desert, to the eastward of the river Nile, where, discovering a lonely spot which possessed the advantages of shade and water, he fixed his last abode. His example and his lessons infected others, whose curiosity pursued him to the desert; and before he quitted life, which was prolonged to the term of a hundred and five years, he beheld a numerous progeny imitating his original. Anthony formed his followers into a regular body, engaged them to live in society with each other, and prescribed to them fixed rules for their conduct.

These regulations which were made in Egypt were soon introduced into Palestine, Syria, Mesopotamia, and the adjacent countries; and their example was followed with such rapid success, that in a short time the whole east was filled with a lazy set of mortals, who, abandoning all human connexions, advantages, pleasures, and concerns, wore out a languishing and miserable existence, amidst the hardships of want, and various kinds of suffering, in order to arrive at a more close and rapturous communication with God and angels.

From the East this gloomy disposition passed into the West, and all Christendom became in

fected with this superstition, and various orders of Monks were founded, such as Franciscans, Dominicans, Benedictines, &c.

10.

JULIAN, THE APOSTATE, ATTEMPTING TO REBUILD THE TEMPLE AT JERUSALEM.

Julian, the Roman emperor, began his reign. about the year 360. He is commonly called Julian the apostate, from his casting off the profession of Christianity, and his restoring the ancient Pagan worship. In order to give the lie to our Saviour's prophecy, he attempted to rebuild the temple, and the city of Jerusalem. He knew the Christians were firmly persuaded that, by the coming of Christ, the typical dispensation had come to an end; and could he succeed, in restoring the Jews to their city and the ritual of their worship, he might convert it into an argument against the faith of prophecy and the truth of revelation.

He therefore resolved to erect, on Mount Moriah, a stately temple, and gave instructions to his minister Alypius, to commence without

delay, the vast undertaking. At the call of their supposed great deliverer, the Jews, from all the provinces of the empire, repaired to Jerusalem. Every purse was now opened in liberal contributions, every hand claimed a share in the labour, and the commands of the emperor, were executed with enthusiasm by the whole people. But they entirely failed in attaining their object. Ammianus Marcellinus, (a heathen writer who lived during this transaction) says, "whilst Alypius, assisted by the governor of the province, urged with vigor and diligence the execution of the work, horrible balls of fire, breaking out near the foundations with frequent and reiterated attacks, rendered the place from time to time, inaccessible to the scorched and blasted workmen; and the victorious element continuing in this manner, obstinately and resolutely bent as it were, to drive them to a distance, the undertaking was abandoned." This remarkable event is fully attested by various historians of that age.*

* Jones's History of the Christian Church.

11.

MAHOMET, THE ARABIAN IMPOSTOR.

Mahomet was born at Mecca, a city in Arabia, near the Red Sea, in A. D. 569. Possessing but a scanty education, but of great natural talents, he sought to raise himself to celebrity, by feigning a divine mission, to propagate a new religion for the salvation of mankind. He retired to the desert, and pretended to hold conferences with the angel Gabriel, who delivered to him from time to time, portions of the Koran, (the sacred book of the Mahometans) containing revelations from God, with the doctrines which he required his Prophet (Mahomet) to communicate to the world.

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His first converts were his wife, his servant, his pupil, and his friend. In process of time, some of the citizens of Mecca were introduced to the private lessons of the prophet; they yielded to the voice of enthusiasm and repeated the fundamental creed, "There is but one God, and Mahomet is his Prophet."

Being opposed in propagating his doctrines, he was obliged to flee. His flight, called the

Hegyra, (A. D. 622,) is the era of his glory.