Chrysostome, who plainly tells us that they were all figments. If any are desirous to see what unintelligible and nonsensical stuff these oracles do contain, they may consult Mr. Stanley's book of the Chaldaic philosophy, which is published at the end of his History of Philosophy, where they will find them translated into English from the collection of Francis Patricius.

Abul-Pharagius tells us, that m Zerdusht (or Zoroastres) foretold to his Magians the coming of Christ, and that, at the time of his birth, there should appear a wonderful star, which should shine by day, as well as by night; and therefore left it in command with them, that when the star should appear, they should follow the directions of it, and go to the place where he should be born, and there offer gifts, and pay their adoration unto him; and that it was by this command, that the three wise men came from the East, that is, out of Persia, to worship Christ at Bethlehem. And so far Sharistani, though a Mahometan writer, doth agree with him, as that he tells us, that Zerdusht (or Zoroastres) foretold the coming of a wonderful person in the latter times, who should reform the world both in religion and righteousness; and that kings and princes should become obedient to him, and give him their assistance in promoting the true religion, and all the works thereof. But what these attribute to the prophecy of Zoroastres, others refer to the prophecy of Balaam; and say, that it was by his prediction, that the wise men were led by the star to seek Christ in Judea, and there pay their adoration unto him. But all this seems to be taken out of the legendary writings of the Eastern Christians. And Abul-Pharagius, though an Arab writer, being by religion a Christian, it is most likely, that what he tells us of this matter was taken from them.

Those who are still remaining of this sect in Persiap have there the name of Gaurs, which in the Arabic signifieth Infidels, and is the usual appellation

m Historia Dynastiarum, p. 54.

n Religio vet. Pers. c. 31, p. 382, 383.

o Theodorus Tarsensis.

p Thevenot's Travels. Sanson's present state of Persia. Tavernier Religio vet. Pers. c. 29.

which the Mahometans bestow on all that are not of their religion. But those people have this name in Persia by way of eminency, as if there were none other such like them; and therefore they are there called by it, as if it were their national name, and are known by none other in that country, and whosoever speaks of a Gaur there, understands none other by it, than one of this sect. They have a suburb at Hispahan, the metropolis of Persia, which is called Gaurabad, or the town of the Gaurs, where they are employed only in the meanest and vilest drudgeries of the town. And some of them are scattered abroad in other places of that country, where they are made use of in the like services. But the bulk of them is in Kerman, which being the barrennest and worst province of all Persia, and where others care not to dwell, the Mahometans have been content to permit them to live there with some freedom, and the full exercise of their religion. But every where else they use them as dogs, esteeming them as to their religion the worst of all those that differ from them; and it is with a wonderful constancy that they bear this oppression. Some ages since, for the avoiding of it, several of them fled into India, and settled there in the country about Surat, where their posterity are still remaining even to this day. And a colony of them is settled in Bombay, an island in those parts belonging to the English, where they are allowed, without any molestation, the full freedom and exercise of their religion. They are a poor, harmless sort of people, zealous in their superstition, rigorous in their morals, and exact in their dealings, professing the worship of one God only, and the belief of a resurrection and a future judgment, and utterly detesting all idolatry, although reckoned by the Mahometans the most guilty of it; for although they perform their worship before fire, and towards the rising sun, yet they utterly deny that they worship either of them. They hold, that more of God is in these his creatures than in any other, and that therefore they worship qOvington's Travels."

God toward them, as being in their opinion the truest Shechinah of the divine presence among us, as darkness is that of the devil's; and as to Zoroastres, they still have him in the same veneration, as the Jews have Moses, looking on him as the great prophet of God, by whom he sent his law, and communicated his will unto them.

An. 485.

Xerxes, having ascended the throne, employed the first year of his reign in carrying on the Xerxes 1. preparations for the reduction of Egypt, which his father had begun. He confirmed to the Jews at Jerusalem all the privileges granted them by his father, especially that of having the tribute of Samaria for the furnishing them with sacrifices for the carrying on of the divine worship in the temple of God in that place.

An. 484.

In the second year of his reign, he marched against the Egyptians, and, having thoroughly vanXerxes 2. quished and subdued these revolters, he reduced them under an heavier yoke of servitude than they were before; and then towards the end of the year, after having made Achemenes, one of his brothers, governour of the province, returned again to Susa.

This year Herodotus, the famous historian," was born at Halicarnassus in Caria; for he was fifty-three years old when the Peloponesian war first began. Xerxes being puffed up with his success against the Egyptians, upon the advice and instigation, of Mardonius, the son of Gobrias, who had married one of his sisters, resolved upon a war with Greece; and, in order thereto, made great preparations for three years together throughout all the provinces of the Persian empire.

An. 483. Xerxes 3.

r

Jeshua the high priest of the Jews at Jerusalem, died in the fifty-third year of his high priesthood, and z Jehoiakim his son succeeded him in that office.

r Herodotus, lib. 7.

s Josephus Antiq. lib. 11, c. 5.

u Aulus Gellius, lib. 15, c. 23.

y Chronicon Alexandrinum.

z Nehemiah xii, 10. Josephus Antiq. lib. 10, c. 5.