The history of the church from our Lords incarnation, to the twelth year of the Emperour Maricius Tiberius, or the Year of Christ 594 / as it was written in Greek, by Eusebius Pamphilius ..., Socrates Scholasticus, and Evagrius Scholasticus ... ; made English from that edition of these historians, which Valesius published at Paris in the years 1659, 1668, and 1673 ; also, The life of Constantine in four books, written by Eusibius Pamphilus, with Constantine's Oration to the convention of the saints, and Eusebius's Speech in praise of Constantine, spoken at his tricennalia ; Valesius's annotations on these authors, are done into English, and set at their proper places in the margin, as likewise a translation of his account of their lives and writings ; with two index's, the one, of the principal matters that occur in the text, the other, of those contained in the notes.

CHAP. XVII. Concerning the Hieroglyphical Letters found in the Temple of Serapis.

[MOreover,] at such time as Serapis's Tem∣ple was rifled and demolished, there were Letters found [in it,] ingraven on stones; a which [Letters] they call Hieroglyphical. These Characters had the forms and resemblances of crosses. When the Christians and Heathens saw these Characters, each party ada∣pted them to their own Religion. For the Christians, who affirm that the Cross is the signe of Christs salutary Passion, thought this Character was properly and pecu∣liarly theirs. The Heathens alledged it was some thing [that belonged in] common both to Christ, and to Serapis: for, a Character [said they] made in form of a Cross, betokens one thing amongst the Christians, another amongst the Heathens.

Whilest these things were controverted amongst them, some of the Heathens (who were conver∣ted to the Christian Religion,) having skill in these Hieroglyphical Letters, gave an interpreta∣tion of the Character made in form of a Cross, and said it signified Life to come. This the Chri∣stians took hold of with much earnestness, as be∣ing more advantageous to their Religion in par∣ticular; and were not a little proud of it. b But after it had been manifested by other Hiero∣glyphicall Letters, that Serapis's Temple would have an end, when a Character in form of a Cross should appear; (for thereby was sig∣nified Life to come:) then many more came over to the Christian Religion, and after a Confession of their sins were baptized. This is a relation of what hapned upon account of the Character [that was discovered,] made in form of a Cross; which relation I had from report. But, I am not of opinion, that the Egy∣ptian Priests foreknew what should happen to Christ, and therefore caused the figure of a Cross to be ingraven on stones. For, if the Mystery of [our Saviours] coming into the world were hid from Ages, and from Generations, as the Apostle says; and if the Devill himself, the Prince of wickedness, knew nothing of it; 'twas much more unknown to his Ministers, to wit, the Egyptian Priests. But di∣vine providence designed the same thing should happen at the enquiry made into this Character, which he had heretofore demonstrated in the Apo∣stle Paul's [Preaching.] For he, inspired with wisedom by the divine Spirit, made use of the same method towards the Athenians, and brought many of them over to the Faith [of Christ;] at such time as he read the inscription upon [one of their] altars, and ada∣pted it to his own discourse. Un∣less any one should perhaps say, that the word of God had the same operation upon the Egy∣ptian Priests, that it had on Balaam and Caiaphas. For those † two persons (though they did it contrary to their will and know∣ledge,) uttered prophesies concerning good things. But, let thus much be said concer∣ning these things.

Notes

• a

  Instead∣of [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 called an Hiero∣glyphick;] it ought rather to be thus written [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which [Letters] they call Hieroglyphical:] so Epiphanius Scholasticus seems, to have read. In∣deed, Socrates and Sozomen do relate, that these Hieroglyphical Letters were found in the Temple of Serapis, cut upon the walls thereof. But Rufinus does not say they were found there: he tells us rather, that they were kept and expounded at Canopus. At his 2^d book, Eccles. Histor. chap. 26; these are his words: Jam vero Canopi quis enumere•• superstitiosa flagitia? &c. But now, who can enumerate the super∣stitious impieties at Canopus? Where, under a praetext of their sacer∣dotal Letters, (for so they call the ancient Letters of the Egyptians;) there was in a manner a publick School of Magick Art. Vales.
• Fitted, or applied.
• b

  Socrates borrowed this out of Rufinus's 2^d book, Eccles. Hi∣stor. chap. 29. He ap∣prehended not Rufi∣nus's mea∣ning. For Rufinus says not, that it was predicted to the Pa∣gans by o∣ther Sacer∣dotal Let∣ters, that Serapis's Temple would then be destroy∣ed, when that sign of the Cross should ap∣pear: he only says, that the E∣gyptians received this as a tradition from their Ancestours, to wit, that the Temples wherein they then worshipped, should stand so long, till that sign should come, wherein there was Life. But, because mention is here made of Serapis's worship, and of the Letters found in his Temple; nothing hinders, but we may here explain, (in favour of the studious) an Old Epi∣gram concerning Scrapis, which is recorded by Eusebius in his books de Demonstratione Evangelicâ. For it contains both the manner how this God was worshipped by the Egyptians; and besides, Scaliger understood it not, in his Animadversions on Eusebius, Number 1730. The Epigram therefore runs thus:

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

  That is,

  The seven Vowells do my praise resound, Who am the Great, Immortal Deity, Th' unwearied Father of the Universe.

  You must know, that the Egyptian Priests were wont to praise their God Serapis in no other manner, than by a recitation now and then of the seven Greek Vowells. Therefore, instead of Hymns and Songs, the Pipe and Harp; the sound of the seven Vowells was heard in Serapis's Temple. Dionysius Halicarnassensis does attest this, in his book 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in the chapter de Collisione Vocalium. Where after he has informed us, that the Collision of the Vowells is not so much to be avoided, in regard it sometimes produces a pleasant noise▪; he adds these words: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. Moreover, in Egypt the Priests sing praises to the Gods by [repeating] the seven Vowells, sounding them out one after the other. And, instead of the Pipe and Harp, the sound of these Letters is heard. Elias Vinetus (in his notes at Ausonius's eighteenth Epistle,) does declare that he had seen an old inscription, which was found upon a golden plate, fixt on the breast of a dead body. This plate contained the seven Greek Vowells, repeated in seven Verses, in such order as you may see there. But I doubt not, but there were seven other Verses on the reverse of the said plate, in the same order with those on the foreside. To wit, in such a manner that the second Verse of the reverse side began with Omicron, the fourth with Ypsilon, the sixth with Omega. Vinetus could not explain this Riddle. In my judgment Serapis's name is denoted by these Letters; which God (as Hesychius attests) was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, not only because there are seven Letters contained in his name, but in regard he was usually praised by the seven Vowells. Now, it was an usage amongst the superstitious Heathens to engrave Serapis's name upon a brazen plate, and wear it hung about their necks in form of a Buck∣ler. Artemidorus (book 4.) gives us an account of this usage, in these words: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Vales.

  In what order the seven Greek Vowells were placed on the foreside of this golden plate; the Learned Reader may see in Vinetus's notes on the 18^th Epistle of Ausonius, written to Tetradius; Edit. Burdigal. 1590.
• Colos. 1. 26.
• Acts 17. 22, &c.
• †

  See Numb. 24. & John. 11. 51.