wilderness was as proper a prophetic designation, and as pertinent to the people, to whom it was exhibited, as the purport would have been, if expressed by letters, and written at length upon a tablet. It is true, that these symbols were at last perverted; and the memorials above-mentioned degenerated into idolatrous rites, and worship. It was accordingly the purpose of Providence, in its dispensations to the Israelites, to withdraw them from this idolatry of the Gentiles: and this was effected, not by denying them the use of those characters, which were the current types of the world, and to which they had constantly been used: but by adapting the same to a better purpose; and defeating the evil by a contrary destination. Upon the resting of the Ark upon MountBaris, and the appearance of the Bow in the clouds, it pleased God to make a covenant with man, and to afford him some gracious promises. A memorial of this was preserved in the Gentile world. They represented this great event under the type of an Ark, as I have before shewn; which they styled Barith, in allusion to the covenant. Some ages after, another covenant of a more peculiar nature was made by the Deity with the posterity of Abraham and a law was promulged from mount Sinai. In consequence of this, another Ark by divine appointment was framed, seemingly in opposition to the former;

founded in the

world. It is to be observed, that there were two cities of this name in different provinces, yet at no very great distance from each other. Bochart speaks of them as one and the same" place; but Herodotus, to whom he appeals, distinguishes them in a most plain and precise manner. As they were so near to each other, and likely to be confounded from this identity of name, the natives took care to give to each an effectual mark of distinction. The one they styled And-Erech, the other Ard-Erech, the Anderica, and Arderica of Herodotus. The former was in Susiana, to the east of the Tigris, not far from some fiery pools, whence proceeded " bitumen. Ard-Erech, or Arderica, was in a region equally inflammable. It stood below Babylon, to the west of the Tigris, and upon the river Euphrates, which river, that it might not deluge their grounds, the Chaldeans had made so to wind, that a person in going up the stream touched three times at Ard-Erech, in his way to " Babylon.

16

14 Genesis. c. 10. v. 10.

15 Geographia Sacra. 1. 4. p. 236.

16 Herod. 1. 6. c. 119.

17

Τη δε κωμη όνομα εςι, ες την απικνέεται ὁ Ευφρήτης Αρδερικα νυν δι αν κομίζωνται απο της δε της θαλασσης ες Βαβυλωνα, καταπλεοτες ες τον Ευφρήτην ποταμον, τοις τε ες την αυτήν κώμην παραγίνονται, xai ex poi nμegns. Herod. 1. 1. c. 185.

· Marcellinus takes notice of Anderica, in Susiana, by the name of 18 Arecha; and mentions the pools of bitumen. Herodotus gives a like "9 history of the place and Tibullus also takes notice of its fiery streams.

20 Ardet Araccæis aut unda perhospita campis.

As we are certain, from the above, that Anderica, in Susiana, was the name of the city Erech compounded; we may fairly infer, that Arderica, in Babylonia, was the same: though the purport of the term, which discriminates, may not be easy to be decyphered. Indeed it is not certain, but that Arderica was the Erech, or Aracca, of Tibullus: for there were eruptions of fiery matter in many parts of Shinar and " Babylonia, as well as about Sushan.

I have observed that Erech was probably Arecha, or the city of the Ark: and we accordingly find it by the Hebrew commentators expressed 78, Arcua; and Ezra takes notice

22

1 L. 23. p. 287. It is called Arecca by Ptolemy.

19 L. 6. c. 119.

20 L. 4. Carmen ad Messalam. v. 142.

21

Campus Babyloniæ flagrat quâdam veluti piscinâ jugeri magnitudine. Pliny. 1. 2. c. 107. p. 123. See also Herod. 1. 1, c. 179.

22 Michaelis Geograph. Hebræorum Extera. p. 220,

422

of the natives of "Erech, whom he styles the people of, and places them in the vicinity of Persis, Babylonia, and Sushan. The Seventy mention these nations in the same situation and order; and they are together rendered Apagao1, Αρχυαίοι, Βαβυλωνιοι, Σουσανοχαίο. From hence I am farther induced to believe, that the Archuæi of Erech were Arkites; whichever city we may treat of. But there is a remarkable circumstance, which, I think, determines the point satisfactorily. Erech, by the Arab interpreter, is rendered AlBars, or Al Baris, 78. Upon which Bochart observes, Erech quorsum ab Arabe (Paris Edit.) reddatur Al Bars non video. Al Bars, or as it should be rendered Al-Baris, signifies the Ark: and Erech Al Baris denotes plainly the Arkite city Erech. Arab authority in this case must, I think, have great weight. Cities had often many names and titles, as we may learn from Pausanias, Stephanus, and others. Edessa, in Mesopotamia, was called both " Erech and Orchoë, similar

24

23 Ezra. c. 4. v. 9. For this observation I am indebted to the very learned professor Michaelis: from whom, however, in this one instance, respecting the situation of Erech, I am obliged to dissent.

24 Geog. Sac. 1. 4. p. 237. See also Michaelis Geog. Heb. Extera. P. 225.

25 Michaelis supra. See also Bayeri Historia Osrhoëna.

to two cities in Babylonia. It is remarkable, that Ptolemy, in enumerating the most famous cities in those parts, omits Charrhæ, or Haran. He, however, makes mention of 16 Λαβανα, Labana, the city of Laban, the Moon; which, from what has preceded, we may be assured, was the same place under a different appellation. By these means it often happened, that the antient name was eclipsed by a later title. This I am persuaded, was the case of Erech, or Arech, which has been lost in the name of Barsippa. For Barsippa is a compound of Bars, or Baris-Ippa; two terms which are precisely of the same purport as Arech, whose inhabitants are styled "7 Agxuaιos, or Arkites. Hence it is, that Arech has been by the Arab translator Saad very justly rendered El Bars, or Baris. For Aracha and Baris are synonymous terms; and Ippa or Hippa is of the same purport. As Edessa was styled both Erech and Orchoë, some have been led to seek for Ur of Chaldea in the upper regions of Mesopotamia. But these were secondary names, which belonged

26

P. 36.

Tab. Urbium Insig. apud Geographos Vet. minores. vol. 3.

27 Seventy. Ezra. c. 4. v. 9. Arecca, Arecha, and Archa, are only variations of the same term; and Ippa, and Baris related to the same object, being perfectly synonymous.