The Gentile Nations, Or the History and Religion of the Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Medes, Persians, Greeks, and Romans: Collected from Ancient Authors and Holy Scripture, and Including the Recent Discoveries in Egyptian, Persian, and Assyrian Insc

Excerpt from The Gentile Nations, or the History and Religion of the Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Medes, Persians, Greeks, and Romans: Collected From Ancient Authors and Holy Scripture, and Including the Recent Discoveries in Egyptian, Persian, and Assyrian Inscriptions; Forming a Complete Connexion of Sacred and Profane History, and Showing the Fulfilment of Sacred Prophecy

In the first place, then, it is an undoubted fact, that the religion of Persia was reared on precisely the same founda tion as that of Assyria. That the palace-temples were built on the same general plan in both countries, is unquestionable, and has been proved beyond the possibility of a doubt by Mr. Fergusson in his very valuable work. And this is not a mere isolated circumstance, remotely connected with the subject, as might at first appear to us under the influence of our European habits and ideas: it stands in immediate relation to the ruling element of this great religious system. It involves the character of the whole structure of the religious fabric. As was shown in the case of Assyria, - the peculiar compound of divine and regal dignity sustained by the king was really the centre of the whole system of faith. He was emphatically, by divine right, the religious, as well as the political, head of the people. His person was sacred: his official residence united the characters of palace and temple. In fact, we have in this single circumstance a common principle which sub stantially identifies the great scheme of Persian religion with that of the more ancient kingdoms of Assyria and Babylon.

Lest, however, it should be supposed that I build too much on a single circumstance, I will satisfy the reader by quoting a passage from Dr. Layard, which will be found conclusive. Although, observes that indefatigable ex plorer, we may not at present possess sufficient materials to illustrate the most ancient Sabaeanism of the Assyrians.

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