ChapterXXIII:ReignOfJulian。

　　PartIII。

　　Inthemidstofarockyandbarrencountry，thewallsofJerusalem^59enclosedthetwomountainsofSionandAcra，withinanovalfigureofaboutthreeEnglishmiles。^60Towardsthesouth，theuppertown，andthefortressofDavid，wereerectedontheloftyascentofMountSion:onthenorthside，thebuildingsofthelowertowncoveredthespacioussummitofMountAcra；andapartofthehill，distinguishedbythenameofMoriah，andlevelledbyhumanindustry，wascrownedwiththestatelytempleoftheJewishnation。AfterthefinaldestructionofthetemplebythearmsofTitusandHadrian，aploughsharewasdrawnovertheconsecratedground，asasignofperpetualinterdiction。

　　Sionwasdeserted；andthevacantspaceofthelowercitywasfilledwiththepublicandprivateedificesoftheAeliancolony，whichspreadthemselvesovertheadjacenthillofCalvary。Theholyplaceswerepollutedwithmountainsofidolatry；and，eitherfromdesignoraccident，achapelwasdedicatedtoVenus，onthespotwhichhadbeensanctifiedbythedeathandresurrectionofChrist。^61Almostthreehundredyearsafterthosestupendousevents，theprofanechapelofVenuswasdemolishedbytheorderofConstantine；andtheremovaloftheearthandstonesrevealedtheholysepulchretotheeyesofmankind。Amagnificentchurchwaserectedonthatmysticground，bythefirstChristianemperor；andtheeffectsofhispiousmunificencewereextendedtoeveryspotwhichhadbeenconsecratedbythefootstepofpatriarchs，ofprophets，andoftheSonofGod。^62

　　[Footnote59:RelandPalestin。l。i。p。309，390，l。iii。p。

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