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impious king, are described by the holy prophet who witnessed them, nearly in the same words, in which Belshazzar is portrayed by the prophet, who predicted them two centuries before. "My loins are filled with pain,-I was bowed down at the hearing of it,-I was dismayed at the seeing of it,-my heart panted, --fearfulness affrighted me,-the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear."

The carelessness and recklessness of the proud and impenitent monarch, even after he had beheld the hand-writing on the wall, and after his terrors had subsided, are delineated by the same unerring pencil. It is apparent, that very soon after Daniel had gone out from the royal presence, and Belshazzar had regained his composure, the festivities, if they had been interrupted, were resumed and continued. For the prophet exclaims in vision, "prepare the table, and watch in the watchtower-eat-drink." Thus the guards had been doubled on the wall, or orders had been given for that purpose; but that they had not been attended to is evident, from the unchal

lenged access which Cyrus found through the "open two leaved gates."

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Though profane history gives no account of the sacking of Babylon, but pauses after relating its fall; yet the prophets so minutely and circumstantially particular in predicting all the other parts of this striking scene, could not be, and certainly were not mistaken, or superfluous in their description of this. 'Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined to them shall fall by the swordthe children shall be dashed in pieces-the houses shall be spoiled-the broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken-her high gates shall be burned with fire. How is Sheshach taken! and how is the praise of the whole earth surprised!Cut off the sower from Babylon, and him that handleth the sickle. Say Babylon is taken,-Bel is confounded,-Merodach is broken in pieces !"

The unburied corpse of the king is also described as cast out without sepulture, and the royal family is pronounced extinct :-" Thou art cast out of thy grave as an abominable branch, thou shalt not be joined with them in burial."

And "I will cut off from Babylon the name and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the Lord."*

However profuse our quotations may appear, they contain but a very limited selection from the innumerable passages of the Holy Scriptures in which the ruin of Babylon is foretold. The two great events which occupied the minds of the prophets, for a series of years, at one period of the Hebrew history, seem to have been the chastisement of their own nation by the power of Assyria; and the retributive indignation of God upon that people for their cruelty to the captivity. The restoration of the captivity, indeed, is also the subject of frequent prediction, and the promise of the Messiah, couched under so many forms, is the Alpha and Omega of all Scripture; but, as connected with the temporal and secular history of the nation, the destruction of that haughty and insolent despotism, which so cruelly oppressed the Jews, appears to be the most frequent and fearfully sublime subject of tremendous and vindictive denunciation. How far that

*Isaiah xiv.

destruction was accomplished by the Persians, it is difficult to ascertain; but a few notices from early historians, and from the works of travellers in different ages since that period, will enable us to shew that not one word regarding her desolation, has failed of its accomplishment. But we must first return to Cyrus.

CHAPTER VIII.

"Dominus Cyrus rex orbis rector.-"
"Cyrus, lord, king, ruler of the world."

Cyrus having entered Babylon through the passages of the Euphrates, as we have already related, put all to the sword who were found in the streets of the city; he then commanded the citizens to bring him their arms, and afterwards to seclude themselves in their houses.

The following morning, by break of day, the garrison which kept the citadel being apprized of the victory of the Persians, and the death of Belshazzar, surrendered to the conqueror; and without more resistance, Cyrus

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