! be requifite, as hinted in the words before us, that they should attentively look upon the downfal of this great and powerful monarch, that they carefully inspect the incidents with which it was accompanied, and seriously confider the hand of Providence in its execution. In this way they would fee abundant reason to exclaim, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms? Is this fallen, despised, miserable creature, the great and powerful monarch who once made such a confpicuous figure on the earth, and subjected many nations to his empire? Is this he who did shake kingdoms to their very foundations, who overturned their constitution and government, and, having vanquished them, united them to his dominions? Is this he at whose approach the inhabitants of the earth were filled with consternation and terror, left he would do to them as he had done to many nations; destroy their cities, pillage their country, rob them of their treasures, and put them to the sword, or carry them away captive. 17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof, that opened not the house of his prifoners ? That made the world as a wilderness, by laying waste many populous countries and great cities, and plundering the inhabitants, whom he killed, took prifoners, or oppressed with exorbitant taxes, so that a prodigious extent of territory became folitary and unfrequented. That opened not the house of his prifoners. Such was his rigorous severity, and unrelenting cruelty, toward those whom he had taken captive, that he would not permit them to be fet at liberty, even after very long confinement. Is this the man who lately flourished like a green bay-tree, who was so great and high that none could be feen equal to him? Is this the profane blafphemer, the ambitious prince, prince, the cruel oppressor, the cunning politician, the luxurious epicure, the powerful monarch, with whom the eyes of the people were dazzled, and the nations of the earth were harassed? What an amazing change hath befallen this man! fuch indeed as demonstrates the vanity and uncertainty of all worldly grandeur, and at once excites wonder and compaffion. How doth he now shake and tremble! how low and desolate is his condition! how little and infigni ficant doth he now appear! This great alteration we ascribe entirely to the divine interpofition of that God, who abaseth them that walk in pride. 18 All the kings of the nations, even all of them lie in glory, every one in his own house. To diversify the subject, and to give it additional splendor, a different scene is here opened. Certain persons are introduced, who light upon the corpse of the king of Babylon, cast out and lying upon the ground among the flain, covered with wounds, and so disfigured that they hardly know him. His condition is contrasted with that of other princes. Among all nations great honour and respect hath been given to their fovereigns, not only whilst they were alive, but even after they were dead: their corpses were laid in state in their palaces. Clothed with the richest dress, and honoured with the ensigns of royalty which formerly belonged to them, they are put into fine coffins; and, after a confiderable time, they are interred in the earth, or the tomb, with great pomp and solemnity. Having in this manner been deposited in the fepulchres of their fathers, large and costly monuments are erected, to perpetuate their memory, whilst their friends and their subjects wear the badges of public forrow, and public loss. This expensive ceremony and parade is commonly proportioned to the worth of the deceased prince, the excellency of his administration, ! administration, and the esteem in which he was held by the people. 19 But thou art caft out of thy grave, like an abominable branch: and as the raiment of those that are flain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit, as a carcafs trodden under feet. The corpse of the king of Babylon was not to be treated, after he should be cut off by a violent death, in a respectful manner, as the bodies of other princes. His dead carcass was to be thrown out with ignominy and contempt, along with the bodies of those who were flain, and was not to be buried in the fepulchres of his fathers. It was to be confidered as an object of detestation, and cast out as an abominable branch, cut off from a noxious or ufeless tree, which, being good for nothing, is neglected and despised by every body, and left to lie and rot where it fell. And as the raiment of those that are flain, &c. which, being cut by the sword, or other deadly weapons, and covered with blood, are cast down into the pit, along with the dead bodies which they clothed. As a carcass trodden under feet; that is, despised and trampled upon in the day of battle, having no other burial given it than the corpse of a common foldier that is thrown into a pit, which hath been made to receive the bodies of the flain. Instead of a fepulchral monument being erected to perpetuate his memory, his dead body was to be treated with the greatest neglect and contempt. 20 Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and flain thy people: the feed of evil-doers shall never be renowned. VOL. II. I Intolerable 1 Intolerable pride and oppression, luxury and debauchery, and the cruel treatment of those whom he governed and conquered in war, procured to this haughty prince the just sentence here pronounced, and brought upon him and his kingdom certain destruction. The feed of evil-doers shall never be renowned. Though to this maxim there may be fome exceptions, yet it holds true in general, and was remarkably verified in the king of Babylon, to whom our prophet particularly refers. To display the divine sovereignty and goodness, and to accomplish other valuable purposes, the wisdom of God is pleafed, in some instances, to deviate from the general laws by which his administration is conducted. Notwithstanding, the aphorifm before us contains a certain and important truth. The Hebrew words may be rendered, the feed of evil-doers shall not be called for ever. Suppose the posterity of the wicked may have a name for a while, and seem to be established in the view of men, their renown shall not always continue; ere long their reputation and glory shalt be buried in oblivion. Mifery is the portion of the wicked; it is the heritage of the children of disobedience, the wages of the workers of iniquity. Though the offspring of evil-doers may sometimes flourish for a little, their beauty shall foon fade away, their increase shall go into captivity, their pomp shall be brought down, and all their glory shall perish. Their doom is irreversibly decreed; and who can tell when the fentence shall be executed, and how foon the judgment written may take hold of them? A dark cloud hangs over them, which may burst upon their defenceless heads ere ever they are aware. The feed ' of the wicked (faith the royal poet) shall be cut ' off*.' The kings of Babylon, who were the feed of evil-doers, were not to be renowned, or called for ever. * Pfal. xxxvii. 28. 21 Prepare 21 Prepare flaughter for his children, for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rife, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities. In these words, the Medes and Persians, who were to be the executioners of divine vengeance upon Babylon, are called upon, to make ready to cut off the whole royal family, which was to be destroyed root and branch. According to the irreverfsible constitution of the fupreme Governor of the universe, he vifiteth the iniquities of the fathers upon the children, when they approve and imitate the wickedness of their parents, to the third and fourth generation of them that hate him. In some instances, as in the one before us, he prepares slaughter and death for the children. By fuch dispensations of providence, the Almighty demonstrates, in the most convincing manner, that fin is exceeding odious in his fight, that he is highly displeased with tranfgressors, and that he neglects no means whereby they may be deterred from it. The design of publishing this order was, That they do not rife, nor possess the land, &c.: that there may be no succession to rise up, and govern the extenfive kingdom of Babylon, in the room of their ancestors.Nor fill the face of the world with citics, built by cruelty and oppreffion, to support a tyrannical government, to keep furrounding nations in awe, and to perpetuate their own glory and renown.. 22 For I will rife up against them, faith the LORD of hofts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and fon and nephew, faith the LORD. According to this prediction, the whole royal family of Babylon should become extinct, and theif kindred so extirpated from the earth, that none were to be left. Parents may be faid to live in their children,.. |