to execute righteous judgments upon Babylon. To the Lord of hofts it belongeth to mufter the armies. of battle, and to give out his orders to his fervants, that they may fulfil the purpofes which he hath formed. The armies whom the Almighty was to employ, as the inftruments of his vengeance against Babylon, were to be compofed of Medes and Perfians; and to them the orders, here delivered, may be confidered as particularly addreffed, though it is unneceffary anxiously to inquire, who were the perfons by whom the command was given? In explaining prophetic vifions, it is of much more importance to attend to the leading truths which were thereby illustrated, and the principal defigns for which they are recorded, than to minute circumftances, which may be mentioned only to connect their several parts together.— The orders are thus expreffed, Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain. Three different figns have been used to collect troops together with expedition, for hoftile purposes, all of which are required to be made on this occafion. Well known confpicuous fignals, fuch as lifting up a banner or standard on a high hill, are firft mentioned, Loud calls were to be given to the foldiers, by fuch voices, and great sounds, as might be heard at a confiderable diftance. Befides, fome fignificant geftures were to be likewise employed, fuch as fhaking the hand, in order to convene military people from all quarters, and to haften their march to the arduous fervice of attacking Babylon.The defign of all thefe fignals was, That they may go into the gates of the nobles. That they might enter into thofe ftrongly fortified gates, which feemed for ever to exclude the approach of an enemy: that they might enter thofe fplendid doors, by which the princes and nobles of Babylon went into their ftately palaces. The words plainly intimate, that all the creatures are under the direction of divine Providence, who difpofes of them as he pleases, and affigns them the various fervices which they are to perform.

They

They ftrongly exprefs the fuccefs with which the martial achievements of the forces, collected by the above fignals, fhould be attended, through the remarkable interposition of divine Providence, removing every impediment that might retard their progrefs.

3 I have commanded my fanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness.

The

These words describe the character of the people whom the Almighty was to employ, in executing his purposes with refpect to Babylon.--I have commanded my fanctified ones. The perfons here intended, were not really and internally fanctified, and made holy; but they were chofen and fet apart by the Lord of hofts, to perform the arduous fervice to which they were called. In the ftyle of fcripture, people are fometimes faid to be fanctified, who are feparated, by the providence of God, to any important work, by which the divine glory is illuftriously difplayed. Thus, in the Prophecies of Zephaniah, chap. i. 7. it is faid, The Lord hath fanctified, or prepared his guests.' In this fenfe the expreffion must be understood in the words before us. people are farther defcribed in the following claufe of this verfe: I have alfo called my mighty ones for mine anger. The troops of Media and Perfia, who are here intended, were renowned for their valour and ftrength; and, on thefe accounts, are celebrated by those who have delineated their character. God calls them his mighty ones, in as much as from him they derived all their military fkill and prowefs, and to him they were indebted for the wonderful fuccefs which accompanied their enterprifes, particularly against Babylon. If they vanquished all oppofition, if they proved invincible in war, if their attempts were crowned with victory, all this proceeded from VOL. II.

B

the

the Lord mighty in battle, who appointed them to be the ministers of his wrath and vengeance.- -To complete the description, it is added, Even them that rejoice in my highness. Jehovah is the Moft High over all the earth, whofe fovereign dominion extendeth to all perfons, to all times, and to all places. He commands and forbids, he rewards and punishes, he exalts and depreffes, according to his pleasure. All power and highness is in God, and derived from him, and therefore ought men to rejoice. Though the people spoken of knew not the true God, who girded them for war, who went before them, and brake in pieces the gates of brafs, and the bars of iron, to give them the treasures of darkness; yet they exulted in the undaunted fortitude with which he endowed them, and in the hazardous enterprises to which he appointed them, in the execution of which he enabled them to furmount all oppofition.

Such are the outlines of the character of that people, whom God commanded and called to execute his fierce anger, and to inflict his righteous judgments upon Babylon. By this command and call, we must not fuppofe that he excited, in the minds of the Medes and Perfians, the corrupt difpofitions of pride, revenge, and luft of power, from whence wars commonly originate, and by which contending nations are generally actuated. In perfect confiftency with the infinite purity of his divine nature, God afligned them this fervice, in the course of his providence: he fo over-ruled the counfels and defigns of these powerful kingdoms, as to accomplish the wife purposes which he had in view.--The greatest empires in the world are only the inftruments which the Almighty is pleafed to employ, in executing the plans which he hath formed. With perfect ease, and certain fuccefs, he could fulfil all his defigns without their aid. He needeth not their help, nor doth his work depend on their affiftance; but he calls them to his fervice, to fhew that he hath use for

them,

them, that he hath command over them, and can render them fuccefsful in the most hazardous enterprises..

4 The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people: a tumultuous noife of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the LORD of hofts muftereth the host of the battle.

This verse represents the prompt obedience which fhould be given to the divine command, by the nations to whom the call of God was directed.--The prophet immediately hears the tumultuous noife of the feveral kingdoms to whom the Moft High had iffued his orders, affembling in vaft numbers, with the utmost expedition, to the standard which was to be erected for this purpose. No fooner is the fignal given, and the command delivered, than a great confufed noise is fuddenly heard, of multitudes running together, from different nations, to fight against Babylon. They were chiefly compofed of .Medes and Perfians, with many from among other nations, who united with them in this bold attempt. Their appearance was like that of a great people, convened from all quarters, forming a very numerous and formidable army, prepared to furmount every difficulty that might lie in their way. To this fhort account of the affembling of the people, the prophet fubjoins this noble sentiment:

The Lord of hosts muftereth the armies of battle. These words beautifully exprefs the majefty and dominion of Jehovah, who prefides over the armies of heaven and earth, and employs them to execute his pleasure. The hofts which he muftereth for battle, are innumerable and invincible. The armies of earthly princes are intended to protect their perfons, to defend their kingdoms from their enemies, and to affift their friends and allies. From them they derive ・・

their importance, to them they are indebted for their fafety, and by them the plans which they have formed are carried into execution. The Lord of hofts is the ftrength and defence of all the vaft armies which he employs in his fervice. There is no numbering of his hofts. Thousands of thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand of angels, who excel in ftrength, hearken continually to the voice of his word, and obey his commands. The fun, the moon, and the ftars of heaven, and all the creatures upon earth, from man down to the loweft infect and meaneft worm, are the hofts of Jehovah. All these armies he mustereth: they are thoroughly trained and disciplined by him, who knoweth their number and their names, who hath appointed to each the particular station which he holds, who hath exactly marked out the order which they muft obferve, who hath affigned to them the work that they ought to perform, and given them commiffion in virtue of which they are to act. He hath abfolute power to command, and they are under indifpenfable obligations to obey, with the utmost alacrity, whatsoever he requires. This confideration, which ought to ftrike terror into the enemies of this mighty Lord, fhould revive and comfort the hearts of his people; who are taught to adopt this triumphant challenge, If God be for us, who can be against

us *.'

5 They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.

The people, who were called to be the executioners of divine wrath upon Babylon, were to come from a very distant land, which is defcribed as fituated toward the extremity of heaven. They should take their march from the mountains of Media, Perfia,

* Rom. viii. 31.

and