14 And it shall be as the chafed roe, and as a fheep that no man taketh up: they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land. The affecting confequences of the terrible tempeft of divine wrath, which came down upon Babylon, are elegantly defcribed in this verfe.The inhabitants were ftruck with a panic, and betook themfelves to flight, which is illuftrated by two beautiful fimilitudes. The roe is a very timid creature; and, when chafed by the hunter, runs exceeding fwiftly: and, in these respects, it affords a lively image of the timorous men of Babylon, who had recourfe to a precipitate flight, when they beheld the approach of a powerful enemy. Sheep are weak, defencelefs creatures, intimidated by every appearance of danger: they are exceedingly apt to wander, and to become a prey to rapacious animals. In thefe refpects the Babylonians were to resemble them. Unable to defend themselves, they would have recourse to flight, and wander into divers places, where they were to be difperfed as sheep deprived of the care of their keeper, reduced to a forlorn and dangerous condition.. They fhall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land. In Babylon, as in all great cities, and efpecially in the flourishing metropolis of an extensive empire, there was a large conflux of people which belonged to different nations. These were called, the mingled people (by the prophet Jeremiah) that were in the midst of her*." People of this defcription, who either had their fixed refidence in the city, or were there only occafionally, dreading the approach of a hostile army, immediately deferted Babylon, with intention to return to their native country, and their own people. Hence the prophet above mentioned, in the particular defcrip * Jer. 1. 37. tion which he gives of the judgment of Babylon, fpeaks of the voice of them that flee, and escape out of the land.In feafons of calamity and danger, people are often fcattered like fheep, and obliged to fee like the roe, leaving behind them their most valuable effects, that they may escape from the hands of the enemy. Bleffed be God that we have not been reduced to thefe difagreeable circumftances; and that, through divine mercy, we are allowed comfortably to enjoy the ineftimable bleffings of tranquillity and plenty, with which for a long time this happy country hath been favoured! 15 Every one that is found fhall be thruft through and every one that is joined unto them, fhall fall by the fword. 16 Their children alfo fhall be dafhed to pieces before their eyes, their houses fhall be spoiled, and their wives ravished. These verses contain a farther defcription of the dreadful calamities which the inhabitants of Babylon were to fuffer from their powerful, barbarous enemies, inflamed by the rage of war, and defire of conqueft.Every one whom they found, endeavouring to escape by flight, or trying to hide themfelves, or unable, through difeafe or weakness, to make refiftance, without exception, and without mercy, was to be flain with the fword.And every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the fword. So general was to be the flaughter, that those who, from other countries or nations, endeavoured to afford the Babylonians affistance, and to repel the force of the enemy, fhould likewife perifh by the fword.Their children alfo fhall be dafhed in pieces before their eyes. According to the law of retaliation, and the predictions of ancient prophecy, the men of Babylon were * Jer. 1. 28. to to receive the just retribution of those acts of unna, tural cruelty, which they had perpetrated among thofe nations who had been obliged to yield to their oppreffive power. They were to be recompenfed according to the works of their hands, and to be rewarded as they served Ifrael in the time of their conquefts. The young men of Ifrael they had flain with the fword, in the house of their fanctuary; and had no compaflion on young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age *. They ravished the women in Zion, and the maids in the cities of Judah +.' The prophet David therefore had foretold, 'He was to go on and profper, who took and dashed their little ones against the ftones. To aggravate this calamity, this was not to be done fecretly, or in a corner; but publicly, in the fight of thofe who, if not loft to the feelings of humanity, must have shuddered at fuch terrible barbarity.Their houses, which were richly and elegantly furnished, were to be pillaged of their treasures, by a fierce and unrelenting enemy, who would not be reftrained from the moft fhocking crimes. In few words, the deftruction of this great city was to be univerfal: neither age nor fex fhould be exempted from the common calamity.- -The atrocious fins of Babylon brought upon them these complicated miferies, and provoked the Almighty to vifit it with utter defolation, thereby giving warning to all fucceeding ages to beware of her fins, that they partake not with her in her judg ments. 17 Behold, I will ftir up the Medes against them, which fhall not regard filver, and as and as for gold, they fhall not delight in it. In this and the following verfe, the prophet delineates the character of the people whom God was to * 2 Chron. xxxvi. 17. + Lam. v. 11. Pfal. cxxxvii. 9. employ, employ, as the inftruments of inflicting the abovementioned calamities upon Babylon. The Almighty himself was to take the fupreme direction of this great enterprise; and to this important circumstance our attention is repeatedly called in this prophecy. The divine agency, in this arduous work, ought not to be overlooked, but feriously confidered, and humbly acknowledged. The providence of God fo orders the counfels and actions of men, that whilft they accomplish their defigns, the Moft High fulfils the good pleasure of his goodness, and executes his righteous judgments. He over-rules all their projects and contrivances, for accomplishing his wife purposes: none can defeat, nor even retard his work: individuals and nations are all fubfervient to promote his defigns, and to advance his glory. Though this is a fubject by far too profound for our investigation, yet the truth is certain, and demonftrated by innumerable inftances. Rehoboam, king of Ifrael, voluntarily rejected the advice of the old men, and preferred the counsel of the young men: yet this matter was from the Lord. The Affyrians marched against Judah, to take the spoil, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets, whilft, at the same time, they executed the purpose and work of God. The Medes acted in hoftility against Babylon, to gratify their ambition, or to avenge fome of their own quarrels: but the Lord ftirred them up to perform his will. The Medes were the people whom the Lord of hofts declares, that he would fend against Babylon. After the ancient Affyrian empire had flourished for feveral ages, it began to decline, by the revolt of various nations from their former fubjection to its dominion: the Medes were the first who threw off the yoke; and maintained, by their valour, the liberty which they had acquired. They were divided into tribes, and dwelt in villages, deftitute for fome time of any regular form of government. Dejoices, a man who had great reputation among his countrymen, for prudence, prudence, equity, and good conduct, was exalted, by common confent, to the royal dignity, which he enjoyed, with confiderable renown, for the long period of fifty-three years; and was fucceeded by Ahafuerus, and other kings, mentioned in fcripture. His fucceffor, not contented with the kingdom of Media, which devolved to him at the death of his father, attacked the Perfians, and obtaining a decifive victory over them in battle, united them to his empire. Strengthened by this acceffion of power, he fell upon the neighbouring nations one after another, until he acquired the fovereign dominion of almoft the whole of Upper Afia. To this united, great empire, the renowned Cyrus, of whom I may hereafter have occafion to fpeak, did afterward fucceed.A very remarkable feature, in the character of the Medes, is here mentioned: Which fhall not regard filver, and as for gold, they fhall not delight in it. Silver and gold are generally much efteemed by mankind, especially by commercial nations, who fet a high value upon them, as the means of acquiring the neceflaries and comforts of life. As the riches of the Medes, who were unacquainted with trade, confifted in corn and cattle, they had little or no occafion for money; and therefore they were indifferent about it, in comparison of other people. That they had fome regard for filver and gold, is evident from their feizing the treasures of Babylon at the fame time, fo moderate was their delight in these things, that they would not be thereby prevailed upon to fpare the lives of their poffeffors. This character of the Medes is acknowledged in the fpeech that Cyrus addreffed to his army, in which were these memorable words: O ye Medes! and all prefent, I truly know that not for want of money are ye come out with me*, &c.-Were the Heathen people of Media thus indifferent to filver Cyropædia, lib. v. fect. 3. and |