children, who commonly refemble them, and perpetuate their names in the world. The fcriptures therefore represent the death and deftruction of children as an awful judgment; and in this light it must be confidered in the prophecy before us. When perfons are deprived of their own offspring, who are their nearest heirs, their inheritances often devolve to nephews, or some distant relation. These connections were likewise to be cut off from the Babylonian monarch, and the whole race of his fucceffors were to perish. To give certainty and stability to this surprising event, these emphatical words are added, Thus faith the Lord of hofts, who hath all the armies of heaven and earth at his command, and all human affairs under his direction, and never wants instruments to execute the purposes which he hath formed.--In what elegant variety of language is this prophecy delivered. In fcripture, expreffion is often fubjoined to expreffion, and words of fimilar import are multiplied, more fully to represent the fierceness of God's anger, the awfulness of his judgments, the greatness of his mercies, the fins of his people, and to amplify the fubject, whatever it is. Of this furprifing variety we fee a remarkable inftance in this prophecy, which foretels the destruction of Babylon, as well as in many other paffages of the word of God *.As the prophet foretold, fo it came to pass; the race of the kings of Babylon ended with Belfhazzar, who was vanquished by the Medes and Perfians, under the conduct of the renowned Cyrus, king of Perfia. 23 I will alfo make it a poffeffion for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the befom of deftruction, faith the LORD of hofts. * See Zeph. iii. 2. Job iii. 13. et feq. The The total overthrow of the great city Babylon is predicted in this verse.The bittern is a bird nearly as big as the common heron: it lurks among the reeds and rushes, in marshy places: it hath a doleful cry; and, when it foars aloft into the air, it is faid to make a hideous noife. This highly celebrated city was to be fo defolated, that it fhould become a proper habitation for this lonely bird.And pools of water. The city stood in a plain, and occupied the low grounds, through which flowed the river Euphrates, which, for the fake of commerce, and watering the adjacent country, was divided into feveral ftreams. The course of the river being interrupted by the ruins of this large city, the water would ftagnate, and be formed into pools.And I will fweep it with the befom of deftruction. This expreffion is metaphorical; and refers to the practice of cleaning a house with the befom, which takes away whatever is filthy or useless, that it may be thrown out to the dunghil. Deftruction is fignificantly compared to a befom, with which Babylon was to be fwept, and deprived of her towers and walls, her houses and streets, her inhabitants, with all the provifions and riches that the poffeffed.To give certainty to this great event, and the strongest affurance of its accomplishment, these folemn words are again added, Saith the Lord of hosts, who, by the execution of this awful judgment, would difplay his majefty, power, and righteoufnefs.This prediction hath been fo remarkably verified, that the place where this wonder of the world once ftood, cannot be certainly afcertained. How aftonishing, that fo great and well-fortified a city, in which were fuch immenfely strong and extenfive buildings, fhould have been fo entirely demolished, that the remains cannot be known. Perfons and families, cities and empires, are fubverted according to the purpose of the Lord of hofts. No crown fo fecure, no family fo established, but he can easily femove them: no kingdom so powerful, but he can shake to its foundation: по no city or empire so fortified, that he cannot overturn them. By his appointment, the kingdom of Ifrael was laid in ruins, after it had fubfifted about five hundred years; the Athenian monarchical government was overthrown, after it had continued about four hundred and ninety years; and the kingdom of Babylon, after it had flourished for feveral ages. The kingdoms of the earth belong unto the Lord, and he difpofes of them as feemeth good in his fight: he enlargeth or ftraiteneth, he establifheth or overturneth them at his pleasure. • Wisdom and power are his : he changeth the times and the feafons: he fetteth, up kings, and removeth them *.’ 24 The LORD of hosts hath fworn, faying, Surely, as I have thought, fo fhall it come to pafs; and as I have purpofed, fo fhall it ftand. The certainty and ftability of the divine purpose concerning Babylon, is here affirmed in the most folemn manner. At the time this prophecy was delivered, the Babylonian empire flourished in its highest glory, and its renown had fpread throughout the earth: no event therefore appeared to human view more improbable, than the accomplishment of what our prophet had foretold. To demonftrate the immutability of the divine counfel, it is declared, that the Lord of bofts haih fworn. In fcripture, God is faid to fwear, when he condefcends to give men the highest security, and most explicit, folemn affurance, refpecting the truth of any thing, which they are capable of receiving prior to its actual completion. In this awful manner, he pledges the veracity, the holilinefs, and immutability of his own nature, for the fulfilment of what he hath faid: he virtually obliges - himself to renounce thefe divine excellencies, if what he hath declared fhall not be accomplished in its fea * Dan. ii. 20, 21. fon. fon. Though fome of the purposes of Jehovah feem to be fufpended upon certain conditions, thofe which he is pleased to confirm by his oath are unalterable, as the covenant of day and night, and more firmly established than the perpetual hills and immovable mountains. Surely, as I have thought, fo fhall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it ftand. The whole frame of heaven and earth fhall be diffolved, the luminaries of heaven extinguished, and the rocks removed from their places, but the thoughts and purposes of Jehovah cannot. be altered. The rise and fall of ftates and empires, are all directed agreeable to the irrevocable counsel of his will. The whole course of providence, as well as of nature, is entirely regulated according to his pleasure. The time, the manner, and the inftruments, by whom the long series of events fhall be carried forward, are fixed in his eternal mind; and agreeable to his appointment all human affairs are conducted. He doth according to his will in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth. If he will work, who shall let it if he will fmite, who fhall hinder him. As he hath fworn, so he will perform. None can destroy those whom he preferves: none can retain in fafety what he hath determined to overthrow. Edom is introduced by the prophet Malachi, after having contemplated his ruinous condition, and the defolations which God had made in his land, forming this refolution: We will return, and build the defolate places.' To this declaration the Lord replies, They fhall build, but I will throw down.-Many ftriking inftances of the truth here affirmed occur in fcripture, one of which I fhall mention. After the city Jericho was deftroyed, the Lord thus fpake by his fervant Joshua: Curfed be the man before the 'Lord, that raiseth up and buildeth the city Jericho : he fhall lay the foundation thereof in his first-born, and in his youngest fon he fhall fet up the gates of . fo it*." About five hundred years after, one Hiel, the Beth-elite, attempted to rebuild the city, on which God had pronounced this curfe: He laid the founda• tion thereof in Abiram his first-born;' and still perfifting in his wicked defign, he fet up the gates thereof in his youngest fon Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which he fpake by Jofhua, the fon of Nun t.' In like manner, the thought and purpofe of Jehovah, with respect to Babylon, was exactly to be carried into execution, as here declared. 25 That I will break the Affyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot then fhall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders. The The prophet now mentions the particular purpose of Jehovah, the ftability of which he had ftrongly afferted in the foregoing verfe.The word breaking is often used in a figurative fenfe in fcripture, to denote the destruction of that power of which individuals, or nations, are poffeffed. Through God (faith the church) we shall do valiantly, for he it is that fhall break or tread down our enemies. Affyrian, whom God declares he would break, comprehended the strength of that great empire, consisting of its very numerous and well-difciplined troops. When a body or fubftance of any kind is broken, it is rendered weak, and useless for the purposes that it formerly ferved. In allufion to what happens on such occafions, this prediction imports, that the ftrength of Affyria was to be greatly diminished by fome extraordinary divine judgment, whereby that empire fhould be greatly weakened, and divested of its foriner power and grandeur. This terrible stroke, whereby the Affyrian was to be broken, is foretold to be given in the land of Canaan, which God here * Joshua vi. 26. ↑ Kings xvi. 34. calleth |