efforts are under the control of that God, who makes whatever use he sees fit of all his creatures. And how greatly would his people estimate the privilege of trusting in him, were they more fully persuaded that he makes all things work together for good to those who love him. Immediately after the reduction of Tyre, Nebuchadnezzar, taking advantage of the disturbed state of Egypt, led his army into that country, the whole of which he quickly subdued. After having put to death multitudes of the inhabitants, and desolated a great part of the country, he made an agreement with Amasis, whereby he confirmed him in the kingdom, as his deputy, and then returned loaded with spoils to Babylon. It was during this invasion of the land of Egypt, that the judgments of the Lord overtook those Jews, who, contrary to his command, had fled thither after the murder of Gedaliah. The Babylonians killed many of them, and carried others away with them as captives. After the Chaldean army had quitted Egypt, Pharaoh Hophra endeavoured to recover the sovereignty of that kingdom, and hired an army of mercenaries for that purpose. But he was defeated in an engagement with Amasis, near Memphis, and being taken prisoner, was conveyed to Sais, where he was strangled in his own palace. Thus was completed the prophecy of Jeremiah, in which God declared that he would give Pharaoh Hophra into the hands of those that sought his life. Amasis met with no opposition after this, but was established in the kingdom, and reigned forty years from the death of Pharaoh Hophra.

In the nineteenth year after the destruction of Jeru salem, Nebuchadnezzar had the dream which is recorded * Jeremiah xliv. 30.

in the fourth chapter of Daniel, and which was interpreted by that prophet. The Lord condescended to warn this proud monarch of the degradation that awaited him; and Daniel counselled him to break off his sins by righteousness, and his iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, as the means of averting the threatened judgment. The event, however, proved that neither the warning nor the counsel was regarded. So difficult is it to make any impression on the heart of man, when elated by prosperity; so powerless are warnings or reproofs, when they are not seconded by the grace of God striving in the heart! Having now ended all his wars, Nebuchadnezzar applied himself to complete those improvements in the city of Babylon, by which he rendered it one of the wonders of the world. I shall not at this time expatiate on its beauties and advantages, which you will find described at large by several historians:* if indeed you have not already met with them. They were, it seems, sufficient to inflate the proud heart of Nebuchadnezzar, notwithstanding the warning he had received. Twelve months after his dream, as he was walking in his palace at Babylon, and contemplating from thence the magnificence around him, he exclaimed," Is not this great Babylon that I have built for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty ?"+ Scarcely had he uttered these words, when a voice from heaven informed him that the kingdom was departed from him; and that very hour he was reduced to the condition of the beasts of the field, by losing his reason; and driven from the haunts of men, as being unfit for their society. In this distracted state he continued seven years; at + Daniel iv. 30.

See Rollin's Ancient History.

the end of that period the Almighty was pleased to restore his understanding, and to reinstate him in his kingdom. The acknowledgments he then made, and the thanksgiving he offered, afford a beautiful comment on this part of his history, which I earnestly recommend to your serious attention.*

Nebuchadnezzar did not live long after his restoration; he died the year following, which was the fortythird of his reign, reckoning from the death of his father. He was succeeded by his son, Evil-Merodach, who, as his name implies, was a wicked prince. It does not, however, appear that the captive Jews suffered any oppression from him; on the contrary, he showed great favour to their king, Jehoiachin: releasing him from the prison where he had been confined thirty-seven years, and admitting him to the honour of eating at his table continually; besides ordering him a daily allowance suited to his princely rank. The celebrated Crœsus, king of Lydia, began his reign this year.

When Evil-Merodach had reigned two years, his tyranny and wickedness became so intolerable, as to incite his own family against him. A conspiracy was formed to put him to death, and to place Neriglissar, his sister's husband, on the throne. Jehoiachin is supposed to have died a short time previous to this, or to have shared in the fate of the king; as it is expressly said, he was fed by Evil-Merodach "until the day of his death." In the life and death of this prince we have another instance of the fulfilment of prophecy. Jeremiah had been commissioned to declare that he should not prosper; and though the latter part of his

Daniel iv. 34-37.

+ 2 Kings xxv. 27-30. Jeremiah lii. 31-34.

T

life was rendered more tolerable by the favour of the new king, yet how long was the term of his imprisonment, compared with that of his prosperity! if, indeed, his state of dependance in the court of a foreign prince could be called prosperity.

On the death of Jehoiachin, Salathiel, his son, became the nominal prince of the captive Jews; but he did not live long enough to lead them back to their own land.

LETTER X.

NERIG LISSAR, in the first year of his reign, was engaged in a war against the Medes, whose king, Cyaxares, had just come to the crown, on the death of his father, Astyages. Cyaxares, or Darius the Mede, was uncle to Cyrus, prince of Persia, though only one year older than his nephew, who was now forty years of age. In this war the two princes united their forces, the command of which Darius conferred on his nephew.

You are doubtless well acquainted with the history of Cyrus, which, in some form or other, is in the hands of every schoolboy. I shall therefore advert to those parts of it only which are recorded in Scripture; or which have an immediate connexion with the history of the Jews. The most remarkable circumstance relating to this prince, is his designation by prophecy,* nearly two hundred years before his birth, as the restorer of the Jewish nation; as he who should say to Jerusalem, "Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy founda

Isaiah xliv. 28.

tion shall be laid." This declaration of Almighty God is to be considered as the origin of Cyrus's future greatness, and of the success he obtained. His education was such as would be calculated to render him hardy and vigorous in body and mind; and at the same time to develope those virtues for which he was afterwards distinguished; but all these advantages were conferred on him by the superintending Providence of God, who had promised to go before him, to remove all obstacles, and subdue nations by his instrumentality. Cyrus had 、very early given proof of the valour which he afterwards displayed; for when only sixteen years of age, he went out to battle with his grandfather, Astyages, and the victory then gained by the Medes was chiefly ascribed to him. It does not appear that this success excited him to ambition; for there is no farther mention of his military exploits, till he was called upon to assist his uncle, on the occasion abovementioned. He spent the interval at the court of his father, the king of Persia, where he most probably gave himself up to the study of those pacific arts by which a prince attains to true greatness; and by which the real interest and glory of his subjects are promoted. When Neriglissar found that Cyaxares had called on the Persians to assist him, he made alliance with the several nations of Asia Minor, and by this means raised a powerful confederacy to oppose the two princes. The king of Armenia, who had hitherto been subject to the Medes, seems to have considered it impossible that they could withstand such a mighty force. He therefore thought this a good opportunity for shaking off their yoke, and consequently refused his contingent of money and troops, for carrying

*Isaiah xlv. 1-5.