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the midst of conqueft had hitherto been merciful. Now for the last time his mighty armies furround the devoted city. Zedekiah, guilty and felf-condemned, attempts to escape by flight-he is purfued he is overtaken-he hears the tremendous decree of the conqueror. His children are flaughtered. His eyes are put out, having firft witneffed a scene of horrour, which fhall dwell on his mind for ever-he is bound in fetters of brafs he is carried away to Babylon, the victim of forrow and despair.

Now hath the LORD covered with a cloud the daughter of Zion-he hath caft off her altar, he hath abhorred her tabernacle, he hath given up into the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces. Nebuzaradan, commander of the Babylonian armies, comes up against the wretched, the defenceless city-breaks down its forts-burns the temple of the LORD, the house of the king, every pleasant

pleasant and magnificent edifice-drives the remaining inhabitants into captivity-carries away the laft fpoils of the fanctuary. O Jerufalem, Jerufalem, the wonder of all ages, the excellency of greatness and glory, how art thou become heaps of afhes, a fpectacle of defolation, a monument of ruin! Though later in time, how haft thou shared with thy fifter Samaria in the bitter cup of almighty vengeance! Long had thy GOD forewarned thee, " Though Ifrael "play the harlot, yet let not Judah "fin." Thou haft partaken of her iniquities-thou haft smarted under her doom. Both are in the duft, both are made a fearful example to all ages. GOD, who fhall efcape thy juftice, if thine own Jerufalem thus perished by reafon of wickednefs? Alas, thofe goodly cedars of the temple are devoured with fire-those curious marbles, placed in reverential silence on thy holy hill, are VOL. II. R broken

broken down with refounding axes and hammers-the veil is rent-the facred ark of GoD is violated and defaced-the altars are beaten down-the fanctuary, whereinto none might enter but thine high-prieft once a year, thronged with infulting pagans-the pillars demolished-the pavements dug up-the very ground whereon the temple ftood, defecrated, and deformed.

How frail, how unftable, are the most magnificent works of man! Only the TEMPLE not made with hands is eternal in the heavens. Thither may He gracioufly conduct us, who hath called us to his everlasting glory, for the fake of that merciful HIGH PRIEST, who entered once for all into that Holy of holies! Amen.

XLIX.

EZRA.

WHILE Babylon was a queen, Judah was a vaffal-but when the oppreffors fell, the people of GOD began to arife. The Babylonian monarchy is no fooner swallowed up by that of Perfia, than the Hebrews feel the comfort of returning liberty. The iron yoke is dafhed in pieces, which had enslaved the captive Sion. Cyrus is at the fame moment a conqueror, and a deliverer. He fees, and pities, the wretched efs of the Jews; he fends them, under the conduct of Zorobabel, to their almoftforgotten country. Doubtless he was not ignorant that he had been freR 2 named

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named in the voice of prophecy-that he had been appointed by Heaven to this important fervice, almost two centuries e'er he had a being.

THE first year of his monarchy is not expired, before he publishes his royal edicts throughout the kingdom, for the refloration of Judah. He calls

on all his fubjects for their aid. More efpecially he enjoins and encourages the children of the captivity, to promote the pious work. He difmiffes the Jews with tokens of princely liberality. Five thousand and four hundred veffels of gold and filver, (the precious spoils taken by Nebuchadnezzar) are once more fet apart for the fervice of the house of GOD in Jerufalem. How does thy munificence, O royal Cyrus, condemn the rapacity of thofe, who fill their houses with facrilegious plunder-who usurp, for unhallowed purposes, the treasures, which ancient piety had confecrated to God!

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