The Life and Death of Nebuchadnezzar the Great

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THE LIFE, & DEATH OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR THE GREAT, First Emperor of the CHALDEANS.

N Ebuchadonazar, or Nebuchadnezzar, was the Son of Nebuchadonazar, or Nabopolaser of Babylon, who was made General of the Army by Saraco, King of Assyria, and Chaldea, after whose death Nabopolaser took into his hands the Kingdom of Chaldea, which he held by the space of one and twenty years; At the same time Astyages was made Governor of Media by Cyaxares his Father; and the better to strengthen themselves, they entered into Affinity, by Astyages his giving his Daughter Amytis to Nebuchadnezzar, the Son of Nabopolaser, and thereupon joining their Forces together, they took Nineveh, together with Saraco, the King thereof, placing a Vice-Roy in his stead.

Shortly after, the Governor of Coelosyria, and Poenicia, revolting from Nabopolaser, he sent against him his Son Nebuchadnezzar (having first associated him with himself in the Kingdom of Babylon) with a great Army, which was in the latter end of the third, and the beginning of the fourth year of Jehoiakim, King of Judah; as appears Dan. 1. 1. compared with Jer. 25. 1.

Nebuchadnezzar was no sooner thus associated with his Father in the Kingdom, but the things which he was to act, were presently revealed to the Prophet Jeremy; the first whereof was the overthrow of the Egyptians; First at the River Euphrates; then in their own Country, Jer. 46. The first of these came to pass presently, Pharaoh Neco 's Forces, which he left at Carchemish, being cut off by Nebuchadnezzar in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, Jer. 46. 2. The second was not till after the taking of Tyre, in the seventeenth year of the Captivity of Jechonia. Ezek. 29. 17, 18, 19.

In the third year of Jehoiakim, Nebuchadnezzar the second, his Father being yet alive, entered Judea with a great Army, who, besieging, and forcing Jerusalem, made Jehoiakim his Vassal, in despite of Pharaoh Necho, who had made him King, and took with him to Babylon, for Pledges, Daniel, who was yet a child, with Ananias, Misael, and Azarias. He took also part of the Treasures belonging to the Temple; but stayed not to search thoroughly for all. For Necho hasted with his Army to the relief of Jehoiakim, hoping to find Nebuchadnezzar in Judea. But this great Babylonian had no mind to hazard himself and his Army against the Egyptian, Judea being so ill affected towards him, and himself far from all succor; or sure place of retreat. If he had (as may be supposed) any great strength of Scythian Horsemen, it was wisely done of him to fall back out of that rough Mountanous, and hot Country, into places that were more even and temperate. And besides these reasons, the Death of his Father happening at the same time, gave him just occasion to return home, and take possession of his own Kingdom, before he proceeded in the second care, of adding more unto it.

And this he did at reasonable good leisure. For the Egyptian was not provided to follow him so far, and to bid him Battle, until the new year came in, which was the fourth of Jehoiakim, the first of Nebuchadnezzar and the last of Necho. In this year the Babylonian, lying upon the Banks of Euphrates (his own Territories bounding it on the North-side) attended the coming of Necho: there, after a cruel Battle fought betwixt them, Necho was slain, and his Army forced to save itself by a violent retreat, wherein it suffered great loss.

This Victory was so well pursued by Nebuchadnezzar that he recovered all Syria, and whatsoever the Egyptians held out of their proper Territories towards the North. The Egyptians being thus beaten, and altogether for the present discouraged, Jehoiakim held himself quiet, as being in heart a Friend to the Egyptians, yet having made his peace with the Chaldeans the year before, and Nebuchadnezzar was contented with such profit as he could there readily make: he had forborne to lay any Tribute upon the Jews.

But this cool reservedness of Jehoiakim, was, on both sides, taken in ill part. Whereupon the Egyptian King Psamnis, who succeeded Necho, began to think of restoring Jehoahaz (who had been taken prisoner by his Father, and carried into Egypt) and of setting him up, as a Domestical enemy against his ungrateful Brother. But to anticipate all such accidents, the Judean had put in practice the usual remedy, which his Fore-fathers used: For he had made his own Son Jechonia, King with him long before; in the second year of his own Raign, when the Boy was but eight years old. As for this rumor of Jehoahaz his return, the Prophet Jeremy foretold, that it should prove a vain attempt, saying, He shall not return thither, But he shall die in the place whither they have led him Captive, and shall see this Land no more. Jer. 12. 11, 12.

The Egyptians, having lost all their Mercenary Forces, and received that heavy blow at Carchemish, had more Gold than sharp Steel remaining, which is of small force without the others help. Besides, the Valour of Necho was not in Psamnis Apries, who, reigning after Psamnis, did indeed once adventure to show his face in Syria; but after a big look, he was glad to retire, without adventuring the hazard of a Battle. Wherefore this declining Nation, fought only with brave words, telling such frivolous tales, as men that mean to do nothing, use, boasting of their former glorious acts against Josiah, and Jehoahaz. And truly in such a time and case, it was easy for Jehoiakim to give them satisfaction, by letting them understand the sincerity of his affections towards them, which appeared in time following.

But Nebuchadnezzar went more roundly to work: For he sent a peremptory message to Jehoiakim, requiring him not to stand upon any nice points, but presently to acknowledge himself his Subject, and to pay him Tribute; Adding thereunto such terrible threatenings, as made the poor Judaean lay aside all thoughts of adhearing unto Pharaoh; and to yield to do, as the more powerful would have him.

Thus he continued in Obedience to Nebuchadnezzar three years; During which time the Prophet Jeremia, cried out against the impiety of the Jews, puting them in mind that he had now for three and twenty years exhorted them to repentance; But because they had stopped their ears against him, and the rest of the Prophets, he now foretold that their Captivity was at hand, and that they should bear the yoke of Bondage for seventy years. The same calamity he threatened to all the Neighbouring Nations, to the Egyptians, Moabites, Ammonites, Idumaeans, and the rest; foretelling that they should all drink out of the Babylonian Cup the Wine of his fury, whom they had forsaken; and that after the seventy years should be expired, the Babylonians themselves should taste of the same Cup, and be utterly subverted by the Medes and Persians, by which means the Jews should be permitted to return into their own Country, and Cities. The first imprisonment of the Prophet Jeremy seems to have been in the fourth year of this Jehoiakim, at which time, Baruch the Scribe, wrote all his Prophesies from his mouth, whom he sent to read them unto the People, and afterwards to the Princes, who presented them to the King: But fearing the Kings fury, they had first set Jeremy at liberty, and advised him, and Baruch, to hide themselves, Jeremiah 36. • 9, &c.

Jehoiakim having heard part of it read to him, and perceiving the ill news contained therein, he made no more ado, but cut the Book in pieces, and cast it into the fire. All which, Jeremy caused to be new written, with this addition, that the dead Body of Jehoiakim, should be cast out, being exposed in the Day to the heat, and in the night to the frost, and that there should be none of his seed to sit upon the Throne of David.

Times thus running on, Jehoiakim thought himself secure from all danger, as being Tributary to the Babylonian, and yet withal, well thought on by the Egyptian: About which time the mighty City of Tyre, opposed itself against Nebuchadnezzar: and upon just confidence of her own strength, despised all preparations that could be made against her. Now for as much as the term of seventy years was prescribed for the desolation, as well of Tyre, as of Jerusalem, and other places, and Countries, its apparent that they that refer the winning of this City to the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar, have good ground and warrant for it. For the Siege thereof began in the seventh year of his Raign, and lasted thirteen years.

Here it will not be amiss to insert a brief note concerning the beginning of this great Princes Rule; The third year of Jehoiakim, was the last of Nabul • sser, who being freed from other cares, and businesses, took notice of such as had revolted from him to Pharaoh Necho, and sent this Noble Prince▪ his Son, with an Army into Syria to reclaim them. In this expedition was Daniel carried to Babylon, who therefore makes mention of it, Dan. 1. 1. The year next following, being the fourth of Jehoiakim, was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar, which Jeremy affirmeth in express words, Jer. 25. 1. And from this we must reckon all his time, and actions which follow to be spoken of. In his three and twentieth year he conquered Egypt, and then began his great Empire, there being none lest that durst offend, or oppose him. The second from this year it was wherein Daniel saw that vision of the Image consisting of sundry metals, which prefigured the succession of great Kingdoms, that should Rule the World before the coming of Christ. But to return to the Siege of Tyre, which began in the seventh year of his Raign.

The Stately City of Tyre covered all the ground of an Island, that was divided from the Continent, by a deep, and broad Channel of the Sea. The Chaldeans had no Fleet of Ships, neither were they Seamen: the Tyrians excelled all other Nations in multitude of goodly Ships, and skill to use them: and every Wind, from one part or other, brought in all needful provisions to the City: Wherefore neither force, nor Famine could greatly hurt the place; whereof nevertheless, the Judgments of God (denounced against it by Isaiah, Jeremy, and Esekiel) had threatened the destruction; and the obstinate resolution of Nebuchadnezzar had fully determined to accomplish it.

This haughty King, impatient of resistance, undertook a vast piece of Work, which was, to fill up that part of the Sea which divided the Island from the continent. The City of old Tyre, that stood opposite to the New, upon the firm Land, and the Mountain of Libanus near adjoining, that was loaden with stately Cedars, and abundance of other Trees, furnished him with materials to effect it. Thirteen years were spent in this difficult, and hopeless undertaking, which need not seem strange, if we consider, that Alexander, working upon that foundation which was remaining of Nebuchadnezzar's Peer, and being withal, assisted with a strong Fleet, was yet seven months ere he could make way into the City. Wherefore, if the raging of the Sea was able to carry away that wherewith Alexander labored to cover a Shelve, with much more violence could it overturn, and as it were, consume the work of Nebuchadnezzar: who laid his foundation in the bottom of the deep; Striving, as it were, to fill the empty Belly of this greedy Cormorant, whereas the Macedonian did only stop the throat of it. All may know that God could easily have accomplished his own threatenings against this place (though it had not pleased him to use, either a Miracle, or such of his more immediate Engines, as are Earthquakes, &c.) by making at least, the Seas calm, and adding the favorable concurrence of all second helps. But so it pleaseth him oft times, in chastising the Pride of man, to use the hand of man, even the hand of man, striving, as it may seem, against all resistance of nature, and providence. So that by this excessive labor of the Chaldeans, that Scripture was fulfilled, that every Head should be made bald, and every Shoulder should be made bare, Esek. 29. 18. Yet would not Nebuchadnezzar give over till he was master of the Town.

When he was entered upon this desperate undertaking, whether it were by some losses received, or some Mutany in his Army, or some glorious rumour of the Egyptians strength, his evil willers took courage to rebel against him; and amongst them, Jehoiakim, renounced his subjection, and began to hope for the contrary which soon after fell out. For Nebuchadnezzar gave him no leisure to do much hurt: But with part of his Army, he marched strait into Judea; where the amazed King made so little resistance (the Egyptians having left him, as it were in a dream) that Nebuchadnezzar entered Jerusalem, laid hands on Jehoiakim, whom at first he bound, intending to send him to Babylon, but his mind changing, he caused him to be slain in that place, and gave him the Burial of an Ass, to be devoured by Beasts, and ravinous Birds, according to the former Prophesy; Leaving in his place his Son, Jehoiakim, or Jeconia; whom yet after three months, and ten days, he deposed, and sent him Pisoner to Babylon, together with Esekiel, Mordecai, and Josedech, the High Priest.

The Mother of Jeconias, together with his Servants, Eunuchs, and all the ablest men, and best Artificers in the Land, were also then carried away Captives. This Jechonias, following the Counsel of the Prophet Jeremy, made no resistance, but submitted himself to the Kings will, wherein he both pleased God, and did that which was most profitable for himself, though at the present it might seem otherwise, to such as considered the evil that befell him, rather than the greater evil that he thereby avoided. This only particular act of his is recorded in Scripture which was good: But it seems that he was at least a partaker in his Fathers sins, if not a provoker, which was y ^e cause, that though he submitted himself to God's will, yet did he not preserve his estate: For so it is said, That he did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his Father had done. In his stead, Nebuchadnezzar set up Mattania, his Uncle, making him King of Judea, and called him Zedekiah. For like as Necho, King of Egypt, had formerly displaced Jehoahaz, after he had slain his Father Josiah, and set up Jehoiachim, the Son by another Mother: So Nebuchadnezzar slew Jehoiakim, who depended on the Egyptians, and, carrying his Son Jeconias Prisoner to Babylon, he gave the Kingdom to this Zedekiah, who was whole Brother to that Jehoahaz, whom Necho took with him into Egypt, and from Zedekiah he required an Oath for his loyalty, and faithful subjection, which Zedekiah gave him, and called the living God to witness in the same, that he would remain assured to the Kings of Chaldea, 2 Chron. 36. 13. Esek. 17. 13, 14, 18.

In the first year of Zedekiah, Jeremy saw, and expounded the vision of the ripe, and rotten Figs, the one signifying those that were already carried away Captives, the other signifying those Jews that yet remained, and were afterwards destroyed, Jer. 29. 17.

In the fourth year of Zedekiah, Jeremy wrote in a Book all the evil which should fall upon Babylon, which Book, or Roul he gave to Seriah, when he went with King Zedekiah to Babylon, to visit Nebuchadnezzar, willing him first to read it to the Captive Jews, and then to bind a stone to it, and cast it into Euphrates, pronouncing these words; Thus shall Babel be drowned, and shall not rise from the evil which I will bring upon her. This journey of Zedekiah to Babylon is probably thought to be in way of a visit, and to carry some presents to Nebuchadnezzar; But yet its likely he had some suit to make, which his Lordly Master refused to grant, and sent him away discontented. For at his return, all the bordering Princes sent Messengers to him, inciting him (as it seems) to those unquiet courses from which the Prophet Jeremy dehorted both him, and them. About which time the Prophet, by God's appointment, made bonds, and yokes, one of which he wore about his own neck, others he sent unto the five Kings, of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Zidon, by those Messengers which came to visit Zedekiah, making them know, that if they, and the King of Judah continued in subjection, to Babylon, they should then possess, and enjoy their own Countries; If not, they should assuredly perish by the Sword, by Famine and by Pestilence.

He also foretold them that those Vessels which yet remained in Jerusalem, should be carried after the other to Babylon, yet at length should be restored again.

The same year Ananias, the false Prophet, took off the Woodden yoke which Jeremy did wear, as a sign of the Captivity of the Jews, and brake it: Vaunting, that in like manner after two years, God would break the strength of Babel, and the yoke which he laid on all Nations: and that he would restore Jeconias and all the Jews, with the Vessels, and Riches of the Temple, and put an end to all these troubles. But Jeremy instead of his Woodden Yoke, wore a Coller of Iron; and in sign that Ananias had given a false, and deceitful hope to the People, he foretold the Death of this false Prophet, which accordingly came to pass in the seventh Moneth.

After this, when Zedekiah had wavered long between Faith, and Passion, in the eight year of his Raign, he practiced more seriously against Nebuchadnezzar with his Neighbors, the Edomites, Ammonites, Moabites, Tyrians, and others who were promised great aides by the Egyptians, in confidence of whose assistance he resolved to shake off the Babylonian Yoke; whereof when Nebuchadnezzar was informed, he marched with his Army in the dead of Winter, towards Jerusalem, and besieged it. Jeremy persuaded Zedekias to render the City, and himself to him: But Zedekiah, being confident of help from Egypt, and being persuaded by his Princes, and false Prophets, that it was impossible that the Kingdom of Judah should be extirpated until the coming of Shilo, according to Jacob's Prophesy, Gen. 49. 10. he despised the counsel of Jeremy, and imprisoned him. For Jeremy had told the King that the City should be taken and burnt; that the King should not escape, but be taken Prisoner, and brought to the presence of Nebuchadnezzar: That he should not perish by the Sword, but being carried to Babel, should there die a natural Death.

The following year, Jerusalem was surrounded, and more strictly besieged by Nebuchadnezzar's Army; whereupon the King of Egypt, Pharaoh Hophra, entered into Judea with his Army, to succor Zedekias, of whose revolt he had been the principal Author. But Jeremy gave the Jews faithful counsel, willing them not to have any trust in the succors of Egypt: for he assured them that they should return back again, and in no sort relieve them. And it fell out accordingly. For when the Chaldeans removed from Jerusalem to encounter the Egyptians, these bragging Patrones abandoned their enterprise, and taking Gaza, in their way homewards, returned into Egypt as if they had already done enough, leaving the poor People in Jerusalem to their destinied miseries, Jer. 34. 11, 22.

In the mean while the Jews, who in the time of their extremity, had released their Hebrew Bondmen, and Bondwomen, according to the Law, in the year of Jubile, and made them free, thereby to encourage them to fight, did now upon the breaking up of the Chaldean Army, repent of what they had done, and thinking that all danger had been past, they held them by force to their former slavery. But the Chaldeans being returned to the Siege, the Prophet Jeremy, when the State of Jerusalem began now to grow to extremity, counseled Zedekias, to render himself to the Babylonians, assuring him of his own Life, and of the safety of the City if he would do so. But his obstinate heart led him on to that wretched end, which, his neglect of God, and his Infidelity, and Perjury had provided for him.

Three and twenty Moneths the Chaldean Army lay before Jerusalem, and held it exceeding straitly besieged; For they built Forts against it round about, 2 King. 25. 1. or, they surrounded the City with Woodden Towers, so as the Besieged could neither Sally out, nor receive into the City any supplies of men or Victuals. Josephus saith, that they overtopped the Walls with their high Towers which they erected upon Mounts, from which, with their Engines they did so beat upon the Walls, that the desendants were forced to forsake their stations. And though the Besieged also raised Counter-Buildings, like unto these, yet the Great Nebuchadnezzar, who Commanded all the Regions thereabouts, & had the Woods, and Rivers at his command, found out means to disappoint & overthrow all the Citizens endeavors, and to beat down their Towers as fast as they raised them. For his own works were guarded by the Walls of Jerusalem, whereas theirs within lay open to his Batteries. Besides, both Famine, and Pestilence (which commonly accompany men straitly besieged) grew fast upon them, whereby, when the number, strength and courage of the Jews failed, the Chaldeans made a breach, and forcing an entry, their Princes did seat themselves as Lord's of the Town, in the middle Gate, 2 King. 26. 2, 3, 4. Jer. 39. 2, 3. & 52. 5, &c.

Zedekiah, beholding this uncomfortable sight, and finding no other means to escape the present danger, lost both his Courage, and his Hope at once, and shifted himself, together with his Wives, Children, Princes, and principal Servants, out of the City, by a way under-ground, leaving his amazed, and now headless Subjects to the merciless Swords of their enraged enemies. Thus he, who when the Prophet Jeremy persuaded him to render himself, despised both the Counsel of God, and the Army and force of Nebuchadnezzar, used now the remedy which one calls, A woeful, shameful, and unfortunate shift.

By this secret subterranean Vault, Zedekiah stole away, & by the help of the dark night, recovered the plains, or deserts of Jericho. But by reason of the train that followed him and his (everyone leading with him those whom he loved best) he was easily traced and pursued. How great soever the company was that attended him, yet certain it is, that they, on whose fidelity he most relied, no sooner beheld the Chaldeans to draw near, but they all abandoned his defense, and shifted for themselves in the Desarts, as they could. For whom God had forsaken, no man regarded. And thus Zedekiah was taken by the Ministers of God's vengeance, and being made a Prisoner, together with his Children, and Princes, he was carried to Riblah, in the Tribe of Nephthalim, where Nebuchadnezzar then lay, as a place indifferent between Jerusalem and Tyre, with both which places he had at one time to do.

Now when Nebuchadnezzar had laid before Zedekiah the many Graces and Favors which he had conferred upon him, together with the notable falsehood and perjury wherewith he had requited him, he commanded his Children, Princes, and Friends to be slain before his face. This being done, to y ^e and y ^t so lamentable a spectacle should be the last, that ever he should behold in this world, he caused his eyes to be put out, and so carried him like a Slave to Babylon, where he consumed the rest of his life in perpetual imprisonment. Herein was that marvelous Prophesy of Esekiel fulfilled: I will bring him to Babylon, and he shall not see it, Esek. 12. 13.

Thus in the eleventh, and last year of Zedekiah, which was the eighteenth of Nebuchadnezzar, the Chaldeans entered Jerusalem by force, where sparing neither Sex nor Age, they put all to the Sword that they found therein.

In the year next following, Nebuzaradan, the General of the Babylonish Army, burnt the Kings Palace, and the whole City of Jerusalem, and after the fire had lasted from the seventh to the tenth Day, he also burnt the Temple of God to the ground, the richest and most Magnificent place that ever the Sun saw, when it had stood four hundred thirty, and one years.

After this upon a second search, Nebuzaradan (not yet satiated with blood) commanded seventy and two others to be slain, which had hidden themselves from the first fury, to wit, the chief, and the second Priest, two Commanders of Zedekiah his men of war, five of his household Servants, and some others, carrying away to Babylon the ablest of the People through all Judea, and leaving the poorest laboring people, with some that followed the party of Nebuchadnezzar, to till the Ground, over whom he placed Gedaliah, the Nephew of that Saphan, whom Josiah had formerly employed in the Reformation of Religion. This Gedaliah, a Jew by Nation, left Zedekiah, as it seemeth, in the beginning of the War, and by Jeremiah's desire to live with him, its probable that had embraced the same advice, which the Prophet gave to Zedekiah, which was, to submit himself to the Babylonian King, who being ordained of God for them, as an instrument of his Justice, was, therefore irresistable.

The Prophet Jeremy being left to his own choice to live where he pleaced, made choice to go to Gedaliah, to whom he was commended by Nebuzaradan, and he, not only entertained him kindly, but comforted him, and all the other Jews that were left under his charge, promising them favor, and liberty, so long as they remained obedient Subjects to Nebuchadnezzar by whom he was established Provincial Governor over his own Nation.

But ere the year was expired, a Prince of the late Kings Family (who during the Siege of Jerusalem had sheltered himself from the storm, with Baalis, King of the Ammonites) being attended by ten other chosen men, whilst Gedaliah feasted them in Mitspah, the City of his residence, they traitorously slew him, together with divers Chaldeans and Jews that accompanied him. This done, they escaped, and in their way, encountering with eighty persons, repairing toward Gedaliah with persents, they slew most of them, and only spared some, who promised to discover to them some Treasures that were hidden in the Fields during the War. They took with them also a Daughter of Zedekiah committed to the care of Gedaliah by Nebuchadnezzar: This treachery of Ishmael had been formerly discovered to Gedaliah by Johanan, one of the Captains of the few remaining Jews, but he would not believe it.

Judea being now without a Governor (for Ishmael durst not take it upon him, but fled as fast as he could to the Ammonites) the residue of the Jews, fearing the revenge of the Chaldeans, resolved to fly into Egypt, and besought Jeremy to ask counsel of God for them, who returned answer, that if they remained in Judea, God would provide for them, and show them mercy; but if they sought to save themselves in Egypt, they should then undoubtedly perish. Notwithstanding which advice, the Jews held their determination, and despised the Oracle of God; and constraining Jeremy, and Baruch to accompany them, they went into Egypt, and by the permission of Pharaoh, they dwelt in Taphnes; where, when Jeremy often reproved them for their Idolatry, foretelling the destruction of themselves, and the Egyptians, he was, by these his own hard-hearted and ungrateful Country-men, stoned to Death, and by the Egyptians, who greatly reverenced him, buried near the Sepulcher of their Kings, Jer. 42. & 43.

The nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar's Raign it was, when destroying utterly the great and mighty City of Jerusalem, he exceedingly enriched himself with the spoils of it, and the Temple, and by that dreadful Example terrified all those that should dare to resist him. From that time forward, he, to his three and twentieth year, labored in the Conquest of those adjoining Countries, which God had exposed unto his Sword, and commanded to wear his Yoke, namely, the Edomites, Moabites, Ammonites, Tyrians, Sidonians, and Egyptians, though some of these were already become his followers, and served under him when Jerusalem was taken, and burnt. But the Tyrians, whose City was built upon an Island, and therefore secure from the invasion of any Land-Army, and whose Fleet was so strong, that they needed not to fear any enemy at Sea, were neither daunred with the fall of their neighbor City, nor with the obstinate resolution of this mighty King employing all his wit, and power to work their subversion.

That the City of Tyre was rather well pleased then any way discouraged with the destruction of Jerusalem, it appeareth by the Words which Esekiel condemneth, as the common voice of Tyrus, Esek. 26. 2. Aha! the Gate of the People is broken, it is turned unto me; For seeing she is desolate, I shall be replenished. Yet at length, that great work before mentioned, began to appear above Water, and so to threaten them with inevitable mischief.

Nebuchadnezzar still follows his work hard, notwithstanding all discouragements, and in the thirteenth year of the Siege, and the nineteenth of his Raign, he had brought it to such perfection, that now the Citizens despaired of holding out against him; whereupon all the chiefest of them imbarked themselves, their Families, and Treasures in their Fleet, and escaped to the Isle of Cyprus, but the poorer sort were left to the fury of the enemy; who being enraged for being put to so much pains, slew with the Sword, not only such people of Tyre as dwelt on the Continent (who are called her Daughters in the Field) but the like execution was done in the streets, into which with excessive labor, the Chaldeans made way for his Horses, and Chariots. Thus Nebuchadnezzar made his Army serve a great service, against Tyrus, wherein every head was made bald, and every shoulder was made bare, yet had he no wages, nor his Army, Esek. 29. 18. but was fain to rest contented with the Honor of having destroyed that City, which in all men's Judgments had been held invincible.

The destruction of these two Great, and powerful Cities, having made the name of the Chaldeans dreadful in the ears of all the Nations round about, Nebuchadnezzar used this advantage of that reputation which he had obtained by his victories already gotten, to the getting of more, and more profitable, with less pains. The Kingdom of Egypt was the mark which he chiefly aimed at. A Country so abounding in Riches and pleasures, that it might well have tempted any Pri • ce, finding himself strong enough, to pick occasion of quarrel against it. Besides, it was so far an enemy to the Crown of Babylon, that, had it been far poorer, yet it must have been subdued, or the Conquest of Syria could not have been secured.

Yet was it needful, that before he entered upon this business, the Countries adjacent should be reduced into such terms, that either they should wholly stand at his devotion, or at least, be able not to work him any displeasure. And herein the Decree of God concurred (as in all prosperous enterprises) with reason of State. For the people of Moab, Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedar, Hazor, and other adjoining Regions, whom God for their sins had condemned to fall under the Babylonian Yoke, were such, as regarding only their own gain, had, some of them, like Ravens, followed the Chaldean Army, to feed upon the carcasses that fell by the cruelty thereof. Others taking advantage of their neighbors miseries, occupied the Countries, which, by his Victories, belonged to Nebuchadnezzar, all of them thinking, that when the Babylonian had satisfied his fury, he would be forced to forsake those desolated Countries, and leave the possession of them to those who could first seize upon them. Particularly, the Edomites, and Philistines, had shown much malice against the Jews when their City was taken, Esek. 25. 12, 15. Whether they had done any good service to the Chaldeans, it appears not; if they did any, its like to have been in reference to their own advantage, wherein yet they were deceived. The Ammonites were not contented to rejoice only at the fall of Jerusalem, but presently they entered upon the Country of God, and took possession of it, as if, not the Chaldeans, but they had subdued Israel, Esek. 25. 3. Jer. 49. 1. Neither can it be imagined what other design Baalis, King of the Ammonites had, when he sent Ishmael, a Prince of the Blood of Judah, to murder Gedalia, whom the King of Babel had made Governor over those that remained in Israel, and to carry Captive into the Ammonites Country, the People that abode in Mizpah, than a desire of entanglng Nebuchadnezzar with so many labors at once, as should force him to retire into his own Country, and abandon those wasted Lands, to himself, and others, for whom they lay conveniently. Such, or the like Policy, the Moabjtes also did exercise, whose Pride, and Wrath were made frustrate by God, and their dissimulation condemned, as not doing aright, Jer. 40. 14. & 41. 2. & 10. & 28, 27, &c.

All these Nations had the Art of ravening, which is familiar to such as either live in, or that border upon Desarts; and now the time ministered occasion to them to show the uttermost cunning of their Thievish wits. But Nebuchadnezzar made void all their devices by sharp, and sudden War upon them, overwhelming them with unexpected ruin, as it were in one night, according to the Prophesies of Isaiah, Jeremy, and Esekiel, who all foretold, with little difference of Words, the greatness, and swiftness of the misery that should come upon them. It appears not with which of them he first began; but it seems that Moab was the last that felt his heavy hand: For so, many interpret that Prophesy of Isaiah, threatening Moab with destruction after three years, as having reference to the third year following the destruction of Jerusalem: the next year after it, being spent in the Egyptian expedition. This is evident that all the principal Towns in these Countries were burnt, and the people either slain, or made captives, few excepted, who saved themselves by flight, and had not the courage to return to their habitations too hastily, much less to attempt anything against Nebuchadnezzar: but lived as miserable out laws, until the end of the seventy years which God had appointed for the desolation of their Countries, as well as of the Land of Judea.

When by a long course of Victory Nebuchadnezzar had brought into Subjection all the Nations of Syria, and the bordering Arabians in such wise, as that no enemy to himself, or Friend to the Egyptian, was left at his back, that might either impede his proceedings, or take advantage of any misfortune that might befall him; then did he forthwith apply himself to the Conquest of Egypt, upon which those other Nations had formerly been dependants. Of this expedition, and the Victorious issue thereof, the three great Prophets, Isaiah, Jeremy, and Esekiel have written so plainly, that its altogether needless to seek after any other authority to confirm the same. Long before it was prophesied by Isaiah, that the King of Assyria, or Babylon, should lead away the Egyptians Prisoners, and the Ethiopians Captives, young, and old, naked and barefoot, even with their buttocks uncovered to the shame of Egypt, Isa. 20. 4.

But Esekiel, and Jeremy, as their prophesies were nearer to the time of execution, so they handled this Argument more plainly, and precisely. For Esekiel tells us clearly, that Egypt should be given to Nebuchadnezzar as wages for his great service which he had done against Tyre, Esek. 29. 18, 19, 20. He recounteth also in particular all the chief Citys in Egypt, saying, that these by name should be destroyed, and go into Captivity: yea, and that Pharaoh, and all his Army should be slain by the Sword, Esek. 30. 4, 10, &c. Chap. 32, 2, &c. And the Prophet Jeremy, saith thus, Behold I will visit the common people of Noah, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with their God's and their Kings, even Pharaoh and all that trust in him; and I will deliver them into the hands of those that seek their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel, and into the hands of his Servants, Jer. 46. 25, 26. Josephus accordingly saith, that Nebuchadnezzar in the three and twentieth year of his Raign, and in the fifteenth year after the destruction of Jerusalem, did Conquer Egypt, and kill the King thereof, appointing a Vice-Roy to Govern it. And it is evident that his Victories which followed his Conquest of Syria, were such as did more enlarge his Dominions, than all his former Wars had done. For Esekiel in his 30 ^th Chapter reckoneth up (besides the whole Country of Egypt) Phut, and Lud, with other Nations that may seem to have reached as far as into Mauritania, which were conquered by him, and added to his Empire. And truly it is worth observation how Pharaoh, King of Egypt was infatuated by God, who thought himself most safe in his own Country by reason of the well-defensed situation thereof, and therefore very unwisely suffered his enemies to make a clear way to his own doors by the Conquest of all his Friends, and Allies in Syria. For as the labor of this business did more harden then weary the Chaldean Army, so the confidence, and vain security of the Egyptians, relying upon the difficulty of the passages which the enemy was to make through the Arabian Desarts, and the great advantage which the River Nile afforded, did little avail them, when the War came on; Yea, it did much astonish them (as may justly be thought) in the time of execution. It being usually seen, that the hearts of men fail, when those helps deceive them, in which they bad reposed more confidence than in their own Virtue, and Valour.

Untill this time the Kingdom of Egypt had flourished under the Rule and Government of the Pharaohs for above the space of one thousand, four hundred, and eighty years. But from this time forward, it remained forty years without a King under the subjection of the Babylonians; and then at length it began to recover by little and little the former greatness: Yet so, that it was never dreadful unto others as it had been, God having said of that people; At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the People whither they were scattered; and I will bring again the Captivity of Egypt, and will cause them to return into the land of Pathros, into the land of their habitation, and they shall be yet a base▪ Kingdom▪ It shall be the basest of the Kingdoms, neither shall it exalt itself anymore above the Nations; F •• I will diminish them that they shall no more rule over the Nations, and it shall be no more the confidence of the House of Israel, Esek. 29▪ 13, 14, 15, 16. For whereas it had been said of Pharaoh, I am the Son of the wise, the Son of ancient Kings, Isa. 19. 11. and whereas they had Vaunted, the River is mine, and I have made it, Esek. 29. 9. The Princes of Egypt, now became fools, the River failed them, the King himself was now taken and slain, and that ancient Linage was quite extinguished.

Of any Wars made by Nebuchadnezzar after such time as he returned from the Conquest of Egypt, we read not, except that against Nineveh, the destruction whereof was forefold by the Prophet. Nineveh indeed had been taken long before by Merodoch, and together with the rest of Assyria, made subject to Babylon. Yet was it left under a peculiar King, who rebelling against Nebuchadnezzar, as Jehoiachim, and Zedekiah, Tributary Kings of Judah, had done, was made partaker also of the same ruin. That the destruction of Nineveh followed the Conquest of Egypt, is clear by the comparison which Nahum the Prophet made between this City that was to fall, and the City of Noah in Egypt which was fallen already; Nahum 3. 8, &c. Art thou better than populous Noah, that was situate amongst the Rivers, that had the waters round about it; whose Rampire was the Sea, and her wall was from the Sea. Ethiopia, and Egypt were her strength, and it was infinite: Put, and Lubin were her helpers. Yet was she carried away, she went into Captivity; Her young children also were dashed in pieces at the top of all the streets, and they cast lots for her honorable men, and all her great men were bound in chains. Thou also shalt be drunken; thou shalt be hid; thou also shalt seek strength because of the enemy, &c.

This Great Monarch, having thus spent his younger days in enlarging his Dominions, he betook himself to rest, that he might reap the fruit of his former labors; and the first thing that he applied himself to, was to beautify his Imperial City of Babylon, adding a new City to the Old, which he compassed about with three Walls, and made in them stately Gates. And near the former Palace he built a New one, more stately than it, wherein he raised stone-works, like unto Mountains, which he planted with all manner of Trees. He made also Pensile Gardens (one of the Worlds wonders) born upon Arches, foursquare, each square being four hundred Foot long, filled above with Earth, whereon grew all sorts of Trees, and Plants. The Arches were built one above another in a convenient▪ height, still increasing as they ascended. The highest, which did bear the Walls on the top, were fifty Cubits high, so that they equalized the highest Mountains. He made also Aquaeducts for the watering of this Garden, which seemed to hang in the air. This most sumptuous frame, which outlasted all the remainder of the Assyrian, and all the Persian Empire, is said to have been reared and finished in fifteen Days. He erected also an Image of Gold in the Plain of Dura, sixty Cubits high, and six broad, commanding all his Servants, and Subjects to fall down and Worship it, Dan. 3. 1, &c.

But of all this, and other his Magnficence, we find little else recorded, save that which indeed is most profitable for us to consider, to wit, his overvalewing of his own greatness, which abased him to a condition inferior to the poorest of men. For whereas God had honored him, not only with many great, and glorious Victories, and much happiness in his own life; but with a rare discovery of things that were to come after him; yea, and had manifested the certainty of his Dreams, by the miraculous reducing of it into his Memory, and given him the interpretation thereof by the Prophet Daniel: He notwithstanding, became so forgetful of God whose wonderful power he had seen, and acknowledged, that he caused that Golden Image to be set u • , and Worshipped, appointing a cruel Death for them that should dare to disobey him, which was utterly unlawful, and repugnant to the Law of him that is King of Kings; And thus he who so lately had Worshipped Daniel, the servant of God, as if he had been God himself: now commanded a Statue to be erected unto himself, wherein himself might be worshipped as God: From this impiety it pleased God to recall, and reclaim him, by the wonderful and miraculous delivery of those three blessed Saints, out of the fiery Furnace, who being thrown bound into the midst of it, for refusing to commit that abominable Idolatry, were preserved from all hurt of the fire, loosened from their Bonds, accompanied by an Angel, and at last called out by the King, and restored to their former honor.

Nebuchadnezzar being amazed at the Miracle, mad a Decre tending to the honor of God, whom by the erection of his Image, he had dishonored. Yet was not this devotion so rooted in him, that it could bring forth fruit answerable to his hasty zeal: Therefore was he forewarned of God in a Dream, of a terrible Judgment which hung over his Head, which Daniel expounding, withal counseled him to break off his sin by righteousness, and his iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, that there might be a lengthening of his tranquility, Dan. 4. 27. whence it seems, that injustice, and cruelty were his faults, for which he was thus threatened: But neither did the Dream, nor advice of Daniel so prevail. For probably he believed it not, but looked upon it as an idle Dream; for that it seemed altogether unlikely that so great a Monarch should be driven from amongst men, yea, compelled to dwell with the Beasts of y ^e Field, and made to eat Grass as y ^e Oxen, this was altogether incredible in man's Judgment, and therefore giving so little heed to it, its no marvel that he had forgotten it by the years end.

One whole year was given to this haughty Prince wherein to repent, which respiting of the execution may seem to have bred in him forgetfulness of God's sentence. For at the end of twelve Moneths as he was walking in his Royal Palace in Babel, he was so overjoyed, and transported with a vain contemplation of his own seeming happiness, that without all fear of God's heavy Judgment pronounced against him, he uttered these proud words: Is not this great Babylon that I have built for the house of the Kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the Honor of my Majesty?

But his proud speeches were not fully ended, when a voice from Heaven told him, that his Kingdom was departed from him, &c. And the same hour the thing was fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar, and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as Oxen, and his Body was wet with the dew of Heaven, till his hair was grown like Eagles Feathers, and his hails like Birds Claws, Dan. 4. 33, &c.

This his punishment was singular, and unexpected. For he ran amongst beasts in the fields, and woods, where for seven years he lived, not only as a salvage man, but as a salvage Beast: for a Beast he thought himself to be, & therefore fed himself in the same manner, and with the same food that Beasts do. Not that he was changed in his external shape from a man to a Beast. For as S ^t Jerome well expounds it, when he saith, verse. 34. that his understanding was restored unto him, he shown that he had not lost his Human shape, but his understanding, being stricken with a Frenzy, or deep Melancholy, which made him think himself a Beast.

Seven years being expired, Nebuchadnezzar was restored both to his understanding, & to his Kingdom: and (saith he) I blessed the most High, and I praised, & honored him that liveth forever, whose Dominion is an everlasting Dominion, and his Kingdom is from Generation to Generation; And all the Inhabitants of the Earth are reputed as nothing, and he doth according to his Will in the Army of Heaven, and amongst the Inhabitants of the Earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What dost thou? At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the Glory of my Kingdom, mine honor, and brightness returned unto me, and my Counsellers, and my Lord's sought unto me, and I was established in my Kingdom, and excellent Majesty was added unto me. Now therefore I Nebuchadnezzar praise, and extol, and honor the King of Heaven, all whose works are truth, and his way is Judgment, and those that walk in Pride he is able to abase, Dan. 4. 34, 35, 36, 37.

How long helived after this is uncertain, but all agree that he reigned about twenty months copartner with his Father in the Kingdom, and about three and forty years by himself alone.

Whilst Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon raged in Judea, God prepared a worm, which in due time, should eat out this spreading Tree; by reason of the cry of his poor People which entered into his ears: According to that of the Psalmist, Psal. 137. 8, 9. O Daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed: Happy shall he be that rewardeth thee, as thou hast served us. Happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones. For in this very year was Cyrus, the Perso-Median born; whose Father was a Persian, and his Mother a Mede; of whom this very Nebuchadnezzar at the hour of his Death, uttered this Prophesy. There shall come a Persian Mule, who shall make use of your Devils, as his fellow-Soldiers, to bring you into Bondage. He calls Cyrus a Mule, because he was to be born of a Father and Mother of two divers Nations.

THE LIFE, & DEATH OF CYRUS the Great, The first Founder of the PERSIAN EMPIRE.

C YRVS was the Son of Cambyses, King of Persia, by Mandanes the daughter of Astyages, King of Media; He was so named by the Prophet Isaiah almost two hundred years before he was born, Isaiah 45. 1, 4. Thus saith the Lord unto Cyrus his anointed, &c.

Cyrus his first Education was under his Father Cambyses, with whom he lived till he was twelve years old, and somewhat more; at which time, he was sent for, together with his Mother Mandanes, by his Gandfather Astyages, into Media.

In Media he served Astyages, first as one of his Halberdiers, and then as one of his Armor-bearers till he was called home into Persia by his Father Cambyses, when as yet he had one year to spend at School; and when he had spent seventeen years at School amongst Boys, he spent ten years more amongst youths.

When Cyrus was now almost sixteen years old, Evilmerodach the King of Assyria, being about to marry a wife called Nicotris, made an in-rode, with a great Army of Horse and Foot, into the borders of Media, there to take his pleasure in hunting, and harrassing of the Country: against whom, Astyages, and Cyaxares his Son, and Cyrus his Grand child, who then first began to bear Arms, being but about fifteen or sixteen years old, marched out, met with him, and in a great Battle, overthrew him, and drave him out his borders. Indeed the Death of Nebuchadnezzar, the Father of Evilmerodach, gave courage to those that had found him a troublesome neighbor, to stand upon prouder terms with the Babylonians, than in his flourishing estate, they durst have used.

But Evilmerodach, being too proud to digest this loss which he had received by the Medes, and their Allies, the Persians under Cyrus, he drew unto his party the Lydians, and all the People of the lesser Asia, with great gifts and strong persuasions, hoping by their assistance to overwhelm his enemies with a strong invasion, whom in vain he had sought to weary out by a lingering War.

The issue of these great preparations made by Evilm • r •• ach against the Medes, was such as opened the way to the fulfilling divers Prophesics which were many years before uttered against Babel, by Isaiah, and Jeremy. For the Babylonians and their Confederates, who, trusting in their numbers, thought to have buried the Medes and Persians under their thick showers of Arrow, and Darts, were encountered with an Army of stout and well trained men, weightily Armed for close fight, by whom they were beaten in a great Battle, wherein Evilmerodach was slain. After which that great Empire that was raised and upheld by Nebuchadnezzar, was grievously shaken and enfeibled under his unprosperous Son, and left to be sustained by his Grand-child Belshazzar: a man more like to have overthrown it when it was greatest and strongest, than to repair it when it was in a way of falling.

Xenophon relates the matter thus, When the Babylonian had enlarged his Empire with many Victories, and was become Lord of all Syria, and many other Countries, he began to hope that if the Medes could be brought under his Subjection, there would not then be left any Nation adjoining, able to make head against him. For the King of the Medes was able to bring into the Field sixty thousand Foot, and ten thousand Horse, to which the Forces of Persia being joined, made an exceeding great Army.

Considering therefore the strength of such a neighbor, he invited Croesus, King of Lydia, a Prince very mighty both in men and Treasure, and with him other Lord's of Asia the less to his assistance, alleging that those Eastern Nations, were very powerful, and so firmly conjoined by League, and many Alliances, that it would not be easy, no nor possible for any one Nation to resist them.

With these suggestions, backed with rich Presents, he drew to himself so many adherents, as he compounded an Army of two hundred Thousand Foot, and sixty thousand Horse: Of which ten thousand Horse, and forty thousand Foot were brought by Croesus, who had great cause of enmity against the Medes, for that they had made great Wars against his Father Allyattes. Whereupon Cyrus was by his Father Cambyses, and the Council of the Kingdom, made General of the Persian Army, and sent away into Media with thirty Thousand Soldiers, and one Thousand Commanders, all of equal Authority under him; and when he came thither, he was also made by his Uncle Cyaxares, who had sent for him, General of the Median Forces, and the management of the War against the Babylonian was wholly committed to him; With this Army he marched against Evilmerodach, and his associates, and in a very bloody Bartell, overthrew them. In which defeat, Evilmerodach, King of Babylon, being slain, so many of his Subjects revolted, that Babylon itself could no longer be secured but by the help of Mercenaties, waged with great sums of money out of Asia the less, Egypt, and other Countries, which new leavied Forces, were also defeated, and scattered by Cyrus, who following his advantage, possessed himself of a great part of the lesser Asia. Those Persians which followed Cyrus, and were by him levied, are reckoned to be thirty thousand Foot, of which one thousand were Armed Gentlemen; the rest of the common sort were Archers, and such as used the Dart, or Sling.

Croesus, notwithstanding the men lost, and the Treasure spent in the quarrel of the Babylonians, yet did he Conquer Aeolis, Doris, and Jonia, Provinces possessed by the Greeks in Asia the less, adjoining to his Kingdom of Lydia. He gave Laws also to the Phrygians, Bithynians, Carians, Mysians, Paephlagonians, and other Nations. He also enforced the Ephesians to acknowledge him for their Lord; He also obtained a signal Victory against the Sacaeans, a Nation of the Scythians; All which he performed in fourteen years.

And being now confident by reason of his good successes, and withal, envious at Cyrus his Fame, and prosperity; doubting also that his great Victories might in the end grow perilous to himself, he consulted with the Oracle of Apollo, whom he presented with marvelous rich Gifts, what success he might hope for in his undertakings against Cyrus; from whom he received this ambiguous answer, Croesus Halym penetrans, magnam pervertes opum vim: Croesus passing over the River Halys, shall dissolve a great Dominion: For the Devil being doubtful of his success, gave him this Riddle, which might be construed either way, to the ruin of Persia, or of his own Lydia.

Hereupon Croesus (interpreting it as he most desired) resolved to stop the course of Cyrus his progress, and therefore despised all the Arguments used by Sandanes to the contrary, who desired him to consider afore-hand, that he provoked a Nation inhabiting a barren, & Mountanous Region; a People not covered with the soft silk of Worms, but with the hard skins of Beasts; not fed with meat to their Fansies, but content with what they found; Drinkers of Water, and not of Wine; and in a word, a Nation Warlike, Patient, Valiant, and Porsperous, over whom if he became Victorious, he could thereby enrich himself in nothing but Fame, in which he already excelled: and if by them he should be beaten, and subdued, so great would his loss appear of all things, which the world makes account of, that the same could neither be hastily recounted, nor easily conceived.

Notwithstanding this solid, and seasonable Counsel, Croesus having prepared a powerful Army, advanced with the same toward Media: but in his passage he was retarded at Pterium, a City in Cappadocia of great strength; which whilst he attempted both by power and policy to take, and Conquer, Cyrus came on, and found the Lydians encamped before it. Neither of these Champions were inferior to other, either in strength, or opinion. For out of doubt, Croesus, as he excelled any Prince of that age in Riches, and ability, so was he not inferior unto any in Territories and Fame, that then lived. But Kingdoms and Commonwealths have their increase, and Periods from Divine Ordinance. This time was the Winter of Croesus his prosperity, the leaves of his flourishing estate being ready to fall; and that of Cyrus but in the first Spring and Flower; the God of all Power, had given a date to the one, and a beginning of Glory to the other.

When these two Armies were in view each of other, after divers skirmishes had passed between them, the Persians, and Lydians began to join together, and to encounter each other in gross Bodies; and as either of them began to retreat, fresh supplies were sent in from both their Kings. And as the Persians had somewhat the better of the Day, so when the dark veil of night had hidden each Army from the others view, Croesus doubting what success the rising Sun might bring with it, quitted the Field to Cyrus, and withal speed possible, retreated towards his own Country, and taking the next way thither, he recovered Sardis, the first City of Lydia, and his Regal Seat, without any pursuit made by Cyrus to retard him; where, being arrived, and nothing suspecting Cyrus his approach, or any other War for that Winter, he dismised his Army, and sent the Troops of his sundry Nations to their own Provinces, appointing them to re-assemble at the end of five Moneths, acquainting his Commanders with his intent of renewing the War at the time appointed.

The morning being come, Cyrus finding that the Lydians were departed, put his Army in order to pursue after them, yet not so hastily, and at their heels, as to be discovered. But getting good intelligence of Croesus his proceedings, he so ordered the matter, that he presented not himself before Sardis, till such time as Croesus had disposed of his Army, and sent them to their Winter Quarters. His coming being altogether unlooked for, and unfeared, he had opportunity enough to surround Sardis with his Army, wherein Croesus had no other Companies than the Citizens, and his ordinary Guards, insomuch as after fourteen days Seige, Cyrus took the City by Storm, and put all to the Sword that made resistance.

Croesus now having neither Arms to Fight, nor Wings to fly, in this common calamity, he throst himself into the heap, and multitude of his miserable Subjects, and had undergone the same lot with the rest of the vanquished persons, had not a Son of his, who had been dumb all his Life before (by the extremity of Passion and Fear) cried out to a common Soldier, who was with a drawn Sword pursuing his Father, that he should not kill Croesus. Hereupon he was taken and imprisoned, and despoiled of all things, but only the expectation of Death.

Shortly after he was bound with Fetters, and Placed upon a large and high pile of Wood, to be burnt to ashes thereon. To which, when Fire was set, and kindled, Croesus remembering the discourse which long before he had with Solon, the Athenian Lawgiver, he thrice cried out, O Solon, Solon, Solon, and being demanded what he meant by the invocation of Solon, he at first used silence: But being urged again, he told them that now he found that true, which wise Solon had long since told him; That many men in the race and course of their lives might well be accounted Fortunate, but no man could discern himself to be happy indeed till his end.

Of this his answer, Cyrus being speedily informed, and thereby being put in mind of the mutability of Fortune, and of his own mortality, he commanded his Ministers of Justice, speedily to withdraw the Fire, and to save Croesus, and bring him to his presence; which being done, Cyrus demanded of him, who it was that had persuaded him? or what reason had instigated him to invade his Territories, and to make him, of a Friend, an Enemy. To which Croesus thus answered: It was thy prosperous, and my unprosperous destiny (the Grecian God's with all, flattering my Ambition) that were the inventers, and conducters of Croesus War against Cyrus.

Cyrus being much affected w ^th this answer of Croesus, and bewailing his estate, though he was victorious over him, did not only spare his life, but entertained him ever after as a King, and his companion; Thus Heroditus relates it. But Xenophon saith, that Cyrus did entertain Croesus friendly at the first sight, and makes no mention of any such cruel intent of burning him alive; and this may seem the more probable, because Croesus was his Grandmothers Brother, and its very likely that nearness of Alliance might withhold Cyrus (if he had been vicious, which he was not) from so cruel a purpose as to have burnt him alive.

When Cyrus afterwards passed with his Army over Araves into Seythia, he left Croesus to be a companion, and counselor to his Son Cambyses, whom he made Governor over his Empire in his absence, with whom he lived all-the Reign of Cyrus, and did afterwards accompany Cambyses in his Expedition into Egypt, where he hardly escaped his Tyrannous hands. At this time the Races of three of the greatest Kings in that part of the World came to an end; to wit, of the Babylonians, Medians, and Lydians, in Balthasar, Xiaxares, or Darius Medus, and Croesus.

After this Lydian War ensued the great Conquest of Babylon, which gave unto Cyrus an Empire so large, and mighty, that he was justly reputed the greatest Monarch then living upon the Earth. How long time the preparations for this great action took up, is uncertain, only it seems that ten whole years did pass between his taking of those two Cities of Sardis and Babylon; which time was not wholly spent in providing for the Assyrian War, but much of it in settling the Estates which he had already purchased; Ctesias also tells us, that during this time Cyrus invaded Scythia, and being victorious over that Nation, he took Amorges their King Prisoner; But being in a second Battle overthrown by Sparetha, the Wife of Amorges, himself was taken Prisoner, and so one King was released for the other. Gobrias about this time (a Nobleman, whose only Son, the King of Babylon, in his Fathers life time, had in a hunting match, villainously slain) together with his Friends, revolted to Cyrus.

Its very probable also, that no small part of those troubles which sprang up in the lower Asia, grew soon after Cyrus his departure with his Victorious Army, before the Conquest was fully established. For after Cyrus was returned out of Asia the less, many Nations which were formerly Conquered by Croesus, and now by Cyrus, revolted from him; Against whom he employed Pactias, and then Harpagus, who first reduced the Phocians under their former Obedience; and then the rest of the Greeks that inhabited Asia the less, as the Jonians, Carians, Aeolians, and Lycians, who, very resolutely (according to the strength they had) defended themselyes; But in the attempt upon Babylon itself, its not to be questioned but Cyrus employed all his Forces, having taken order beforehand, that nothing should be able to divert him, or to raise that Seige, or to frustrate that work upon which he did set all his rest.

And great reason there was, that he should improve all his Policy and strength unto the taking of that City, which, besides the Fame and reputation that it held, as being the Head of an Empire, which depended thereupon, was so strongly fortified with a treble Wall of great height, and surrounded with the waters of Euphrates, that were unfordable, and so plentifully Victualled for many years, that the Inhabitants were not only free from fear, and doubt of their estate, but through their Confidence, they derided, and despised all the Projects and power of their Besiegers.

For not long before, Nicotris, the Mother of Belshazzar, a witty, and active Woman, foreseeing the storm that was ready to fall upon Babylon from the Medes, to hinder their passing the River by Boats into Babylon, She turned the River Euphrates, which before ran with a strait, and swift course, drawing it through many winding Channels, which she had cut for that purpose, whereby she made it to run more slowly than formerly it did: and then she raised a huge Dam upon each side of the River; and up the River from the City-ward, she digged a vast Pond, which was every way three or four hundred Furlongs wide, into which she turned the River, thereby leaving the old Channel of the River dry; which done, she fell to work, and fenced the Banks within the City with Brick-walls, and raised the Water-Gates, answerable in every point to the rest of the Walls, which were made on the farther side of the Channel, round about the City. She built also a stately, and Magnificent Bridge of Stone in the midst of the City, which joined to the Kings Houses, that stood on each side the River: and having finished all her Works, and Fortifications, she turned the River out of the Pond into its right Channell again.

And now came Cyrus to invade the Country of Babylon, and appeared before the Walls of the City, and there challenged the King to a Duel, or single Combat, but he refused it. At this time Gadatas, a Noble man of Babylon, whom Belshazzar had gelt, upon a jealousy that he had of him with his Wife, fell over to Cyrus, in revenge whereof the Babylonians sallied out, and fell upon his Lands; but Cyrus set upon them, and routed them; At which time the Cadusii whom Cyrus had appointed to bring up the rear of his Army, unknown to Cyrus, set upon a Country lying near to the City; but the King of Babylon falling out upon them, cut them all off. Yet Cyrus, quickly revenged the Death of his men; and then came to an agreement with Belshazzar, to hold truce with the Ploughmen on both sides, and the War to go on between the Soldiers only. After which, passing beyond the City, he took in three of their Forts, and so returned into the confines of Assyria, and Media; and thither, upon his invitation, came his uncle Cyaxares, and was by him honourably received; and entertained in a Pavilion, that had been the King of Assyrias: and Winter now approaching, they entered into consulatation to provide things necessary to maintain the Siege.

The only hope of Cyrus with his Medes, and Persians (who despaired of carrying by assault a City so well, and strongly fortified, and manned) was in cutting off all supplies of victuals, and others necessaries; Whereof, though the Town was said to be stored sufficiently for more than twenty years, yet might it well be imagined, that amongst such a World of People as dwelt within those Walls, one great want or other would soon appear amongst them, and vanquish the resolution of that unwarlike multitude. Yet in expecting that success of this course, the Besiegers were likely to endure much hardship, and travel, and that all in vain, if they did not keep strict watch, and sure guards upon all the Avenues, and Quarters of it.

Which that he might the better do, he caused presently a vast trench, both for breadth and depth to be cast round about the Walls of the City, casting the earth ever towards his own Army, and made store of Bulworks all along upon it, for his Guards to be upon: and then, dividing his whole Army into twelve parts, he ordered that each of them should Watch his Moneth, by turn.

And yet this was a very hard work, considering the vast circuit of those Walls which they were to gird in, having neither men enough, nor yet sufficiently assured to their Commander; the consideration whereof Ministred unto the Babylonians matter of good Pastime, when they saw the Lydians, Phrygians, Cappadocians, and others, quartered about their City to keep them in, who, having been their Ancient Friends, and Allies, were more like to join with them, if occasion were offered, than to use much diligence on the behalf of Cyrus, who had, as it were but yesterday, laid upon their necks the galling Yoke of servitude.

Whilst the Besieged were thus pleasing themselves with this foolish fancy, and vain mirth (the ordinary forerunners of sudden calamity) Cyrus, who by God that set him on work, was made strong, valiant, constant, and inventive, devised, and by the labor of his men, digged so many Channels as were capable of receiving the Waters of Euphrates, and so to draw the same from the Walls of Babylon, that thereby he might make his approaches the more facile, and assured, which, when by the labor of many hands he had performed, he waited for a fi • time wherein to put in execution, what he had designed. For he had left in each of the Trenches towards the River, certain Banks, or Heads uncut till he saw his opportunity.

Now Belshazzar finding neither any want or weakness within the City, nor any possibility for his enemies without, to approach the Walls by reason of the great River that surrounded them, he prepared an exceeding sumptuous Feast, Public Plays, and other Pastimes, and thereto invited a Thousand of his Princes, or Nobles, besides his Wives, Courtezans, and others of that Trade. This he did, either to let the Besiegers know that his Provisions were sufficient, not only for all needful uses, but even for superfluity, and excess; Or because he hoped that his enemies by this time were discouraged, and even broken under their manifold disasters: Or else he made this Feast in Honor of Bell, his most adored Idol: or lastly, because it was his Birth, or Coronation Day: Or for many, or most of these respects.

Yea, he was not contented to use, and show such Magnificence as no Prince else could Equall, but he listed up himself against the God of Heaven, Dan. 5. 23. For he, his Princes, his Wives, and his Concubines, made Carousing Cups of the Golden, and Silver Vessels which his Grandfather Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the Temple which was at Jerusalem; and in contempt of the Lord of Heaven, he praised his own Puppets made of Gold, and Silver, and Brass, and Iron, and Wood, and Stone; Whilst Belshazzar was thus triumphing, and had his brains well filled with vapors, he beheld a hand, which by Divine power wrote upon the Wall that was opposite to him, certain Words which he understood not, wherewith, so great a fear, and amazement seized upon him, that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another; Which Passion when he had in some measure recovered, he cried aloud to bring in the Astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the Soothsayers, promising them great rewards, and the third place of Honor in his Kingdom, to him that could read, and expound the writing: But it exceeded their Art, and Skill.

In this disturbance, and astonishment, the Queen, hearing what had passed, came in, and observing what distraction the King was in, after Reverence done, She used this Speech; O King live forever; Let not thy thoughts trouble thee, non let thy countenance be changed; there is a man in thy Kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the holy God's, and in the Days of thy Father light, and understanding, and Wisdom like the Wisdom of the God's was found in him, whom the King Nobuchadnezzar thy Father, the King I say, thy Father made Master of the Magicians, the Astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the Soothsayers; For as much as an Excellent Spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, in interpreting Dreams, and showing of hard Sentences, and dissolving of doubts were found in the same Daniel, whom the King named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the Interpretation.

This Queen was either the Grandmother, or the Mother of Belshazzar; For it appears that She was not any of the Kings Wives, because She was absent from the Feast, and in regard of her age, past-banqueting, and dancing; Yet upon the report of the Miracle, She came in to comfort, and cheer up the King; and whereas Daniel was forgotten, and neglected by others, of younger years, and latter times, this old Queen remembered well, what Daniel had done in the days of Nebuchadnezzar; Grandfather to this Belshazzar, and kept in mind, both his Religion, and Divine gifts.

When Daniel was brought into the Kings presence, he said unto him: Art thou that Daniel, which art of the Children of the Captivity of Judah; whom the King my Father brought out of Jewry? I have heard of thee that the Spirit of the God's is in thee, and that light, and understanding, and excellent Wisdom is found in thee; and now the Wise men and the Astrologers have been brought in before me, that they should read, this writing, and make known to me the Interpretation thereof, but they could not do it: And I have heard of thee that thou canst make Interpretations, and dissolve doubts: Now if thou canst read the Writing, and make known to me the Interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with Scarlet, and have a chain of Godl above thy neck, and shalt be the third Ruler in the Kingdom.

But Daniel made answer in a far differing style from that which he had used to his Grandfather; For the evil which he had foretold to Nebuchadnezzar he wished that it might befall his enemies: But to this King (whose contempt of God and vicious life he hated, he answered in these Words; Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another: Yet I will read the writing to the King, and make known to him the Interpretation: which yet before he did, he shown him the cause of God's judgments against him, and the reason of this terrible sentence, whereof the King and all his Wise men were utterly Ignorant, the substance whereof is this, That Belshazzar forgetting God's goodness to his Father, whom all Nations feared, and obeyed, and yet for his Pride, and neglect of those benefits, as he had deprived him of his Estate, and understanding; so upon the acknowledgement of God's infinite power, he restored him to both again; And thou his Son (said he) O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thy heart, though thou knewest all this, But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of Heaven, and they have brought the Vessels of his House before thee, and thou and thy Lord's, thy Wives and thy Concubines have drunk Wine in them, and thou hast praised the gods of Silver, and Gold, &c. and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not Glorified: Then was the part of the hand sent from him, and this writing was written, Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin, Whereof this is the Interpretation: Mene, God hath numbered thy Kingdom, and finished it: Tekel, Thou art weighted in the ballanees, and art found wanting: Peres, Thy Kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes, and Persians.

The very evening or Night of this Day, wherein Belshazzar thus Feasted, and wherein these things were done, Cyrus, either by his Espeials, or being inspired by God himself, whose Ensign he followed in these Wars, finding the time, and opportunity fit for him, even whilst the Kings Head, and the Heads of his Nobility, were no less distempered with the vapors of Wine, than their hearts were with the fear of God's Judgments, he caused all the Banks, and Heads of his Trenches, to be opened, and cut down with all speed, and diligence, whereby that great River Euphrates was quickly drawn dry, and himself with his Army passing through the Channell which was now dry, without any opposition, they easily made their entrance into the City, finding none to disturb them; Invadunt urbem somno, Vino{que} sepultam: All the Town lay buried in Wine and Sleep; and such as came in the Persians way, were put to the Sword unless they saved themselves by flight, as some did, who ran away crying, and filled the Streets with an uncertain tumult.

Such of the Assyrian Lord's as had formerly revolted from Belshazzar to Cyrus, did now conduct a Selected company to the Kings Palace, which being easily forced by them, they rushed strait into the Chamber where the King and his Princes were Banquetting, and there slew both him and them without mercy, who strove in vain to keep those lives, which God had newly threatened to take away. Now was that prophesy fulfilled, Jer. 51. 30, 31, 32. The mighty men of Babylon have forborne to fight; they have remained in their Holds; their might hath failed; they became as women; they have burnt their dwelling places; Her bars are broken. One Post shall run to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to show the King of Babylon that his City is taken at one end. And that the passages are stopped (viz. of the River Euphrates) and the Reeds they have burnt with fire, and the men of War are affrighted; The Prophet Isaiah also, two hundred years before this subversion of Babylon, in his forty seventh Chapter, and elsewhere, describeth this destruction so feelingly, and lively, as if he had been present, both at the terrible slaughter there committed, and had seen the great and unseared change, and calamity of this great Empire; Yea, and had also heard the sorrows and bewallings of every surviving Soul, thereunto subject; which Prophesy he begins with these words; Come down and sit in the dust, O Virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the Ground; there is no Throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: For thou shalt no more be called tender, and delicate, &c. And though it cannot be doubted that God used Nebuchadnezzar, and the Chaldeans as his Instruments to punish the Idolatry, and wickedness of the Jews, yet did he not forget that in the Execution of God's Judgments, they had used much rigor, and extremity; as we see Isaiah 47. 6. I was wroth with my People; I have polluted mine Inheritance, and given them into thine hand; Thou didst show them no mercy; Upon the Ancient hast thou very heavily laid the Yoke; and again, I will rise up against them, saith the Lord of Hosts, and will cut off from Babel the Name, and the remnant, and the Son, and the Nephew: Meaning Evilmerodach, and Belshazzar. And again, Isaiah 13. 15, &c. Everyone that is found shall be thrust thorough; and everyone that is joined to them shall be slain with the Sword; their Children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes, their Houses shall be spoiled, and their Wives ravished. Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard Silver, and as for Gold, they shall not delight in it; their Bows also shall d • sh the young men to pieces, and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the Womb; their eye shall not spare children. And Babylon, the Glory of Kingdoms, and beauty of the Chaldees excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom, and Gomorrah, &c. Read also Chapter fourteenth. No Historian that was either present at this Victory of Cyrus, or that received the report from others truly as it was, could better describe, and leave the same to posterity after it was acted, than Isaiah hath done in many parts of his Prophesy, which were written two hundred years before any of these things were attempted.

The Greatness, and Magnificence of Babylon, were it not by divers grave Authors recorded, might seem altogether Fabulous; For it is reported for truth, that one part of the City knew not that the other was taken three days after; which is not impossible if we consider the vast Circumference of it. Diodorus Siculus saith, that it was in compass three hundred, and sixty Furlongs, which make forty five Miles. The Walls were so thick that six Chariots might pass in front thereon, and they were three hundred sixty and five Foot high, and were adorned, and beautified with one hundred and fifty Towers. Strabo gives a greater circuit, adding twenty five Forlongs more to the former compass, reckoning it at three hundred eighty five Furlongs, which makes forty eight Miles and one Furlong. Herodotus finds the compass yet to be greater, namely four hundred and eightty Furlongs in circuit; the thickness of the Wall he measures at fifty Cubits, and the height at two hundred of the same Regal Cubits. For entrance, it had a hundred Gates of Brass, with Posts, and Hooks to hang them on of the same Mettall; and therefore did the Prophet Isaiah rightly entitle Babylon, The Princess, and Glory of Kingdoms, Isaiah 47. 5. & 13. 19.

But when Cyrus had won her, he stripped her out of her Princely Robes, and made her a slave, dividing, not only her goodly Houses, and her whole Territory, with all the Riches therein contained, amongst his Soldiers; but also bestowed the Inhabitants themselves as Bondslaves, upon those that had taken possession of their goods.

Cyrus having obtained this great, and Signall Victory, the glory of which was a reward for his service done for him who was the Author of it, and of all goodness, and thereby translated the Empire of the Chaldeans to himself, according to the Prophesies which went afore of him; in this first year of his Empire, he made a Decree that the Captive Jews should return again into their own Country of Judea, and that they should build again the House of God in Jerusalem, having now endured, and finished the seventy years Captivity foretold by the Prophet Jeremy. The tenor of which Decree was thus,

Thus saith Cyrus King of Persin; The Lord God of Heaven hath given me all the Kingdoms of the Earth, and hath charged me to build him an House at Jerusalem which is in Judah, Who is there among you of all his People? Let his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and build the House of the Lord God of Israel (He is God) which is at Jerusalem: And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with Silver, and with Gold, and with goods, and with Beasts, besides the free-will Offering for the House of God that is in Jerusalem, Ezra 1, 2, 3, 4. He also brought forth and restored the Vessels of the House of the Lord which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of the Temple at Jerusalem, and had put them into the House of his gods; These were brought forth and numbered unto Sheshbazzar the Prince of Judah; and this is the number of them; Thirty Charges of Gold, a thousand Chargers of Silver, nine and twenty Knives, thirty Basins of Gold, Silver Basins of a second sort four hundred and ten, and of other vessels a thousand; All the vessels of Gold and Silver were five thousand and four hundred.

The number of Jews that then returned out of Chaldea, under their Leader Zerubbabel, the Son of Salathiel, and Nephew to King Jeconias, and Joshua the Son of Josedech, the High Priest, were about fifty thousand: And as soon as they arrived at Jerusalem, they built an Altar to the living God, and sacrificed thereon according to their Law, and afterwards bethought themselves how to prepare materials for the building of the Temple.

Cyrus having set all things in order at Babylon, returned, through Media, into Persia, to his Father Cambyses, and his Mother Mandanes, who were yet living; and from thence returning again into Media, he married the only Daughter and Heir of Cyaxares, and for Dowry, had the whole Kingdom of Media given him with her; And when the Marriage was finished, he presently went his way, and took her with him; and coming to Babylon, from thence he sent Governors into all his Dominions; Into Arabia he sent Megabyzus; into Phrygia the greater, Artacaman; into Lydia, and Jonia, Chrysantas; into Caria, Adusius; into Phrygia Helle spontiaca, or the less, Pharmichas; But into Silicia, & Cyprus, & Paphlagonia, he sent no Persians to Govern them, because they voluntarily, and of their own accord took his part against the King of Babylon; yet he caused, even them also to pay him Tribute.

Cyrus having spent one whole year with his Wife in Babylon, gathered thither his whole Army, consisting of one hundred and twenty Thousand Horse, and two Thousand Iron Chariots, and six hundred Thousand Footmen, and having furnished himself with all necessary provisions, he undertook that journey wherein he subdued all the Nations inhabiting from Syria to the Red Sea.

The time that Cyrus enjoyed in rest and pleasure after these great Victories, and the attainment of his Empire, is generally agreed upon by all Chronologers to have lasted only seven years; In which time he made such Laws and Constitutions as differ little from the Ordinances of all wife Kings that are desirous to establish a Royal power to themselves and their Posterity, which are recorded by Xenophon.

The last War, and the end of this Great King Cyrus is diversely written by Historians: Herodotus, and Justine say: That after these Conquests, Cyrus invaded the Massagets, a very Warlike Nation of the Scythians, Governed by Tomyris, their Queen: and that in an encounter between the Persians, and these Northern Nomades, Tomyris lost her Army, together with her Son Spa • gapises that was the General of it. In revenge whereof this Queen making new levies of men of War, and prosecuting the War against Cyrus, in a second sore Battle, the Persians were beaten, and Cyrus was taken Prisoner, and that Tomyris cut off his Head from his Body, and threw it into a Bowle of blood, using these words, Thou that hast all thy time thirsted for blood, now drink thy fill, and satiate thyself with it. This War which Metasthenes calls Tomyrique, lasted about six years.

But more probably this Scythian War was that which is mentioned before, which Cyrus made against the Scythians after the Conquest of Lydia, according to Ctesias, who calleth Tomyris, Sparetha, and makes the end of it otherwise, as you may see before.

The same Ctesias also recordeth, that the last War which Cyrus made was against Amarhaus, King of the Derbitians, another Nation of the Scythians, whom, though he overcame in Battle, yet there he received a wound whereof he died three days after.

Strabo also affirmeth, that he was buried in his own City of Pasagardes, which himself had built, and where his Epitaph was to be read in Strabo's time; which he saith was this,

O, vir, quicun{que} es, & undecun{que} advenis, ne{que} enim te adventurum ignoravi: Ego sum Cyrus, qui Persis Imperium constitui; pusillum hoc Terrae, quo meum tegitur Corpus, mihi ne invideas. O thou man, whosoever thou art, and whensoever thou comest, for I was not ignorant that thou shouldst come: I am Cyrus that founded the Persian Empire: Do not envy unto me this little Earth with which my Body is covered.

When Alexander the Great returned from his Indian Conquests, he visited Pasagardes, and caused this Tomb of Cyrus to be opened, either upon hope of great Treasure, supposed to have been buried with him, or upon a desire to honor his dead Body with certain Ceremonies; when the Sepulcher was opened, there was found nothing in it, save an old rotten Target, two Scythian Bows, and a Sword. The Coffin wherein his Body lay, Alexander caused to be covered with his own Garment, and a Crown of Gold to be set upon it.

Cyrus finding in himself that he could not long enjoy the World, he called unto him his Nobility, with his two Sons, Cambyses, and Smerdis, and after a long Oration, wherein he assured himself, and taught others, about the immortality of the Soul, and of the punishments and rewards following the ill, and good deservings of every man in this life; He exhorted his Sons, by the strongest Arguments he had, to a perpetual Concord and agreement. Many other things he uttered, which makes it probable, that he received the knowledge of the true God from Daniel, whilst he Governed Susa in Persia; and that Cyrus himself had read the Prophesy of Isaiah, wherein he was expressly named, and by God preordained for the delivery of his People out of Captivity; which act of delivering the Jews, and of restoring of the holy Temple, and the City of Jerusalem, was in true consideration the Noblest-work that ever Cyrus performed. For in other actions he was an Instrument of God's Power, used for the chastising of many Nations, and the establishing of a Government in those parts of the world, which yet was not to continue long: But herein he had the favor to be an Instrument of God's goodness, and a willing advancer of his Kingdom upon earth, which must last forever.

Cyrus had Issue two Sons, Cambyses, and Smerdis, and three Daughters, Atossa, Meroe, and Artistoua. At his Death he bequeathed his Empire to his Eldest Son Cambyses, appointing Smerdis, his younger Son, to be Satrapa, or Lieutenant of Media, Armenia, and Cadusia. He reigned about one and thirty years, and died aged.

The Greek Historians wholly ascribe the Conquest of Babylon to Cyrus, because that he commanded the Army in Chief; yet the Scriptures attribute it to Darius, King of the Medes, whose General Cyrus was: For when Babylon was taken, and Belshazzar slain; Its said, Dan. 5. 31. that Darius the Median took the Kingdom, being about sixty two years old. It was Darius also that placed Officers over the several Provinces thereof, as we read, Dan. 6. 1, 2. It pleased Darius to set over the Kingdom a hundred and twenty Princes, which should be over the whole Kingdom, and over these, three Presidents, of whom Daniel was the first, &c. And thus was it Prophesied by Isaiah long before; Behold! I will stir up the Medes against them, &c. and by the Prophet Jeremy; The Lord hath raised up the Spirit of the King of the Medes: for his device is against Babylon, &c. Jer. 55. 11. And again, verse 28. Prepare against her the Nations, with the Kings of the Medes, the Captains thereof, and all the Rulers thereof, and all the Land of his Dominion.

But certain it is that the Honor of that great Victory over Babylon was wholly given to Cyrus, who was the Instrument preordained, and forenamed by God himself: not only for this Action; but also for the delivery of his Church: Yet Daniel makes it plain, that himself: not only lived a great Officer under King Darius, but that he continued in that estate to the first year of Cyrus, which was not long after, which also was the year of Daniel's Death.

As for the age of Cyrus we are beholding to Tully for it; who in his first Book de Divinatione, Cites it out of one Dionysius, a Persian Writer, in this manner. The Sun (saith Dionysius) appeared unto Cyrus in his sleep, standing at his feet, which, when Cyrus thrice endeavored to take in his hands, the Sun still turned aside, and went away: and the Magi, who were the most learned men amongst the Persians, said that by his thrice offering to take hold of the Sun, was portended to him that he should reign thirty years; which came to pass accordingly: For he lived to the Age of seventy years, and began not to reign till he was forty.

In the first year of Belshazzar, Daniel had the Vision shown him of the four Beasts, signifying the four Monarchies; and of God delivering over all power, and Sovereignty to the Son of man, Dan. 7.

In the third year of Belshazzar, the Vision of the Ram, and Goat, foreshowing the destruction of the Persian Monarchy by Alexander the Great, and the great misery which Antiochus should bring upon the People of God was shown to Daniel, living then at Susa, in the Province of Elam, upon the bank of the River Vlai, which environed the Castle of Susa, and parted the Provinces of Susa, and Elemais, Dan. 8. whence we may collect, that at that time the Province of Susa was not in the hands of the Medes and Persians, but of the Babylonians, under whom Daniel then lived.

Darius the Mede, son of Cyaxares, or Ahasuerus the Son of Adyages, took upon him the Kingdom, which was delivered over to him by Cyrus, the Conquerer, Dan. 5. 31. & 9. 1. The Angel, in this first year of his Raign, is said to have confirmed, and strengthened him in his Kingdom, Dan. 11. 1. After which he reigned two years.

Towards the end of the first year of Darius the Mede, the seventy years of the Babylonish Captivity expired, which began under Jehoiakim, in the first year of Nebuchadnezzar, at which time God promised that they should return into their own Country, Jer. 29. 10. Thus saith the Lord, that after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon, I will visit you, and perform my good Word towards you, in causing you to return to this place. Upon consideration of which very time, now so near approaching, it was, that Daniel poured out that most fervent Prayer for the Remission of his own sins, and of his Peoples; and for that promised deliverance out of their Captivity: Whereupon the Angel Gabriel brought him an answer, not only concerning this, but also for the spiritual deliverance of the Church to be wrought at last by the Death of the Messias, uttering that most famous, and memorable Prophesy of the seventy Weeks, Dan. 9. 12, &c.

The Samaritans, by the means of some Courtiers about Cyrus, whom they had bribed for that purpose, distributed the Jews in their building of the Temple, Ezra 4. 5. Whence proceeded that three weeks mourning of the Prophet Daniel, which Fast he begun about the third Day of the first Moneth, in the third year of Cyrus, Dan. 10. 1. 4. After which, upon the four and twentieth Day of the first Moneth, that vision of the Kings of Persia; of Alexander the Great, and his Successors, and their Kingdoms, was shown and revealed unto Daniel, as he stood upon the bank of Hiddikel, or Tigris; All which is contained in the three last Chapters of Daniel; which (as may be collected out of the close thereof) was the last Vision that ever he had, and that but a little before his Death.

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