Spirit, and with wizards. For this he was carried captive to Babylon; but, on his repentance, he was reftored to his own country.

The only good reign after this was that of Jofiah, and in thirty years after his death the long threatened judgments of God overtook that apoftate nation, for they were conquered, Jerufalem and the temple destroyed, and the people carried captive by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, about a hundred years after the conquest and captivity of the ten tribes by the Affy

rians.

During this long captivity in Babylon, continuing, according to the express prediction of Jeremiah, seventy years, God did not forfake his chofen people. Two eminent prophets, Ezekiel and Daniel, whofe predictions look into the remotest times, even beyond thofe in which we live, were raised up there, and in Babylon itself, emphatically called the mother of harlots, or idols, a city the most noted for its addictedness to idolatry of any in the antient world, and as it were the parent of idolatry

idolatry to all the reft. We find at this time fignal difplays of the power of the true God, in direct opposition to this idolatry; and the miracles which were wrought for this purpose evidently had a great effect at the time, and probably fo impreffed the minds of Nebuchadnezzar, Darius the Mede, and Cyrus, as both to procure the Jews better treatment during the captivity, and their final release from it.

Daniel firft brought himself into the favourable notice of Nebuchadnezzar and the people of Babylon, by being enabled not only to interpret a remarkable dream of that prince, but to inform him what the dream was when he had forgotten it himfelf, and when, as might be expected, all the aftrologers and magicians of Babylon had not been able to do it. On this Nebuchadnezzar was induced to declare, Dan. ii. 47. Of a truth, it is that your God is a God of Gods, and Lord of Lords, and a revealer of fecrets, feeing thou couldeft reveal this fecret.

Daniel alfo interpreted another dream of Nebuchadnezzar, which foretold his own degradation,

I

degradation, and his restoration to his understanding and his kingdom, after a period of feven years, which drew from that prince a remarkable narrative, in the form of a public decree, to be circulated through his whole empire, addreffed, in his own lofty style, to all people, nations, and languages, that dwell upon all the earth. It begins in this folemn manner, I thought it good to fhew the figns and wonders which the high How great God has wrought towards me. are his figns and how mighty are his wonders. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and bis dominion is from generation to generation. And it concludes thus, Now I Nebuchadnezzar praife, and extol, and honour, the King of Heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment; and thofe that walk in pride he is able to abase.

Lastly, Daniel interpreted the awful handwriting on the wall at the impious feaft of Belshazzar, and thereby foretold the fall of the Babylonian empire, which was immediately accomplished; for in that very night was Belshazzar flain, and the kingdoms of the Medes and Perfians established.

O 2

Under

Under Darius the Mede Daniel was miraculously delivered from the den of lions, into which he had been thrown for the profeffion of his religion by a decree artfully drawn from that king. That these lions did not fpare Daniel on account of fome cafual indifpofition, appeared from their feizing and devouring his enemies, whom the king ordered to be thrown to the fame lions as foon as Daniel was taken out of the den. For we read, Dan. vi. 24. that they brake all their bones in pieces, or ever they came to the bottom of the den. This remarkable deliverance drew from Darius as remarkable a decree. Dan. vi. 25. Then King Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth, Peace be multiplied. I make a decree that, in every dominion of my kingdom, men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; for he is the living God, and standeth for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be deftroyed, and his dominion fhall be even unto the, end; who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.

But

But the miracle that was more particularly calculated to demonftrate the fuperiority of the true God with respect to the idols of Babylon, was one in which Daniel had no perfonal concern. It was the deliverance of his companions, Shadrach, Mefhech, and Abednego, from the fiery furnace, for refusing to fall down and worship a golden image which Nebuchadnezzar had fet up. The furnace was even heated feven times for this purpose, and yet these three men, the worshippers of the true God, after they were caft into it, were feen walking about at their eafe, in the midst of the fire, accompanied by a fourth perfon, who was probably an angel. Nebuchadnezzar, having himself feen then in this fituation, ordered them to be called out, and then made the following declaration and decree; Dan. iii. 28. Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Mefbech, and Abednego, who hath fent his angel, and delivered his fervants who trufled in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not ferve nor worship any God except their own God. Therefore I