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world had been subdued to a state of peace. tion to this, it should also be remembered, that the Eastern nations had an hyperbolical way of speaking of their kings and of their power, and that Daniel addressed Nebuchadnezzar according to the style, and manner of the times and people: And, also, that the extent of the habitable parts of the globe was but little known to the ancients; and, therefore, they were led to think their dominion greater in proportion to the whole world than it actually was.

Keeping these restrictions, therefore, in view, lẹt us now state the extent ofthe Babylonian empire, and we shall find that it was large and vast, and that the kingdom on account of its power and riches, was well represented by a Head of Gold. As Babylon became the seat of Empire after the destruction of Nineveh, so it held under it nearly the same countries which formed the old Assyrian empire. On the South it comprehended the large and extensive country of Arabia; on the South West, Phoenicia, Syria, Pal estine and Egypt were subjected to its dominions; and on the North it extended to Armenia and Media. So great was the fame of Nebuchadnezzar, as a conqueror, that he is said to have extended his arms, not only over the kingdoms adjacent to Babylon, but to the pillars of Hercules, or the entrance into the Mediterranean sea; to have subdued the greatest part of Lybia and Spain, and from thence to have proceeded into Thrace and Pontus.

So extensive, therefore, was the empire of Babylon

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Sir 1. Newton's Chron. P. 324. Bp. Newton's Dis. 13. Prid. an. 605,

in the times of Nebuchadnezzar, that in a West direction, it reached a distance of nearly four thousand miles; and in a North and South, nearly two thousand. A kingdom so large and vast must necessarily include people of various languages and manners ; some parts of it must be barren and waste, while others abound in all the luxuries of life. And, as the Babylonians were great hunters, therefore Daniel describes Nebuchadnezzar's dominion as extending not only over the abodes of men, but over those wild and barren wastes which were inhabited by beasts and birds of prey; as reaching not only over the persofis of men in order to subject them to his laws, but the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, to make them subservient to his pleasure.

By considering the manners of the Babylonians it will appear, that there was a great propriety in Daniel's describing Nebuchadnezzar's empire, as extending over beasts as well as men; for among them, and their successors in empire, the Persians, it was accounted of the highest moment to be able to hunt well.m In making use, therefore, of expressions, which denoted Nebuchadnezzar's dominion both over men and beasts, Daniel not only shewed in general the extent of his empire, but its peculiar nature and kind.

But the head of the image was of gold; this, therefore, points out the wealth and splendour of the Babylonian empire. And whether we consider the soil, the works, the trade, or the riches and spoils of conquered nations brought to Babylon, it will evidently appear, that it was to the highest degree both wealthy and splendid.

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Apud quos (Persas) summa laus esset, fortiter venari. Corn. Nep. in vit. Alci. Xenophon, Cyrop. L. 1. gives an account of a great hunt by the Babylonians, in which they were attacked by Cyrus,

The soil about Babylon was particularly fruitful: its productions were so great and abundant, as almost to appear incredible to those who had not had an opportunity of witnessing its fertility. The harvest would often yield three hundred fold, and generally two hundred. The abundance of the country around Babylon was so ample, as to furnish a third part of the supplies for the king and his armies in the time of the Persian Monarchy; and to be reckoned equivalent to a third of Asia." No stronger proof can, therefore, be given of the richness and fertility of the soil.

How fich Babylon was in works is well known. Its walls were 350 feet high; and 87 thick; and in compass 60 of our miles. Its gates were one hundred in number, and all made of solid brass. Here stood the temple of Belus, which contained the accumulated wealth of ages.

The gold and silver utensils which it contained were of immense value; as it held both those which had belonged to conquered countries, and those which the Babylonians themselves had made and dedicated to idolatrous uses. Several statues of solid gold were placed in it; and upon a moderate computation, it appears that it contained riches to the amount of not less than forty-two millions of our money.

The hanging gardens of Babylon, as they are called, have often been a subject of admiration. They stood upon large massy arches, and were built one upon another in the form of terraces, till the highest terrace equalled the height of the walls of the city. The mould was laid sufficiently deep for the largest trees to take root and grow; and the gardens were filled with every thing fitted for splendour and delight. P

A Herod. L. 1.

0 Prid. an. 570.

P Prid. 570,

That Babylon also was rich in trade, there can be no doubt; though it is rather to be inferred from circumstances, than directly proved from any regular account which we possess of Babylonian commerce. As early as the days of Joshua, which was upwards of seven hundred years before the time of Nebuchadnezzar's dream, Babylonian garments were of great repute and value; for (Josh. vii. 21.) Achan says, “when I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, &c.then I coveted them, and took them." Now, if we consider the progress of trade, in proportion to the time; and to the increase of population and riches, which must have taken place between the times of Joshua and Nebuchadnezzar, it must be evident, that in this interval the progress and extent of trade must have been very extensive. For ages prior to the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, the garments manufactured at Babylon were in the highest estimation in the civilized world, and would, therefore, be an object of much trade and profit.

From Rev. xviii. Ezek. xxiii.) we may clearly discover that Babylon carried on a great trade in various kinds of Jewelry, in linen, in works of Brass and Iron, in different kinds of precious wood, in vessels of gold and silver, in blue and purple garments, and in horses and chariots. Its situation was well adapted to commerce, for it stood almost in the center of the old world; and, by means of the Euphrates and Tigris it could easily export its own productions and manufactures, and as easily receive those of other countries. The manufacturing of cloth, linen, and brass, and iron, it is well known, employs in each branch a great number of men; and when we consider the extent and population of the Babylonian empire, and how much the immediate manufactures of Babylon were in

repute, we may with certainty infer, that it was rich in trade, and that it was well represented by the image's head of gold.

ii. After Daniel had explained to Nebuchadnezzar what was meant by the image's head of gold, he proceeds to explain what was intended by its breast and arms of silver; "And after thee, says he, (v. 39. ) shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee."

Respecting the second and third empires Daniel says but little in explanation; the first and fourth are chiefly enlarged upon, as the first was particularly connected with the church of God in his own times, and the fourth with the church in the latter ages of the world.

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The kingdom represented by the breast and arms of silver was the Medo-Persian. As the parts of the image were continuous, and, like the limbs of the human body, gradually descending from the head to the feet, so these four empires were to succeed each other in close connection. There can be no doubt, therefore, of the Medo-Persian, or Persian empire, as it is generally called, being represented by the arms and breast of silver. All know that the Persian subverted the Babylonian empire, and reduced it under its power; and that Cyrus fixed the seat of government at Babylon. Between the Babylonian aud Persian empires there was no intervening power; and as the empires were to succeed each other in immediate succession, the breast and arms of silver must therefore be applied to the Persian, and to no other empire.

Of the Persian empire Daniel says nothing, excepting that it was to be "inferior" to the Babylonian On the due explanation of the word "inferior," will

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