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And thou shalt be an astonishment, a proverb, and a by-word among all the nations whither the Lord fhall lead thee. This has literally been the cafe at all times, fince their national punishment has been inflicted. The very name of a Jew has been used as a term of peculiar reproach and infamy. Their avarice, ufury, and infenfibility have long been in a manner proverbial; being confidered as more peculiarly marking their character, than that of any other people in the world.

Reflexions upon the common course of events would naturally have induced Mofes to draw conclufions very different from the fate which we have feen he denounced against the Ifraelites, in cafe of disobedience. It was natural to fuppofe, that, if they were re-. duced to fubjection, it would be by fome neighbouring power, with whom, and with whofe appearance, they were well acquainted; that if they were driven from their country, another people would poffefs it, and the land itself preserve the same character and defcription as before; and if they were completely difperfed and carried captives into foreign countries, that they would fuffer the common lot of other captive nations, and be blended with their conquerors; and in time entirely

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lose their peculiar name and character. The fact, as well as the prediction, has been directly the reverfe. According to the Prophetic words of the infpired writers, they have been twice enflaved by diftant and unknown nations; their land has become not only defolate, but barren; and they exist at this day difperfed among all nations, but not deftroyed; the living, confpicuous, and wellknown witnesses of the truth of Prophecy. The long period of three thoufand years has paffed fince this Prophecy was delivered, which the lapfe of ages, and the revolutions of human events, have only ferved to confirm and to fulfil.

CLASS

CLASS I.

CHAPTER THE FIFTH.

The Fulfilment of the Prophecy, that Cyrus was to be the Conqueror of Babylon, and the Deliverer of the Jews.

THE Prophecy which is next to be the subject of our attention, is in itself a peculiar one: clear and explicit in its language; important in its reference to the great defign for which the Jews were distinguished from the reft of the world; and an epitome of fome of the most fignal events recorded in antient hiftory.

It

was delivered by Ifaiah, ac-
cording to the fhorteft com-
putation, more than an hun-
dred years
a before the birth

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Ifaiah de-
livered the
Prophecy,
Y. W.
3292.
B. C.

712.

Jofephus places this Prophecy two hundred and ten years before the birth of Cyrus. Critici facri, tom. iv.

P. 5190.

of

Cyrus
was born

Y. W.
3405.
B. C.

599.

of the elder Cyrus; and reprefents the Almighty as calling upon him exprefsly by his name as the future deliverer of his people from their allotted captivity; and as the mighty conqueror of nations, led on by the Omnipotent Ruler of the universe, to execute his fovereign will, while unconfcious of guidance or affiftance in the rapidity and extent of his victories; it minutely describes the fiege of Babylon and the conqueft of the Affyrian Empire; and diftinctly affirms that Cyrus fhall iffue a decree for the rebuilding Jerufalem, and publish to the Gentile nations the greatness and the power of the God of Ifrael-the Lord of the whole earth b.

Thus faith the Lord thy Redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the Lord that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone, that Spreadeth abroad the earth by myself; that fruftrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wife men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish; that confirmeth the word of bis fervant, and performeth the counsel of his

Ifaiah xliv. 24, 25, 26, 27, 28. xlv. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

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meffengers; that faith to Jerufalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raife up the decayed places thereof: that faith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers: that faith of Cyrus, He is my fhepherd, and shall perform all my pleafure; even faying to Jerufalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the Temple, Thy foundation Shall be laid.

Thus faith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whofe right hand I have holden, to fubdue nations before him; and I will loofe the loins of kings, to open before him the twoleaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before thee, and make the crooked places ftraight; I will break in pieces the gates of brafs, and cut in funder the bars of iron: and I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of fecret places, that thou mayeft know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Ifrael. For Jacob my fervant's fake, and Ifrael mine elect I have even called thee by thy name: I have Jurnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God befide me: I girded thee, though thou haft not known me: that they may know from the rifing of the fun, and from the weft,

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