long period of three thousand 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 fubject 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 livered the distinguished from the reft of the world; Prophecy, and an epitome of fome of the most figY. W. nal events recorded in antient hiftory.

Ifaiah de

3292.

B. C.

712.

It was delivered by Ifaiah, according to the shortest computation, more than an

hun

a

hundred years before the birth of the elder Cyrus; and represents the Almighty as calling upon him expressly 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 exécute his fovereign will, while unconscious of guidance or affiftance in the rapidity and extent of his victories-it minutely defcribes 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

Jofephus places this Prophecy two hundred. and ten years before the birth of Cyrus. Critici Şacri, tom. iv. p. 5190.

5,6.

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

be

Cyrus

was born

Y. W. 3405.

B. C.

599.

be 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 back-, ward, and maketh their knowledge foolish; that confirmeth the word of his fervant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; 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 plares thereof: that faith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers: that faith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleafure; even saying to Ferufalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the Temple, Thy foundation fhall 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 two leaved gates; and the gates fhall not be fhut; I will go before thee, and make the

crooked

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 furnamed thee, though thou haft not known me. I am the Lord, and there is none elfe, 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, that there is none befides me: I am the Lord, and there is none else.

Concerning the application of the name, which it may be observed, is twice mentioned, no cavil can be raised, or doubt entertained. The Greek and Latin vary very little, either in orthography or pronunciation from the Hebrew text, and the antient Chaldee Paraphrafe; and

in