servants: the unction of the Holy Ghost allays their outward pains, and fills their hearts with inward joy.

A. M. 3434.] Nabuchodonosor's Chastisement.

DANIEL, iv.

[A.C. 566.

The good fortune that attended Nabuchodonosor in his warlike expeditions, had added Egypt to his former conquests. Victory made him insolent; his immense riches, and vast extent of empire, inspired him with such notions of his own excellence, that he fancied himself to be something more than mortal. But as a proof to all succeeding ages, that the greatest potentates, in spite of their prosperity and splendid opulence, are still but poor and feeble men, God was pleased to chastise that haughty monarch in a manner the most humiliating. Nabuchodonosor in a dream saw the heavy stroke that was prepared to lower him, though he could not comprehend it. Perplexed and terrified at the mysterious vision that was shown him, he consulted Daniel, of whose enlightened knowledge and superior wisdom he had been already witness, and begged him to interpret his dream, which he related as follows: In my sleep, said he, I saw a flourishing tree, which seemed to lift its head above the clouds, and to spread its branches from one extremity of the earth to the other. It was luxuriantly clothed with comely leaves and loaded with delicious fruit. The animals of the earth were nourished under its shade, and the birds of the air made their dwelling in its boughs. The form of some heavenly watchman descended from above, who with a loud voice cried out: Cut down the tree, lop off the boughs, and scatter the fruit thereof; but leave the stump of its roots, and let it be tied with a band of iron and brass; for seven revolving seasons let it be wet with the dew of heaven; let his heart be changed from man's, and let his portion be with beasts, amongst the grass of the earth. Daniel listened attentively to the king's narration, till he had heard the whole: he remained silent for à whole hour, fixed, as if with thought, and much troubled in mind, till at the king's command he thus began to explain: The tree, my liege, which you saw, is yourself, whose greatness reaches to the heavens, and whose power extends to the boundaries of the earth. The words of the holy watchman

express the sentence which the Most High hath pronounced against you. For you shall be driven from the society of men, your dwelling shall be with beasts and the wild inhabitants of the forest, you shall eat grass like an ox, you shall be exposed to the dew of heaven, till at the end of seven years you shall be convinced, that the Most High ruleth over all kingdoms here below, and disposeth of them as he pleaseth. But as the root of the tree was suffered to remain, so shall your kingdom still remain to you, after you shall have known that all power is from heaven. Wherefore be not displeased at my advice, which is, that you redeem your sins by almsdeeds, and your iniquities by being merciful to the poor: God may perhaps forgive your offences. Nabuchodonosor did not profit by the advice. At the end of twelve months, as he was walking in his palace, and priding himself upon the great achievements by which he had raised Babylon to its present pitch of grandeur, he heard a voice from heaven repeating to him the sentence of his chastisement, as before pronounced by Daniel: he was immediately struck by the hand of God; a beast's heart was given to him, and he ran away from the company of men to eat grass like an ox, and be exposed to the dew of heaven for seven years. During that time his hair grew out like the plumage of an eagle, and his nails became like the claws of a bird of prey. At the end

of seven years he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and he was restored to his senses. Being sought for by his nobles and magistrates, he was reinstated in his kingdom and former glory. Cured of his pride, and convinced of the justice of that divine power which had humbled him to the earth, he

published a decree, in which he related these wonders which the Most High had wrought towards him, that all nations of the earth might know, that the God of Daniel was the true and only God of the universe.

Such was the chastisement which God inflicted on Nabuchodonosor for his pride. That haughty monarch had exalted himself with great insolence against the Almighty: he was therefore degraded from his throne, and driven out to dwell with wild beasts in the forest. Similar to that is the disgrace which every sinner incurs before God, when in contradiction to reason he follows the impulse of his passions, and quits the. fellowship of the saints, to run after the objects of his sensual appetites. He is then rightly compared to irrational beasts, says the Psalmist, and is made like unto them. To rise from so deplorable a state, let him lift up his eyes to heaven, as Nabuchodonosor did: God rejects not the sighs of the penitent; he is ready to pardon and to spare, whenever his mercy is implored with sincerity and truth.

A.M. 3442.] Idol of Bel and the Dragon.

DANIEL, xiv.

[A.C. 558.

NABUCHODONOSOR did not long survive his re-establishment in the kingdom of Babylon. He was succeeded by his son Evilmerodach, as it is generally thought, who seems to have. been a friend to the captive Jews; for upon his accession to the throne, he not only released king Joakim from prison, in which he had been confined seven and thirty years, but also treated him with a respect suitable to his royal dignity. Daniel enjoyed the same honours under Evilmerodach, as he did under his predecessor. Far from growing remiss in his duty to God by the favours he enjoyed at court, the holy prophet employed his power to destroy the worship of idols, and promote that of the living God. The favourite idol of the Babylonians was called Bel, to whom they affected to pay great respect, though the notions they had formed of his godship were pitifully low and sensual. They fancied him to stand in need of daily food for his existence, which they plentifully supplied him with. A magnificent temple had been built in his honour; thither they repaired to pay him their devotions, thither they every day sent him for his

support many measures of the finest flour, forty sheep, and a proportionable quantity of wine. The priests of this idol entered by night through a subterraneous passage, which they had secretly contrived, and by carrying off the provisions, made the ignorant people believe that they were eaten by Bel. Even the king himself was imposed upon by the gross imposture, and went every day to worship Bel in the temple. He invited Daniel to accompany him: Daniel was too enlightened and steady in his worship of the true God, to comply with the king's request. The king asked him why he would not adore Bel? Because I acknowledge no artificial gods, replied the holy man; I worship none but the living God. The king was surprised that Bel should not be thought a living god, since he daily consumed such quantities of meat and drink. Daniel smiled, and said, that a god which was nothing but clay within and brass without, could not want either meat or drink. The king in anger called for his priests, and threatened them with death, if they did not tell him what became of the meat which was set every day before. the idol. If it is consumed by Bel, said he, Daniel shall die, for having blasphemed against him. Be it done according to thy word, replied Daniel. The king, therefore, with Daniel, and the priests of Bel, seventy in number, entered the temple, together. Let the meats be set upon a table, said the priests, let the wine be prepared, the door then shut, and sealed with the king's ring; and if in the morning they are not found to have been eaten by Bel, we shall suffer death; but if they are, let Daniel then die who has spoken against us. The priests went out, the king set the meats before Bel, and Daniel commanded his servants to bring ashes which he sifted all over the pavement before the king; and going forth they shut the door and departed, after having sealed it with the king's ring. The priests entered by night, according to custom, with their wives and children, through a private passage, and there consumed or carried off the whole provision. The king rose early in the morning, and Daniel with himo Eager to know the event, he repaired straight to the temple and examined the seal, which he found untouched and whole As soon as he had opened the door, he cast his eyes upon the table, and seeing the provisions gone, cried out, Great art thou, O Bel, and there is no deceit in thee! Daniel laughed, and held the king from passing the threshold, until

he had observed the pavement, and beheld the footsteps of men, women, and children, that were imprinted in the ashes. The king upon examination found private doors, through which they entered, and being resolved to strike at the root of the imposture, ordered the priests, with their wives and children, to be put to death, delivering Bel into the power of Daniel, who destroyed both the idol and the temple.

Daniel had scarce disabused the king of one error, when he fell into another equally gross: for a monstrous dragon being found in the same place, the superstitious Babylonians set him up for a god instead of Bel, and adored him. The

king endeavoured to persuade Daniel to join with them in their adoration, since he could not say of this as he had said of Bel, that he was not a living god. Daniel answered, that he adored the Lord his God, the creator of heaven and earth; that this other was no living god, and that by his permission he would kill the dragon without sword or club. The king having granted him leave, he made up a composition of pitch, grass and hair, which he rolled into lumps and gave to the dragon. The dragon swallowed them, and burst asunder; upon which Daniel exclaimed, Behold him whom ye worshipped! The essential service that Daniel rendered to the king and people of Babylon, by disabusing them of their errors, ought to have received some recompense; it met with none; it was repaid with enmity and persecution, the usual portion of the saints, in return for the good they wish and do to ungrateful. men.