" event," to the kingdom of Jefus Chrift, in which it fhall receive a full accomplishment, and to which we look forward with hope and joy.

4

That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and fay, How hath the oppreffor ceased! the golden city ceased!

The prophet now returns to describe the fall of the Babylonish empire, by means of which great event, way fhould be made for the accomplishment of the predictions that we have been confidering.-This fubject is introduced, with the utmost propriety, in the form of a triumphant fong. A chorus of Jews first express their furprise and astonishment at the fudden downfal of Babylon, and the great reverse of the tyrant's condition, who, like his predeceffors, had oppreffed his own and neighbouring kingdoms. Against the debased monarch, they are called, to take up this proverb. The Hebrew verb of the noun translated proverb, fignifies, to exercise authority, to compare one thing with another, to utter weighty fayings or parables. The noun is ufed to exprefs every fort of fententious, figurative, and fublime fpeech; fuch as the Proverbs of Solomon, which are delivered in fhort fentences, frequently figurative, and generally authoritative, both in matter and form. Such alfo are the wife maxims, and pithy fayings of Jefus Christ, recorded in the gofpel: where he faith, No man can serve two mafters; Where your treasure is, there will your heart be alfo.' Some proverbs are obfcure, and fignify fomewhat different from what the words feem to intimate: of this fort was that anciently used in Ifrael, The fathers have eaten four grapes, and the childrens teeth are fet on edge *;' and that mentioned by the apoftle Peter, The dog is turned again to his vomit; and the sow that was

6

Ezek. xviii. 2.

⚫ washed,

'washed, to her wallowing in the mire *. Others are plain, moral fentences; of which you have an inftance, 1 Samuel xxiv. 13. in the fpeech of David to king Saul, As faith the proverb of the ancients, Wicked'nefs proceedeth from the wicked.' The proverb which was to be ufed by the men of Judah, was a taunting kind of fpeech, in which the power and pride of Babylon was to be infulted, and treated with contempt.In this view alfo, you may confider the following words of triumph, in which the people of God were to exprefs their joy at the deftruction of that great city.

How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased! The oppreffor is a name which emphatically defcribes the character of the king of Babylon, whofe government was ftained with injuftice, violence, and oppreffion, and fupported by heavy exactions impofed on the neighbouring ftates, to fupport his magnificence and grandeur.- The golden city is a graphical description of that city, which was renowned for its immense riches and incomparable fplendor. To express their astonishment at the event alluded to, they inquire, How hath the oppreffor ceafed! the golden city ceased! He who oppreffed us and other nations, who made us to ferve with hard bondage, how is he come to nothing! Who hath accomplished his ruin, and by whom hath his destruction been effected? Both the prince, and the city, have ceased. The king was flain, and the city overthrown.

5 The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the fceptre of the rulers.

These words contain an answer to the preceding inquiry God is acknowledged the author of this wonderful defolation. The king of Babylon might justly be called the staff of the wicked, in as much as

+2. Peter ii. 22.

he

he greatly promoted the practice of all manner of wickedness, and was a chief fupport of its interests, This inftrument of corruption and guilt the Lord hath broken: he hath fuddenly crufhed him by a violent death, whereby a final period is put to all his mighty power and influence. And the fceptre of the rulers. The royal authority (fignified by a fceptre), which was exerted, by means of the rulers and governors of the provinces, over the people, was likewise broken and destroyed. Thus did the Moft High take away from the earth this wicked, tyrannical prince, and his proud ambitious rulers, that his people might enjoy the inestimable benefits of liberty and safety.

6 He who fmote the people in wrath with a continual ftroke; he that ruled the nations in anger, is perfecuted, and none hindereth.

The language of exultation and triumph, begun in the foregoing verfe, is ftill continued.The king of Babylon made war with the people of Ifrael, and the nations of the earth; and, having conquered them, he fmote them, not with temper and moderation, but with wrath and fierce anger; not with an occafional, but with an uninterrupted and continual stroke. He ruled over the kingdoms which he vanquifhed, not with mildness and equity, but with extreme rigour and feverity: he governed them, not with juftice and clemency, but with tyranny and oppreffion. -This haughty, angry monarch is perfe cuted, and none hindereth. He was purfued, overtaken, and seized, by the juftice of God, and quickly brought to condign punishment. None of the neigh bouring states or princes, who were tributary to him, or in alliance with him, afforded him any affiftance, or interpofed in his behalf, to ward off the blow given him by the direction and appointment of Heaven. Thus doth the Lord pour contempt upon princes, and

abafe

abase thofe who walk in pride, punishing their pride and infolence, their cruelty and oppreffion, according to their defert.

7 The whole earth is at reft, and is quiet; they break forth into finging.

The happy effects refulting to furrounding nations, from the abolition of the tyrannical power of the king of Babylon, are beautifully delineated in this verfe. All the kingdoms of the earth which were fubject to the Babylonian empire, and connected with it, were to experience an agreeable ceffation from the difquietude and turbulence which they fuffered, from exorbitant claims and rigorous demands which had been made upon them, by a monarch, whofe defire for riches, and ambition of power and conqueft, knew no bounds. In confequence of his fceptre having been broken, the nations who had formerly ferved him, and been greatly difturbed by the exercise of his tyrannical authority, were to find themselves happily delivered from that continual oppreffion which they were unable to refift, and re-eftablished in the poffeffion of defirable tranquillity and peace.--On this pleafing change of circumftances, they should feel strong emotions, arifing from the fatisfaction and joy which sprang up in their new condition'; fo that they break forth into finging. Transported with the view of the downfal of Babylon, and contemplating the happy effects with which it was to be accompanied, they were to exult in triumphant ftrains, and thus to express their gratitude and joy, on account of the agreeable change of condition which was the subject of their fong.If the nations rejoice at the overthrow of a haughty, tyrannical prince, and the re-establishment of tranquillity and liberty, how much greater ought to be the triumph of those who are delivered from the dominion of divers impetuous lufts, and enjoy the earnefts of spiritual and eternal rest!

Let

Let fuch break forth into finging, in honour of him who hath delivered, and will preserve to his heavenly kingdom.

8 Yea, the fir-trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, faying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us.

The fir-trees and the cedars are here introduced, rejoicing at the fall of Babylon.--The fir and the cedar are the tallest and most stately trees that grow in the foreft; and the cedars of Lebanon were, of all others, the largest and most excellent. Thefe trees are sometimes mentioned in fcripture, as reprefenting perfons exalted to the most eminent ftation, and enjoying the most flourishing condition. In this figurative fenfe I fuppofe that the words before us must be understood. The fir and the cedar of Lebanon are intended to fignify the princes, the rulers, and great men of those kingdoms, which had been haraffed by the king of Babylon before the overthrow of that empire. Perfons of confpicuous dignity, and great opulence, were to exult over the fallen tyrant, and to boast of the eafe and fecurity they expected to enjoy, in confequence of his depreffion, or being laid down. Since thou hast been brought low, and laid upon the ground, like a tree that is cut down, no feller is come up against us, no power hath attacked us, in whose heart it was to cut off nations not a few. Since he who was the axe, in the hand of the Lord, to cut down kingdoms, hath been broke in pieces, there is no other power to give disturbance to the nations, or to deprive them of their just rights.- -The reign of tyrannical monarchs is not commonly of long continuance: God who cutteth off the fpirits of princes, and who is terrible to the kings of the earth, lays them low, and divests them of their power, whilst those around them triumph in their destruction, and the consequent lafety they hope to enjoy.