a likewise the most powerful? By what other light than that of divine revelation could he discover that Alexander would have no son to succeed him; that his empire would be dismembered and divided into four principal kingdoms; and his successors would be of his nation, but not of his blood; and that out of the ruins of a monarchy so suddenly formed, several states would be established, of which some would be in the east, others in the west, some in the south, and others in the north? The particulars of the facts foretold in the remainder of the eighth, and in the eleventh chapter, are no less astonishing. How could Daniel, in Cyrus's reign b, foretel, that the fourth of Cyrus's successors should gather together all his forces, to attack the Grecian states? How could this prophet, who lived so long before the times of the Maccabees, particularly describe all the persecutions which Antiochus would bring upon the Jews; the manner of his abolishing the sacrifices, which were daily offered in the temple of Jerusalem; the profanation of that holy place, by setting up an idol therein; and the vengeance which God would inflict on him for it? How could he, in the first year of the Persian empire, foretel the wars, which Alexander's successors would, make with one another, in the kingdoms of Syria and Egypt, their mutual invasions of one another's territories, their insin cerity in their treaties and their marriage-alliances, which would only be made to cloak their fraudulent and perfidious designs? I leave to the intelligent and religious reader to draw the conclusion, which naturally results from these predictions of Daniel; for they are so clear and express, that Porphyry e, a professed enemy of the Christian religion, could find no other way of disputing the divine origin of them, than by pretending, that they were written after the events, and rather a narration of things past, than a prediction of things to come. Before I conclude this article of Daniel's prophecies, I must desire the reader to remark, what an opposition the Holy Ghost has put between the empires of the world and the kingdom of Jesus Christ. In the former, every thing appears great, splendid, and magnificent. Strength, power, a And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion: and his kingdom shall be divided towards the four winds of heaven, and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion, which he ruled. Dan. xi. 3, 4. Four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power. Dan. viii. 22. b Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia, and the fourth shall be far richer than they all; and by his strength through his riches he shall stir op all against the realm of Grecia. Dan. xi. 2. c Xerxes. d Dan. xi. 5-45. e S. Hieron, in procem, ad Gom. jo Dan. glory, and majesty seem to be their natural attendants. In them we easily discern those great warriors, those famous conquerors, those thunderbolts of war, who spread terror every where, and whom nothing could withstand. But then they are represented as wild beasts, as bears, lions, and leopards, whose sole attribute is to tear in pieces, to devour, and to destroy. What an image and picture is this of conquerors! How admirably does it instruct us to lessen the ideas we are apt to form, as well of empires, as their founders or governors ! In the empire of Jesus Christ it is quite otherwise. Let us consider its origin and first rise, or carefully examine its progress and growth at all times, and we shall find, that weakness and meanness (if I may be allowed to say so) have always outwardly been its striking characteristics. It is the leaven, the grain of mustard-seed, the little stone cut out of the mountain. And yet in reality there is no true greatness but in this empire. The eternal Word is the founder and the king thereof. All the thrones of the earth come to pay homage to his, and to bow themselves before him. The end of his reign is the salvation of mankind; it is to make them eternally happy, and to form to himself a nation of saints and just persons, who are all of them so many kings and conquerors. It is for their sakes only, that the whole world doth subsist; and when the number of them shall be complete, "Then," says St. Paul," cometh the end and consummation "of all things, when Jesus Christ shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put "down all rule, and all authority and power." Can a writer who sees in the prophecies of Daniel that the several empires of the world, after having subsisted the time determined for them by the Sovereign Disposer of kingdoms, do all terminate and centre in the empire of Jesus Christ; can a writer, I say, amidst all these profane objects, forbear turning his eyes now and then towards that great and divine one, and not have it always in view, at least at a distance, as the end and consummation of all others? SECT. III. The last Years of Cyrus. The Death of that Prince. Let us return to Cyrus. Being equally beloved by his own natural subjects, and by those of the conquered nations, he peaceably enjoyed the fruits of his labours and victories. His empire was bounded on the east by the river Indus, on the north by the Caspian and Euxine seas, on the west by a 1 Cor. xv, 24. & Cyrop. 1. viil. p. 233, &c. the gean sea, and on the south by Ethiopia and the sea of Arabia. He established his residence in the midst of all these countries, spending generally seven months of the year at Babylon, in the winter season, because of the warmth of that climate; three months at Susa in the spring time, and two months at Ecbatana, during the heat of the sum mer. Seven years being spent in this state of tranquility, Cyrus returned into Persia, for the seventh time from his accession to the whole monarchy: and this shows, that he used to go regularly into Persia once a-year. Cambyses had been now dead for some time, and Cyrus himself was grown pretty old, being at this time about 70 years of age; 30 of which had elapsed since his being first made general of the Persian forces, nine from the taking of Babylon, and seven from his beginning to reign alone after the death of Cyax ares. To the very last a he enjoyed a vigorous state of health, which was the fruit of his sober and temperate life. And whereas they, who give themselves up to drunkenness and debauchery, often feel all the infirmities of age, even whilst they are young, Cyrus, on the contrary, in a very advanced age, enjoyed all the vigour and advantages of youth. When he perceived the time of his death to draw nigh, he ordered his children, and the chief officers of the state, to be asssembled about him; and, after having thanked the gods for all their favours towards him through the course of his life, and implored the like protection for his children, his country, and his friends, he declared his eldest son, Cambyses, his successor, and left the other, whose name was Tanaoxares, several very considerable governments. He gave them both excellent instructions, by representing to them, that the main strength and support of the throne was neither the vast extent of countries, nor the number of forces, nor immense riches; but a due respect for the gods, a good understanding between brethren, and the art of acquiring and preserving true and faithful friends. "I conjure you "therefore," said he, “ my dear children, in the name of “the gods, to respect and love one another, if you mean "to retain any desire to please me in future. For I de "not think you will esteem me to be no longer any thing, "because you will not see me after my death. You never saw my soul to this instant: you must have known however by its actions that it really existed. Do you believe, that honours would still be paid to those whose 66 a Cyrus quidem apud Xenophontem eo sermone, quem moriens habuit, cum admodum senex esset, negat se unquam sensisse senectutem suam imbecilliorem factam, quam adolescentia fuisset. Cic. de Senect. n. 30. 1 t 66 66 "bodies are now but ashes, if their souls had no longer 66 The order given by Cyrus to RESTORE HIS BODY TO THE EARTH, is, in my opinion, very remarkable. He would have thought it disgraced and injured, if enclosed in gold or silver. RESTORE IT TO THE EARTH, says he. Where did that prince learn, that it was from thence it derived its original? Behold one of those precious traces of tradition as old as the world. Cyrus, after having done good to his subjects during his whole life, demands to be incorporated with the earth, that benefactress of the human race, to perpetuate that good, in some measure, even after his death. CHARACTER AND PRAISE OF CYRUS. Cyrus may justly be considered, as the wisest conqueror, and the most accomplished prince mentioned in profane history. He was possessed of all the qualities requisite to form a great man; wisdom, moderation, courage, magnanimity, noble sentiments, a wonderful ability in managing men's tempers and gaining their affections, a thorough knowledge of all the parts of the military art as far as that age had carried it, a vast extent of genius and capacity for forming, and an equal a A. M. 3475, Ant, J. C. 529, steadiness and prudence for executing the greatest projects. It is very common for those heroes, who shine in the field, and make a great figure in the time of action, to make but a very poor one upon other occasions, and in matters of a different nature. We are astonished when we see them alone and without their armies, to find what a difference there is between a general and a great man; to see what low sentiments and mean actions they are capable of in private life; how they are influenced by jealousy, aud governed by interest; how disagreeable and odious they render themselves by their haughty deportment and arrogance, which they think necessary to preserve their authority, and which only serve to make them hated and despised. Cyrus had none of these defects. He appeared always the same, that is, always great, even in the most indifferent matters. Being assured of his greatness, of which real merit was the foundation and support, he thought of nothing more than to render himself affable, and easy of access; and whatever he seemed to lose by this condescending, humble demeanour, was abundantly compensated by the cordial affection and sincere respect it procured him from his people. Never was any prince a greater master of the art of insinuation, so necessary for those that govern, and yet so little understood or practised. He knew perfectly what advantages may result from a single word rightly timed, from an obliging carriage, from a command tempered with reason, from a little praise in granting a favour, and from softening a refusal with expressions of concern and good-will. His history abounds with beauties of this kind. a He was rich in a sort of wealth which most sovereigns want, who are possessed of every thing but faithful friends, and whose indigence in that particular is concealed by the splendour and affluence with which they are surrounded. Cyrus was beloved, because he himself had a love for others for has a man any friends, or does he deserve to have any, when he himself is void of friendship? Nothing affects us more, than to see in Xenophon, the manner in which Cyrus lived and conversed with his friends, always preserving as much dignity, as was requisite to keep up a due decorum, and yet infinitely removed from that ill-judged haughtiness, which deprives the great of the most innocent and agreeable pleasure in life, that of conversing freely and sociably with persons of merit, though of an inferior station. The use he made of his friends, may serve as a perfect model to all persons in authority. His friends had received from him not only the liberty, but an express command a Habes amicos, quia amicus ipse es. Paneg. Trajan. b Plat. l. iii. de Leg. p. 694. |