This idol, Bell, was of such repute among the people of Babylon, that a most magnificent temple was erected for him on the ruins of the famous tower which was built by the descendants of Noah in order to perpetuate their name upon the earth. This, we are told by Herodotus, was one of the most magnificent temples in the world. It was adorned with many curious statues, among which was one of gold, forty feet high; and the rest of the furniture of the temple amounted to eight hundred talents of .gold. It is probable, nor indeed has it ever been disputed amongst the learned, that this famous image was the same which king Nebuchadnezzar set up in the plains of Babylon, and commanded all his subjects to worship it.

It is not our intention to consider any of the books called Apocryphal, as written by Divine inspiration; and yet we cannot see why the same degree of credit should not be paid to them as to other human compositions, if the evidence by which they are supported is rational. And let us now appeal to every unprejudiced person, whether the history of Bell and the Dragon has not a more rational appearance than some things related by the best heathen authors. Nothing was more common than for the Pagan priests to make their votaries believe that all the sacrifices offered in their temples were eaten up by their idols, although the priests sold them in the markets. The story of Bell and the Dragon is as follows: Cyrus having taken Babylon, like most of the ancient conquerors, worshipped Bell or Belus, the god of the country; but the rites and ceremonies not being so simple as those in Persia, where he had been educated, he began to entertain some doubts concerning them. Daniel being, without dispute, at that time prime minister to Cyrus, and the king being a man of an inquisitive turn of mind, naturally entered into conversation with Daniel concerning the religion of the Jews. In this, there is nothing at all surprising; for, first, the Jews were a people different in their manners, customs, and religion, from all others in the world; and secondly, they were then about to return from captivity.

The great fame of Daniel had undoubtedly procured him admittance into the temple of Belus, not to worship, but to discover the knavery of the priests. Zealous to promote the worship of the true God, he mentioned to the king the circumstance of his being imposed on by the priests, and pointed out the way to detect them, namely, by causing the floor of the temple to be sprinkled with ashes. The priests, who were seventy in number, desired the king to seal up the door, which was done; but they had a private passage under the table or altar, through which they with their wives and children passed, and ate up the provisions set before the idol, and what was not eaten up they carried away. In the morning, the king, accompanied by Daniel, went to the temple, where he found the door sealed, but on going in, saw the marks of feet on the pavement. The king being much incensed, ordered the priests to show him the privy door, and as soon as he had extorted from them a confession of their guilt, he ordered them all to be massacred, with their wives and children,—a practice very common in that age, and in other periods of time, of which many examples will be given.

Nor is the account of the Dragon less probable; for, besides Bell, the Babylonians had many other idols whom they worshipped; and what

serves most to support the truth of the narrative, is, that a great insurrection took place in Babylon, on account of the king's partiality to the Jews. It is true, Cyrus was prophesied of above two hundred years before he was born, as a great prince, who was to deliver the Jews from captivity; but the means to be used by him were not pointed out. God, in his allwise government of the world, often produces great events from causes which we look upon as trifling. But here we meet with something striking and natural, and consistent with all those rules by which the evidence of history has in all ages been regulated.

Cyrus had not been brought up in the religion of the Babylonians; and although as a political prince he complied with their outward form of worship, yet no sooner had he discovered the tricks practised by their priests, than he let loose his vengeance upon them, and granted many privileges to the Jews. The only objection that can be brought against any part of this narrative is, that the author mistakes some names and facts; which is not to be wondered at, when we consider, that the best historians of antiquity have done so.

The Babylonians had a most horrid practice with respect to the promiscuous use of women; and prostitution was not only tolerated, but even enjoined as an article of religion. The temple of Mylitta, a goddess resembling Venus, was a common brothel. On a certain festival, once every year, all the young women in the city were obliged to attend in the temple, and submit to public prostitution; and not only in their temples, but likewise in the streets, and on the highways. Baruch says, chap. vi. 43. "The women also with cords about them, sitting in the ways, burn bran for perfume; but if any of them, drawn by some that passeth by, lie with him, she reproacheth her fellow that she was not thought as worthy as herself, nor her cord broken."

Another idol worshipped in Babylon, was called Merodach, of whom we read, "Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces, her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces." Jer. 1. 2.

It is not certain who this Merodach was; but probably he was an ancient king of Babylon, who having performed some wonderful exploit, was afterwards considered as a deity, as was common among other heathen nations. Several of their kings seem to have been named after him, such as Evil-Meradach, and Merodach-Baladan; which last began to reign about seven hundred and seventeen years before the birth of Christ.

Succoth-Benoth was another idol worshipped by the Babylonians; as is evident from what we read in 2 Kings, xvii. 29, 30. "Howbeit, every nation made gods of their own, and the men of Babylon made SuccothBenoth."

The Babylonians, who worshipped this idol, were a colony sent to Samaria; and the image represented a hen and chickens, thereby pointing out fertility. There was a temple erected for this goddess, where all the young women were obliged to submit to prostitution once every year; for the truth of which we have the testimony of Herodotus.

The Babylonians buried their dead in the same manner as the Assyrians, namely, by laying the bodies in the earth; and dark and confu as their notions were in many respects, yet they believed in a future of rewards and punishments. This is the more to be wondered at,

we consider that their religion was little more than a system of crimes; but then let us reflect, that the people knew no better,-they had forgotten even tradition itself, and were become slaves to the worst of all passions.

Having said thus much concerning the religion of the ancient Babylonians, we shall now proceed to describe in what manner that magnificent city was destroyed; which were we to omit, would be utterly inconsistent with the plan we have laid down. This, indeed, is one of the most remarkable events upon record, and serves to point out the wisdom and justice of the Divine Being. Here let the profligate tremble, and the deist hide his face! That the children of Israel should be taken captives to Babylon, was foretold long before the event took place; but the same prophets, who pointed out their afflictions, predicted, at the same time, the fate of this haughty city. Nay, it was promised, that at the end of seventy years, the Jews should be delivered, and that God would bring everlasting destruction upon Babylon.

We mortals are too apt to be filled with pride, when we consider the victories obtained by conquerors, who although instruments in the hands of God, to accomplish the designs of his Providence, yet are considered by him in the most diminutive point of view-or rather, as most illustrious robbers and murderers, as scourges for men's impieties, and such as God will in his vengeance cut off.

It had been prophesied long before, that this great city should be taken by the Medes and Persians, under the command of Cyrus, and that it was to be attacked in a very extraordinary manner. very extraordinary manner. They reckoned their strength to consist in the river Euphrates, and yet that river proved their folly by being the means of their destruction. The city was to be taken in the night, during a great festival. Their king was to be seized in an instant and so was Belshazzar, when Cyrus took their city. Lastly, their king was to have no burial: and Belshazzar's carcase was thrown to the dogs. See Jer. 1. 51, with many other passages in the prophetic

writings.

Cyrus having besieged the city of Babylon upwards of two years, contrived to cut a vast ditch, or canal, to draw off the stream of the Euphrates; and just about the time he had got it completed, he was told that there was to be a solemn feast in the city, and he availed himself of that circumstance. During the night, the inhabitants of Babylon were lost in all manner of debauchery, and the king, as if intending to mock the great God, sent for the sacred vessels which had been brought from Jerusalem: but mark the justice of God! at a time when men forget him. During the feast, a hand appeared, writing the following words on the wall:-"Mene, Mene, Tekel Upharsin." Dan. v. 25. The king being much terrified, sent for the magicians, desiring them to interpret the meaning of the words, which none of them could do, for they were written in those characters which are now called Syriac. The king, not knowing what to make of this extraordinary circumstance, was desired by the queen to send for Daniel; and this queen, whom the Greeks call Nitocris, must have been either the mother or grandmother of Belshazzar, for she had been long acquainted with Daniel, and he was at that time a very old man. Daniel explained the words to the king, but he was too much lost in drunkenness to pay any regard to them.

In the mean time, Cyrus opened the sluices of his canals; which drawing off the water of the river at two different parts, his army marched into the city without opposition. Belshazzar, roused from the stupidity into which his wine had thrown him, came out to meet his enemies, but was soon killed with all those who attended him, and all who were found in the streets. Such was the end of the city of Babylon, after it had flourished many years; and Cyrus having removed the seat of empire to Shushan in Persia, it soon became a desert, and the place where it stood is not now exactly known. Alexander the Great attempted to rebuild Babylon; but that the purpose of God might stand, and that the prophecies might be fulfilled, the ambitious tyrant was taken off by death before he could complete his design. It was prophesied that Babylon should become the habitation of wild beasts, and that at last it should be turned into pools of water. Let us now see how this was literally fulfilled.

When it was first deserted of its inhabitants, the Persian kings turned it into a park for hunting, and there they kept their wild beasts. When the Persian empire declined, the beasts broke loose; so that when Alexander the Great marched eastward, he found Babylon a perfect desert. He intended to have restored the Euphrates to its ancient channel, but that only served to complete the ruin of the place; for the design not being completed, the river overflowed its banks, and the greatest part of that once celebrated city became a lake or pool of water. Theodorus, who lived about four hundred years after Christ, tells us, that Babylon was the receptacle of snakes, serpents, and all sorts of noxious animals, so that it was dangerous to visit it. Benjamin of Taledo, a Jew, who visited it in 1112, tells us, that few remains of it were left, nor were there any inhabitants within many miles of it. Rawolffe, a German, who travelled into the East in 1572, found it very difficult to discover the place upon which it stood, nor could the neighbouring inhabitants give him proper directions. Many later travellers have sought for her situation in vain, particularly Mr. Hanway, who visited that part of the world about a century ago.

That great and good man tells us, that he spent several days to find out the situation of Babylon, but could not, although he had every assistance a modern traveller could procure. Nay, so uncertain was he of its ancient situation, that the more he inquired, the more he was left in the dark. It was once a nest of vile idolaters, and afterwards became a cage for unclean beasts; but now we have nothing left but the name. Let this consideration strike deep into the heart of every British subject, and let us learn wisdom and piety from the vices of those who have lived in ages before us. Let us learn to carry a holy jealousy with us in every part of our conduct, and never forget, that sin, as an offence against God, will, at all times, bring down upon us the Divine vengeance. If we, as Britons, should follow the Babylonians in their sins, we may expect to share in their punishment. That Almighty power which turned Babylon into a desert, is able to deprive us of all the invaluable blessings we so much boast of, and too much abuse. We can never form right notions of Providence, without attending to such historical events as are 1. corded; but if properly improved, they may be of great advantage

time, and infinitely so in eternity. As inhabitants of the same kingom, and as fellow-subjects, let us never forget, that national calamities are procured by national sins.

SEC. V.-RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES AND CUSTOMS OF THE MEDES AND PERSIANS.

THE ancient kingdoms of Persia and Media were so nearly connected by a variety of concurring circumstances, that they cannot be separated in this article. Nay, it is much better that they should be kept joined, especially as they were many ages under one sovereignty.

During the continuance of the Assyrian empire, the Medes had no regular form of government, but lived in clans or tribes, much in the same manner as the ancient Britons. At last Deyoces, the son of Phaortes, a Mede by birth, projected the scheme of bringing them all under one monarchy. He was a man of great prudence, and much esteemed by his countrymen; he had beheld with concern the many disorders which had taken place from the jarring contentions among petty tyrants, and he resolved to avail himself of such favourable circumstances. His reputation was so great, that the people of his own district made him their judge; and his decrees were so much approved of, that his popularity increased every day. The next part of his plan was, to pretend that he could not neglect his own domestic affairs to serve the public, and therefore desired to retire from business. Then it was that the good effects which had flowed from his wise administration began to be sensibly felt ; for no sooner was it known that Deyoces had resigned, than all sorts of licentiousness took place among the lower orders of the people.

These disorders, which threatened destruction to the state, occasioned a meeting of the chiefs to be held, and Deyoces having sent his emissaries thither, a motion was made that a king should be chosen, and the election fell unanimously on him. Deyoces obtaining the end of his ambition, set himself about reforming abuses, and polishing the minds of of his subjects. For this purpose he set about building a city and palace; for before that period the people lived in huts in the woods. This city was called Ecbatana, and it was most magnificent and beautiful. It was built in a circular form, on an eminence, from whence there was a most delightful prospect over a plain diversified with woods and rivers. His next business was that of composing a body of laws for his people; and from what we read in ancient history, they were well calculated towards promoting order among men who had not till then been under a regular form of government.

Persia had been long under the government of its own kings, and continued so till the reign of Cyrus the Great, who united them, not by conquest, but by right of succession. Shushan, the royal city, seems to have been built long before the times of Cyrus; for we find it mentioned as a flourishing place about the time that great prince issued his order for the Jews to return to their own country. The religion of the Medes and Persians was of great antiquity, and probably taught by one of the grandsons of Noah, who planted colonies in those parts, soon after the confusion of languages. Noah had taught his children the knowledge of