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A33322	The life & death of Nebuchadnezzar, the Great, the first founder of the Babylonian Empire, represented by the golden head of that image, Dan. 2. 32., and by the lion with eagles wings, Dan. 7. 4. as also of Cyrus, the Great, the first founder of the Empire of the Medes and Persians, represented by the breast, and arms of silver in that image, Dan. 2. 32., and by a bear, Dan. 7. by Sa. Clarke ...	Clarke, Samuel, 1599-1682.	1664 (1664)	Wing C4530; ESTC R15232	35,680	56

Gods goodness and a willing advancer of his Kingdom upon earth which must last for ever Cyrus had Issue two Sons Cambyses and Smerdis and three Daughters Atossa Meroe and Artistoua At his Death he bequeathed his Empire to his Eldest Son Cambyses appointing Smerdis his younger Son to be Satrapa or Leiutenant of Media Armenia and Cadusia He reigned about one and thirty years and died aged The Greek Historians wholly ascribe the Conquest of Babylon to Cyrus because that he commanded the Army in Chief yet the Scriptures attribute it to Darius King of the Medes whose General Cyrus was For when Babylon was taken and Belshazzar slain It s said Dan. 5. 31. that Darius the Median took the Kingdom being about sixty two years old It was Darius also that placed Officers over the severall Provinces thereof as we read Dan. 6. 1 2. It pleased Darius to set over the Kingdom a hundred and twenty Princes which should be over the whole Kingdom and over these three Presidents of whom Daniel was the first c. And thus was it Prophesied by Isay long before Behold I will stir up the Medes against them c. and by the Prophet Jeremy The Lord hath raised up the Spirit of the King of the Medes for his device is against Babylon c. Jer. 55. 11. And again verse 28. Prepare against her the Nations with the Kings of the Medes the Captains thereof and all the Rulers thereof and all the Land of his Dominion But certain it is that the Honour of that great Victory over Babylon was wholly given to Cyrus who was the Instrument preordained and forenamed by God himself not onely for this Action but also for the delivery of his Church Yet Daniel makes it plain that himself not onely lived a great Officer under King Darius but that he continued in that estate to the first year of Cyrus which was not long after which also was the year of Daniels Death As for the age of Cyrus we are beholding to Tully for it who in his first Book de Divinatione Cites it out of one Dionysius a Persian Writer in this manner The Sun saith Dionysius appeared unto Cyrus in his sleep standing at his feet which when Cyrus thrice endeavoured to take in his hands the Sun still turned aside and went away and the Magi who were the most learned men amongst the Persians said that by his thrice offering to take hold of the Sun was portended to him that he should raign thirty years which came to pass accordingly For he lived to the Age of seventy years and began not to raign till he was forty In the first year of Belshazzar Daniel had the Vision shewed him of the four Beasts signifying the four Monarchies and of God delivering over all power and Sovereignty to the Son of man Dan. 7. In the third year of Belshazzar the Vision of the Ram and Goat foreshewing the destruction of the Persian Monarchy by Alexander the Great and the great misery which Antiochus should bring upon the People of God was shewed to Daniel living then at Susa in the Province of Elam upon the bank of the River Vlai which environed the Castle of Susa and parted the Provinces of Susa and Elemais Dan. 8. whence we may collect that at that time the Province of Susa was not in the hands of the Medes and Persians but of the Babylonians under whom Daniel then lived Darius the Mede son of Cyaxares or Ahasuerus the Son of Adyages took upon him the Kingdom which was delivered over to him by Cyrus the Conquerer Dan. 5. 31. 9. 1. The Angel in this first year of his Raign is said to have confirmed and strengthened him in his Kingdom Dan. 11. 1. After which he raigned two years Towards the end of the first year of Darius the Mede the seventy years of the Babylonish Captivity expired which began under Jehoiakim in the first year of Nebuchadnezzar at which time God promised that they should return into their own Country Jer. 29. 10. Thus saith the Lord that after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you and perform my good Word towards you in causing you to return to this place Upon consideration of which very time now so neer approaching it was that Daniel powred out that most fervent Prayer for the Remission of his own sins and of his Peoples and for that promised deliverance out of their Captivity Whereupon the Angel Gabriel brought him an answer not onely concerning this but also for the spiritual deliverance of the Church to be wrought at last by the Death of the Messias uttering that most famous and memorable Prophesie of the seventy Weeks Dan. 9. 12 c. The Samaritans by the means of some Courtiers about Cyrus whom they had bribed for that purpose distributed the Jews in their building of the Temple Ezra 4. 5. Whence proceeded that three weeks mourning of the Prophet Daniel which Fast he begun about the third Day of the first Moneth in the third year of Cyrus Dan. 10. 1. 4. After which upon the four and twentieth Day of the first Moneth that vision of the Kings of Persia of Alexander the Great and his Successours and their Kingdoms was shewed and revealed unto Daniel as he stood upon the bank of Hiddikel or Tygris All which is contained in the three last Chapters of Daniel which as may be collected out of the close thereof was the last Vision that ever he had and that but a little before his Death FINIS Courteous Reader be pleased to take notice that these Books following are Printed for and sold by William Miller at the Gilded Acorn in St Pauls Church-yard near the little North Door Hick●s Revelation Revealed Folio Clares Martyrology Compleat with the Persecutions of England to the end of Queen Maries Reign Folio Lives of ten Eminent Divines some being as follow Bishop Vsher Dr Gouge Dr Harris Mr Gataker Mr Whittaker c. and some other famous Christians Life of Christ 4º Life of Herod the Great 4º A Prospect of Hungary and Transylvania together with an account of the qualities of the Inhabitants the Commodities of the Countries the Chiefest Cities Towns and Strong-holds Rivers and Mountains with an Historycal Narration of the Wars amongst themselves and with the Turks continued to this year 1664. As also a Brief Description of Bohemia Austria Bavaria Steirirark Croatia Dalmatia Moravia and other Adjacent Countries contained in a Map joyned therewith by which Map you may know which Places are in the Power of the Turk and which Christians have 4º Ctadocks KNOWLEDGE and PRACTICE Or a Plain Discourse of the Chief Things necessary to be KNOWN BELIEVED and PRACTISED in Order to SALVATION 4º Ford of Baptism 8º Cott●n on the Covenant of Grace 8º Culverwell of Assurance 8º Records Urinal of Physick 8º Ravius Oriental Grammar 12º Peacocks Visitation 12º Dr Tuckney's Good Day well Improved 12º Death Disarmed 12º Balm of Gilead

his Army he marched strait into Judea where the amazed King made so little resistance the Egyptians having left him as it were in a dream that Nebuchadnezzar entred Jerusalem laid hands on Jehoiakim whom at first he bound intending to send him to Babylon but his mind changing he caused him to be slain in that place and gave him the Burial of an Ass to be devoured by Beasts and ravinous Birds according to the former Prophesie Leaving in his place his Son Jehoiakim or Jeconia whom yet after three moneths and ten days he deposed and sent him Pisoner to Babylon together with Esekiel Mordecay and Josedech the High Priest The Mother of Jeconias together with his Servants Eunuches and all the ablest men and best Artificers in the Land were also then carried away Captives This Jechonias following the Counsel of the Prophet Jeremy made no resistance but submitted himself to the Kings will wherein he both pleased God and did that which was most profitable for himself though at the present it might seem otherwise to such as considered the evil that befell him rather than the greater evill that he thereby avoided This only particular act of his is recorded in Scriture which was good But it seems that he was at least a partaker in his Fathers sins if not a provoker which was the cause that though he submitted himself to Gods will yet did he not preserve his estate For so it is said That he did evil in the sight of the Lord according to all that his Father had done In his stead Nebuchadnezzar set up Mattania his Uncle making him King of Judea and called him Zedechias For like as Necho King of Egypt had formerly displaced Jehoahaz after he had slain his Father Josias and set up Jehoiachim the Son by another Mother So Nebuchadnezzar slew Jehoiakim who depended on the Egyptians and carrying his Son Jeconias Prisoner to Babylon he gave the Kingdom to this Zedechias who was whole Brother to that Jehoahaz whom Necho took with him into Egypt and from Zedechias he required an Oath for his loyalty and faithfull subjection which Zedechias gave him and called the living God to witness in the same that he would remain assured to the Kings of Chaldea 2 Chron. 36. 13. Esek 17. 13 14 18. In the first year of Zedechias Jeremy saw and expounded the vision of the ripe and rotten Figs the one signifying those that were already carried away Captives the other signifying those Jews that yet remained and were afterwards destroyed Jer. 29. 17. In the fourth year of Zedechias Jeremy wrote in a Book all the evil which should fall upon Babylon which Book or Roul he gave to Seriah when he went with King Zedechias to Babylon to visit Nebuchadnezzar willing him first to read it to the Captive Jews and then to binde a stone to it and cast it into Euphrates pronouncing these words Thus shall Babel be drowned and shall not rise from the evil which I will bring upon her This journey of Zedechias to Babylon is probably thought to be in way of a visit and to carry some presents to Nebuchadnezzar But yet its likely he had some suit to make which his Lordly Master refused to grant and sent him away discontented For at his return all the bordering Princes sent Messengers to him inciting him as it seems to those unquiet courses from which the Prophet Jeremy dehorted both him and them About which time the Prophet by Gods appointment made bonds and yokes one of which he wore about his own neck others he sent unto the five Kings of Edom Moab Ammon Tyre and Zidon by those Messengers which came to visit Zedechias making them know that if they and the King of Juda continued in subjection to Babylon they should then possess and enjoy their own Countries If not they should assuredly perish by the Sword by Famine and by Pestilence He also foretold them that those Vessels which yet remained in Jerusalem should be carried after the other to Babylon yet at length should be restored again The same year Ananias the false Prophet took off the Woodden yoke which Jeremy did wear as a sign of the Captivity of the Jews and brake it Vaunting that in like manner after two years God would break the strength of Babel and the yoke which he laid on all Nations and that he would restore Jeconias and all the Jews with the Vessels and Riches of the Temple and put an end to all these troubles But Jeremy instead of his Woodden Yoke wore a Coller of Iron and in sign that Ananias had given a false and deceitfull hope to the People he foretold the Death of this false Prophet which accordingly came to pass in the seventh Moneth After this when Zedechias had wavered long between Faith and Passion in the eight year of his Raign he practiced more seriously against Nebuchadnezzar with his Neighbours the Edomites Ammonites Moabites Tyrians and others who were promised great aides by the Egyptians in confidence of whose assistance he resolved to shake off the Babylonian Yoke whereof when Nebuchadnezzar was informed he marched with his Army in the dead of Winter towards Jerusalem and besieged it Jeremy perswaded Zedekias to render the City and himself to him But Zedechias being confident of help from Egypt and being perswaded by his Princes and false Prophets that it was impossible that the Kingdom of Judah should be extirpated untill the coming of Shilo according to Jacobs Prophesie Gen. 49. 10. he dispised the counsell of Jeremy and imprisoned him For Jeremy had told the King that the City should be taken and burnt that the King should not escape but be taken Prisoner and brought to the presence of Nebuchadnezzar That he should not perish by the Sword but being carried to Babel should there die a naturall Death The following year Jerusalem was surrounded and more strictly besieged by Nebuchadnezzars Army whereupon the King of Egypt Pharaoh Hophra entred into Judea with his Army to succour Zedekias of whose revolt he had been the principall Authour But Jeremy gave the Jews faithfull counsel willing them not to have any trust in the succours of Egypt for he assured them that they should return back again and in no sort relieve them And it fell out accordingly For when the Chaldeans removed from Jerusalem to encounter the Egyptians these bragging Patrones abandoned their enterprise and taking Gaza in their way homewards returned into Egypt as if they had already done enough leaving the poor People in Jerusalem to their destinied miseries Jer. 34. 11 22. In the mean while the Jews who in the time of their extremity had released their Hebrew Bondmen and Bond-women according to the Law in the year of Jubile and made them free thereby to encourage them to fight did now upon the breaking up of the Chaldean

and forty years by himself alone Whilst Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon raged in Judea God prepared a worm which in due time should eat out this spreading Tree by reason of the cry of his poor People which entred into his ears According to that of the Psalmist Psal. 137. 8 9. O Daughter of Babylon who art to be destroyed Happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us Happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones For in this very year was Cyrus the Perso-Median born whose Father was a Persian and his Mother a Mede of whom this very Nebuchadnezzar at the hour of his Death uttered this Prophesie There shall come a Persian Mule who shall make use of your Devils as his fellow-Souldiers to bring you into Bondage He calls Cyrus a Mule because he was to be born of a Father and Mother of two divers Nations FINIS THE LIFE DEATH OF CYRUS the Great THE FIRST FOUNDER of the EMPIRE OF THE MEDES PERSIANS Represented by the Breast and Arms of Silver in that Image Dan. 2. 32. and by a Bear Dan. 7. 5. and by a Ram with two Horns Dan. 8. 3 20. And the deliverer of the Israelites out of Babylon the seventy years of their Captivity being Expired Whereby much light is given to many of the Prophesies of Isay Jeremy Esekiel and Daniel By Sa. Clarke sometime Minister in St Bennet Fink London LONDON Printed for William Miller at the Gilded Acorn in St Pauls Church-yard near the little North Door 1664. THE LIFE DEATH OF CYRUS the Great The first Founder of the PERSIAN EMPIRE CYRVS was the Son of Cambyses King of Persia by Mandanes the daughter of Astyages King of Media He was so named by the Prophet Isay almost two hundred years before he was born Isay 45. 1 4. Thus saith the Lord unto Cyrus his annointed c. Cyrus his first Education was under his Father Cambyses with whom he lived till he was twelve years old and somewhat more at which time he was sent for together with his Mother Mandanes by his Gandfather Astyages into Media In Media he served Astyages first as one of his Halberdiers and then as one of his Armour-bearers till he was called home into Persia by his Father Cambyses when as yet he had one year to spend at School and when he had spent seventeen years at School amongst Boys he spent ten years more amongst youths When Cyrus was now almost sixteen years old Evilmerodach the King of Assyria being about to marry a wife called Nicotris made an in-rode with a great Army of Horse and Foot into the borders of Media there to take his pleasure in hunting and harrassing of the Country against whom Astyages and Cyaxares his Son and Cyrus his Grand child who then first began to bear Arms being but about fifteen or sixteen years old marched out met with him and in a great Battel overthrew him and drave him out his borders Indeed the Death of Nebuchadnezzar the Father of Evilmerodach gave courage to those that had found him a troublesome neighbour to stand upon prouder tearms with the Babylonians than in his flourishing estate they durst have used But Evilmerodach being too proud to digest this loss which he had received by the Medes and their Allies the Persians under Cyrus he drew unto his party the Lydians and all the People of the lesser Asia with great gifts and strong perswasions hoping by their assistance to overwhelm his enemies with a strong invasion whom in vain he had sought to weary out by a lingring War The issue of these great preparations made by Evilm●r●●ach against the Medes was such as opened the way to the fulfilling divers Prophesics which were many years before uttered against Babel by Isay and Jeremy For the Babylonians and their Confederates who trusting in their numbers thought to have buried the Medes and Persians under their thick showers of Arrow and Darts were encountered with an Army of stout and well trained men weightily Armed for close fight by whom they were beaten in a great Battel wherein Evilmerodach was slain After which that great Empire that was raised and upheld by Nebuchadnezzar was grievously shaken and enfeibled under his unprosperous Son and left to be sustained by his Grand-child Belshazzar a man more like to have overthrown it when it was greatest and strongest than to repair it when it was in a way of falling Xenophon relates the matter thus When the Babylonian had enlarged his Empire with many Victories and was become Lord of all Syria and many other Countries he began to hope that if the Medes could be brought under his Subjection there would not then be left any Nation adjoyning able to make head against him For the King of the Medes was able to bring into the Field sixty thousand Foot and ten thousand Horse to which the Forces of Persia being joyned made an exceeding great Army Considering therefore the strength of such a neighbour he invited Craesus King of Lydia a Prince very mighty both in men and Treasure and with him other Lords of Asia the less to his assistance alleadging that those Eastern Nations were very powerfull and so firmly conjoyned by League and many Alliances that it would not be easie no nor possible for any one Nation to resist them With these suggestions backed with rich Presents he drew to himself so many adherents as he compounded an Army of two hundred Thousand Foot and sixty thousand Horse Of which ten thousand Horse and forty thousand Foot were brought by Craesus who had great cause of enmity against the Medes for that they had made great Wars against his Father Allyattes Whereupon Cyrus was by his Father Cambyses and the Council of the Kingdom made Generall of the Persian Army and sent away into Media with thirty Thousand Souldiers and one Thousand Commanders all of equall Authority under him and when he came thither he was also made by his Uncle Cyaxares who had sent for him Generall of the Median Forces and the management of the War against the Babylonian was wholly comitted to him With this Army he marched against Evilmerodach and his associates and in a very bloody Bartell overthrew them In which defeat Evilmerodach King of Babylon being slain so many of his Subjects revolted that Babylon it self could no longer be secured but by the help of Mercenaties waged with great sums of money out of Asia the less Egypt and other Countries which new leavied Forces were also defeated and scattered by Cyrus who following his advantage possessed himself of a great part of the lesser Asia Those Persians which followed Cyrus and were by him levied are reckoned to be thirty thousand Foot of which one thousand were Armed Gentlemen the rest of the common sort were Archers and such as used the Dart or Sling Craesus notwithstanding the men lost and the

THE LIFE DEATH OF Nebuchadnezzar THE GREAT The first founder of the Babylonian Empire Represented by the Golden Head of that Image Dan. 2. 32. and by the Lion with Eagles Wings Dan. 7. 4. As also of CYRUS the GREAT The first founder of the Empire of the Medes and Persians Represented by the Breast and Arms of Silver in that Image Dan. 2. 32. And by a Bear Dan. 7. 5. And by a Ram with two Horns Dan. 8. 3 20. He was the deliverer of Gods Israel out of Babylon the seventy years of their Captivity being Expired By both of these much light is given to many of the Prophesies of Isay Jeremy Esekiel and Daniel By Sa. Clarke sometime Minister in St Bennet Fink London LONDON Printed for William Miller at the Gilded Acorn in St Pauls Church-yard near the little North Door 1664. Licensed to be Printed Roger L'Estrange THE LIFE DEATH OF Nebuchadnezzar THE GREAT The first Emperor of the CHALDEANS Who was represented by the Golden Head of that Image Dan. 2. 32. and by the Lion with Eagles Wings Dan. 7. 4. Whereby much light is given to many of the Prophesies of Isay Jeremy Esekiel and Daniel By Sa. Clarke sometime Minister in St Bennet Fink London LONDON Printed for William Miller at the Gilded Acorn in St Pauls Church-yard near the little North Door 1664. THE LIFE DEATH OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR THE GREAT First Emperor of the CHALDEANS NEbuchadonazar or Nebuchadnezzar was the Son of Nebuchadonazar or Nabopolaser of Babylon who was made General of the Army by Saraco King of Assyria and Chaldea after whose death Nabopolaser took into his hands the Kingdom of Chaldaea which he held by the space of one and twenty years At the same time Astyages was made Governour of Media by Cyaxares his Father and the better to strengthen themselves they entred into Affinity by Astyages his giving his Daughter Amytis to Nebuchadnezzar the Son of Nabopolaser and thereupon joyning their Forces together they took Ninive together with Saraco the King thereof placing a Vice-Roy in his stead Shortly after the Governour of Coelosyria and Poenicia revolting from Nabopolaser he sent against him his Son Nebuchadnezzar having first associated him with himself in the Kingdom of Babylon with a great Army which was in the latter end of the third and the beginning of the fourth year of Jehoiakim King of Juda as appears Dan. 1. 1. compared with Jer. 25. 1. Nebuchadnezzar was no sooner thus associated with his Father in the Kingdom but the things which he was to act were presently revealed to the Prophet Jeremy the first whereof was the overthrow of the Egyptians First at the River Euphrates then in their own Country Jer. 46. The first of these came to pass presently Neco's Forces which he left at Carchemish being cut off by Nebuchadnezzar in the fourth year of Jehoiakim Jer. 46. 2. The second was not till after the taking of Tyre in the seventeenth year of the Captivity of Jechonia Ezek. 29. 17 18 19. In the third year of Jehoiakim Nebuchadnezzar the second his Father being yet alive entred Judaea with a great Army who besieging and forcing Jerusalem made Jehoiakim his Vassal in despight of Pharaoh Necho who had made him King and took with him to Babylon for Pledges Daniel who was yet a child with Ananias Misael and Azarias He took also part of the Treasures belonging to the Temple but stayed not to search thorowly for all For Necho hasted with his Army to the relief of Jehoiakim hoping to find Nebuchadnezzar in Judaea But this great Babylonian had no mind to hazard himself and his Army against the Egyptian Judaea being so ill affected towards him and himself far from all succour or sure place of retreat If he had as may be supposed any great strength of Scythian Horsemen it was wisely done of him to fall back out of that rough Mountanous and hot Country into places that were more even and temperate And besides these reasons the Death of his Father happening at the same time gave him just occasion to return home and take possession of his own Kingdom before he proceeded in the second care of adding more unto it And this he did at reasonable good leasure For the Egyptian was not provided to follow him so far and to bid him Battel until the new year came in which was the fourth of Jehoiakim the first of Nebuchadnezzar and the last of Necho In this year the Babylonian lying upon the Banks of Euphrates his own Territories bounding it on the North-side attended the coming of Necho there after a cruel Battel fought betwixt them Necho was slain and his Army forced to save it self by a violent retreat wherein it suffered great loss This Victory was so well pursued by Nebuchadnezzar that he recovered all Syria and whatsoever the Egyptians held out of their proper Territories towards the North. The Egyptians being thus beaten and altogether for the present discouraged Jehoiakim held himself quiet as being in heart a Friend to the Egyptians yet having made his peace with the Chaldeans the year before and Nebuchadnezzar was contented with such profit as he could there readily make he had forborn to lay any Tribute upon the Jews But this cool reservedness of Jehoiakim was on both sides taken in ill part Whereupon the Egyptian King Psamnis who succeeded Necho began to think of restoring Jehoahaz who had been taken prisoner by his Father and carried into Egypt and of setting him up as a Domestical enemy against his ungrateful Brother But to anticipate all such accidents the Judean had put in practice the usual remedy which his Fore-fathers used For he had made his own Son Jechonia King with him long before in the second year of his own Raign when the Boy was but eight years old As for this rumor of Jehoahaz his return the Prophet Jeremy foretold that it should prove a vain attempt saying He shall not return thither But he shall die in the place whither they have led him Captive and shall see this Land no more Jer. 12. 11 12. The Egyptians having lost all their Mercenary Forces and received that heavy blow at Carchemish had more Gold than sharp Steel remaining which is of small force without the others help Besides the Valour of Necho was not in Psamnis Apries who raigning after Psamnis did indeed once adventure to shew his face in Syria but after a big look he was glad to retire without adventuring the hazard of a Battel Wherefore this declining Nation fought only with brave words telling such frivolous tales as men that mean to do nothing use boasting of their former glorious acts against Josias and Jehoahaz And truly in such a time and case it was easie for Jehoiakim to give them satisfaction by letting them understand the sincerity of his affections towards them which appeared in time following But Nebuchadnezzar went more roundly to

without a Governour for Ismael durst not take it upon him but fled as fast as he could to the Ammonites the residue of the Jews fearing the revenge of the Chaldeans resolved to fly into Egypt and besought Jeremy to ask counsell of God for them who returned answer that if they remained in Judea God would provide for them and shew them mercy but if they sought to save themselves in Egypt they should then undoubtedly perish Notwithstanding which advice the Jews held their determination and despised the Oracle of God and constraining Jeremy and Baruch to accompany them they went into Egypt and by the permission of Pharao they dwelt in Taphnes where when Jeremy often reproved them for their Idolatry foretelling the destruction of themselves and the Egyptians he was by these his own hard-hearted and ingratefull Country-men stoned to Death and by the Egyptians who greatly reverenced him buried neer the Sepulchre of their Kings Jer. 42. 43. The nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzars Raign it was when destroying utterly the great and mighty City of Jerusalem he exceedingly enriched himself with the spoils of it and the Temple and by that dreadfull Example terrified all those that should dare to resist him From that time forward he to his three and twentieth year laboured in the Conquest of those adjoyning Countries which God had exposed unto his Sword and commanded to wear his Yoke namely the Edomites Moabites Ammonites Tyrians Sidonians and Egyptians though some of these were already become his followers and served under him when Jerusalem was taken and burnt But the Tyrians whose City was built upon an Island and therefore secure from the invasion of any Land-Army and whose Fleet was so strong that they needed not to fear any enemy at Sea were neither daunred with the fall of their neighbour City nor with the obstinate resolution of this mighty King imploying all his wit and power to work their subversion That the City of Tyre was rather well pleased then any way discouraged with the destruction of Jerusalem it appeareth by the Words which Esekiel condemneth as the common voyce of Tyrus Esek 26. 2. Aha! the Gate of the People is broken it is turned unto me For seeing she is desolate I shall be replenished Yet at length that great work before mentioned began to appear above Water and so to threaten them with inevitable mischief Nebuchadnezzar still follows his work hard notwithstanding all discouragments and in the thirteenth year of the Siege and the nineteenth of his Raign he had brought it to such perfection that now the Citizens despaired of holding out against him whereupon all the chiefest of them imbarked themselves their Families and Treasures in their Fleet and escaped to the Isle of Cyprus but the poorer sort were left to the fury of the enemy who being enraged for being put to so much pains slew with the Sword not only such people of Tyre as dwelt on the Continent who are called her Daughters in the Field but the like execution was done in the streets into which with excessive labour the Chaldeans made way for his Horses and Chariots Thus Nebuchadnezzar made his Army serve a great service against Tyrus wherein every head was made bald and every shoulder was made bare yet had he no wages nor his Army Esek 29. 18. but was fain to rest contented with the Honour of having destroyed that City which in all mens Judgements had been held invincible The destruction of these two Great and powerfull Cities having made the name of the Chaldeans dreadfull in the ears of all the Nations round about Nebuchadnezzar used this advantage of that reputation which he had obtained by his victories already gotten to the getting of more and more profitable with less pains The Kingdom of Egypt was the mark which he chiefly aimed at A Country so abounding in Riches and pleasures that it might well have tempted any Pri●ce finding himself strong enough to pick occasion of quarrell against it Besides it was so far an enemy to the Crown of Babylon that had it been far poorer yet it must have been subdued or the Conquest of Syria could not have been secured Yet was it needfull that before he entred upon this business the Countries adjacent should be reduced into such tearms that either they should wholly stand at his devotion or at least be able not to work him any displeasure And herein the Decree of God concurred as in all prosperous enterprises with reason of State For the people of Moab Ammon Edom Damascus Kedar Hazor and other adjoyning Regions whom God for their sins had condemned to fall under the Babylonian Yoke were such as regarding onely their own gain had some of them like Ravens followed the Chaldean Army to feed upon the carcasses that fell by the cruelty thereof Others taking advantage of their neighbours miseries occupied the Countries which by his Victories belonged to Nebuchadnezzar all of them thinking that when the Babylonian had satisfied his fury he would be forced to forsake those desolated Countries and leave the possession of them to those who could first seize upon them Particularly the Edomites and Philistines had shewed much malice against the Jews when their City was taken Esek 25. 12 15. Whether they had done any good service to the Chaldeans it appears not if they did any its like to have been in reference to their own advantage wherein yet they were deceived The Ammonites were not contented to rejoyce onely at the fall of Jerusalem but presently they entred upon the Country of God and took possession of it as if not the Chaldeans but they had subdued Israel Esek 25. 3. Jer. 49. 1. Neither can it be imagined what other design Baalis King of the Ammonites had when he sent Ismael a Prince of the Blood of Judah to murther Gedalia whom the King of Babel had made Governour over those that remained in Israel and to carry Captive into the Ammonites Country the People that abode in Mizpah than a desire of entanglng Nebuchadnezzar with so many labours at once as should force him to retire into his own Country and abandon those wasted Lands to himself and others for whom they lay conveniently Such or the like Policy the Moabjtes also did exercise whose Pride and Wrath were made frustrate by God and their dissimulation condemned as not doing aright Jer. 40. 14. 41. 2. 10. 28 27 c. All these Nations had the Art of ravening which is familiar to such as either live in or that border upon Desarts and now the time ministred occasion to them to shew the uttermost cunning of their Thievish wits But Nebuchadnezzar made void all their devices by sharp and sudden War upon them overwhelming them with unexpected ruine as it were in one night according to the Prophesies of Isay Jeremy and Esekiel who all foretold with little difference of Words the greatness and swiftness of

the Kingdoms of the Earth and hath charged me to build him an House at Jerusalem which is in Judah Who is there among you of all his People Let his God be with him and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and build the House of the Lord God of Israel He is God which is at Jerusalem And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth let the men of his place help him with Silver and with Gold and with goods and with Beasts besides the free-will Offering for the House of God that is in Jerusalem Ezra 1 2 3 4. He also brought forth and restored the Vessels of the House of the Lord which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of the Temple at Jerusalem and had put them into the House of his gods These were brought forth and numbred unto Sheshbazzar the Prince of Judah and this is the number of them Thirty Charges of Gold a thousand Chargers of Silver nine and twenty Knives thirty Basins of Gold Silver Basins of a second sort four hundred and ten and of other vessels a thousand All the vessels of Gold and Silver were five thousand and four hundred The number of Jews that then returned out of Chaldea under their Leader Zorobabel the Son of Salathiel and Nephew to King Jeconias and Joshua the Son of Josedech the High Priest were about fifty thousand And as soon as they arrived at Jerusalem they built an Altar to the living God and sacrificed thereon according to their Law and afterwards bethought themselves how to prepare materials for the building of the Temple Cyrus having set all things in order at Babylon returned through Media into Persia to his Father Cambyses and his Mother Mandanes who were yet living and from thence returning again into Media he married the only Daughter and Heir of Cyaxares and for Dowry had the whole Kingdom of Media given him with her And when the Marriage was finished he presently went his way and took her with him and coming to Babylon from thence he sent Governours into all his Dominions Into Arabia he sent Megabyzus into Phrygia the greater Artacaman into Lydia and Jonia Chrysantas into Caria Adusius into Phrygia Helle spontiaca or the less Pharmichas But into Cilicia Cyprus Paphlagonia he sent no Persians to Govern them because they voluntarily and of their own accord took his part against the King of Babylon yet he caused even them also to pay him Tribute Cyrus having spent one whole year with his Wife in Babylon gathered thither his whole Army consisting of one hundred and twenty Thousand Horse and two Thousand Iron Chariots and six hundred Thousand Footmen and having furnished himself with all necessary provisions he undertook that journey wherein he subdued all the Nations inhabiting from Syria to the Red Sea The time that Cyrus enjoyed in rest and pleasure after these great Victories and the attainment of his Empire is generally agreed upon by all Chronologers to have lasted only seven years In which time he made such Laws and Constitutions as differ little from the Ordinances of all wife Kings that are desirous to establish a Royal power to themselves and their Posterity which are recorded by Xenophon The last War and the end of this Great King Cyrus is diversly written by Historians Herodotus and Justine say That after these Conquests Cyrus invaded the Massagets a very Warlike Nation of the Scythians Governed by Tomyris their Queen and that in an encounter between the Persians and these Northern Nomades Tomyris lost her Army together with her Son Spa●gapises that was the Generall of it In revenge whereof this Queen making new levies of men of War and prosecuting the War against Cyrus in a second sore Battel the Persians were beaten and Cyrus was taken Prisoner and that Tomyris cut off his Head from his Body and threw it into a Bowle of blood using these words Thou that hast all thy time thirsted for blood now drink thy fill and satiate thy self with it This War which Metasthenes calls Tomyrique lasted about six years But more probably this Scythian War was that which is mentioned before which Cyrus made against the Scythians after the Conquest of Lydia according to Ctesias who calleth Tomyris Sparetha and makes the end of it otherwise as you may see before The same Ctesias also recordeth that the last War which Cyrus made was against Amarhaus King of the Derbitians another Nation of the Scythians whom though he overcame in Battel yet there he received a wound whereof he died three days after Strabo also affirmeth that he was buried in his own City of Pasagardes which himself had built and where his Epitaph was to be read in Strabo's time which he saith was this O vir quicunque es undecunque advenis neque enim te adventurum ignoravi Ego sum Cyrus qui Persis Imperium constitui pusillum hoc Terrae quo meum tegitur Corpus mihi ne invideas O thou man whosoever thou art and whensoever thou comest for I was not ignorant that thou shouldst come I am Cyrus that founded the Persian Empire Do not envy unto me this little Earth with which my Body is covered When Alexander the Great returned from his Indian Conquests he visited Pasagardes and caused this Tomb of Cyrus to be opened either upon hope of great Treasure supposed to have been buried with him or upon a desire to honour his dead Body with certain Ceremonies when the Sepulchre was opened there was found nothing in it save an old rotten Target two Scythian Bows and a Sword The Coffin wherein his Body lay Alexander caused to be covered with his own Garment and a Crown of Gold to be set upon it Cyrus finding in himself that he could not long enjoy the World he called unto him his Nobility with his two Sons Cambyses and Smerdis and after a long Oration wherein he assured himself and taught others about the immortality of the Soul and of the punishments and rewards following the ill and good deservings of every man in this life He exhorted his Sons by the strongest Arguments he had to a perpetuall Concord and agreement Many other things he uttered which makes it probable that he received the knowledge of the true God from Daniel whilst he Governed Susa in Persia and that Cyrus himself had read the Prophesie of Isay wherein he was expresly named and by God preordained for the delivery of his People out of Captivity which act of delivering the Jews and of restoring of the holy Temple and the City of Jerusalem was in true consideration the Noblest-work that ever Cyrus performed For in other actions he was an Instrument of Gods Power used for the chastising of many Nations and the establishing of a Government in those parts of the world which yet was not to continue long But herein he had the favour to be an Instrument of