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a one as this could be admired as excelling all the

country.

In these times also were Zaleucus and Draco, famous lawgivers, the one among the Locrians in Italy, the other in the city of Athens. The laws of Draco were so rigorous, that he was said to have written them with blood; for he rewarded every small offence with death. Wherefore his constitutions were soon abrogated, and power given to Solon by the Athenians to make new in their stead. But the laws of Zaleucus were very mild. He forbade any gentlewoman to walk abroad with more than one bond-woman attending on her, unless it were when she was drunk; or to go forth of the town by night, unless it were to some sweetheart's bed; or to dress herself up in immodest bravery, unless it were to inveigle a lover. By which pleasant ordinances, he affected his desire; for none would seem, in breaking the statutes, to be in such case as chatlenged the dispensation. It is noted in this man as a singular example of justice, that when his own son had committed adultery, and was therefore to lose both his eyes, he did not cause him to be pardoned, but gave one eye of his own to save the young man, (who also lost one,) from utter blindness.

I shall not henceforth need so far to wander, as hitherto I often have done, in pursuing of actions collateral to the history, for inserting them in their order of time. The Chaldæans will soon fall under the Persians; the Persians, ere long, encounter with the Greeks; the Greeks with the Romans; the Romans with many nations. Concerning all these, as they shall successively present themselves, in their flourishing estate, it will be enough to recapitulate the most memorable accidents that befel them in their minority. But in the long space of more than thirteen hundred years, which passed between the calling of Abraham and the destruction of Jerusalem, we find little matter wherein the history of

Israel had any dealing with other nations, than the very nearest borderers. Yet read we of many kingdoms, that in these many ages were erected and thrown down; as likewise, many memorable acts were performed in Greece and elsewhere, though not following one another at any near distance; all which must have been quite omitted, or else reserved unto a very unseasonable rehearsal, had they not been disposed in this method, whereof he that will not allow the conveniency, may pardon the necessity.

SECT. VI.

The oppression of Judæa, and destruction of Jerusalem, by the Chaldæans.

Now to return to the Jewish story, from whence we have so far digressed. In the third year of Jehoiakim, Nabuchodonosor the second, his father yet living, entered Judæa with a great army, who besieging and forcing Jerusalem, made Jehoiakim his vassal in despite of Necho that had established him king, and took with him for pledges Daniel, being as yet a child, with Ananias, Misael, and Azarias. Also he took a part of the church treasures; but stayed not to search them thoroughly; for Necho hasted to the succour of Jehoiakim, hoping to find Nabuchodonosor in Judæa; wherein this great Babylonian had no disposition to hazard himself and his army, it being a country of an evil affection towards him, as also far off from any succour or sure place of retreat. If he had, as may be supposed, any great strength of Scythian horsemen in his army, it was the more wisely done of him, to fall back, out of that rough, mountainous, and over-hot country, into places that were more even and temperate. But besides all 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 further in the second care, of adding more unto it. This he did at reasonable good leisure; for the Egyptian was not ready to follow him so far, and to bid him battle, until the new year came in; which was the fourth of Jehoiakim, the first of Nabuchodonosor, and the last of Necho. In this year the Babylonian, lying upon the bank of Euphrates, (his own territory bounding it on the north side,) attended the arrival of Necho. There, after a resolved contention for victory, Necho was slain, and his army remaining forced to save itself, (which full ill it did,) by a violent retreat. This victory Nabuchodonosor so well pursued, as he recovered all Syria, and whatsoever the Egyptians held out of their proper territory towards the north. The Egyptians being in this conflict beaten, and altogether for the present discouraged, Jehoiakim held himself quiet, as being friend in heart unto the Egyptian, yet having made his peace with the Chaldæan the year before, who, contented with such profit as he could then readily make, had forborne to lay any tribute upon Judah. But this cool reservedness of Jehoiakim was, on both sides, taken in ill part. The Egyptian king Psammis, who succeeded unto Necho, began to think upon restoring Jehoahaz, taken prisoner by his father, and setting him up as a domestic enemy, against his ungrateful brother. Against all such accidents the Judæan had prepared the usual remedy, practised by his forefathers; for he had made his own son Jechoniah' king with him long before, in the second year of his own reign, when the boy was but eight years old. As for this rumour of Jehoahaz's return, the prophet Jeremiah foretold that it should prove idle, saying, he shall not return thither, but he shall die in the place whither they have led him captive, and shall see

1 2 Chron. xxxvi. 9.

this land no more". The Egyptians indeed, having spent all their mercenary forces, and received that heavy blow at Carchemish, had not remaining such proportion of sharp steel, as of fair gold, which, without other help, is of little effect. The valour of Necho was not im Psammis. Apries, who reigned after Psammis, did once adventure to shew his face in Syria; but after a big look, he was glad to retire, without adventuring the hazard of a battle. Wherefore this decaying nation fought only with brave words telling such frivolous tales as men that mean to do nothing use, of their glorious acts forepassed, against Josiah and Jehoahaz. In this case it was easy for Jehoiakim to give them satisfaction, by letting them understand the sincerity of his affection towards them; which appeared in time following. But Nabuchodonosor went to work more roundly. He sent a peremptory message to Jehoiakim, willing him not to stand upon any nice points, but acknowledge himself a subject, and pay him tribute; adding hereunto such fearful threats as made the poor Judæan lay aside all thought of Pharaoh 3, and yield to do as the more mighty would have him. So he continued in the obedience of Nabuchodonosor three years.

At this time Jeremiah the prophet cried out against the Jews, putting them in mind that he had now three and twenty years exhorted them to repentance, but because they had stopped their ears against him, and the rest of the prophets, he now pronounced their captivity at hand, and that they should endure the yoke of bondage full seventy years. The same calamity he threatened to all the neighbouring nations, to the Egyptians, Moabites, Ammonites, Idumeans, and the rest; fortelling that they should all drink out of the Babylonian pitcher, the wine of his fury, whom they had forsaken; and, after the seventy years expired, that the Baby

2 Jer. xxii. 11, and 12.

3 Joseph. Ant. lib. x. cap. 7.

lonians themselves should taste of the same cup, and be utterly subverted by the Medes, and the Judæans permitted to return again into their own fields and cities. The first imprisonment of the prophet Jeremiah seems to have been in the fourth year of this Jehoiakim, at which time Baruch the scribe wrote all his prophecies out of his mouth, whom he sent to read them unto the people, and afterward to the princes, who offered them to the king; but fearing the king's fury, they had first set Jeremiah at liberty, and advised him and Baruch to hide themselves. Jehoiakim, after he heard a part of it, and perceived the ill news therein delivered, made no more ado, but did cut the book in pieces, and cast it into the fire. All which Jeremiah caused to be new written, with this addition, that the dead body of Jehoiakim should be cast out, exposed in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost, and that there should be none of his seed to sit on the throne of David.

Time thus running on, while Jehoiakim rested secure of all danger, as tributary to the Babylonian, yet well thought of by the Egyptian; the mighty city of Tyre opposed itself against the Chaldæan forces; and upon just confidence of her own strength, despised all preparation that could be made against her. Now forasmuch as the term of seventy years was prescribed unto the desolation, as well of Tyre, as of Jerusalem, and other towns and countries; it is apparent, that they which refer the expugnation of this city unto the nineteenth year of Nabuchodonosor, have sure authority for their warrant. Whereupon likewise it follows, of necessity, that the siege thereof began in the seventh of his reign; as having lasted thirteen years.

Here I will take leave to intrude a brief note concerning the several beginnings that are reckoned of

4 Jer. xxv.

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