Est domus alta: jacent penitus defossa talenta Caelati argenti: sunt auri ponders facti Infectique mihi: non hic victoria Teucrum Vertitur; aut anima una dalbit discrimina tanta.

Dixerat: AEneas contra cui talia reddit: Argenti atque auri memoras quae multa talenta Gnatis parce tuis. AEn. x. 526.

"High in my dome are silver talents rolled, With piles of laboured and unlaboured gold.

These, to procure my ransom, I resign; The war depends not on a life like mine: One, one poor life can no such difference yield, Nor turn the mighty balance of the field.

Thy talents, (cried the prince,) thy treasured store Keep for thy sons." Pitt.

It is remarkable that Xenophon makes Cyrus open a speech to his army, and in particular to the Medes, who made the principal part of it, with praising them for their disregard of riches. andrev mhdoi, kai pantev oi parontev, egw umav oida safwv, oti oute crhmatwn deomenoi sun emoi exelqete� "Ye Medes, and others who now hear me, I well know that you have not accompanied me in this expedition with a view of acquiring wealth."-Cyrop. lib. v.

Is. 13:1-5 The threatenings of God's word press heavily upon the wicked, and are a sore burden, too heavy for them to bear. The person brought together to lay Babylon waste, are called God's sanctified of appointed ones; designed for this service, and made able to do it. The are called God's mighty ones, because they had their might from God and were now to use it for him. They come from afar. God can make thos a scourge and ruin to his enemies, who are farthest off, and therefor least dreaded.

Is. 13:6-18 We have here the terrible desolation of Babylon by the Medes and Persians. Those who in the day of their peace were proud, an haughty, and terrible, are quite dispirited when trouble comes. Their faces shall be scorched with the flame. All comfort and hope shal fail. The stars of heaven shall not give their light, the sun shall be darkened. Such expressions are often employed by the prophets, to describe the convulsions of governments. God will visit them for their iniquity, particularly the sin of pride, which brings men low. Ther shall be a general scene of horror. Those who join themselves to Babylon, must expect to share her plagues, Rev. 18:4. All that me have, they would give for their lives, but no man's riches shall be the ransom of his life. Pause here and wonder that men should be thus crue and inhuman, and see how corrupt the nature of man is become. And tha little infants thus suffer, which shows that there is an origina guilt, by which life is forfeited as soon as it is begun. The day of the Lord will, indeed, be terrible with wrath and fierce anger, fa beyond all here stated. Nor will there be any place for the sinner to flee to, or attempt an escape. But few act as though they believe these things.

Is. 13:19-22 Babylon was a noble city; yet it should be wholl destroyed. None shall dwell there. It shall be a haunt for wild beasts All this is fulfilled. The fate of this proud city is a proof of the truth of the Bible, and an emblem of the approaching ruin of the Ne Testament Babylon; a warning to sinners to flee from the wrath to come and it encourages believers to expect victory over every enemy of their souls, and of the church of God. The whole world changes and is liabl to decay. Wherefore let us give diligence to obtain a kingdom whic cannot be moved; and in this hope let us hold fast that grace whereb we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear __________________________________________________________________

Original Hebrew