Q. Why so? A. Because the Book of Ezra begins with the fame Words that clofe the fecond Book of Chronicles, being or Years from the Beginning of King Solomons, Reign, 'till Fechonias was carried into Captivity, where they remained feventy Years, untill the firit Year of the Reign of Cyrus King of Perfia. near to Magdala, fought a great Battle, wherein 7 fiah was wounded to De th. From this Valley he went to the River Euphrates and fought a fecond Battle with Nebuchadnezzar, loft the Day, and was put to fight, and fled to Riblah, in the Land of Ifrael 326 Miles, in the Land of Chamath; near to the Lake Samachonites, he overcame Foachoas King of Judah, and took him Prifoner, and led him bound to Jerusalem and made Joachim his Brother King in his Place; and returned_to_Memphis 4 Years after he went to Euphrates, and was overcome a fecond Time by Nebuchadnezzar, who purfued him, took all Egyt, with himself, and made his Son King in his Stead. Sce Jer. 25. 26. W HO wrote this Book? A. EZRA. Q. What was Ezra ? A. A Prieft, and fkilful Scribe of the Law of GOD, in bring ing all Things in Church and State, into a Conformity to the Rules thereof. Q. What Nation was he? A. A Fer, of the Family of AARON. Q. How many Things do we generally learn out of this Book? A. Four. Q. Which is the Firt? A. In that according to His Promife, after feventy Years were expired, He delivered His Peo ple out of Captivity. Q. By the Favour of whom? Q. Who brought them home? Q. What is the fecond Thing we learn out of this Book ? A to be in us for GOD's Benefits, as was in the Ifraelites after their return, Chap. vii. 27. Q. What OBS. Zerubabel carried the People of Ifrael from Babylon to Jerufalem 680 Miles, in the first Year of Cyrus Emperour of Perfia, in 3433, and in the 7th Year of his Government He went then to Sufan, thence to Babylan, fo back to Jerufalem, and in the next Year, the Beginning of the fecond Month, or zit of May, in the 3d Year of Darius Hyftafpis, Zeruba bel and Jeshua began to build, the Temple, and finished it in the 6th Year of the fame King, who after Reign of 36 Years, was fucceeded on the Throne of Pera by his Son Xerxes, whom re had by Atoff, the Daughter of Cyrus, the firft Founder of the Perfian Empire. This Xerxes is the Abalucrus mentioned by Ezra, Chap. 4. 6. in whose Reign the Enemies of Judah and Ferusalem wrote an Accufation to the King, telling him it was a rebellions City, &c. Upon which he gave Commandment to caufe thefe Men to ceafe building; but by their Application to Artaxerxes, the next Succeffor, the Rolls were fearched, and the King finding the Decree of Cyrus, maketh a new Decree in 3511, and in the 7th Year of this King, Ezra, to whom this Commiffion was grant ed came to Ahava, a River near Babylon, where he affembled a great Multitude of the few, and from thence he fent proper Perfons into the Cafpian Mountains in Chaldea, to invite fuch Jews as could be found there, of which were principally the Levites in Captivity; and being thus met ogether, he then in a folemn Manner celebrated a Faft unto the Lord, and by fervent Prayer, befought his Aid and Furtherance in their Enter prize and on the Twelfth of the Month Nifan, fe forward for Jerusalem, where Q. What is the Third? A. The Care that we ought to have to establifh true Religion by the Example of the Ifraelites, who never ceafed 'till they had built the Temple of the Lord, and publifhed hisLaws, Chap. vi. 15. Q. What is the Fourth? A. When we are once planted in Peace, and have the Ufe of true Religion, to labour as the Ifraelites did for the Prefervation of human Society, by feeing good Laws executed, Chap. x. where they arriv'd in Safery on the first Day of the fifth Month, having fpent four Months on their Journey, Chap. 7. 9. On his Arrival, he deli vered up to the Temple his Offerings, which had been made to it by the King and his Nobles, and the rest of the People of Ifrael that flayed behind, And then having communicated his Commiflion to the King's Lieutenants and Governours, throughout all Syria and Palestine; he betook himself to the Execution of Its Contents, which fully authorifed him to fettle both the Church and State of the Jews according to the Law of Mofes ; and, to appoint Ecclefiaftical and civil Officers, Princes and Governours, as him. felf thought proper, alfo Judges to punifh Offenders according to the Demerits of their Crimes. With all this Power was Ezra invested, and he continued to execute it with Fidelity for the Space of 13 Years, 'till Nebe miah arrived with a new Commiffion from the Peran Court for the fame Work: After which Ezra continued to do the fame Things by the Authority of the new Governor, as he had done before by his own. And by their thus joining together in the fame holy Undertaking, and their mutual Afiftance of each other therein, it exceedingly profpered in their Hands 'till at length, notwithstanding all Oppofition, both from within and from without, it was brought to full Perfection 49 Years after its Commencement by Ezra. 3 NEHEMIAH. Queftion. WHat was NEHEMIAH? Q. How did Nehemiah obtain Q. What learn we by that? A. That the Hearts of all Men are in GOD's Hands, and that it is He that gives Man Acceptance in the Eyes of Men. Q. What was his Difpofition A He feared GOD, and defired the Good of his Country. Q. How did that appear? A. First, by his daily Prayers; next, by the Lamentation he made for their Mifery, Chap. xiv. and lastly, by obtaining the Means to help them. Q. He did not then, as many -do in thefe Days, fay, God help them only, and fo forget the Mifery of their Brethren, but be laboured to give them Succour? Obf. NEHEMIAH had an exceeding great Tenderness for the Country of his Fathers, though he had never feen it himself: And one Day, as fome Jews who were newly come from Jerufalem, acquainted him with the calamitous State of that City, namely, That its Walls were beaten 86 down, its Gates burnt and that the Jews were become a Reproach among all Nations." He was fo affected with this Account, that he devoted himfelf to Fafting and Prayer; and humbled himfelf before the LORD, that He might be favourable to the Defign he then conceived of alking the King's Permiffion to re-build the City. The Courfe of his Attendance at Court being come, he prefented the Cup to the King according to Cuítom 3. but with a fad dejected Countenance, which the Perfian Monarch took notice of, and reproved Nehemiah for it, who immediately discovered to him the Caufe of his Difquier; at which Artaxerxes gave him leave go to Frufalem, and to repair it's Walls and Gates, in the twentieth Year Man to practice the Deeds. of A. The Wall of the broken Q. What else? A. Decay'd Religion and Corruption of Manners, Chap. xiii. Q Was Nehemiah the fole Manager of this weighty Affair? A. No, he was affifted by his faithful Friend Ezra, who before had the Government. went Year of his Reign, Anno Mundi 3524, upon Condition he returned at à Time appointed. Nehemiah received a Letter of full Power, and from Sulan to Ferufalem, 920 Miles, and repaired the Walls and Gates in fifty two Days, Nehemiah 12. 6. And when he had governed Judea twelve Years, returned to his Mafter according to Order at Susan, who fuffered Nehemiah at the End of his Reign, to go again to Jerufalens where he died in Peace, having governed the People of Judah for the Space of about thirty Years. |