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Captivity they had been loft and many of them diftroyed, what remained were chiefly in private hands, EZRA restored them again as it were by divine Revelation.

He corrected all the Errors that had crept into the various Copies by negligence or mistake.

He collected all the Books together, placed them in order, fettled the Canon of Scripture for his Time, the Law, the Prophets, the Holy Writings, and Our Savionr, notices this threefold Divifion. EZRA added what was neceffary for illuftrating, connecting, or completing them.

This very eminent, pious, and good man may truly be faid to be a fecond Founder of the Jewish Church and State. A Character highly efteemed, honoured, and beloved, a divine Lawgiver, zealous for God, and he was ftiled a facond Mofes.

In the Church of St. Dominic, in Bononia, is a Copy of the Hebrew Scriptures, kept with a great deal of Care, faid to be written by EZRA himself upon Leather, made up into a Roll, according to the ancient Manner.

It was only after their return from Captivity the Name of Jews became common amongst them. The Book of EZRA is a continuation of the History from the time the Book of the Chronicles conclude, and fo exact that the two firft verfes, and part of the third are a repetition of the two last Verses of the Second Book of Chronicles. The intervening time of their Captivity, Affliction, and Punishment, is very little noticed any where, Jewish Authors feem defignedly to pass over that fad Period. You forrowfully view a harraffed aud difconfolate people, the better, or rather the richer Sort, reconciled to the mode of Life, and Customs of their Oppreffors, engaged in some business and employment with them, contented themselves with ftaying in Babylon. The poorer and unprovided among them make up the principal Number of those returning home to a Country which had long lain defolate. Reluctantly they fet about rebuilding of their Temple, fome of them recognizing the Magnificence and Glory of the Old, under much oppofition they carried on the Work, and at faft, after twenty years, it was finished, and its folemn Dedication performed in the Year of the World 3489 and 515 before the Birth of OUR SAVIOUR.

ON THE BOOK OF

NEHEMIA. H.

T

HIS great and good man ftands a noble Inftance of a difinterested Patriot, unweariedly affiduous, zealous, and wife. NEHEMIAH was a Jew, but he had never feen Jerufalem. His anceftors had lived and died there. His Father was carried in early, life to Shufhan, metropolis of Perfia, he had been fortunate enough to obtain an Establishment at Court, and he chofe rather to continue in his office than give it up and return with his countrymen, when on the Edict iffued VOL. II.

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out

out, leave was given them to return and rebuild Jerufalem and the Temple.

NEHEMIAH either fucceeded his Father, or accepted fome other Promotion at Court; he held a Poft of great Profit and highly honourable about the person and prefence of the King and Queen, and from the Royal favour and his lucrative employ, NEHEMIAH became very rich,

His Father Hechaliah was one of the captive Jews, he himself was probably born at Shufhan or Babylon, a man of publick spirit, learning, and piety, and his appointment was, cup-bearer to the King of Perfia.

NEHEMIAH was taking an evening walk near Sufa, and feeing fome Travellers, who seemed Strangers, going towards the city gates, and (as they paffed him, talking Hebrew) he fpoke to them, You come from a great diftance, from what Country pray and they said, from Jerufalem. He enquired after the people and the city, and they told him of the broken Walls, and of the riotous Banditti that came plundering every night, and there was no poffibility of keeping them out; of a morning (they faid) the roads were strewed with the dead bodies.

NEHE

NEREMIAH Could not fupprefs his tears, his fighs, his fobs burst forth, the diftreffes of his poor countrymen fo afflicted him, he offered up, (juft as he stood) a fervent prayer to God on their behalf; while thus employed and agitated, a fervant ran to tell him the King was going to Supper. NEHEMIAH haftens to the Palace, never wiped away his tears or washed his face; he went in to wait upon his Majefty, and very luckily Queen Efther was prefent; the King had noticed NEHEMIAH, and after Supper, in a very pleasant humour, he asks,

"What is the matter with you, NEHEMIAH ? what cause haye you for forrow and tears?'

and he now took courage, and told the King of all that had fo diftreffed him: Jerufalem was the City of his Ancestors, all their monuments were there, its gates and all its walls were down, and the robbers were infefting and murdering its inhabitants. NEAEMIAH's forrowful ftory ended in a Petition to his Majefty, that he might be commiffioned and empowered to go and rebuild the walls of his City.

The King iffued out immediate orders to Sanballat, and other officers of his Court, to fupply NEHE

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