LIB. XX I. Zerubbabel and Ezra. Ij2I A Command is now feot out from • <..Artaxerx~s,(even the ~on ofQJ!eene Efther) • '"'·••m<d to rellwne rhe worke : Allrefpetls mull: ceafewith caroall mmdes, whm their ho- Long-hmd. nours and profirs are in quellion. Rthum the Chancellor, and Shimjhaithc Scribe, come nowarmed with authority:The [word hath eafily prevailed againlt the trowell, Still doe the ltrm findethemfdves as it were captives at home, and in filence, and farrow, ceafe from their labours, uorill the dayes of the next fuccelfour, D.ri"' N~thru. As thofe that had learned to fow afc<r a bad crop; rhefe re,.es; upon rhe change ofthe Prince, by the incouragemencofthe Prophetsof God,Haggai, and Zteh.riah cake new heamo build againe: If others power hinder us in the work ofGod, ou: will may not be guilty. B Their new governours came, as bcfJre,toexpofrulate; Wh1 hath e~mmawdtd 1•• tD ~•ild shi; h••fo, and to make 'up thio waU? a»ti what art''"' namts? They wifely and mod~llly pl.cad the fervic~ ofthe God ofheaven,_ thed.ecree of CJ'"'l llill p<rfilling to build, as tf the prohtbttlOn of Artaxmw had dted wtth the author_ The unparriall Governours doe neither claw nor exafpeme1 bur relating the humble and jufr anfwer of the ltrvts, move the King that fearch may be made in the rolles of Balrylon whether fuch anEdicr were made by Cyr~~<~; and require his royall pleafure, cancer: ning the validity of fuch a pretended decree. Dariw fcarches, findes, ratifies, inlarg«h ic, nor ondy _charging ~is officers not to ~inder the work<, but commandin\! ro levy fummes ofhts own Trtbute, beyond thenver, for the expences ofthe buildtng forthe furnifhing offacrifices; threatoing utterruineto the houfe ofchat man, and C death to his per~on, who fhould offer to impeach thisbounty : and fhutting up with a zealous imprecation ; The God ifhtaven that hatb cau{id hi; Name to dwt!l there tltftr"J •0Kings and pt~pltthat fh•O pn111their hand 11 •lm, ••" ID titfi,.J thi; H~~tft•fGod which is at Jer•foltm: I Dari«<have madu decree; ltl itkd.newith /}ttd, Who would have looktfor fuchan EdiCt from aPtrftan? No Sail"''"• no D•vid could have faid more. The ruler ofall hearts makes choice ofhis owae infrruments, and when he pleaf<th, can glorifie himfelfe by thofe meanes, which arc leafr expeCted: That facred work which the husband, and fonne ofan Ejlhtr croifed, !hall be happily accomplifhod by a D<Tiru: In the fixtyeare of his raign, isthe Temple of God fully finifhed; and no•v theDedication of it, is celebrated, by a joyfull feall: An hundred bullocks, D two hundred rams, fuure hundred bmbes, in a meet proportion, ·lmoke upon their altars: And now the children ofthe captivity thinke this day a fuflicienr payment fur all their forrowes :We hlve reafon to thinke, it the fairelt day chat ever !hone f.mh ~·>us, whordn the fpirituall building of Gods Houfe is raifed up in our foqlcs. How fhould we fhour at the laying of this foundation , and feall at·the laying onlof the roofc ~ Wha• orher, what bwer facrifice can we off« up ro God in the fenfe of our joy,rhen our ftlves! Let our hcarrs be at on", the Temple, the Altar, the Sacrifice; 0 God, be thou glorified in all thefe,who hlll graciouOy hooour.d all rhefe with thy felfc, Every holy feall is now duly kepr, the Priells know thtir divifions, the Levites rhrir coorfcs ; and the whole fervice ofGod is put into a fetled order 1 Bur as there c3n be na new beginnings without imperfection, nor long continuance, without E corruption; reformation is no ldfe necdfary then good infiitutions; ...Arl"xerxts • <.MntmM harh learned ofhis fJther Darill4 to befriend Gods people; and frrives to inherit his beneficence : under his government , is Eu• the Priefr and learned Scribe, ,feot with allrge cammillion from Baby!Dn, to Imsfaltm, to enquire into the wanrs. and rctlreife the difordersof the Itrves; with full powernot ondy c,o cary with him all <he voluntaries ofhisnation; and the rreafures contributed in all the province of Bah,l•n; but roraife fuch fummes, out ofthe Kingsceveoues, as fhould be found rcquiltce; and withall eo ordaine Magiltrates, and J udgcs, and to crowne the Lawes with due execution, whetherro death or banifhmenc, or confifcation; and la!\ly, with a largeexemption ofrhe Priefrs and Levires, and all the ioferiour officers ofche Temple, from all tolles, tributes, cufromes. Nothing wanted here,whether
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