Computation ófDaniel's V1"'e(s; 193: opinion that Xerxes was the Husband-of Hefter, about fifty .years before the Reign of Nothus. When it not likely but the Jews would have attempted, andnot have been denied their liberty of going. onwith their work. Neither is itconfiílent with the Prophecy ofJeremiah, that the Temple Qtould lye wale fo long a (pace, that- is about, a hundred and feventy years. Again, Haggai doth plainly declare, that when the work of the Temple was carryingon in the fe- cond year of Darius, that many were yet alive , who had Peen the firft Temple, cap. z. 3 As multitudes were upon the laying of its foundation in the dayes ofCyrus, Ezra 3.z a. And this was impoffible,had it beenin the dayes ofNothus , an hundred and fixty, or an hundred and feventy years after it wasdestroyed. AndScaligerBoth plainly wren the words of the Text, when he would have them pronounced byway of fisp- pofition ; if any were then alive who fate thefirft pouf in its glory n for Haggai doth plainly relateunto the diftemper of thepeople upon the laying of the foundationof the houf mentioned in the forenamed place of Ezra ; and the words themfelves will bear no other fenft; 71r11r i. t1'7ì t rmt 7A21 1Wt3 lNU73ti 071 rD, Who it amongyouthat is left, thatfaw this bottle in her glory. He fpeaks of themwho wereyet left, and remain- ing; and fpake to them, to remove and take away their complaint and repinings. Moreover that Artaxerxes, inwhofedaies Ezra and Nehemiah went up to Jerufalem, Was Longimanus, who reignedbefore Nothut, and not Memos, who fucceededhim, as- will afterwards appear : Now thisArtaxerxes was long after. that Darius,upón whole warrantythe baildingof.the Temple was tinkled, Ezra 7. t. Which certainlycould not beNootbus whowas his. fucceffor. Itappears then that Darius Notbus was not the Author ofthe Decree mentioned, as g. /9 alto thatthe timesof the Weekscannot be dated from the Çecond year of Darius Fly- ftafpes, whowas the Author of it. After this, there is mention made oftwo other Commands or Decrees relating to the . 20, Templeand Peòple, both granted'by the fameArtaxerxes, one in the feventh year of. his Reignunto Ezra, chap. 7.7. The other in the twentieth year of his Reign, unto Nehemiah,chap. z. r. Arad from oneof theffe. mull the account enquired after be dated. Now, fuppofingthat one ofthefè Decrees mutt be intended, it is evident that it was Longimanus, and not Memos, who was the Author ofthem : For from the feventhyear ofMemor,- whichwas the fecundof the ninetyfifth Olympiad, untothe eighteenthyear of Tiberius Cdfar, wherein our Saviourfuffered, being the third year of the twohundred and fecond Offa piad, are only four hundred twenty eight years, fixtytwo years Ihort of the whole, or fóur hundred and ninety. Now theft fixty two years addedso the be -, ginning ofthe account, from the feventh ofMemor, fall in exactly. on the feventh of Longimames ; from the feventhóf Longimanus 'then to the feventh of Memos are fixty twoyears, and from the feventhofMemos to the eighteenthofTiberius are four hun- dred twenty eight years, in the whole, fourhundred and ninety. The whale number enquiredafter. It was then this Decree ofLongimanus, that was intendedby the AngelGabriel: for y. 25. from the feventhyear, wherein he lent Ezra unto Jerufalem,i and unto that work which heafterwards commilfionatedNehemiah to carry on and perfect, unto the cutting offof theMeffialbare exadly feventyWeeks,or four hundredand ninety years,as may appearfrom theaccountsformerly infiftedon anddeclared : From the firll ofCyrus,, fuppofinghim to reign but threeyears over the whole Empire, unto the death ofChrift, there was, as we have proved, fivehundred fixty two years :. Fromthe firft of the fameCyrue, un- tothe feventh ofLongimanus, were feventy two years, which being deducted from the whole offive hundred*fixty two years,the remainder isfour hundred and ninety ; which fpace of time, kw it was apportioned between the Perfian, Grecian; Hafinonæan, H- rodian, and Roman Rule, we havebefore declared. . And there wants not reafon to induce. us to fix on this Decree, rather than any other, st ass being indeed the molt famous, and tnol}ufeful to the people of all the reti. By what means it was obtained, isnot recorded. Evident it is that Ezra had great favour. with the Ring,and that hehad convinced him' of the greatnefs and power ofthat God whom he ferved, chap. 8. aa. Betides, it was not a meer proclamation of lìberty,l ike that ofCyrur, which wasrenewed by Darius ; but a Decree, a Law madeby the King and bis fiven Caunrllors, chap. 7: i4. Thehigheft and moll irrefragable Legiflative Power amongft theModes and Perfian. Moreover, with the Decree he had a formalCommiorr, where he is faid not only to have leave to go, but to be tent by the King and bis Council. Be- fides, the former Decrees barely refpeded theTemple; and it Teems that in the cxecp- Cc tion
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