John Trapp on Ezra 3:1-2

CHAP. III. Verſe 1. And when the ſeventh moneth was come]

HEb. And the ſeventh moneth approached; a moneth of many feſtivities, Levit. 23.24, 27, 34. 1 Kings 8.2. and ſo, to the good, a foretaſte of eternal life, where it ſhall be holiday every day, where they have no reſt (and yet no unreſt) praiſing the God of heaven, for heavens happineſſe, Pſal. 136. (the ſame that theſe good ſouls ſang together,Rev. 4. verſe 11. of this Chapter) God is praiſed five and twenty times for his mercies: but the concluſion is, O give thanks unto the God of heaven, &c. Chriſt hath caſt up ſuch a cauſway to it, that we may well travel thither from all coaſts, as theſe Jewes did to Jeruſalem from all their Cities.

As one man to Jeruſalem] There to ſerve the Lord with one ſhoulder, Zeph. 3.9. neither counted they it any trouble to travel thither, though they were ſcarce yet warme in their neſts, as we ſay.

Then ſtood up Joſhua] Miniſters, of all others ſhould be moſt forward and forth-putting: ready preſt and prepared to every good work, as patterns to the people, who are led more by their eyes then by their ears, &c.

And Zerubbabel the ſonne of Shealtiel] Theſe two ever went hand in hand: and hence the work ſo proſpered in their hand. It muſt needs be ſo (ſaid Queene Elizabeth once to the Suffolk-gentlemen who came to meet her with their Miniſters by their ſides) where the Word and the Sword go together.

And builded the Altar of the God of Iſrael] Which therefore, in their father Jacobs ſenſe, Gen. 33.20. they might ſafely have called El, Elohe-Iſrael, that is, God, the God of Iſrael, putting the ſigne for the thing ſignified. Thus alſo the Arke is called Gods face, Pſal. 105.4. Yea, even God himſelf, Pſal. 132.5.

As it is written in the Law of Moſes] This was the rule they wrought by, God requireth to have a reaſonable ſervice, Rom. 12.1. ſuch as whereof we can render a reaſon out of his Word; he hateth a Samaritan ſervice, John 4.22. and will not endure Popiſh Will-worſhip: Who required thoſe things at their hands, their Altars, Crucifixes, Penances, Pilgrimages, &c.? The whole number of the Beaſt is but the number of a man, Rev. 13.18. Men will have it ſo, and this is the ſumme of all Popiſh religion. All their ſuperſtructions are humane inventions.

Moſes the man of God] The Prophet, the Law-giver, a man of much communion with God above any other, Num. 12.8. One calleth him heavens Chancellour.