John Trapp on Ezra 3:3

Verſe 3. And they ſet the Altar upon his baſes] Upon the old foundation in the Prieſts Courts, being glad of any place, where to worſhip God joyntly and publikely: for Temple, as yet, there was none. Our worſhip-ſcorners are rightly ſtiled by one, The laſt brood of Beelzebub.

For fear was upon them] Though that was a lewd ſpeech of the Poet Statius, Primus in orbe Deos fecit Timor, It was timorouſneſſe that firſt made men religious; yet there's no queſtion, but fear of danger driveth men to God, as it did theſe here. Their malignant neighbours bandying and bending their forces againſt them, make them haſten up an Altar, that they might get God on their ſide, and run to him reconciled, what ever evil ſhould befall them. Be not thou a terrour to me Lord, ſaith holy Jeremy, chap. 17.17. and then I fear no creature. Let us ſing the 46. Pſalme (ſaid Luther once in a great ſtrait) and then let the Devil do his worſt. What time I am afraid, I will truſt in thee, Pſal. 56.3. Some read the text thus, Though fear was upon them, yet that hindered not their ſetting up Gods Altar: but they brake through all diſcouragements, and did their duty. It is well obſerved that the very light of Nature taught Heathens, that the ſervices they performed to their gods with peril and hazard to themſelves, were beſt accepted. Caius Fabius ventured thorough the enemies camp to offer a ſolemne anniverſary ſacrifice, and returned in ſafety: ſatis ſperans (ſaith the Hiſtorian) propitios fore Deos, quorum cultum ne mortis quidem metu prohibitus intermiſiſſet, truſting that in ſuch a caſe his gods would ſecure him. When Numa (the ſecond King of the Romanes) heard, as he was ſacrificing, that the enemies were coming, he made this anſwer, At ego rem divinam facio: If God be for us, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Plut. who ſhall be againſt us?

And they offered burnt-offerings thereon] That their ſinnes might be expiated, and their perſons protected. The Ceremonial Law was Chriſt in figure, it was their Goſpel.