As the Lord is ever merciful unto his Church, and doeth not punish them, but to the intent they should see their own miseries, and be exercised under the cross, that they might contemn the world and aspire unto the heavens, so after that he had visited the Jewes and kept them now in bondage seventie years in a strange country among infidels and idolaters, he remembered his tender mercies and their infirmities, and therefore for his own sake raised them up a deliverer, and moved both the heart of the chief ruler to pity them, and also by him punished such, which had kept them in servitude. Notwithstanding lest they should grow into a contempt of God’s great benefit, he kepeth them stil in exercise, and raiseth domestical enemies, which endeavour as much as they can to hinder their most worthy enterprise: yet by the exhortation of the Prophets they went forward by little and little til their work was finished. The author of this book was Ezra, who was Priest, and scribe of the Law, aschap. 7.6, he returned to Jerusalém the sixt year of Darius, who succeeded Cyrus, that is, more then forty years after the return of t he first under Zerubbabél, when the Temple was built. He brought with him a great company, and much treasures, with letters to the King’s officers, for all such things as should be necessary for the Temple: and at his coming he redressed that which was amiss, and set the things in good order.