THE ARGUMENT
ESDRAS a holy Priest and Scribe, of the stock of Aaron, by the line of Eleazar, [1. Esdr. 7.] writeth the history of God’s people in and presently after their captivity in Babylon: which Nehemias an other godly Priest prosecuteth, whose Book is also called the second of Esdras, because in the Hebrew and Greek they are but one Book, relating the acts of them both. The other two books called the third and fourth of Esdras, touching the same matter, are not in the Hebrew, nor received into the Canon of holy Scripture, though the Greek Church hold the third Book as Canonical, and placeth it first, because it containeth things done before the other.
In the two here following, which are undoubtedly holy Scripture, S. Jerom sayth, [Epist. ad Paulin.] that Esdras and Nehemias (to wit the Helper, and Comforter from God) restored the Temple, and built the walls of the city; adding that all the troop of the people returning into their country, also the description of Priests, Levites, Israelites, Proselytes, and the works of walls and towers divided by several families, aliud in cortice praeferunt, aliud in medulla retinent, show one thing in the bark, keep an other thing in the marrow: signifying that this history hath both a literal, and a mystical sense. According to the letter, this first Book, showeth the reduction of God’s people from Babylon; In the first six chapters. In the other four, their instruction by Esdras after their return.