Remains, Preface

Remains · Preface

THE PREFACE, Relating to the AUTHOR.

SINCE these Genuine Pieces of Dr. LIGHTFOOT might be of good use to such as are Studious of Divine Learning, I was unwilling they should lye any longer within private Walls. For as he was one of the deepliest Studied Men in the Learning of the Jews, whether you regard their Language, Phrases, Customs, Laws, Times, Worship, Temple, or Land, so he made it his main Bent and Business to render all that Knowledge he had therein useful; to contribute Light to the Sacred History, and to open the Inspired Writings of the Old and New Testament. In the doing whereof he had a happy Faculty, by his dextrous Application of his said Learning; whereby p. iimany Knots in Scripture have been untyed, many Difficulties explained, many abstruse Questions satisfactorily discussed, many Dislocations restored to their right Places, and the Chronicle and Method of the Books laid in their due and proper Order.

This Learned Man's usefulness this way hath been so well known abroad, that there have been two or three Impressions of his Works there, since his Death. In the last whereof finisht at Franeker, Anno 1698. are added divers Tracts of his Remains. Which several of the Learned there, and particularly Remfertus the Professor, had earnestly desired of me, in order to the publishing of them, that no Notions of so great a Man might be lost. By which Encouragement I have since at my leisure lookt up together these further Remainders, that now appear. Which having carefully reviewed and considered, and finding them according to my poor Judgment not less serviceable to the good Ends the Reverend Author designed in what he published himself, I resolved to prepare and give to the Press also. These Tracts are three. Concerning each of which I shall say something for the Readers satisfaction.

I. The First, viz. The Rules for a Student of Holy Scripture, was written compleat and fair by the Author's own Hand. And surely it is one of the pithiest and plainest Discourses that ever I met with of this Nature; in so narrow a compass, and in so familiar p. iiia way, framed to instruct any ordinary Reader that comes with an honest Mind to read the Scriptures; whereby he may arrive not to some superficial Knowledge in them, but be admitted even into the Depths and Mysteries thereof. It was composed by him for the Use of some Person, who intending to read the Word of God with Profit, had desired his Counsel in his Access thereto. Who this Person was I cannot assign, but conjecture it might be his Son John, who was Chaplain to Dr. Bryan Walton, late Bishop of Chester, the great and chief Undertaker of the Polyglott Bible; or Anastasius his Second Son, who was a pious Minister in Hertfordshire. Or for whomsoever else it was writ, the Author designed it for some, that desired to be good Textuists: As in Truth all that take upon them Holy Orders, and to preach and teach Religion, ought to be: The Holy Scriptures being the infallible Ground of all Divine Truth; whence all sound Doctrine is to befetched. And therefore if they be not first well, or at least tollerably, understood by the Preacher, he is likely both to deceive himself and those that hear him; and to teach Falshood and Error: Whereof hath sprung a great part of those Schisms and wild Opinions, that have created so much Disturbance in the Church. And for the foresaid purpose the Writer of this Tract doth these things. First, He directs to reduce the Books of the Bible into a continued Chronicle. p. ivSecondly, He sets down many cursory Notes for the Explanation of Things and Phrases not so obvious. Thirdly, He shews a Method and Course for a distinct reading of the Scripture, according the Historical Order of Time, (which is not always observed by the Sacred Writers for special Reasons; whereby it comes to pass that many Chapters are dislocated) that so those Holy Books may be the more clearly apprehended and understood, and read with more Profit and Benefit. And all laid down in a most plain and easie manner, as Instruction to Learners and Beginners ought to be.

This Discourse seems indeed to have been the Ground-plot of that Piece of the Author's Printed among his Works, intitled, A Chronicle of the Times of the Old Testament; and of those other Pieces of the Harmony and Chronicle of the New. But as they are larger, so this is more succinct, and may be used as a convenient Manuduction into the other: Having also much in it, whereof the others are silent. So that they may serve all very well to illustrate and amplifie one another. And I am confident, that were this Method of reading the Scripture pointed to in this Tract, and recommended by the Author, but practised diligently with due application of Mind, the Sense of Scripture would shine out more clearly, and the Remembrance of it be more firmly implanted in Mens Minds. Let the Pious Student of Scripture make the Trial. p. vAnd this I find is the Judgment of other Learned Men. And particularly his, whose Letter is lately Printed at the end of Bishop Barlow's Directions for the Choice of Books in the Study of Divinity: Where he saith, That he thinketh Dr. Lightfoot hath prescribed the best Method of reading the Scriptures, by digesting the Historical and Prophetical Books into the Order of Time. And I add, this will prove a better and more expedite way to come to the understanding of those Holy Pages, than all that pains he recommends afterwards, viz. Reading the Text several times over, and observing the Difficulties, trying the Construction and Signification of the Words, to see what can be made of it, and consulting Expositors: unless marking the Order of Time, and making use of Jewish Learning accompany.

II. The next Tract consists of Meditations on some Points of Divinity, and Explanations of certain difficult Places of Scripture. And these are nothing else but faithful Collections out of a great number of his Manuscript Sermons, never yet Printed. In these Discourses no small number of Places of Scripture are explained by our Author, offering such Elucidations as are out of the common Road, and scarce before heard of, to the pleasing Surprize, as well as Instruction of the Reader. I remember, once waiting upon the most Reverend Father in God, Archbishop Sancroft at Lambeth, he took occasion to talk p. viwith me about Dr. Lightfoot; for whose Studies and Learning he exprest a very great Esteem; and enquiring after the Papers he had left behind him, he told me it were pity but his Remains should see the Light. And when I had hinted to him the Jewish or other good Learning, and the excellent Light let into many Texts of Scripture, which might be found in his Sermon-Notes, he exprest a great concern that they should not be lost: And for the preserving of them, he advised and encouraged me to extract out of the same Notes all such Pieces of Learning and Expositions of Holy Writ; and where the Sermons ran upon any Learned Argument, to abreviate them, taking the Pith and Sum thereof, and disposing them in some such Method as was used towards Mr. Medes Discourses: Or to digest his Interpretations of any part of God's Word in some such Method, as the Annotations of Cameron were published in his Prelections upon some Select Places of Scripture, and in his Myrothecium Evangelicum, or such like. I often afterwards thought on this Advice; and at length, as leisure served, endeavoured to attempt something that way in the Method that I now recommend it to the Readers. Which I have digested into three Decads. To which many other Discourses of that Nature might be joined. Let it be added, that these Diatribae were some of the Author's last Thoughts, and the Meditations of his Maturest Age; being the substance of what p. viihe Preached but a few Years before his Death.

III. The Third Part of this Book consists of two Discourses upon as many Select Articles of the Apostles Creed. And great Pity it is, his Exercitations upon all the rest of the Articles cannot be retrieved: Which by these two, and one more, viz. That of Christ's Descent into Hell, printed among his Works, we may conclude to have been replenisht with very good Learning, and might have been of use to the World, and have imparted divers Notions peculiar to the Author's Learning. I have been Inquisitive after these, but cannot recover them. I conjecture they were embezzelled at Ely, where he Died.

AS for the Author himself, how well he merited of the Learned Christian World, is well known. And his Figure hath been drawn in part in his Life, set before his Works. To which more might be added; not a few Things remaining, worthy to be registred to the Memory of so Good and so Learned a Man. Let me detain the Reader a little longer, while I take this occasion to revive the remembrance of him in some Particulars. Dr. Lightfoot was a Scholar and a Divine, and (which is to be preferred before both) he was a solid good Christian. We shall consider him a little,

p. viiiI, As a Scholar and a Divine. Of whose Scholarship and Judgment in divers Points of Divinity, I shall hereafter give some Instances, as they have occurred to me.

He was a Member of that noted Assembly called together by the Parliament Anno 1643. to consult about Religion: Whereby he had opportunity offered of shewing his great Abilities. I have seen his own Journal diligently kept, of the various Debates among the Learned in that Assembly; where he put down as well his own Disputations as other Mens. Whence I am enabled to give several Specimina both of his Learning and of his Opinions. And indeed he was of great use in this Assembly in regard of his Eminent Skill in the Jewish and Oriental Learning. For these Divines in their Enquiries into the Primitive Constitution of the Christian Church, and Government thereof in the Apostles Days, built much upon the Scheme of the Jewish Church; which the first Christians being Jews, and bred up in that Church, no question conformed themselves much to: And therefore these levelled at settling the like Government in the English Church. Lightfoot very often spake, and to good purpose, when things of that Nature were under Deliberation; and not seldom by this Learning rectified Mistakes among them, explain'd their Difficulties, and sometimes put to silence great Confidence. He spake likewise commonly, when Places of Scripture were p. ixproduced to stand for Proof of such Points of Doctrine or Discipline as were under Decision; our Divine being very thoroughly Studied in the Scriptures; whereby he often gave Excellent Interpretations of Controverted Places, sometimes misunderstood by most of the Assembly, who had propounded them to prove things, which in truth intended no such Matter.

But I proceed to some particular Instances of these things.

1. When some in the Assembly were for Gathered Churches, which must consist only of Saints, and produced a place for that purpose taken out of the Revelations, Chap. xv.3. Thou King of Saints; (foreign,) Dr. Seaman well objected against it; because the reading was doubtful, some Copies reading foreign instead of foreign, i. e. Thou King of Ages, or Everlasting. And Lightfoot backed him, by shewing, that the Syrian and Arabick read to the same import foreign and foreign King of the World, or Ages.

2. When a Debate happened about the Persons that should read the Scripture in Publick; and some were for the Pastors doing it themselves; Gouge and Marshall seem'd to be for some expert sober Persons of the Laity: But our Divine proved at large, that none in the Synagogue read the Law and the Prophets, but publick Officers, and of the Levitical Order. p. xAnd that by these Arguments. First, By their multitude of Universities for the Education of the Levites for such Purposes, viz. Fourty Eight. Secondly, By their Curiosity, that not a Tittle of the Law should be mistaken by those that Read it. But Mr. Reyner urged, that the Levites were not Types of the Pastors, but the Priests were. To this he answered, that the Levites in the Temple were one thing, and in the Synagogues another. For that though these at the Temple were Servants to the Priests, yet in their Synagogues they were their Pastors.

3. He seemed not to allow of the Ordination by Presbyters only, disputing about that Place that was urged chiefly in behalf of it, viz. 1 Tim. iv.14. With the laying on of the Hands of the Presbytery. For after some had spoken dubiously of the Place, as Mr. Herrick, who questioned whether it spake of Ordination; and whether these Presbyters were Preaching Presbyters, or Presbyters, or Elders of the Laity; and Mr. Sympson, who said that laying on of Hands was used in other things; Lightfoot, 1. Declared himself to be of Selden's Mind, saying his Interpretation must needs be right, and that it means foreign i. e. Admission to be an Elder. 2. That it would be hard to find a Presbytery that might lay their Hands upon Timothy. This Text cost a great deal of Debate but at last being put to the Question, it was p. xivoted to pass. But our Divine, and some others with him, gave their Negative. Yet,

4. To shew his Judgment in extraordinary Cases: When the Bishops, (whose Office was to Ordain) were voted out of the House, and their Jurisdiction laid aside; the Assembly brought in this Position concerning Ordination, That in extraordinary Cases, some things extraordinary may be done, until a settled order may be had. Divers spake largely upon this Pro and Con. Lightfoot was of this mind, shewing, that even some Posi…ive Laws of God gave place not only to Necessity, but even to Convenience: As the steps to Solomon's Altar; and many Candlesticks and Tables in the Temple. But when as a proof of it, that place was produced, 2 Chron. xxix.34. The Priests were too few, that they could not slay all the Burnt-Offerings, wherefore their Brethren the Levites did help them: And Bathurst spake to this place to prove it pregnant; and likewise out of Numb. xviii.4, 5, 6. and Levit. i. would prove that the Levites had nothing to do to slay the Sacrifices; Lightfoot gave Answer to him, and so did Coleman and Selden, two others well skilled in Jewish Learning; who shewed the contrary. But being put to the Vote, it was carried for a pregnant place. But Lightfoot here gave his Negative.

p. xii5. Some in the Assembly called in Question Matthias his Equality with the rest of the Apostles; and that he was rather a Degree below them; because chosen by Lot, and not immediately called by Christ: So one Gibson. To this our Divine gave this Answer, That the Lot did argue his immediate Call. Because the Apostles could not ordain him for an Apostle by Imposition of their Hands, but sought to the immediate Imposition of Christ's Hands by a Lot.

6. When the Assembly came to examine, whether there were anciently in the Church Ruling Elders, (and they, as it seems, of the Laity) which some had laboured for the confirming of by certain Places of Scripture; one of the Assembly, named Baily, began to speak; professing seriously, that till the last year he had lived convinced by Bishop Bilson of the Jus Divinum of Bishops; till confering with a Gentlewoman, who said to him that it was a wonder he could not see ground for Presbyterial Government, which all the Reformed Churches have; it struck him so, that he fell to study the Reformed Writers, Calvin, Beza, &c. and by them was convinced. And then after this Preface, (as though he had been throughly studied in this matter, he fell upon the places of Scripture, and that with some vehemiency and smartness, and would prove a Ruling Elder. And Mr. Rutherford, one of the Scotch Commissioners, backed him, to make way to bring p. xiiiin the Scotch Discipline into the English Church. Gillaspe, another Scotch Commissioner, said in behalf of his Ruling Elder, that this Practice of the Reformed Churches arose from a sure Light. But this found considerable Opposition in the Assembly; and that by the Learnedest Men, as Vines, Gataker, and our Divine, who began first; and after Rutherford had done, spake to this import: 1. That as for that place in 1 Timothy v.17. Let the Elders that Rule well be counted worthy of double Honour, especially those who labour in the Word, &c. The Apostle 'tis true meant hereby two sorts of Officers; but that those were Pastor and Deacon; which he had spoken of before, as sufficient for the Church, in 1 Tim, iii. 2. That foreign, (the word in another place urged for Ruling Elders) both in the LXX Translators, and in the Syriac, are Praesidentes, and Praecedentes, though not in Government. 3. That foreign, Helps, and foreign, Governments, 1 Cor. xii.28. would enforce Deaconry and Ruling Elders. Which Words when it was Debated, whether they signified Officers or Gifts; and Ny and Newcomen averred that foreign signified only the Act of Government; Lightfoot stood up, and shewed how the Word was taken by the LXX: Who used it in Prov. i.5. and xi.14. and divers other Places in that Book, to translate foreign which imported not the Act, but the Ability and Gifts fit to Govern. And that the other p. xivWord, Helps, meant nothing else, but Helps to interpret the Language and Sense of those that spake with Tongues: As he shewed might be collected by Ballancing the two Verses in the Place in Hand together, viz, the 28th, and 29th. Then spake Mr. Vines upon the said Place, viz. 1 Cor. xii.28. Where he shewed, that the Apostle spake there of several things; and that those things were for the Benefit of the Church; and that they related to Persons; for he had before spoke of foreign, Gifts: That it spake of several Gifts in several Persons: That foreign differed from foreign: That foreign, signified without doubt a Prefecture. Yet grant all this, it was very questionable whether this Place proved a Ruling Elder. For that he conceived the Government was in the Hands of the Preaching Elder. And then he fell to the backing of Lightfoot's Interpretation; which he did fully.

Another Day they fell again upon the same Debate about Ruling Elders; when Mr. Lightfoot was again concerned. Wilkinson began thus, If the Place alledged hold out so clear. a ground for the Ruling Elder; how comes it to pass it was never seen before Calvin? And for this he alledged Dr. Sutcliff; and related that Mr. Calvin having been expelled Geneva, and recalled, he desired four Helvetian Churches to assist him; which they did: Yet they themselves retained not this Government. Mr. Callamy who was for these p. xvRuling Elders, spake to it after this manner, viz. That there were Elders of the People joyned to the Priests and Levites, 2 Chron. xix.8. Acts. iv.5. He said, the Jews had two sorts of Consistories in every City; one in the Gate, and another in the Synagogue. And that their Synagogues were appointed for correction of Manners, as well as for Prayers. And that they had Ecclesiastical Censures in them, John. ix.22. That the word Cut off meant Separation from the Congregation, Exod. xii.15, 19. And that they had their Rulers of the People in the Synagogue, he went about to prove, 1. Because the inferior Judicatories were conformed to the greater. 2. Because they had their foreign, Rulers of the Synagogue, Act. xiii.15. After Mr. Calamy had done, others laboured to confirm his Discourse. For this being a Prime Point, great pains were taken to carry it. But Lightfoot then stood up to confute the former Arguments, by shewing that the two Sanhedrins, and the two Consistories in every City, were not owned by the Jewish Authors. And for that he… alledged Maimonides at large; and proved▪ three Courts in Jerusalem; and yet no difference of one Ecclesiastical, and the other Civil. And by his skill in Jewish History made it out, that there was but one Court or Consistory in every City else. He granted indeed that there were Elders in the Sanhedrin, that were not Priests or Levites, but withal p. xvithey were Civil Magistrates, as it is in our Parliament. Of this last Saying Rotherford took hold, and answered, That the Parliament, if they had intended to judge Ecclesiastical things in an Ecclesiastical Way, would not have convened this Assembly. To which Lightfoot replied divers things; and there happened passages Pro and Contra. At length it was moved that they might come to draw up in what they agreed. And Dr. Burges tendred a Proposition, which cost some Exceptions and Debates, viz. That the Constitution and Practice of the Jewish Church, as a Church, and not as Jewish, was to have some Elders of the People joyned with the Priests, to judge in Ecclesiastical Matters. To which Lightfoot again objected, that it was too large. And that he could produce divers Ecclesiastical Matters in which they did not judge; and that it would be hard to find, that they judged in any thing, but only about false Doctrine.

At last it was put to the Question, and our Divine stood up and desired that the Vote might not be lost because of the scruple. And therefore prayed that the Proposition might pass agreeable to the last they made, viz. That in the Church of the Jews there were Elders of the People joyned to the Priests and Levites in the Government of the Church. Which middling way was very well liked: And so it was put to the Question, and Voted Nemine contradicente. And Lightfoot by p. xviihis Prudent and Learned Management of this Point pleased all, unless it were perhaps the Scotch Commissioners.

But this Controversie came not so to a Conclusion, For when some had held, that the Civil Elders in the Sanhedrin judged in all things, Lightfoot answered, that this was impossible in the Point of Leprosie. For that it was infectious for all Israel, but only the Priests. And as for that place, Deut. xvii.8. a place proposed to prove the Proposition fixed upon, (upon our said Divine's Motion, as was shewed before,) Viz. That there were Elders of the People joined with the Priests and Levites in the Government of the Church, he shewed them his Judgment, that that place spake not of Appeals, but of Advisings; and not of Judicature, but of Direction. For that the Judges of inferior Cities were to go thither to inform themselves, if they stuck in any thing.

Gillaspe, the Scotch Man, laboured to prove two Courts from Deut. xvii.12. about one going up from one Court to another; that is, for Appeals, as he urged from hence, The Man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the Priests, that standeth to Minister before the Lord, or unto the Judge; even that Man shall Die: Making the Priest to hold one Court and the Judge another. But Selden, Gibson, and Lightfoot were against it. And thus Selden, The Vulgar Latin, till within this Forty Years, read this Place, Qui non p. xviiiobediverit sacerdoti, ex decreto Judicis morietur. i. e. He that shall not obey the Priest, shall Die by the Decree of the Judge. And if that reading be right, here is no shadow of two Courts. This place, he said, included all Cases. And if in any one of the inferior Courts, the Judges were at a stand, and those Judges went to Jerusalem, and were resolved of the Scruple, and went down again and would not Judge according to their Resolution they were to Die. And this was he which the Jewish Writers call The Rebelious Elder. Gibbon proved, they (i. e. the Judges of the Inferior Courts) handled Ecclesiastical Matters. And that because, 1. They had all Matters. 2. All Laws. 3. They handled the Matter of Jealousie. And for this he produced Maimony at large. Lightfoot then signified that he had yesterday hinted the Sense which Mr. Selden now gave. And that it was not in Appeals, but in point of Consultation, that the Judge was to go up. To which Herle gave only this Answer, I should be sorry if we should lose Appeals in this Place. But our Divine besought the Assembly, that they might Examine the Text before they fixed a Sense upon it; and that it might be taken into Consideration, whether this Place spake of Appeals or no: And affirmed that it little afforded two Sanhedrins: For that the Party was to consult with Judge or Priest, as the Case required; and they two sitting together in the Court. Which was urged in Opposition to Dr. Hoyl, that endeavoured p. xixto prove two Sanhedrins, because the Priest and Judge were named apart, and the Priest first.

This Debate held very long; and yet nothing was concluded: When at last Lightfoot proposed that they might hasten the Material Things that tended to Settlement; and to let these Speculations alone till leisure, and fall to Action. Which seasonable Admonition was hearkened to, and followed.

7. It became a doubt among some in the Assembly, Whether those Deacons, Acts vi. were the same with those spoken of in 1 Tim. iii. And when Mr. Vines had smartly said, that some denyed those in the Acts to be Deacons, because they measured these by the Deacons of their own Times, and had been willing rather to deny these than their own: Lightfoot spake substantially to this place; 1. That these were Ministers, because it is said they were foreign, i. e. Full of the Holy Ghost, before they had Imposition of Hands. He added, 2. That these Seven were appointed for the Seven Nations of the Western Dispersion; and we find none here for the Eastern. 3. That the Multitude of the Church in that place were all from home. This he said to prove, that this was not a proper Copy for future Times. To which he subjoyned, 4. That the Collections and the Deacons mentioned in the Epistles were for the Relief of the Church at Jerusalem. [And so no set Officers appointed p. xxto be in every Church.] Colman said, that that place in Timothy shewed the Qualifications of a D…acon, but not the Perpetuity. And of the same Judgment Lightfoot declared himself to be. But when the Place came to be voted, it was voted affirmatively. But my Mind, as he Writes in his Journal, was not with it.

8. A Question arose in the Assembly upon Excommunication; Whether it were to be done in a Presbytery, or in the Presence of the whole Church. And so the Independents would have had it, proving it from 1 Cor. v.4. foreign. When ye are gathered together, &c. Lightfoot answered this Place thus, That the Synaxis, i. e. The Gathering together, here, was in regard that there were Heart-burnings among them: And so they Triumphed one against another in this very Act of the Incestuous. Ergo, he commands them that they should convene in Affection and in Place: And being so met, they should do it. And after two or three Debates upon this Case of the Incestuous Person, Lightfoot again, That this Case of the Corinthians was such as cannot be among us. For they were hedged in with the Heathen; and the Apostle plainly tells, that there was an Iniquity among them more than Heathenish, ver. 1. foreign, Such as is not among the Heathen. Therefore if he would have the whole Church to come together, and cast out this Member, for the Vindication of the whole Church, it is a p. xxisingular Example, and cannot be paralleled among us.

Still this Text of St. Paul divers Days after was canvasing. Then our Divine again, 1. That the Phrase here used foreign, differing from that cited, 1 Cor. xi.20. foreign, when ye come together; and xiv.26. foreign When ye are come together (the Words being different) gives cause to susp…ct, that he means a difference in them. 2. That foreign i. e. From the midst of you, is used of all the Jewish Courts for taking away a Wicked Man, Deut. xiii. &c. Yet all the People might not need to be present at the Censure. 3. That Paul writ indeed to all the Church in Corinth; but every one must take out the Lesson, as it concerned him. As the King of Syria Writes to the King of Israel to heal Naaman; whereas Elisha was to have and take his share in the Letter that concerned him.

9. Further, several in the Assembly offered that Place, 1 Cor. v.2. for Excommunication, and for excluding from the Communion; where that Incestuous Person is directed by St. Paul to be taken away from among them. But this Place, Lightfoot's Judgment was, concerned not at all Excommunication. Of whose mind also was Whitaker: Who shewed that the Place did not prove a Cutting off from the Eucharist; and that foreign, i. e. The Destruction of the Flesh, was not taken for Excommunication: p. xxiiAnd that Traditio Satanae, i. e. Delivering over to Satan, seemed to be extraordinary. And that sorrow which this bred in the Person guilty, and in the whole Church, was most extraordinary. Many of the Greeks thought it Pain. This gave occasion to a Dispute that held all the Day. But notwithstanding, that Place was carried for a Proof of Excommunication. But Lightfoot gave his Denial.

Neither did he like the other Place brought for Excommunication, viz. Mat. xviii.17. If he shall neglect to hear the Church, let him be unto thee as a Heathen Man and a Publican. Which after Colman (a Man that was against all Manner of Excommunication) had opposed; and Gataker spake against the Propriety of this Place, Lightfoot conceived the Place, 1. To speak of Offence given from a Member to his Pastor. For from Mark ix.35. (which place by comparing both carefully, appears to fall in with this of Matthew) it was plain this Speech of Christ was only spoken to the Twelve. 2. That it spake of Shaming an Offender, and not of Censuring. For that the Two or Three (Take with thee Two or Three, ver, 16.) not the Church, had to do about the Offender. 3. That the Heathen and Publicans had Access Ad Sacra. But the Jews abhorred their Civil Society. And this was to be as an Heathen Man and a Publican, to have no Society with such: But to be as a Publican included not Excommunication. Again, after p. xxiiiHerle and Reinolds had spoke for this Place to prove Excommunication; our Divine answered them, 1. With this Question, Are the Two or Three here named Witnesses, as they would have them? For 'tis plain, these must be Admonishers. 2. He shewed that that Text and Speech of our Saviour was upon Occasion of the Disciples Quarrelling. Now how improper is it, when he is speaking of Offence between Brother and Brother, to conclude what such an one shall be to the Church, and not to the Party off…nded. For so, saith he, you understand, Let him be to THEE, that is, to the CHURCH. But notwithstanding this Place was carried for Excommunication.

10. When the Dispute came on between the Independents and the other Party about Congregations, whether there were more than one in a City? And the great Enquiry was, What that Church was, that was at Jerusalem? Whether one Congregation only, or more: And Dr. Temple doubted whether there were many fixed Co…gregations in that City, and it seemed to him there were not; Lightfoot answered in many particulars. 1. That such a multitude of Pastors as were there at Jerusalem could not suit with one Congregation. 2. That there were divers Languages, that understood not one another. Therefore there could not be but divers Congregations. 3. That one part of the Church had Deacons, the other not. Vid. Sect. 7. Therefore we p. xxivmust distinguish of their Congregations. 4. In the Twelfth of the Acts there were foreign, i. e. Many gathered together, ver. 12. And yet James and the Brethren were not there.

Burroughs and Lightfoot had a Controversie about the Five Thousand added to the Church, Acts iv. Whether they were new Converts, which our Divine averred, and Burroughs denyed. And when Lightfoot had done, Palmer backed him in it. Burroughs again questioned whether these Five Thousand or the other were of the Church of Jerusalem? Palmer answered, they were Dwellers in Jerusalem, Acts ii.5. foreign. Lightfoot answered, they came Unbelievers thither, and being there, they sold their Lands. Goodwin said from Mr. Mede, that they were not Dwellers at Jerusalem for that foreign, Gen. xxvii. is abiding only for a few Days. Vines held that they were afterwards abiding, having come up to the Feast, Lightfoot answered, that they came not to the Feast, but because they looked that the Kingdom of God should shortly appear, Luke xix. therefore the Ground was false. Goodwin said, this Phrase foreign being joyned with foreign, i. e. With one accord, importeth the same place, Acts ii.1. Lightfoot answered, 1. That grant foreign to signifie as he would have it, yet he must understand Secundum Analogiam Fidei & rationis: As all the Men of Sodom met at Lot's p. xxvDoor. This could not be. The Ark rested on the Mountains of Ararat. That could not be. Jephtha was buried in the Cities of Gilead. That could not be. Therefore these and such like Places must be expounded Secundum Rationem, i. e. according to Reason. 2. That the Lord's Supper was strange among the Jews, but Baptism was not; [For Goodwin had said, they had the Sacraments in the Temple: And what did the Apostles care for affronting the Ceremonies in the Temple?] 3. That Peter, Acts ii. Preached not alone, and the rest stood by: Nor did he Preach alone, Acts iii.

Shall I be allowed to go on in my Narration of this Controversie, which was one of the tightest that happened in the Assembly; and wherein our Divine bore a great part? Perhaps it may not be unacceptable to hear their Learning Pro and Con. Selden (and any Remainders of that great Name are worthy preserving wheresoever we meet with them) first excepted at the Expression [of the Presbyterians] that they could not meet [they were so numerous] in one place; but that they did not meet, he said, were proper. But that they met together in Christian Worship [in the Temple, as the Independents had said] it was not to be made good. For whereas it was said that they were foreign, i. e. Continuing in the Temple, this cannot be understood, they were there as Christians. For as yet it was not p. xxvicondescended to by the Jews, that the Gentiles should come in, otherwise than as they came in to be Jews. They [Jews] had now divers Sects, Scribes and Pharisees; and so were Christians now lookt upon, [i. e. as a Sect of Jews]. And they may very well be understood by the Essaeans. Now the Jews at Jerusalem, that became Christians, did believe; that, concerning the Jews in Judea, they must observe Moses Law and Customs. And then it is no wonder if they came constantly into the Temple. And here he justified Lightfoot, saying, that Baptism was long before John. Now that they had particular Congregations, he was very confident. For if they would keep up Moses's Law, (as they checked Paul, Acts xxi. for disswading Men to walk in Moses's Law,) then would they do as the Jews did. Now in Megil. Fol. 73. it is said, there were 480 Synagogues in Jerusalem; and wheresoever were Ten Housholds, any one whereof was not a Piece of a Synagogue, they were to be cast into a Synagogue, or Congregation, Maimon in foreign And then it is most probable that these Jewish Christians would cast themselves into several Congregations. And this, he added, seemed to be hinted at, Acts ii. Their going to the Temple was Jewish; their breaking Bread foreign, i. e. From House to House, was Christian. In the Syriac Testament Breaking of Bread is expresly the Eucharist; and foreign may mean Beth Cineseth, i. e. p. xxviithe House of the Synagogue; and imported some House prepared for the purpose. Thus the Learned Selden.

The same Controversie came on again another Day: Then Lightfoot shewed that the foresaid Phrase of Breaking Bread from House to House, was not, as some to evade the Argument had asserted, meant of Common-Meals. Which Selden backed: And excepted against our Translation of foreign, and clearly understood it of foreign, i. e. Some Synagogues or Meeting Places. All things he said, were now common among the Christians at Jerusalem, both foreign and foreign, i. e. Mobilia and Immobilia. And then what was it to be at home? For none had an House. But the meaning is, that they met at the same time in Publick Places.

Callamy enforced this further from Acts xii.5. Where Prayers are said to be made of the whole Church for Peter: But the whole Church was not met in one place: Therefore the Church is not one Congregation. Lightfoot seconded him, urging that all the Churches of Judea, in the places alledged, are called one Church. For now it was Easter, ver. 4. and all the Churches of Judea were here met; and yet called one Church.

At length for the Proof of this, it was moved in the Assembly to consider Lightfoot's Argument that he had propounded some Days before about the Diversity of Languages. And the Assembly agreed to it. This Pinched p. xxviiithe Independents. For Bridg would not have it fallen upon, unless the Assembly voted so to do: Which it did accordingly. Divers spake to it, and there was a long Debate upon it. Dr. Temple said, that those that spake with several Tongues were only Jews, and so understood the same Language. Woodcock urged there must needs be but one Language of all these People met together, Acts ii. For Peter Preached but in one Language to all the Three Thousand that were Converted, Acts ii.41. and to the Five Thousand that heard them and believed, Acts iv.4. Also Vines questioned whether all the various Nations that were now come up to Jerusalem, Pa…ians, Medes and Elamites, &c. understood not one Language, and that the Hebrew. Here Lightfoot answered them both, to this Tenor: 1. That the foreign, i. e. the Eleven stood forth as well as Peter, And the Story fixed more especially upon Peter because he was Minister of the Circumcision. 2. That Acts iii. Peter's Speech is set down, and yet Acts iv.1. it is said, foreign. They speak unto the People. 3. That though some of these Nations, and the Asian Jews understood the Hebrew Tongue, yet it was not so with others mentioned Acts ii. For the Asian Jews were the next Door to Jerusalem in comparison, and some others there mentioned; and so might come every Year to Jerusalem; but the others could not.

Selden also spake in answer to those that asserted there was one common Language that p. xxixall understood. He said, there was not one Language that was understood among them. As for their Sacra, it was not in much use of Language. They might use their Benedictions at the Temple in any Language that the People present understood; some things only excepted: as the Words to the tryed Wife, and the Blessing of the Priests, Numb. vi. must be in Hebrew. 2. Again, the Hellenists, be they where they would, they in the Dispersion used no doubt the Greek. It may be supposed Philo himself did not understand Hebrew, as is observed by Drusius. 3. No Judge might be admitted into the great Sanhedrin unless he had Seventy Tongues, that is, many Languages. 4. The Synagogae Libertinorum, Cyreniorum, &c. Acts vi. shew Diversity of Nations. And there is as little doubt of Diversity of Languages. 5. That in Acts vi. there is a plain and evident Distinction of the Hellenists and Hebrews living asunder and severally, even in the Time of having all things common.

11. Again, a great Controversie the Assembly had with the Congregational Men about Paul and Barnabas, their coming from the Church at Antioch to the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem, Acts xv. to know what was to be done with the Believing Gentiles; since certain that came down from Judea thither had taught, that it was needful to circumcise the Brethren, and to keep Moses's Law in point of Salvation. Now by this Application of Paul and Barnabas about this Question to the p. xxxApostles and Elders here, in the Name of the Church at Antioch; an Argument was raised, that that Church submitted it self to be ordered and directed by the Church and Ministers thus met at Jerusalem. But to evade this, Goodwin, in behalf of the Congregational or Independent Party, moved to prove, that this Meeting was for the Government of Jerusalem only. For that there were some of the Sect of the Pharisees there, that were of the same Mind, v. 5. To him Lightfoot answered, that these Churches would never have sent for Determination in point of Government for them, had they not known the Presbytery constantly sitting at Jerusalem for Acts of Government of their own Church. Bridg to this answered, that then it was no Synod: And that they met for Acts of Government finally, to find out the Truth, but not formally to exercise the Acts of Government. To this our Divine Replyed, That the Consequence did not hold, it was a Presbytery before, Ergo, no Synod now. 2. That their meeting about those Pharisees in Jerusalem, ver. 5. that were of the same mind with them at Antioch, as Goodwin had said, did make this Consequence, that then they met for the Government of their own Church. 3. That this did infer their Act of Government formally, that Paul and Barnabas, Ministers of the Uncircumcision, came to Jerusalem to question about a Business which concerned the Converted Gentiles. Now if it had been only to find out the Truth, p. xxxiPeter and James, Ministers of the Circumcision, had been most proper for to have determined this Point with them. Why then should they convent the Elders, if not for an Act of Government?

12. When the Assembly was drawing up the Order for the Administration of the Lord's Supper, there were these Words used, The Bread and Wine being set before him [the Minister] in PLATTERS, the Word Platter was thought to be improper; and so it was altered, The Bread in comely and convenient Vessels. But Lightfoot liked not this Expression, but opposed it. And when they had used the Word Sanctification of Elements, (because they avoided the using of the Word Consecrate,) Lightfoot scrupled at that Word SANCTIFY, as an Hebraism, as Consecrate was accounted a Romanism: And therefore he offered the Word Set apart, as a Medium. Hence arose a Debate: But after a long time it was exprest, He shall begin the Act with Sanctifying and Blessing the Elements.

13. When Lightfoot had Discoursed Learnedly about the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and for General Admission to it; and explained the institution of it from the Passover; and that therefore in Luke there is mention made of two Cups, as there was in the Passover; Rotherford, the Scots Commissioner, that liked not our Divine (who in truth spared not often to thwart the Scots labouring in this Assembly to bring in their Discipline into this p. xxxiiChurch of England) took upon him to prove against him, that there were not two Cups meant by that Evangelist, Chap. xxii. but that it was an Hysterosis: And that there was no mention of a Cup in the Institution of a Passover, and no news of that but in the Rabbins; speaking contemptibly, as it seemed, of that sort of Learning. But Lightfoot answered, 1. That in all the Evangelists, there is hardly an Hysterosis in any one of them in so small a Compass. And that it is hard to find any Hysterosis in Luke at all, unless it be in one or two Places. 2. That it is true that Wine was not mentioned in the Institution of the Passover: For Israel was not in the Land of Wine. But when they came into the Land of Wine, why might they not take Wine to the Passover, as well as lay down some things that were circumstantial under the Institution: Adding, that there were divers things in the New Testament which we must be beholden to the Rabbins for the understanding of them, or else we should not know what to make of them.

14. When the matter of a Synod lay before the Assembly, divers would have the Members of a Synod to consist of Lai…y as well as the Spiritualty. The Proposition ran, Pastors and Teachers lawfully called, and (it was added by some) OTHER FITTING PERSONS, are constituent Members of a Synod, The Scots opposed this Addition exceedingly, and so did Palmer, Seaman, and our Divine. p. xxxiiiThose that were for it were Marshal, Vines, Herle, and the Independents, who grounded themselves upon, Acts xv.7, 13. where Peter and James calls the Council, Men and Brethren; and ver. 22. It pleased the Apostles and Elders, with the whole Church, to send Chosen Men, &c. The Apostles and Elders, pointing out the Clergy; and the whole Church, the Laity. Where Lightfoot gave this Construction of the Words foreign and foreign: Viz. by foreign, i. e. Brethren was meant the Uncircumcised Converts, as at ver. 1. and 23, they are understood. Now it is most like that the Uncircumcised Churches would send their Ministers, and not Laymen. And by foreign is not meant the Church, but that Meeting of the Council. Seaman took at Lightfoot, and followed largely. Herle applauded the Interpretation, but refused it, and gave some Reasons why, viz. Because foreign, ver. 4. is taken properly for the Church. And the Men that brought the Letters to the Churches, could not be said to Send Greeting, ver. 23. The Apostles, and Elders, and Brethren, send Greeting unto the Brethren which are of the Gentiles. To this Lightfoot answered, That the Interpretation of Scripture, is from the scope of the Place, as in the Hebrew word [that foreign, Translates] it is apparent. Vines denyed his Interpretation of foreign: For that James and Peter called all the Company foreign, i. e. Men and Brethren. But p. xxxivLightfoot shewed that that was a common Hebraism: As in Gen. xiii.8. foreign We are MEN BRETHREN.

In fine, so well did our Divine acquit himself in this Assembly, and such was the General Opinion of his Learning and Integrity, that when Much Munden in Hertfordshire was under Sequestration, and Mr. Sedgwick moved that some one of the Assembly might be recommended to that Place; Lightfoot was Nominated, and it was ordered with Universal Consent, that he should be recommended to the Committee for that purpose; which happened in Jan. 1643.

'Tis true, this Learned Man was noted for certain peculiar Opinions, differing therein from such as were commonly received and believed; and thereupon was disliked by some: Nor will I deny it; but yet I must add, that they were such Notions as were innocent, and did no harm; such as had no bad influence upon Religion, nor tended in the least to the Breach of the Churches Peace, (which he ever held very sacred); nor lastly, Such as abated the necessity of a Vertuous and good Life. And for evidence hereof I will mention some (if not the chief) of them.

First, That the Jews shall not be called, but are utterly rejected. And that the Time of their Rejection happened before the Times of Christ; and that it so happened to them for their fond and impious Traditions; rather p. xxxvthan, as it is commonly asserted, after Christ, for their Wickedness in Murthering their Messiah, and persecuting the Gospel, how grievous a Crime soever that was. And that their last and only Calling was in the Times of Christ and his Apostles; when some few of them, viz. A Remnant, were brought in to the Faith of Christ. But that neither then there was, nor ever shall be, any Universal Calling of them. And that that p…ace in the Epistle to the Romans, Chap. xi.5. At this present time there is a Remnant, &c. was very unfit to prove this Calling of the Jews to be either Universal, or after a great many Ages.

Secondly, His mean Opinion of the Greek Translation of the Bible by the Seventy; that it was hammered out by the Jews with more Caution than Conscience, more Craft than Sincerity; and that it was done out of Political Ends to themselves. As that the Bible might be represented after that manner to the Heathen, among whom the Jews dwelt, that they might have no occasion from any Passages therein to revile, or cavil with them; and that the Jewish Nation might live the more securely; concealing in the mean time, as much as they could, the Mysteries and Truths contained therein.

Thirdly, His Opinion concerning the Keys, that they were given to Peter alone: And this he openly h…ld in the Assembly of Divines: When a long Debate happenning, whether p. xxxvithe Keys were given to all the Church, or to the Apostles only; our Divine stood up, and granted, that in all Ages the Learned h…ld, that the Keys meant the Government of the Church; but that for his part, he held that the Keys were only given to Peter, according as Christ spake only to him; To THEE will I give the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven: [But mark in what sense he meant it]: That is, to open the Gospel to the Gentiles; which was meant, he said, by the Kingdom of Heaven. And that it was to this purpose Peter spake, Acts xv.7. in an Assembly of the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem; Ye know, how that a good while ago, God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my Mouth should hear, &c. foreign, that is, from this Promise of Christ given to him. And,

Fourthly, He did not allow that Binding and Loosing related to Discipline, but to Doctrine. And that because the Phrases, to Bind and to Loose were Jewish, and most frequent in their Writers; and that it belonged only to the Teachers among the Jews, to Bind and to Loose. And that when the Jews set any apart to be a Preacher, they used these Words, Take thou Liberty to Teach, what is Bound, and what is? Loose. To which I might add,

Fifthly, His peculiar Interpretation of those Words of God to Cain, If thou dost not well Sin lyeth at the Door. SIN, that is not Punishment, p. xxxviito take hold of thee, but a Sin-offering, to make Attonement for thee; and that that was the common Acceptation of foreign i. e, Sin, in the Books of Moses. And that God did not intend to terrifie Cain by those Words, but rather to keep him from Despair.

These, and perhaps other Notions and Expositions of Scripture, however Novel they seemed to be; yet as they were not without probability, so they never made any Assaults upon Fundamental Doctrines, or true Christian Holiness and Peace. And thus we have seen somewhat of his Learning and Divinity. But that which made it the more valuable, was his Integrity and Goodness. Which opens to us a second Scene of the Man, and brings us to the Consideration of him,

II. As a Good Christian. And for the the better evidencing of this, I shall use the same Method for the most part, as I have done before to shew his Learning; Namely, by looking into his Behaviour, while he sat a Member of the Assembly of Divines.

1. He was an earnest Promoter of the Peace of the Church. And because the breaking of the Communion of Christians by Schisms and Separations, and withdrawing from the National Church into distinct Churches, did effectually tend to kindle the Fire of Contention and Uncharitableness, and to beget Estrangements in the Family of p. xxxviiiC…rist, where Love ought to be the great Badge; therefore he always set himself to oppose those Practices. And for this purpose he would often urge how our great Master and Lord kept up constant Communion with the Jewish Church, whereof he was Born a Member, and came up duly to the Temple at the Set Feasts, and observed the Churches Rites and Customs, however corrupt they were in many respects, and the Officers and Prime Professors of it very Degenerate and Hypocritical. Which Argument he hath managed well in his Discourse upon the Widow's Mite in this Book, as well as in other Places of his Printed Sermons, extant in his Works. To which I might add, that when in his Discourse upon one of the Select Articles of the Creed, now published, he had occasionally said, that it might so happen that a Man might be excommunicate out of a true Protestant Church, and yet it were hard to doom such an one to Perdition; he presently put in this Caution, That he spake not this to animate any to separate or withdraw from the visible Church wherein we live: Adding withal his Grief at the Separations among us, That for such Divisions of Reuben there were great Thoughts of Heart. And it is remarkable, that when once in the Assembly some began to move, whether the Church of England were a true Church, and the Ministry of the Church of England a true Ministry; some would have waved it, lest it might p. xxxixhave brought on the Business of Subscription to the Orders of the Church, which a great many of them had refused. But Lightfoot honestly said, that this was the Question betwixt our Saviour and the Woman of Samaria. And if she had directly asked him, whether the Church of the Jews were the true Church, he would doubtless directly have answered, it was. For otherwise God had no Church in the World. And yet was the Church of the Jews at that time in a worse Condition than any of them could think the Church of England then was.

2. He was no Innovator. He sat indeed in the Assembly of Divines called together by the Parliament, to consult upon Matters of Religion; and he came thither in the simplicity of his Heart, contributing his Service towards the Correcting of supposed Abuses in Religion. But still he had a respect to the good Laws of the Church; and disliked and declared against many Propositions brought in for Reformation, and opposed several things attempted to be introduced, not only by Independents and Antinomians, but such as were for transcribing the Model of the Scotch and Geneva Discipline. In their settling a Set Form for Religious Worship (the Parliament having laid aside the Common-Prayer-Book) Lightfoot had an Eye to former Rubricks and Canons. To give one Instance hereof: When in the Directory for Baptism, the giving Ministers warning, when p. xlany Children were to be Baptized, was omitted, he moved that that might be taken order for; seeing that in our old Rubrick, said he, it is enjoyned, that warning should be given the Night before. And now he shewed, there was more need, since the Minister by the Directory, was to make an Exhortation, and to give some Instructions concerning Baptism. Whereupon this Clause was added, Warning being given to the Ministers the Day before. Again, he utterly disliked the bringing in a Rank of Women for Officers in the Church, viz. Widows. Which some had urged, grounding themselves upon that of the Apostle, Let not a Widow be taken into the number under Sixty Years old. Where Lightfoot shewed, that for that very thing he could not be of that Opinion: For that it was contrary to the Old Testament, where the Officers of the Temple were to be dismist at Fifty Years Old. And when Goodwin answered, that the Priests indeed were discharged of their Service at those Years, because of the Burthen of their Service: As particularly, carrying of the Ark, and the Labour of Sacrificing: Lightfoot replied, that the Ark was fixed after Solomon's time: So that there was no more Occasion to carry that. Neither were the Sacrifices any such Burthen; the Courses of the Priests were so full, as that no less than Eighty opposed Vzziah. And he shewed it from Josephus; and that there were Five Thousand apiece at least in each Course; and that their p. xliService was but one Week in half a Year: And therefore they could not be overladen with Work. Nevertheless when after much Debate it was brought to the Vote, whether Widows were Church Officers; it was voted in the affirmative: Yet only by one Voice, Lightfoot being then absent; which he calls in his Journal, His Misfortune; and adds, that the Proposition was utterly against his Mind, and far different from his Judgment.

3. He set himself especially against such as made use of Religion to supersede the Duties of Morality; and who upon pretence of higher Attainments in Christianity, overlookt Truth, Honestly and Righteousness. He could not bear such as made Religion a Pander to Sin. And such Sects there were that shewed their Faces in his Time. There were some that had refined Religion to that Degree, that they went all upon Illuminations, Revelations, and Spiritual Raptures, and talked of nothing but of their being acted by the Spirit of God, and doing all by some mighty Influences of that Spirit: Poring so much upon these Fancies, that they measured their own and others Religion, according as they were endued with these Enthusiastical Flights: In the mean time made little or no account of Moral Duties; and were much addicted to Unpeaceableness, Covetousness, Fraud, Lying, Deceiving, Slandering, and such like.

p. xliiThere was one considerable Sect that then appeared, and got much ground, which was known and distinguished by this Doctrine, That Christians were not obliged by the Moral Law. Against this Party great complaints were at length brought into the Assembly of Divines; many of whom, (among which was our Divine) saw well to what a Decay all true Religion would soon come, if Men of this Opinion were tolerated. For, (to shew them a little to the present Age) these were Doctrines contained in the Books or Speeches of three of them, collected by Dr. Temple and offered to the Assembly, as I find them in Lightfoot's Journal.

1. That the Moral Law is of no use at all to Believers: No Rule to walk by, nor to examine their Lives by. And that Believers are freed from the Mandatory Power of it.

2. That it is as possible for Christ to Sin, as for a Child of God.

3. That a Child of God needs not, nay, ought not, to ask Pardon for Sin; and that it is no less than Blasphemy to ask Pardon for our Sin. And one of them being told, that David asked Forgiveness of Sins, it was answered, it was his Weakness.

4. That God doth not chastise any of his for Sin. Let Believers Sin as fast as they can, there is a Fountain open for them to wash in. That not for the Sin of God's People, but for Swearers and Drunkards the Land is punisht.

p. xliii5. That there ought to be no Fasting Days under the Gospel; and Men ought not to afflict their Souls; no, not in a Day of Humiliation. And it being asked one of them, whether he Fasted in obedience to the Civil Command, he answered, That were to be the Servants of Men.

6. That this Doctrine is false, If you Fast and Pray and Humble your selves unto God, then God will turn away his Judgments. Yea, if you Pray by the Spirit, you are not hereupon to expect deliverance from Judgments.

7. That when Abraham in outward appearance seemed to Lye; in his Distrust, Lying, Dissembling, and Equivocating, even then truly all his Thoughts, Words and Deeds, were perfectly Holy and Righteous from all Spot of Sin in the sight of God.

8. That if a Man by the Spirit know himself to be in a State of Grace, though he commit Murder or Drunkenness, yet God doth see no Sin in him.

Lightfoot, with divers others of the soberer sort in the Assembly, were hugely concerned at these Men and their Doctrines: Because they well saw, and urged to the rest, how these Opinions opened a Gap to all manner of Licentiousness; struck at the very obedience due to the Civil Magistrate; horribly scandalized all the Doctrine of Free-Grace and Justification; endeavoured to blast all p. xlivFaithful Ministers, calling them Legal Preachers: And that this Sect was the more dangerous, because their Preachers crept into the Favour of the Souldiers. And it was observable, that when the Definition of Justification lay before the Divines (having under their Hand the Consideration of the Homily of Justification) Palmer moved, that to meet with the Antinomians Repentance might go into the Definition of Justification; but it would not pass. But a Clause in the Homily was thought good to be inserted, Viz. Which though it do not exclude Repentance and Conversion to God, &c. Yet doth it not include them as Parts of the Works of Justification. And this Clause was voted affirmatively: But Lightfoot, thinking it not sufficient, shewed, that the Phrase Doth not exclude Repentance, did not reach to meet with the Antinomians, and Profane ones who abused this Doctrine. And therefore he tendred the Word, Required; and that it should run, though it do REQUIRE Repentance and Conversion, &c. But it was feared that word might be doubtful, and therefore they rather inclined to the former Phrase, Not excluding.

And as he shewed his Zeal against this Sect in the Assembly, so his Doctrine in his Sermons was to the same Import. These words he spake in one of them with much earnestness; I have observed, and cannot but observe again to you, how much is laid in Scripture upon our discharging of our Duty towards p. xlvour Neighbour, upon dealing in Truth, in Righteousness, in Charity, and Integrity with Men; as if this were the very ALL we had to do. The Jews say, that all the Six Hundred and Thirteen Commands of the Law are summed up in those Eleven, Psal. xv. Reckon up those Eleven, and how many of them refer to our upright and righteous dealing with our Neighbour? Who shall abide in the Lord's Tabernacle? Who shall dwell in his Holy Hill? He that works Righteousness, and speaks Truth to his Neighbour; that takes not up a Reproach against his Neighbour; that keeps his Oath, though to his own Hurt; that takes not Vsury; that takes not Reward against the Innocent. He that doth these things shall never be moved. One would think, said he, the Answer to this Question, Who shall abide in the Lord's Tabernacle? should have been such an one as this, He that is Devout and Constant in Prayer: He that is a constant Hearer, and much in Meditation of the Word of God: He that is careful to keep the Sabbath, and so to relate to the Duties of the First Table. But ye see here, all referrs to our dealing Fairly, Truly, Uprightly with our Neighbour. And so Mat. xix.18. If thou wilt enter into Life, keep the Commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus saith, Thou shalt do no Murther. Thou shalt not commit Adultery. Thou shalt not Steal. Thou shalt not bear false Witness, &c. So that if you ask the Way to Sion: If p. xlviyou enquire which Way shall I go to the Lord's Tabernable, to dwell in his Holy Hill? Why, Friend, you must begin at a perfect and good Heart toward Men; an so go along to a perfect and good Heart toward God; and so to Sion. God calls for such Duties towards our Neighbour, as it were to set us to our ABC, and Primer, to learn the first Elements and Lessons of Religion.

Thus would he sometimes meet with the Antinomian, and pull down the high-flying Religionists, that were above these low Dispensations of Morality, Truth, Justice, and upright Dealing with Men. These Doctrines therefore and such like, broached by Men of unquiet Spirits, he liked not; and especially when they led Men away from that true Heavenly-mindedness, Meekness and Humility, which are the great Laws of the Gospel. This was one Reason made him no Friend to the Millenary Opinion; which taught Men to look for an Earthly Paradise and Reward in this World: For these that dreamt of Christ's Personal Monarchy here on Earth, imagined themselves also to be some of those that must reign with him, and had the Best Right to the Possessions of this World: Which was a Doctrine that opened a Door to Violence, Rapine, and all kind of Injustice; to the high Disparagement also of Christ's Holy Religion. On that account also he was no Friend to it; but as he had occasion confuted it. Those that p. xlviiembraced this Opinion, concluded that place in the Revelations, Chap. xxi.2. I John saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a Bride adorned, &c. for a Description of the Times when Christ should come and reign on Earth. But our Divine shewed no more to be meant by it, but the State under the Gospel. And that the New Jerusalem there meant nothing, but the Christian Church, as might be shewed at large. When the Old Jerusalem in Canaan, (at he spake in one of his Sermons) is destroyed, John sees a New Jerusalem: When the Old Church of the Jews is cast away, he sees a New Church. And this Church is said to come down from Heaven. A Saint is Heaven-born, and is Heavenly while he is here upon Earth: From Heaven he comes, and to Heaven he must return: He is born from above: Adorned and Drest from Heaven, and in a Heavenly Dress: And he is Drest for Heaven. The Millenaries made use also of that Expression of the Apostle in the Acts, Chap. iii.21. That the Heavens must retain Christ, till the Restitution of all Things. Against whom thus he Armed his Auditors. This encourageth the Millenary to Dream of Christ's Reigning here on Earth a Thousand Years before the Final End of the World; and Swords must be then beaten into Plowshares, and Spears into Pruning-Hooks: Then an Universal Peace, Concord and Tranquility, is to be p. xlviiirestored to the Church, and all the Glorious Things the Prophets have spoken of, to come to pass, and be settled. But as to that Place the Doctor shewed, there were two manners of restoring things, viz. to their old Estate, or to a new and better. The Millenary himself dreamt not of restoring to any former Estate: And if it be meant of restoring to a new and better, that is done already, when Elias came, and restored all things, Mat. xvii.11. And our Divine shewed, that this Restoration, or Restitution, signified no more but that all things in the Prophets should be made good, or accomplished. This is learnedly treated of in the last Discourse of the Third Decad. To which I refer the Reader.

The Perfectionists that pretended to live without Sin, he saw wanted that Humility and Modesty, and constant dependence upon God's Grace, that was necessary to the Christian State; and therefore by no means approved of them neither: And endeavoured to Arm his People against that Doctrine. And what his Thoughts were of it may be seen in the first Discourse of the Third Decad. Where to pull down the Plumes of this Vain-Glorious Generation, he shewed, that a Saint of God in his imperfect Condition, did exceed Adam himself in his unsinning Condition in divers respects.

p. xlix4. He was in fine one that had a mighty Concern for the Honour of God and Religion: That God might be served in Spirit and Truth. Which was the true Cause that he was so serious, earnest and diligent in the Assembly of those Divines that he was called to sit with. For, whatever By-ends they were convented for, and divers of them perhaps drove at; yet his Designs were only what that Assembly was given out to be called for; Viz. The reforming of Religion. And he never one Day failed of being present at the Assembly from the first Session thereof, but ever shewed himself there to discharge this Trust of Religion, till Jan. 22. 1643. (that is, about Five Months) that being the first time he went down to Munden, to enter upon his Living. It was from this Principle that he was extremely concerned once, when certain blasphemous Persons were brought before the Judges, who sent to the Assembly to know their Judgments in a Point of Blasphemy: Which was, That one Jane Stretton had said, that Christ was a Bastard. And one John Hart, a Soldier, said commonly, Who made you? My Lord of Essex. Who redeemed you? Sir William Waller. Who sanctified and preserved you? My Lord of Warwick. The Answer the Assembly return'd was, That they had horribly blasphemed, and desired exemplary Punishment might be shewed upon them. And besides, Lightfoot and one p. lor two more moved, that such an Occasion being offered, they should present a Request to the two Houses, that strict Laws and Penalties should be published against Blasphemy, which did increase. And a Committee was chosen for that Purpose. And it was but a little after, that the Lord Pembrook, Lord Admiral, came into the Assembly, being sent from the House of Lords, to hasten them in settling the Government of the Church, for that Opinions grew very many and blasphemous.

I might also add, That Mr. Chambers, one of the Assembly, related to them some Blasphemies of one. As on Gen. vi.6. he said, that it was untrue, that God repented he made Man: That the Soul dieth with the Body; and all things shall come to an end but God: That Christ came to live Two and Thirty Years, and nothing else that he knew: That God loves any Creature as well as Man: That we are not to be saved by that Christ that suffered at Jerusalem, but by a Christ formed in us, &c. Whereupon it was ordered presently, that this should be brought to the Lords, and they desired to send to apprehend them.

It sprang from the same Principle of his awful Apprehension of God's Honour, that when the Assembly had finished the Directory, and read it over, in order to the last Hand, Lightfoot observing, that the singing of the Psalms was quite left out, he moved p. liagain and again, that it might be put in, and that such a material Part of Divine Worship should not be omitted. And at length it was done accordingly.

He had a great Concern at the Atheisticalness of the Age, when Men began to shake the very Principles of Religion, and strove to make themselves and others believe no Existence of Spirits, nor any Being after Death; the great Curb to restrain the wicked Excesses of evil Men. To this I attribute the Pains he took to transcribe with his own Hand a notable Relation of a Spirit appearing in Driffield, in Yorkshire, that was sent to Mr. (after Dr.) Ezekiah Burton, then Fellow of Magdalen College in Cambridge, by Mr. Moore, formerly Fellow of the said College; and Mr. Blackwell, another Minister (as it seems) who took the Relation from the Woman's own Mouth, to whom the Spirit often appeared. And seeing our Divine took the Pains to transcribe it for his own use, I may be pardoned, if I offer it here to the Public from his Manuscript.

I suppose you have heard the News of a Spirit appearing to a Woman [named Isabel Billinger] at Driffield, in this County [of York.] I had this Relation, be it true of false, from the Woman her self. It is too long to write it to you, as I did it from her, but the chief things are these. That she saith, A Spirit did appear to her at several times, in several Likenesses. After p. liisome of the first Appearances she found in a low room, as she swept it out, a piece of a Stake; which she pulled up, and digged there, and found some Teeth, Collar Bones, and a Skull broken. After this the Spirit, upon her demanding if it would have any thing, spake to her, and said, Fourteen Years have I wandred in this Place, suffering Wrong three times: Seven Years I have to wander: One and Twenty Years is my time. Another time it appeared to her, and said, My Life was taken from me in the Chamber of this House by three Women, Mary Burton, Alice Colson, and Anne Harrison, because of 23 l. which I lent to Mary Burton Three Years before, and 23 s. which they took out of my Pocket, and three Rings, two of Gold, and one of Silver, and other Writings and Bonds of the Money; two of the Rings were my Grandmother's, and the Silver one my own Mother's. They took my Life betwixt Eight and Nine a Clock at Night, and I received my Grave betwixt Twelve and One.

It tells many Particulars, she says, (which I have writ) about the Place where it did live; its Father's Name, and Mother's, and other Kindred. She said, It bade her make a Fire, where she took up the Stake, and let Mary Burton be there, who came of her self to the making of it. (She only of the three Women is alive.) The Woman says, she sat by the Fire, till the People p. liiiin the Street said her Child cried in the other Room. But when she went, the Child was asleep, and the Spirit was standing within the Door where the Child was; and said, Blessed be the time, when this Fire was made, and blessed be they that gave Consent to the Fire-making. For the Stake begins to be as warm at the Root, as the Heart of me was when the Stake was struck thro' it. Another time it said, Send Mary Burton to the Goal, and I will be with her there. She says, she ask'd it how it should do for Witness when she came before the Judge of the Assize; and it said, Thou shalt never want Witness, as long as I can get either Mile or Miles. She says, it desired her to go to Mr. Crompton's, one of the Justices, and desire him to send to the Churches to pray for a wandring Soul, and pray for Prosperity of a Spirit, that will discover the Murder of it self the next Assize; which was done Fourteen Years ago, passing a Week before Midsummer last. [She accordingly did this Message to the said Justice, and related her Story to him.] She says, Mr. Crompton desired to see it in the Day-time; but it said, he was not so good as his Word, to send to the Churches to get them to pray for a wandring Soul, and so it would not be seen by him in the Day, unless the Dark were no Danger to him. She says, when she would have touched it, it said, Thou needest not take hold of me, p. livfor I am not evil. She says, they bade her ask it, Where it had been all this while, and what it lived on: It said, I remain in the Air, and the Quarters and Minutes are set down how long it stays on the Earth at a time, when it appears. And said moreover, I am sent from the Lord, to discover and disclose: And also said, I in my Likeness will appear to divers, but have no Power to speak to any, but to thee. She says, it saith that it shall enjoy the happy Eternal; and that it had no Power to speak, till the Stake was taken up. She says, it appear'd to her the Night before I was with her. There is a great deal more of the Story; whereof some I heard there of her, and some since by others. To this is subjoyned

The Relation of Mr. Thomas Blackwel.

Containing almost all that was in Mr. Moor's, Word for Word, and these Particulars besides.

ABout Lammas last 1662. it appeared twice like a Child of Two Years old in White; the third time like a young Man of Eighteen Years old. The Saturday following it appeared in green Breeches, Doublet and Coat, bare-footed and bare-headed, with long Flaxen Hair, the upper part p. lvof the Doublet unbuttoned as she thought. She asked, What art thou? What wantest thou? What wouldest thou have? Then it came nearer. She said, If thou wouldest have ought, speak. It answered, Fourteen Years have I wandred in this Place, &c. (as in the other Letter) and vanished, and appeared again within a quarter of an Hour, and said, Be not thou afraid; I will never hurt thee; thou shalt never want [Witness, perhaps to be supply'd] and vanished. About Eight or Nine a Clock the said Saturday it appeared in White, and said nothing, but moved to and fro, and went into the Room where the Bones were, and rattled them, and vanished. Tuesday, about Eight or Nine at Night, it appeared again, and said, My Life was taken from me betwixt Eight and Nine, &c. (as in the other Le…ter.) After these things Isabel Billinger, to whom it appeared, went to the Justice, and related the Story to him. He wish'd her, when it appeared again, to ask its Name, and Father's, &c. and at the next appearing it answered, That its Name was Robert Elliot; his Father's Name Jacob, his Mother's Rebecca, his Sisters Jane and Katharine. That he lived at West-Ham, Three Miles from London: And at another time it told further concerning his Relations to this Tenor; my Father was born at Chester, an Upholster by Trade, and came in his latter Days to keep a Hackney Coach in London. p. lviAnd that his Sisters were both alive in London; the one at the Black Nags-Head in Southwark, and the other at the Horse-Shooe; that his Mother's Name first was Mrs. Rebecca Hutchinson, and they might find it in St. John's Church Register-Book in London.

The Justice bade Isabel ask him, how he came to Mary Burton's House. The Spirit answered, that he came to Nusterton; and not finding her there, came to Driffield, and meeting with her, desired Lodging at her House; and she being unwilling, he said, he thought he might have craved such a common Favour from her for the Money he had lent her. She said, her House was unprovided of Victuals. He called for some Ale, and drank, and told her he came for his Money. She said, she had it not to give him. He said, he would either have it to morrow, or send for the Bailiff, and distrain. Upon that she uttered some vain Oaths and idle Words; and he called her Bloody Quean. Then she swore she could find in her Heart to drink as freely of his Blood, as she did of that Cup of Ale, and drank it immediately. The next time it appear'd, it told further, that Mary Burton took the Writings with her, and went to West-Ham, and demanded a Rug, and a Tankard worth about — That his Sister Katharine being unwilling to deliver them, said, she had already given him more than came to his p. lviiPart. That Mary Burton said, she had got Writings under his own Hand, and that he had gotten a House for his Life, and that now she was become a Friend of his. That thereupon his Sister deliver'd the Rug and Tankard to M. Burton; and that she sold them at London. And having discovered this, he vanish'd.

The next time she asked what she should do for Witness; and it answered, as in Mr. Moor's Letter; and moreover bade Isabel desire the Justice to take no Bail of M. Burton, but send her to Goal, and it would be there.

Isabel asked what the Fire should be made of, it said a bright Fire of Coals; and so vanished. Isabel said, that M. Burton came that Saturday to her House, with the Wife of Roger Baker of Driffield: And upon her Entrance said to Isabel, Good Woman, we are come to trouble your House. For I hear there is a great Accident befel, and that a Spirit appeared to you, and said, it was wounded here. And she desired Isabel to tell whom it accused. Isabel not knowing that it was M. Burton, said, It accused one M. Burton, and Alice Colson, and Anne Harrison. Then M. Burton asked where it said it was put to Death? Isabel said, in the Chamber of this House. Then Mary said her Name was M. Burton; and that there was a Bed in that Chamber, but none ever lay in it, but only the Maid. And p. lviiiclapping her Hands together, said, she never dipt her Hands in any Man's Blood. The Spirit said, that she knocked him on the Head, and no Blood appeared. Mary Burton stayed in the Town all Night. The next Day being Sunday, the Fire was made, &c. as in the former Letter. M. Burton desired to see the Spirit, but it said to Isabel, M. Burton my great Enemy shall not see me till her last Day. Isabel told Mary what the Spirit said; who said she would sit no longer there to prate.

Isabel was first examined before Sir Tho. Remington and Mr. Crompton, and afterward her Examination was taken again by Mr. Crompton. Afterwards it desired her to go to Two other Justices, that they might take the Examination, and pointed with its Hand Eastward. Isabel told Mr. Crompton what it said: Who told her, that it mattered not for her going; for he would acquaint Sir Tho. Bointon and Mr. Pierson with her Examination. When she returned from Mr. Crompton, the Spirit was standing on the further side of the Bed where the Child lay, and said to her, Thou shalt go to the two Justices. Which when she told Mr. Crompton, he advised her to go; and she was examined before them.

On the 11th or 12th. of September it appeared and spoke of other things; shewing of some Plot for betraying of King Charles: And of the time, viz. before Candlemas, unless p. lixthe Country, Magistrates, and his loving Friends, writ to him in secret. Also the Person's Name that should betray him. Upon which Mr. Crompton bade Isabel ask the Spirit certain Questions relating thereto.

Sept. 28. It appeared at Sun-rise, and said, Thou told'st Mr. Crompton the Town where Anne Harrison lived was Redstone, but I told thee Barnstone.

Sept. 29. At Eight a Clock it appear'd, and the Woman said, In the Name of the Father, &c. How camest thou to be so long down, and not to appear? It answered, she said certain Prayers over me when they struck down the Stake, that I could not appear.

Upon Thursday, about Sun-rise, it appeared. Isabel asked what became of his Horse? It answered, My Horse was sold on Midsummer-day at Beverly to one Mr. Weldbread, that liveth in the South, for 5 l.

Octob. 4. It appeared to several of the Town of Driffield. But Isabel was not at home, and did not see it.

It appear'd in White all the time, like one of Eighteen Years old.

Some Gentlemen bade Isabel ask it, where he should abide after Seven Years were expired? It said, I must enjoy the happy Eternity; and in the mean time the Lord is my Governour.

Signed, Thomas Blackwell.

p. lxIt is pity the Relation went no further: For one would have been glad to have known to what Issue this Business came; and whether this Woman, accused by the Spirit, ever came to her Trial. The Credit of this Story depended not upon Isabel alone; for it appears the Spectre was seen also by others, and the Circumstances were such as did mightily confirm Evidence of her, to whom it chiefly reveal'd it self and its Cause. And it appears that Crompton the Justice, a Person, as it seems, of Sobriety and good Judgment, slighted her not, but advised her to put divers material Demands to it. And the Story seems also to have found good Credit with our Divine, as well as others, in that he thought fit to transcribe the whole Relation, which I have here exemplified. And so I leave it.

I have one Demonstration more of his Piety to God; that he continued as long as he lived, constant and painful in the Word and Doctrine. And as he was an assiduous and excellent Preacher, so his Sermons ran very much upon a Strain of urging Holiness, and a pure and good Life upon his Auditors; in a plain, but nervous Stile, teaching them substantial Virtue and Goodness; seldom meddling with Controversies, unless they were such as tended to obstruct the Necessity of a Holy Life, or to undermine the Purity and Humility required p. lxiin the Gospel, or enticed to a Revolt from the Protestant Religion.

Thus he shewed them, that it was no such easie Matter to be a Christian, but that it required long Pains and Diligence. A Change from Sin to God is a continued Act, and requires Space and Time to accomplish it. Our Fall was in a Moment; that Change from our Happiness to our Sinfulness and Misery, was in an Instant; but our changing back again requires time. A Man may fall off from an high Tower in a Moment, but to recover his Bruise, and to climb up thither again, is not so soon done. And because many were apt to defer their Repentance by the Example of the good Thief, hoping to have their great Work done in an Instant, and to find such Success as he did; therefore Dr. Lightfoot added; That in all the Bible we have but one Example of a short Change, and that was the Thief on the Cross, who had his Work of renewing done in an Hour, or thereabouts. But it was at such a time as never was before, and never will be again. When the Son of God was undergoing his great CHANGE from Life to Death, and was purchasing the CHANGE of his People from Death to Life. If thou canst light on such a nick of Time, which is impossible, then thou mightest expect it possible that this Change should be wrought suddenly: Otherwise expect it will take p. lxiiup no little time. We must distinguish of the first working of Grace, and of the Growth and Encreasing from thenceforward. That first Work of Grace doth indeed translate the Person from one Condition to another; but Succession of Time, and Growing in Grace, is required to transform him thorowly from one Temper to another. Again, the first Work of Grace doth indeed make a Man capable of Heaven, but more is required to make him fit for Heaven.

He puzzled not his People with propounding to them nice and critical Signs, to know whether they were in a State of Grace, but shewed the plain way to be satisfied therein. Who is there, but if he will well examine himself, may easily tell whether he be in the Ways of God or no? Let him but try his Heart and Actions, whether God in his Word hath commanded, or allowed, such an Heart, and such Actions, as he carries and acts; or whether he hath forbade, and cried out against them. Who, but his own Heart, will easily tell him, that God never commanded or allowed him to Lye and Deceive, to be Cross and Contentious, to be Proud and Scornful, to be Wanton and Luxurious, to be Envious and Revengeful, to be Worldly and Covetous? And therefore if he carry such an Heart, and if he practice such Practices as p. lxiiithese, he must needs conclude, that he is under God's Blaming and Complaint.

He checked those, that tho' they were none of the best, yet entertained a Confidence that they should do well, and bolstered out themselves with good Hopes of their own Condition; using these Words to such, That Man that hath ever gone in a sinful worldly Way, never minding any thing, but to satisfie his own Mind and Lust, and yet will not be driven out of Hope, that he shall be saved as well as the best; This is not Hope, but Drunkenness. As you may perswade a drunken Man to very strange Hopes. This is Raving rather than solid Hoping. For true and right Hope, wheresoever it comes, creeps out of Fear, as poor Israel did out of their Caves and Dens, when the Fear and Danger of the Enemy was past and over. And again, Hope never comes, but where Fear hath been before. As the still Voice to Elias came not, but after Fire, Earthquake and Tempest. The Soul that will breed and bring forth a lively Hope, must, like Rebecca, bring forth the rough, rugged Esau of Fear, before it bring forth the smooth Jacob of Hope. There is first the Spirit of Bondage unto Fear, before there comes the Spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Father. A Conscience that was never troubled, startled, or molested, but blith, debonair and fearless, is not Peace p. lxivof Conscience, the Gift of God, but Deadness and Stupidity of Conscience, the Spirit of Slumber.

He gave Men this wholsome Admonition concerning the Exercises of Religious Worship: Prayer, confessing of Sin, attending upon God's Service, these are Sacrifices that God requires; and they are Sacrifices with which God is well pleased, if they be well done. But there is one thing more that God requires, and without which these are nothing, and that is, that which the Apostle speaks of, Rom. xii. at the beginning; for a Man to offer himself a living Sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is his reasonable Service. In other things a Man may deceive himself: He may think he prays well enough, when it may be his Prayers are Sin: That he confesses his Sins well enough, when it may be he adds to his Sin by his Slightness of Confession. But in offering a Man's self to God, there can be no Deceit, if he do but do it. In the other he may offer but Words; let him offer himself, and there is Substance. This is the Sacrifice that God requires, Psal. xl.6. Burnt-Offering and Sin-Offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come to do thy Will. Do but observe the Apostle's Allegation of this Scripture, Heb. x.5. Sacrifice and Offering thou would'st not, but a Body hast thou prepared me. That is the Sacrifice thou requirest; p. lxvviz. My Body, my self to be offered to thee to do thy Will.

He frequently urged the Obligation of keeping God's Commandments against the Antinomians and others; and that from the apparent Agreeableness of so doing to our Reason; and that since we are reasonable Creatures, we should live as such. The very Equity and Justice of the Duties of the Moral Law is not only a Bond upon us to keep them, but an apparent and plain Reason, why they were given. What more reasonable thing in the World, t…an that we should love God and our Neighbour; that we should do Mercy, Justice, Piety, Honesty, and the like? Do not these things of themselves speak all the Equity and Reason in the World? Is it not most agreeable to Reason, that reasonable Creatures should live after another manner than unreasonable brute Beasts do? God hath made us Men; and must there be no Distinction 'twixt us and Beasts? What is that that must difference us? What? meerly this, that we have Reason, and Understanding, and Speech, which Beasts have not? The Scripture, you know, calls Men, that have these, by the Names of Beasts however. Herod is a Fox, in the terming of our Saviour; and Nebuchadnezzar a Lion, in the Speech of Jeremy. False Teachers are Wolves in the Language of the Apostle, and the Scribes and Pharisees p. lxviSerpents, and a Generation of Vipers, in the Denomination of our Saviour and the Baptist. These Men had Reason, and Understanding, and Speech, and Knowledge, as well as other Men; and they would have scorned to have been thought short of other Men in these things. But it is living like reasonable Creatures, and not like unreasonable brute Beasts, that must distinguish us from brute Beasts. If a Man live like a Dog, a Swine, a Fox, a Wolf, tho' he can talk never so much Sense and Reason, does his having the use of Reason do him any Good, when he is neither good towards God, nor himself, nor other Men, but lives and dies, as the Apostle speaks, As natural brute Beasts, made to be taken and destroyed? 2 Pet. ii.12.

He would at other times press upon Men Sobriety and Obedience to God's Laws, out of Interest to themselves, as tending to their own real Safety and Welfare so to do; and excellent Argument to perswade, if well managed. To this Purpose he spake once; God's Laws are the Cords of a Man, and his Commands are the Bonds of Love, laid upon Men by God for their own Good, and without which it could not be well with them. Let me ask any one that desires to be lawless this Question; Wouldst thou that God should have nothing at all to do with thee? That God should leave thee in this Wilderness, thou art walking in, to p. lxviithy self, and say, I know thee not, I will have nothing to do with thee? Nay, leave not all Care of me, would'st thou say: Withdraw not all Providence from me. For then I shall have neither Food nor Rayment; I shall have neither Comfort nor Support. I shall have neither Health, nor Life; if God disclaim me, and Providence will have nothing to do with me. Why, Friend, I may say, in some Sense his Commandments are his Providence, in which, and under which only thou mayest have Prosperity and Safety. As Solomon once to Shimei, Stay in Jerusalem, and thou shalt be well; but know, that if e'er thou go over the Brook Kidron, thou art but a dead Man. Sinner, keep within the Bounds of God's Commandments, and it will be well with thee, and God will be with thee. But transgress those Bounds, and thou art got where good Providence dwells not. God and his good Providence dwell, as I may say, within the Verge and Compass of his Commandments. As in Rev. iv.3. He and his Throne are encompassed with a Rainbow, the Sign of his Covenant. Keep thou within the Bounds and Compass of his Commandments, and and thou art where God is, where Mercy is, where good Providence is. But get out of these Bounds, transgress his Commandments, thou art then where God is not, and where good Providence and p. lxviiiMercy have no Habitation. Shimei is gone over the Brook Kidron, and he is under Solomon's Protection no more, but under the Doom of Death and Danger.

He mightily preached up a Conformity to the Will of God, shewing how this fitted, qualified and disposed to the highest Perfection of Man's Nature. Thus speaking once of the Saints in Glory, he turned his Speech to them after this manner: O happy Souls, you have attained now to that Perfection, for which God created reasonable Creatures; viz. To be resolved wholly into the Likeness of God, by having your Wills resolved into his. And could this ever be done, unless the Work were begun here. These blessed Souls, while here, made it their Work to do the Will of God, and still were striving that their Will might be agreeable to his Will. And now they find, that what they did was worth all their Labour. And the more they did of his Will, the more they were s…ting for this happy Condition. For do but consider, how keeping the Commandments, and doing the Will of God, does dress and prepare for the Enjoyment of God. I might observe here, how the more a Man keeps the Commandments of God, the less Guilt he contracts to himself, and the less Barr there is between him and Heaven. I might observe, that the more he keeps the Commandments, the more Comfort p. lxixof Conscience he gets to himself, and the more Hope of Reward in Glory. Every good thing he does in doing the Wi…l of God, lays on a Brick towards the building up his own Hope and Comfort of a blessed Reward. But consider we only the thing. under this Notion, that the more a Man keeps the Commandments, the more he purifies himself, refines and fits himself for the Embraces of God, and his Enjoyment. No gross, corrupt, muddy, fleshly thing can unite to God. Flesh and Blood cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. For that is too gross and muddy, to come into that Place of Purity and Holiness. No unclean thing must come into the New Jerusalem, but what is refined, purified and holy.

He taught what Troops of Evil attended Obstinacy and Wilfulness, and how it was a fatal Impediment to all Virtue, and ended in Destruction. And thus he thought fit to express himself concerning it. The Will rebels against the Law of God, against the Laws of Men; it rebels against Conscience, and against Reason; it rebels against God's Providence, and against Man's own Good. Ephraim is an untamed Heifer, not used to the Yoke; nor indeed will be. O how woful a Changling is that Soul, where Reason is changed into Self-will, and Self-Will is all the Reason that is there? As, God knows, it is the Case of the greatest p. lxxpart of Souls in the World. Men are eager to have their own Wills; and that breeds the great Blustering and Confusion in the World; and finally the Confusion of themselves. Self-will was the Plague that destroyed the Angels, and is proved catching, and hath infected all Mankind. And that is the very Engine whereby the Devil works his end for Man's Ruin. Let him bring the Disease to boil up to this height, I will have mine own Will. (And who almost in the World is otherwise minded?) and his Turn is served sufficiently. Has Ignorance killed her Thousands? Wilfulness has her Ten Thousands. Has Weakness undone any? Wilfulness even undoes all.

A close, base, selfish Humour, and an Unconcernedness how it fared with others, he set forth by th…se Pathetical Expressions: It is a cursed Malady, that hath utterly banished all Humanity, and Respect to others, as the Devil hath done. And if so be the Wretch serve his own turn, all Care is banished how it speed with others; the very Temper of the Devil, that will please himself in his Mischief, and cares not what others suffer by his Humor: A cursed Malady, that hath eaten out that Royal Law, What ye would others should do to you, do ye also to them, and no otherwise. And instead thereof, hath written there, Do any thing that may serve your own Turn, and no matter how it speeds with others.

p. lxxiHe shewed whence substantial Comfort must be fetched for a Soul, seeking Peace to it self. As the Rains from the Clouds that water the Earth, proceed from the Earth by their Evaporation and Attraction by the Sun; so the Comfort that must refresh and water any Man's Conscience, must proceed from the Conscience it self, that bearing Witness, that the Man does his Duty the best that is in him. And now, how many can answer my Question? What can thy Conscience tell thee thou hast done, and dost, that can any ways commend thee to God for his Favour? Thy Wealth, thy Strength, thy Parts, O Man, will not do it. Thy Beauty, thy Comeliness, thy Dress, O Woman, will not do it. What hast thou else to shew to God for Acceptance? Good Works, and a good Heart; these are the things that must recommend us to God. And what Stock can we shew of these? What can our Hearts say to us in this Case? Will it not be with the most upon Examination, as with them in the Book of Job, That in the Heat and Desert come to look for Water to refresh, and there is none, and they return ashamed, because there is none. It is very well worth our Consideration, deeply and daily, whether our Actions commend us, or condemn us to God: Whether they speak Good for us, or Evil. p. lxxiiFor if these commend us not to God, we have nothing else will do it, be our outward Priviledges never so great.

He was for a great and awful Distance, and profound Rev…rence to be observed by Men towards God; and by no means liked that bold and free way that some used with him. The least sinful, the least guilty Men ever have born the greatest Reverence and Humbleness before God; because they were most apprehensive of his Gloriousness. How low did Abraham lye before God, when he was praying for Sodom; as low as Dust and Ashes. And could he lye lower? Gen. xviii.27. Behold, I have taken upon me to speak unto my Lord, who am but Dust and Ashes. And, Let not my Lord be angry, if I speak. In the 4th. and 5th. of the Revelations, the Four and Twenty Elders that are nigh unto God, and do encircle his Throne, They cast down their Crowns at his Feet, as he sits upon his Throne, and fall themselves upon their Faces, to adore him. And can they fall lower? Nay, in Esay vi. the Scraphims, the Angels that attend him, as with their Wings they cover their Feet, so with their Wings they cover their Faces, as not assuming Boldness to look upon him. As Moses, when God proclaimed his Name out of the burning Bush, hid his Face in his Mantle, and durst not behold. And again, God requires to p. lxxiiibe sanctified of those that draw near to him; and that they should come before him, and walk before him in Sense and Apprehension, what a glorious and dreadful God he is. The danger is, lest Men should be too sawcy with God. We are too ready to be too bold and daring against him. And therefore we can never have too high and dreading Apprehensions of God, to keep down that proud Flesh. Let it be our Work, when we come to worship God in his Appointments in public, or at home, to work our Hearts to as reverential and awful Apprehensions of God, as we can. It will better our Services, and no way hurt them. For Men may come with Holy Boldness to him, for all such Apprehensions of him. For they may remember his Promise of Grace, tho' they apprehend the Dreadfulness of his Glory.

He warned Parents about the Education of their Children, by propounding to them the Consideration of the poor Children that were offered up to be scorch'd to Death in the Arms of Moloch. Look upon those Parents that could deliver up a poor Child, their own Child, to such horrid and exquisite Torments. Do you count this a cruel thing in those Parents? What come they short of this, that either for want of good Education, or by evil Education, do make their Children the Children of Hell? Those Parents p. lxxiiduplicate page p. lxxiiiduplicate page p. lxxivthat either by Carelesness to educate their Children in the Fear of God, or by giving them evil Example by their own wicked Courses, do accustom them to evil Ways; how little do these come short of offering their Children up to Satan, as those wicked Wretches did theirs to Moloch? Parents, either Father or Mother, that by Swearing or Cursing, or Lying, teach their Children to do the like; that by breaking the Sabbath, and neglecting to attend the Public Ministry, do give Example to their Children to do so too; that by deceiving, base and unconscionable Dealing, set a Copy for their Children to write after. Or if they see them follow such Courses as these, and do not labour to teach and train them better; do not these, as much as in them lyes, devote their Children to Satan, as those did to Moloch? Are these any more merciful to their Children's Souls, than those were to their Children's Bodies? For he that trains not up his Child to God, for whom does he train him up, but the Devil? For is there any Mean between? What Complaint God taketh up against Israel about their giving up their Children to Moloch, may he not take up against Thousands in the World upon this Account, Thou hast taken my Children, and delivered them up, to make them pass through the Fire. That is, the Children which I have given thee, and which should have been mine.

p. lxxvHe warned Men against Lying and False-speaking by the Example of Ananians and Sapphira, that were struck dead for it. Which he called a fearful Judgment set up, as a Pillar of Salt, at the very entrance of the Gospel into the World; that Men might see, and hear, and fear, and not dare to Lie under the Gospel of Truth; especially, not to the Spirit of Truth. And if you look upon Ananias his doing, you see him Deceiving and Lying; and if you observe Peter's Words, you may see he referrs his Lying and Deceiving to their proper Original; Viz. That they both are the Work of the Devil. Why hath SATAN filled thy Heart to lye; and filled thy Heart to deceive, and keep back part of the Price of the Land. That if you will trace his Wickedness to the Spring-head, his Intent to deceive made him lye, and his base Covetousness made him deceive; and the Devil caused all.

He gave this Rule concerning Apparel, and for the avoiding Pride in what Men put on. God allows Men to wear good Cloths according to their Quality and Degree; but if Pride be there, it is beside his Allowance. God allows us Cloths to keep us warm: He allows us Cloths to adorn our Rank and Quality; but if we lace and trim our Wear with Pride, there is a Leprosie got into the Warp and Woof, that p. lxxvirots all. God appointed the Jews to wear Fringes upon their Garments, to make them still to be remembring the Law: I am afraid the Fringing and Finery of two many have a clean contrary Effect: It doth but puff them up, and make them proud. And again; If any should ask, What Cloths, and Hair, and Garb, may I wear, this may be a very direct and satisfactory Answer: Wear what you think good, so it be without Pride. And this I believe will shut out of Doors, 1. Wearing a Garb above one's Rank and Degree: For I question whether one can wear a Garb above his Rank without Pride. And, 2. Affecting foreign, and strange, and few fangled Fashions. For tho' it may be possible for a Person to be in the Fashion without Pride, because he would not be hooted at for Singularity; yet certainly it is hardly possible to affect new fangled Fashions without Pride. It is one thing to put on the Fashion to avoid Reproach, and another thing to dote upon Fashions, and to make them Bravery. He that makes his Cloths his Bravery, it is very suspicious he makes them his Vainglory: and he that dotes on the Fashion, it is to be doubted he dotes on the Pride of the Fashion.

THESE Instances are enough to shew what a plain but fruitful Method of Teaching and Preaching Dr. Lightfoot took. But he also p. lxxviitook care of his People's Principles, to preserve them from warping from the National Church, (as hath been taken notice of before) and from the Church, consider'd as Protestant. Of which I shall proceed to a few Instances.

To arm his Auditors against Popery, thus he taught them. Our Histories tell us, That when Austin the Monk came hither into Britain from the Pope, as to settle Religion; and when some of the British Christians consulted with a grave prudent Man, whether they should close with him, and submit to his Rules: Yes (saith he) if he be humble, do. But if he be proud, he is not of God. Would you take a Measure of true Religion, no surer Token than these two, Humility and Charity. They talk, they will prove the Truth of their Religion by Antiquity, Universality, and I know not what. Let them shew it by the Humility and Mercifulness of it; and we shall desire no more. But I doubt that Religion that teacheth the Merits of a Man's Works is too proud against God to be the true Religion; and that that teacheth, that the Pope is above all Princes, is too proud against Men. And I doubt that Religion that stirs up M…n to murder Princes, Nobles, People, that will not be of that Religion, is not the true Religion. I am sure Christ and his Apostles were never either of such Pride or Cruelty; but further p. lxxviiiduplicate page p. lxxixduplicate page p. lxxviduplicate page p. lxxviiduplicate page p. lxxviiifrom these Principles of Rome, than it is 'twixt Rome and Jerusalem.

And as he warned them against Popery in general, so particularly, Against a blind Zeal, Zeal without Knowledge, or Zeal in a wrong Way. It is good always to be zealous in a good Matter; but mischievous to be zealous in a bad. There was a great deal of Religious Zeal, for those Parents to offer their Children to Moloch, to be burnt alive in his Arms, in Devotion to that God of theirs. But it was blind Zeal, mad Religion, distracted Devotion. Their God was the Devil. St. Paul in one Place saith, That in Zeal he persecuted the Church: But in another Place he saith, He was exceeding mad against the Church. That Zeal of his was mere Madness. It was blind and mad, cared not whither it went, nor what it did. Rom. x. The Jew hath Zeal, but without Knowledge, and that made him so to set himself against the Truth. You remember that, They that kill you shall think they do God Service. It was great Zeal, but as blind as a Beetle. It runs upon it cares not what, as a blind Man runs upon every Post, and falls into every Pit.

And against Cruelty. The Papists plead stoutly, that theirs, and none but theirs, is the true Religion. If that should be tryed by this very Touchstone, Is that, p. lxxixcan that be true Religion, that makes it Religion to murder Men? None of you, but have heard of the bloody Days of Queen Mary, and how many poor, innocent, holy Men were then put to the Fire, and there ended their Lives. And this forsooth done by the Papists, out of Zeal for Religion. Just such a Religion as they were spurred by, that offered their Children to Moloch. For compare the things together, and what can be liker? Those Wretches out of that Devotion and Religion as they took on them, made their poor innocent Children pass through the Fire, a Sacrifice to Moloch. These Wretches, out of that Devotion and Religion as they took on them, made these poor innocent Souls pass through the Fire, a Sacrifice to the Pope. The Cruelty much alike; the Manner of the Death they put them to, much alike. And were they not Religious, think you, much alike? Such a Sacrifice to their Moloch would they have offered of innocent ones, when they would have sent away our Parliament out of the World in Fire and Gunpowder; and this forsooth out of Zeal to Religion. And so they maintain it is lawful to Excommunicate, Depose, Murder Princes, out of Zeal to Religion. And so they made it lawful, nay, laudable, to murder so many innocent Souls in that Massacre in France.

p. lxxxAgainst Transubstantiation. I hope every one laughs at the Doctrine of Transubstantion, that will fetch Christ from Heaven at every Sacrament: The Master-piece of Delusion. Satan shews here how much Delusion he can practice in the greatest Ignorance. For a Man against Sense and Reason, Philosophy and Divinity, to believe a Priest can cal… Christ out of Heaven, and turn a piece of Bread into his very Body. The strangest Madness in the World! I see it, feel it Bread, and yet must believe it Flesh. I know it was made yesterday by the Baker, yet now I must believe it turned into my Creator. I know Christ is in Heaven, and yet must believe that he is here on Earth. The Heathen were never more blind.

And against the immoral Doctrine of Equivocation. Whereof he thus vehemently express'd himself. I cannot but admire the Impudency, as well as abhor the Wickedness of the Jesuits Doctrine of Equivocation: A Doctrine that hath put on a Whore's Forehead, a brazen Face, and the Devil's Impudency it self before Men, as well as it hath clothed it self with horrid Abominableness before God. It is a Doctrine that teacheth Men to Lye, and yet will maintain they Lye not. And by their Doctrine there can be no Lying, Forswearing or Deceiving in the World, p. lxxxithough they Lye, Forswear, and Deceive never so deeply. A Trick beyond the Devils: He turns Truth into a Lye: These can turn a Lye into Truth. A Popish Priest or Jesuite is brought before a Protestant Magistrate. He puts him to his Oath; Are you a Popish Priest or a Jesuite? They will Swear NO roundly, and make no Bones of it; having this Reserve in their Mind, I am not a Priest to you, or, I am not a Priest of the English Church; or, I am not a Jesuite to tell you, or be your Confessor; or some such lurking reserved Thought in his Mind. This Man hath not told a Lye, tho' he speaks not a Word true: He hath not taken a False Oath, though he hath Sworn Falsly. As the Devil changeth himself into an Angel of Light, so these a Lye into a Truth. But as he is a Lyar still, and is most dangerous, when he seems a good Angel, so is their Lye, when they thus Cloath it with the pretence of Truth. Into their secret let not my Soul come; and with their Counsil, my Glory, be not thou united.

Finally, He shewed them the Preference of the Protestant Religion, before that of the Papists. This is the Reason, saith he, that so many Protestants turn Papists, [This he spake in the Year 1674.] Because Popery opens an easier way to Heaven, a Thousand fold, than the Protestant doth. Add to p. lxxxiithis, the Viciousness of the Times. And the more Viciousness abounds, the more will such Apostacy abound according to the intimation of our Saviour, Matth. xxiv. Because Iniquity shall abound, the Love of many (to God and his Truth) shall wax cold. Men would fain enjoy their Pleasures here, and yet go to Heaven too: They would fain have their Paradise here, and have Paradise hereafter. This Popery helps them too, almost with a wet Finger. Hath a Man committed Whoredom, Adultery, been Guilty of Deceit, Luxury, Uncharitableness, let him go and Confess himself to a Priest, and the Priest absolves him; and those Sins are gone, and there is no more danger of them. Or, Oh! For how many Thousand Sins, for how many Thousand Years, can the Pope Pardon him? How may Pilgrimage to such a Saint fetch him off? How may so many Fastings, so many Ave Maries, so often lying in Haircloth, so many Masses make all well, and out of Danger? That it is as easie almost with them to get to Heaven, as for a Man to do his ordinary Days Work.

But the Protestant Doctrine makes obtaining Salvation a harder Task, according to the Truth of the Scripture. John vi. you read of divers that went away from Christ, because they thought his Doctrine a Hard Saying. So doth the poor Protestant Religion p. lxxxiiilose Followers upon the same account. None is of poor Michaiah's side, because he speaks Truth and Home. But let Ahab have the Four Hundred false Prophets, for they will be sure to make all well for him, let him do what he will. There are Four Hundred and Four Hundred false Prophets in the Popish Cause that will warrant the veriest Ahab, that ever was, Heaven: If he have but Money to fee them well, will Pray him to Heaven, Sing him to Heaven, Pardon him to Heaven; and he shall never see Hell, and it may be, not Purgatory. It is easie to see by this Comparison which is the truer and better Religion of the Two.

By these, and such like sound and sober Discourses, he built up his People committed to his Charge in Truth and Godliness. So that it is reported he had not a Dissenter in his Parish. The People of his Flock Honest, Quiet and Industrious; his Church constantly and conscientiously repaired to, every Lord's Day with due Devotion.

And thus I have at length dispatched what I had to say, both of our Author, and these Remains of his which are now made Publick. And I, who have once more revived the Memory of this great Ornament p. lxxxivof Literature, and of our Church of England, shall I hope not only be Pardoned, but merit some Thanks from the Piously Learned, and Sober-Minded Rank of Men.

I had some inclination to have added a Fourth Tract of this Author's, Namely, A Chronicle of Events and Occurrences in the World under the Kings of France and the Ottoman Emperour, made by one Joseph a Priest who lived about the Times of Henry VIII. Being a Fair Translation out of Hebrew into English done by the Doctor's own Hand. Which he seemed to have taken all this pains about, because the History is interspersed with what befel Jerusalem after the Destruction of it by Titus the Emperor, and with the Wars waged by divers Kings and Princes for the Gaining and Possession of that Place, once so famous for being the Spot of all the Earth appointed for God's Holy Temple to be built on; and for the Son of God to Converse, and Die, and Redeem the World in. And also because here is set forth by the Pen of a Jew himself the State and Condition of the Jews in the latter Times, and particularly, the sad Persecutions and Calamities that befel them, by the just Judgment of God, in these Western Parts of the World, as well as in other Parts, by the German and French Nations. Whereby might be seen some History of that Desolate, p. lxxxvForsaken People, and of the Scourge of God upon them in successive Generations, ever since they Rejected and Crucified their Messiah, and took the Guilt of his Blood upon themselves and their Children. The State of which People from Age to Age, since the Ruin of their Commonwealth, our Doctor was very Inquisitive after, and wisht some Learned Pen would give the World a fair Account of. But to prevent the swelling of this Volume, it was thought convenient to omit this Piece.

However for a Taste, I cannot but remark to the Reader, how that Jewish Author sets forth the Calamities and Unmerciful Destructions that befel that People in the Year 1096. That Year, he writes, was a Year of Affliction of Jacob. For they were opprest in the Lands of the Christians in all Places, whither they were scattered. For great and evil Afflictions found them out, even such are Written in the Law of Moses, and such as are not written in the Book. For against them arose up these abominable People, the Germans and French Men, a Nation strong of Face, which respecteth not Persons, nor spareth Old nor Young. Let us, say they, avenge the Cause of our Christ upon the Jews that are among us, and cut them off from being a People; neither let the Name of Israel be remembred any p. lxxxvimore. Or let them Change their Glory, and become like to us. When the Synagogues which were in Germany heard this headlong Rumour, their Heart melted and became as Water. Fear took hold of them, sorrow as a Woman in Travail. They lift up their Hearts to the Rocks: They appointed Fastings: They put Dust upon their Heads, and Girded with Sackcloth. And they cryed unto the Lord in their Affliction, but he covered himself with a Cloud, that their Prayers should not pass. Then he proceeded to shew the Massacres and Spoils committed upon the Jews in all or most of the Cities and Places where they had Synagogues; as at Spires, Worms, Mentz, Colen, Wabzlak, Meir, Trevir, Metz, Prague, and many other Towns. And how their Flights from Place to Place, and some…imes to the Bishop's House, for their safety, could not secure them, but were pursued and slain with Fire and Sword. Whereupon he makes this Conclusion. Thus whithersoever they fled, the Stone out of the Wall cryed after them to confound and destroy them: For God had given Liberty to the Destroyers to Destroy in those evil Days.

And one Circumstance in these Miseries of the Jews deserves to be more particularly observed, which methinks is a singular Evidence of the Judgment of God upon that People, p. lxxxvii(who once called for Christ's Blood upon them and theirs) that they were not only slaughtered by their Enemies, but that no small Numbers unnaturally perished by laying Violent Hands upon themselves, and their nearest Relations: And this either to avoid being slain with the Sword of their Enemies, or to expiate with their own Blood any Compliances they had constrainedly made. Thus at Spires he mentioneth a Woman who took a Knife and slew her self, refusing to be defiled, that is, to become a Christian. At Worms (where Eight Hundred Souls were Massacred in two Days) many slew themselves, and each one his Brother, and Friend, and Son, and Daughter, Bridegrooms, and Brides: Nay, the tender Women slew their Children with all their Hearts, (saith the Author) and all their Souls; and the Children said, foreign i. e. Hear, O Israel, [Which was the beginning of one of their Prayers] when their Soul poured it self into their Mothers Bosom. The like was done at Mentz: and at Rincona two Men escaped who were forceably defiled, one Named Vri, and the other Isaac, the Son of David Parnes; and his Two Daughters were with him, but they returned unto the Lord. And Isaac slew his Daughters on the Even of the Feast of Weeks. His House also he set on Fire. And thus saith this Jew, he offered a Burnt Offering unto the Lord. And p. lxxxviiihe and Vri went into the Congregation of the Lord [i. e. the Synagogue set on fire it seems by the Enemy] before the Ark, and Died there before the Lord, as the Fire ascended. At Wabzlag they slew every one his Fellow, lest the Christians should abuse them in the Pools of Water which were round about the City. And one Named Rabbenu Samuel, who had one only Son, this Young Man bared his Neck, and the Old Man took a Knife, and blessed over the Slaughter, and slew him: And the Young Man Answered Amen. And all they that stood by Answered and said, Hear, O Israel. Much more to this purpose is related there of the deplorable state of that People at this time, which he saith, he transcribed partly out of the Commentaries of Rabbi Eliezer.

I have but one thing more to add, (and so shall conclude this tedious Preface) which possibly may not be unacceptable to the Lovers of Dr. Lightfoot, and his Studies, to be informed of. That besides these Tracts now offered to the Publick, the last Year several other Posthumous Pieces of his were Printed in Holland in Latin; b…ing a new Addition to his other Works; as was hinted in the beginning. These were to the Number of XXI. Consisting of, Some Learned Thoughts of the Greek Translation of the Bible by the Seventy; An Inlet into the Talmud, and a Summary of the remarkable Matters contained p. lxxxixin it by way of Index: Some Remarks of the Places and Towns of the Holy Land: A Tract of the Spirit of Prophesie, as it was among the Jews, and afterwards ceased: Some memorable Matters under Ezra, and that which was styled the Great Synagogue: An History of the Jewish University at Japhne, that is, Joppa: Short Talmudical Notes upon Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, and Joshua: Some Annotations to be inserted into his Horae Hebraicae & Talmudicae, in their proper Places. A Sermon in Latin Preached at Ely at an Episcopal Visitation before Bishop Lany in the Year 1674. that is, the last Year but one of the Doctor's Life: Some of his Exercises at the Commencement Anno 1655. when he was Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge. All these were writ by him in Latin. The Pieces following were in English, but Translated into Latin, viz. A short Tract of the Creation▪ The Motions and Stations of Israel through the Wilderness towards the Land of Canaan: A short and plain Exposition of some of the first Chapters of Hosea: A Dissertation, whether the Supper in which Judas received the Sop, were the Passover Supper: Another Discourse, whether the Revelation was wrote by the Apostle St. John, or some other John: An Enumeration of the Promises of God, collected out of the Old Prophets, to be fulfilled to the Jews in the latter Days: An Enquiry into St. James's Liturgy: Some Fragments of Roman p. xcand Christian History for the first Four Centuries. Lastly, A Collection of Letters of Learned Men, and upon Learned Subjects, to Dr. Lightfoot; among which is a Letter of the Learned John Buxtorph from Basil to Dr. Lightfoot, and another from the Doctor to him.

And thus beseeching God to encrease the Number of such useful and good Men, as this Reverend Divine was, I commend the Reader and my self to God.

I. S.

It is fit the Reader be Advertised, that whereas there be two References, noted by these two Marks ¶ and † at pag. 7. the former referrs to p. 47. the latter to p 87.