The works of the Reverend and learned John Lightfoot D. D., late Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge such as were, and such as never before were printed : in two volumes : with the authors life and large and useful tables to each volume : also three maps : one of the temple drawn by the author himself, the others of Jervsalem and the Holy Land drawn according to the author's chorography, with a description collected out of his writings.

§. Rabbi we know that thou art a Teacher come from God.

Rabbi, was the distinctive title of a man ordained, with which he was stiled when he received Ordination to be a Doctor, or a Judge; How is ordination? (saith Maymony) Not that they always lay their hands upon the head of the Elder that is to be ordained, but that they call him Rabbi, and say to him, Behold thou art ordained, and thou hast power to judge, &c. Sanhedr. per. 4. But the word came into more inlarged use among them, so as to be given in compellation to any of learning, rank or Religion: And whether Nico∣demus do so title Christ in the proper or in the common use of the word, it is not much material to look after: It is like he doth it, because he acknowledgeth him a Teacher, and a Teacher come from God, as John is said to be a man sent from God, Joh. 1. 3. and cal∣led Rabbi, Joh. 3. 26. Now these phrases come from God and sent from God, do stand in contradistinction, to teachers coming from men, and sent from men. Which way of emis∣sion of Teachers and Preachers by Ordination, though it were according to the Ordi∣nance and way of God, yet because the action was done immediately by the hands of men, it was of a very great difference from theirs, whose immediate commission was from the Lord by revelation, inspiration, or some such Divine warrant of the Spirit of Pro∣phecy. Nicodemus therefore when he calleth Christ a Teacher come from God, he meaneth some more special mission from God, than the ordinary and mediate one by ordination: and he acknowledgeth him to be a Prophet at least immediately sent from God, as the Prophets had been of old, by the word of the Lord, with the power of miracles in their hand: if he do not in the term acknowledge him more than a Prophet, of which hereafter.

But whom doth Nicodemus join with himself in this acknowledgment, when he saith We know in the plural number? Were there any of his Scholars with him now with Christ when he speaketh these words? Or did he mean that himself and his fellows of the San∣hedr▪ were convinced of Christs being a Prophet? Truly were it not, that I knew the phrase is otherwise taken and construed, then always in a definite sense, or fixed to a cer∣tain number, I should as soon understand it so, as any other way, applied to any particu∣lar company or number of persons. For do but imagin, upon the appearing of the great and wondrous miracles of Christ, after that the working of miracles had been out of date and use for so many ages together, what a serious recognisance, and solemn debate

must the great Sanhedrin needs take up about this matter, whom it concerned to look af∣ter things of that nature? It is past all doubting that they would sadly canvass the case amongst themselves, whether Christ were a true Prophet yea or no: and it can be but little doubted neither, that when they fully skanned the case, and weighed the miracles that he did, they could not but in heart consent that he was a Teacher sent from God, for that no man could do such miracles as he did, unless God were with him: which thing indeed in action, and in their demeanour towards him they always denied, scorning, opposing and persecuting him, as it appeareth all along in the story, yet certainly they could not in heart deny it, and so their sin in acting so, was so much the greater. If one should therefore understand the word we know, in this strict construction, as if Nicodemus ha∣ving been in the Sanhedrin all day, (and it in debate about Christ, and not able to gain∣say his Divine mission because of his wondrous workings) he should come at night and tell Christ, how he and his fellows of the Sanhedrin were convinced that he was a Teacher sent from God, it might not be contrary either to truth or to good sense so to construe it: But the phrase We know is often taken to import, that such a thing is commonly and certainly known, not so much with regard to such or such particular or definite persons knowing of it; but with regard to the thing it self, that it is well known, and of open cognisance: and so it is clearest to understand it here; see the phrase, Joh. 4. 22. & 9. 31. 1 Joh. 5. 18. &c.

Vers. 3. Except a man be born.

Expositors do use great variety of piecings to tie these words of our Saviour, to those of Nicodemus before, in some sutableness or conformity together. Chrysostome thus, Thou holdest me for a Prophet only: here thou comest exceeding far short of the full truth, and art not come so much as into the utmost porch of a right knowledge: Verily I say unto thee, except thou partake of the Spirit by the laver of regeneration, thou canst not have a right judgement concerning me. And much in the same steps treadeth Theophylact. Cyrill thus: Nicodemus thought he had done enough in coming to Christ, and confessing him, but this is not enough saith Christ, but thou must also be born again: And much after the same manner goeth To∣let. Augustine thus, Nicodemus thou comest to me as to a Teacher come from God, but I tell thee there is no trusting my self and the Gospel with thee, unless thou be born again. Beza conceiveth that Christ saw that it was in Nicodemus his thoughts to enquire of him about the Doctrine of Regeneration, and he prevents his question. Jansenius, that he did inquire concerning the way to eternal life, but the Evangelist hath not mentioned it: and divers more like offertures of connexion between the words of Nicodemus and our Savi∣viours might be produced which are tendered by several expositors, but I shall spare more alleadging, and first take up the consideration of what is meant by the Kingdom of God, and that understood, the connexion that appears so difficult will be made the better.