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.

Sect. V. Of their Preachers.

Having thus taken some view of their Synagogues as they now stood, it is in the se∣cond place worth the examination, upon what ground and reason Christ was permitted to teach in their Synagogues, he being a private man, and of a mechanick education: He was not only a Carpenters Son in common repute, but he is also called a Carpenter him∣self, Mark 6. 3. And was it used among the Jews that mechanicks and tradesmen might preach, if they would thrust themselves upon it? No, it was not any such use or custom in the nation, that gave Christ this admission to the Pulpit, but the wonders and mira∣cles that he wrought which caused his fame to go through all the country, and which caused the people to take him for a Prophet: this was that that procured him admittance and acceptance to teach and preach in any Synagogue where he came.

1. From the very first platforming of the Church of Israel, the tribe of Levi was set a part for the publick ministery, to attend upon the Altar at Jerusalem, and to teach the people up and down the Nation, Deut. 33. 10. Mal. 2. 7. and for the better fitting of them for teaching, they had eight and forty cities allotted them, Josh. 21. in which they dwelt together, as in so many Universities, studying the Law, that they might be able in time to be Preachers in the Synagoguess and Teachers in schools up and down the Land.

2. Men of other tribes also studied the Law and became learned men and publick Preachers as well as the Priests and Levites, as the Scribes of Zebulun, Judg. 5. 14. the learned men of Issachar, 1 Chron. 12. 32. The great Hillel of the tribe of Judah, and his posterity, Rabban Simeon, Rabban Gamaliel, Pauls master &c. and Paul himself of the Tribe of Benjamin: Nay sometime they had Doctors and publick Teachers of the Law, and professors of Divinity, that either were not Israelites at all, but only Proselytes or Proselytes Sons, as R. Akibah, a man exceeding famous, was the son of Joseph a Proselyte of Righteousness. Maym. pref. ad Jad. hazahah: or that were but half Israelites, as Shemaiah and Abtalion are said by Maymony in the place cited, to be Proselytes of righ∣teousness also, and by Abraham Zaccuth to be of the posterity of Sennacherib, but their mother was an Israelite, Juchasin fol. 50.

3. There were some of their publick Teachers and Preachers that had been Mecha∣nicks. as R. Johanan called Sandelar or the Shoomaker: R. Judah called Hajiat, or the Jay∣lor, &c. And so saith Maymonides, &c. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Some of the greatest wisemen of Israel have been some of them hewers of wood, and drawers of water, and some of them blind, yet for all that they plyed the Law day and night, and so became some of the great Traditionaries. In Talm. torah. per. 1.

4. Now none of these forementioned, were admitted to this publick imployment of teaching and preaching, but he was first ordained, and had Ordination as a State call and commission to that Office. So Johanan the Shoomaker, or Sandeler mentioned before, was ordained by R. Akibah, before ever he was publick Teacher or called Rabbi: Ju∣chasin fol. 61. for none were called Rabbi but who were first ordained, for that was one of the passages in their ordination; They laid not always their hands on him that was to be ordained, but they called him Rabbi, and said to him, Behold thou art ordained, &c. Maymon. in Sanhedr. per. 4. And all the while before his Ordination, he was called after his Fathers name as Ben Betirah, but after his Ordination he was called R. Joshua Ben Betirah. Juchasin fol. 56. Till Hillels time, a publick Teacher having been ordained himself, had authority and used to ordain his Scholars according as he saw them sit, but for honour to Hillel that rite was centred in the Sanhedrin: and they used to ordain men to par∣ticular

imployment in the publick administration, and they might not go beyond that particular to which they were ordained: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 They have power, saith Maymony, to appoint whom they will to particular matters: As for example, there was an exceeding great wise man, that was fit to teach all the Law every whit, it was in the power of the Sanhedrin to ordain him, so, as that he might not judge or that he might not teach about bound and loose, or they might give him license to teach about bound and loose, but not to judge in matters of mony, or they gave him power to judge in this matter, but not to judge in matters of damage, &c. Maym. ubi supra. Thus curious and circumspect they were in and about the matter of ordination and concerning a lawful and authoritative de∣signation of publick Teachers and Judges to their peculiar and particular imployment in the publick, to fix them within their own compass and line, and that every one might not intrude upon what ministerial or magisterial ministration he would. And therefore it was far from being a common use, or from being any use at all among the Jews in their Church, to let any Mechanical or uncalled and unordained men to step up into the Doctors chair, or Ministers Pulpit, to read Divinity publickly, or to preach in their Synagogues, as impudency or folly would put them forward on it, but they had a solemn State-call or dimission into such imployments by a lawful Ordination, by men themselves ordained.

5. But if any man came in the spirit of a Prophet and took on him to preach under that nation, he found permittance under that notion; yet was there not immunity and liberty for any whosoever to become Preacher upon that tearm and so to continue, but the Sanhedrin was to judge concerning false Prophets; and he that was not a Pro∣phet, and yet would be preaching as a Prophet, did it at his own peril. This then was that that procured our Saviour liberty to Preach, and audience to his Preaching in every Synagogue, where he came, because he came not only in the name, but also in the vi∣sible power and demonstration of a Prophet, doing such wondrous signs and miracles, as that his Prophetick call could not be denyed, but he was glorified of all.

Vers. 16. And he came to Nazareth.

He had avoided this place purposely, when he came out of Judea, because he knew a Prophet hath no honour in his Country, John 4. 44. for it would have been so strange a thing in the eyes of the people of that Town, that he that had been a tradesman among them all his life hitherto, should now fall a Preaching as a Prophet, that it was easie to see how little he would have been intertained: but now that he hath got a name through all the Country there about, and hath taught in all their Synagogues, and is glorified of all, now he cometh at the last to his own Town to see how his doctrine would take with them there.