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.

¶. And he taught the People out of the Ship.

The living waters of the doctrine of the Gospel that had begun to stream at the Tem∣ple, Joh. 2. 14. (even on the South of the Altar, Ezek. 47. 1. for on that side was the market of Cattel, where Christ first began to shew his zeal) are now come into the Sea: and that Prophesie of Ezekiel accomplished almost to the very letter. The Rabbins say, whither did these waters go? Into the Sea of Tiberias, and into the Sea of Sodom and into the Ocean, R. Sol. and Kimch. in loc. ex Tosapht. in Succah. compare Psal. 29. 3.

Vers. 6. They inclosed a great multitude of Fishes.

1. Here those creatures come in in homage to the second Adam, that had never come in so, to the first: See Gen. 2. 19. Birds and Beasts had come to him to receive their names, but so did not the fish, though they were also in his subjection. 2. Compare the case of Jonah and Simon bar Jonah here together: the one caught of a fish when he refused to Preach when he was sent, and the other catching fish, being now to be sent to Preach, and by that very thing incouraged to it. 3. Christ by this miracle did not only figure out unto them, the imployment upon which he was now to enter them, to be fishers of men, as he himself applies it, but he also shews, how he can provide for them if they follow him, and how he will follow their indeavors in the Ministery with success.

Vers. 8. Depart from me, for I am a sinful man.

What? Peter on his knees to beg Christ from him? Spirit and Bride say Come, Revel. 22. 17. and Peter desire that he should Depart? So say the wicked, Job 22. 17, 18. but with affections as far different from Peters, as both their words do seem parallel and alike. He speaketh from amazement and fear, and considerancy of the Circumstances of the pre∣sent occurrence. He was amazed at the great miracle, ver. 9. He was afraid at the visible appearance of so great power being so near him: and he considered that the miracle was wrought for his sake, and therefore in all humbleness he disclaims himself as most unfit to be so near Christ either in place or favour. Not that he was weary of him, but that he acknowledgeth himself unworthy of him; parallel to the words of the Centurion, Matth. 8. 8. Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof.

Vers. 10. Iames and Iohn the sons of Zebedee.

Concerning these four first called Disciples, the two sons of Jona, and the two sons of Zabdi or Zebedee (for the names are the same) we may observe these things:

1. That Peter is ever named first in the Catalogue of the twelve Apostles, and the reason is, because he was first called to be an Apostle. It is true indeed, that Andrew and another not named, were Disciples and followed Christ before Peter did, Joh. 1. 36. but they then followed uncalled, and they followed only as Disciples, but now Christ cometh to call them, and to call them for Apostles, and Peter is first dealt withal in this call; Andrew indeed was in the Ship and in the call with him, and he saith to him that he should be a fisher of men, as well as to Peter, but the interchange of Discourse that was betwixt Christ and Peter (which Luke relateth) doth sufficiently intimate unto us, that in order Peter had the first call of the two.

2. James or Jacob is commonly called James the great, in distinction from James the son of Alpheus, who is called the less, not for any dignity or superiority of Apostleship that the one had above the other, but either because this James was the elder, or because he was first called, or because of the singular privacy that Christ admitted him to with himself, as he also did Peter and John, of which anon.

3. John is called the Disciple whom Jesus loved, Joh. 13. 23. who leaned in his bosom, to whom he committed his mother, and to whom he imparted the Revelation of the State of the Church till his second coming, as he had done the State of his Church till his first coming to Daniel a man greatly beloved also. Dan. 10. 11. The reason of this title is variously guessed, if any thing in himself might procure that title, I should assoon as any thing con∣ceive it to be because he was Christs first Disciple, as Peter was the first called Apostle: For whereas there is mention of two of Johns Disciples who first followed Jesus, and Andrew named for one of them, there is none so like to be the other as John himself who wrote the story, Joh. 1. 37. &c. And this may appear probable, not only from his partnership with An∣drew in his fishing trade (and so might they go together to Johns Baptism) but also because he concealeth the name of that Disciple (whereas he mentioneth the names of all the rest) as he useth to conceal his own name generally throughout all his Gospel.

4. The name Andrew is used in the Hierusalem Talmud in Midd. per. 4. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Andrew the son of Chinna saith in the name of Rabbi Zacchaeus, &c. The An∣drew that we have in hand, was a Disciple with the first, Yoke-fellow with John in first following Christ, a Disciple before Peter, and a called Disciple before James and John; and yet which may seem somewhat strange, he is ever set after all of them, and in some particulars we find all the three priviledged above him. There is none that hath read the Gospel, but he may observe, how Christ did sometimes put a singular respect upon Peter and James and John, not only above the rest of the Apostles who were called after them, but even above Andrew who was both a Disciple and an Apostle with the first. As when he went to raise up Jairus daughter, he suffered no man to follow him but Peter and James and John, Mark 5. 37. when he went to his transfiguration, he taketh only Peter and James and John, Matth. 17. 1. and when he went to his agony, he taketh only with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, Matth. 26. 37. And thus to these three only a part from all the rest did he shew himself in his greatest power, glory, and combat: the reason of which may be supposed to have been twofold.

1. Because he had designed these three in a more singular manner, for the ministry of the Circumcision, James in Judea, Peter to the dispersion in the East, and John in the West: The Apostle in Gal. 2. 9. nameth James and Cephas and John together, as pillars and agents in such a ministration: where the James indeed that he mentioneth, was not the same that we have in hand, for he was James the less, but he was one that came into that place and ministration in stead of James the great, when he was dead. For why should Herod in Act. 12. lay hands upon James the brother of John, and destroy him first, ra∣ther and sooner than any other of the Apostles, but because there was appearance of singular and peculiar activity of James in that place, in the ministration among the cir∣cumcised.

2. Because Christ had designed these three for martyrdom, and for the eminentest witnesses of him of all the rest. He readeth Peters doom to that purpose, Joh. 21. 18, 19. and so he doth to James and John, Matth. 20. 23. The martyrdom of James is recorded Act. 12. 2. and when he was thus taken a way, James the less came in his stead, as special Mi∣nister and Apostle to the Jews or Circumcision within their own Land. And hence it is that he is named first of the three, Gal. 2. 9. and that he is named with such peculiarity, Act. 15. 13. & 12. 17. & 21. 18. &c.

Peter after a long stay at Hierusalem and thereabout, was gotten at the last to the Eastern Babylon, the old place of Idolatry and persecution, but now a Church, 1 Pet. 5. 13. Although there were many thousands of Jews that returned again out of the Capti∣vity of Babylon, under the Proclamation of Cyrus, yet were there exceeding many also that staid behind and returned not; insomuch that they came to have their Universities in Babylonia, and their publick Schools and teachers there as well as in Judea; and were in a kind of a Common-wealth there as well as in their own Country. Among these Peter is sent as a Minister, and among these it is like he sealed his Ministry with his blood, see 2 Pet. 1. 13, 14.

We read of Johns being in the Isle Patmos, but further Westward we find him not in all the Scripture; where he ended his life and sealed the Gospel with his blood, it is hard to determine: Histories have brought him to Rome, in which it may be they have not missed the mark very much, had not some of them told wild stories of him there. It may be as both James's the Ministers of the Circumcision in Judea, were martyred at Jerusalem, so Peter the Minister of the Eastern dispersion was martyred in the Eastern Babylon, and John the Minister of the Western, in Babylon in the West.

What became of Zebedee the father of these two eminent Apostles, when his sons were called away from him, the Scripture is silent; It saith, his sons left him in the Ship with the hired servants, and followed the call that Christ had given them. It is not to be thought that they sleighted their father when they left him; but only they complied with that imployment that he that called them would put them upon, which their father possibly by reason of his age was unable to do. Nor can we think that they left their father in his Judaism and unbelief, or that he so continued: certain it is, their mother Salome was a constant and zealous follower of Christ, Matth. 26. 56. and we have no reason to think of any less faith or piety in Zebedee himself, only whether he followed Christ, as his sons and wife did, or followed still his lawful calling and imployment, it is not revealed in Scripture, nor is it much material to enquire after. The name Zabdi or Zebedee, is a name that is exceeding frequent in mention among the Talmudicks.