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.

SECTION VI.

The power of Miracles, Habbak. 3. 2. and Act. 19. 2. explained.

THE gift of Prophesie or Foretelling things to come had been in the Church since the fall of Adam, and now are Miracles added because of unbelief: For observe that when Moses saith, Behold they will not believe, the Lord immediately answers, What is that in thine hand? This double faculty being given here to Moses the first Prophet of the Church of Israel, it also descended to a succession of Prophets in that Congregation from time to time. But with this excellent gift it was also given Moses himself to know, and so likewise them that did succeed, that they had this double power not from them∣selves, but from another: Moses his stammering tongue taught himself and them so much for Prophesie, and his leprous hand taught so much for Miracles. This succession of Pro∣phets began from Samuel and ended in the death of Christ, Acts 3. 24. Not that there were not Prophets betwixt Moses and Samuel, but because they were not expressed by name, as also because vision in that space of time was exceeding rare, 1 Sam. 3. 1.

Now from the beginning of the rule of Samuel to the beginning of the captivity in Babel, were four hundred and ninety years; and from the end of that captivity to the end of Christs life upon earth, were four hundred and ninety years more. The seven∣ty years of captivity between, which were the seventh part of either of these two Num∣bers, that lay on either side, are called by Habbakkuk, The midst of years, namely, from the beginning of Prophesie in Samuel to the sealing of Prophesie in the death of Christ. Revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known. Then was it justly to be feared that the spirit of Prophesie would quite have ceased from Israel when they were captived among the Heathen. This made the Prophet to pray so earnestly, that God would preserve alive, or revive his work of Miracles in the midst of years, and in those times of captivity, that he would make known things to come by that gift of Prophesie. And he was heard in what he prayed for, and his supplication took effect, in the most prophetick and powerful Spirit of Daniel.

The Jews had an old Maxim, That after the death of Zachary, Malachy and those last Prophets, the Spirit of God departed from Israel and went up. So that from thence forward, prediction of future things and working of miracles were rarities among them. To this aimed the answer of those holy ones, Act. 19. 2. We have not so much as heard whether there

be any Holy Ghost. Not that they doubted of such a person in the Trinity, but that where∣as they had learned in their Schools, that the Holy Ghost departed away after the death of Malachy, they had never yet heard, whether he was restored again in his gifts of Pro∣phesie and Miracles till now or no.