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.

Vers. 24. All the Prophets from Samuel.

He is reckoned the first of the Prophets after Moses.

First, Because Prophesie from the death of Moses to the rising of Samuel was very rare, 1 Sam. 3. 1, 2.

Secondly, Because he was the first Prophet after Moses that wrote his Prophesie. From the beginning of Samuels rule, to the beginning of the captivity in Babel, was 490 years, and from the end of that captivity to the death of Christ, 490 years more, and the 70 years captivity, the midst of years between, as I have shewed elsewhere: But I must ad∣vertise the Reader here, that the beginning of Samuels Prophetickness in this reckoning, is not from the death of Eli, but from one and twenty years after. And here let me take up a verse of as much difficulty, and of as little observing of it, as almost any in the Old Testament: as that is 1 Sam. 7. 2. And it came to pass while the Ark abode at Kiriath-jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord. Now the Ark was undeniably above forty years in Kiriath-jearim; namely, all the time from Elies death, till David fetcht it to Jerusalem, which was seven and forty years, and somewhat above, only that first excepted, in which it was seven months in the Land of the Philistims, 1 Sam. 6. 1. and a little time in Bethshemesh; what then should be the reason that it is said to be in Kiriath-jearim only twenty years? Why, the meaning is not that that was all the time that it was there, but that it was there so long a time, be∣fore the people ever hearkned after it. Their idolatry and corruption of Religion had so transported them, that they thought not of, nor took regard to the Ark of God for twenty years together: Then all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord: for so must it be rendred; and not, And all the house of Israel, &c.

And so have we one and twenty years taken up from the Death of Eli till this time of Israels repentance, which yet are counted to Samuels forty, but are not reckoned in the account of Habakkuk, of the extent of the race of the Prophets.

Upon this place therefore we may take up these pertinent observations.

First, That God did now on a suddain pour a spirit of Reformation generally upon all the people of Israel after a long time of prophaneness and Idolatry. They had been exceedingly prophane in the time of Elies sons: And therefore the Lord in justice for∣sook his Tabernacle in Shiloh, the Tent which he had pitched besides Adam, when Israel passed through Jordan, Josh. 3. 16. Psal. 78. 60. and he gave the Ark into the Enemies hand; yet was not Israel humbled for it. The Ark was restored to them, and was among

them twenty years together, and they continued in their Idolatry still, and never sought after it, nor took it to heart. At last, upon a suddain, and with a general conversion, Is∣rael begins to turn to the Lord, and lament after him, and forsake their Idols.

Secondly, Here was a strange and wondrous spirit of conversion poured upon the peo∣ple at the beginning of the race of the Prophets, as there was at the end of it, in these Chapters of the Acts of the Apostles.

Thirdly, As the practise here in the Acts, was to repent and to be baptized; so was it then with Israel; as that expression may most properly be interpreted, vers. 6. They drew water and poured it out before the Lord, as washing or baptizing themselves from their Idolatry.