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. 4. And the number of the men was about five thousand.

The 5000 mentioned here, were the number of Converts, and not of Auditors; and they were a single number by themselves, and not an addition to the 3000 mentioned be∣fore, to make them five thousand.

For, first, the Holy Ghost intendeth in this Book to shew the power of the Gospel, rather than the bare preaching of it, and how many it converted, rather than how many heard it.

Secondly, The juncture of the verse is so close and facil that none can understand it any otherwise than of the number of believers, unless it be for very captiousness; for the Text saith, that many of them that heard the word believed. And how many was that many? Namely, 5000 men.

For, thirdly, how ridiculous were it to interpret that the Holy Ghost should tell us, that there was an audience in the Temple of 5000 men? Why, Josephus saith, that gene∣rally, every course of the Priests contained so many: And it would be utterly strange, if the Holy Ghost, which in all the Bible never numbred an audience at the Temple, no, not when he was intentionally writing of the service and assembly there, should do it now when he is purposely upon a story of men converted to the Gospel.

Again, That this is an intire sum different from the 3000 in the second Chapter, is plain by the very story in hand.

For, first, it is a discourse concerning a miracle done by Peter and John; and all the Chapter to the three and twentieth verse, keeps close to that relation: and what reason possibly can be given, that this clause only should start from it?

Secondly, It were an uncouth manner of reckoning, and such as the Scripture is utterly unacquainted with, to number 5000, and to mean but 2000; and never to give any notice that it so meaneth.

Thirdly, The number of the men were 5000. Of what men? Of those which heard the word. What word? The word preached by Peter and John, vers. 1. and not the word preached on Pentecost day by all the Apostles. Thus is the Church become 8000 nume∣rous by two Sermons; besides the multitudes that were believers before, and those whose conversion is not summed.