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.
Lightfoot, John, 1602-1675., G. B. (George Bright), d. 1696., Strype, John, 1643-1737.

Sect. Nicolas a Proselite of Antioch.

He is held to have been the author and occasion of the Sect of the Nicolaitans, Rev. 2. 6, 15. Iren. lib. 1. cap. 27. Euseb. hist. lib. 3. cap. 29. A sect that misconstrued the doctrine of Christian communitie and Christian liberty, to all uncleaness and licentious∣ness: but whether it began to be so misconstrued by Nicolas himself, or by some of his followers, as the Sadduces abused a good doctrine of Sadoc to a damnable Heresie, it is difficult to determine, and this is not the proper place to examine it.


Vers. 7: A great company of the Priests were obedient to the Faith.

I cannot but wonder at the boldness of Beza in this place, and indeed in hundreds of other places: for he doth rather suspect the truth and purity of this Text, than believe the story that so many Priests should believe: And yet it seemeth, among all his Greek Copies there was not one that read otherwise. Truly it is a daring that deserves castiga∣tion in him, that when he either understandeth not the perfect meaning of a place, or findeth difficulty in it, or hath fancied a sense contrary to it, that he should throw dirt into the face of the Scripture, and deny the purity of the Greek text, before he will Page  780 ungive any thing of his own groundless opinion: Honorable is the memory of that man in the Church of God, and his name as a sweet perfume among us, but I would this his boldness which he took to himself continually, had not given so great occasion to Jews and Papists to bark against the purity of the Text and the truth of the Gospel as it hath done.


Vers. 9. The Synagouge of the Libertines.

That is, of Jews that were freeborn, (as Paul Act. 22. 28.) viz. the sons of those Jews that had obtained the Roman freedom: He that from a slave or servant obtained manumission and liberty, was called libertus, and his child, born to him in this freedom, was libertinus.


Vers. 15. His face as the face of an Angel.

Stephen is accused by the students of this Libertine Colledge, of blasphemy against Mo∣ses and the Temple, for preaching of the destruction of his ceremonies and of that place, whereas he spake but what Moses and an Angel had foretold before, Deut. 28. and 32. Dan. 9. and accordingly his face hath the splendor of an Angel, and shineth like the face of Moses.


Acts VII. Vers. 2. Men, Brethren.

THAT is, Brethren: for the word men is added only by an Hebrew Elegancy and custom, as Gen. 13. 8. we are Men, Brethren, which our English hath well ren∣dred, we are Brethren, so vers. 26. of this Chapter.