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. 1.

And they were all scattered abroad except the Apostles.

§ 2. Dispersion upon the persecution.

Out of the darkness of persecution, the Lord bringeth forth the light and the pro∣pagation of the Gospel: Providing at once for the safety of some by their flight, and for the calling home of many more by their dispersion. At that time, saith Luke, there was a great persecution against the Church that was at Jerusalem, and they were all scattered abroad throughout the Regions of Judea and Samaria except the Apostles. Where, as the preserva∣tion of the Apostles in the very centre of the Tyrant is admirable, so the scattering of the other into their several places is considerable. For that they travailed into Judea and Samaria, Damascus, Phoenicia, Cyprus and Syria, the Text is plain in this and in other places, but since it mentioneth none of their journeys any further, what is said of them more, is but groundless conjectures, or rather ridiculous Fables. For though it were granted that they scattered through other Countries of the Heathen, yet to bring them as far as France and England as some do, is almost as far from reason as these places are distant from Jerusalem, unless some other cause can be alledged of this their flight than to avoid the danger. Yes, it may be said they took so long a journey to preach the Gospel; but 1. the Text saith that the dispersed preached to the Jews only, of which I believe these Countries afforded a very small number. And 2. the legend saith, that Mary Magdalen, Martha and Joseph of Arimathea and others were the travailers, who where they had a calling to the ministery is yet to seek.

These persons and others with them are driven by the blast of a common report, to Marseils in France, Aix in Provence, Glasenbury in England, and I know not whither. It would be sufficient to give the reader but some particulars of the Legend, and then would he easily judge of the whole, but it is not worth the labour. It is more perti∣nent to consider who they are that the Evangelist meaneth, and whose story he followeth, when he saith here they were all scattered, and in Chap. 11. 19. that they travailed as far as Phenice, &c. Certainly it cannot be meant of the whole Church of Jerusalem, or of all the members of it, which were now many thousands, but of the 108. that were of the Presbtery or society with the Apostles.

For

• 1. The Evangelist setteth himself to follow the story of the hundred and twenty from the very beginning of the book, and he keeps to it still.
• 2. By instancing so suddenly in Philip he sheweth what kind of men he meaneth when he saith they were all scattered.
• 3. He saith they went every where preaching, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which word is never used but of Preachers by function.
• 4. Persecution would far sooner look after the Preachers than the common members.
• 5. There were common members at Jerusalem, while Paul stayed there, vers. 3. and yet the all that the Evangelist meaneth were scattered before.

Vers. 5. To the City of Samaria.

Samaria here and in otherplaces in the new Testament, is not the name of a City but of the Country. And so is Luke to be understood here, Philip came down to the City of Samaria: that is, to the Metropolis of that Country, which indeed was Sychem: and so saith Josephus, Antiq. lib. 11. cap. 8. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, The Sama∣ritans had then Sichem for their Metropolis. And in the same Chapter he saith again 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which his Latine interpreter hath ren∣dred thus, Illis [Samaritis] dicentibus Hebraeos quidem se esse: sed Sichimitas vocari a Sidoniis; which translation how true it is, and whether Josephus mean not, that the Sa∣maritans said that they were indeed Hebrews, but were called Sidonians that dwelt at Sichem, and whether in that story they call not themselves so for advantage, let the learned cen∣sure: This City John the Evangelist calleth Sychar instead of Sychem, Joh. 4. 5. not that the text is there corrupted as some have held, but that the Jews seem to have pronounced the word so corruptly in derision of the Samaritans to whom they were bitter enemies. For by this name they reviled them for drunkards, for so the word signifieth, and this taunt seemeth to have been taken up from Esay 28. 1. woe to the drunkards of Ephraim, of which Sichem was the chief City.