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.

§. Account of the Chronology.

THE conversion of Paul we observed ere while, and proved to be in the year next after our Saviours ascension or Anno Christi 34. Now Paul himself testi∣fieth that three years after his conversion he went up to Jerusalem, Gal. 1. 18. That space of time he spent in Damascus, in Arabia and in Damascus again. For so himself testifieth in the verse before. But how long time he took up in these seve∣ral abodes in these places, it is not determinable nor indeed is it material to inquire, since we have the whole time of all his abodes summed up in that account of three years: Now whereas there is no mention in Lukes relation of his journey into Arabia, but he maketh him (as one would think) to come up to Jerusalem, at his first departure from Damas∣cus, we have shewed elsewhere that it is no uncouth thing with this and the other Evan∣gelists, to make such brief transitions, sometimes in stories of a large distance: and Paul himself plainly sheweth us in the place alledged, how to make the brief story of Luke full and compleat, and to speak it out: Namely that Paul upon his coming after his con∣version into Damascus, began there to preach, and increased more and more in strength, and confounded the Jews that dwelt at Damascus, proving that Jesus was the very Christ: And having preached a while in Damascus, he goeth into Arabia, which Country was now under the same Government with Damascus, (namely under King Aretas) and after a while he returned into Damascus again. And then do the Jews there seek to kill him, and they incense the Governour of the City under Aretas against him, so that he setteth a watch to take him, but he escapeth over the wall by night in a Basket, Acts 9. 25. 2 Cor. 11. 33. We shall see by and by, that there were preparations for war this year, betwixt Aretas the King of Arabia, and Herod the Tetrarch, and it is not improbable that the Jews in those times of commotion did accuse Paul to the Governor of Damascus under Aretas for a spie or for a man that was an enemy to the Kings cause, and so they interest the Governor in a quarrel against him: And this very thing being considered may

help somewhat to confirm this for the year of Pauls coming from Damascus for fear of his life to Jerusalem, if his own accounting the years did not make it plain enough.

Vers. 26. And when Saul was come to Ierusalem, &c.

His errand to Jerusalem, as himself testifieth, was to see Peter, Gal. 1. 18. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: not for any homage to his primacy (as is strongly pleaded by the Popish crew) for he maketh no distinction betwixt him and James and John in point of dignity, Gal. 2. 9. nay is so far from homaging him that he rebuketh and reproveth him, Gal. 2. 11. But his journey to Peter at this time was, that he might have acquaintance with him and some knowledge of him, for so the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 more properly signifieth, and that he desired the rather, because then Peter was the minister of the Circumcision, as he him∣self was to be of the uncircumcision, Gal. 2. 8. and because there had been some kind of remarkable parallel betwixt them in their recovery, the one from denying and forswear∣ing Christ himself, and the other from persecuting of Christ in his members.

§. But they were all affraid of him, and believed not that he was a Disciple.

This very thing hath caused some to conceive that Paul had a journey to Jerusalem a lit∣tle after his conversion, and before ever he went into Arabia: because they cannot con∣ceive how it should be possible, that he should have been a convert and a Preacher of the Gospel three years together, and yet his conversion and his present qualities should be unknown to the Church at Jerusalem: and the rather because he himself saith that the wonder of his conversion was not done in a corner, Acts 26. 26.

Answ. But these two or three considerations may help to resolve the scruple. 1. The distance betwixt Damascus and Jerusalem, which was exceeding great. 2. The quarrels betwixt Herod and Aretas, which were a means to hinder intercourse betwixt those two places. 3. The persecution that continued still upon the Church of Judea, which would keep Disciples of Damascus from going thither. And 4. the just fear that might possess the Disciples at Jerusalem, in the very time of persecution: For though it was said before, the Church at Jerusalem and of Judaea injoyed a great deal of rest and tranquility after the conversion of Paul their great persecutor, in comparison of what they had done be∣fore, yet was not the persecution of the Church utterly extinct to the very time of Pauls coming up to Jerusalem, but continued still, and therefore it is the less wonder if the Disciples there, be the more fearful and cautelous.

Vers. 27. But Barnabas took him, &c.

How Barnabas came acquainted with the certainty of Pauls conversion, better than the other Disciples, is not easie to resolve: It is like that he being abroad for fear of the persecution, as the other of the Preachers were, (all but the Apostles) went in his travails towards Damascus or Arabia, and so had heard and learned the certainty of the matter: However it is pregnant to our observation, that he that was afterwards to be fellow traveller and labourer with Paul in the Gospel to the Gentiles is now made the in∣strument and means of his first admission to the society of the Apostles. It is possible that there had been some acquaintance betwixt these two men in former times, they being both Grecizing Jews, the one of Cyprus, the other of Cilicia, and both in all probability brought up and educated at Jerusalem; but whether it were so or no the hand of God is to be looked after in this passage, when Pauls future partner in the ministry to the Gentiles, is now his first intertainer into the society of the Church at Jerusalem.

§. And brought him to the Apostles.

That is, to Peter and James the less: for other of the Apostles, he himself relateth that he saw none, Gal. 1. 18. What was become of the rest of the twelve, is not de∣terminable: it is more than probable they were not now at Jerusalem, otherwise it is hard∣ly possible for Paul not to have seen them in fifteen days abode there: It is likely they were preaching and setling Churches up and down the Country, and Peter and James the two most peculiar Ministers of the Circumcision, abode at Jerusalem, to take

care of the Church there: For that these were so, and in what particular, the dispensa∣tion of their Ministry differed, we shall take occasion to shew afterward; only here we cannot omit to take notice of that temper as I may so call it, which the Text holdeth out against the Primacy and Prelacy that is held by some to have been among the Apostles: For whereas some conceive James to have been Bishop of Jerusalem, this Text sets Peter in the same form and equality with him in that place: and whereas it is conceived again, that Peter was Prince of the Apostles, this Text hath equalled James with him.

• 1. And thus that persecution that began about Stephen had lasted till this very same time of Pauls coming to Jerusalem, for so it is apparent, both by the fear and suspitious∣ness of the Disciples at Jerusalem, as also by the very clausure of the Text, Vers. 31. Then had the Churches rest.
• 2. The length of this persecution by computation of the times as they have been cast up before, seemeth to have been about three years and an half, the renowned number, and time so oft mentioned and hinted in Scripture.
• 3. The company of Disciples or believers continued still at Jerusalem, for all the per∣secution, as to the generality of them; as was said before: only the Ministers or Preach∣ers were scattered abroad, all of them except the twelve Apostles.
• 4. Some of those Preachers were by this time returned back again, the heat of the per∣secution abating, as it is apparent▪ by Barnabas now being at Jerusalem: and of some such men, is it properest to understand the word Disciples, Vers. 26. Saul assaied to join himself to the Disciples.
• 5. Therefore the absence of the ten Apostles from Jerusalem was not for fear of the persecution, but for the dispersion of the Gospel and setling of the Churches.

§. And declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way.

This is most properly to be understood of Barnabas, that he declared these things to the Apostles, though there be, that think it is meant of Pauls declaring them: and they read it thus, And Barnabas brought him to the Apostles, and he, that is, Paul, declared unto them.

Vers. 28. And he was with them coming in and going out.

That is, conversing with them, as Beza hath well rendred it: A phrase usual among the Hebrews, as 1 Sam. 18. 13. Act. 1. 21. &c. And the time of this his converse, Paul him∣self hath told us to have been fifteen days, Gal. 1. 18. where also he hath interpreted this Phrase of coming in and going out, by the term of abiding with, I abode with him fif∣teen days.

Vers. 29. And he disputed against the Grecians.

Gr. Against the Hellenists: which very place helpeth again to confirm the interpreta∣tion and gloss we set upon this word before, namely, that it meaneth not, Greeks con∣verted to the Jews Religion, but Jews conversing and cohabiting among the Greek Na∣tion. For, 1. There can be none or small reason given, why converted Greeks should be so furiously Jewish as to go about to kill Paul for preaching against Judaism, and we hear not the Jews stirring against him for it. 2. What reason can be given why Paul should bend his disputations against converted Greeks more than against Jews? Certain∣ly the Jews had more need of confutation in their Judaism than the other had. And 3. It is very questionable, how converted Greeks, which were strangers and sojourners at Jerusalem and among the Jews, durst go about to kill a Jew in the midst of the Jews, and there being not a Jew that had any thing to say against him. It is therefore more than probable, that these Hellenists were Jews that had lived among the Greeks, or of the Grecian dispersion, and that they used the Greek Tongue: and that Paul chose to dis∣pute with them, partly for that they living among the Gentiles, were by a kind of an Antiperistasis more zealously Jewish, and partly, because of their language, the Greek Tongue, which was the very language Paul had learned from a child.

The times of the stories next succeeding when the Text hath done with the story of Paul, are somewhat unfixed, and uncertain, in what year they came to pass: namely of Peters raising of Aeneas from sickness, Dorcas from death, and bringing in Cornelius to the Gospel: But the best conjecture that can be given of the times of these stories, is by easting and computing the history backward: And so we find, 1. That the famine pro∣phecied

of by Agabus, was in the second of Claudius, as was shewed before. 2. We may then conceive that this prophecy of Agabus was in Claudius his first, and that was the year or some part of the year that Paul and Barnabas spent at Antioch, Act. 11. 26. 3. The last year of Caius we may hold to be the year of Antiochs first receiving the Gospel, of Barnabas his coming thither, and of his journey to Tarsus to seek Saul, Act. 11. 20, 21, 22, 23 24, 25. And 4. the third year of Caius which was his last year but one, we may sup∣pose accordingly to have been the year of Peters actions with Aeneas, Dorcas and Cor∣nelius, and to that year shall we refer the handling of the Texts that concern those acti∣ons, and we will carry on the Roman and Jewish Story, as they fall in time, till we come thither.