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.

ACTS IX. Vers. 32.

And it came to pass as Peter passed through all quarters.

THE occasion of Peters travail at this time, may be well apprehended to be for the setling and confirming of those Churches that were now begun by the Ministery of the dispersed Preachers: One thing was most necessary for these new founded Churches, which the Preachers themselves could not provide for them, and that was Ministers or Pastors, unless they would have stayed there themselves, which in all places they could not do, and in many places they did not, if in any place at all they did longer than for a little space, the necessity of dispersing the Gospel calling them from place to place: Therefore it was needful that the Apostles themselves should go after them to ordain Ministers by the imposition of their hands, with which they did not only instal or institute into the office of the ministery, but also bestowed the Holy Ghost, for the inabling of those that they did ordain, for the performance of that office, which gift the other Disciples could not bestow; and this may be conceived one reason why ten of the twelve Apostles were absent from Jerusalem at Pauls coming there, as was observed before, namely because they were dispersed abroad over the new planted Churches for this purpose: And this was one cause why Peter travails thus at this time, the plantations of the Churches still increasing: and his comforting, confirming and setling the Churches was another.

Through all quarters.

This referreth to those places mentioned in the verse preceding, Judea, Galilee, and Samaria: only whereas that verse speaketh of the places themselves: this Verse in the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a word of the masculine gender, referreth to the people of the places, and this is all the difference: And therefore Baronius is besides the Cushion, who up∣on this very place and out of this very word would conclude that Peter in this his pere∣grination did found the Episcopacy at Antioch. His words are these.

Luke, saith he, being intent (as it appeareth) to commend to memory the more remarka∣ble miracles wrought by Peter, hath omitted in silence the rest of his actions performed in this visitation of the province, and among other things, the institution of the Church of An∣tioch: which that it was erected by him in this very year, we shall easily shew by the testi∣mony of the ancients. Eusebius may be alledged as one of these ancients, and one for all, who speaketh much to the same purpose, and somewhat further, but only with this difference that he hath set down this matter a little before the death of Tiberius. Peter the Apostle, saith he, founded the Church of Antioch, and having there gotten his chair he sate five and twenty years. Thus Eusebius ad annum Christ. 38. Parisiis, 1511. Now to take up this position and story in its several particulars, almost every parcel will prove a stumbling block, and before belief can be given to it, it must pass thorow, and over∣come these difficulties.

• 1. Whereas his journey to Antioch is laid in this visitation: it is strained beyond the Letter, and beyond the Spirit and meaning of the Text. For that speaketh only of the Churches of Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and then how came in Antioch in ano∣ther Country? And those words through all quarters run at a very uncertain randome if they be uncircumscibed by the Verse before.
• 2. It is past all peradventure that as yet there was no Church at Antioch at all, much more that there was no Episcopal Chair and See there. For it is a year yet to come be∣fore there be any mention of a Church there, Act. 11. and that that story of the first beginning of that Church lieth in its proper place and without any transposition or Hy∣steron-proteron is so plain to him that will but view it that it needeth no proof.
• 3. How is it consistent with Peters imprisonment at Jerusalem, Chap. 12. to sit Bishop in another Country? Much more is it inconsistent, or rather to speak plainly, impossi∣ble that he should sit five and twenty years at Antioch and as many at Rome, and yet go thither in the second of Claudius as he is held to have done. Now Baronius hath espied these two stumbling blocks, and laboureth to remove them: but in his stri∣ving about the one, he throweth dirt into Eusebius his best Authors face, for he saith he is corrupted; and indeed he doth little less about the other: For whereas Eusebius saith in plain terms, ibi sedit, Peter there sate, this his Paraphrast glosseth, that it suf∣ficed though he never came there; For with him Peter was as a Creator of Churches and Bishopricks; for if dixit factum est, if he but spake the word, be he where he would, there was a Metropolis or an Episcopacy created in any place whatsoever. But not to spend much labour where we are sure but of little profit, let it suffice the reader to have but a Catalogue and particular of his arguments, and let him censure them according to his own judgment.

• Argum. 1. It was Peters office to oversee and take care of the whole flock, and for this he visited all the Churches that lay round about Jerusalem, pag. 306. But that draweth on another question, which will be harder to prove than this, and it maketh Paul but an intruder, that took upon him such a care.
• Argum. 2. Peter taking opportunity of the Churches tranquility, pag. 306. visited all (the Christians which were in Syria) pag. 309. But here he is besides his warrant of the Text, and maketh a History of his own head.
• Argum. 3. Peter wheresoever he was might raise an Episcopal or Metropolitical See at any place distant where he pleased, by the Authority wherewith he was indowed, pag. 309. When this is proved, we may believe the other that he would prove.
• Argum. 4. The number of Eusebius, of his sitting 25. years at Antioch, is an error crept into the Text, but the number of his 25. years at Rome, in him is right, pag. 306. But if he be at liberty to suspect the one, sure we may have the like liberty to suspect the other.
• Argum. 5. The Hierachical order seemeth not to indure, that the prime Church that had been as yet instituted, should be governed by any but the prime Apostle, pag. 309, 330. It will be some work to prove any Hierarchical order at all, or Peter Prime Apostle, or Antioh, a chief Church above others more than by humane preferring, or Antioch yet a Church; and were all these proved, which never will be, yet is the inference or argumentation thereupon but of small value and validity.
• 6. His last Argument is from Authorities, which at last he gathereth into the Center of a Councel at Rome, pag. 332. But Amicus Plato, amicus Aristoteles, magis amica veritas.

As for his answers to Eusebius that calleth Evodius the first Bishop of Antioch, his answer to Ignatius that saith he was placed there by the Apostels, more than one, and to Onuphrius, that maketh Peter Bishop of Rome before he was Bishop of Antioch, be they referred to the perusal of his own Text, for the matter is not worth the labour of ex∣amining them.

Vers. 32. Lydda.

This seemeth to be the same with Lod, 1 Chron. 8. 12. A City in the Tribe of Ben∣jamin, mentioned, Ezra 2. 33.

Vers. 35. Saron.

Heb. Sharon: A fertile valley famous in Scriptures as 1 Chron. 27. 29. Esa. 33. 9. Cant. 2. 1, &c. where the Targum renders it, the garden of Eden, and the LXX 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a field or plain, the masculine Article sheweth, it is not named of a City: And so do the LXX article it, Esa. 33. 9. There is mention of a Sharon beyond Jordan, 1 Chron. 5. 16. inhabited about by Gileadites: by which it seemeth it was a common name for plain champion grounds wheresoever.

Vers. 36. Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas.

Tabitha the Syriack, and Dorcas the Greek, do both signifie a Hind, or Doe, Capream, as Beza renders it. Now the reason why Luke doth thus render the one into the other, seemeth to be because Tabitha was a Grecizing Jewesse, and so was commonly called by these two names, by the Syrian among the Hebrews, and by the Greek among the Greeks.

Vers. 37. Whom when they had washed.

Whether it were a common custom among the Jews to wash all their dead bodies be∣fore they buried them, as is concluded by many upon this place, we will not insist to question; nor whether it were in token of the resurrection, or no, as some apply it; only the other application that they make hereupon, I cannot pass over untouch•••• which is, that Paul spake in reference to this custom, and to that intention is this custom, when he saith, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. 1 Cor. 15. 29. Else what shall they do, which are baptised for the dead, &c. as our English reads it: as if the Apostle produced this custom as an argument for the resurrection, as meaning to what purpose should dead bodies be washed, if not to betoken this: thus he is conceived to argue: whereas, by the juncture of the thirtieth verse to this, it seemeth that he intended a clean contrary or different thing, by being baptized 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, namely, being bap∣tized so as baptism signifieth death by matyrdom, or suffering for the truth, as Matth. 20. 22, 23. Luke 12. 50. And his arguing is to this sense, if the dead rise not again, what will become of those that are baptized with a martyrial baptism, or that do suffer death for the profession of the truth? why are they then baptized for the dead? yea and why stand we in jeopardy every hour of such a baptism and matyrdom also? Why do they suffer, and why are we daily in danger to suffer for the truth, if there be no resurrection? And so the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to signifie, not vice, or supra, but pro, that is, in such a sense; and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to mean, In such a sense as baptized, meaneth, dead or martyred: As 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is taken in this clause, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Fabius delivered the power, or Army to Minucius, under this intent and meaning, or condition, that he should not fight, Plut. in Fab.

§ They laid her in an upper chamber.

This probably was the publick meeting room for the believers of that Town; Dor∣cas being a woman of some good rank, as may be conjectured by her plenteousness of good works and alms-deeds. Now they purposely disposing of the dead corps, that Peter if he would come, might exercise a miracle upon it, they lay it in that publick room, that the company might be spectators of the wonder; but Peter would not suffer them so to be for some singular reason, vers. 40.