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.

PART II. The JEWISH Story.

§. 1. Troubles at Jamnia.

THE troubles and miseries of the Jews are now drawing to the heart of their State, and this year are got into their own Land, and drawing near Jerusalem it self. And the poor Alexandrian Jews Commissioners, that the last year set forward for Rome, and in the beginning of this year are gotten thither, to petition for redress of their own calamities, do there receive tydings of worse miseries coming towards all their Nation. The original and occasion was from Capito a gatherer of Tribute for the Romans in Judea. This man coming into that Office and Country a very poor man: and (as no other can be expected from men of so base and mean quality put into so high places) having pilled and polled all before him, to raise and to mend his fortunes; and being now grown rich, and being afraid to be accused of the Jews to Cae∣sar, for his injustice and oppression, he thinks it the safest way to prevent that, to get some occasion against them, that he might accuse them, and cry thief first. In Jamnia therefore where he resided, there was mixture of Inhabitants, very many Jews, and not a few Strangers, or Gentiles. Hereupon Capito secretly contriveth, That these strangers should set up an Altar in the City to Caius, who as they heard, would be worshipped for a God. This both he and they knew that the Jews would never indure, as being a most notorious violation of their Law; but would oppose the matter, and so should he have cause and accusation enough against them to Caesar, for despising of his Majesty, and con∣temning his Godhead. Accordingly did the cursed plot take effect: for suddainly and unexpectedly an Altar is built and erected in the City, the Jews as soon as they hear and see the business, they rise generally and pull it down. Their enemies that had built it, run to Capito, who indeed had had the chief hand in the design, and complain of the indignity: He not thinking it enough to take recognisance of the business himself, by Letters acquaints the Emperor with the affront, for so he sets it forth; and well he knew the Emperor would be ready enough to second him to do mischief to the Jews according to his desire.

§. 2. Troubles at Jerusalem and elsewhere throughout Judea. Caius his Image to be set up in the Temple to be Worshipped.

Caius having received this intelligence from Capito, which he had mingled with all kind of gall and vinegar of exasperation and evil language against the Jews, and being himself already irreconcileably incensed and bent against them; partly through mischie∣vous incendiaries and accusations, and chiefly because they only were cross to his deify∣ing and impious Worship; he now determineth a course against them, which should strike at the very root, and bring them either to* 1.1 bend or break. He dispatcheth therefore a message to Petronius the Governor of Judea; that in stead of the Altar of stone which the Jews had pulled down at Jamnia, he should without fail set up a Golden Coloss or an Image of the Emperor in the Temple at Jerusalem: and that this design might receive no hindrance by opposition, he charged that he should send for part of the Army from Eu∣phrates that lay there for the guard of the East; that if the Jews would quietly receive the statue it was well, and if they would not, they must be forced to it, whether they would or no. What must the Jews do now at such a pinch? Nay, what must Petronius? If he disobey what he is commanded, he hazardeth his own ruine; if he perform it, he ruineth a whole Nation: The Jews will be ready to dye before they will admit of such an Idol; and Petronius is not like to escape, if he bring them not to admit of it. In this strait between affection to himself, and to a whole people, he useth the best accommoda∣tion that the present necessity would afford: namely, not to decline the injunction for his own safety, but to delay it as much as may be for the safety of the Jews: that in the space while the image was leasurely making the one party might possibly be brought to com∣ply, either the Emperor upon consideration to lay his resolution down, or the Jews up∣on perswasion to lay down their resoluteness. He appointeth the Image to be wrought at Zidon, whence on the one hand, less offence might accrew to the Jews, and on the other some satisfaction might come to the Emperor, he hearing by Passengers that the work was in hand, and they seeing the gentleness of Petronius that would not work it in their own Country.

Tydings of this lamentable and heavy design could not be long kept from the Jews, nor they upon the tydings long from Petronius. To him they come into Phenicia, men and women, young and old, of all sorts and conditions an innumerable multitude, with tears in their eyes, and bitter cries in their mouths, that either he would surcease the en∣terprise that was in hand, or take their lives before they saw the performance of such abomination. Petronius threatens, speaks fair, urgeth, perswadeth, but all to no purpose, they tendering their necks rather to the execution, than enduring to ••ear of such viola∣tion of their Religion. In the end they obtain this favour of the gentle Governor, that he will not proceed in this impious work, till he or they, or both have sued to Caesar, by petition to surcease the design, and to remit of his resolution. And so return the Jews to their home and harvest, with some contentment in speeding so well at the present, and in some hope to speed better for the future. Josephus here telleth a story of a miraculous and suddain shower that fell as Petronius and the Jews were thus parlying together, whereas there had been no rain of a long time before, and no sign at all of any rain instantly be∣fore this fell: God (as he would have it) seconding this their request with this wonder, and using this argument for the moving of Petronius to back theirs.

§. 3. Petronius his Letter to the Emperor.

The gentle Governor failed not of his promise, nor of the trust the Jews had reposed in him, but though it may breed his own smart, he addresseth a message to the Emperor in their behalf, and useth the utmost of his perswasive skill and faculty in it. He layeth before him that the prosecution of his commanded and intended enterprise, would be the destruction of a whole Nation, the loss of a fair and goodly Tribute and Revenue, the impairing of the Roman strength and honour, the prejudice of his Majesties journey in∣to Alexandria, which he intended ere long to take: That they were already grown de∣sperate, and began to neglect their harvest and occasions, whereby a certain famine would follow upon the Land, and a disadvantage to the Countries round about: with other

Arguments of the same nature, sensible, strong, and perswasive, had not the Emperor been wedded to his own sensless will, and bewitched and led away with destructive coun∣sel. Two caitives he had about him that continually suggested evil to him against the Jews, as if for either ear one, Helicon an Egyptian mentioned before, and Apelles an Ascalonite, such another as he. These were ever adding spurs to his malice against that Nation, which was in its full carreer already, and blowing those coals which it was impossible to quench. Wretched men that they were, that sought to rear their fortunes upon others ruines, and to cement estates with other mens blood. Such instruments it pleased God to use for the scourging of that ungracious and condemned Nation, and having done the work by them that he had appointed, he cast these rods into the fire, Apelles being tor∣tured by Caius, whom he had indoctrinated to cruelty, and Helicon slain by Claudius, the Emperor that succeeded in Caius his room.

§. 4. Agrippa his mediation for the Jews.

King Agrippa the Jews old friend and Advocate is now at Rome, and ready in affection, as well as in place, upon these heavy tydings to intercede for his people, and to do them good, if it be possible for any good to be done. Josephus and Philo do again differ about the relation of this his undertaking of a meditation, as they do almost in every thing that they relate jointly, in one circumstance or other. Josephus saith that Agrippa hearing of this misery of his people, invited Caius to a most sumptuous and extraordinary banquet; using to his cost such a preparative to his fairer and better aggress and accoast∣ing the Tyrant upon a matter of so great import: That Caius at the banquet offered him a boon, whatsoever he should desire, expecting he would desire some great Revenue: but that Agrippa requested nothing but the liberty of his people in their Religion, and the removal of that fear that now lay upon them by the Image preparing. That Caius, over∣come by so honest and unexpected a petition condescended to his desire, and was well apaid and pacified, till Petronius his Letter came to him after this, and then was he all of a fury and ragedness again. But Philo thus, That the intelligence from Petronius was come to him before Agrippa began to mediate: That Agrippa coming as at other times to attend the Emperor, was so cast down and daunted at the terror of his looks, and thun∣der of his words against the Jews, that he fell down in a swoon, in which he lay till the next day. Then he addresseth a Letter to him in his peoples behalf, so powerful and pithy, that Caius betwixt anger and calmness, betwixt commending Agrippa, and being displeased with him, at the last granteth it to Agrippa as a special boon, that the dedicati∣on of his Image should not go forward: and to such a purpose he writeth to Petronius; but withal mingling mischief with this his mitigation, he giveth order that if any one would set up his Image, or dedicate his statue in any Town or City of Judea, (Jerusalem excepted) it should not be opposed, but the opposer should be suddainly and severely punished. A politick and a deadly plot to involve the Nation in an insurrection and re∣bellion: For the enemies of the Jews would be ready to be erecting such offences; not so much for the honour of Caesar, as for spite of the Jews, and the Jews would be as ready to oppose them to the hazard of their lives, because they abhorred Idols for them∣selves, and not for the place; and the Tyrant would be as ready as either to take this opportunity of their insurrection, to entangle them in a destructive War. But the time of their final desolation was not yet come, and so it pleased God that none of their ene∣mies were active at this time in this kind; nor when he set awork a Coloss to be made for him in Rome, intending from thence to convey it secretly into the Temple at Jerusalem, it took effect according to his impious design and desire, but came to nothing and the in∣tention quashed, either by his death, which fell out the beginning of the next year, or by some other stop and hinderance.

§. 5. Flaccus Avilius in banishment and his end.

The last year we brought Flaccus to the Isle of Andros, and now let us land him there. When he came within ken of Land, he burst out into tears and lamentation, comparing that place in his pensive thoughts with Italy and Egypt, and his deplorable condition of life upon which he was now to enter, with the pomp and prosperity in which he had lived in those two places of his education and Authority. Being landed, his pensiveness increased the more, by how much he was now nearer to that misery which his thoughts presaged. His demeanor in this his banishment; if Philo have not set it forth with more Rhetorick than truth, was full of horror and amazedness: avoiding the society of men,

running up and down the woods, tearing his hair, tormenting himself, and sometimes rising out of his sleep at midnight, and running abroad, and he would look up towards Heaven and cry out in a lamentable note. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. O King of Gods and men, thou art not therefore careless of the Nati∣on of the Jews.

Thus did he spin out a miserable life for certain months, till Caesar cut his woful thred in two. For the Tyrant lying awake one night and could not sleep, among other thoughts that came into his mischievous mind, he considered how happily retired those men lived that were banished: they wanting nothing, and enjoying all things in enjoy∣ing themselves. The cruel caitif from these thoughts of their estate, began to envy it, and accounting their banishment rather a pleasure than a punishment, he gave charge the next morning that they should all be slain. Under this doom fell Flaccus, one of the first in the Tyrants thoughts, because one of the first in his displeasure. Executio∣ners are sent for his dispatch, whose errand he knew as soon as he saw them, and from them he flies as soon as he knew them. But it is in vain to flee, and it is too late, for they and vengeance have soon over taken him, and with many wounds have put him to death.

§. 6. The Embassadors of the Alexandrian Jews before the Emperor.

The miseries of the Alexandrian Jews could find no remedy, while the source from whence they flowed, was not stopped, but overflowed them continually. The well∣head of this their mischief was double: The spiteful counsel that was given the Empe∣ror against them by others; and the endless rancor that he bare to them himself. To stop the current, and inundation of the calamity that overwhelmed them continually from these two puddle springs, they can find no better, or more feasable means and way than to send some men of their own Nation to Rome, to atone, intercede and mediate for them. We left them upon their journey the last year, three in number, as saith Jose∣phus, but five, as Philo, who was one of them himself: and now let us trace them to Rome, and see how they speed.

The first sight of the Emperor was in Campus Martius, who saluted them friendly, and promised to give them hearing with a great deal of speed, and it was hoped by the most of them with a great deal of favour, but it proved far otherwise. For he shortly went out of the City down to Puteoli by the Sea, and they follow him thither. There they first hear the tydings of the state of Judea under Petronius, and of Caesars Image that was preparing. From Puteoli they follow him to Rome again, and there being admitted to audience, he with a terrible and grinning countenance first asked them; What? Are you that people that of all others scorn my Deity, but had rather worship your nameless God? And then scornfully lifting his hands up to Heaven, he named the name Jehovah. At this all the company of the malignant party rejoyced, as accounting they had got the day. But when the Jews began to excuse and answer for themselves, he flung away, and frisked from room to room, they following him all this while: At last, after some chiding at somewhat that he disliked in the rooms, and appointing how he would have it mended; he asked them, How comes it to pass that you forbear to eat Swines flesh? Here the company laughed out again: and as the Jews began to answer, he angerly interposed thus, I would fain know what are those privileges of your City, tha•• you challenge? When they began to speak, he frisked away into another room. Shortly he cometh to them again in a mil∣der manner: And now, saith he, what say you? And when they began to lay open their matter to him, away flings he into another room again. At last, coming again more mild∣ly still, These men seem to me, saith he, not so evil, as miserable, which cannot be perswaded that I am a god; And so he bad them to depart. And thus concluded this great scene of expectation, for ought that we can find further in Philo. But whether this was the very end of the matter, or it proceeded further, but that the relation of it is failing in Philo, is hard to decide. It seemeth by him that this was the end of their conference with the Tyrant, but it appeareth withal, that they presented him with some Palinodia, or recan∣tation, which is perished and gone. Eusebius speaketh of five Books written by Philo,* 1.2 about the calamities of the Jews, and the madness of Caius, whereof we have but two extant at this time, that against Flaccus, and that about the Embassie to Caius, and the other three seem to be the Palinodia, or it to be some part of them.

§. 7. Apion.

Among the five, or three Ambassadors of a side, (as Josephus and Philo differ in their number) the most renowned in their contrary and differing kinds were Apion the Greek, and Philo the Jew; the others are wholly nameless, and their memory extinct, but these two have left a perpetuation of theirs behind them by their writings.

Apion was an Egyptian, born in the utmost borders thereof in a place called Oasis, but fained himself for an Alexandrian. A man given to the Grecian studies of Philoso∣phy, but with more vainglory than solidity. He not contented, to have been a perso∣nal accuser of the Jews to Caius in that their Embassie, wrote also bitterly against them in his Egyptian History, to disgrace them to posterity. Of which Josephus that wrote two books in answer of him giveth this censure. That some things that he had written were like to what others had written before, other things very cold, some calumnious, and some very unlearned. And the end and death of this blackmouthed railer he describeth thus, To me it seemeth, that he was justly punished for his blasphemies, even against his own Country laws, for he was circumcised of necessity, having an ulcer about his privities, and be∣ing nothing helped by the cutting or circumcising, but putrifying with miserable pains, he died, Contr. Apion. lib. 2.

§. 8. Philo the Jew.

Philo was a Jew by Nation, and Alexandrian by birth: by line, of the kindred of the Priests; and by family, the brother of Alexander Alabarcha. His education was in learning, and that mixed, according to his original and residence, of the Jews and of the Greeks: his proof was according to his education, versed in the learning of both the Nations, and not inferior to the most learned in either: From this mixture of his know∣ledge, proceeded the quaintness of his stile and writing; explaining Divinity by Philo∣sophy, or rather forcing Philosopy out of Divinity, that he spoiled the one, and did not much mend the other. Hence his Allegories which did not only obscure the clear Text, but also much soil the Theology of succeeding times. His language is sweet, smooth, and easie, and Athens it self is not more elegant and Athenian. For attaining to the Greek in Alexandria, partly naturally, (that being a Grecian City) and partly by study, (as not native Grecians used to do) he by a mixture of these two together, came to the ve∣ry Apex and perfection of the language, in copiousness of words, and in choice. His stile is always fluent, and indeed often to superfluity, dilating his expressions sometimes so copious, that he is rather prodigal of words, than liberal, and sheweth what he could say if the cause required, b•• saying so much, when there is little or no cause at all. And to give him his character for this, in short, He is more a Philosopher than a Scripture man in heart, and more a Rhetorician than a Philosopher in tongue. His manner of writing is more ingenious than solid, and seemeth rather to draw the subject whereon he writeth whither his fancy pleaseth, than to follow it whither the nature and inclination of it doth incline. Hence his allegorizing of whatsoever cometh to his hand, and his perem∣ptory confidence in whatsoever he doth allegorize, insomuch that sometimes he perswad∣eth himself that he speaketh mysteries, as pag 89. and sometimes he checketh the Scripture, if it speak not as he would have it▪ as pag. 100.

How too many of the Fathers in the Primitive Church followed him in this his vein, it is too well known, to the loss of too much time, both in their writing and in our read∣ing. Whether it were because he was the first that wrote upon the Bible, or rather be∣cause he was the first that wrote in this strain, whose writings came unto their hands, that brought him into credit with Christian Writers, he was so far followed by too many, that while they would explain Scripture, they did but intricate it, and hazarded to lose the truth of the story, under the cloud of the Allegory. The Jews have a strain of wri∣ting upon the Scripture, that flieth in a higher region than the writings of Christians, as is apparent to him that shall read their Authors. Now Philo being a Jew, and naturally affecting like them to soar in a high place, and being by his education in the Grecian wisdom more Philosophical than the Jews usually were, and by inclination much affected with that learning, he soareth the Jewish pitch with his Grecian wings, and attaineth to a place in which none had flown in before (unless the Therapeutae, of whom hereafter) writing in a strain that none had used before, and which too many, or at least many

too much used after; of his many strange and mysterious matters that he findeth out in his vein of allegorizing, let the Reader taste but some.

As see what he saith of the invisible Word of God, pag. 5. and pag. 24. & 169. & 152.

How he is a Pythagorean for numbers, pag. 8. and pag. 15, 16, 31. where he is even bewitched with the number Seven; and pag. 32, 33. as the Therapeutae were 695. from whom he seemeth to have sucked in his Divinity.

Pag. 9. He accounteth the Stars to presage future things; whom in pag. 12. he almost calleth intelligible Creatures, pag. 168. and immortal Spirits, pag. 222.

Pag. 12. He seemeth to think that God had some Coadjutors in mans Creation.

Pag. 15. God honored the seventh day, and called it holy; for it is festival not to one peo∣ple or region only, but to all: which is worthy to be called the festivity of the people, and the nativity of the world.

Pag. 43. He distinguished betwixt Adam formed and made, earthly and heavenly.

Pag. 57. He teacheth strange Doctrine, which followeth more copiously, p. 61. about two natures created in man, good and bad.

Pag. 68. Observe his temperance when his list.

Pag. 86. He believeth that his soul had sometime her raptures, and taught him strange, profound, and unknown speculations, as there she doth concerning the Trinity, and in pag. 89. He thinketh he talketh mysteries.

Pag. 94. Faith the most acceptable Sacrifice; an unexpected confession from a Jew.

Pag. 100. He checketh Joseph the Patriarch for impropriety of speech, and he will teach him how to speak.

Pag. 102. Speaking of the death of Moses, he saith, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. He is not gathered, or added, fainting or failing, as men had done before, for he admitted not ei∣ther of addition or defection, but he is translated or passeth away by the Authority of that effi∣cient word by which the universe was made.

Pag. 122. He is again very unmannerly and uncivil with Joseph, and so is he again in pag. 152. he had rather lose his friend than his jest, and censure so great a Patriarch than miss his Allegory.

That Aaron used imposition of hands upon Moses, pag. 126.

Pag. 127. That Abel slain yet liveth, as Heb. 11.

Pag. 152. God like a Shepherd and King governeth all things in the world by right and equity, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Setting over them his upright word, which is his first begotten Son, who taketh the care of this sacred herd, like the Deputy of some great King.

Pag. 161. He sheweth his learning is the great Encyclica.

Pag. 168. He calleth Angels Genii and Heroes, according to the Greeks, and holdeth that they were created in the air, but in the superiour part of it near the Sky, and fly up and down there, pag. 221, 222.

Pag. 170. His Allegories make him impious, and he counteth the story of Paradise to be but foolery, if it be taken litteral.

Pag. 180. He talketh a Rabinical tale about the invention of Musick.

He constantly followeth the LXX, as appeareth, pag. 160, 179, 218, 245, 255.

Pag. 190. He maketh God and his wisdom, as it were father and mother, of whom the world was generate, but not humano more.

Ibid. He readeth that place, Prov. 8. 22. The Lord created me the first of his works. For saith he, it was necessary that all things that came to generation, should be younger than the mother and nurse of all things.

Pag. 191. He is very uncivil with Jethro.

Pag. 205. He holdeth Lots wife to have been turned into a stone.

Pag. 206. He was in the Theater at a play.

Pag. 213. He holdeth Isaac weaned at seven years old. And mentioneth certain Dia∣logues made by himself, personating Isaac and Ismael. He calleth cap. 32. of Deute∣ronomy 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Canticum majus, according to the Rabbins phrase: so likewise pag. 179.

Pag. 214. Jacob praying for Joseph saith, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. It is very questionable where this speech is to be found.

Pag. 223. The spirit of God is an immortal knowledge.

Pag. 232. He treateth de Printogenito, & secundogenito Dei: that is, of his Word and the World.

Pag. 234. He holdeth freewil, but it is in comparison of the actions of men with the effects of Plants and Bruits.

Pag. 241. He is fallen out with Joseph again.

Pag. 251. He telleth a fable, how all Birds and Beasts spake the same Language, and understood one another; but that their Tongue was confounded because they petitioned that they might never grow old, but renew their youth as the Serpent doth, who is the basest of them.

But this is more than enough for a taste: we shall conclude this Character with that Apophthegme that came from him when Caius was in a rage against him and his fellow▪ Commissioners, How ought we to chear up, saith he, though Caius be angry at us in words, seeing in his deeds he even opposeth God? Josephus relateth it, Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 10.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Josephus relateth this story far different from Philo: For he saith that Caius sent away Petronius for this purpose; but Philo that he was in Judea already: Josephus that the notice of the message came in time of seedness; Philo in time of harvest▪ Josephus that the Jews came to Petronius at Ptolemais and Tibe∣rias; Philo in Phoenicia; and the like: which the Reader will readily see if he compare the two Authors together, and his judgment subscribe to Philo as the more probable, he being at the Emperors Court when these things were done; but only that he hath flourished the truth with Rhetorick more than needful.
• * 1.2

  Eccles. Hist. l. 2. c. 5.