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.

§. Herod Agrippa his coming to Jerusalem.

CLAUDIUS the Emperor having attained the Empire as we have seen, the more easily and readily by the mediation and agitating of Agrippa, he would re∣quite him like an Emperor for that his service: and therefore he confirmed to him by Charter, that Kingdom in which he had been inthroned by Caius, adding also Judea and Samaria, which had belonged to his Grandfather Herod (from hence it may seem that he took that name) and Abilene, and the Region near it, and appertaining to it in Lebanon, which had belonged to Lysanias. He caused also the Articles of a League betwixt himself and the King, to be cut in brass, and to be set up in the midst of the Forum.

There was now some sedition and civil hostility in Alexandria; for the Jews having been supprest and opprest by the Greeks, all the time of Caius, began after his death to stand in their own defence, and to rise up against those that had opposed them. Claudius by Letter commands the Governor of Egypt to quel the tumult: and at the request of Agrippa, and of Herod King of Chalcis, he sendeth forth an Edict into Syria and Alexan∣dria in behalf and favour of the Jews. And another Decree he sent also through the rest of the Roman Empire, to the same tenor, and for the benefit of the same people, be∣ginning with these his Titles, Tiberius Claudius Caesar, Augustus, Germanicus, Pont. Maxi∣mus. Trib. Pleb. or Tribunitiae Potestatis Consul designatus II. or second time Consul, and so it goes on.

By these decrees (saith Josephus) being thus sent to Alexandria, and through the whole Empire, Claudius declared what opinion he had of the Jews: And presently he sent away Agrippa to manage his Kingdom, with inlarged Honors, and wrote to the Go∣vernors of the Provinces, and to the Magistrates to favour him. And he, as it befitted a man that had had happy success, returned with speed. And coming to Jerusalem, he performed or offered Thanks-Offerings, omitting nothing that was injoyned by the Law: Wherefore he caused many Nazarites to be shaven, and the golden Chain which was given him by Caius, weighing equally with the iron chain that had bound his Royal

hands, he hung up * 1.1 in the consecrate Court over the Treasury, for a memorial of his adversity, and for a witness of his better fortune. Thus Agrippa having performed right∣ly this his service to God, he removed Theophilus the son of Ananus from the High Priest∣hood, and conferred the honour upon Simon the son of Boethus, whose name was also Cantheras, thus Josephus Antiq. l. 19. c. 4.

§. Peter not imprisoned in the second year of Claudius.

To which let us joyn some of St. Lukes text in the twelfth of the Acts, and then let us make use of both together. Now about that time (saith he) Herod the King stretcked forth his hands to vex certain of the Church; and he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter; then were the days of unleavened bread.

Now let the Reader observe in either story one special circumstance of time, as in Jo∣sephus, That Claudius was now second time Consul: and in St. Luke, that James was slain before Easter; and then let him cast whether it were possible, at the least probable, that so many things should be done and intercede between the beginning of January, when Claudius entred his Consulship, and Easter, as in these Stories must intercede, if Peter were imprisoned at the Easter of this year; yea though it fell the latest or furthest in the year that ever Easter yet fell. For, for Claudius to make his decree, and disperse it: for Agrippa to provide for his journy, and part from his friends in Rome: for him to travail from Rome to Jerusalem, to perform his Sacrifices and Ceremonies there, to seek to lay hold upon certain of the Church, to light upon James, and to kill him, and then to ap∣prehend and imprison Peter, and all this betwixt Claudius his entry of his Consulship in January, and Easter, is a thing so incredible (especially to him that considereth how slowly great bodies move, as Kings and Emperors in their actions) as that it seemeth next impossible. For it cannot be imagined that this decree for the Jews was the first thing that Claudius did after he was made Consul, or that he fell upon that work in the very beginning of January; for matters of the City and of Italy one would think should take up the first thoughts of the Consuls, when they entred into that Office, and not of Je∣rusalem and Alexandria so many hundred of miles distant: and matters of the Romans themselves, and not of the Jews a despised Nation: But grant that on the very first day he set pen to paper for that decree, on the second disperst it, and on the third dismissed Agrippa, yet must so great a Prince have some preparation for so great a journy, he must have some time to part with so great acquaintance; it was strange if he waited not some time for a convenient wind, and he must take up some reasonable time after he is shipped, before he land in Judea. After his landing some time was required for such a King in his own Kingdom to prepare for his journy by Land to Jerusalem, some for his setling there; some for his Sacrifices, and performances of the Rites of the Law mentioned; and all these before the apprehension of James, and that no man knows how long before Easter. Let indifferency judge, whether all these things were possible to be done in that space of time; and then let it censure of the matter in hand.

To the eviction of this opinion, that Peter went to Rome, and there began his Episco∣pacy the second year of Claudius, Romanists themselves may be produced that do gainsay it; as Salmeron on the twelfth of the Acts, who holds that he went thither in Claudius his fourth, and he produceth Comestor, Nauclerus, and Petrus de natalibus of the same opinion with him.

So likewise Simeon the Metaphrast, though he bring Peter from Jerusalem this year for fear of Herod, and lead him through many places, ordaining Churches and making Bishops, yet in conclusion he mentioneth not one word of Rome, but bringeth him to Jerusalem again at Passover next. Hereupon Surius, or at least his Marginist, and Baronius are ready to give him the lie; and though they both alledge him, and applaud him while he ser∣veth their own humor, yet here they fly in his face, and tell him he is beside the cushion, because he is beside their opinion, and saith not what they would have him say.

Upon consideration of what hath been said before, we have put over the death of James to the year next following, as not seeing it possible to have fallen out this year be∣fore Easter, all circumstances being well considered: and accordingly have we referred thither, as the order requireth, the imprisonment of Peter, and his fleeing for his life, or retiring for some other cause, which the Romanists will have to have been to Rome; and there will we take it into some examination again.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 within the inclosures.