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.

SECT. I. The Presidents of the Sanhedrin from the Captivity to its dissolution.

HAving digressed thus far in viewing the Judicatory that sate in the Room Gazith, let it be excusable yet a little further to interrupt our further survey so far as to take a Catalogue and notice also particularly of all the heads or Presidents of this Court, in the generations, from the return out of the Babylonian Captivity, till City, Temple and Sanhedrin came to nothing: as their names and order are recorded in the Jewish Writers: as in the Talmudick Treatise Avoth: in Avoth Rabbi Nathan: in the Preface of Maymony to Jadh: in the Author of Juchasin: and in dispersed passages in the Talmuds.

1. The first was Ezra, of whom there is so renowed mention in the Scripture. The Sanhedrin of his time, is ordinarily called by the Jews 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the great Synagogue, and those eminent persons are reckoned of it, which are named, Ezr. II. 2. Zerubbabel, Jo∣shua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, &c. He is said to have come up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of Darius, Ezr. VII. 8. which was four and twenty years after the peoples

return out of Babylon, and how the Sanhedrin was disposed of before that time, is hard to determine. His Sanhedrin or great Synagogue is ordinarily reckoned of an hundred and twenty Men (compare Act. I. 15.) but whether all at once or successively, it is not much important to dispute here. He lived by the computation of some Chroniclers of his own Nation, till that very year that Alexander the Great came to Jerusalem, and then died on the tenth day of the month Tebeth: and so by their account he wore out both the Babylonian and Persian Monarchies; they hold also that Haggai, and Zachary, and Malachi died the same year with him, and then Prophecy departed. Compare Act. XIX. 2.

2. Simeon the just: Some Hebrew Writers that doubt not that he was head of the San∣hedrin, do yet question whether he were High Priest, or an ordinary Priest, but Josephus who wrote in Greek, asserteth him for High Priest: And some again that hold him to have been High Priest can find in their hearts to think that he was the very same with Jaddua, but Josephus doth clearly distinguish them, placing Simeon after Jaddua and Oni••s between. The times of his Government may be discovered by observing that Eleazer his Brother who succeeded him in the High Priesthood was he, to whom Ptolomy Philadelphus sent for the Septuagint, to translate the Bible. There are exceeding high things spoken of this Simeon by his Countrymen, some of which, we have mentioned else∣where; to which I shall only add this record of him, That in his time the scarlet list on the Scape-Gotes head turned white: that the lot for the Scape-Goat ever came up in his right hand: that the western Lamp never went out, and the fire on the Altar ever burnt pleasantly, but when he died its force abated. This Adagie is ascribed to him: The world standeth upon three things, upon the Law, upon Religion, and upon shewing Mercy; He was surnamed, the Just, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Both because of his piety towards God, and his good will towards his Nation, Josph. Ant. lib. 12. eap. 2.

3. Antigonus of Soco: He was the Master of Sadoc and Baithus, who mistaking and misconstruing his good Doctrine, vented the Heresie against the Resurrection: his Doctrine was this, Be not as Servants that serve their Master because of receiving a reward, but be as Servants that serve their Master, not because of receiving a reward, but let the fear of Heaven be upon you: which his crooked Disciples construed into this impious sense, that there was no reward at all to be had for the service of God, and so they denied the world to come. But his Scholars, Joseph ben Joezer and Joseph ben Jochanan held orthodox.

4. Josi, or Joseph, ben Joezer of Zeredah (Jeroboams Town, 1 King. XI. 26.) he had Josi or Joseph ben Jochanan of Jerusalem for his Vice-President. Here the Talmudick Records begin to reckon them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by couples, That is, the President and Vice-President both: not but that there were Vice-Presidents before, but they be not named, and so were there after the times of Hillel also, though they be not named then neither.

This Joseph ben Joezer had Children so untoward, that he would not leave them his Land but bequeathed it to pious uses.

5. Joshua the Son of Perehiah President: Nittai the Arbelite Vice-President. This Joshua is Recorded to have lived in the time of King Jannai, called also Alexander, the Son of Hyrcanus: This Hyrcanus was likewise called Jannai; he affected the Kingdom, and there∣upon the wise men or great ones of that time would have put him from the High Priest∣hood: but he maintained his station by the sword, for he slew divers of the wise men, which caused Joshua the Son of Perahiah to flee to Alexandria, but he was recalled, upon the mediation of Simeon ben Shetah.

6. Judah the Son of Tabbai President: Simeon ben Shetah Vice-President. A gallant pair for integrity and justice: Were their lives to be written, most eminent actions of theirs might be related which are recorded of them: as that they hanged fourscore Witches in one day: Judged King Jannai: the one of them wept daily for an error of Judgment that he had committed, and the other preferred the execution of justice, before the safety of his own Son. This Simeon ben Shetah is he whom we suppose the builder of this Room Gazith that we are surveying.

7. Shemaiah President, and Abtalion Vice-President: These were Kinsmen, and of the posterity of Sennacharib, but their Mother was an Israelite.

8. Hillel President, and Shammai Vice-President: At first it was Hillel and Menahem, but Menahem departed to the service of Herod: Hillel was one of the eminentest that ever was among the Jewish Doctors both for birth, learning, rule and children: He was of the seed of David by his Mothers side, being of the posterity of Shephatiah the Son of Abital, David's Wife. He was brought up in Babel, from whence he came up to Jerusalem at forty years old, and there studied the Law forty years more, under Shemaiah and Abtalion, and after them he was President of the Sanhedrin forty years more: The beginning of his Presidency is generally concluded upon to have been just an hundred years before the Temple was de∣stroyed: by which account, he began eight and twenty years before our Saviour was born, and died when he was about twelve years old. He is renowned for his fourscore Scholars, one among which was Jonathan ben Uzziel, the Chaldee paraphrast, &c.

9. Rabban Simeon, Hillel's Son: This man was first dignified with the title Rabban, he is supposed to be the Simeon mentioned Luk. II. that took Christ in his Arms, and for that, it is conceived that he is not of so frequent and honourable mention among the Jewish Writers as others of the same rank with him are, they not well relishing his confession of Christ, whom they deny: He began his Presidentship about the thirtenth year of our Saviours age, if the date and account of Hillel's rule mentioned before be current, and how long he sate President, no one mentions, but some assert that his rule was not long. The Author of Juchasin relateth that he is never mentioned in the Mishneh, or in the Code of the Jews Traditions; it may be his embracing Christianity made him cool towards their Traditions, so that there is none to Father on him, as there are on the other Doctors. It is like he was a secret professor of Christ, as Nicodemus was, and kept both his place and profession.

10. Rabban Gamaliel, Simeons Son: This was he under whom Paul was brought up, Act. XXII. 3. and see Act. V. 34. He was President of the Council when Christ was arraigned: and lived two and twenty years after: Onkelos the Targumist of the Law, did solemnly celebrate his Funerals: He is commonly styled Rabban Gamaliel the old, either because he was the first of that name, or because he was of a long life: Of him they have this saying in the last Chapter of the Treatise Sotah: From the time that Rabban Gamaliel the old died, the honour of the Law failed, and purity and Pharisaism died.

11. Rabban Simeon, Gamaliel's Son: He was slain at the destruction of the Temple: and so should his Son also have been, had not Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai, being in favour with Caesar, begged his life: And thus have we followed the succession of the Presidents of the Sanhedrin till the Temple and City fell: but the Sanhedrin fell not as yet, but conti∣nued in a flitting and languishing condition for a good space still, and had its Presidents till it fell also, which were these:

12. Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai: He was not of the blood of Hillel, but he was his Scholar: He came to be President upon the death of Rabban Simeon last mentioned; his Sanhedrin sate at Jabneh.

13. Rabban Gamaliel of Jabneh: This was Rabban Simeon's Son whom Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai begged from death, of the hands of Caesar, at the slaughter of his Father, his minority made him unfit for the Presidency when his Father was slain, therefore Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai, bare that place, and after his death this Rabban Gamaliel succeeded.

14. Rabban Simeon, the Son of Gamaliel of Jabneh.

15. Rabbi Judah, the Son of this Rabban Simeon: He is eminently called Rabbi and Rabenu haccadosh: He collected and compiled the Mishnaioth.

16. Rabban Gamaliel, the Son of Rabbi Judah: Here the title Rabban expired: and the Sanhedrin was gone.