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.

VERS. I.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c.

Forasmuch as many have taken in hand, &c.

WHEREAS it was several years after the Ascension of our Lord, before the four Books of the Holy Gospel were committed to writing, the Apostles, the Seventy Disciples, and other Ministers of the Word in the mean time every where dispersing the glad tydings; no wonder if many pious and greedy Auditors had for their own memory sake, and the good of others, noted in their own private Table-books as much as they were capable of carrying from the Sermons and Discourses they so frequently heard. Nor is it more strange if some of these should from their own collections, compile and publish now and then some Commentaries, or short Histories of the passages they had met with. They might take in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things. Which, however they might perform out of very good intentions, and a faithful impartial Pen; yet were these writings far from com∣mencing an infallible Canon, or eternal unalterable rule of the Christian Faith.

It was not in the power of these kind of writers either to select what the Divine Wisdom would have selected for the Holy Canon, or to declare those things in that stile, wherein the Holy Spirit would have them declared, to whom he was neither the guide in the action, nor the director of their Pen.

Our Evangelist therefore takes care to weigh such kind of writings, in such a balance, as that it may appear they are neither rejected by him as false or heretical, nor yet re∣ceived as Divine and Canonical. Not the first, because he tells us they had written 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, even those very things, which the heavenly Preachers had delivered to

them. Not the latter, for to those Writings he opposeth, that he himself was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, One that had perfect understanding of things from above. Of which we shall consider in its proper place.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

To set forth in order a Declaration.

A kind of phrase not much unlike, what was so familiar amongst the Jews 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 An orderly Narration: saying, that that was more peculiarly applied by them to the Commemoration of the passover. And yet it is used in a larger sense too, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a 1.1 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which you way render, who was the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, He who set forth in order a declaration.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c.

Of those things which are more surely believed amongst us, &c.

Let us recollect what the unbelieving Jews think and say of the Actions, Miracles, and Doctrine of Christ, and then we shall find it more agreeable to render this clause, of those things which are most surely believed amongst us, according to what Erasmus, Beza, our own English Translators, and others have rendered it, than with the Vulgar, Quae in nobis completae sunt rerum; of the things which are fulfilled amongst us. They had said, this deceiver seduceth the people, those wonders he did were by the power of magick; Bat we do most surely believe those things which he did and taught.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Succah. fol. 53. 1.