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 〉.

From Caesar Augustus.

THE New Testament mentions nothing of the Roman Government, but as now reduced under a Monarchical form. When that head which had been mortally wounded, in the expulsion of the Tarquins, was healed and restored again in the Cesars, Rev. XIII 3. All the world wondered, saith St. John, and well they might, to see Monarchy, that had for so many hundred years been antiquated and quite dead, should now flourish again more vigorously and splendidly than ever.

But whence the Epocha or beginning of this Government should take its date is some∣thing difficult to determine. The foundations of it, as they were laid by Julius Cesar, so did they seem overturned, and erased again in the death he met with in the Senate∣house. It was again restored, and indeed perfected by Augustus; but to what year of Augustus should we reckon it? I would lay it in his one and thirtieth, the very year wherein our Saviour was born. Of this year Dion Cassius lib. 55. speaks thus.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. The third decennium (or term of ten years) having now run out, and a fourth begin∣ning,

he being forced to it, undertook the Government. Observe the force of the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Then was Augustus constrained, or compelled to take the Empire upon him. The Senate, the people, and as it should seem, the whole Republick, with one consent, submitting themselves entirely to a Monarchical form of Government, did even con∣strain the Emperour Augustus (who for some time stiffly refused it) to take the reins in∣to his hands.

I am not ignorant that the computation of Augustus his Reign, might reasonably e∣nough commence from his Battel and victory▪ at Actium; nor do the Gemarists count a∣miss, when they tell us that the Roman Empire took its beginning in the days of Cleopatra. a 1.1 And you may if you please call that a Monarchical Government, in opposition to the Triumvirate, which at that battel breathed its last. But that certainly, was the pure and absolute Monarchy, which the Senate and the Common-wealth did agree and con∣sent together to set up.

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

Should be taxed.

The Vulgar, and other Latin Copies read, ut describeretur, should be described, which, according to the letter might be understood of the setting out the whole bounds of the Empire, according to its various and distinct Provinces. Only that Aethicus tells us this had been done before; whose words since they concern so great and noble a Monu∣ment of antiquity, may not prove tedious to the Reader, to be transcribed in this place.

Julius Caesar Bissextilis rationis inventor, &c. Julius Cesar the first inventer of the Bis∣sextile account, a man singularly instructed in all divine and humane affairs, in the time of his Consul-ship, by a decree of the Senate procured that the whole Roman jurisdiction, should be measured out, by men of greatest skill, and most seen in all the attainments of Philosophy. So that Julius Cesar, and M. Antony being Consuls, the world began to be measured.

That is, from the Consulship of Cesar above mentioned, to the Consulship of Augustus the third time, and Crassus; the space of One and twenty years, five months, and eight days, all the East was surveighed by Zenodoxus.

From the Consulship likewise of Julius Cesar and M. Antony, to the Consulship of Saturni∣us and Cinna, the space of two and thirty years, one month, and ten days, the South was measured out by Polyclitus; so that in two and thirty years time, the whole world was sur∣veighed, and a report of it given in unto the Senate.

Thus he: Though something obscurely in the accounts of the Consuls; as also in his silence about the West; which things I must not stand to enquire into at this time. This only we may observe, that Julius Cesar was Consul with Antony A. U. C. 710. And that the surveigh of the Roman Empire being two and thirty years in finishing, ended A. V. C. 742. that is, twelve years before the Nativity of our Saviour.

Let us in the mean time guess what course was taken in this surveigh: I. It is very probable, they drew out some Geographical Tables, wherein all the Countries were de∣lineated, and laid down before them in one view. II. That these Tables or Maps were illustrated by Commentaries, in which were set down the description of the Countries, the names of places, the account of distances, and whatever might be necessary to a com∣pleat knowlede of the whole bounds of that Empire. That some such thing was done by Augustus his own hand so far as concerned Italy, seems hinted by a passage in Pliny b 1.2, Quâ in re praefari necessarium est Authorem nos Divum Augustum secuturos, descriptionem{que} ab eo factam, Italiae totius in regiones XI. In which thing, we must tell before hand, that we intend to follow Augustus, and the description he made of all Italy, dividing it into XI Countries.

And now, after this Surveigh of Lands and Regions, what could be wanting, to the full knowledge of the Empire, but a strict account of the people, their Patrimony and Estates? and this was Augustus his care to do.

c 1.3 Recepit & morum legumque regimen aeque perpetuum. &c. He took upon him the Go∣vernment both of their manners and Laws, and both perpetual. By which right, though without the title of Censor, he laid a tax upon the people three times. The first and third with his Collegue, the second alone. The first, with his Collegue, M. Agrippa. The third, with his Collegue Tiberius. The second, by himself alone: and this was the Tax, our Evangelist makes mention of, in this place.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Avodah. Za∣aah, fol. 8. 2.
• b 1.2

  Lib. 3. cap. 5.
• c 1.3

  Sueton. in Octaviano. cap. 27.