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.

The order and time of these former PROPHETS.

THE Murder of Zacharias the son of Barachias, or Jehoiada was the first ruine of Judah, and the beginning of their first rejection. For when they slew that Prophet and Priest of the Lord in the Court of the Temple, and besides the Al∣tar, they plainly shewed how they despised and rejected the Lord and his Temple, Priest-hood and Prophesie. From that time did their state decay, and was mouldring towards ruine, and that from thence for∣ward fell into sad diseases as well as King Joash did, that commanded the Murder. This Hosea toucheth upon as the very Apex of their wic∣kedness, when they so brake out, as that blood touched blood, Hos 4. 2. the blood of the Sacrificer was mingled with the blood of the Sacrifice, as Luke 13. 1.

And the very Apex of their incorrigibleness, in that they proved a people that strove with the Priest, Hos. 4. 4. And this wicked act of theirs our Saviour makes as the very period and Catastrophe of their State and Kingdom, Matth. 23. 35. How they declined from that time, both in Religion, [Joash and Amaziah, and the people with them becoming open Idolaters] and in the State, by the oppression of Syria and of Joash, is so apparent in the Story that he that runneth may read, and he that readeth not the cause with these effects, readeth not all that may be read. But more especially in these times that we have in hand, in the

latter times of Jeroboam, the Lord spake indignation from Heaven in more sensible and more singular and terrible manner, in three dreadful judgments, the like to which nei∣ther they nor their fathers had seen nor heard, and the sight and feeling of which, when it did not avail with them for their conversion and bettering, the Lord hath a company of Prophets that are continually telling them of worse judgments, namely, of final subver∣sion to come upon them.

The first of these fearful judgments was an earthquake so terrible that it brought them to their wits ends, and put them to flee for their lives, but they knew not whe∣ther. Ye shall flee as they fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah, Zech. 14. 5. This was as the beginning of their desolation, and the shaking of the earth was as a sign unto them, that their State and Kingdom should ere long be shaken. Amos prophecied of this two years before it came, Amos 1. 1. and that the Lord would roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem, as did Joel also some time before, Joel 2. to 11. This earthquake was in the days of Jeroboam, as well as in the days of Uzziah, for so Amos sheweth clearly; and therefore it was neither when Uzziah was made leprous, nor in the year when he died, as the Jews conjecture; but it was before.

After this came a Plague of more misery, but of lesser terrour, and that was of fear∣ful and horrid Locusts, Caterpillars, and Cankerworms, whose like the oldest men alive had never seen, Joel 1, 2, 3, &c. These came towards harvest time, in the beginning of the growth after mowing, Amos 7. 1. And then were the fields and trees laden with corn and fruit, but these laid the vines waste, and barked the fig-trees, Joel 1. 7. And causeth the harvest of the field to perish, and the trees to wither, so that there was not corn and wine sufficient for a meet Offering and drink Offering in the House of the Lord, ver. 10, 11, 12. then did the Cattel groan, ver. 18. and the beast of the field did languish, Hos. 4. 3.

This heavy Plague of Locusts was at last removed by prayer, but the sins of the peo∣ple called for another. Therefore the Lord called to contend by fire, Amos 7. 4. namely, by an extreme drought, with which were mingled fearful flashes of fire which fell from Heaven, as in Egypt, Eccl. 9. 23. and devoured all the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame burnt up all the trees of the field, Joel 1. 19. and some Cities were consumed by fire from Heaven as was Sodome, Amos 4. 11. Esay 1. 9. And the rivers of water were dry∣ed up, Joel 1. 2. yea even the great deep was devoured by the heat, and part of it eaten up, Amos 7. 4. and the fishes destroyed, Hos. 4. 3.

After all these judgments when they prevailed not, but the people were still the same, God set a line upon his people, and decreed that the high places of Isaac should be de∣solate, and the Sanctuaries of Israel should be laid waste, Amos 7. 9. yet did not the Lord leave himself without witness, but against and in these times of Judgment, and succes∣sively, and continually did the Lord raise up a race of Prophets among them, both in Is∣rael and Judah, that gave them warning, threatning, instruction, and exhortation, from time to time, and did not this only by word of mouth, but also committed the same to writing, and to posterity, that all generations to come might see the abomination and in∣gratitude of that people, written as it were with a pen of Iron, and a point of a Diamond, and might read and fear, and not do the like.