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.

SECTION XX.

MARK Chap. I. from Ver. 21. to Ver. 40.

LUKE Chap. IV. from Ver. 31. to the end of the Chapter.

MATTH. Chap. VIII. Ver. 14, 15, 16, 17.

A Devil cast out in Capernaum Synagogue. Peters wives Mother and divers more healed.

IF the transition of Mark from the preceding story to this, be observed, it cleareth the order: For having declared there how Christ had called his Disciples; And they, saith he, that is Christ and his new called Disciples went into Capernaum; his own City.

There on the Sabbath day he casteth out a devil, in the Synagogue, who by confessing Christ for the Messias, would have terrified the people with the dread of him, that they might not dare to entertain him. From the Synagouge they go to dinner to Peters house,

and there he raiseth his wives Mother in law from a Fever: And after Sun-set when the Sabbath was done; many more are brought to him and are healed. They began their Sab∣bath from Sun-set, and at the same time of the day they ended it. Talm. Hierosolm. in Sheviith. fol. 33. col. 1. And their manner of observing it, briefly was thus: for the con∣sideration of such a thing may be of some use, in some places of the Gospel as we go along, since there is so frequent mention there about their Sabbath.

The Eve of the Sabbath, or the day before, was called the day of the preparation for the Sabbath, Luk. 23. 54. and from the time of the evening sacrifice and forward, they be∣gan to fit themselves for the Sabbath, and to cease from their works, so as not to go to the barber, not to sit in Judgement, &c. nay not to eat thenceforward till the Sabbath came in. Nay thenceforward they would not set things on working, which being set awork would compleat their business of themselves, unless it would be compleated be∣fore the Sabbath came. As, they would not put Galls and Coperas to steep to make Ink, unless they would be steeped while it was yet day, before the evening of the Sabbath was entred. Nor put wooll to dying, unless it would take colour whilst it was yet day: Nor put Flax into the oven, unless it would be dried whilst it was yet day, &c. Talm. in Sab. per. 1.

They washed there face, and hands, and feet in warm water, to make them neat against they met the Sabbath, and the ancient wise men used to gather their scholers together and to say, Come let us go meet King Sabbath, Maym. in Sab. per. 36.

Towards Sun-setting, when the Sabbath was now approaching, they lighted up their Sabbath candle. Men and Women were bound to have a candle lighted up in their Houses on the Sabbath, though they were never so poor, nay though they were forced to go a begging for Oyl for this purpose: and the lighting up of this candle was a part of making the Sabbath a delight: and women were especially commanded to look to this business, &c. Ibid.

They accounted it a matter of special import and command, to hallow the Sabbath with some words; because it is said, Remember the Sabbath day to hallow it: and accordingly they used a two-fold action to this purpose, namely a solemn form of words in the way of hallowing it at its coming in, and this they called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Kiddush, and another solemn form of words in way of parting with it at its going forth, and this they called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Habdala.

The solemnity accompanying the hallowing of it at its coming in was thus. They spred and furnished the table with provision, and had the Sabbath candle burning by; and the master of the house took a cup of wine, and first rehearsed that portion of Scripture in Gen. 2. ver. 1, 2, 3. and then blessed over the wine, and then pronounced the hallowing bles∣sing of the Sabbath, and so drank off the wine, and the rest of the company drank after him, and so they washed their hands and fell to eat. This helps to understand those ver∣ses of Persius in Satyr. 5.

—At cum Herodis venere dies, unctaque fenestris Dispositae pinguem nebulam vomuere lucern•• Portantes violas, rubrumque amplexa catinum Cauda natat thynni, tumet alba fidelia vino: Labra moves tacitus recutitaque Sabbata palles.

They used to eat their meals on the Sabbath, and thought they were bound to it in honour of the day, the first of which was this that they ate at the very entrance of it over night. Yea the poor that lived of alms were to eat three meals that day: and those that were of ability were to get choice provision, and always better, at the least not the same that they used on the week days.

The morning being come, and up, they went to morning prayer in the Synagogue, and when they had done there, they went home and ate their second meal: and when they had done that, they went to some Both Midrash, or Divinity Lecture, and there spent the time till the afternoon was wellcome on; and then went home and ate their third meal, and so continued eating and drinking till the Sabbath went out.

At the going out of the Sabbath, which was about Sun-setting, the master of the fami∣ly again gave thanks over a cup of wine; then over his candle [for he set up a parting candle too,] and then over some spices which they used for the refreshing or reviving of any person that should faint for sorrow to part with the Sabbath [this is the reason they give themselves;] And then he pronounced the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 separation blessing, by way of se∣perating between the Sabbath that was now going out, and the working day that was coming in. And so he and the company drank off a cup of wine and fell to their victuals again.

But to return again to our Evangelists. The retrogade course of Lukes method at this place, appeareth more conspicuous then before. For in the beginning of the fifth Chap∣ter

he giveth the relation of the Disciples calling, and in the latter end of the fourth, this story of casting out the Devil in Capernaum Synagogue, which was after their cal∣ling. Which he hath so placed, the rather [besides what was said upon this matter be∣fore] because in the last verse of that fourth Chapter, he speaketh of Christs preaching all about in their Synagogues, and therefore beginneth the fifth Chapter with the story of the calling of the Disciples, that he might shew how Christ went attended with them in that perambulation. And in the same manner Matthew hath laid their call and that voy∣age close together for the very same intimation. Matth. 4. 22, 23. although other occur∣rences came between which he hath laid a great way off: As the story of Peters wives mother, which is brought in in this Section. He had said Matth. 4. 23. That Jesus went about all the Synagogues of Galilee, teaching in their Synagogues and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness. He therefore beginneth first with his Doctrine, and layeth down the Sermon in the Mount, and then beginneth to speak of his Miracles at Chap. 8. and first giveth the story of healing a Leper, which was the first Mi∣racle he wrought in that perambulation: and then the healing of the Centurions servant, which was the first Miracle he wrought after the Sermon in the Mount: and there being come into mention of one Miracle done in Capernaum, he also bringeth in another [though not done at the same time, but before] that he might dispatch the works done in that place together. And thus the scope of his method is plain: and here again we see an ex∣ample of what was said before, namely that the mention of a place doth oftentimes oc∣casion these holy Pen-men, to speak of stories out of their proper time, because they would take up the whole story of that place all at once or together.