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.

[CHRIST. XXXIV] ACTS CHAP. VIII.

A Great persecution followeth the death of Steven: in which Saul was a chief agent, Scholar of Gamaliel [President of the Sanhedrin] and it may be the busier for that. In Talm. Bab. Sanhedr. fol. 43. col. 1. they say, Jesu had five Disciples, Mathai, Nakai, Netser, Boni and Thodah, and they are urging reasons there, why they should all be put to death, &c.

All the hundred and twenty Ministers mentioned, Chap. 1. 15. are scattered abroad [only the twelve stay at Jerusalem as in the furnace to comfort and cherish the Church there in so sad a time] and they preach all along as they go, and so Satan breaks his own head by his own design, for by persecution by which he had contrived to smother the Gospel, it spreads the more.

The first plantation of it mentioned, is in Samaria, and that according to Christs own direction, and foretelling, Act. 1. 8. Ye shall be witnesses to me, both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria, &c. He had forbidden them before, Go not into the way of the Gen∣tiles, and into any City of the Samaritans do not enter, Matth. 10. 5. but now that partition wall that had been between, is to be broken down. Of all Nations and people under Hea∣ven the Samaritans were the most odious to the Jews, and a main reason was, because they were Jews Apostates. For though the first peopling of that place, after the Captivity of the ten Tribes, was by Heathens, 2 King. 17. yet upon the building of the Temple on mount Gerizim, such multitudes of Jews continually flocked thither, that generally Sa∣maritanism was but a mongrel Judaism. They called Jacob their father, expected Messias, had their Temple, Priesthood, Service, Pentatuch, &c. And to spare more, take but this one passage in Talm. Jerus. Pesachin fol. 27. 2. The Cuthaeans all the time that they celebrate their unleavened bread feast with Israel, they are to be believed concerning their putting away of leaven: If they do not keep their unleavened bread feast with Israel, they are not to be believed concerning their putting away of leaven. Rabban Gamaliel saith, All the Ordinances that the Cuthaeans use, they are more punctual in them then Israel is. It is an unhappy obscurity that the Hebrew Writers have put upon the word Cuthaeans, for though it most properly signifie Samaritans, yet have they so commonly given this name to Christians, as the most odious name they could invent to give them, that in the most places that you meet with it, you cannot tell whether they mean the one or the other. In the place cited, it seemeth indeed most likely that it means the Samaritans, because it speaks of their keeping the feast of un∣leavened bread, and using the Ordinances of Israel: unless it speak of those Jews that had received the Gospel and become Christians, and were fallen to their Judaism again, and joyned that with their Christianity, which very many did, as we shall have occasion to observe hereafter.

Simon Magus taketh upon him to believe and is baptized: The naming of him calls to mind the mention of one Simon a Magician that Josephus speaks of, Antiq. lib. 20. cap. 5.

who was a means to intice Drusilla from her former husband to go and marry Felix the Governour of Judea, this might very well be that man. And it minds of a passage in Tal. Jerus. in Jebamoth fol. 13. col. 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 I cannot but render it, The Simonians came to Rabbi, and said to him We pray thee give us a man to be our Expositor, Judge, Minister, Scribe, Traditionary, and to do for us all we need. I know what 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is in Tal. Bab. in Cholin. fol. 15. But certainly 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 means some people, but whence so named, there is no disputing here.

Philip baptized Samaria, and did great wonders among them, but could not bestow the Holy Ghost upon them: that power belonged only to the Apostles; therefore Peter and John are sent thither for that purpose. They laid their hands upon them and they received the Holy Ghost: Not upon all, for what needeth that? Or what reason was there for it? The gifts of the Holy Ghost that were received, were these miraculous ones, of Tongues, Prophesie, &c. Acts 10. 46. & 19. 6. Now of these there were but these two ends, 1. For the confirmation of the doctrine of the Gospel, such miraculous gifts attending it. And 2. for instruction of others: for Tongues were given indeed for a sign, 1 Cor. 14. 22. but not only for a sign, but for edification and instruction, as the Apostle also sheweth at large in the same Chapter. Now both these ends were attained, though they that received the Holy Ghost were not all, but only a few and set number: nay the later not conceivable of all, for if all were inabled miraculously to be Teachers, who were to be taught? The Imposition therefore of the Apostles hands, mentioned here and else∣where, and those passages, These signs shall follow those that believe, they shall cast out Devils, they shall speak with Tongues, &c. Mark 16. 17. Repent and be baptized every one of you, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, Act. 2. 38, &c. were not upon all that be∣lieved the Gospel, and were baptized: but upon some certain number, whom they were directed by the Holy Ghost to lay their hands upon, as those men that God had appointed and determined for Preachers and Ministers to the people, and who by the Imposition of the Apostles hands, receiving the Holy Ghost, were by those gifts inabled to understand the language and sense of Scripture, and to be instructers of the people, and to build them up.

Candaces Eunuch, having been at Jerusalem to worship, and returning back is converted by Philip. [Of Candace Queen of Meroe in Aethiopia, see Strabo lib. 17.] He met with him in the way that lead from Jerusalem to Gaza the desert. Of this place Strabo again lib. 16. speaketh thus, Then is the haven of the Gazaeans: above which, some seven furlongs, is the City, once glorious, but ruined by Alexander 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and it remaineth desert. Diodorus Siculus calls it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The old Gaza, lib. 19. for another was built at the haven by the Sea side, called sometimes Maiuma. Sozom. Eccles. hist. lib. 5. cap. 3. and afterward Con∣stantia, named so by Constantine after the name of his sister: as saith Euseb. de Vit. Con∣stant. lib. 4. cap. 28. or as Sozomen, of his son Constantius.

Whether this Eunuch were a Jew or a Proselyte is scarce worth inquiring: his devo∣tion is far more worth spending thoughts upon, which brought him so long a journey, and imployed him so well in his travail, as in reading the Scripture. He is baptized in the name of Jesus, ver. 37. and [as it may well be conceived] takes ship at Gaza, and is the first, that we find, that carried the profession of Jesus into Africk. The mention of which, may justly call our thoughts to consider of the Temple built in Egypt by Onias, and the vast numbers of Jews that were in that and the Countries thereabouts, and yet how little intimation there is, in the New Testament Story, by whom or how the Gospel was conveyed into those parts.

Philip is rapt by the Spirit from Gaza to Azotus, which were 270 furlongs, or 34 miles asunder, as Diodor. Sicul. ubi supra, measures.