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.

§ To the root of the trees.

First, by the root of the trees, might be understood the root of Jesse, of which mention was made before from Esay 11. 1. For in all the crosses and calamities, Wars, overthrows, and captivities, that had befallen the Nation of the Jews, the stock of Jesse, or line of David, could never be rooted out, or extinguished, because the promise that Christ should come out of it, did preserve and keep it alive, in despight of all opposition, till he that was promised did come indeed. But now, seeing that he was come, and that that line had no more the shelter, and preservative of the promise, it also must come to ru∣ine and rooting out as well as others.

Secondly, the Ax is now laid to the very root of your confidence and boasting: For whereas ye say within your selves, and stand upon it, that ye have Abraham to your Fa∣ther: the time is now come, that that distinction betwixt who is, and who is not, of the Seed of Abraham, shall be no more regarded, nor looked after: but every one of what Nation soever that feareth God shall be accepted of him, and the seed of Abraham for not fearing him shall be rejected, and that priviledge not respected at all.

Thirdly, Jerusalem was at the root of the whole Nation, from which they derived the sap of rellgion and policy, but now the ax of destruction is laid even to that.

Fourthly, this phrase may be understood, as comparing the ruine of the Jews here threatned, with those desolations they had felt before: For then, as at the captivity of Babylon for example, they were not utterly cut off from their Land for ever, but had a promise of returning, and returned, and were planted there again: but now the ven∣geance threatned must strike at very root, and quite destroy them from being a Nation for ever, and from all hope of returning to their Country any more.

By the Ax being now laid to the root of the trees, may fitly be understood, 1. The certainty of their desolation. And 2. the nearness: in that the instrument of their de∣struction was already prepared and brought close to them, the Romans, that should ruine their City and Nation, being already Masters and Rulers over them.

Luke 3. vers. 10. And the people asked him, &c.

Or, the multitude, as vers. 7. which verse compared with this, sheweth, that the questi∣on what shall we do then? proceeded from those to whom the Baptist addressed his last speech, O ye generation of Vipers, &c. which were Pharisees and Sadduces, as appeareth by Matthew, and other multitude mixed among, as by Luke. Now whether this their questi∣on proceeded from the apprehension of the danger threatned, or application of the exhor∣tation urged, whether they desired to learn how to avoid the evil of the wrath to come, or to do the good works of repentance, when they ask, what shall we do? is neither so material to search, nor easie to find, as it is fit to observe, how powerfully the doctrine of the Baptist hath wrought with them, when it hath thus brought them to look off the goodness of Abraham in which they trusted, and to think after goodness of their own.

Vers. 11. He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none, &c.

It appeareth by the Baptists answer, that their question demanded what were those good fruits, that he called upon them to bring forth, ver. 8, 9. and the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 here may seem to have respect to the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in those verses.

His answer is an exhortation to Almes-deeds, or giving to the needy, rather then any other lesson, not that thereby they might think to satisfie for their sins, or merit for themselves, but for divers other important and considerable ends. For, 1. he setteth them this as an easie lesson, for yet they were but very children in the Evangelical School: To have put them at their first entry into this School, to the hard lecture of self-de∣nial, mortification, patience and joy in persecution, and other such things as these, had been too strong meat for such babes, too difficult a task for such infants to take out, and therefore he setteth them this easie Copy, and layeth no greater an imposition upon them, then what even the weakest of them might follow and undergo, to impart of their abundance to the poor.

2. The tenor of the Gospel is mercy and not sacrifice, Hosea, 6. 7. Mat. 12. 7. and there∣fore he putteth not upon them the cost of oblations and offerings which were required by the Law, nor the fasting and pining of the body, as did many of his own Disciples, but the lovely works of Charity and Mercy, the first and most visible of which is re∣lief of the needy.

3. By this he putteth them to tryal, how they forsake the world, by parting with their wordly goods, how they live by faith in not fearing poverty though they give of their wealth away, how they love their neighbour as themselves, in making him partner of what they have, and how their eyes are fixed on things to come, by giving away here, and looking for reward thereof in heaven.

And, 4. it may be very well supposed that among the multitude that stood before him, the Baptist saw some rich, and some poor, some in good cloathing, and some in mean, and that the present object that he beheld might be some occasion to him to propose this lesson to be put presently in practice.