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.

§. Like a Dove.

It is thought by Austin, and after him by Aquinas, that this was a very living Dove, not of the flock indeed of common Doves, but immediately created by God for this purpose, but created as true a living Dove, as any of them: and the reason they give for this their opinion is this. Because it is not to be said that Christ alone had a true body, and that the Holy Ghost appeared deceiveably to the eyes of men, but that both those are to be said to be true bodies: for as it was not fit that the Son of God should deceive men, so was it not fit that the Holy Ghost should deceive them neither. But it was no difficulty to the Creator of all things, to make a true body of a Dove, without the help of other Doves, as it was not hard for him to frame a true body in the womb of the Virgin without the seed of man. So they, too punctual where there is no necessity, nor indeed any great probability. For,

First, What needed there a real living Dove, when an apparent only would serve the turn? For the descending of the Dove was, that there might be a visible demonstra∣tion of the Holy Ghost his resting upon Christ, and anointing him for his Ministra∣tion: so that the visibility of the Spirit was as much as was required, and there needed no reality of a living body.

Secondly, The Text saith expresly in all the Evangelists, that it was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, like or as it were a Dove; which plainly sheweth the similitude to such a thing; and not the being of the very thing it self.

Thirdly, In apparitions of the like nature, when the furthest end of the body appear∣ing, was but for visibility, the bodies that were seen, were not of the very existency and nature of those that they represented, but of another. As the Angels that ap∣peared in humane shapes, had not very living humane bodies, but only bodies assumed and framed to such a representation: And so the fire in the bush, on Sinai, and with the cloven Tongues, was not very real fire, but only a visible resemblance of it; and the like must be held of this Dove, or else it will be such an apparition as never was before, nor since.

Fourthly, The parallel betwixt the appearing of our Saviour, in humane flesh, and the appearing of the Holy Ghost, in a living Dove, is not only very impro∣per, but also somewhat dangerous. For if they appeared alike, then may the Holy Ghost be said to be a very Dove [for Christ was a very man,] and that were im∣proper, and in its kind, to be incarnate, [for Christ was incarnate,] and that is dan∣gerous. And,

Fifthly, As for fallacy or deceiving there could be none, no more than there had been in all other apparitions since the world began, since in such things, the verity and reality of the body that appeared, was not looked after, but only the conspicuity, and the spirit that lay hid under that body.

Now reasons why the Holy Ghost appeared in the shape of a Dove, rather than of any other creature, are conceived, some to have concerned Christ, some to have concerned the Holy Ghost himself, and some to have concerned man. As,

First, To shew Christs innocency, purity, simplicity, charity, and love, for all these qualities are observable in a Dove.

Secondly, To shew the like graces of the Holy Ghost; and Aquinas and Ludolphus do parallel the seven graces of the Spirit, Isa. 11. 2, 3. to seven properties of a Dove; as if any be so curious as to see them, he may, in Lud. in loc. and Aquin. par. 3. quest. 39. Art. 6.

Thirdly, To shew what innocency and harmlesness should be in those that are baptized.

Fourthly, To answer the figure in Noahs flood; for as a Dove did at that time bring tidings of the abating of the waters, so doth it now of the abating of the wrath of God, upon the preaching of the Gospel. These are the common and most current reasons that are given by Expositors, to which may be added:

Fifthly, That since Christ was to have visible testimony from Heaven, it was fittest it should be by the likeness of a fowl of Heaven; For it was not fitting that fire should have come thence upon him, for he was to baptize, and not to be baptized with fire: and for a cloud to come from thence upon him, was reserved till another time, namely, at his transfiguration: and what then can be imagined to descend upon him, but a bird? And what bird so sit as a Dove which was the only fowl that was clean, and allowed for sacri∣fice? Lev. 1. 14.

Matth. 3. ver. 16. And lighting upon him.

In the strictness of the Greek, it is coming upon him, which is to the very same signifi∣cation: especially the addition of the Baptist himself being laid unto it, viz. that it abode upon him, Joh. 1. 32. Some conceive and that not improperly, that the Dove sate upon his head: which if it did, it was like the inscription in the golden plate, that was on the fore-head of the High Priest, and declared him to be Kodesh Laihovah, The Holy one of the Lord, Exod. 28. 36. How long the Dove sat upon him, is not to be questioned, be∣cause not to be answered, it is not unlike, that it did so, all the while he was in the sight of John at this time, especially seeing that the Text saith, that straightway this Spirit drove him into the wilderness.

Ver. 17. And lo, a voice from Heaven.

The testimony of two witnesses, is a confirmation past denial, and greater witnesses than these two could not be produced, the Father and the Holy Ghost, because a testi∣mony could not be given to a greater than to Christ. Nor could these two witnesses have properly gone single, one without the other: the descending of the Dove to point out to whom the voice was intended, and the descending of the voice explaining what was meant by the descending of the Dove.