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.

§. He hath declared him.

It is apparent by this clause, that the Evangelists main intention hereabout, is to speak of the doctrine and declaration of God, Christ, and the Gospel, and the publication of all unto the world; He speaks of Johns publishing of this, ver. 15. and of Johns publish∣ing of this again, v. 19. and of Moses publishing of this in his kind, ver. 17. and of Christs doing it in his kind, ver. 18. and therefore certainly it cannot but be unconsonant to the scope of the place, and to the purpose of the Penman, to interpret the 16 verse clean to another tune, about receiving grace of remission and sanctification, and this is that that hath mainly induced me to interpret it as I have done, because I see it plainly that the Evangelist applies himself in the whole context to treat concerning the witnesses, and the publication and declaration of Christ and the Gospel.

Vers. 19. The Iews sent Priests and Levites.

The Baptism and Ministery of John was of so strange a tenor, as was observed before, [viz. that whereas the Law preached for works, he should call for repentance, and whereas Baptism had been used hitherto for admission of heathens to the Religion of the Jews, he should now use it to admit the Jews to a new Religion] it is no wonder if that Court who were to take notice and cognizance of matters of this nature, were very inquisitive and scrutinous after the business, to know Johns authority and his intention. It is rather to be wondred at, that they had let him alone all this while, and never had him in ex∣amination yet. John had now followed this course and calling, about eight months to∣gether, and six of these eight had he spent in Judea, in their own country, and yet for ought we read, they had never quarrelled with him till this very time: now what the cause of their long-forbearing should be, is hardly worthy the inquiring after, only this we cannot but acknowledge a chief reason of it, namely, God so dispensing and disposing, that his Ministery might run interrupted, or without any let, till Christ should begin to shew himself in his Ministery; which the very next day after this dispute he did: And so the Gospel might have no stop in this beginning of it, but while Christ preached not, John should preach without trouble, and when John began to be troubled, Christ should then be ready to preach.

The scrutiny and judging of a Prophet, belonged only to the Sanhedrin or great Council at Jerusalem; and so is the Talmudick tradition, in the Treatise Sanhedrin Perek. 1. They judge not a Tribe, nor a false Prophet, nor the High Priest, but in the judicatory of Seventy and one; and to this law and practise of theirs, those words of Christ relate in Luke 13. 33. It cannot be that a Prophet perish out of Jerusalem: because a Prophet could not be judged upon life and death in any place but there.

This Court and Councel sent these messengers to John to make enquiry after him, and after his authority; and so is the word, the Jews, to be understood in this verse, for the representative body of the Jews in the great Judicatory. And they send Priests and Le∣vites to examine him, as men of the greatest knowledge and learning in the Law, and men of the likeliest abilities to try him, and to dispute and discourse with him according to that in Mal. 2. 7. The Priests lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the Law at his mouth.

Vers. 20. But confessed I am not the Christ.

We do not perceive by the Text, that this question, whether he were the Christ, or no, was proposed to him at all, yet he giveth satisfaction to this first: partly, because the time of Christs appearing was now generally thought by the Nation to be at hand, Luke 2. 26, 38. & 19. 11. & 24. 31. Joh. 4. 25. &c. and partly, because the eminency of John had made the people look upon him, with some questioning whether he were not the Christ, Luke 3. 15.

Vers. 21. Art thou Elias?

When he hath resolved them that he is not the Messias, they presently question whether he be not Elias, Messias his fore-runner: for their expectation was of the fore-runners bodily coming, as well as of Christs. Their opinions concerning Elias his first coming, and who he was then, and of his latter coming, and what they look for from him then, it is not impertinent to take up a little, in their words and Authors.

Some of our Rabbins of happy memory (saith Levi Gershom) have held, that Elias was Phinehas; and this they have held, because they found some correspondency betwixt them. And behold it is written in the Law, that the blessed God gave him his covenant of peace. And the Prophet saith, My Covenant was with him of life and peace: And by this it seemeth that God gave to Phinehas length of days to admiration: And behold we find that he was Priest in the days of the Concubine at Gibeah, and in the days of David we find it written, And Phi∣nehas the son of Eleazar was ruler over them of old, and the Lord was with him, 1 Chron. 9. 20. And he was the Angel that appeared to Gedeon and to Jephthah, and the Spirit of the Lord carried him like an Angel, as we find also of Elias. And for this it is said, They shall seek the Law at his mouth, for he is the Angel of the Lord; and for this cause also he saith, Be∣fore time, and the Lord was with him. And behold we find Elias himself saying unto the Lord, Take now my life from me, for I am no better than my fathers: meaning, that it was not for him to live always in this world, but a certain space after the way of the earth, for he was no better than his fathers: We find also that he died not, after he was taken away from the head of Elisha, for there came afterward a writing of Elias to Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, as it is mentioned in the book of Chronicles. Thus Ralbag on 1 King. 17. And thus the Jews hold Phinehas and Elias to have been but one and the same man.

And what they held concerning Elias his singular eminency for Prophesie whilst he li∣ved, it appeareth by R. Samuel Lanjado, in his Comment on 2 King. 2. Elias, saith he, was so indued with Prophesie, that many of the children of the Prophets prophesied by his means: Our wise men of happy memory, say, Whilst Elias was not laid up, the Holy Ghost was in Is∣rael, as it is said, the children of the Prophets that were at Bethel said to Elisha, To day God will take thy Master from thy head: they went and stood afar off, and they passed over Jordan: It may be because they were but a few: the sense telleth, that there were fifty men of the sons of the Prophets. It may be they were private men: The text saith, Thy Master: It is not said, our Master, but thy Master; shewing that they were wise men like Elias: When Elias was taken up [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 treasured up] the Holy Ghost departed from them, as it is said, And they said, Behold there is with thy servants fifty men, men of strength, let them go and seek thy Master, &c.

And concerning the departure of Elias, and his estate after, the same Author giveth the opinion of his Nation, a little after in these words: I believe the words of our wise men of happy memory, That Elias was taken away in a whirlewind in the Heaven, that is, in the air, and the Spirit took him to the earthly paradise, and there he abideth in body and soul: therefore they say that Elias died not, and they say moreover that he went not into the firma∣ment: And they say that some have seen him in the School [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] And that he shall come before the great and terrible day of the Lord come.

Now his coming before the day of the Lord, they hold to be twofold, one invisible, as that he cometh to the circumcision of every child, and therefore they set him a chair, and suppose he sitteth there, though they see him not: And the Angel of the Covenant which you desire, behold he cometh, Mal. 3. 1. The Lord shall come to his Temple, this is the King Messias, who also is the Angel of the Covenant, or he saith, The Angel of the Covenant in reference to Elias: And so it is said, That Elias was zealous for the Covenant of Circumcisi∣on, which the Kingdom of Ephraim restrained from themselves, as it is said, I have been ex∣ceeding zealous for the Lord God of Israel, for the children of Israel have forsaken thy Cove∣nant. He saith unto him, Thou wast zealous in Shittim, [Phinehas in Numb. 25.] and art thou zealous here concerning Circumcision? As thou livest, Israel shall not do the Covenant of Circumcision, till thou seest it with thine eyes: From hence they have appointed to make an ho∣norable Chair for Elias, who is called the Angel of the Covenant. Thus Kimch. on Mal. 3. 1.

Of this matter, and of the Jews present expectation of Elias at every circumcision, learned Buxtorfius giveth an ample relation, in his Synagoga Judaica, cap. 2.

On the eighth day in the morning, saith he, those things that are requisite for the Circumci∣sion are duly prepared. And first of all two seats are set, or one seat so made, as that two may sit one by another in it, covered with rich coverings, or cushions, according as every ones state will bear: In the one of these seats, when the child cometh to be circumcised, sitteth the Sponsor, or Godfather of the child, and the other seat is set for Elias. For they conceive that Elias cometh along with the Infant, and sitteth down in that seat, to observe whether the Circumci∣sion be rightly administred: and this they conceive from Mal. 3. 1. And the Messenger of the Covenant whom ye seek, behold he cometh: when they set that seat for Elias, they are bound to say in express words, This is the seat of the Prophet Elias: That seat is left standing there, three whole days together. Rabbi Juda the holy, once perceived that Elias came not to one Cir∣cumcision, and the reason was, because the child circumcised should once turn Christian, and for∣sake his Judaism. They use to lay the child upon Elias his cushion, both before and after his Circumcision, that Elias may touch him. Thus he, and more largely, about their fancy of Elias his invisible coming upon that occasion. And in the thirteenth Chapter of the same book, he relateth how they expect him visibly at the other Sacrament even every Pass∣over; when among other rites and foolish customs, they use over a cup of wine, to curse all the people of the world that are not Jews as they are: and that they do in this prayer, Pour out thy wrath upon the Nations which have not known thee; and upon the Kingdoms that have not called upon thy name; Pour thine anger upon them, and let the fury of thy wrath lay hold of them, &c. Which while the Master of the house is praying, one runs to the gate, or door of the house, and sets it wide open, in sign of their deliverance, and in hope of Elias his coming to tell them of the approach of the Messias: And presently in comes one cloathed in white, that their children may believe that Elias is now come among them indeed.

And in the eleventh Chapter of the same book, he relateth, that every Sabbath day at night, they call hard upon Elias, and since he vouchsafed not to come among them on the Sabbath, which is now past, they earnestly intreat him, that he would come the next Sabbath day. And their Rabbins and Wisemen have taught them, that Elias every Sab∣bath day, sitting under the tree of life in Paradise, takes account of, and writeth down the good works of the Jews in their keeping of the Sabbath.

I shall trespass too much upon the Readers patience, if I trouble him with any more such trash and ridiculous sluff, as this is about this matter: Ihave been the bolder with him, that I might the more fully shew the earnest and foolish expectation of that blinded Nation in this particular: I shall only crave leave to alledge some few expressions more out of their own Authors upon this subject, that here once for all, their doctrine and opinion of the coming of Elias, [which cometh in mention now and then in the Evan∣gelists] may be handled, and may trouble us no more.

Their second and greater expectation then of Elias, is, that he will come visibly and bodily before the coming of the Messias; and that he will do great things when he com∣eth. The Disciples well knew and spake the common opinion of the Nation, when upon our Saviours discourse concerning his own resurrection, they make this reply; Why then say the Scribes that Elias must first come? Matth. 17. 10.

And so are their Authors full of assertions to such a purpose.

The four Carpenters in Zechary [saith Rabbi Simeon] are Messias ben David, Messias ben Joseph, Elias, and the Priest of righteousness, vid. Kimch. in Zech. 1.

Elias shall restore three things in Israel, [saith Rabbi Tanchuma] the pot of Manna, the cruse of the anointing oyl, and the cruse of water. And as some say also, Aarons rod with its blossoms and almonds, Tauch. on Exod. 1.

The Talmudists in Erubhim, Perek. 4. are discoursing of this coming of Elias, and in∣quiring the time; and they have this conclusion, That Israel is assured that Elias will not come but on the evening of the Sabbaths, or on the evening of Feastival days: and when he cometh, they shall say to the great Sanhedrin, He is come, fol. 43.

And in the Treatise of the Sabbath, they intimate, that one work of Elias when he thus cometh, shall be to destroy. Every one (say they) that observes stedfastly three re∣pasts on the Sabbath, is delivered from three vengeances; From Messias his destroying, from the Judgment of hell, and from the war of Gog and Magog: From the destruction of Messias; It is written here, The day [viz. remember the Sabbath day] and it is written there, Behold I send unto you Elias the Prophet before the day come, &c. Perek. 16. fol. 118.

And in a common and current proverb among them, they hold that another work of Elias, when he cometh, shall be to resolve doubts and scruples, and to unite doctrinal knots.

And that he shall purifie Bastards, and make them fit to come into the congregation, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Vid. Kimch. in Zech. 9.

And that he shall be one of the seven Shepherds and eight principal ones mentioned, Michah 5. 5. Our Rabbins say, Who are the seven Shepherds? David in the middle, Seth, Enoch, and Methuselah on his right hand, and Abraham, and Jacob, and Moses on his left. And who are the Eight principal ones? Jesse, Saul, Samuel, Amos, Zephany, Ezekiah, Elias, and Messiah, Kimch. in Mich. 5.

And for this coming of Elias, doth Elias Levita so heartily pray, in Tisbi, in rad. Tish∣bi, Elias was in the days of Gibeah: So let it be Gods good will that he may be with us in this time, and let that verse be accomplished upon us, Behold I send you Elias; So is the prayer of Elias the Author.

By these and divers other speeches of the like nature, which might be produced out of the Hebrew Authors, shewing the common opinion of that people concerning the com∣ing of Elias bodily before the coming of Christ, it is no wonder, if when the Jews saw so eminent a man as John the Baptist come in so powerful a way of Ministry, so great a change of a Sacrament, and so strict austerity of life, they question with themselves, and with him, whether he be not the Messias, and when he denies that, then whether he be not Elias. But it is some wonder, [and that the rather, because our Saviour hath long ago resolved what was meant by that place of the Prophet, Behold I send Elias, and hath plainly told that John the Baptist was the Elias that was to come] I say, it is a wonder [this considered] that ever this Jewish opinion of Elias coming before the coming of the Messias, should be so transplanted into the hearts of Christians, under this notion of Elias his coming before Christs second coming, as that so many understand it as literally, personally, and really, as ever the grossest Jew in Judea did.

It were endless to reckon their names, both Ancient and Modern, that have verily be∣lieved, and as boldly asserted, that Enoch and Elias shall come visibly and bodily to de∣stroy Antichrist, to convert the Jews, and to build up the elect in the faith of Christ. He that desires names, may see enow in Bellarmine de Roman. Pontif. lib. 3. cap. 6. where he proves that the Pope is not Antichrist, by this argument, that Elias and Enoch never came against him; in Cornel. a Lapide in Apocal. 11. where he holds the two witnesses to be these two men, Enoch and Elias.

It is somewhat beside our work, to take up this controversie in this place, but it may not be besides the advantage of the Reader, to take up two or three considerations up∣on this matter, and to ruminate and study upon them, towards the confutation of this groundless opinion.

1. That the great and terrible day of the Lord, before which Elias was promised to come, is exceedingly mistaken by those that understand it of the day of Judgment; for it mean∣eth only, the day of the destruction of Jerusalem; as might be proved at large by divers other places of Scripture, where the same phrase is used: And the like misconstruction is there of the phrase, in the last days, by taking it for the last days of the world, whereas it meaneth only the last days of Jerusalem.

2. Those two witnesses mentioned, Rev. 11. upon whom there are so various glosses, and different opinions, are pictured and charactered out like Moses and Elias, and not like Enoch and Elias, as is plain by the Text; for that speaketh of shutting up heaven, turn∣ing water into blood, and plaguing the earth, which had been the actings of Elias and Moses, and none but they, and no mention of Enochs ever doing such a thing at all. We have therefore from that place, as little warrant to look for Elias his bodily coming before the end of the world, as we have for the bodily coming of Moses.

3. The proper meaning of that Prophesie concerning the two Witnesses, is to set forth the state of the Church towards the end of the world, when the Jews shall be called, and knit together into one Church with the Gentiles; shewing that God will raise up a power∣ful Ministery among either people, which the Holy Ghost characters, by Moses the first Minister and Prophet of the Jews, and Elias the first Minister and Prophet of the Gentiles: These two people, and this double Ministery are as two olive trees and two candlesticks, standing before the Lord of the whole earth: This Ministery shall be opposed by Antichrist, and almost destroyed and brought to nothing: And as Antichrist hath caused a general de∣fection and apostasie already in the world, having even slain Religion, and the preaching of the Truth, till in the age last past they revived again: So shall he cause a defection and falling away for a season in the Church of the Jews after their calling, so that Religi∣on and the truth shall be in a manner extinguisht among them, that Antichrist may make the measure of his iniquity full. And as Rome in her heathenish power, did first destroy the old Jerusalem, and then persecute the new: so must she do in her Antichristian power and mischievousness: first undo the Christian Church consisting of Heathens only, as it hath done already in the dark time of Popery over all the world; and then undo the Church consisting of Gentiles and Jews united together; but God shall revive it; and then the true Religion and the Ministery of the Truth shall live again by the power and Spirit of God put into them.

That this is the aim of that prophecy in the eleventh of the Revelation, might be shewed, if it were seasonable, by many arguments, and consequently that the expectation of Enoch and Elias to come bodily, and to fight with Antichrist, &c. hath not the least co∣lour or ground from thence at all; but this is not a place to dispute that Text.