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John Lightfoot

1602–1675

Master of Catharine Hall; great Christian Hebraist.

The Erastians

Biography

Master of St Catharine's Hall, Cambridge (1650-1675) after Spurstowe. Lightfoot was the most learned Hebraist and rabbinic scholar of his generation in England — his *Horae Hebraicae et Talmudicae* (1658-1674) put rabbinic literature to work in NT exegesis on a scale not seen before. At the Assembly he was an Erastian on polity, arguing alongside Coleman and Selden that ultimate church authority belongs to the magistrate. His *Journal of the Westminster Assembly* (manuscript, printed 1824) is one of the best surviving accounts.

Principal works

Role at the Assembly

Erastian party

The Erastians held that the power of church censures — above all excommunication — belonged ultimately to the civil magistrate rather than to independent church courts. Thomas Coleman and John Lightfoot, with the lay civilian John Selden, were its chief voices; the question was among the most bitterly fought at the Assembly.

Party in 2 cruxes

Ontology placement · 2 overrides of 35

I. ✦ Scripture
Sufficiency Express-And-Good-Consequence Canon 66-Book-Protestant-Canon Authority Self-Authenticating-With-Internal-Witness Interpretation Scripture-Interprets-Scripture Necessity Necessary-After-The-Fall
II. ✠ God & Decree
Trinity Nicene-With-Filioque Order of Decrees Deliberately-Permits-Both Extent of Atonement Particular Reprobation Preterition-And-Just-Condemnation Covenant of Redemption Implicit-Affirmed
III. ⊕ Covenant
Number of Covenants Bi-Covenantal Mosaic Covenant Administration-Of-Grace Children of Believers Federal-Inclusion-Paedobaptist Testamental Continuity One-Substance-Different-Administrations
IV. ☧ Christology
Natures Chalcedonian-Two-Natures Offices Prophet-Priest-King States & Descent Humiliation-And-Exaltation; No-Local-Descent Active-Obedience Imputation Active-And-Passive-Obedience-Imputed
V. ✚ Soteriology
Effectual Calling Effectual-And-Renewing Justification Ground Imputed-Righteousness-Of-Christ Saving Faith Receptive-Resting-On-Christ-Alone Perseverance Certain-For-The-Elect Assurance Attainable-But-Not-Essence-Of-Faith
VI. ⚖ Law & Sanctification
Uses of the Law Three-Uses-Affirmed Tripartite Division Moral-Judicial-Ceremonial Sabbath Lords-Day-Fourth-Commandment-Perpetual Good Works Necessary-Fruit-Not-Meritorious
VII. ☩ Ecclesiology & Worship
Polity Erastian ≠ Sacramental Efficacy Signs-And-Seals-Conferring-Grace-By-Spirit Regulative Principle Strict-Only-What-Commanded Censures & Synods Three-Degrees-With-Graded-Synods
VIII. ⌛ Civil & Last Things
Magistrate's Role Erastian-Magistrate-Over-Church ≠ Oaths & Marriage Oaths-Lawful-Serious; Divorce-Adultery-Or-Desertion Intermediate State Immediate-Conscious-With-God-Or-Judgment Final Judgment Single-Universal-Judgment-By-Christ