spices, that they might anoint him. And on the first day of the week, early in the morning, they came to the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared,” Mark xvi. 1, Luke xxiii. 55, 56, xxiv. 1.

But the largeness of this quantity will not surprise any who consider the Jewish custom; and that they were wont not only to embalm or anoint the body, but to lay it also in a bed of spices. It is said of Asa, 2. Chron, xvi. 14, "They buried him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours, and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries' art and they made a very great burning for him.” The Jews of this time seem not to have fallen short of their ancestors in this kind of expense: for Josephus in the account of Herod's funeral procession says: The soldiery was followed by five hundred slaves and free-men bearing 'sweet spices.'s He mentions the same number in the War, and in the Antiquities. It is likely there were spices here for a burning, as well as for a bed to lay Herod's body in.

6

It is likewise objected by the same Jew, that the quantity of spices mentioned by St. John was a load for a mule, and therefore could not be carried by Nicodemus. One would not have expected such an objection from a reasonable creature, who might know it to be a very just, as well as common way of speaking, to ascribe to any person that which is done by his order or direction. St. John has made particular mention of Joseph and Nicodemus as present at the burial of Jesus. They were both of them men of substance, and may be supposed to have ordered the attendance of some of their servants on this occasion.

5 Πεντακοσιοι δε υπ' αυτοις των οικετων και απελευθερων αρωματοφόροι. de B. J. l. i. c. ult. sect. 9. Τέτοις έποντο πεντακοσιοι οικετων αρωματοφόροι. Antiq. lib. xvii. c. 8. sect. 3. As Bishop Kidder has not quoted these passages, I hope they will not be unacceptable here.

CHAP. VIII.

OF THE TREATMENT WHICH THE APOSTLES AND OTHER
DISCIPLES OF JESUS MET WITH FROM JEWS
AND GENTILES.

1. The malice of the Jews against the first christians, and the favour showed to them by governors and other Roman officers, according to St. Luke. II. Proofs of the Jewish malice from other writers. III. The Romans at this time protected all people in the observation of their several religious rites. IV. The Jews in particular. V. Instances of the justice and equity of Roman governors to men of different religions. VI. An objection considered. VII. Three observations for clearing up this matter. VIII. A difficulty removed; and the conclusion.

I. THERE is no one that has read the New Testament, but must have observed the implacable malice of the Jews not only against our Saviour, but also against the apostles; and the heat and rage with which they opposed them, not only in Judea, but likewise in all other countries where they met with them, because they did not practise and recommend all their particular rites and traditions. But the Roman officers and governors were far from being equally offended with the neglect they showed of their religion, and usually protected them from the injuries the Jews would have done them.

At Thessalonica, Acts xvii. 5-9," The Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city in an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them [Paul and Silas] out to the people. And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain of the brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down, are come hither also, whom Jason has received, and these all do contrary to the decrees of Cæsar, saying, that there is another king, one Jesus. And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things. And when they had taken security of Jason, and the other, [brethren,] they let them go." This was a piece of great goodness. The magistrates did not imprison Jason and

those with him, but took their security that Paul and Silas should appear if called for; which it is likely they never

were.

St. Paul preached a year and six months at Corinth, and the Jews commenced a warm prosecution against him. But it was impossible to move Gallio, elder brother of Seneca the stoic philosopher, and then deputy of Achaia, to give any judgment upon the case. He protected Paul from their rage, stopped the prosecution, and did not so much as give Paul the trouble of replying. Acts xviii. 11-16, "And he continued there [at Corinth] a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. And when Gallio was deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat, saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law. And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you. But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it, for I will be no judge of such matters. And he drave them from the judgment seat.'

99

At Ephesus, Demetrius a silversmith, "which made silver shrines for Diana, with the workmen of like occupation,' made a speech to the people in behalf of themselves and their goddess; insomuch that "the whole city was filled with confusion, and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre. And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not." And "certain of" the chief of Asia," which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre," Acts xix. 24-31.

a

By "the chief men of Asia," or Asiarchs, as it is in the Greek, we are to understand the rulers of the games of Asia, It is generally supposed they were priests. But if they were not always priests, it is certain, that the rulers of games were magistrates of considerable wealth and reputation. And it was a piece of civility in them to send Paul a message from the theatre to advise him of the temper of the people, and to dissuade him from coming thither.

The town-clerk went yet farther, for he reprimanded the people who had been drawn into a riot by Demetrius and the other artificers and their workmen assuring them, they • Τινες δε και των Ασιαρχων. Polit. Ecc. A. 55. n. 7. b Vid. Grot. et Whitb. in loc. Basnage, Ann.

might depend upon having justice done them according to the law, but that for this asseinbly they had deserved to be punished. Acts xix. 35-40, " And when the town-clerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana ?— seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet and to do nothing rashly. For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess. Wherefore if Demetrius and the craftsmen-have a matter against any man, the law is open; and there are deputies, let them implead one another. But if ye inquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly. For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse." He blames the tumultuous assembly, and asserts the innocence of Paul and his companions, for as much as they had not been guilty of sacrilege, or of reviling their goddess; that is, had done nothing against religion that was punishable by the laws.

When the Jews had seized St. Paul at Jerusalem with intent to kill him, neither Lysias, the chief captain there, nor Felix the governor to whom Lysias sent him, nor Festus his successor, would condemn him, though earnestly importuned by the Jews. Acts xxii. xxiv. xxv.

St. Paul had made but a short progress in his voyage from Cæsarea to Rome, before he received a particular civility from Julius" a centurion of Augustus's band," to whom he and the other prisoners were committed. Acts xxvii. 2, 3, "And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia.-And the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself."

When the apostle and his company were shipwrecked in their voyage to Rome, the soldiers formed a design" to kill the prisoners, lest they should escape. But the (forementioned) centurion," who had the charge of them, "kept them from their purpose, being willing to save Paul," Acts xxvii. 42, 43.

And when he came to Rome he was well used there. "The centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him. There he dwelt two whole years in his own hired house and received all that came in unto

him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no man forbidding him," Acts xxviii. 16, 30, 31. And there is no doubt but that he was quite freed from these bonds, and travelled again into Asia, Phil. i. 25. ii. 24.

We have here not one only but many instances of lenity, or justice at least, in the Roman officers or governors, toward Paul and other the first followers of Jesus: some in one place, and some in another: at Thessalonica, Corinth, Ephesus, in Judea, at Rome. These officers withstood the tumults, remonstrances, solicitations of the Jews of all characters, and of the common people of their own religion.

These facts did not all happen in one and the same reign. Pilate made some efforts to set Jesus at liberty in the reign of Tiberius. Gallio was deputy of Achaia under Claudius. Felix was sent into Judea by Claudius; but the justice which he and Festus did Paul was in the time of Nero. And it was from the captain of the guard or chief favourite of this same emperor, that he received so good treatment at Rome.

e

If Gallio only, who was a man of much wit and good sense, and of a sweet and gentle disposition, and, (if we may credit his brother,) of much generosity and virtue, had protected the first followers of Jesus from the inquiries which were offered them, we might have ascribed such conduct to his eminent qualifications. But Felix was infamous for his exactions and other crimes, not in Judea only, but at Rome; and yet he could not be brought to condemn Paul.

Not that I think that Felix did Paul all the justice he ought to have done; far from it. After the first hearing of Paul and the chief priests and elders at Cæsarea, he ought to have released him: and his detaining an innocent man in prison so long as he did Paul, and leaving him in chains when he went out of the province, were very unrighteous

actions.

St. Luke says, Acts xxiv. 27, "But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix' room and Felix willing to show the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound." I believe

d Nemo enim

c Vid. Dion. Cass. lib. lxi. p. 689. init. mortalium uni tam dulcis est quam hic omnibus. Senec. Nat. Quæst. 1. iv. in Præf. e Solebam tibi dicere, Gallionem fratrem meum (quem nemo non parum amat, etiam qui amare plus non potest) alia vitia non nôsse, hoc etiam odisse.-Hoc quoque loco blanditiis tuis restitit, ut exclamares invenisse te inexpugnabilem virum adversus insidias, quas nemo non in sinum recipit. Id. ibid.