ness;" or, "On the Unwritten Laws." Also, "On Giants," or "On the Immutability of God." And also, "On the Proposition, that Dreams, according to Moses, are sent by God"-five books. These are the books that have come down to us on Genesis, but on Exodus we are acquainted with the first five books of Questions and Solutions; also, that "On the Tabernacle," that also "On the Ten Commandments;" also, the first four treatises on the laws referring particularly to the summary heads of the ten commandments. Also, the treatise "On the Sacrifice of Animals, and the Forms of Sacrifices;" that also, "On the Rewards proposed in the Law to Good Men, and the Punishments and Curses to the Wicked." Besides all these, there are single books extant of the same author, as the treatises "On Providence," and the book composed by him "On the Jews," and "The Statesman." To this may be added "Alexander," or "On Irrational Animals evincing Reason." Beside these "On the Proposition that a Wicked Man is a Slave;" to this is subjoined the book, "That every good Man is free." After which he added the book "On a Contemplative Life, or the Devout," from which we have related the circumstances respecting the life of the apostolical men. Also, the interpretations of the Hebrew names in the law and prophets, is said to be the result of his industry. The same author, in the reign of Caius, coming to Rome, is said to have recited before the whole senate, in the reign of Claudius, what he wrote on the impiety of Caius, to which he humorously prefixed the title "On the Virtues." And the discourses were so much admired as to be deemed worthy of a place in the libraries. During this time also, Paul finishing his journey from Jerusalem, and thence round to Illyricum, Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome, at which time Aquila and Priscilla, with the other Jews that left Rome, went over into Asia. There they abode with the apostle, who was confirming those among whom churches had been already established by him. Of these facts we are also formed in the sacred book of the Acts.

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CHAPTER XIX.

The calamity which befel the Jews at Jerusalem, on the day of the

Passover.

WHILST Claudius held the government of the empire, it happened about the festival of the passover, that so great a sedition and disturbance took place at Jerusalem, that thirty thousand Jews perished of those alone who were crowded out of the gates of the temple, and thus trodden to death by one another. Thus the festival became a season of mourning and weeping to the whole nation and every family. This is almost literally the account given by Josephus. But Claudius appointed Agrippa, the son of Agrippa, king of the Jews, having deputed Felix procurator of all Samaria and Galilee, and also of the region situated beyond Jordan. He died after a reign of thirteen years and eight months, leaving Nero as his successor in the empire.

CHAPTER XX.

The deeds done at Jerusalem in the reign of Nero.

JOSEPHUS, in the twentieth book of his Antiquities, relates the sedition of the priests, which happened whilst Felix was governor of Judea, under the reign of Nero, in the following words:"There arose also a sedition between the chief priests on the one hand, and the priests and the leaders of the people at Jerusalem on the other. Each one of them forming collections of the most daring and disaffected, became a leader, and when these met they encountered each other with invectives and stones. Amid these disturbances there was no one that would interpose to rebuke them, but all this was done with the greatest licentiousness, as in a state destitute of a ruler. So greatly also. was the shamelessness and audacity of the chief priests, that they dared to send forth their servants to the barns, to seize the tithes due to the priests; and thus it happened that those of the priests

that were destitute, saw themselves perishing for want. Thus did the violence of the factions prevail over all manner of justice." The same author again relates, that about the same time there sprung up a certain species of robbers at Jerusalem, "who," says he, “in broad day-light, and in the midst of the city, slew those whom they met; but particularly at festivals, mixed with the multitude, and with short swords concealed under their garments, stabbed the more distinguished of the people. When these fell, the very murderers themselves took part in expressing their indignation with the bystanders, and thus by the credit which they had with all, they were not detected. And first, he says, that the high priest Jonathan was slaughtered by them; and after him, many were slain from day to day, so that the alarm itself was more oppressive, than the very evils with which they were assailed; whilst every one was in expectation of death, as in the midst of battle.

CHAPTER XXI.

The Egyptian mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles.

NEXT in order, after other matters, he proceeds in his narration. "But the Jews were afflicted with an evil greater than these, by the Egyptian impostor. Having come into the country, and assuming the authority of a prophet, he collected about thirty thousand that were seduced by him. He then led them forth from the desert to the Mount of Olives, determining to enter Jerusalem by force, and after subduing the Roman garrison, to seize the government of the people, using his followers as body guards. But Felix anticipated his attack by going out to meet him with the Roman military, and all the people joined in the defence; so that when the battle was fought, the Egyptian fled with a few, and the most of his followers were either destroyed or captured." This account is given by Josephus in the second book of his history; and it is worth while to subjoin also to this account respecting the Egyptian, also that which is mentioned in the Acts of the

K

Apostles. It was there said to Paul, by the centurion under Felix, when the multitude of the Jews raised a sedition against the apostle, "Art thou not indeed that selfsame Egyptian that excited and led away the thirty thousand assassins into the desert?" Such, however, were the events that happened under Felix.

CHAPTER XXII

Paul, being sent prisoner from Judea to Rome, after his defence, was absolved from all crime.

FESTUS was sent by Nero as successor to Felix. Under him, Paul, after having pleaded his cause, was sent a prisoner to Rome. But Aristarchus was his companion, whom he also somewhere in his epistles calls his fellow-prisoner; and here Luke, that wrote the Acts of the Apostles, after showing that Paul passed two whole years at Rome as a prisoner at large, and that he preached the gospel without restraint, brings his history to a close. After pleading his cause, he is said to have been sent again upon the ministry of preaching, and after a second visit to the city, that he finished his life with martyrdom. Whilst he was a prisoner, he wrote his second epistle to Timothy, in which he both mentions his first defence and his impending death. Hear, on these points, his own testimony respecting himself. "In my former defence no one was present with me, but all deserted me. May it not be laid to their charge. But the Lord was with me, and strengthened me, that through me the preaching of the gospel might be fulfilled, and all the nations might hear it. And I was rescued out of the lion's mouth." He plainly intimates in these words, " On the former occasion he was rescued from the lion's mouth, that the preaching of the gospel might be accomplished," that it was Nero to which he referred by this expression, as is probable on account of his cruelty. Therefore he did not subsequently subjoin any such expression as, "he will rescue me from the lion's mouth," for he saw in spirit how near his approaching death was. Hence, after the expression, "and I was rescued from the

lion's mouth," this also," the Lord will rescue me from every evil work, and will save me unto his heavenly kingdom," indicating the martyrdom that he would soon suffer; which he more clearly expresses in the same epistle, "for I am already poured out, and the time of my departure is at hand." And indeed, in this second epistle to Timothy, he shows that Luke alone was with him when he wrote, but at his former defence not even he. Whence, it is probable, that Luke wrote his Acts of the Apostles about that time, continuing his history down to the time that he was with Paul. Thus much we have said, to show that the martyrdom of the apostle did not take place at that period of his stay at Rome when Luke wrote his history. It is indeed probable, that as Nero was more disposed to mildness in the beginning, that the defence of the apostle's doctrine would be more easily received; but as he advanced to such criminal excesses as to disregard all right, the apostles also, with others, experienced the effects of the measures pursued against them.

CHAPTER XXIII.

The martyrdom of James, who was called the brother of the Lord.

BUT the Jews, after Paul had appealed to Cæsar, and had been sent by Festus to Rome, frustrated in their hope of entrapping him by the snares they had laid, turn themselves against James, the brother of the Lord, to whom the episcopal seat at Jerusalem was committed by the apostles. The following were their nefarious measures also against him. Conducting him into a public place, they demanded that he should renounce the faith of Christ before all the people; but contrary to the sentiments of all, with a firm voice, and much beyond their expectation, he declared himself fully before the whole multitude, and confessed that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, our Saviour and Lord. Unable to bear any longer the testimony of the man, who, on account of his elevated virtue and piety was deemed the most just of men, they seized