was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the the faith in Christ.

Of Drusilla we have this account from Josephus, She was the youngest daughter of Herod Agrippa, and married to Azizus, the king of the Emesenes, who, to remove all objections to the marriage on the ground of religion, had conformed to the law of Moses; but Felix, having seen her, fell in love with her and prevailed upon her by his agents to forsake her husband and marry himself. This was an act of gross injustice and incontinence, as well as contrary to the law of Moses, which forbade Jews to form connexions in marriage with Gentiles. Hence the alarm of Felix, when he heard the apostle discoursing of justice and continence and a judgment to come. He was afraid that Drusilla, who was conscious that she had acted in violation of the law, would be influenced by his discourse, and that his happiness with her would be interrupted. In regard to himself, he seems to have felt no remorse of conscience; for he sent for the apostle often to converse with him, and intimated his readiness to receive a bribe.

25. And as he discoursed of righteousness, temperance, " continence," and a judgment to come, Felix trembled, "was alarmed," and answered, Go thy way for this time, "for the present ;" when I have a convenient season I will send for thee.

Although he felt no compunction himself, while the apostle was insisting upon these topics, he was afraid that it might be felt by his wife, who was a Jewess, and had had the advantage of a religious education.

Lardner, Vol. i. p. 25.

xxv. 1-12. He therefore puts a sudden stop to Paul's discourse, and dismisses him. The subject about which Felix inquired seems to have been faith in Christ, or the grounds of belief in his divine mission as a prophet; but, having satisfied the governor's curiosity on these points, Paul was naturally led to make mention of those grand principles of morality which Christ came to enforce by the sanction of a resurrection from the dead and a judgment to come; the recital of which was particularly well adapted to the character of his audience.

26. He hoped also that money. should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him; wherefore he sent for him the oftener and communed, "conversed," with him.

As Felix permitted Paul's friends to have access to him, he would soon perceive by the number and character of his visitors, if he did not know it before, that he was highly respected by great numbers of all ranks and conditions. He might, therefore, suppose that his friends would be willing to raise a large sum, in order to purchase his liberty; or as the apostle had declared that he came up to Jerusalem to bring alms to his nation, he might suppose that this money was not all distributed, and found his hopes of a large bribe on what might be obtained from this quarter. But whatever gave rise to his expectations, the apostle did not chuse to gratify them. As he had been accused of a crime, he was not willing to procure his release from prison, in a manner which must have been a tacit acknowledgment of his guilt.

27. But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix's room, became his successor in the office of governor, and Felix, willing to show the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.

He did not close his government with this act merely to procure popularity, but principally to avert the resentment of the Jews, who were highly exasperated against him for his injustice and cruelty in the administration of the province, and who, he was afraid, might follow him with their complaints to Rome; an event which actually took place, notwithstanding this wicked artifice to prevent it. Pilate was guilty of a more atrocious act of injustice, from a like motive.

Acts xxv. 1-12.

1. Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Cæsarea to Jerusalem.

2. Then the high-priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought favour againt him that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him.

These men, who on this occasion intended to put Paul to death, were probably some of the forty whom we read of before, as having laid themselves under an oath not to eat or drink until they had slain him; and their design having been communicated to the high-priest and chief persons in the nation, they join in endeavouring to forward their wicked purpose, by requesting that Paul may be brought up to Jerusalem. That persons of such rank should be privy to such a plot, will not be surprising, to those who consider the state of Judæa at this time, when the country ac bounded with assassins, and when the office of high

* Some copies read Пag' instead of Kať autou. See Griesbach.

priest, according to Josephus, was filled by a man of the most abandoned character.

4. But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Cæsarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither.

He had probably heard of the reason of his being first brought to Cæsarea, and suspected that a similar design was again formed.

5. Let them, therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him.

6. And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, or, as some copies read, "not more than eight or ten days*," he went down unto Cæsarea, and the next day, sitting in the judgement-seat, commanded Paul to be brought.

7. And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove;

8. While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews,

* See Griesbach, who adopts this reading.

neither against the temple nor yet against Cæsar have I offended any thing

at all.

The historian does not inform us what the complaints brought against him were, or what was his defence: probably, because they were both the same as before.

9. But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things 'before me?

These words are repeated verse 20, and the last words, "before me," are left out; and they are to be omitted in both places*; for if he went up to Jerusalem, he was to be tried before the Jewish council.

10. Then said Paul, I stand at Cæsar's judgment-seat, where I ought to be judged, (to stand at the judgment-seat of the procurator was standing before Caesar's, from whom he received his commission,) to the Jews have I done no wrong as thou very well knowest, "as thou mayest very well know," from the nature of the charges and from my defence..

11. For if I be an offender, or

*The reader is not to conclude from these words that there is any external evidence for the omission. Editor.