exercised in the trial of Jefus. But they had not the power of inflicting capital punishment. John xviii. 31.

John viii. 3-11. The queftion concerning the adulterefs, very artfully infidious. If Jefus faid, "fhe ought to be ftoned to death," they might accufe him to the Governor, or throw on him the blame of an illegal act; if, "fhe ought not, they might expofe him to the people.

Lardner, Credibility, p. 1. b. 1. c. 2.

The Governor, before paffing fentence on a perfon brought be fore him by the Jews, was obliged to reexamine the cause himself.

Lardner, ib.

This explains Pilate's trying Jefus anew, though pronounced worthy of death by the council; and Felix's trying Paul, though fent with a declaration of his innocence by Lyfias.

528. The nature of the conftitution of other states, contributes fometimes to the illuftration of fcripture ; it fhews the meaning and the propriety of terms used in Scripture, for expreffing any particulars belonging to it.

Acts xiii. 7. Sergius is called Proconful (aduates) of Cyprus, the proper title of the governor of a province belonging to the people, as artisgaτnyos of one belonging to the Emperor. Cyprus (though in the first partition belonging to the Emperor, Strabo, 1. 14.) had been before this time given, along with Narbon Gaul, to the people, in exchange for Dak

matia.

Lardner, ib. p. 1. b. 1. c. 1. § 11.

Acts xviii. 12. Gallio Proconful (anduwatuar) of Achaia. This was originally given to the people; afterwards to the Emperor; again, A. D. 44, to the people; continued theirs at this time, A. 52 or 53; but foon after they loft it under Nero.

Lardner, ib. f 12.

529. The Scripture contains expreffions derived from the conftitution or laws of other states, and allufions to them; which are to be explained from the accounts given of them.

Acts xvi. 37, 38. "They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans; the Magiftrates feared when they heard that they were Romans. " There is here an allufion to two Roman laws, against scourging a citizen, and against punishing unheard and uncondemned. Cicero in Verrem.

Lardner, ib. c. 10. § 3, 4.

530. The Scripture fometimes fimply relates facts, the reason of which is to be learned only from accounts of the conftitution and laws of a particular state.

Gen. xlvii. 22. Jofeph "bought not the land of the priests, " because two thirds of their revenues were for the expense of their worship. Diod. Sicul.

Warburton, Div. Leg. b. 4. f. 3.

SECT. III.

Of Customs and Manners.

531. KNOWLEDGE of the customs and manners of the Ifraelites is of very great ufe, and the knowledge of those of other nations is of confiderable ufe, for illuftrating many paffages of Scripture.

532. As the customs and manners of every people have a great influence on their language, those of the Ifraelites must contribute very much to our entering in to, and understanding the ftyle of Scripture, the greateft part of which is written in their language, and the whole in their idiom.

533. The Ifraelites have proper terms for expreffing what belonged to their fimple and uniform manner of life, and the practices of pafturage and agriculture, with which almost alone they were acquainted; but were obliged to have recourfe to metaphors for expreffing what belonged to a more refined ftate of fociety, a greater diftinction of ranks, and a greater multiplicity of

arts.

534. Many of the Scripture metaphors are taken from their arts of agriculture and pafturage; and can be understood only by our knowing the manner in which they performed the feveral operations belonging to these arts.

Lowth. Sacr. Poef. prælect..

From threshing, for crufhing enemies; perfpicuous and strong.
Hab. iii. 12. "Thou didst thresh the heathen in anger. ""

From different methods of threshing, which are described,
Ifa. xxviii. 27, 28.
Lowth's Ifa. in loc.

1. With the staff. 2. The drag, a frame of planks, rough
below, with ftones or iron, drawn by horfes, (Kempfer
Amon. Exot. p. 682.) Mic. iv. 13.
"Arife and thresh, I
will make thine horn iron, thy hoofs brafs, and thou shalt
beat in pieces many people. " 3. The wain, like the for

mer,

mer, but with wheels edged like a faw, (Hieron, in loc,
Niebuhr, Voyage). Ifa. xli. 15. "I will make thee a new
threshing inftrument-thou shalt thresh the mountains-beat
them fmall-make the hills as chaff. " 4. The treading of
oxen, Deut. xxv. 4. The threshing floor was high, open to
the wind, for difperfing the chaff, (2 Chron. iii. 1.) when
they fanned the corn.
Ifa. xli, 15.
"The wind fhall carry
them away, the whirlwind fhall scatter them."

535. Many of the Scripture metaphors and images are taken from the customs of the Ifraelites in their common life; and, it is the knowledge of these that can enable us to perceive the meaning, force, and propriety of fuch.

Lowth, Sacr. Poef. prælect. 7.

"a

"Mixt wine," means, in Greek and Latin, "diluted with
water;" but, among the Hebrews, "made ftronger by the
addition of fpices or drugs," Hence," mingling wine,
fpiced wine," for feafts, Prov. ix. 2. Song viii. 2. This
was derived from their manners, their fondness for such
mixture. Therefore, it is a proper description of a drunk-
ard, Prov. xxiii, 30. to "seek mixt wine; " Ifa. v. 22, "to
mingle frong drink. ” It was intoxicating and ftupifying;
therefore, a ftrong metaphor for fevere and confounding
judgments; Pfal. lxxv. 9. " a cup, the wine red," turbid,
"full of mixture, poured out" from veffel to veffel, to mix
it perfectly; "the dregs thereof," the fediment of the ftrong
ingredients mixt in it," the wicked fhall drink." Ifa. li.
17, &c. "The cup of fury, the dregs of the cup of trem-
bling," producing intoxication, and confufion, and stagger-
ing; "fons unable to lead, fainting, lying at the head of the
streets, full of the fury of Jehovah." Rev. xiv. 10. "Shall
drink of the wine of the wrath of God, T8 zexizaoμevɣ ax-
Barz, (not, "poured out without mixture, as
in the Eng
lih verfion)," mixt pure," (merum mixtum.)

This feem

ingly contradictory; but it is precife," pure wine made ftronger by the mixture of powerful ingredients." The image poetical and fublime. Ifa. i. 22. " Wine mixt with water,” an image for "corruption, depravity," the ftronger, because the orientals drink it not thus mixt. Thevenot, Voyage, p. 2. 1. 2. c. 10.

Lowth's Ifa. in loc.

Their manner of burying, and fepulchres, afford many images, particularly for the ftate of the dead.-Caves dug below ground, out of rocks,-dark,-furrounded with nitches, each holding a coffin. Job x. 21, 22. xxxiii. 18. Pfal. lxxxviii. 6. Ifa. xiv. 9-19. xxxviii. 10. lix. 10. Ezek. xxxii. 18,

Lowth, Sacr. Poes. præl. 7. and Isa. xiii. xiv.

536. Many of the Scripture images are taken from the religious customs and rites of the Ifraelites; and, the knowledge of thefe, not only shows their import and force, but adds dignity to them, by reason of their relation to religion.

Virtue, represented by cleannefs; vice, by uncleanness. Naturally, but with greater propriety and force, as referring to the legal distinction of clean and unclean, and the parti cular things reckoned fuch. Ifa. i. 15, 16, to Lev, xiv. 8, 9, 47. (Lowth in loc.) lxiv. 6. Lam. i. 8, 9. Ezek. xxxvi,

17.

Lowth, ib.

Pfal. cxxxix, 15. "I was curiously wrought, nap, wrought, as with a needle. ' A beautiful image of the human texture, but dignified by needle work being appropriated to fome particulars in the sanctuary. Exod. xxvi. 36. xxvii. 16. xxviii, 39.

Lowth, ib.

Pfal.