persons of the lowest and basest sort, the very dregs of society, a sense very frequent in the Classical writers; and most of Wetstein's examples tend to illustrate this last signification, which is noticed by ancient Lexicographers, as Suidas, Hesychius, and others. Kuinoel refers to Casaub. on Theophr. C. 6., Valcknaer on Ammon. p. 10., Græc. Lect. Hes. C. 1., and Suic. Thes. in v.: and Schleusner refers to Gronov. Obs. 3, 22., Puttman's Misc. 13, 25., and Arnuet's Dissert. on the use of this word in the New Testament.

Most Commentators agree in giving the word the figurative sense but as opous is added, I prefer, with Beza and others, circumforanei..

· 5. ὀχλοποίησαντες, “ raising a mob.” Εθορύβουν, "threw the city into a disturbance, set it into an uproar." So Thucyd. 6, 61. 3, 78. and elsewhere. Αγαγεῖν εἰς τὸν δῆμον. By the duos are not here meant the people, or the mob (as Doddridge renders), but the popular assembly in the forum, or elsewhere. So infr. 19, 30. βουλομένου εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὸν δῆμον. Schleusner takes it for the forum, or place where the popular assembly was held; which comes to the same thing. Kuinoel interprets it concio populi ; which seems very harsh and far-fetched.

· 6. ἔσυρον — επὶ τοὺς πολιτάρχας, i. e. the city magistrates. This word has the same sense as πολίταρχος, which occurs in Æneas Polior. C. 26. (Schleusner.) Bowvres, shouting, bawling, vociferating. See 8, 7. 21, 34. This verb is often used in Thucydides, as here, of the shouts and clamours of the populace ; ex. gr. 7, 48. οἳ νῦν βοῶσιν ὡς ἐν δεινοῖς ὄντες, ἐκεῖσε ἀφικομένους τἀναντία βοήσεσθαι, 6, 28. et sape.

* Valcknaer observes, that this use of the word is to be traced to the abhorrence in which the market rabble were held by the respectable citizens, and the notoriously lying and fraudulent character of the petty huckstering traders; as also to the market-place being the usual resort of those scurra in the Grecian cities who spent the day in utter idleness.

6. Οἱ τὴν οἰκουμένην ἀναστατώσαντες. Most Commentators agree that this expression must be confined to the Roman empire; and Markland thinks that even thus that is overcharged, and savours more of malice than truth. But we need not be so nice in scanning the meaning of an expression, which (like the corresponding one in our own language) is perpetually used in a popular sense, and by no means in any extensive signification.

6. 'Avασтατáσavres. This is formed from the more Classical expression ἀναστάτους ποιήσαντες, which occurs in Thucyd. 6, 76. 6, 5. 8, 24. There, however, it is used in the full sense of destroying and expelling any people from their country; but here, and in 21, 38., it is employed like our turn upside down, to denote "perverting, exciting to tumult and insurrection." So avaσelew in Luke 23, 5. The word is only used by the Translators of the Old Testament (see Schl. Lex. Vet. Test.); and is therefore considered as belonging to the Alexandrian dialect. See Sturz.

· 7. οὓς ὑποδέδεκται, “ hath received as guests and friends." In this sense the word occurs in Luke 19. 6., and James 2, 25.; as also in the best Classical writers. Kuinoel cites Xenoph. Mem. 2, 3, 13., to which I add 3, 111. 6, 22. 3, 12. Doddridge takes the rò to denote secretly. But this seems an unfounded refinement. Neither, however, is the ò in this sense of rodexeofas quite pleonastic; as will appear from the kindred expression "come under my roof," which occurs in Gen. 19, 8. Matt. 8, 8. and elsewhere.

7. ἀπέναντι τῶν δογμάτων Καίσαρος πράττουσι, " act contrary to," &c. Απέναντι properly signifes over against; but sometimes contrary to; as here and in Sirach, 37, 4. καὶ ἐν καιρῷ θλίψεως ἔσται ἀπέναντι. Το the Heb. in Num. 21, 23. and 1 Paral. 19, 17. (Schleusner.) We may render, " transgress the decrees of Cæsar." In preferring this charge of sedition, these accusers (we may observe) took ad

vantage of the ambiguity in the sense of Kúgios, the name given by the Christians to Christ, which was also that applied to kings and emperors; and resorted to the same craft as that evinced by the chief Priests and Pharisees, namely, confounding the temporal and the spiritual acceptation of King.

9. λαβόντες τὸ ἱκανὸν. This is a mere translation of the Latin law phrase satis accipere, satisfactionem accipere, receiving security; the opposite to which is ikavov didóval, satis dare, to give security. What was here engaged to be done does not clearly appear. Grotius and others think it was, to have Paul and Silas forthcoming for trial. But they immediately departed. Therefore it rather appears to have been (as is the opinion of Heumann and others) "that · Paul and Silas should depart forthwith."

11. οὗτοι δὲ ἦσαν εὐγενέστεροι τῶν ἐν Θ. The sense is, "these (Jews) were of 'better dispositions than those in Thessalonica." I am surprised that so many critics, as Erasmus, Vatabl., and Camerarius (followed by our English Translators), should take EUyevéσTego in the literal sense, which is little suitable to such kind of persons as the foreign Jews, who were mostly traffickers. Besides, the words following, or édé avto, &c., which give an example of this eyeveía, shew that it must be taken, not in a physical, but moral sense. This, indeed, was seen by Chrysostom, who explains εὐγεν. by ἐπιεικέστεροι, * and has been fully established by Grotius. They were (says he) of less hard hearts; they were more patient hearers, and employed thought and enquiry on what they heard. They were therefore Terayuévos πρὸς τὴν ζωὴν αἰώνιον, were better prepared to do the

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* That Chrysostom, when he so explained evyevéσrepot, had in view the sense above assigned to this word, namely, well disposed, is plain, since in this signification érteks occurs in the best authors; as Xen. Hist. 1, 1, 21. The Scholiast, too, on Lucian 2, 737., explains τὸ ἐπιεικὲς by τὸ τὸν τρόπον ἀγαθὸν. But there is a yet more apposite example in Thucyd. 8, 93. ἔπειθον οὕς ἴδοιεν ἀνθρώπους ἐπιεικεῖς, αὐτοὺς τὸ ἠσυχάζειν, καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους παρακατέχειν, where ETIKETs evidently signifies well disposed.

will of the Father, and so they better knew of the doctrine.” (Joh. 7, 17.)

As

Both eyes and the Latin ingenuus have a metaphorical sense applied to the mind, and denote "ingenuous, liberal, of good disposition and manners." examples of this signification, Grotius cites Joseph. Ant. 12,7, οἱ δὲ δοκιμώτατοι τὰς ψυχὰς εὐγενεῖς οὐκ ἐφρόν τισαν αὐτοῦ. Plut. Hom. Quæst. it is the opinion of Philosophers καὶ τὸ διδακτὴν εἶναι τὴν ἀρετὴν, ἔχουσαν μέν ἀρ χὴν τὴν εὐγένειαν, ὑπὸ δὲ παιδείας εἰς τὸ τέλειον προαγομέ νην. Kypke, Loesner, and Wets., produce other examples, of which the most apposite are the following. Philo de nobilitate 904. ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν ἡ εὐγενεία κεκα θαρμένης διανοίας καὶ καθαρσίοις τελείοις κλῆρος οἰκεῖος, μόνους χρὴ λέγειν εὐγενεῖς τοὺς σώφρονας καὶ δικαίους. Ovid de Ponto 1, 2, 1. Maxime, qui tanti mensuram nominis æquas, et geminas animi nobilitate genus. Wets, also quotes Aristot., who notices this metaphorical use of both εὐγενὴς, and γενναῖος. Of the latter there is a remarkable example in Thucyd. 3, 83. καὶ τὸ εὔηθες, οὗ τὸ γεναῖον πλεῖστον μετέχει. Other examples are found in Soph. Ed. Col. 8. Polyb. 2, 55, 9. τὸ γενναῖον καί φιλελεύθερον. Xenoph. Ages. 4, 5., where σὺν τῷ γενναίῳ μειονεκτεῖν is opposed to σὺν τῷ ἀδίκῳ πλεονέχειν. Soph. d. Col. 1042. τοῦ τε γενναίου χάριν, i. e. γενναιοτήτος χάριν. Dionys. Ηal. 436, 35. μετὰ τοῦ γενναίου, generose.

Hence it is plain that we may very well dispense with the conjecture of Markland and others, εὐμενέσε

τέρου.

11. μετὰ πάσης προθυμίας. Of this phrase Wets. adduces examples from Polyb. p. 447., and an Inscription from Chishul, and Pricæus brings forward one from Diodor. Sic., from which it appears to have been of the common dialect, instead of which the Classical writers used a periphrasis; as Herodot. 7, 6. πᾶσαν προθυμίαν παρεχόμενοι. On Βεροία see Wass. on Thucyd. 1, 61.

11. τὸ καθ ̓ ἡμέραν ἀνακρίνοντες τας γραφάς. It is not easy to see what the article has here to do;

which, indeed, is not found in some very ancient, and several more modern MSS., and some Fathers, as Chrysostom. Yet it is still less easy to conceive how it could creep in; and when we consider the exuberant variety of Greek phraseology, the most prudent course seems to be to retain it. How to account for it is another affair. Now it is well known that ka' épav is often, in the Classical writers, used in the sense of daily; and sometimes even without a substantive; as Xenoph. Hier. 4, 9. Tà κal' μéрav. And so Thucyd. more than once. In such cases a substantive must be supplied, such as is suitable to the subject and the context. Here os, or some similar word, is to be understood. We may render, therefore, " in their daily custom."

11. Ανακρίνοντες τὰς γραφὰς. The verb ἀνακρίνω signifies properly "to use judicial interrogation and examination" (as in Luke 23, 14.); or generally to examine diligently, scrutinize with judgment. Hence it is explained by Chrysostom άvepeuvav. And it is used in the sense of percontari, perscrutare, in 1 Sam. 12, 12., where the Hebrew term is 7p. Beza paraphrases thus: "diligently and with judgment weighing every thing, abandoning all prejudices, and yet not catching up any thing lightly and inconsiderately." "Not that they doubted (observes Grot.) of the veracity of Paul and Silas, but in order that, by comparing the prophetical writings with their words (especially respecting the death and resurrection of the Messiah), they might be more and more confirmed in the truth, and derive arguments wherewith to convince others.*

"It does not, however, follow (observes Doddridge) that Christianity cannot be proved otherwise than from the prophecies of the Old Testament. It might be demonstrated from various topics of external and internal evidence to those who never heard of any former revelation. Another very important additional argument does, indeed, arise from the accomplishment of prophecies; and when it has been asserted (as we know it has) by the authorized teachers of the Gospel, not only that Christ is a Divine Messenger, but also that his appearance was foretold to the Jews, then