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our observation is founded. The provinces. of the Roman empire were of two kinds ; those belonging to the emperor, in which the governor was called Propretor; and thofe belonging to the fenate, in which the governor was called Proconful. And this was a re

gular distinction. Now it appears from Dio Caffius*, that the province of Cyprus, which in the original diftribution was affigned to the emperor, had been transferred to the fenate, in exchange for fome others; and that, after this exchange, the appropriate title of the Roman governor was Proconful.

Ib. xviii. 12. (p. 55.) “And when Gallio was deputy (Proconful) of Achaia.”

The. propriety of the title "Proconful", is in this paffage ftill more critical. For the province of Achaia, after paffing from the fenate to the emperor, had been restored again by the emperor Claudius to the fenate (and confequently its government had be

* Lib. liv, ad A. U. 732.

come

come proconfular) only fix or seven years before the time in which this tranfaction is faid to have taken place*. And what confines with ftrictnefs the appellation to the time is, that Achaia under the following reign ceased to be a Roman province at all.

IX. (p. 152.) It appears, as well from" the general conftitution of a Roman province, as from what Jofephus delivers concerning the state of Judea in particular †, that the power of life and death refided exclusively in the Roman governor ; but that the Jews, nevertheless, had magiftrates and a council, invefted with a fubordinate and

municipal authority. This economy is discerned in every part of the gospel narrative of our Saviour's crucifixion.

X. (p. 203.) Acts ix. 31.

"Then had

the churches reft throughout all Judea and

Galilee and Samaria."

*Suet. in Claud. c. xxv. Dio, lib. lxi.

† Ant. lib. xx. c. 8, fec. 5. c. 1, fec, 2..

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This reft fynchronises with the attempt of Caligula to place his ftatue in the Temple of Jerufalem; the threat of which outrage produced amongst the Jews a confternation, that, for a season, diverted their attention from every other object *.

"And they

XI. (p. 218.) Acts xxi. 31. took Paul, and drew him out of the temple;

and forthwith the doors were fhut.

And

as they went about to kill him, tidings came to the chief captain of the band, that all Jerufalem was in an uproar. Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains, and demanded who he was, and what he had done; and fome cried one thing, and fome another, among the multitude: and, when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the caftle. And when he came upon the fairs, fo it was, that he was borne of the foldiers for the violence of the people."

Jof. de Bell. lib. xi. c. 10, fec. I. 3, 4.

In this quotation, we have the band of Roman foldiers at Jerufalem, their office (to fupprefs tumults), the caftle, the ftairs, both, as it should feem, adjoining to the temple. Let us enquire whether we can find these particulars in any other record of that age and place.

"Anto

Jof. de Bell. lib. v. c. 5, fec. 8. nia was situated at the angle of the western and northern porticoes of the outer temple. It was built upon a rock fifty cubits high, fteep on all fides.-On that fide where it joined to the porticoes of the temple, there were fairs reaching to each portico, by which the guard defcended; for there was always lodged here a Roman legion, and, pofting themselves in their armour in feveral places in the porticoes, they kept a watch on the people on the feaft days to prevent all diforders; for, as the temple was a guard to the city, fo was Antonia to the temple."

"And as

XII. (p. 224.) Acts iv. 1. they spake unto the people, the priests, and

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the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them." Here we have a public officer, under the title of captain of the temple, and he probably a Jew, as he accompanied the priests and Sadducees in apprehending the apoftles.

"And

Jof. de Bell. lib. ii. c. 17, fec. 2. at the temple Eleazar, the fon of Ananias the high priest, a young man of a bold and refolute difpofition, then captain, perfuaded those who performed the facred miniftrations, not to receive the gift or facrifice of any ftranger."

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XIII. (p. 225.) Acts xxv. 12. Then Feftus, when he had conferred with the council, anfwered, Haft thou appealed unto Cefar? unto Cefar fhalt thou go." That it was usual for the Roman prefidents to have a council, confifting of their friends, and other chief Romans in the province, appears expressly in the following paffage of Cicero's oration against Verres :" Illud negare. poffes, aut nunc negabis, te, concilio tuo di

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