assurance, which, as a spiritual shield, Eph. vi. 16. ought by no means to be cast away. It was reckoned infamous in soldiers to cast away or lose their shield: with the Grecians it was a capital crime, and punished with death.-See Burder's Oriental Customs, vol. ii. page 379.

XI.-21. "And worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff." This quotation is taken from the Septuagint version, Gen. xlvii. 31. omitting only the word Israel. The other reading is "And Israel bowed himself upon the bed's head." The original Hebrew word signifies either a bed or a staff; the difference is merely in the vowel-points. Dr. Randolph thinks that the reading of the Septuagint is the true one; for, as he observes, "it does not appear that Jacob was then confined to his bed, and it is not easy to understand what can be meant by worshipping or bowing himself on the head of his bed. In the other reading the sense is plain : Jacob worshipped God, and being old and feeble, supported himself by leaning on the top of his staff."

XI.- -35. "Others were tortured." According to Doddridge, the original word signifies a peculiar sort of torture, which was called that of the tympanum or drum, when they were extended in the most violent manner, and then beaten with clubs, which must give exquisite pain, when all the parts were on such a stretch.

XII.2. "Looking unto Jesus." The original word here rendered looking, literally means to look off from every other object to some particular object placed full in view, as the reward destined to the victor in the Olympic foot race was placed immediately in view of the candidates.-Horne's Introduction, vol. ii. page 518.

XII.-4. "Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin." It has been justly observed by several commentators, that there are many agonistical terms in this

context. In the phrase before us there seems to be an allusion to the pugiles, or boxers, who fought erect, with their hands stretched out, and were often besmeared with blood. Saurin observes in his illustration of this text, that sometimes men were killed by the blows of the cæstus.-Burder's Oriental Customs, vol. i. page 383.

XII.-17. “He found no place of repentance." Namely, no change of purpose in the mind of his father.

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XII.- -18.. For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched." This appears to contradict Exodus xix. 12. The Apostle, however, does not speak of it in respect to the prohibition, but in reference to its being earthly and tangible, in opposition to the heavenly one.

XIII. -5. "Let your conversation be without covetousness." Or rather, Let your manners or conduct be free from a love of money, or gain. The word conversation, used by our translators, has totally deviated from the meaning intended to be conveyed, aad is now applied solely to discourse.-Valpy's Greek Testament.

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XIII.- 15. 'By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God." The peace-offerings (Levit. iii. 1.) were also free-will offerings, in token of peace and reconciliation between God and man: they were either eucharistical, that is, offered as thanksgivings for blessings received, or were offered for the impetration of mercies. These offerings consisted either of animals, or of bread or dough; if the former, part of them was burnt upon the altar, especially all the fat, as an offering to the Lord; and the remainder was to be eaten by the priest and the party offering. To this sacrifice of praise or thanksgivings, St. Paul alludes in Heb. xiii. 15, 16. -Horne's Introduction, vol. iii. p. 282.

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JAMES.

I.—13. “God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man." At Gen. xxii. 1. we read, "It came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham." Temptation signifies nothing more than trial; any opposition or difficulty that may exercise our virtues, and make them known. In this sense God may be said to tempt men; that is, he tries and proves them, and thus he tempted Abraham. Sometimes temptation means dangerous trials and enticements to sin, under which we are more likely to sink, than to overcome them. In this sense God tempteth not any man ; nor, if we resist them, will he suffer us to be tempted above what we are able.-See Horne's Introduction, vol. i. page 579.

I.-14. "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed." The original words, says Doddridge, have a singular beauty and eloquence, containing an allusion to the method of drawing fishes out of the water with a hook concealed under the bait, which they greedily devour.

I.-27. "To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction." By Synecdoche,-for any who are in distress or affliction. The etymology of the Greek word, here rendered widows, conveys the idea of privation in general; hence, persons in affliction or distress."

II.3. "Sit thou here in a good place," &c. The Talmudists say it was a rule, that when a poor man and a rich man pleaded together in judgment, the rich should not be bid to sit down, and the poor to stand; but either both shall sit, or both shall stand.--See Jenning's Jewish Antiquities. II. -24. "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." At Rom. iii. 28. St. Paul

says "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." The apparent contradiction in these passages, vanishes when we consider that St. Paul treats of justification in the sight of God; but St. James of justification in the sight of men.-See this more at large in Mr. Horne's Introduction, vol. ii. pp. 532. 561.

V.-5. "As in a day of slaughter." According to Mr. Blackwall, this might not improperly be rendered, in a day, or time of public feasting, or feasting upon sacrifice.

V.— 14, 15, 16. "Is any sick among you," &c. The mistake of the Church of Rome, in founding what she calls the sacrament of extreme unction upon this place, is very obvious; for the anointing here mentioned was applied to those whose recovery was expected, as appears from verse 16: whereas in the Roman Catholic Church, extreme unction is used where there is little or no hope of recovery, and is called the sacrament of the dying. The same remark is applicable to the popish system of auricular confession to a priest; which is attempted to be supported by James v. 16. 1 John i. 9. neither of which passages has any reference whatever to the ministerial office. In the former, confession of our faults is represented as the duty of the faithful to each other; and in the latter, as the duty of the penitent to God alone. See Horne's Introduction, vol. ii. page 566.

“In Yemen the anointing of the body is believed to strengthen and protect it from the heat of the sun, by which the inhabitants of this province, as they wear so little clothing, are very liable to suffer. Oil, by closing up the pores of the skin, is supposed to prevent that too copious transpiration which enfeebles the frame; perhaps too, these Arabians think a glistering skin a beauty. When the intense heat comes in, they always anoint their bodies with oil. At Sana, all the Jews, and many of the Mahometans, have their bodies anointed whenever they find themselves indisposed. This, in some

degree, explains the direction of the apostle James, the meaning of which will be, to do that solemnly for the purpose of healing, which was often done medicinally; and accordingly we find Solomon, in many places of his proverbs, speaking of administering ointment, which rejoices the heart, which may be a healing medicine to the navel, &c.-See Burder's Oriental Customs, vol. i. page 385.

V.-20. "Shall hide a multitude of sins." Namely, by being the means of a sinner's salvation, the sins of that individual thus converted and saved, will be covered or obliterated, and hence, not appear at the day of judgment. At 1 Peter iv. 8. there is the same quotation, both of which vary a little from Proverbs x. 12.

1 PETER.

I.-18, 19. "Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." It has been conjectured that buying and selling was originally conducted by the exchange of one article for another, as cattle for land; and that the money then used had the stamp of cattle upon it. Agreeably to this it is thought that among the Latins the word pecunia came to denote money from pecus, cattle. And on the same account that proverbial saying among the Greeks, there is a bull (or cow) upon his tongue, came to be applied to one who was bribed to silence by money which had on it the stamp of a bull. To the money used among the Hebrews having on it the stamp of a lamb, St. Peter is thought by some to allude in these words.-See Burder's Oriental Customs, vol. ii. 382.