in the expression which he uses, is in this instance remarkable. There was no portion of time for thirty years before, or ever afterwards, in which there was a king at Jerusalem, or in Judæa, to whom that title could be applied, except in the three last years of this Herod's life, within which period the transaction now to be recorded took place'.

"He killed James the brother of John with the sword." He is said to have been zealous for the religion of the Jews, although it is thought only with the view of conciliating their favour. Thus the spirit of persecution, which for a while had seemed to slumber, broke out again about this time with renewed violence; the king apparently actuated in this by the worldly and unprincipled policy of doing an act of bloody severity to please one portion of his subjects to the injury of another. St. James, indeed, was but an individual sufferer ; but Herod knew that there was Peter also, and several others, who, according to his judgment, drew away the people to what he deemed an irreligious innovation. But as "the days of unleavened bread," or the feast of the Passover, intervened, Peter's execution was postponed till the end of the feast. Beheading by the sword was a death usual among the Jews, particularly for such as drew away the people to

7 Archdeacon Paley.

8

Dr. Robinson.

9

Dean Howard.

the worship of other gods'; and now, under the rule of a native prince, we cease to hear of death by crucifixion. Thus fell St. James, the son of Zebedee, the first of the Apostles that gained the crown of martyrdom; cheerfully taking the cup, of which he had long since told his Lord that he was most willing to drink3. Now for the first time was a breach made in the number of the twelve. When Judas "fell by transgression from his office," Matthias was admitted in his stead; but the Head of the Church did not design that any should supply the place of James. The Apostles' office was but for a time. Elders, or presbyters of congregations, and afterwards bishops of districts, carried on the government of the Church *. SECT. CCI.-Peter, imprisoned by Herod, is delivered by an Angel.-Acts xii. 3—18.

PETER also had been apprehended, and put in prison, and "delivered to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him." This expression means sixteen soldiers, consisting of four in each party, who relieved each other by turns; and we may collect from the description given of him,— "sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and the keepers before the door kept the prison,"-that, whilst two sentries were at the door, he was chained by his right arm

1 Dr. Lightfoot.
3 Dr. Cave.

2

Pictorial Bible.

4

Archbishop Sumner.

to the left arm of one soldier, and his left arm to the right arm of the other3. This appears

66

to have been the manner of the Romans for the better securing of a prisoner from any possibility of escape. But " prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto God for him." The incessant prayers of the Church, which were offered up for his release, procured the Divine interposition; but his miraculous preservation was delayed till within a few hours of the time appointed for his execution, when the Lord sent His Angel, and delivered him out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectations of the Jews." It appears that at those times of peril and persecution the Christians held their sacred assemblies at night; for, when St. Peter was released from prison by the Angel, "he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark, who was a sister of Barnabas, where many were gathered together praying "." We are here instructed how instrumental the intercessions of good people are towards procuring deliverances from God, and how efficacious their prayers are, more especially when unanimous and public, as were those which preceded the event now related. The pride of the tyrant was mortified, when he found himself robbed

Pictorial Bible.

7

Arenbishop Sumner.

6

Bishop Pearce.

Dean Stanhope.

of his prey; but his heart was not humbled by it he doubtless wished to discredit the supposition of a miracle, and prevent its influence on the public mind, when "he commanded that the keepers should be put to death." It was always considered to be a capital offence for those to whom prisoners were entrusted to permit their escape, but perhaps he was the more induced to inflict the bloody penalty in this case, that by throwing the blame on the keepers, he might express his own real or assumed disbelief of the account which they had given. As for Peter, when they, to whom he came, “had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished;" and he then "declared unto the brethren how the Lord had brought him out of the prison : and he said, Go show these things unto James, and to the brethren." This was "James the Less," as he is called, the son of Alphæus and Salome. He received this name either on account of his age, or of his height; he is also called by St. Paul "the Lord's brother," that is, His near kinsman. He is the author of the Catholic epistle bearing his name2; and seems to have been considered eminent among the Twelve, for he was appointed by the other Apostles, probably soon after the martyrdom of Stephen, to reside at Jerusalem, to superintend the affairs of the Church there,

9 Dr. Robinson.

1 Pictorial Bible.

2 Mant and D'Oyly.

Tt

while the rest of the Apostles and disciples travelled into other countries. It is said that Peter "departed, and went into another place." It is supposed that he now went to Antioch, to visit that first Gentile Church, whose bounty he had so recently shared.

SECT. CCII.-Herod's Pride and miserable Death.—

Acts xii. 19-23.

BUT Herod, "when he had sought for Peter, and found him not, went down from Judæa to Cesarea, and there abode." Josephus relates the object of this journey, which was to preside at the solemnities and games, which were celebrated every Olympiad, in honour of Claudius Cæsar 5. Here we shall behold him in his glory, soon to prove how perishable is all earthly greatness. During his residence at Cesarea, the Tyrians and Sidonians, whom he had threatened with war from some high displeasure, "came with one accord to him, and desired peace, because their country was nourished by the king's country," that is to say, these people having but a very limited territory, and being entirely devoted to commerce and manufactures, necessarily depended upon the Jewish territory for their supplies of grain '; and, accordingly, "having made the king's chamberlain their friend," they submitted themselves to the king, desiring peace. But Herod, 'Bp. Tomline.

'Dr. Hales. ' Dr. Whitby. Pict. Bible.