of perfons died of hunger.-The tragical end of King Herod Agrippa' is related by St. Luke' and Jofephus with fo much harmony, that had the latter been a Chriftian, one would have certainly believed that he intended to write a commentary on that narrative. This haughty monarch put off the Tyrians and Sidonians, who folicited a peace with him, until a certain day". And

Antiq. XX. cap. ii. § 6. p. 960. coll. cap. v. §. 2. p. 965.

8 This Herod was the fon of Ariftobulus, and grandfon of Herod the Great. By the favour of the emperours Caligula and Claudius he was raised to royal dignity; and almost all the lands which his grand-father had poffeffed were by degrees beftowed upon him. Jofephus Antiq. XVIII. cap. vii. §. 10. p. 896, 897. XIX. cap. v. §. 1. p. 943.

A&ts xii. 20-23.

" Antiq. Lib. XIX. cap. viii. §. 2. p. 650, 651. w Jofephus has not mentioned this particular circumftance. But he informs us, that the termination of the king's life fucceeded a festal day, which had been appointed in honour of the emperour. From this circumstance we may conceive why Herod put off the

the

X

And upon a fet day Herod, ar rayed in royal apparel, fat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. And the people gave a fhout, faying, It is the voice of a God, and not of a man! And immediately the angel of the Lord fmote him, because

the ambassadors from Tyre and Sidon to that exprefs day; namely, that he might shew himself with so much greater pomp to the people.

* Jofephus determines it more particularly. It was the fecond day of the Festival, which was celebrated at Cæfarea in honour of the emperour.

y A robe embroidered with filver, from which rays of the fun reflected a dazzling fplendor, which fet all the fpectators in aftonishment. Jofephus.

z His flatterers (fays Jofephus who prolongs this fhout to an improbable extent) named him a God, and entreated him to be propitious to them, faying, Here1ofore we have honoured you as a man: but now we ac knowledge, that you are exalted above mortal na

ture.

a Jofephus has inferted here a fuperftitious story: that Herod perceived an owl fitting on a certain cord over his head, and confequently held it to be an unfortunate omen. The fact itfelf he thus relates: that immediately afterwards the king was feized with a violent ilnefs, and caried to his palace.

he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghoft. Both hiftorians relate the fact, as to the chief particulars, in the fame manner. St. Luke defcribes the pride of the king, as well as the nature of his illness more circumftantially; and omits the fuperftitious addition of the owl, which is related by Jofephus. A proof, that St. Luke furpaffes in fidelity, accuracy, and judgment even this learned hiftorian of the Jews.-When St. Paul, in an uproar which the Jews at Jerufalem excited against him, was taken prifoner, the Roman Chiliarch, ac

b The very fame caufe is affigned by Jofephus, namely, because Herod had not punished the blafphemous flattery of the people.

C Jofephus has not described the illness fo circumftantially. The king, says he, felt violent pains about the heart, and in the bowels. St. Luke determines the caufe more fcientifically. The pain in the bowels proceeded from worms, by which he was eaten.

& After he had been continually tormented during five days by dreadful pains in his bowels, he expired. Jofephus.

1

cording

cording to St. Luke's relation, demanded of him, Art not thou that Egyptian, who a fhort time ago, madeft an uproar and leddeft out into the wilderness four thousand murderers? Jofephus explains to us this hiftory, which St. Luke has mentioned only cafuallyʻ. An Egyptian pretended during the government of Felix (confequently at the time mentioned by St. Luke) that he was a prophet; led with him into the wilderness a multitude of thirty thousand men; and marched against Jerufalem, promifing, that the walls of the city fhould fall down immediately at his command; but was attacked by Felix, and efcaped with a fmall part of his army. Of this remarkable harmony with foreign hif

e Acts xxi. 38.

f De bello Judaico, Lib. II. cap. xiii. §. 5. p. 177, 178. Antiq. Lib. XX. cap. viii. §. 6. p. 972, 973. Jofephus alfo has no where given us the name of this Impoftor, but only fpoken of him under the appellation of the Egyptian.'

torians

torians I will produce only two further examples, and thefe on account of their oppofite characters.-St. Paul, according to the Acts of the Apostles", in his fpeech before the governour Felix and his wife Drufilla difcourfes on the virtues of juftice and chastity, and on the judgment hereafter to be holden on men for the violation of them. It must appear furprifing to a reflecting reader why the Apostle did not here speak on the fundamental articles of Chriftianity, on the refurrection of Jefus, &c.; and what reafon could have induced him to felect the above-mentioned virtues in particular for the fubject of his difcourfe. Tacitus and Jofephus clear up this difficulty, and explain the cause. According to their information the character of Felix is infamous, on acCount of the extortions which he had

hxxiv. 24, 25.

com