because descended from Ceryx, the son of Mercury, whe was honoured with the same employment in heaven which these obtained on earth. The Lacedæmonian ambassadors carried in their hand a staff of laurel or olive, called unguzov, round which two serpents, without their crests erected, were folded, as an emblem of peace and concord. The Athenian hera.ds frequently made use of the Expeσivy, which was a token of peace and plenty, being an olive branch covered with wool, and adorned with all sorts of fruits of the earth. Ειρεσιώνη, POTTER'S Archeologia Græca, vol. ii. p. 66. No. 529.-x. 14. We stretch not ourselves.] It may help very much to understand this and the following verses, if with Hammond we consider the terms used in them as agonistical. In this view of them, the measure of the rule, το μέτρον τ8 κανονος, alludes to the path marked out and bounded by a white line, for racers in the Isthmian games, observed among the Corinthians; and so the apostle represents his work in preaching the gospel as his spiritual race, and the province to which he was appointed as the compass or stage of ground which God had distributed or measured out, eμepitev Utw, for him to run in. Accordingly, to boast without his measure, (ver. 15.) ɛis ta aμɛtpa, and to stretch himself beyond his measure, vteρ entɛiveoda, refer to one that ran beyond or out of his line. We are come as far as to you (ver. 14.) axpı vμav εPlacapɛv, alludes to him that came foremost to the goal; and in another man's line (ver. 16.) εν αλλοτριω κανονι, signifes in the province that was marked out for somebody else, in allusion to the line by which the race was bounded, each of the racers having the path which he ought to run chalked out to him, and if one stepped over into the other's path he extended himself over his line. No. 530.-xi. 2. That I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.] This circumstance is much illustrated by recollecting that there was an officer among the Greeks, whose business it was to educate and form young women, especially those of rank and figure, designed for marriage, and then to present them to those who were to be their husbands; and if this officer permitted them, through negligence, to be corrupted between the espousals and the consummation of the marriage, great blame would naturally fall upon him. DODDRIDGE, in loc. No. 531.-xi. 29. Who is offended, and I burn not?] Who is offended, and I am not fired? So wups properly signifies. It may perhaps in this connection allude to the sudden hurry of spirits into which a man is put by the dangerous fall of a person he tenderly loves, especially when occasioned by the carelessness and folly of another. DODDRIDGE, in loc. No. 532.-GALATIANS iii. 1. Who hath bewitched you. Ir is not to be imagined that the apostle, by the use of this expression, gave any countenance to the popular error which prevailed, not only among the heathens, but among some of the more ignorant and superstitious christians-that of fascination, or bewitching with the eye. The language of the apostle is only a strong expression of surprise at the departure of the Galatians from the purity of the gospel. It however reminds us of those practices of the heathens, which are spoken of by various writers. They believe that great mischief might ensue from an evil-eye, or from being regarded with envious and malicious looks. Pliny relates from Isigonus, that "among the Triballians and Illyrians there were certain enchanters, who with their looks could bewitch and kill those whom they beheld for a considerable time, especially if they did so with angry eyes." (Nat. Hist. lib. vii. cap. 2.) A shepherd in Virgil, says Nescio quis teneros oculus mihi fascinat agnos. Some evil eyes bewitch my tender lambs. Eclog. iii. lin. 103. "No nation in the world is so much given to superstition as the Arabs, or even Mahometans in general. They hang about their children's necks the figure of an open hand, usually the right, which the Turks and Moors paint likewise upon their ships and houses, as a counter-charm to an evil-eye; for five is with them an unlucky number, and five (meaning their fingers) in your eyes is their proverb of cursing and defiance. Those of riper years carry with them some paragraph of their Koran, which they place upon their breasts, or sew under their caps, to prevent fascination and witchcraft, and to secure themselves from sickness and misfortunes. The virtue of these scrolls and charms is supposed to be so far universal, that they suspend them even upon the necks of their cattle, horses, and other beasts of burthen.". SHAW's Trav. p. 243. (See No. 205.) No. 533.-iv. 6. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, father.] The learned Mr. SELDEN (de Succ. in bona Def. cap. 4.) hath brought a very pertinent quotation from the Babylonian Gemara, to prove that it was not allowed to slaves to use the title of Abba in addressing the master of the family to which they belonged, or the correspondent title of Imma, or mother, when speaking to the mistress of it. No. 534. iv. 10. Ye observe days.] This practice was become very general in the days of the apostle, and greatly contributed to cherish superstition. The Greeks in particular were addicted to it; with them, certain times were ominous, some days being accounted fortunate and successful, others unfortunate and disastrous. Thus Hesiod, in his days, observes, Αλλοτε μητρυή πελει ἡμέρα, ἄλλοτε μήτηρ, &c. Some days, like step-dames, adverse prove, Others more fortunate and lucky shine, And, as a tender mother, bless what we design. The observation of days was also very common at Rome. Augustus Cæsar never went abroad upon the day follow ing the Nundina, nor began any serious undertaking on the Nonæ, and this he did upon no other account, as he affirmed in one of his letters to Tiberius, than to avoid the unlucky omen that attended things begun on those days. It was a general opinion among the Romans, that the next days after the Nonæ, Idus, or Kalendæ, were unfortunate; the like observation of days was practised by many christians when they had lately been converted from heathenism, and for this St. Paul reproves them. POTTER'S Archæologia Græca, vol. i. p. 345. No. 535.v. 7. Who hath hindered you?] It hath been observed that evɛnoe is an olympic expression, answerable to alpexelɛ, and it properly signifies coming across the course, while a person is running in it, in such a manner as to jostle and throw him out of the way. DODDRIDGE, in loc. No. 536. v. 21. Revellings.] Kapo, or revellings, among the Greeks, were a disorderly spending of the night in feasting, with a licentious indulging in wine, music, dancing, &c. In this sense the word is explained by Hesychius and Suidas. We meet with it but twice elsewhere, (Rom. xiii. 13. 1 Pet. iv. 3.) and in both places it is joined, as here, with other riotous excesses. No. 537.-vi. 17. I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.] Archbishop POTTER thinks (Archæol. Græca, vol. ii. p. 7.) that the apostle alludes here to the GTYμala, or brands, with which the Greeks used to mark those that were appointed to serve in the wars, lest they should attempt to make their escape. Doddridge says, that perhaps the reference may be to those marks, by |