The Apostolical History, Chapter 6 · Section 23
v. 1. Ego omni conſcientiâ bonâ ſervivi Deo ad hunc uſque diem] Nunc quidem ſecundum Chriſtum, ante verò quantum ex Phariſaeis Magiſtris haurire poteram. Non quaſi omni peccato ſit vacuus, ſed ſtudium recti profitetur ſe ſemper habuiſſe, quicquid alii de ſe dicant ac ſentiant. Nam foreign magis re…ertur ad▪ publicam functionem, aut certe ad actiones in communi ad omnes pertinentes: ut magis hic ſuam publicam functionem, & actiones, quam privatos mores, contra accuſatores tueatur.v. 3. Percutiet te Deus] Utitur jure Prophetae. Simile illud Eſaiae 50.11. & 22.17, 18. & Jer. 22.30. Paries dealbate] Egregia Similitudo ad exprimendos homines impios qui honoris aut commodi cauſa pios ſe ſimulant. Introrſum turpes, ſpecioſi pelle decorâ. Pari comparatione utitur Seneca. Miſeri ſunt ſordidi, turpes, & ad ſimilitudinem parietum ſuorum extrinſecus culti. Sic Chriſtus vocat hypocritam ſepulchrum dealbatum, Mat. 23.28 vid. Ezek. 13.10.v. 5. foreign] Ex calculatione Bezae tum praeerat Ananias, homo ſupra modum improbus, qui per vim Pontificatum invaſerat nec melius geſſit. Vide Antiquit. Joſeph. lib 20. c. 6, 7.Senſus ergo eſt: Ego non agnoſco in hoc homine Pontificem Dei, ſed hypocritam, ſeductorem, & veritatis perſecutorem. Alioquin bene ſcio, Principi maledicendum non eſſe, Exod. 22.28. Flac. Illyr.Non agnovit eum eſſe Sacerdotem aut Principem Senatus qui eas dignitates pretio comparáſſet. Didice…at enim hoc à Gamaliele Paulus, Judicem, qui honoris conſequendi cauſâ pecunias dederit revera neque judicem eſſe neque honorandum, ſed Aſini habendum loco, ut eſt in titulo Thalmudico de Synedrio. Grot.v. 6. De ſp… & reſurrectione] i. e. ob ſpem reſurrectionis in judicium vocor; foreign. Quia totius religionis caput quam Paulus proſitebatur & ſcopus, erat reſurrectio mortuorum. Recte de eâ ſe judicari dicit: nam & Chriſtum docebat ex morte excitatum & ejus beneficio omnes fideles aliquando ex morte reſuſcitandos eſſe.v. 10. foreign] milites. Abſtractum nimirum ſingulare, pro concreto plurali.v. 11. Dominus ei apparuit per Angelum, ut ſuprà aliquoties.SECT. XXIII.
THE Apoſtle had ſoon a notable experience of Gods gracious protection over him, promiſed unto him in that forementioned Viſion. For early the very next morning above Forty Jews combin'd together, and bound themſelves by an Oath, and by a Curſe and execration on themſelves that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed him. And they came to the chief Prieſts and Elders being confident of their aſſiſtance, and acquainted them with what they had reſolved on, and perſwaded them to intreat the Colonel, that he would bring Paul down on the morrow to them, that they might further examine him, and by the way, before he could come at the Council, they reſolv'd to kill him. This conſpiracy, by the wonderful providence of God, coming to the knowledg of a Nephew of Pauls, he is by him acquainted therewith, who thereupon deſired one of the Captains of the Guard, to bring that young man to Lyſias their chief Commander: which being done he acquainted him with this wicked conſpiracy againſt the life of his Uncle. Hereupon the Colonel preſently gave order that a Guard both of Horſe and Foot ſhould be made ready againſt Nine of the Clock that night, and a Horſe or Mule provided for Paul to ride on, and that they ſhould convey him ſafe to Felix the Procurator or Governour of Judea, under the Roman Emperor, who had his ordinary reſidence at Caeſarea. And he wrote a Letter to the Governour concerning the Priſoner, to this ſenſe, viz. That he found nothing brought againſt him, that was puniſhable either with death or bonds by the Roman Laws, and Imperial Conſtitutions; (for the Romans had not as yet ſet out any decrees againſt the Chriſtians) and therefore he had reſcued him out of the hands of the Jews, who had treacherouſly conſpired againſt his life, and had given order to his accuſers to appear before his Excellency, and there to implead him. Felix when he had read the Letter, commanded Paul ſhould be ſecured in the Hall call'd Herods Hall, and wen his Accuſers were come, he ſaid, he would hear him.
Act. 23. v. 12. And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bounded themſelves under a curſe, ſaying, That they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
v. 13. And they were more than forty which had made this conſpiracy.
v. 14. And they came to the chief Prieſts, and Elders, and ſaid, We have bound our ſelves under a great curſe, that we will eat nothing untill we have ſlain Paul.
v. 15. Now therefore ye, with the Council, ſignifie to the chief Captain, that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire ſomething more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come neer, are ready to kill him.
v. 16. And when Pauls ſiſters ſon heard of their laying in wait, he went and entred into the Caſtle, and told Paul.
v. 17. Then Paul called one of the Centurions unto him, and ſaid, Bring this young man unto the chief Captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.
v. 18. So he took him, and brought him to the chief Captain, and ſaid, Paul the priſoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath ſomething to ſay unto thee.
v. 19. Then the chief Captain took him by the hand, and went with him aſide privately, and asked him, What is that thou haſt to tell me?
v. 20. And he ſaid, The Jews have agreed to deſire thee, that thou wouldſt bring down Paul to morrow into the Council, as though they would enquire ſomewhat of him more perfectly.
v. 21. But do not thou yeild unto them, for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themſelves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promiſe from thee.
v. 22. So the chief Captain let the young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man, that thou haſt ſhewed theſe things to me.
v. 23. And he called unto him two Centurions, ſaying, Make ready two hundred Soldiers to go to Ceſarea, and horſmen threeſcore and ten, and ſpearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night:
v. 24. And provide them beaſts, that they may ſet Paul on, and bring him ſafe to Felix the Governour.
v. 25. And he wrote a Letter after this manner,
v. 26. Claudius Lyſias, unto the moſt excellent Governor Felix, ſendeth greeting.
v. 27. This man was taken of the Jews, and ſhould have been killed of them: Then came I with an army, and reſcued him, having underſtood that he was a Roman.
v. 28. And when I would have known the cauſe wherefore they accuſed him, I brought him forth into their Councell.
v. 29. Whom I perceived to be accuſed of queſtions of their Law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death, or of bonds.
v. 30. And when it was told me, how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I ſent ſtraitway to thee, and gave commandment to his accuſers alſo to ſay before thee what they had againſt him. Farewell.
v. 31. Then the Soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris.
v. 32. On the morrow they left the horſmen to go with him, and returned to the Caſtle.
v. 33. Who when they came to Ceſarea, and delivered the epiſtle to the Governour, preſented Paul alſo before him.
v. 34. And when the Governour had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he underſtood that he was of Cilicia:
v. 35. I will hear thee, ſaid he, when thine accuſers are alſo come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herods judgment hall.