The Apostolical History, Chapter 6 · Section 24 – Section 25
SECT. XXIV.
FIve days after, the High Prieſt and the Elders appear,Christ. Nero. 59. 3. with Tertullus (a)Tertullus eſt nomen Italicum; & arguit hunc hominem non eſſe Judaeum ſed Italum. Vocatur Rhetor, ſive Orator, quia eloquentiae, & juri Romano ſtuduerat ad cauſas in foro pro pretio dicendas, &, ut videtur, linguam ſuam elocavit ad ſuſcipiendum quarumvis cauſarum patrocinum. His hominibus quadrat illud, Iſa. 5.20.their Advocate, before Felix (b)Hiſtorici tum Ethnici, tum Judaicus Joſephus, nos docent hunc Faelicem fuiſſe peſſimum praeſidem, qui potentiâ fatris Pallantis qui erat in flagranti Caeſaris gratiâ, ſubnixus ſibi, omnia malefacta impuneratus eſt, ut ait Tacitus Annal. lib. 12. Et Joſephus teſtatur quod promiſcue inſontes cum ſontibus vexaverit, crudeles! patraverit lanienas, & ſummum ſacerdotem Jonathanem per ſicarios opprimi curaverit.at Ceſarea; who ſitting in judgment to hear the matter, their ſaid Advocate after an inſinuating preface to propitiate the Governour, (wherein he magnified his prudence and care for the good of their Nation), accuſes Paul of three things, namely, of Sedition, Hereſie, and Profanation of the Temple, [ſee Act. 21.28.]; acquainting him, that they intended to have proceeded againſt him in their own Court, and to have judged him there according to their Law, but were prevented by Colonel Lyſias, who took him out of their hands, and forced them, (who ought to have been his Judges), to come and implead him before his Excellency. And thoſe Jews whom they had brought with them for witneſſes, atteſted this charge, ſaying, That thoſe things were ſo.
Paul having now liberty given him to make his defence, he in the firſt place declares, how much it comforted him, that he was to anſwer before a Perſon whoſe long experience in governing the Jewiſh Nation, had furniſhed him with skill and ability to judg the more equally of ſuch things as were now brought before him. Then he anſwers particularly to the three pretended Crimes laid to his charge. 1. For that of Sedition, he clears himſelf from it, by ſhewing, that there were but Twelve days ſince he came up to Jeruſalem; and one end, among others, of his coming thither was, to declare himſelf a ſincere worſhipper of the true God. Now theſe Twelve days were thus ſpent. The day after he came thither, he viſited James, and the Brethren, who perſwaded him to purifie himſelf with thoſe four men who had a Vow on them, [as we have ſeen Sect. 20. of this Chapter], which he conſenting to do, and the day following, (viz. on the third day, which was towards the end of the Feaſt, ſee ch. 21. v. 27.), entring into the Temple to perform thoſe, the Jews there took him, but he was reſcued out of their hands by Colonel Lyſi…s. The day after being the fourth day, he pleaded his cauſe before the Council, [Act. 23.]. On the fifth day, the Jews conſpired to take away his life, Act. 23.12. That night the Colonel ſent him to Antipatris, whither he came on the ſixth day in the evening. The next day being the ſeventh, he came to Caeſarea, where he had been now a Priſoner five days. So that having been ſo many of thoſe days in the hands of the Romans, it was not imaginable he could raiſe (if he had had a mind to it) any ſuch Sedition, or tumult at Jeruſalem as the Jews pretended, and charged him with. Nay the contrary was very evident; for he had behaved himſelf very quietly, neither could any of them prove that he had raiſed any diſturbance, either in the Temple, or in any of the Synagogues, or in the City whilſt he was there. As to their ſecond charge, viz. that of Hereſie, he plainly confeſſes▪ that after the way which they call'd Hereſie, ſo he worſhipped the God of his Fathers. For that way of worſhipping the God of Abraham which Chriſt had taught, and the Chriſtians now practiſed, was the way that he did uſe: yet therein neither he nor they ſet up any new Religion quite contrary to what was before owned and profeſſed, but had the ſame Faith for ſubſtance, that the Patriarchs and Prophets had before them. And in particular, he declares, that he believed the Doctrine of the Reſurrection, which the more prudent part of his Adverſaries, viz. thoſe of the Phariſees, profeſſed to believe alſo. And this firm belief of a reſurrection, and a day of judgment engaged him to endeavour always to keep a good Conſcience towards God and man. For the …hird thing charged againſt him, viz. the Profanation of the Temple; he ſhews, he had not been of a long time at Jeruſalem, before this, and now he came to bring Alms to the poor Jews there, that were converted to Chriſtianity. He acknowledges indeed, that he went into the Temple at this time, but with no intent to profane it, but to perform t…ſe Rites therein, which the Law of the Jews required of ſuch as had the Vow of the Nazarites upon them; which ſome Aſian Jews not underſtanding, but miſapprehending his intent, affi…ed, that he carried Trophimus a Gentile of Epheſus into the Temple. But this was utterly falſe, neither was there any the leaſt ground for it, but only this, that Trophimus had been ſeen with him in the City, ſee Act. 21.29. As for his being in the Temple, he acknowledges, he was there, but not with any ſuch company as could be thought to profane it, or that could bring him under ſuſpition of any intent to raiſe a Sedition. And for t…e truth of theſe things he appeals to thoſe t…re preſent of their own Sanhedrim; and deſires them to …ſ…fie, whether w…n …e was brought before them, he was not diſmiſſed with this teſtimony from themſelves*See Chap. 23.9., that there was nothing of moment charged againſt him, except (which only the Sadduces will charge him with) that he profeſſed to believe the Reſurrection of the dead, and Another life after this.
When Felix diſcerned how things went, he would not paſs any ſentence for the preſent in this caſe, but put them off ſaying, When I know more exactly the things that belong to this way, (viz. whether the Chriſtian Religion be derogatory to the Law of the Jews), and when Lyſias the Commander comes down (whoſe teſtimony will decide that matter concerning the tumult), I will determine the buſineſs between you. But for the preſent he commanded the Captain of the Guard to keep Paul ſafe, though in free cuſtody, ſo that any of his friends or acquaintants might have liberty to viſit him.
Act. 24. v. 1. And after five days Ananias the high Prieſt deſcended with the elders, and with a certain Orator named Tertullus, who informed the Governour againſt Paul.
v. 2. And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuſe him, ſaying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietneſs, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this Nation by thy providence:
v. 3. We accept it always, and in all places, moſt noble Felix, with all thankfulneſs.
v. 4. Notwithſtanding, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I pray thee, that thou wouldſt hear us of thy clemency a few words.
v. 5. For we have found this man a peſtilent fellow, and a mover of ſedition among all the Jews thorowout the world, and a ring-leader of the ſect of the Nazarens.
v. 6. Who alſo hath gone about to profane the Temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our Law.
v. 7. But the chief Captain Lyſias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands:
v. 8. Commanding his accuſers to come unto thee, by examining of whom thy ſelf mayeſt take knowledg of all theſe things, whereof we accuſe him.
v. 9. And the Jews alſo aſſented, ſaying, That theſe things were ſo.
v. 10. Then Paul, after that the Governour had beckned unto him to ſpeak, anſwered, Foraſmuch as I know that thou haſt been of many years a Judg unto this Nation, I do the more chearfully anſwer for my ſelf:
v. 11. Becauſe that thou mayeſt underſtand, that there are but yet twelve days, ſince I went up to Jeruſalem for to worſhip.
v 12. And they neither found me in the Temple diſputing with any man, neither raiſing up the people neither in the ſynagogues, nor in the City.
v. 13. Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuſe me.
v. 14. But this confeſs I unto thee, that after the way which they call hereſie, ſo worſhip I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets.
v. 15. And have hope towards God, which they themſelves alſo allow, that there ſhall be a reſurrection of the dead, both of the juſt and unjuſt.
v. 16. And herein do I ex…rciſe my ſelf, to have always a Conſcience void of offence toward God, and towards men.
v. 17. Now after many years, I came to bring alms to my Nation, and offerings:
v. 18. Whereupon certain Jews from Aſia found me purified in the Temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult.
v. 19. Who ought to have been here before thee, and object, if they had ought againſt me.
v. 20. Or elſe let theſe ſame here ſay, if they have found any evil doing in me, while I ſtood before the Council,
v. 21. Except it be for this one voice, that I cried ſtanding among them, Touching the reſurrection of the dead I am called in queſtion by you this day.
22. And when Felix heard theſe things, having more perfect knowledg of that way, he deferred them, and ſaid, When Lyſias the chief Captain ſhall come down, I will know the uttermoſt of your matter.
v. 23. And he commanded a Centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he ſhould forbid none of his acquaintance to miniſter, or come unto him.
v. 5. foreign] Sic Cicero dixit pestem civitatis, pro Rabirio; pestem patriae, pro Seſtio.v. 16. foreign] Hebraiſmus, ubi: Saepe valet propter, i. e. Propter hanc fiduciam exerceo meipſum, &c. i. e. omni, in id, ſtudio incumbo; hoc unum prae omnibus meditor, ut conſcientiam habeam ſine offendiculo, ut conſcientiam ſervem eam, quae nec Deum nec homines offendat, vid. 2 Cor. 6.3. & 2 Cor. 4.2. Haec foreign, illa de qua mentio eſt, 2 Cor. 11.2. Haec foreign, illa de qua ſuprà, cap 23.1. Haec foreign, illa de qua ad Hebraeos, 13.18.v. 18. foreign] in casto: Abſtinentem ſcil. à vino aliiſque rebus à quibus Nazaraei abſtinent.SECT. XXV.
SOME time after, Felix and his Wife Druſilla, (who was a Jeweſſe, and Siſter of that Herod Agrippa who killed James, and impriſoned Peter, Act. 12.), ſent for Paul, and were willing to hear him diſcourſe concerning the Doctrine of Chriſt. He applying himſelf to ſpeak pertinently to Felix, inſiſted on thoſe great duties which Chriſt injoins all men to obſerve, if they intend to be ſaved, viz. Juſtice between▪ man and man, Temperance, and Chaſtity; Virtues that were contrary to thoſe Vices, that Felix was particularly guilty of. And withall, he diſcourſes of the laſt Judgment, at which all impenitent perſons ſhall be puniſhed for all their crimes and offences, either in theſe or other kinds. As the Apoſtle was preſſing this Doctrine, Felix finding himſelf ſo much concern'd, fell a trembling, and not liking to hear ſuch cloſe and rouſing Doctrine, he diſmiſs'd Paul for the preſent, and told him he would take ſome other time to hear him again. But being a corrupt Governour, and a taker of bribes, he hoped the Apoſtle would have given him ſome conſiderable bribe, to ſet him at liberty; and in expectation thereof ſent for him, and talked with him the oftner. But after he had kept him Priſoner for the ſpace of two years, he himſelf was by Nero removed from his place, and Portius Feſtus was ſent to ſucceed him in the Government. And though Felix had nothing to charge Paul with, yet to gratifie the Jews, after ſo many injuries which he had done them, and to pacifie them, that they might not follow him with complaints to the Emperour, he left Paul in priſon.
Act. 24. v. 24. And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Druſilla, which was a Jew, he ſent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Chriſt.
v. 25. And as he reaſoned of righteouſneſs, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and anſwered, Go thy way for this time, when I have a convenient ſeaſon, I will call for thee.
v. 26. He hoped alſo that money ſhould have been given him of Paul, that he might looſe him: wherefore he ſent for him the oftner, and communed with him.
v. 27. But after two years Portius Feſtus came into Felix room: and Felix, willing to ſhew the Jews a pleaſure, left Paul bound.