The Apostolical History, Chapter 6 · Section 26
v. 25. foreign] Ut nunc ſe res habent, abeas; ſub audiendum ſorte foreign. Beza ad praeſens abi. In quo ſenſu eandem dictionem uſurpat Aelianus de anim. lib. 2. c. 11. foreign, ad praeſens ſtatui dicere.SECT. XXVI.
FEſtus being come to the Government,Christi Neronis 60 4 and going up to Jeruſalem, the High Prieſt and Rulers of the Jews quickly began to inform him againſt Paul, and beſought him that he might be ſent for thither, to anſwer for himſelf before his Excellency there, intending to lay ſome Villains by the way to kill him as he came. But Feſtus (the divine providence ſo overruling him) would not conſent to that, but ordered that the chief Prieſts, and the reſt in authority among them, ſhould come to Ceſarea, and accuſe him, whither he intended after a ſhort ſtay at Jeruſalem to go. And accordingly after a few days he went down to Ceſarea; whither being come, ſoon after his arrival there, he ſate on his Judgment Seat, and commanded Paul to be brought before him. The Jews now bring in ſuch a kind of charge againſt him as they did before, namely, that he had offended against the Moſaical Law; that he had profaned the Temple; and that he had raiſed Sedition againſt the Roman gove…nment. But none of theſe things could they prove againſt him, ſo that Paul eaſily cleared himſelf of them all. However, Feſtus being willing to gratifie the Jews, ask'd Paul if he would go to Jeruſalem, and be tryed there in the Jewiſh Court about theſe matters. The Apoſtle perceiving that the Governour inclin'd to ſend him to Jeruſalem, (which courſe might have expos'd him to extreme hazzards), he tells him, that he was his priſoner, and that his Excellency was his proper Judg; under the Roman Emperor, and not the Jews, (whom he had not wronged), and therefore it would be a piece of high injuſtice, to deliver him up to his enemies to be his Judges. Moreover, he tells him, that he was a Roman, and therefore might claim the priviledg of a Roman, which accordingly he now did, and appealed unto Caeſar (a)Caeſares legem fecerant, ut Civibus Romanis ab omnibus tribunalibus inferiorum Magiſtratuum liceret apellare ad ipſum Caeſaris tribunal.. Feſtus hearing this, (after he had conſulted with his Councel), admitted his appeal, and told him he ſhould accordingly go to Caeſar.
Act. 25. v. 1. Now when Feſtus was come into the Province, after three days he aſcended from Ceſarea to Jeruſalem.
v. 2. Then the high Prieſt, and the chief of the Jews informed him againſt Paul, and beſought him.
v. 3. And deſired favour againſt him, that he would ſend for him to Jeruſalem, laying wait in the way to kill him.
v. 4. But Feſtus anſwered, that Paul ſhould be kept at Ceſarea, and that he himſelf would depart ſhortly thither.
v. 5. Let them therefore, ſaid he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuſe this man, if there be any wickedneſs in him.
v. 6. And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Ceſarea, and the next day ſitting in the judgment ſeat, commanded Paul to be brought.
v. 7. And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jeruſalem, ſtood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints againſt Paul, which they could not prove.
v. 8. While he anſwered for himſelf, neither againſt the Law of the Jews, neither againſt the Temple, nor yet againſt Ceſar, have I offended any thing at all.
v. 9. But Feſtus willing to do the Jews a pleaſure, anſwered Paul, and ſaid, Wilt thou go up to Jeruſalem, and there be judged of theſe things before me?
v. 10. Then ſaid Paul, I ſtand at Ceſars judgment ſeat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knoweſt.
v. 11. For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuſe not to die: but if there be none of theſe things whereof theſe accuſe me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Ceſar.
v. 12. Then Feſtus, when he had conferred with the Councel, anſwered, Haſt thou appealed unto Ceſar? unto Ceſar ſhalt thou go.