The Apostolical History, Chapter 6 · Section 27
SECT. XXVII.
SOME days after, King Agrippa, (Son of that Herod who ſlew James, Act. 12. who was King, not of Judea, but ſome neighbouring Province which the Romans had given him), and Bernice his Siſter, came to Ceſarea, to ſalute the new Governour. Feſtus relates to them Pauls caſe, and acquaints them, how vehemently the Jews accuſed him, and how earneſtly they deſired to have had judgment againſt him. But he told them, he could not do it by the Roman Laws, without firſt hearing the cauſe, and bringing the accuſers and accuſed face to face. This therefore he had done, and upon hearing of both parties, He found Paul abſolutely free from all capital Crimes; and the differences between him, and the Jews, he ſaw, were about matters appertaining to their Religion, (which he contemptuouſly calls Superſtition), in which he acknowledges, he himſelf h…d little skill, and therefore had a mind to have referr'd him to the Jewiſh Sanhedrim, to be judged there. But the Priſoner declin'd their judgment, and appealed to Caeſar. Whereupon he had remanded him to Priſon, till he could conveniently ſend him to the Emperor at Rome. Agrippa (who was born and bred among the Jews, and in probability underſtood ſomething concerning the Chriſtian Religion) hearing this, deſired that he himſelf might ſee Paul, and hear him ſpeak for himſelf. Feſtus readily agrees hereunto. On the morrow therefore, the Governour, with Agrippa, and Bernice, and ſeveral other perſons of quality, entred the Court and place of hearing with great pomp; and Paul was brought forth before them. Feſtus having made a ſhort ſpeech, wherein he ſhewed the occaſion of their meeting, and wherefore he had brought forth the Priſoner before that illuſtrious Aſſembly. Agrippa told him he was permitted to ſpeak for himſelf. Then Paul beckning with his hand to the ſtanders by to hold their peace, and give Audience, he particularly addreſſes his ſpeech to Agrippa (a)Quis non delectetur concionator, concionem habere propter ſpem lucrandi Magnates mundi, quorum converſio multum poteſt ad lucrandos caeteros. Et tamen quando unquam pauciore cum fructu concionatus eſt Paulus quam coram hoc illuſtri auditorio? Ratio datur, 1 Cor. 1.26, 27, 28, 29. Joh. 7.48, 49. Jacob. 2.5. Sicut pluvia cadens in montes & colles defluit, ſed quae in valles cadit manet & penetrat, ita verbum quod in cor mundanum cadit, & ſuperbum, profluit. Pompoſi Phantaſtae non ſunt diſcipuli Chriſti..
And firſt, he declares how happy he accounted himſelf, that he was allowed to ſpeak for himſelf before King Agrippa, whom he knew to be well skill'd in the Law, and in the Scriptures, and in all the Queſtions and Cuſtoms of the Jewiſh Religion. Then he ſhews, that however the Jews reproached him, neither in his Life, nor in his Doctrine, was there any thing repugnant to the truth of the Jewiſh Religion. For the manner of his Life, he appeals to his Accuſers own Conſciences, (to whom his Converſation from his Youth was well known); who were able to teſtifie, that he not only had lived honeſtly, but religiouſly (b)Vide Phil. 3.4, 5, 6. Non erat irreprehenſibilis coram Deo ſed coram Judaeis & Phariſaeis. Vivebat enim ita ut caeci Phariſaei, qui legem Dei ſuis gloſſis corruperant, judicabant eſſe vivendum, adeoque Judaei & Phariſaei nihil habebant, quod in illo carperent aut quod accuſare poſſent: ſed ubi vitam ſuam coepit comparare cum vero ſenſu legis & expoſitione illius, quam Chriſtus dat, Mat. 5. tum ipſemet vidit, vitam ſuam non eſſe irreprehenſibilem coram Deo., and was of that Sect, which is accounted the ſtricteſt of all the reſt in the Jewiſh Religion, to wit, a Phariſee. For his Doctrine which he aſſerted, viz. the reſurrection of the dead, he ſhews, it was a Doctrine acknowledged by the Phariſees, and a fundamental Promiſe made by God of old unto their Fathers, and generally depended on by the moſt pious among all the twelve Tribes (c)Non dubium eſt quin poſt factum ſchiſma duorum regnorum, plurimi ex decem tribubus habitatum conceſſerint in Judaeam ubi purus erat Dei cultus atque ita cum Judaeis ſenſim coaluerint, & cum iis in Babyloniam deportati ſunt & cum iiſdem in Judaeam vel Samariam redierunt. Vid. 2 Chron. 31.5. Vide de hac re annales Uſſerii ad annum mundi 3327. & 3468.of the Jews, not only that dwell in Judea, but that are ſcattered upon the face of the whole Earth, (ſee Jam. 1.1.): And in contemplation, and intuition thereof, they deſire continually and fervently to ſerve the Lord, hoping to attain that bleſſed Reſurrection, and Eternal Life, through the mediation of the bleſſed Meſſias, of old promiſed to them. And yet for believing, and expecting, and preaching this, he tells the King, he was accuſed of the Jews.
Then he removes an Objection which might be made againſt him, viz. If he were brought up a Phariſee, how came he to believe in Jeſus of Nazareth, and to hope for a Reſurrection by him. Surely the Phariſees never taught him ſo. To this he anſwers, He was once as great and ſharp an Adverſary to Chriſt, and all that believed in him, as any man whatſoever; and thought himſelf bound in Conſcience to endeavour the ſuppreſſion of all thoſe that owned him; which accordingly he did, being a principal Actor in the impriſoning of ſeveral of them at Jeruſalem. And when ſome of them were by the Jews, tumultuouſly condemned to die, (as particularly Steven, Act. ch. 7.57, 58.), he was an approver of the ſentence, Act. 8.1. And in other Cities beſides Jeruſalem, he brought them into the Jewiſh Courts, and Conſiſtories, (which were kept in their Synagogues), and with threatnings and tortures compelled them to deny Chriſt, and (being exceedingly fierce againſt them) he forced ſome of them to fly to heathen Cities, and then purſued them thither alſo. He further declares, that as he was going to Damaſcus, with authority from the Sanhedrim on this perſecuting deſign, at mid-day a light from Heaven, above the brightneſs of the Sun, ſhone round about him, and thoſe that were with him; and when they were all fallen proſtrate on the Earth, he heard a voice ſpeaking to him in the Hebrew tongue; Saul, Saul, why doſt thou thus perſecute me? 'Tis hard for thee to kick againſt the pricks. But ariſe, ſtand upon thy feet, for thou art choſen by me to be a Preacher of the Goſpel, and to proclaim unto others, what thou haſt now, and ſhalt hereafter ſee and know. And for thy comfort, be aſſured, that I will deliver thee from the perſecutions both of Jews and Gentiles▪ to whom I ſhall ſend thee; and will bleſs thy endeavours to the opening their understandings, and to the turning of them from darkneſs to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive, by Faith in me, remiſſion of ſins, and a portion of the heavenly inheritance, among my faithful ones, regenerated by my Spirit (d)Paulus hic non tantum refert quae Chriſtus ſibi dixerit in viâ extra urbem cum immediatè ipſum ex coelo alloqueretur; ſed etiam quae poſtea nunciaverit in urbe per miniſterium Ananiae.. He further tells the King, that having had ſo glorious a Viſion, and having heard thoſe words from the mouth of Chriſt, from Heaven, he could not but yeild obedience thereto, and accordingly had preached at Damaſcus firſt, and then at Jeruſalem, and then through all Judea, and at laſt among the Gentiles (e)Natio ſuperba Judaeorum ferre non potuit, quod beneficia foederis ad Gentes quoque extenderentur.themſelves, the Doctrine of Repentance, and had ſhewed them their miſery by ſin, and how they ſhould turn to God, and lay hold on his mercy offered in his Son, and ſhould bring forth ſuch fruits of holineſs and righteouſneſs in their lives, as are the genuine fruits of true Repentance, and Faith in Chriſt. And for theſe things (he ſhews) it was, that he had like to have been killed by the Jews in the Temple. But being reſcued by the merciful providence of God from their fury, he went on ſtill with his work, declaring no other thing concerning Chriſt, but what Moſes and the Prophets did of old foretell of him, namely, that he ſhould be put to death, and ſhould be the firſt that ſhould riſe again, by his own power, and thereby be eminently declared to be the Son of God*See Rom. 1.1., and ſhould be the Author of our reſurrection, 1 Cor. 15.20. Col. 1.18. and ſhould ſend out the light of his Goſpel both to Jews and Gentiles. Feſtus ſate ſtill hitherto, but being a Heathen, and not underſtanding theſe things, he interrupted the Apoſtle and told him, he talked like a man that had overſtudied himſelf. But Paul with a great reſpect replied, that he was not mad, but ſpake the words of truth and ſoberneſs; which he was confident King Agrippa very well perceived; for theſe things he had been ſpeaking of, viz. the Life, Death, and Reſurrection of Chriſt, were things of very publick fame, and cognizance, and could not be unknown to him who was a Jew born. Then humbly applying himſelf to Agrippa again, he ſaid, King Agrippa, believeſt thou the Prophets? doubtleſs, I am perſwaded thou doſt believe them, and if ſo, I pray thee conſider, whether thoſe very Prophecies be not exactly fulfilled in the Perſon of Chriſt? Agrippa hearing him thus ſpeak, ſaid, Paul, thou doſt almoſt perſwade me to be a Chriſtian. The Apoſtle anſwered, I heartily wiſh that both thou, and all here preſent were as thorow Chriſtians as I my ſelf am(f)Non requirit ſimilitudinem ſecum in officio ſed in converſione & pietate. Non requirit aequalitatem in gradibus ſed ſimilitudinem in eſſentialibus pietatis., only I would not wiſh any of you in that condition of captivity in which I am at preſent. When he had thus ſpoken, the King, and the Governour, and the whole company roſe up, and departed, acquitting Paul in their judgments, from deſerving either death or bonds; yet 'twas not thought fit he ſhould be releaſed, becauſe he had appealed to Caeſar.
Act. 25. v. 13. And after certain days, King Agrippa, and Bernice came unto Ceſarea, to ſalute Feſtus.
v. 14. And when they had been there many days, Feſtus declared Pauls cauſe unto the King, ſaying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix:
v. 15. About whom when I was at Jeruſalem, the chief Prieſts and the Elders of the Jews informed me, deſiring to have judgment againſt him.
v. 16. To whom I anſwered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accuſed, have the accuſers face to face, and have licenſe to anſwer for himſelf concerning the crimes laid againſt him.
v. 17. Therefore when they were come hither, without any delay, on the morrow I ſate on the judgment ſeat, and commanded the man to be brought forth.
v. 18. Againſt whom when the accuſers ſtood up, they brought none accuſation of ſuch things as I ſuppoſed:
v. 19. But had certain queſtions againſt him of their own ſuperſtition, and of one Jeſus which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
v. 20. And becauſe I doubted of ſuch manner of queſtions, I asked him, whether he would go to Jeruſalem, and there be judged of theſe matters.
v. 21. But when Paul had appealed to be reſerved unto the hearing of Auguſtus, I commanded him to be kept till I might ſend him to Ceſar.
v. 22. Then Agrippa ſaid unto Feſtus, I would alſo hear the man my ſelf. To morrow, ſaid he, thou ſhalt hear him.
v. 23. And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice with great pomp, and was entred into the place of hearing, with the chief Captains, and principal men of the City; at Feſtus commandment Paul was brought forth.
v. 24. And Feſtus ſaid, King Agrippa, and all men which are here preſent with us, ye ſee this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jeruſalem, and alſo here, crying, that he ought not to live any longer.
v. 25. But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himſelf hath appealed to Auguſtus, I have determined to ſend him.
v. 26. Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my Lord: Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and ſpecially before thee, O King Agrippa, that after examination had, I might have ſomewhat to write.
v. 27. For it ſeemeth to me unreaſonable, to ſend a priſoner, and not withall to ſignifie the crimes laid againſt him.
Act. 26. v. 1. Then Agrippa ſaid unto Paul, Thou art permitted to ſpeak for thy ſelf. Then Paul ſtretched forth the hand, and anſwered for himſelf:
v. 2. I think my ſelf happy, King Agrippa, becauſe I ſhall anſwer for my ſelf this day before thee, touching all the things whereof I am accuſed of the Jews:
v. 3. Eſpecially, becauſe I know thee to be expert in all cuſtoms and queſtions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beſeech thee to hear me patiently.
v. 4. My manner of life from my youth, which was at the firſt among mine own Nation at Jeruſalem, know all the Jews,
v. 5. Which knew me from the beginning, (if they would teſtifie), that after the moſt ſtraiteſt ſect of our religion, I lived a Phariſee.
v. 6. And now I ſtand, and am judged for the hope of the promiſe made of God unto our fathers:
v. 7. Unto which promiſe our twelve Tribes inſtantly ſerving God day and night, hope to come: for which hope ſake, king Agrippa, I am accuſed of the Jews.
v. 8. Why ſhould it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God ſhould raiſe the dead?
v. 9. I verily thought with my ſelf, that I ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jeſus of Nazareth:
v. 10. Which thing I alſo did in Jeruſalem, and many of the ſaints did I ſhut up in prison; having received authority from the chief prieſts: and when they were put to death, I gave my voice againſt them:
v. 11. And I puniſhed them oft in every ſynagogue, and compelled them to blaſpheme, and being exceedingly mad againſt them, I perſecuted them even unto ſtrange Cities.
v. 12. Whereupon, as I went to Damaſcus with authority and commiſſion from the chief prieſts,
v. 13. At midday, O king, I ſaw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightneſs of the ſun, ſhining round about me, and them which journeyed with me.
v. 14. And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice ſpeaking unto me, and ſaying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why perſecuteſt thou me? It is hard for thee to kick againſt the pricks.
v. 15. And I ſaid, Who art thou, Lord? And he ſaid, I am Jeſus whom thou perſecuteſt.
v. 16. But ariſe, and ſtand upon thy feet, for I have appeared unto thee for this purpoſe, to make thee a miniſter and a witneſs, both of theſe things which thou haſt ſeen, and of thoſe things in the which I will appear unto thee.
v. 17. Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I ſend thee,
v. 18. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkneſs to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveneſs of ſins, and inheritance among them which are ſanctified by faith that is in me.
v. 19. Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not diſobedient unto the heavenly viſion:
v. 20. But ſhewed firſt unto them of Damaſcus, and Jeruſalem, and thorowout all the coaſts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they ſhould repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
v. 21. For theſe cauſes the Jews caught me in the Temple, and went about to kill me.
v. 22. Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witneſſing both to ſmall and great, ſaying none other things than thoſe which the prophets and Moſes did ſay ſhould come:
v. 23. That Chriſt ſhould ſuffer, and that he ſhould be the firſt that ſhould riſe from the dead, and ſhould ſhew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
v 24. And as he thus ſpake for himſelf, Feſtus ſaid with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beſide thy ſelf, much learning do…h make thee mad.
v. 25. But he ſaid, I am not mad, moſt noble Feſtus, but ſpeak forth the words of truth and ſoberneſs.
v. 26. For the king knoweth of theſe things, before whom alſo I ſpeak freely: for I am perſwaded that none of theſe things are hidden from him, for this thing was not done in a corner.
v. 27. King Agrippa, believeſt thou the prophets? I know that thou believeſt.
v. 28. Then Agrippa ſaid unto Paul, Almoſt thou perſwadeſt me to be a Chriſtian.
v. 29. And Paul ſaid, I would to God, that not only thou, but alſo all that hear me this day, were both almoſt, and altogether ſuch as I am, except th…ſ… bonds.
v. 30. And when he had thus ſpoken, the king roſe up, and the governour, and Bernice, and they that ſate with them.
v. 31. And when they were gone aſide, they talked between themſelves, ſaying, This man doth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
v. 32. Then ſaid Agrippa unto Feſtus, This man might have been ſet at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Ceſar.