A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Part 2 · Chapter 27
CHAP. XXVII. Paul's paſſage to Rome.
THIS Chapter containeth Paul's Voyage from Ceſarea towards Rome, which may be reſolved into two General parts. 1. The Cauſes of his voyage thither. And 2. The Caſualties that came upon him in his paſſage.
1ſt. The Cauſes were three, firſt, Efficient, which was a decree in court by the Judges, ver. 1. where his companions are named. Secondly, Formal, he muſt not travel it by Land, leaſt the Jews ſhould ly lurking in the way, to take away his life (according to their old Oath and Deſign) but he muſt paſs by Sea, v. 2. Thirdly, Material, to wit, the places by which they paſſed from Ceſarea, were Sidon, ver. 3. Cyprus, v. 4. Myra, v. 5, 6. Gnidus, ver. 7. and Crete, v. 7, 8.
2dly. The Caſualties in the general was [ſailing was now dangerous] towards the depth of winter, v. 9. more particularly they are reducible to three heads. 1. The Antecedents. 2. The Concomitants. And 3. The Conſequents.
1ſt. The Antecedents are the procuring cauſes of all the ſad caſualties, namely, the Centurion's too much obſtinacy in rejecting the Apoſtle's advice, and his too much obſequiouſneſs in receiving the Counſel of the Maſter and owner of the Ship, verſe 10, and 11, 12.
2dly. The Concomitants are, 1. A contrary tempeſtous wind, verſe 13, 14, 15. 2. The peril of the place, v. 17, 18. 3. The continuance of the ſtorm for three days, v. 18, 19. 4. Heaving over board the lading & Merchandize. And 5. An utter deſpair of life, v. 18, 19, 20. in the eye of Reaſon, &c.
3dly. The Conſequents, are the Cataſtrophe, or comfortable iſſue▪ 1. Promiſed by Paul, not only from his prophetick Spirit, but alſo from an angelical Viſion, v. 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26. 2. Performed, through the uſe of ordinary means by night, as the caſting of their Anchors, v. 27, 28, 29. The abiding of the Marriners in the Ship, v. 30, 31, 32. The taking of due ſuſtenance to ſupport nature in its ſtrength after Paul had begged a bleſſing, v. 33, 34, 35, 36, 37. Then the ſecond, unladeing of the Ship, v. 38. Laſtly, what was done extraordinarily by day, v. 39, 40. and ſuffered, v. 41. The Ship is loſt, yet all its crew ſaved, v. 42, 43, 44.
The Remarks from thoſe Reſolves are theſe;
The firſt is; The diſpoſals of all men (both Saints and Sinners) are determined, as here [it was determined] verſe 1. firſt By God himſelf the Supreme cauſe, Acts 23.11. and then by thoſe Subordinate civil Magiſtrates, Feſtus, Agrippa, and others with whom the Governour conſulted concerning Paul's paſſing to Rome. All theſe great men ſeem to be ſelf-condemned, in their acknowledging Paul's innocency, yet not ſetting him at Liberty; This neglect of Juſtice they do but varniſh over with a pretence of Law fulneſs and neceſſity, ſaying [he might have been freed, had he not appealed unto Caeſar.] Acts 26.32. whereas the true ſecondary cauſe was, that they durſt not do it for ſelf-ends and popularity, for fear of the Jews, but the principal primary cauſe is here included [it was determined] otherwiſe by the great God, who diſpoſeth all things according to his pleaſure: For Paul's appeal to Ceaſar did indeed bind them up only from condemning the priſoner till Nero had heard him, but not at all from ſetting him at Liberty had they pleaſed, becauſe Paul might have with-drawn his Appeal, and enjoyed his freedom, ſeeing Nero had not yet made thoſe Sanguinary Laws, whereby the profeſſion of Chriſtianity became a Capital Crime: N. B. This is comfortable to conſider, that even great men cannot do what they pleaſe againſt the Saints, but what the great God pleaſeth.
The ſecond Remark is; Saints do ſhare with ſinners in matters Secular and External: 'Tis ſaid expreſly [there were other priſoners beſide Paul] v. 1. that muſt all be pack'd together to Nero's Court at Rome: They are mingled (the good with the bad) in the ſame miſery: Time and chance (ſaith Solomon) happeneth alike to all, Eccles. 9.11. To the one as well as to the other, eſpecially in common Calamities, for Hezek…ah's pride did contribute to the Babyloniſh Captivity (wherein the good Figgs were involved with the bad) as well as his Son Manaſſeh's Abominations: Tho' they be thus Jumbled together in this lower world; yet the Righteous Judge will at laſt place them in very different conditions in another world, Mat. 25, 34, 41, 46. And Luke 16.25. This may comfort us alſo.
The third Remark is; 'Tis a great comfort to the afflicted to have good Companions in their affliction: Optimum Solatium eſt Sodalitium: Comes pro vehiculo eſt, & Solamen miſeris ſocios adhibere Doloris: Society is a Solace, a Comerad is a Chariot and 'tis a comfort to have Companions in miſery. Thus it was a great comfort to Paul the priſoner here to have two ſuch good Companions in this perillous paſſage, as were Luke (the holy Pen-man of the Acts and of the Goſpel) and one Ariſtarchus, ver. 2. a man of ſome Note▪ being one of them that was laid hold on in the uproar at Epheſus, Acts 19.29. He was Paul's fellow-Traveller, Acts 20.4 and his fellow-worker alſo, Philemon v. 24. And now is become alſo his Fellow priſoner, Col. 4.10, 11.
Upon this account did David ſo ſadly bewail the loſs of his ſweet Companion, his dear Jonathan. And Paul likewiſe counted it a ſingular mercy to himſelf that his dear fellow-Labourer Epaphroditus recovered from a dangerous ſickneſs, Phil. 2.27. Yea and John found himſelf furthered by the Graces of his Elect Lady, 2. Ep. ver. 12.
The fourth Remark is; God raiſeth up Friends to ſhew favour to his afflicted Servants, if not in ſight yet in deſpight of their Adverſaries. Thus Julius courteouſly treated Paul, the Captain was kind to his priſoner and gave him liberty to go unto his friend's to refreſh himſelf, verſe 3. This was a great favour from a Pagan Centurion to let him walk abroad into the freſh air (tho' with his keeper, as their manner was) to refreſh himſelf, this had been Faelix's charge that Paul ſhould be courteouſly handled in his former commitment, Acts 24.23. But it was an additional favour from God to find him friends in Sidon, ſuch Saints as he could comfortably converſe with, and ſuch as he Received refreſhment from, even, needful accommodations for his tedious Voyage, &c.
N. B. There is much comfort in the Communion of Saints both in the Church Militant and Triumphant: This the Antient and the Modern perſecutors labour to prevent by confining Chriſtians to Iſlands and ſuch retired priſons where they could not have acceſs one to another: That it was now better with Paul, was of God who had promiſed him his preſence, Acts 18.10. who indeed was with Paul, after a wonderful manner, in all his Sufferings: He all along experienced the truth of God's word, which he Records himſelf (from Joſh. 1.5.) Heb. 13.5, 6. All this is writ for our inſtruction and comfort that we may (as Paul did) put alſo our truſt in him who will not fail or forſake us.
The fitfh Remark is; The fitteſt Seaſons ought to be well obſerved for all undertakings ſacred as well as Civil and Secular. Winter Journeys and Voyages are unſafe as well as uncomfortable: Heſiod hath a good rule [foreign. A ſit opportunity is beſt in all things] and Solomon ſaith [there is a time for all things.] Eccleſ. 3.1, 17. and every thing is beautiful in its Seaſons, v. 11. A ſeaſon is that part of time which hath a beauty and Luſtre upon it above all other parts of time: This Winter-Voyage (about our October) was unſeaſonable, For, 1. The wind was contrary, v. 4.2. They ſailed but ſlowly for many days, v. 7.3. So that much time was ſpent to little purpoſe, verſe 9. And 4. Sailing was now dangerous, v. 9. Having at that time little light, long nights, Thick Clouds, dark weather, and raging ſtorms; therefore Paul adviſed to winter in the fair Havens till March, but the Centurion. not knowing that Paul was inſpired with a Prophetick Spirit, truſted the Maſter of the Ship in his own faculty before him, v. 8, with 10, 11, 12.
N.B. As all this holds true in the Letter and Hiſtory; So it doth no leſs in the Spirit and Miſtery: As, 1. How many ſpend, yea ſpill, their many days of the fair Summer of their youth before ever they bethink themſelves of lanching forth towards the fair Haven of Heaven: This is deferred until the Winter of Old age (which Solomon calls an Evil age, Eccles. 12.1.) come upon them. 2. Whenever we ſet forth and in earneſt do cry [have over for Heaven] we may be ſure the winds will be contrary, as here. 3. Such as ſerve God inſtantly night and day (as they did, Acts 26.7.) yet do ſail forward but very ſlowly, for many days, as here. The Righteous are ſcarcely ſaved, 1 Pet. 4.18. That is, they have much ado to get to heaven. 4. We triffle away much pretious time, which is not only ſpent but ſpilt. We might oft-times beſtow our time beter than we do. Cato held him a wiſe man who was able [tam otij quam Nego…ij Rationem reddere] to give an account of his leiſure as well of his labour. The common complaint is, we want time; but the truth is, we do not ſo much want it as we do fooliſhly waſte it. 5. Sailing to Heaven is alway dangerous (as here) we are ſet about with Pirats, Rocks and Quick-Sands. 6. How many (as here) will moſt believe them, who have the leaſt skill when their Souls are like to ſuffer Ship wrack truſting more to carnal wiſdom, than God's ſure word of Prophecy. God ſaith, Believe the Prophets, ſo ſhall ye proſper, 2 Chron. 20.20. but men cannot be got to believe, till they come to feel, as Pharaoh did. There be many ſuch Solomon's Fools (as thoſe Mariners were) that will paſs on and are puniſhed, Prov. 22.3.
The ſixth Remark is; Paul's Ship here gives a Graphical Deſcription of the Militant Church, toſſed with Tempeſts and not comforted in her Afflicted State, Iſa. 54.11, &c. N.B. This Congruity is Various, As,
1. Both meet with unexpected diſappointments: Thus they here did [ſuppoſing they had obtained their purpoſe, &c.] verſe 13. being cloſe aboard on the Shore, but immediatley an Euroclydon (call'd the Sea-man's Plague, and the Mariners miſery) aroſe, caught the Ship up from Shore under its ſole power, ſo that the Sails (not being ſtricken upon this Sudden ſurprize) had like to have overſet her and the Mariners had no command of her with either Rudder or Anchor, v. 14, 15. Thus the Church (eſpecially when the makes fleſh her Arm) meets with ſtormy blaſts which blows her from her ſuppoſed ſhore, drives her drift lee ward, and maketh many times the ſtrongeſt Sinew of her Arm of fleſh t… crack, as former and latter ages know by ſmarting. Experience. God (and not man) muſt be the Churche's Arm every morning, Iſa. 33.2. If not [Fallitur Augurio ſpes bona ſaepè ſuo.] Her hope oft fails by her miſtakes, &c.
2. Both need under-girding. The Mariners firſt feared the Boat, leſt it ſhould be broke in pieces by the Storms beating it againſt the ſhip, verſe 16. but next they fear the Ship's foundring, therefore they under-gird her with Cables to keep her ſides cloſe and tight together, verſe 17. Thus the Church in a ſtorm (when the blaſt of terrible ones is like an Euroclydon, or Tempeſt againſt her walls, Iſa. 25.4.) needs her undergirding by the everlaſting Arms of Jehovah underneath her, Deut. 33.27. Thus the love-ſick Spouſe was under-girded, when Chriſt's Left hand was under her head, and his Right hand imbraced her, Cant. 2.6. and 8.3. The wounded ſide of that God-man (Chriſt Jeſus) is the Church's Covert from the Tempeſt, Iſa: 32.2. Mic. 5.5.
3. Both are brought to an hopeleſs Eſtate. How forlorn was this Ship here, when lighting her of Merchandiſe-Goods, &c. could not ſecure them, verſe 18, 19. No Light of Sun or Stars to comfort them, no hopes left to ſave their lives, verſe 20. Thus is it with the Church often, a great damp is upon her hopes, becauſe a great death is upon her helps: There is no hope, Jer. 2.25.
N.B. The diſparity lyes in this, that whatſoever wind bloweth, blows good to her, be it North or South, can 4.16. and herein is the Church happy.
The ſeventh Remark is; God delights to deliver thoſe that are forſaken of all their helps and hopes of Deliverance: Thus it was here in the eyes of Reaſon and foreign as to the Natural Events from ſecondary cauſes; their caſe was deſperate which made them part with their Goods to ſave their lives, yet all would not do, but they deſpaired. Then comes Paul to comfort them from God (who reſerves his holy hand for a dead lift) verſe 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26. wherein he, 1. Minds them of their miſery which their Diſobedience to God had brought upon them. Then, 2. He chears them up with aſſurance of their ſecurity from the good warrant of Divine Authority.
And, 3. He fore tells they muſt be caſt upon a certain Iſland, which, when it came to paſs, did (as by a ſign) induce them to believe the Reſt, all ordered by God not by chance.
The eighth Remark is; The wicked are delivered from Temporal deſtruction for the ſake of the godly, who live among them and intercede with God for them: Sinners are ſaved, ſpared and favoured for the Saints ſake: As here two hundred threeſcore and ſixteen perſons, verſe 37. (all Heathens excepting Luke and Ariſtarchus) are ſaved for Paul's ſake, verſe 24. who had prayed for them, and had begged their lives of God, as Eſther did the lives of her people at the hands of King Ahaſuerus, Eſth. 7.3. Thus God ſpared Zoar for Lot's ſake, and at his prayer for it, Gen. 19.19, &c. And he would have ſpared Sodom for the ſake of ten Righteous perſons (could that ſmall number have been found in it) at Abraham's prayer, Gen. 18.32. And there Abraham left begging, before God left baiting. N.B. Oh! what fools and mad-men are the wicked in ſeeking to deſtroy the Godly, for whoſe ſakes themſelves are preſerved. God ſaith to the Wicked concerning his Servants, as the Prophet once ſaid to wicked Jeboram [ſurely were it not that I regard the preſence of Godly Jehoſaphat, I would not look toward thee nor ſee thee] 2 Ki. 3.14. One innocent perſon may deliver a whole Iſland from deſtruction, Job 22.30. What abundance of good does one holy man in a place; theſe hundreds of men fared better, both in ſoul and body, for one holy Paul's ſake and means.
The ninth Remark is; The ſame God that ordained the end, oradined alſo means in tendency to that end; and therefore to divide aſſunder what God hath Joyn'd together (in neglecting ordained means) is no better than a preſumptuous tempting of God. This great truth is here demonſtrated by theſe divine words [except theſe ſhip-men (that were about to eſcape in the boat) abide in the ſhip, ye cannot be ſaved] ver. 30.31. notwithſtanding God's promiſe mentioned, verſe 24. That they ſhould all be ſaved, not becauſe the will of God, or his power to ſave, or the truth and efficacy of his Promiſe did depend upon ſecond cauſes, as if all theſe were made effectual only by a vertue from the means, whereas in truth the means are made efficacious only by a vertue from the will, power and promiſe of God: God is not tyed to them, yet ordinarily and uſually he doth work by them, when he can work with them, that we may not neglect the uſe of them, that are ordained by him.
Thus David ſhall have the victory, but it muſt be by the means of an Ambuſh, 2. Sam. 5.19, 24 and man ſhall be nouriſhed, but it muſt be by his labour, Pſalm. 128. v. 2 Many more ſuch Inſtances might be given: yet ſo, as God works all in all by thoſe means, N.B. for the Graſs, Corn, Trees were created by God, before he Created the ſun, moon and ſtars, by the Influence whereof they now are and do grow. Sometimes God (to ſhow his Soveraignity) doth work without means: It is all one to him, to ſave by few, or none, as well as by many, 2 Chron. 14.11. and his Omnipotency can work againſt means alſo, by Suſpending the power and operation of natural cauſes, as when the fire burnt not, the water drownd not, the Rock yeilded water and the Iron ſwoom, the Sun went back ten degrees, &c. As God likes not to be tyed to means, ſo, nor that we, having his promiſe, ſhould, in defect of the means, doubt of his providence: God will be truſted, but not tempted by a willful neglect of due, lawful means. The care of the means belong to us, but the care of the end belongs to God: Whoſoever neglects the means under any pretence of a promiſe, doth not rightly beleive in him, but plainly and preſumptuouſly tempts him, &c. N.B. Theſe mariners had been willing enough to make uſe of all other [means for their ſafety,] as undergirding, unlading, &c. and [wiſhing for the Day] verſe 29. (Oh! that we wiſhed ſo much for the Day of Redemption) to make uſe of more means, yet miſſed in this, the means God required.
The tenth Remark is, God's Goſpel-ſtars ſhine moſt in the night, and their ſplendour is beſt ſeen in time of trouble: Thus was it here, while this Ship's-crew had a ſmouth ſea, and a calm ſeaſon, Paul lyes on the Deck as a poor contemptible priſoner neglected of all, but now, in this eminent danger, God makes him the only Counſellor and comforter unto this great company. Common calamity made them comply with that counſel and comfort which came from one in chains amongſt them, Paul reproves them for rejecting his advice of wintering in Crete, v. 21. yet now the ſtorm having becalmed that refractory mind, they are mindful to follow his Direction, in taking ſome food (having had no ſet meal for fourteen days through the conſternation & horrour of death, and in admitting Paul to become the Chaplain of the ſhip for craving a bleſſing and for praying to God for their farther preſervation, verſe 33.34, 35, 36, 37. yea and for praiſing God alſo both for their ſafety hitherto, and for preſent ſuſtenance, &c.
The eleventh Remark is; How willing are men in diſtreſs to part with all things for preſerving their lives, which yet are but ſhort and mingled with miſery, Job 14 1.2. Theſe ſea-faring men are found here three times lightening their ſhip of her lading as, (1.) Verſe 18. The merchandize is caſt over board there. (2.) Verſe 19. All the ſhips furniture, for either ornament or munition and defence, &c. is heaved over alſo to make her draw leſs water, for fear of rocks and quick-ſands. And now (3.) Ver. 38. goes overboard the very wheat they had provided for their daily bread, being come to the ſame mind with the Philoſopher in the like caſe, who reſolvedly cryed in the ſame Act [better our goods periſh for us than with us.] of heaving all over into the ſea. N.B. What a wonderful work of God was here upon the hearts of thoſe poor Pagans, thus to venture their lives merely upon the credit of Paul the priſoner's perſuaſions; They parted with all they had to live upon, only upon his word, that they ſhould want wheat no more in the ſhip.
The twelfth Remark is; God's delivering power is moſt gloriouſly manifeſt, in the moſt deplorable extremities, as here. 1. In their deſperate running the ſhip a ſhore, hoping to ſave their lives, verſe 39.40. Through many tribulations we muſt enter into the kingdom of God, Acts 14.22. and 2. Tim. 3.12. Paul experienc'd what he taught for a truth here: God preſerves his people, brings all ſafely off at laſt, but it is by ſtorms and tempeſts, and it may be we muſt ſuffer ſhipwrack of all, in this world firſt, and then be delivered, as here. Oh! let this God be our God, for ever and ever, Pſal. 48.14. God teaches the mariner his Art, as well as the husband man his, Iſa. 28.26. and all men theirs. 2. In running a ground where two ſeas met that broke the ſhip. Ver. 41. Our laſt encounter at death will be ſharpeſt, as theirs was here at ſhore. 3. In counſelling to take away his life for whoſe ſake theirs were ſaved, verſe 4.2. This is the common lot of Chriſt's miniſters who look not for their rewards below, Luke 14.14. 4. In putting it into the centurion's heart to defeat that barbarity and to ſave him for whoſe ſake himſelf was ſaved, verſe 43. 5, In Gods performing his promiſe to a Tittle, they all were ſaved (even the ſouldiers that make it a play to kill men, 2. Sam. 2.14.) Verſe 44. Thus God's goodneſs overcomes man's badneſs reſerving them for afterward, if not led by it to repentance. Oh! that men would praiſe God, Pſal. 107.15. for his goodneſs, none can deliver after this manner, Daniel 3.29. per Angusta ad Augusta. God brings through miſery to felicity.