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the patriarchal religion, and in all points conformable to the Law and the Prophets; and that he held the orthodox hope, as well as they, of a general resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust; and that his practice was conformable to his profession: for that he endeavoured to maintain an unoffending conscience always, toward GOD and toward men, (as he had stated before,) ver. 14-16.

The phrase Tяатρwy Oεw, "THE PATRIARCHAL GOD," τῳ πατρωῳ Θεῳ, occurs only in this passage of the NEW TESTAMENT; but it is classical, and occurs frequently in Thucydides, and the best Greek authors, in the plural, warрwo Oɛot, and in the Latin likewise.

DII PATRII, quorum semper sub numine Troja est.

"Ye PATRIARCHAL GODS, under whose constant protection is Troy."

Virg. Æn. Ix. 757.

This was an argument equally addressed to the Romans, (the descendants of the Trojans,) as to the Jews. For the Roman law against innovations, in the established religion, was remarkably severe; punishing persons of a higher rank with banishment, and of a lower, capitally *. He therefore claimed protection under the Roman law, as he had formerly claimed protection under the Athenian law, before the court of Areopagus, for the worship of the same GOD, under a different title; now intimating, that toleration was to be equally extended by the Roman government to the Christians, as well as to the Jews themselves, as being only different sects of the same primitive religion. See Lardner, I. p. 190.

3. He also denied the charge of profaning the temple; stating that he came, after a long absence, on a charitable mission, and was purifying himself peaceably in the temple, when he was assaulted by the Asian Jews, who ought to have appeared as witnesses on this trial, if they had any charge against him. Their absence he considered as a tacit acknowledgment of his innocence, ver. 17-19.

4. He challenged the chief priests themselves to bring forward misdemeanor he had committed before the Sanhedrim, save his declaration," concerning the resurrection of the dead, am I

any

Qui novas, et usu et ratione incognitas religiones inducunt, ex quibus animi hominum moveantur, honestiores deportentur, humiliores capite puniantur. Jul. Paulus Sentent. Recept. de Vaticinatoribus et Mathematicis, Lib. V. tit. 21.

called in question by you this day," (Acts xxiii. 5,) which might indeed have offended the Sadducees, his enemies, but surely his Roman judge would not term it a crime, ver. 20, 21.

This masterly defence satisfied Felix of his innocence; but being unwilling to displease the Jews, and looking for a bribe from Paul himself, out of the contributions he brought, he would not dismiss him; but postponed the decision of the trial, under the pretext that he must wait for the testimony of Lysias, the tribune, in order to gain full information respecting the case.

He therefore ordered the centurion * to keep Paul in easy confinement, to let him have relaxation, and not prevent any of his friends from assisting and visiting him. And shortly after, probably to gratify the curiosity of his wife Drusilla, a Jewess, (whom he had seduced from her husband, on account of her extraordinary beauty,) he sent for Paul, to hear him concerning the Christian faith, ver. 22-24.

Upon this occasion Paul further inculcated the practical duties of "righteousness," or justice, " temperance,” or continence, and" a judgment to come." The powerful effect of such awakening topics upon a guilty conscience, was shewn at least in Felix, if not in Drusilla. Felix could not conceal his terror, he" trembled." But they made no lasting impression on his corrupt and deceitful heart. He put off, and dismissed the Apostle. Go thy way at present, when I have a convenient season, I will send for thee. He sent, indeed, for him frequently, and conversed with him, in expectation of receiving a bribe from the Apostle for his enlargement; and two years after, when he was superseded by Porcius Festus, wishing to gratify the Jews, he still left Paul in confinement. But to no purpose, for he was disgraced for mal-administration, as observed before, A.D. 61. And soon after, Drusilla, and a daughter she had by Felix, perished in a volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius, ver. 25-27. Ant. XX. 6, 2.

Festus, immediately after his accession to the government, went up to Jerusalem from Cæsarea; there the high priest and chief of the Jews renewed their complaints against Paul, praying that Festus would send for him to Jerusalem, but plotting

• Tų įkatovтapxy. The propriety of the article in this case, as intimating, of the two centurions of infantry and cavalry, who escorted Paul from Jerusalem, Acts xxiii. 23; the latter, who went the whole way with him, xxiii. 32, and to whose custody Paul was consigned by Felix, xxiii. 35, is ingeniously remarked by Middleton, p. 432.

to kill him by the way. The governor however, refused them, and said that he would hear their charges against Paul on his return to Cæsarea, which he did; the groundless accusation being nearly the same as before, as we may infer from Paul's apology, that " he had not in any respect offended against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Cæsar," Acts xxv. 1-8.

Festus, however, by this time, coming to a better understanding with the Jews, and willing to gratify them, proposed a fresh trial at Jerusalem; which, as Paul was a Roman citizen, could not be done without his own consent. But Paul refused, alledging that he had done nothing to deserve to be delivered up to the Jewish Sanhedrim; that he was entitled to be tried by a Roman tribunal; and since he could not get justice at the provincial tribunal of Cæsarea, he appealed to Cæsar, or the Emperor's tribunal at Rome. And Festus, having advised with his council, allowed the appeal, ver. 9-12.

Soon after, Agrippa, king of Chalcis, and son of that Herod Agrippa, who had been the author of the second persecution, and perished so miserably, Acts xii. 1-23, came to Cæsarea, with his beautiful sister, and paramour, Berenice*, to compliment Festus. To gratify their curiosity, and also to collect a state of his case for the Emperor's information, the governor brought forth Paul to plead his cause before so experienced a judge of Jewish affairs, as Agrippa, ver. 13-27.

Paul having expressed his satisfaction in making his apology before a prince so well acquainted with the Jewish customs and doctrines, proceeded to state, as formerly, his way of life from his youth, and the miraculous circumstances that led to his conversion, and the persecution he underwent from the Jews, although his preaching was conformable to Moses and the Prophets they foretelling that CHRIST should be liable to sufferings, (πa≈ηTos,) that he should be the first fruits of the resurrection of the dead, and announce light, or salvation, to both Jews and Gentiles, Acts xxvi. 1-23.

Here Festus, offended probably at Paul's classing the Gentiles with the Jews, whom he despised; and representing them

Juvenal is supposed to have alluded to this incestuous pair, speaking of a rich diamond in her possession.

Hunc dedit olim

Barbarus incestæ, dedit hunc Agrippa sorori.-Sat. vi.

alike in the darkness of error, unable to accomplish their salvation without a crucified Saviour, interrupting him, exclaimed, Thou ravest, Paul, much learning is turning thy brain to madness! He might, indeed, know that the Apostle, during his confinement, had spent much time in reading; this was the most discreet turn that could be given to such a charge, without offence to him or the audience. But Paul calmly replied, "I do not rave, most excellent Festus, but utter the dictates of truth and soberness," not the reveries of a visionary or enthusiast. Then he freely appealed to Agrippa, as a voucher of the notoriety of the facts he had stated, as not done in a corner; and also of the truth of the doctrines, as founded in prophecy. "King Agrippa, believest thou the Prophets?" then, with much address and urbanity, he answered for the King, " I know that thou believest,” ver. 24—27.

This ingenuous frankness made a sensible impression upon Agrippa, who thus liberally acknowledged it to Paul, “ Thou almost persuadest me to become a Christian;" ingenuously intimating the validity of his apology. With great readiness Paul returned the compliment, with a fervent wish that the King, and all the audience, were entitled to all his own privileges as a Christian, but without his sufferings: "I would to GOD, that not only thou, but all who hear me this day also, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds!" pointing to his chain.

The assembly then broke up, and the King and Festus conferring apart, agreed as to his innocence. "This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds." And Agrippa then said to Festus, probably in the hearing of the audience," This man might have been dismissed, if he had not appealed to Cæsar." Ver. 28-32.

This public attestation of the Apostle's innocence, from so learned and noble a judge as Agrippa, was highly advantageous. It contributed to soften the prejudices of the Jews in general against Paul, as an apostate and subverter of the law of Moses; and to countervail the accusations of the chief priests, as false and malicious, which might follow him to Rome; while it tended to gain him greater indulgence from Festus, and a more favourable representation of his case to the Emperor, when sanctioned by so high and respectable a Jewish authority.

PAUL'S FIRST VISIT TO ROME.

The circumstances of Paul's voyage to Rome, are minutely detailed in the Acts, chap. xxvii. xxviii. 1-14, and have been noticed already, in the foregoing parts of this work. He arrived at Rome in the spring of the year, A.D. 62, where he was received with great respect and cordiality by the Christians, and kept in easy confinement until his trial, which did not take place for two years; when, on a hearing before Cæsar's tribunal, he was acquitted and discharged, either for want of prosecution on the part of the chief priests, or because they failed to substantiate their charges. The former is the more probable supposition; for after Agrippa's public declaration in Paul's favour, (whose influence and authority in Jerusalem was considerable, because he was entrusted with the nomination of the high priest, and the charge of the sacred treasury;) they had no encouragement to proceed in the prosecution; and were also liable to be punished at Rome, for bringing a false accusation against a Roman citizen; as Syllæus formerly was, with death, for bringing such against Herod. See p. 48 of this Volume.

During his stay in that capital of the world, and most advantageous station for preaching the Gospel; Paul, according to his uniform custom, first proposed it to his countrymen, the Jews, residing at Rome; who had not received any accounts to his prejudice, either by letter or otherwise, from Jerusalem; confirming the foregoing supposition, that no prosecution was intended to be carried on against him from thence; they only observed, that the sect of the Christians was “every where spoken against," Acts xxviii. 17-22.

Justin Martyr has accounted for the popular odium under which the Christians universally laboured, (foretold by OUR LORD, Matt. xxiv. 9,) as chiefly owing to the calumnies of the Jews, "who not only cursed them in their Synagogues, but sent out chosen men from Jerusalem, to acquaint the world, and more especially the Jews, every where, that the new sect, which sprung up from Jesus of Galilee, was atheistical and wicked, to be detested and avoided by all mankind." Dial. cum Trypho. p. 170, edit. Thirlby.

Paul held a long conference with their heads, on a day appointed, at his own lodging, from morning till evening, persuad

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