Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

that Paul was innocent, and yet he did not release him. He had frequent conversations with him, but the sacred historian tells us, that his object was that Paul should bribe him with money, in order to obtain his liberty. The Lord Jesus had furnished his Apostle with arguments which could make the sinner tremble, but he had not furnished him with money to buy his favour, and so Felix kept Paul a prisoner for no less than two years; and when he was removed, to make room for Porcius Festus, who was appointed in his place, he continued Paul in prison, just to please

the Jews.

Let the reader be willing to pause one moment, to ask himself the question, whether he has never stifled the convictions which may have been produced in his mind, by the faithful declaration of the word of God? Like Felix, perhaps, you may be inclined to dismiss the preacher, and turn away from those offensive subjects, by which your consciences are alarmed. Are you resolved then, to cast off all thoughts of God and eternal things? No, you hope that at some future opportunity you shall be more at liberty to attend to your

spiritual concerns. What means this putting off? Is not your short life hastening to a close? Is not judgment approaching? May you not soon be called before the tribunal of heaven? Or, may you not, by your unwillingness to submit, provoke God to leave you to your own devices, and say, in righteous indignation, "let him alone?" To what other season are you looking forward, or what can be so convenient as the present? "Now is the accepted time, and now is the day of salvation."

CHAPTER XVII.

The celebrated speech of Paul, before Festus and Agrippa.

ABOUT the year 60, Porcius Festus succeeded Felix in the government of Judea, and when he came to Cesarea found Paul there a prisoner. After he had remained three days, he set off for Jerusalem. When he first reached that city, some of the principal Jews solicited him to condemn Paul, or at least to

order him from Cesarea to Jerusalem. Their hope was to get some opportunity of murdering him by the way. This design was again frustrated by God, for Festus would not consent to it, but told his accusers that they must go down to Cesarea. After remaining in Jerusalem a little over ten days, Felix returned to Cesarea; and the next day commanded Paul to be brought into the court. The Jews from Jerusalem appeared as his accusers, but they could prove nothing against him. Festus however, desirous of pleasing the Jews, asked Paul if he was willing to go to Jerusalem to be tried. This showed that Festus disregarded all justice, and was willing to deliver Paul to the malice of his foes. It was on this occasion that the Apostle made the following brief, yet most judicious answer: "I stand at Cesar's judgment-seat," that is, I stand for trial before a Roman tribunal, "where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as thou very well knowest. For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die; but if there is no truth in any of these things whereof these accuse me, no man has a right to deliver me to them. I

appeal to Cesar." This was the last resort of a Roman citizen. It was his privilege to be tried before the emperor himself, and such an appeal stopped all proceedings in any of the lower courts. The appeal of Paul to the emperor was not the effect of cowardice—his whole history shows that he was above fear. It was because he knew that he could get no justice done him in any of the inferior tribunals. It is the duty of a Christian to assert his civil rights, and always to demand the protection which the laws of his country allow him. In his perilous situation, Paul took the only course which his duty or safety could dictate; and it was therefore determined that he should go to Rome to be tried. Thus the desire of the Apostle to visit that city was brought about, though in a very different way probably from what he expected.

Not long after these occurrences, Festus received a visit from Agrippa and his sister Bernice. The purpose of this visit appears to have been to congratulate Festus on his being made governor of Judea. At this time, Agrippa had the provinces of Gaulonitis, Trachonites, Batanea, Paneas, and Abilene

under his government, with the title of King. He had afterwards Julias, in Perea, and a part of Galilee, on the west of the sea of Tiberias. These were added to his government by the emperor Nero. During the visit which Agrippa and his sister made to Festus, in the course of conversation the subject of Paul's imprisonment was mentioned. Festus gave

the following account of the matter, in which he, no doubt, pretends to a careless ignorance of the doctrines held by the Apostle. He thus states the case to Agrippa :-"There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix: about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him. 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 crime laid against him. Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay, on the morrow I sat or the judgment-seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth; against whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »