A compleat history and mystery of the Old and New Testament logically discust and theologically improved : in four volumes ... the like undertaking (in such a manner and method) being never by any author attempted before : yet this is now approved and commended by grave divines, &c. / by Christopher Ness ...

CHAP. XXV. Paul tryed before Festus.

THIS Chapter is resolved into Sundry Branches (under one General Head, namely, Paul's second Tryal before Portius Festus, as his first was before Faelix (in the fore∣going Chapter) This Tryal was first transacted before Festus alone, and then it was translated and devolved to King Agrippa. The transactions before Festus alone consist of Antecedents, Concomitants, and Consequents.

1st. The Antecedents concern; 1. Paul's Accusers, wherein is Related their impor∣tunity and impudence in giving to Paul this new trouble so soon as this new Gover∣nour was come into place, verse 1. Then their Cruelty and implacable hatred against the prisoner, ver. 2. And lastly their Craftiness in laying snares to take away Paul's life, verse 3. The 2. Concerns Paul's Judge, wherein we have an account both of his equity in denying their Petition, v. 4. yet granting them Liberty to implead Paul at Cesarea, ver. 5. and of his expedition in returning speedily from Jerusalem to dispatch this Tryal there, verse 6.

2ly. The Concomitants, which are two; 1. The Jews accusation of Paul, v. 7. And, 2. Paul's Apology and Answer to it for himself, ver. 8.

3ly. The Consequents are likewise two, 1. The sentence of the Judge, v. 9. And, 2. The Exception Paul entred against the Court and Judge, propounding his reasons, verse 10, 11. for his appealing unto Caesar, to which the Governour and Council con∣sented, verse 12. Now follow the causes why Paul's Tryal was translated to King Agrippa, which are two, 1. The Remote cause or occasion was the King's coming to visit Festus and to congrtulate his new Government, ver. 13. and who also was desirous to see and hear Paul, verse 22. But 2. The more immediate cause was Festus's discourse to Agrippa, first private in his own palace (herein he states the case with its Circumstances) v. 14, 15, 16, to 22. and then publick in the Common Hall, from v. 23. to 27. asking his advice, how to manage the appeal, &c. preparatorys to the Third Tryal.

The great truths to be Remarked from the whole Chapter, thus resolved, follow in course. The Remarks are these.

The first Remark is; The providence of God works all things for the good of those that love God, Rom. 8.28. Paul spake that word from his own experimental know∣ledge, For 1. It wrought well for Paul that Judea was not not [sui juris] that is invest∣ed with a power of life and death within it self (then Paul had undoubtedly gone to the Pot before this time) but it was a providence under the Roman power for Paul's relief. And,

2. 'Twas no less a good providence to Paul, that the old Governour (Faelix) was Cashiered out of his Office, who had so wrongfully detained him a prisoner for two years, only because Paul would not, or rather could not bribe him; tho' his preaching so powerfully had made him tremble before: But as that qualm soon Evaporated, so did his honour, for at Festus's coming to the Government, he was packed away to Rome (a bound prisoner as he had kept Paul bound so long) to answer before the Emperor Nero for his barbarous misdemeanours laid to his charge by the Jews in his Govern∣ment: A right reward for him, who, to please the Jews, left Paul bound, Acts 24.27. to pacify them, that they might not pursue him with their complaints for his exactions and cru∣elties: this man-pleaser cared not to please the great God, nor to profit good men A new Governour therefore could not but be more easy to Paul, &c. verse 28. Acts 24.

The second Remark is; Oh! how restless is the rage and enmity which the persecu∣tors of the truth have against the professors and preachers of it, as here, verse 2, 3.

The High Priest (to make good Paul's calling him a whited wall) and the chief of the Jews (who should have protected the truth) all turn informers to persecute the truth giving private intelligence (as the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 here signifieth) to this New Gover∣nour, and buzzing salfe reports into his ears against Paul: Oh! what Priests and Ru∣lers were these! and how are they hurryed headlong by a Diabolical Spirit to request with utmost impudence such a favour of Festus, (as they call'd it) namely, to send a∣way Paul up to Jerusalem, when themselves had hired bloody Russians to murder him in the way, an act to be abhorred of all humaned kind as notoriously contrary both to the Law of Nature, and of all Nations, Gentiles as well as Jews. Thus were even the chiefest of those Jews given up of God even to a reprobate sense a very little be∣fore their final destruction: And thus Dangerous it is for men in Authority to Corrupt Justice and not only to Degenerate from the Truth, but also to become persecutors of it.

The third Remark is; How easy it is with the most wise God to baffle and blast the most cunning contrivances of the Devil and his Instruments against his Church and Children as he did here the Plot of the priests against Paul whom they designed to Assassinate in his Journey to Jerusalem. No, saith Festus, ver. 4. he shall be kept at Cesarea, &c. N.B. It is more than probable that Faelix had informed this Festus of the Jews's Malice against Paul, and the rather because the Jews had informed the Emperor against him: Such men will not stick to recriminate where they can have an opportunity and no doubt but this information of Faelix made Festus more favourable and carry fairer to Paul, not daring to trust him among the malicious Jews.

This was a marvelous good providence of God for Paul's preservation: Thus God sees and smiles, he looks and laughs at all the Plots of the wicked against the godly, Psal. 2.4. and 37.12, 13. and 52.6. and 59.8. yea he laughs them to nothing: There∣fore may we commit our present Calamitous case and cause to him as to a faithful Creat∣or, 1 Pet. 4.19. He judgeth righteously, &c.

The fourth Remark is; To be loaded with Calumnies hath been the common, and constant condition of God's Servants continued along under all times of both the old and the new Testaments, as is easily obvious to every ordinary observer of the sacred Story: So 'tis here [the Jews stood round about Paul, the prisoner, and laid many and grie∣vous Crimes against him which they could not prove] ver. 7. Acts 25. it seems, tho' Festus would not grant that which those Incarnate Devils called a Favour, namely, an Op∣portunity of killing Paul in his Journey to Jerusalem, yet yielded he that the worst of them, (who were able to Travel) might do their best against him in his Tryal at Cae∣sarea, ver. 5, 6. whether he hastened for that purpose. N.B. Now the Court conveneth, the Judge sits upon the bench, and the prisoner is brought to the barr, the Jews accuse him of three Heinous offences (as appeareth in Paul's answer to them) the first Crime they charged him with is his Breaking the Law of God, Professed by the Jews, the second is his Prophaning the Temple of God; and the third was he had Committed high Treason against the Emperour Nero: none of those three gross and Capital offences could the Accusers demonstrate by any substantial or sufficient Evidence, were it sufficient to Im∣peach, no man could be Innocent, &c.

The fifth Remark is; The Servants of Christ are happy in their own Innocency, while their Adversaries render themselves so much the more unhappy, by how much the more they do belye them and most wrongfully calumniate them. As they did Paul here, who from his own Ex∣perience spake [that the Ministers of the Gospel must pass through evil report and good, by honour and dishonour, yet keep their Integrity,] 2 Cor. 6.48. N.B. Hearing evil for doing well (said that Martyr) is writ upon▪ Heaven's Doors: Reproach is the rude reward of a Religious Righteousness. Hence Luther became proud of his Reproaches, saying, Superbus sio, quod vid eo nomen pessimum mihi crescere, &c. Paul easily wipes of these three Reproaches, answering, that 1. He had been always a Religious observer of the Law 2. He went devoutly into the Temple upon a Religious account. and 3. He never had taught any Rebellion against Caesar, nor acted any thing to disturb the Emperour's Go∣vernment, ver. 8. None of which affirmations his Enemies were able to disprove.

The sixth Remark is; Carnal polititians care not to consider oft times what is Righteous in it's own nature, so much as what is of use for their present purpose, be it right or wrong: as Fes∣tus here (like Felix before him) was willing enough to do the Jews a pleasure verse 9. with chap. 24.27. Paul probably perceived that Festus was now warping towards popu∣larity in asking [wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, &c?] Apparently inclining to favour the Jews because Felix had been displaced upon their complaints against him therefore would he merit their Opinion of him, by making this offer to Paul, whom he could not command to make the Jews his Judges being a Roman Citizen, therefore saith Paul to him, [I am now before Caesars Tribunal, whose Vice-gerent thou art, and who only ought to Judge a Citizen of Rome,] ver. 10. begging no favour but justice, Appealing to Caesar himself from this partial Judge, ver. 11. This he might challenge (from the suspicion of Festus) as his Roman priviledge and this he did for these Reasons, 1. To make Cae∣sar more favourable to himself, and to other Christians. 2. Because he apprehended it far more safety to himself, and to the Church: and 3. He was warranted by a Divine Revelation from Christ himself to make this Appeal, Acts 23.11. which extrrordina∣ry information of his going to Rome could not but be a mighty support, and strong con∣solation to him in his intervening conflicts; and Festus was glad of this appeal, that with∣out peril on the one hand, and ill-will on the other, he might quit his own hands of such an Intricate affair which he understood not, ver. 12.

The seventh Remark is; God will not be wanting to his Servants in straits, but will dispose of matters in order to their Deliverance, when it may conduce to his own glory, and their good. Thus it is here, ver. 13, 14, 15, 16, &c. King Aggrippa must come to congratulate Festus, who must declare the case of God's oppressed Servant to the King, how the Jews at Jerusalem desired Judgment against Paul, Indictâ causâ, with∣out a fair hearing on both sides, Festus must condemn this by the light of nature and of nations to be an unjust desire, and quite contrary to the Roman Custom especially against a Roman Citizen: by this means the wicked malice of the Jews was made manifest and Paul's preservation was provided for, yea and God's design of Paul's publishing the Gospel at Rome it self, (according to the Divine Revelation, Acts 23.11.) was likewise hereby promoted. Thus the Lord will be seen in the Mount, for his distressed Ser∣vants when it will have a tendency to his honour, he will raise up some Festus or other to open the oppressed man's Cause, as God did the Chief Buttler in the cause of Joseph, Gen. 41.9, &c. and Jonathan in David's cause, 1 Sam. 18.3. and 19.2, &c.

The eighth Remark is; 'Tis Notorious injustice in a Judge to pass Sentence of Con∣demnation upon a person unheard, and not permitted to make his best defence for himself, &c. This baseness was below the Roman Gallantry, while Pagans, v. 16. The accusers must stand face to face to the accused.

NB. The Roman manner was: The Accusers sat in those Seats that were at the left hand of the accused and his advocate at the right hand: The Plaintiff had three hours allotted him, the Defendant had six; and if he were cast, yet was he not given up to his Adversaries to be punished at pleasure (as those Jews would have had Paul here) but as the Judge appointed it. Nor was this manner of administring Justice only according to the excellent Law of the Romans, but also according to that more excel∣lent Law of the Jews (given to them by God himself) Deut. 21.4. Nay, the contra∣ry practice was against the Law of nature, and of all nations, yet such a Diabolical Spi∣rit of malice had so blinded the Jews, that as they had got Christ condemned when the Judge himself had declared him Innocent Luke 23.4. so they would have served his servant, the Apostle Paul here, for which attempt this Pagan Judge Festus reproves them, and the light even of nature condemnes them: Indeed such hath ever been the Devils malice against the servants of Christ, that in all Ages he pusheth on Impious

Judges into those precipitant practices of condemning them without any f••r Tryal or fully hearing their defences, well knowing the power of truth, that should it be suffered to be throughly scann'd he is very jealous his Kingdom would fall: Nichode∣mus saith, John 7.51, Our Law is otherwise, Deut. 1.17. and 17.8, &c. and 19.15.

The ninth Remark is; Pagans and Prophane persons have low, vile and undervaluing thoughts and apprehensions of the most high and Holy things of God: Here this Hea∣then Governor Festus calls the Religion and Worship (which was of God's own in∣stitution) most prophanely no better than by that contemptible name of Superstition, verse 19. as if it had been [Super statutum] above the Statute; and how slightly doth he also speak of our dear Redeemer, only stiling him [one Jesus] Alas! those Dunghil Cocks know not the price of that precious pearl (neither the Master, nor the Servant, and therefore do they vilify them in their vain imaginations and with their opprobrious Expressions, as is done here.

The tenth Remark is; Truth and Innocency shine forth more splendidly by the more opposition that is raised against them, from v. 20. to the end. Festus is offended to find the Church imbroyl'd with Questions (would to God it were not so now, &c.) he consults with Agrippa what to do; Agrippa desires to hear Paul (as Herod did to hear the Baptist, Mark 6.20. and to see Christ, Luke 23.8.) Hereupon Festus proclaims Paul's innoceny, and therein his own injustice, in not acquitting the innocent; Long delayed justice oft proveth more heavy than speedy injustice. Festus pretends he knew not by what rule or Judges Paul's case could be decided, but intends to force his return to the Sanhe∣drim (in favour of the Jews, v. 9.) had he not been over ruled by Paul's appeal to Caesar which Festus durst not deny. Thus the providence of God wrought all matters for Paul's Justification and for the Jews Just reproof; the Judge here had no Crime to inform Caesar of against Paul▪ &c.