SERMON UPON ACTS XXIY. 25.
And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled : and answered, Go thy way for this time ; ivhen I have a convenient season, I will call for thee. — Acts xxiv. 25.
In this chapter you have — (1.) The story of Paul's accusation by Tertullus ; (2.) Paul's defence ; (3.) The event, Felix's humanity to Paul ; where three things are observable —
1. He deferred the business : ver. 22, ' When Felix heard those things, having more perfect knowledge of that way, he deferred them, and said, When Lysias, the chief captain, shall come down, I will know the uttermost of your matter ; ' that is, understanding the affairs of christians better than they were represented to him by Tertullus, having governed the province jointly with Cumanus for awhile, and afterwards being sole governor himself, he well understood the differ- ence between the Jews and christians as to the external state of the controversy ; that is the meaning of ' having more perfect knowledge of that way.' Not that he knew or accurately understood the tenor of christian doctrine, but that he well knew how hardly and unjustly the christians were handled by the Jews. He knew that Christ and christians were not guilty of sedition against the Eoman commonwealth, but that Ciirist was delivered to Pilate out of mere envy ; that the christian religion was confirmed by notable miracles ; that those that professed Christianity were eminent above all other sects of the Jews for great modesty and piety, nor so prone to raise mutinies and troubles as the rest of the Jews. This he knew, and this moved him to show Bome favour to Paul, by putting off the Jews, under a pretence to speak further with the chief captain, Lysias. Which teacheth us that the religion and innocency of the primitive christians was such, that in some measure it got them favour in the sight of heathens. Christians are holy chiefly for this end, that they may please God and save their souls ; but yet this is one motive by wliich they are quickened to holy conversation and godliness, that they may give no occasion to the enemies to blasplieme, but rather may have a good report among them which are without, and so invite them to a love of the truth and ways of God : 1 Peter ii. 12, ' Having your conversation honest among the gentiles, that whereas they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day
358 SERMON UPON ACTS XXIV. 25.
of visitation ; ' Col. iv. 5, ' Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time;' 1 Thes. iv, 11, 12, ' That ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your hands, as you are commanded ; that you may walk honestly towards them that are without, and that you may have lack of nothing.' Those that by scandals do hinder other men's salvation can hardly be certain of their own.
2. He gave Paul more liberty : ver. 23, ' And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come to him.' Though he kept him yet in bonds, yet he was not a close prisoner, but had liberty of conversing with his friends. Where learn —
[1.] When afflictions are not wholly taken away, yet it is a mercy to have a mitigation. Paul, from his closer restraint, had his condition en- larged, and God gave him some more liberty, though not a full deliver- ance. Christ himself, though he could not obtain that the cup should pass away, yet was comforted and supported by an angel, Luke xxii. 42, 43. So Paul, in another case, had grace sufficient for him, though the messenger of Satan that buffeted him was not taken away, 2 Cor. xii. 8, 9. Thus God often sweeteneth our afflictions when he doth not remove them, and remembereth mercy in the midst of judgment.
[2.] Observe, ' He should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come to him ; ' which showeth the kindness of christians one to another, in affording mutual help and comfort in their necessities and afflictions ;
* He should forbid fjbrjheva tcov ISicov, none of his own,' i.e., of his own company, 'to come to him;' as Acts iv. 23, 'They went Trpo? rot'? i8lov<;, unto their own company.'
3. The third office of humanity and kindness from Felix to Paul was, that he was desirous to hear him preach : ver. 24, ' After certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ ; ' that is, of the christian religion. This Drusilla was the sister of Herod Agrippa, who killed James and imprisoned Peter, Acts xii. In histories she is said to have deserted her husband, the king of the Emisens, and to have lived uncleanly with Felix. Now, being a Jewess by religion, she had not only sinned against the law by marrying an uncircumcised person, or a worshipper of a strange god : Mai. ii. 11,