* Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem ; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the Lord, which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god ; ' but also by deserting her husband after she had married him, and living in adultery, rather than a true and proper marriage with Felix. So that here are two evil persons, and yet they are willing to hear Paul preach concerning the faith in Christ. Wicked people may desire to hear the word out of curiosity ; so Herod heard John, Mark vi. 20 ; but they come not with an intent to believe, and do the things given them in charge.
In the text you have the issue and effect of this sermon : ' And as he reasoned of righteousness,' &c. In the words we have an account — [1.] Of the matter of Paul's sermon.
SERMON UPON ACTS XXIV. 25. 359
[2.] The effect and fruit of it.— (1.) 'Felix trembled;' (2.) De- layed, and put it off, * Go thy way,' &c. I. The matter.
1. In general, it was concerning faith in Christ, or the christian religion.
2. In particular, three heads are mentioned, ' Righteousness, temper- ance, judgment to come.' He made choice of these heads as plainest and easiest to be understood, and as a proper and suitable argument ; for Felix was publicly stained with vices contrary to these virtues. He was brother of Pallas, and one well known to the emperor Claudius. He was in his magistracy very unjust, acquiring great riches by bribes ; Tacitus reporteth him infamous for this. And he and Drusilla were intemperate and incontinent, living in adultery, and he using her as a wife, who was another man's. Paul was not ignorant of this. We must not shoot at rovers, but aim at a certain mark in our ministry. A physician that cometh to cure doth' not use at adventure one remedy for all diseases, but medicines proper to the malady of the patient. The method of converting sinners requireth this, to show what men must be that may stand in the judgment, holy, just, and temperate.
II. The effect and fruit on Felix's part. Of Drusilla there is nothing spoken. She being a Jewess, this doctrine was not new and strange to her ; but having heard it often, is not moved by it through hardness of heart. But of Felix we read two things —
1. His trembling, €/x(f)ol3o^y€v6ix€vo<i ; he is all in an agony, made up all of fear.
2. His delay and put off, ' Go thy way.' It is a civil denial and baffle put upon conscience. Conviction not improved usually makes a man turn devil. He might have cast him into irons, but he rageth not. It fared worse with Jonathan the high priest (as Josephus telletli us) when he had reproved Felix for his injustice and bribery. He sent assassins to murder him, who, mingling themselves with his servants, and mak- ing a broil in his family, killed him, so that the principal author and designer of the murder was not known. It fared better with Paul — (1.) Partly from the force of the present conviction ; it was so strong that he could not gainsay, but only seeketh to elude the importunity of it by the dream of a more convenient season. (2.) Partly from some mixture of his sin : ver. 26, ' He hoped that money should have been given him of Paul,' afia Se koX iXiri^cov. The text in the Greek joineth his fear and avarice together ; being afraid, he bids Paul depart, but hoped also that money should have been given. This expecting a gift, as it obstructed his conviction, so it broke his rage, and therefore he useth Paul the more civilly.
Doct. That a carnal man may be deeply affected with the christian doctrine, even to great agonies of conscience, and yet finally miscany.
This is evident in the instance of Felix, who trembled, but yet delayed, shaketii off the force of Paul's sermon by a pretence of business, and conlinueth in his sin ; for after this he expecteth a bribe, and because that came not, to pleasure the Jews he left Paul in bonds.
1. I shall speak of the nature of this trembling or agony of con- science which is here ascribed to Felix.
2. The cause of it, God's word, in the general ; and in particular, the doctrine of the last judgment.
360 SERMON UPON ACTS XXIV. 25.
3. The effects and fruit, how it doth or may come to nothing.
I. What is this trembHng ascribed to Fehx ? Trembling at the word of God is made a fruit and effect of special grace : Isa. Ixvi. 2, * To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.' And Ezra, attempting a reformation, gathered to him all that trembled at the words of the Lord God of Israel, Ezra x. 3.
I answer — We must distinguish of a fear sanctifying and a fear only awakening for a time ; of a fear that is a grace, and a fear that is only a pang of conscience. A fear sanctifying is such a sense of our danger as stirreth up in us a constant serious care to avoid the wrath of God and please him. So it is said, Prov. xvi. 6, ' By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.' This fear is a grace, an habitual disposition of soul, which is spoken of in the places alleged. The fear only awakening is such a sense of our danger as doth only trouble us for the present, but doth not put us upon the right way to remedy the evil we are convinced of : Eph. v. 14, ' Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light/ The awakening is a mercy, especially if we are not only awakened from our drowsy fits, but we arise from the dead. If we forsake the way of destruction, and betake ourselves to the service of God, we are safe.