þ Who 1s thought to have been one of Paxz!'s Company : But the hatred againſt Paul by the Jews being ſo general, be- cauſe of his (ſuppoſed) prophaning of the Temple, they were not ſo curious who they {pake to of this Confederacy and Leſign. Or rather ; there is no Counſel againſt God : the very Birds of the Air, if need were, ſhall carry the woice, and that which hath wings ſhal tell the matter, Eccleſ. 10. 22. For he that ſirterh in the heavens ſhall laugh : the Lord ſhall have them in deriſion, PFlak 2-4:
17 Then Paul called z one of the Centurions unto him, and faid, Bring this young man unto the chief captain :. for he hath a certain thing to tell him.
7 The Chief Captain having the Command of a Thouſand Soldiers, there were Ten Captains under him : One of cheſe Pauf entruſts with his Meſſage to the Chief Captain, nor making any particular Requeſt unto the Chief Caprain, ſuppoling him to have {o much of the Roman Juſtice in him, that when he underſtood his caſe, he would provide for his ſafety ; which he was not miſtaken 1n.
13 So he & took him, and brought him to the chiet
captain, and ſaid, Paul the 7 priſoner called me __- im,
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him, and prayed me to b:ing this young man unto thee, who hath ſomething to ſay unto thee.
k The Centurion took Pan's Kinſman, and went with him, a5 ke was Celired, unto the Chicf Captain, that there mjght Þe 0 miſtake, tt that he might hear all out of the young man's own mouth, and be the more affeQed with it. NO ea; Fe: it was cuſterrary to chain their Priſoners for tne!r £rcater {ccurity. And God is now retncmbring of Pax 1n Jus tonds.
19. Then the chief captain - took him by the hand, and went with 129 afide privately, and asked 4:79, What 15 that thou Eaſt to tell me ?
» Ie took him by the hand as a token of courtche : Theſ®e Commanders ſhewing an excellent example of humanity 2nd pity towards their interiors and ſuppoled criminals. There are {cyeral reaſons given of this great civility here uſed, as the chief C:ptain's naturally meek temper; or his policy to ſatisfy for the injury he had done to Paul, in binding of him being a Roman ; nav, Jome think that he, as well as Felix the Governour, hoped for money to be given unto him, Chap. 24. 26. but all theſe are bur eveſs, Tr is ſure, what 'of any of theſe caules were,” or vere not, God is to be ſeen and acknowledged in it, who hath the hearts of all men in his hands, and turneth them as at pleaſ- £th him, Prov. 27. 1.
22 And he ſaid, » Fhe Jews have agreed to delire thee, that thou wouldeft bring down Vaul to morrow into the council, as though they would enquire ſome- what of him more pertedtly. |
» Both the Council, and thoſe fourty 3nd upwards ſpoken of eerſe 12.13.
21 Put » do not thou yield unto them : For there lie in wait for him of them mo than fourty men, which have bou::d themſelves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till mo have killed him : and now are they ready, looking for a p promiſe trom thee. |
e This the young man deſires ont of his care for his Uncle's (Pauls) preſervation, as allo touched with the hozronr of the I act if it ſhould have been executed ; and howloever by this means he delivers his own Soul, having done hisutmoſt to hinder it, Þ The Match is laid, the hand is as it were lifted up, no- thing is wanting to Paws deſtru&ion, but the chief Caprain's conſent, which the Jews afſuredly expeRed, it being but a ſmall couitely to grant them, to examine a Priſoner, eſpecially ſuch an one as upon their complaiat was committed in a Cate cogno- ſcible by them : But, Deus e machina, Take counſel together, and it ſhall come to nought : ſpeak therword, and it ſhall not flana, for God i: with us, [la. 8.10.
1 Or, the chains |
Chap, oy ; A Title given to perſons cf great emirency is Lit ; it 15 SIVEN TO Theophilus, unto whom alto this Ra, Lk of Rigs inſcftibed, Chap. 1.1. 2 This Felix was Brother + bo; Fe who together with Narciſzs (the other of the Emp : Pos his Favourites) managed all publick affairs, and fon ſtorians branded for all the miſchicts of that £55: 6.ll, Thus Felix, and his Brother Pallas were born Slaics - mized by Claudius, and were ſuch as are exalted. 5 ; viderice will ſhew its power it hath in pulling up whom it pleaſeth,
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27 "This man was taken of the Jews, anq 7 have been killed of them, then came I with n 5... and reſcued 3 him, having underſtocd chat h- Roman. | |
s He repreſents Paul's Caſe fairly and indifferentiv, Ce J@... ruliwg his beart and pen ; but withal, he conceais 1{i, bind. © him, and inſtead thereof magnifies his care of him, being 1 + man; and probably being touched with a ſenſe of hi, "Me reprelents Paul's Caſe the better.
28 b And when 1 would have known the ens wheretore they accuſed him, I brought him to:th;... their council ; 5
6 The Council underſtanding thoſe queſtions (as he thee beli ; and having yet xctained ſome Power from the po. concerning them, be | 29 Whom I perceived to be accuſed of queſtion; their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge wor. thy of death, or of bonds. | |
e According to the Roman Laws, or Imperial Conflity;y. Thar he undervalued the greatthings in queſtion concerning .. Bleited Saviour's Death and Reſurre&ion, and the whiole Goſh) It 15 not to be wondered at ; he ſpake and wrote as a Pagan,
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God over-ruled his very flighting of theſe contiovertcs jy Paul's advantage, he being by that means preferved trom ths 1; of his enemies,
30 And when it was told me, how that the Jeu / laid wait for the man, 1 ſent him ſtraightway y thee, and gave commandment to his acculers 1, co ſay before thee what they had againſt him, « Fyz. well. |
a This refles upon the Jews, as being ſeditious, ard 1:11: to attempt againſt the Government ; as allo gives the Goreryy an account. why he troubled him with this Priſoner, ond he ſent fo great a guard with him. e The uſual prayer view. with they ended their Letters, as Chap. 15, 29.
31 Ihen the fouldiers, as it was cominandei them, took Paul and brought him f by night t
5 © man.
Antipatris,
f Not that they came to Antipstris by night ; Ut they beg that Journey by night, as verſe 25. and went. {5 much of i . they could by night, for fear of being diſcovered, and atop
ted upon by the Jews. g This Antipatris was buiit by Ent: