then the tribune taking him by the hand, retir'd with him in private, and ask'd, what he had to say.

having been informed he was a Roman, I had him brought before their Sanhedrim, to hear what crime they laid to his charge.

and having intelligence that the Jews had form'd a conspiracy against him, I immediately sent him to you, directing his accusers to lay their charge before you. farewel.

and here they ought to have appear'd, if they had any thing to object against me.

as they continued there for some time, Festus represented Paul's case to the king: Felix, said he, had left here a certain prisoner:

I told them, it was not the custom of the Romans to deliver up any man, till he was accus'd and confronted by his accusers, and had an opportunity of pleading to the charge.

but finding he had done nothing that deserv'd death, I have resolved to send him to the emperor, to whom he had appealed.

When he had said this, the king, the governour, Bernice, and all that were seated near them, rose up: and being retired,

nay, Agrippa said to Festus, "this man might have been discharg'd if he had not appeal'd to Cesar."

when we were nigh the isle Clauda, we had much ado to hoist in the skiff.

For several days, we had not seen either sun or stars: the tempest still bore hard: all our hopes of escape quite sunk,

and our spirits droop with fasting: when Paul presented himself, and said, "well, my friends, it had been, if I could have prevail'd upon you, to have sav'd your selves all this perplexity and loss by staying at Crete.

It was the fourteenth night that we had been driving up and down in the Adriatick sea, when the ship's crew about midnight suspected they were making to land:

but the crew under pretext of dropping their anchors to moor, had hoisted out the boat; designing to make off:

when they had eat enough, they threw the wheat over board to ease the ship:

who had a mind to save Paul, prevented their design: and order'd all that could swim immediately to get off to shore,

however, they expected to have seen him swell, or suddenly die away. but when they had waited a good while, and saw no harm come to him, they were of another opinion, and said he was a God.

The chief of the island, one Publius, had his estate in that quarter: he entertain'd us with diet and lodging for three days with great civility.

After having been there three months, we embark'd on board the Castor and Pollux from Alexandria, that had put in there by hard weather:

the brethren there having had news of us, came as far as Appiiforum, and the Three inns to meet us: whom when Paul saw, he gave thanks to God, and was greatly encourag'd.

Having therefore set him a day, they came in great numbers to his lodgings; where he explain'd and confirm'd the reality of the gospel-dispensation, from morning to night, enforcing what the writings of Moses and the prophets had affirm'd concerning Jesus.

some believed what he had said, but others did not believe:

so not being able to agree, they retir'd, upon Paul's having told them, that the holy spirit had very justly said to our fathers by the prophet Esaias,

After this, Paul staid two whole years in a house he had hired, and gave access to all that visited him,

which God had promised by his prophets in the holy scriptures,

whom God had ordained, thro' faith, to be the propitiatory victim by his blood, for the manifestation of his goodness, by patiently passing over their past transgressions: to manifest,

for if Abraham was justified by works, he had matter of pretension, whereas he had no such claim from God.

and the father of the circumcised, that is of those who are not barely circumcised, but who imitate that faith which our father Abraham had, being yet uncircumcised.

because the effect of the law is punishment: for if there had been no law, there could have been no transgression.

by the full persuasion he had, that what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned by violating a positive law, as did Adam, who is

what benefit had you then in those things whereof you are now ashamed? since they terminated all in death.

Do we then conclude, that the law is the cause of sin? by no means; but I should not have had such a notion of sin, had it not been for the law: for I should not have known concupiscence was a sin, unless the law had said, "thou shalt not covet."

who are Israelites; who had the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the law, the form of divine worship, and the promises;

for before they were born, and had done neither good or evil, that the distinction which God had purposed to make might appear to be, not in consideration of their actions, but of his own free call,

if the divine Being has patiently bore with those objects of his displeasure, that had been working out their own destruction, why may he not reveal himself to make them feel his vindictive power,

and display his infinite goodness to such objects of mercy, as he had prepared for glory?

and as Esaias said before, "except the God of heaven had left us a remnant, we had been as Sodoma, and brought to the state of Gomorrha."

For Moses describes the justice that was to be had by the law, thus : "the man who performeth the things here required, shall have life thereby."

but now there being no further occasion for me in these parts, and having had a great desire these many years to visit you;

lest any should say, I had baptized into mine own name.

but we explain that mysterious plan of divine wisdom, which God had contriv'd before the ages, for our glory:

which none of the rulers of this age understood: for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

for who has distinguish'd thee above another? or what have you, that you did not receive? now if you did receive it, why do you glory as if you had not received it?

for it seems as if God had exposed us apostles the last upon the stage, as persons appointed to death. for we are made a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men.

but I have not made use of these advantages. neither have I writ this to obtain such maintenance: for I had rather die for want, than be deprived of such matter of glorying.

and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, "take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me."

and tho' I should have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and tho' I had all the faith necessary to remove mountains, and had no benevolence, it would signify nothing.

I wish you all had the gift of languages, but rather that you expounded: for greater is he that expounds, than he that speaks unknown languages, except he interpret what he says, that the church may be edified by it.

yet in the church I had rather speak five words that convey my meaning to the instruction of others, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

and the hopes I had of you continue still the same, knowing that as you have had your share of suffering, so you will likewise have of consolation.

The affliction I have had, comes only from a particular quarter, so that my resentment does not affect the whole church.

for this was one view I had in writing, to have this trial of you, whether you are intirely obedient.

since that which distinguished the first had no glory, when compared to that of the other, which far excell'd it.

besides, their minds were greatly prejudiced: for that very veil would still have obstructed the understanding of the old testament, unless it had been taken away by Christ.

Having by the same spirit the same faith as David had when he said, "I believed, and therefore have I spoken:" I also believe, and therefore I speak;

for when I came to Macedonia, I had no respit from the trouble that beset me on every side: oppositions from without, and apprehensions within.

For tho' I was sorry my letter gave you some uneasiness, I do not repent of it, perceiving, that the uneasiness you had from that letter, did not dwell upon your minds.

now I rejoice, not at your uneasiness, but at your repentance which succeeded: for your sorrow was a religious sorrow, such as convinc'd you I had done you no wrong.

'tis observable, even this religious sorrow which you had, what solicitude has it not wrought in you, what apologies, what indignation, what fear, what desire, what zeal, yea, what revenge! so that by your whole conduct, ye have shown your selves to be clear from guilt in this matter.

wherefore, my writing to you so severely did not proceed from any prejudice to him, that had done the wrong, or from favour to him that suffered wrong, but to show my conscientious regard to your welfare.

I therefore desired Titus, as he had begun, to finish this contribution among you.

as it is written, " he that had much, had nothing over, and he that had little, had no lack."

for if the Macedonians should come with me, and find you unprepared, how shall I, not to say you, be ashamed for having had so little ground to boast of you?

tho' if I had a mind to glory, I might do it without vanity, for I should say nothing but what is true: but now I forbear, lest any man should ascribe more to me than my actions, or my preaching can justify.

and lest I should be exalted above measure by the extraordinary revelations I have had, I was afflicted in my person, so that the messenger of satan insulted me; concerning which,

now I pray God that I may not punish you; not that I may show you my proofs to your cost, but that by your acting honestly, I may be as if I had no proofs:

for do I now act in obedience to men, or to God? or do I seek to please men? if I had hitherto pleased men, I should not have been the servant of Christ.

who had only heard, that I, who formerly persecuted them, did now preach the gospel of faith, which I once endeavoured to suppress:

But as for those who were men of real eminency, how considerable soever they were heretofore, it does not any ways affect me; God accepts not the person of any man: for they who were of note, in conference with me, had nothing new to add.

on the contrary, when they perceived that I had the province of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, as Peter had that of preaching it to the Jews,

(for he that had wrought powerfully in Peter with respect to his apostleship among the Jews, had also wrought powerfully in me upon account of the Gentiles:) and when James,

O foolish Galatians, who hath deluded you, you that have had the crucifixion of Jesus Christ represented to your view?

Is the law then opposite to the promises? by no means. for if there had been a law given, which could have given life, certainly justification should have been by the law.

what benedictions did you then pour out upon me! for I bear you witness, that, had it been practicable, you would have pulled out your very eyes, and given them to me.

for it is there written, Abraham had two sons, the one by a bond-maid, the other by a free-woman.

according as he had chosen us in himself before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, free from vice, and devoted to virtue.

for he has discover'd to us the secret of his will, that out of his meer good pleasure, he had purposed in himself,

It is by him, that we have a share in the inheritance, which was before allotted to us, in consequence of his design, who executes the whole plan, as he himself had contriv'd it:

for he hath made us a-new, and form'd us by Christ Jesus to do good works, for which God had before prepared us, that we might live in them.

now his having ascended, what does it mean, but that he had descended into the lower parts of the earth?

however I thought it necessary to send you Epaphroditus my brother, my collegue in the ministry, and my fellow-soldier, whom you had sent to supply my wants:

but God had pity on him, and not on him only, but on me likewise, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.

among whom you had your conversation, when you followed their practices.

on the contrary, notwithstanding the outrages, you know we suffer'd at Philippi, we had still the resolution, by the divine assistance, to preach the gospel of God to you without reserve against all opposition.

our address to you was without any flattery, as you yourselves can witness, and God is witness that we had no avarice to disguise.

to the condemnation of all those, who instead of embracing the gospel, had pleasure in iniquity.

not, that we had no just claim, but to present ourselves as a pattern, which you should imitate,

for which they are much to be condemn'd, because they violate the engagements they had before enter'd into:

At my first defence, I had no assistance, for every body deserted me. I wish it may never be laid to their charge.

I left you in Crete, to regulate what was amiss, and to ordain pastors in every city, as I had appointed you,

he saved us not in consideration of any virtuous actions which we had done, but out of his meer mercy, by the baptism of regeneration, he form'd us anew, by the plentiful effusion of the holy spirit,

I had rather apply to your benevolent temper, and desire you would regard the years of Paul, who am now also a prisoner for Jesus Christ,

but Jesus, who was for a while inferior to the angels by his sufferings and death, we see was crown'd with glory and honour; when by the divine goodness, he had pass'd thro' death for every man.

Since then the children were made subject to a state of mortality, so he himself likewise was subject to the same condition: that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

for we were receiv'd into the communion of Christ, upon condition of inviolably maintaining the hope we had at the beginning even unto the end,

for some when they had heard his voice, did provoke him: however, not all that were brought out of Egypt by Moses did so.

but with whom was he displeased forty years? was it not with those that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the desert?

for if Joshuah had given them rest, David would not afterwards have mentioned another day.

and after he had patiently waited, he obtained what was promised.