then the tribune dismiss'd the youth with this charge, don't tell any one, that you have given me this information.

at the same time he writ a letter to Felix to this purport.

The Jews having seiz'd this man, were just upon the point to dispatch him, when I march'd with a body to his rescue;

this man is known to be a pernicious fellow that goes about the world to raise seditions among the Jews: he is the ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes,

this the Jews confirm'd by declaring it was all fact.

Then the governour sign'd to Paul to reply; who said, I enter upon my defence with the greater confidence, by considering you have govern'd this nation several years:

unless it be, that I did indeed break out into this expression, it "is for the resurrection of the dead, that I am now call'd into question."

Then Felix adjourn'd them, saying, I shall inform myself more particularly of this sect, and when general Lysias comes, I will give you a full hearing.

this he frequently did, and convers'd with him upon the presumption that Paul would have

to this he answer'd, "I have not been guilty of any misdemeanour, either against the law, or against the temple, or against Cesar."

upon this, Festus having deliberated with his council, answer'd, "since you have appeal'd to Cesar, to Cesar you shall go."

then Festus said, "King Agrippa, and you that are here present, you see the man, against whom a numerous body of the Jews have been practising with me both at Jerusalem, and in this city, urging with vehemence, that he should not be suffer'd to live.

as I have no certain account to communicate to the emperor my master, I caus'd him to appear before this assembly, and before you, king Agrippa, in particular, that after he is examin'd, I may know how to represent the affair;

I think myself happy, king Agrippa, in having this opportunity of vindicating myself in your presence, from every thing the Jews have laid to my charge:

by delivering you from this people, and from the Gentiles to whom I now send thee, to open their eyes,

this heavenly vision, king Agrippa, I presently obey'd:

As he was thus making his defence, Festus broke out into this exclamation, "Paul, you are mad: much study has turn'd your brain."

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

they declar'd to one another, "this man has done nothing that deserves either death or imprisonment:"

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

having lost a good deal of time, and sailing being now dangerous, for the fast was now over, Paul gave them this warning,

this done, all hands aloft they frapp'd the ship tought with her cables, and for fear of striking upon the sands, they struck the main sail, and so drove.

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.

for an angel of that God, whose minister I am, and whom I serve, this night appear'd to me, and said, Paul, be not afraid:

take courage then, my friends, for I have this confidence in God, that what has been told me, shall be effected,

upon this Paul said to the centurion and his men, "except the crew stay aboard, you can't be safe:"

having said this, he took bread, and gave thanks to God, the whole company present: then he broke it and began to eat,

and the rest to get upon the planks, or other pieces of the wreck: and by this means it happen'd that they all came safe to land.

the barbarians seeing the venomous creature hang fast to his hand, said to one another, this man is a murderer, no doubt; for, escaped from the wreck, the divine justice still pursues him to death.

upon this several that were indispos'd in the island came to Paul, and were cur'd,

for this reason I desir'd to see and talk with you; it being for the expectation of Israel that I am subject to this chain."

but we should be glad to know your sentiments: for as to this sect, we are sensible it is every where inveigh'd against.

"go to this people and say, hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive.

for the heart of this people is become gross, their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted and I should heal them."

[ having said this, the Jews went out, warmly debating it among themselves.]

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

to all the beloved of God, the saints by this vocation, who are in Rome, grace to you, and peace from God our father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

amen. for this cause God gave them up to infamous passions: for even the sex perverted the instinct of nature:

I say, his goodness at this time: that he might appear to be just, and the justifier of him who believes in Jesus.

How then can we assert, "that Abraham our father obtained this from circumcision?"

Is this happiness then for the circumcised only, or for the uncircumcised also? for we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness.

now this saying, "that it was accounted to him," was not written for his sake alone,

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, so death by this sin; and thereby death passed upon all men, who all by his means became mortal.

the type of him that was to come: but yet the damage of the fall does not exactly correspond to the advantages of the divine favour: for tho' through the fall of one, mankind became mortal, yet this is greatly over-ballanced by the favour and bounty of God, in the benevolence of one man, Jesus Christ, to all mankind.

considering this, that our vicious passions were crucified with him, that the body of sin being destroyed, we might not any longer be vassals to sin.

O wretched man that I am, what shall deliver me from this body of death?

for I consider, that the sufferings of this present life are infinitely over-ballanc'd by that glory which shall hereafter be discovered to us.

who were not, by their own choice, expos'd to this uncertain state, but by virtue of him, who subjected them thereto:

and therefore hope to be removed from this slavish condition of mortality to the free inheritance of divine glory.

for we know that the whole creation groans, and labours with general pain even to this day.

What shall we conclude then from this? if God be for us, who can be against us?

for the words of the promise run thus, "at this time I will come, and Sara shall have a son."

this appears too from the case of Rebecca, who conceived twins by our father Isaac.

so that this is a matter not dependent on him that wills or runs, but on God, who shews mercy.

for 'tis said in scripture to Pharaoh, "even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth."

but the justification which is by faith, speaks in this manner; "say not in thine heart, who shall ascend into heaven, in order to bring Christ down from above?

but still I ask, did not Israel know this? first, Moses saith, "I will provoke you to jealousy, by those that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you."

in like manner at this time there is also a remnant chosen by the divine favour;

"What then, hath not Israel obtained what he sought for?" no, but the chosen remnant have obtained it, and the rest are obdurate to this day,

this concerns you Gentiles. for as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I should do honour to my character,

well, be it so, for their incredulity they were broken off, and you by faith stand firm: be not then elated, but let this be your fear,

I would not, brethren, have you ignorant of this secret, (for fear you should presume too much on your selves) that blindness has fallen upon a part of Israel, until the time when the Gentiles shall be fully come in.

for this is my covenant with them, that I shall take away their sins."

from a principle of conscience. for this is the reason why you also pay tribute, because under God, they are continually

loves others hath fulfilled the law. for this, "thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not covet;" and whatever social precept there be, it is reduced to this single head,

for to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

let us not judge one another any more: but rather come to this determination, not to put a stumbling-block, or any thing in a brother's way, that may make him fall.

and you Gentiles ought to glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, "for this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name ."

This has chiefly hindred me from coming to you.

when I have dispatch'd this affair, and have secur'd to them this collection, I will come to you in my way to Spain.

I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord.

where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputant of this age? has not God prov'd the wisdom of this world to be downright folly.

for this divine doctrine, as foolish and weak as men may think it, far surpasses all their wisdom, and baffles all their power.

However, what we preach is wisdom, to those who are thoroughly instructed: yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who will soon come to nothing.

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

this is what God has revealed to us by his spirit: for the spirit penetrates into all things, even the profound counsels of God.

now the spirit which we have received, is not the spirit of this world, but that which comes from God; that we might know what he has graciously bestowed upon us.

this is what we declare, not in the words which human wisdom, but which the holy spirit dictates; explaining spiritual things in a spiritual language.

now if upon this foundation somebody builds gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble: he that builds such work,

for the wisdom of this world is folly, in the eye of God: as it is written, "he surprizes the wise in all their artifices."

to this very day we suffer both hunger, thirst, and penury: we are buffeted from place to place, as vagabonds:

and when we are defamed, we intreat: in a word, we are look'd upon as the dregs and scum of mankind, even to this day.

This I don't write to give you any confusion, but by way of remonstrance, to you who are my dear children.

'tis for this end I have sent you Timothy, who is my dear disciple, and a faithful christian, who will inform you how I behave my self in every church where I teach the gospel of Christ.

this you have made a matter of levity, instead of being concern'd in discarding him that has done such an action.

as for me, though I am absent in person, yet being present by my authority, with regard to him that has committed this fact, I am come to the same resolution, as if I was present,

nay, in this case, you act injuriously, and do damage even to your brethren.

as to the married, I enjoin this rule, not as from my self, but from the Lord, that a woman should not leave her husband:

Whatever condition God has allotted to any man, let him go on in the same state he was in when he became a christian: this I give as a standing rule to all churches.

This I say, brethren, because the time is coming, when they who have wives will be as those that have none;

and they that possess this world, as those that can't make an ill use of it. for the scene of this world is continually shifting. I would have you free from anxiety.

And this I say for your particular advantage, not to lay any constraint upon you, but as that which is most suitable to a state of uninterrupted attendance upon religion.

But every one has not this knowledge: for some still imagine the idol represents a deity: and eat the meat under the notion of an offering to such a being: by which erroneous opinion they are infected with idolatry.

but take care that this liberty of yours does not prove a scandal to the weak.

my answer to those who call me to account, is this:

is this only the voice of reason? does not the law express the same too?

or is it said, no doubt, for our sakes? for our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he who plows should plow in hope; and that he who thresheth should expect the advantage.

if others partake of your substance, have not I a better title? nevertheless, I have not made use of this privilege; but bear with any thing rather than obstruct the gospel of Christ.

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.

now if I do this willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, it is a dispensation of trust which must be discharged.