whom also he sent an account of the whole proceedings of the Jews against the prisoner, and at the same time ordered his accusers also to appear before the Roman magistrate.

Accordingly Paul was conducted to Antipatris, and afterward to Cæsarea, where, the letters being delivered to Felix, the apostle was also presented to him; and finding that he belonged to the province of Cilicia, he told him that as soon as his accusers were come down, he would determine the affair; and in the mean time commanded him to be secured in the place called Herod's judgment-hall.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

TRIAL BEFORE FELIX; APPEALS TO CÆSAR; ARRIVAL AT ROME; DWELLS
IN PEACE AT THAT CITY; HIS MARTYRDOM; OBSERVATIONS
UPON HIS CHARACTER.

BOUT five days after this, Ananias, the high priest, with others of the Sanhedrim, came down to Cæsarea, and brought with them an advocate named Tertullus, who, in a speech set off with all the insinuating arts of eloquence, to prepossess the governor in their favor, accused Paul of being a seditious person and a disturber of the public peace; who had set himself at the head of the Nazarenes, and made no scruple of profaning even the temple itself.

The orator having finished his charge against the apostle, Felix told Paul that he was at liberty to make his defense; which he did by giving a history of his efforts, and the motives which prompted him thereto.

Felix having thus heard both parties, refused to pass any final sentence till he had more fully advised about it, and consulted Lysias, the governor of the castle, who was the most proper person to give an account of the sedition and tumult; commanding, in the mean time, that Paul should be kept under a guard, but at the same time enjoy the liberty of being visited by his friends, and receiving from them from them any office of friendship.

Soon after this, Felix's wife, Drusilla, a Jewess, and daugh ter of the elder Herod, came down to him to Cæsarea, in whose presence the governor sent for Paul, and gave him leave to explain the doctrines of christianity. In this discourse the apostle took occasion to insist upon the most important points, both of faith and practice, particularly the influence which a future judgment should have upon the whole tenor of the life and conduct. This discourse was wisely adapted to the state and temper of Felix; though when Paul described the terrors of the last judgment, he trembled on his throne, and was so greatly affected that he caused the apostle to break off abruptly, telling him that he would hear the remainder at a more convenient season.

He had much intercourse with Paul afterward, but not finding his selfish ambition gratified, he kept him prisoner two years; and left him there when he retired from office, in order to gratify the malice of the Jews, and engage them to speak the better of his government.

At length Paul appealed unto Cæsar; and soon after, king Agrippa, who succeeded Herod in the tetrarchate of Galilee, and his sister Bernice, came to Cæsarea to visit the governor.

Festus, who had succeeded Felix, embraced this opportu nity of mentioning the case of the apostle to king Agrippa, together with the remarkable tumult the affair had occasioned among the Jews, and his appeal unto Cæsar. This excited the curiosity of the king, who was desirous of hearing what Paul had to say for himself. Accordingly he was brought before them, and made a speech, addressed particularly to Agrippa, wherein he again related the circumstances of his conversion, and his commission to preach the gospel, and his determination to continue in the work.

It was finally determined, however, that Paul should be sent to Rome, and, with several other prisoners of conse quence, he was committed to the care of Julius, commander of a company belonging to the legion of Augustus; and was accompanied in his voyage by Luke, Aristarchus, Trophimus, and some others not mentioned by the sacred historian.

In the month of September, they embarked on board a