CHAPTER we must be cast upon a certaine Iland. But when the fourteenth night was come, as wee were driven up and downe in Adria about midnight, the shipmen deemed that they drew neere to some countrey and sounded, and found it twentie fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded againe, and found it fifteene fathoms. Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rockes, they cast foure ancres out of the sterne, and wished for the day. And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let downe the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast ancres out of the fore-ship, Paul said to the Centurion, and to the souldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved. Then the souldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off. And while the day was comming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have taried, and continued fasting, having taken nothing. Wherefore, I pray you to take some meat, for this is for your health: for there shall not an haire fall from the head of any of you. And when hee had thus spoken, hee tooke bread, and gave thankes to God in presence of them all, and when he had broken it, he began to eate. Then were they all of good cheere, and they also tooke some meat. And we were in all, in the ship, two hundred, threescore and sixteene soules. And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea. And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certaine creek, with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship. And when they had taken up the ankers, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the maine saile to the winde, and made toward shore. And fall- and suffer ing into a place where two seas met, they ranne the shippe shipwracke, a ground, and the forepart stucke fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves. And the souldiers counsel was to kil the prisoners, lest any of them should swimme out, and escape. But the Centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and commanded that they which could swimme, should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land: and the rest, some on boords, and some on yet all come broken pieces of the ship: and so it came to passe that they safe to land. escaped all safe to land. CHAPTER Paul, after his The viper on his hand hurteth him not. He healeth many diseases in the Iland. A CHAPTER XXVIII ND when they were escaped, then they knew that the Iland was called Melita. And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindnesse: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one because of the present raine, and because of the cold. And when Paul had gathered a bundle of stickes, and layde them on the fire, there came a Viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. And when the Barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they saide among themselves, No doubt this man is a murtherer, whom though hee hath escaped the Sea, yet Vengeance suffereth not to live. And hee shooke off the beast into the fire, and felt no harme. Howbeit, they looked when hee should have swollen, or fallen downe dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harme come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a God. In the same quarters were possessions of the chiefe man of the Iland, whose name was Publius, who received us, and lodged us three dayes courteously. And it came to passe that the father of Publius lay sicke of a fever, and of a bloody-flixe, to whom Paul entred in, and prayed, and layed his hands on him, and healed him. So when this was done, others also which had diseases in the Iland, came, and were healed: who also honoured us with many honours, and when wee departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary. And after three moneths wee departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the Ile, whose signe was Castor and Pollux. And landing at Syracuse wee taried there three dayes. And from thence wee fet a compasse, and came to Rhegium, and after one day the South winde blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli: where wee found brethren, and were desired to tary with them seven dayes: and so we went toward Rome. And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as farre as Appii forum, and the three Tavernes: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and tooke courage. And when we came to Rome, the Centurion delivered the prisoners to the Captaine of the guard but Paul was suffered to dwell by himselfe, with a Hee declareth souldier that kept him. And it came to passe, that after three dayes, Paul called the chiefe of the Lewes together. And when his comming. they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customes of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Hierusalem into the hands of the Romanes. Who when they had examined me, would have let me goe, because there was no cause of death in me. They depart towards Rome. to the Lewes the cause of CHAPTER But when the Lewes spake against it, I was constrained to appeale unto Cesar, not that I had ought to accuse my nation of. For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speake with you because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chaine. And they saide unto him, Wee neither received letters out of Iudea concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came, shewed or spake any harme of thee. But we desire to heare of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against. And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging, to whom he expounded and testified the kingdome of God, perswading them concerning Iesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the Prophets, from morning till evening. And some beleeved After his the things which were spoken, and some beleeved not. And preaching when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that perswaded, Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the holy Ghost by Esaias and some bethe Prophet, unto our fathers, saying, Goe unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall heare, and shall not understand, And seeing ye shall see, and not perceive. For the heart of this people is waxed grosse, And their eares are dull of hearing, And their eyes have they closed, Lest they should see with their eyes, And heare with their eares, And understand with their heart, And should bee converted, And I should heale them. some were leeved not. Be it knowen therfore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they wil heare it. And when hee had saide these words, the lewes departed, and had great reasoning among themselves. And Paul dwelt two whole yeeres in his owne Yet he preachhired house, and received all that came in unto him, preaching eth there two the kingdome of God, and teaching those things which concerne the Lord Iesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him. The end of the Acts of the Apostles. yeeres. 6: GG 233 Paul commendeth his calling to the Romanes, THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE ROMANES CHAPTER I AUL a servant of Iesus Christ, called to bee an Apostle, separated unto the Gospel of God, (which he had promised afore by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures,) concerning his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Sonne of God, with power, according to the Spirit of holinesse, by the resurrection from the dead. By whom we have received grace and Apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for his Name, among whom are ye also the called of Iesus Christ. To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be Saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Iesus Christ. First I thanke my God through Iesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the and his desire to whole world. For God is my witnesse, whom I serve with my come to them. spirit in the Gospel of his Sonne, that without ceasing I make mention of you, alwayes in my prayers, making request, (if by any meanes now at length I might have a prosperous iourney by the will of God) to come unto you. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spirituall gift, to the end you may be established, that is, that I may be comforted together with you, by the mutual faith both of you and me. Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you (but was let hitherto) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. I am debter both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians, both to the wise, and to the unwise. So, as much as in mee is, I am ready to preach the Gospel to you that are at Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation, to every one that be What his Gospel is, and CHAPTER of sin. leeveth, to the Iew first, and also to the Greeke. For therein is the righteousnesse of God reveiled from faith to faith: as it is written, The iust shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is God is angry reveiled from heaven against all ungodlinesse, and unrighteous- with all maner nesse of men, who hold the trueth in unrighteousnesse. Because that which may bee knowen of God, is manifest in them, for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the Creation of the world, are clearely seene, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternall Power and Godhead, Gentiles. so that they are without excuse: because that when they knew what were the God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankefull, but sinnes of the became vaine in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened professing themselves to be wise, they became fooles: and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God, into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birdes, and foure footed beasts, and creeping things: wherefore God also gave them up to uncleannesse, through the lusts of their owne hearts, to dishonour their owne bodies betweene themselves: who changed the trueth of God into a lye, and worshipped and served the creature more then the Creatour, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the naturall use into that which is against nature: and likewise also the men, leaving the naturall use of the woman, burned in their lust one towards another, men with men working that which is unseemely, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their errour which was meet. And even as they did not like to retaine God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate minde, to doe those things which are not convenient : being filled with all unrighteousnes, fornication, wickednesse, covetousnes, maliciousnes, full of envie, murther, debate, deceit, malignitie, whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despitefull, proude, boasters, inventers of evill things, disobedient to parents; without understanding, covenant breakers, without naturall affection, implacable, unmercifull; who knowing the iudgement of God, (that they which commit such things, are worthy of death) not onely do the same, but have pleasure in them that doe them. T CHAPTER II They that sinne, THEREFORE, thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou though they art that iudgest: for wherein thou iudgest another, thou condemne it in condemnest thy selfe, for thou that iudgest doest the same things. But wee are sure that the iudgement of God is according selves, others, cannot excuse them |