And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto _one_ named Julius, a centurion of Augustus' band. Ver. 1. _It was determined_] First by God, Acts 23:11, and then by the ordinary magistrate guided by God.... [ Continue Reading ]
And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia; _one_ Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us. Ver. 2. _One Aristarchus, &c._] St Paul's fellow traveller first, and then fellow prisoner too, yea, fellow worker unto the kingdom of God, an... [ Continue Reading ]
And the next _day_ we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul, and gave _him_ liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself. Ver. 3. _Liberty to go to his friend_] A great favour: there is no small comfort in the communion of saints. This heathen persecutors knew, and therefore... [ Continue Reading ]
And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. Ver. 4. _Because the winds, &c._] The Straits of Magellan is such a place, that which way soever a man bendeth his course (saith one) he shall be sure to have the wind against him.... [ Continue Reading ]
And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, _a city_ of Lycia. Ver. 5. _And when we had sailed_] These things are therefore particularly set down, that we may see Paul's perils by sea no less than by land; and say with Solomon, "No man knoweth either love or hatre... [ Continue Reading ]
And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein. Ver. 6. _Sailing into Italy_] To show that they had a terrible tempestuous time of it all along, from Sidon to Malta. So have the saints of God here, for the most part, _ab utero ad urnam, _ from the womb... [ Continue Reading ]
And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone; Ver. 7. _Salmone_] A high cliff of Crete. See Strabo, lib. ii., and the use of geography and other sciences, to the better understanding of the... [ Continue Reading ]
And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city _of_ Lasea. Ver. 8. _Called The fair havens_] Which name it retains also at this day, Calos Limenas: for better cause, I believe, than the sea called Pacific, or calm, which Sir Francis Drake ever... [ Continue Reading ]
Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished _them_, Ver. 9. _Now when much time was spent_] Not spilt; for that Paul was not idle all that while, see Titus 1:5, and Beza's annotations thereupon. _Nolite tempus in nugis con... [ Continue Reading ]
And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives. Ver. 10. _But also of our lives_] Which every creature, from the highest angel to the lowest worm, maketh much of. Why is living man sorrowful? Lamentatio... [ Continue Reading ]
Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul. Ver. 11. _Nevertheless the centurion_] Profane persons, trusting more to their own carnal wisdom than to God's word, cast themselves wilfully into the greatest dangers. Believ... [ Continue Reading ]
And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, _and there_ to winter; _which is_ an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the south west and north west. Ver. 12. _And lieth toward the south-west_] It is a... [ Continue Reading ]
And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained _their_ purpose, loosing _thence_, they sailed close by Crete. Ver. 13. _Supposing that they had, &c._] God maketh many times the strongest sinew of the arm of flesh to crack. " _Fallitur augurio spes bona saepe suo._ ... [ Continue Reading ]
But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon. Ver. 14. _Called Euroclydon_] A stormy blast coming from the east, " _Una Eurusque Notusque ruunt, creberque procellis_ Africus, et vastos volvunt ad littora fluctus. " (Virg. Aeneid. ii. 28.) This wind is by Pliny... [ Continue Reading ]
And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let _her_ drive. Ver. 15. _Could not bear up_] Or direct the eye against the wind, could not look it in the face. There is an elegance in the original, because part of the foreward of the ship is by mariners called the "ship's ey... [ Continue Reading ]
And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat: Ver. 16. _To come by the boat_] _i.e._ To recover, take up, and save the boat, that the waves should not break it.... [ Continue Reading ]
Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven. Ver. 17. _Undergirding the ship_] With trusses or strong ropes, for fear lest she should split.... [ Continue Reading ]
And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next _day_ they lightened the ship; Ver. 18. _And being exceedingly tossed_] Seneca speaking of such as have lived long to little purpose, not improving their time and their talents, he saith that their lives are like ships in a storm, _mullam iac... [ Continue Reading ]
And the third _day_ we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship. Ver. 19. _The tackling of the ship_] _eth hacchelim, John 1:15_, which is almost our word "tackling.... [ Continue Reading ]
And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on _us_, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away. Ver. 20. _All hope that we, &c._] God delights to help those that are forsaken of their hopes: he reserveth his hand for a dead lift. Good therefore and wort... [ Continue Reading ]
But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. Ver. 21. _Gained this harm_] _i.e._ Prevented it. Prevision (foresight) is the best way of prevention, but for la... [ Continue Reading ]
And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of _any man's_ life among you, but of the ship. Ver. 22. _Be of good cheer_] So Bishop Ridley being once tossed by a sad tempest, Be of good cheer, said he to the boatmen, and ply your oars; for this boat carrieth a bishop that mu... [ Continue Reading ]
For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Ver. 23. _Whose I am, and whom I serve_] Lo, how holily he speaks, and like a Christian, among a company of profane and rude soldiers and seamen; so doth Jacob in his intercourse with Esau: these, saith he, are the chi... [ Continue Reading ]
Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Ver. 24. _God hath given thee all_] It is for the godly's sake that the wicked are spared and favoured. To the wicked, God saith concerning his servants, as the prophet once said t... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. Ver. 25. _For I believe God_] The believer walks about the world as a conqueror. Faith drinks to him in a cup of nepenthes, and bids him sing away sorrow; "But if ye will not believe, surely ye shall not... [ Continue Reading ]
Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island. Ver. 26. _We must be cast_] Where our ship being broke, we shall be brought safe to land by an all-powerful hand of God, who delights to help at a dead lift. And this is here foretold, that it may not be thought to happen by hap-hazard.... [ Continue Reading ]
But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country; Ver. 27. _In Adria_] That is, in the Adriatic Sea.... [ Continue Reading ]
And sounded, and found _it_ twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found _it_ fifteen fathoms. Ver. 28. _Fifteen fathoms_] A sign they were nearer shore than before.... [ Continue Reading ]
Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day. Ver. 29. _Wished for the day_] Wish we as much for the day of redemption, when after much tossing on this glassy sea, we shall safely land at the haven of happiness, at the quay of C... [ Continue Reading ]
And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship, Ver. 30. _And as the shipmen_] So to shift for themselves, not caring what became of the passengers. A private spirited man i... [ Continue Reading ]
Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved. Ver. 31. _Ye cannot be saved_] God must be trusted, but not tempted, by wilful neglect of due means. He is not tied to them, but yet doth usually work by them. _See Trapp on "_ Mat 4:4 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off. Ver. 32. _Then the soldiers_] According to St Paul's counsel, who was now somebody with them. Indeed he was grown, by much exercise and experience, _harum rerum callentissimus, et vir in omnibus rebus excellentissimus, _ as one... [ Continue Reading ]
And while the day was coming on, Paul besought _them_ all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing. Ver. 33. _Having taken nothing_] _i.e._ Having made no set meal but by snatches and catches. When life is in danger, all i... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherefore I pray you to take _some_ meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you. Ver. 34. _Not an hair_] A proverbial speech, Luke 21:18. See Matthew 10:30. _See Trapp on "_ Mat 10:30 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken _it_, he began to eat. Ver. 35. _In presence of them all_] He was not ashamed of God's service before those heathens. No more was Abraham who built an altar to his God wherever he came... [ Continue Reading ]
Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took _some_ meat. Ver. 36. _Then were they all of good cheer_] By Paul's good example. For as one bad man may hinder much good, Ecclesiastes 9:18, so on the contrary.... [ Continue Reading ]
And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls. Ver. 37. _We were in all two hundred, &c._] And that not one of this "all" should miscarry, was a miracle of God's mercy; since all of them could not swim (likely), and being so low brought with fear and fasting, how could the... [ Continue Reading ]
And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea. Ver. 38. _Cast out the wheat_] _Fastidientes divinum verbum, et damnum et dedecus pall oportet._ "Behold! they have rejected the word of the Lord, and what wisdom is in them?" Jeremiah 8:9 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship. Ver. 39. _They discovered a creek_] Then chiefly are we to look for tempests when we draw nighest to the shore, to the haven. O... [ Continue Reading ]
And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed _themselves_ unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore. Ver. 40. _Hoised up the mainsail_] Which before they had struck by reason of the violence of the storm. If God afflict, we mu... [ Continue Reading ]
And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves. Ver. 41. _Where two seas met_] The men of Malta show a certain place at this day which they call _lascala di S... [ Continue Reading ]
And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape. Ver. 42. _To kill the prisoners_] An ill requital of Paul's kindness. But soldiers make but a sport of killing men. "Let the young men arise and play before us," said Abner.... [ Continue Reading ]
But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from _their_ purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast _themselves_ first _into the sea_, and get to land: Ver. 43. _Willing to save Paul_] By whom he had been hitherto saved; and in whom he saw that goodness that could not but... [ Continue Reading ]
And the rest, some on boards, and some on _broken pieces_ of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land. Ver. 44. _Hominum malitiam vincit Dei bonitas, _ saith Beza here. God's goodness overcometh man's badness.... [ Continue Reading ]