- Seeing:
- Felix, bad as he was, had certainly rendered some services to Judaea. He had entirely subdued a very formidable banditti which had infested the country, and sent their captain, Eliezar, to Rome; had suppressed the sedition raised by the Egyptian impostor ("Artª° notª thouª² that¹ Egyptian,ª which beforeª theseª daysª madest an uproar,ª° andª leddest outª° intoª the¹ wildernessª four thousandª menª that were murderers?ª" {Act 21:38}); and had quelled a very afflictive disturbance which took place between the Syrians and Jews of Cesarea. But, though Tertullus might truly say, "by thee we enjoy great quietness," yet it is evident that he was guilty of the grossest flattery, as we have seen both from his own historians and Josephus, that he was both a bad man and a bad governor. "He¹ hopedª° alsoª²² thatª moneyª should have been givenª° himª ofª Paul,ª thatª he might looseª° him:ª whereforeª he¹ sent forª° himª the oftener,ª and² communed¹ with²° him.ª ... Butª after²° two yearsª¹ Porciusª Festusª came²° into Felix'² room:ª¹¹ andª Felix,ª willingª° to shewª° the¹ Jewsª a pleasure,ª leftª° Paulª bound.ª°" {Act 24:26-27} + "For¹ the wickedª boastethª° of¹ his heart'sª desire,ª and blessethª° the covetous,ª° [whom] the LORDª abhorreth.ª°" {Psa 10:3} + "They speakª° vanityª every oneª with¹ his neighbour:ª [with] flatteringª lipsª [and] with a double² heartª do they speak.ª° ... The LORDª shall cut offª° all¹ flatteringª lips,ª [and] the tongueª that speakethª° proud² things:¹" {Psa 12:2-3} + "A lyingª tongueª hatethª° [those that are] afflictedª by it; and a flatteringª mouthª workethª° ruin.ª" {Prv 26:28} + "A manª that flatterethª°¹ his neighbourª spreadethª° a netª for¹ his feet.ª" {Prv 29:5} + "Theseª areª° murmurers,ª complainers,ª walkingª° afterª their own²¹ lusts;ª andª their²¹ mouthª speakethª° great swellingª [words], having men's persons² in admirationª°¹ because² of¹ advantage.ª" {Jde 1:16}
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