31. I pass by the work wrought at Troas on
Eutychus, who being borne down by his sleep fell down from the third
loft, and was taken up dead; yet was saved alive by Paul Ib. xx.
9–12.. I also pass by the prophecies
addressed to the Elders of Ephesus whom he called to him in Miletus, to
whom he openly said, That the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city,
saying Ib. v.
23.—and the rest;
for by saying, in every city, Paul made manifest that the
marvellous works done by him in each city, were from the operative
power of the Holy Ghost, by the will of God, and in the Name of Christ
who spoke in him. By the power of this Holy Ghost, the same Paul
was hastening to this holy city Jerusalem, and this, though Agabus by
the Spirit foretold what should befall him; and yet he spoke to the
people with confidence, declaring the things concerning Christ.
And when brought to Cesarea, and set amid tribunals of justice, at one
time before Felix, and at another before Festus the governor and King
Agrippa, Paul obtained of the Holy Ghost grace so great, and triumphant
in wisdom, that at last Agrippa himself the king of the Jews said,
Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian Ib. xxvi.
28. Cyril evidently
understood ἐν ὀλίγῳ to
mean “almost” (A.V.):
but the more correct rendering is, “In brief thou wouldest
persuade me to become a Christian.”. This Holy Spirit granted to Paul,
when he was in the island of Melita also, to receive no harm when
bitten by the viper, and to effect divers cures on the diseased.
This Holy Spirit guided him, the persecutor of old, as a herald of
Christ, even as far as imperial Rome, and there he persuaded many of
the Jews to believe in Christ, and to them who gainsaid he said
plainly, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the Prophet, saying
unto your fathers, and the rest Ib. xxviii.
25..