Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/848

 proclaiming  the  Gospel,  and  not  ceasing  to  do  so  even  when  he  was a prisoner.

His deep  humility  is  expressed  by  his  words  to  the  Corinthians (1 Cor.  15,  9 &amp;c.):  “I  am  the  least  of  the  apostles,  who  am  not  worthy to be  called  an  apostle,  because  I persecuted  the  Church  of  God. But by the  grace  of  God  I am  what  I am,  and  His  grace  in  me  hath  not been void.”  He  corresponded  faithfully  with  the  grace  of  God,  which was the  reason  why  he  was  able  to  accomplish  so  much.

His fortitude  and  patience  are  proved  by  what  he  suffered  and endured on  his  five  great  missionary  journeys. He himself  thus  describes what he  endured. “(I have  suffered)  by  prisons  more  frequently,  in stripes  above  measure,  in  deaths  often. Of the  Jews  five  times  did  I receive  forty  stripes  save  one. Thrice was  I beaten  with  rods,  once was I stoned,  thrice  I suffered  shipwreck;  a day  and  a night  I was  in the  depth  of  the  sea. In journeying  often,  in  perils  of  waters,  in  perils of robbers,  in  perils  from  my  own  nation,  in  perils  from  the  Gentiles, in perils  in  the  city,  in  perils  in  the  wilderness,  in  perils  in  the  sea, in perils  from  false  brethren. In labour  and  painfulness,  in  much watchings, in  hunger  and  thirst,  in  fastings  often,  in  cold  and  nakedness” (2 Cor.  11,  23—27).

And what  was  it  that  constrained  the  holy  apostle  to  endure  all this? It was  the  love  of  Jesus! “The charity  of  Christ  presseth  us!” he says  himself  (2  Cor.  5,  14). The love  for  his  Crucified  Saviour  drove him to  renounce  all  the  rest,  and  to  proclaim  faith  in  Jesus  to  all  men, wherever he  could. Love strengthened  him  in  all  his  labours  and sufferings, comforted  him  in  prison,  and  finally  impelled  him  to  give  his life joyfully  for  Jesus. Of this  love  he  writes  thus:  “Who,  then,  shall separate us  from  the  love  of  Christ? Shall tribulation? or distress? or famine? or nakedness? or danger? or persecution? or the  sword? In all these  things  we  overcome  because  of  Him  who  hath  loved  us. For I am sure  that  neither  life,  nor  death,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor powers, nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come,  nor  any  other  creature shall be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God  which  is  in  Christ Jesus our  Lord”  (Rom.  8,  35 — 39). This love  has  made  St.  Paul  a model of Christian  perfection.

(See Application,  chapter  XCVIII.)

HEN Paul  had  returned  to  Jerusalem,  he  was  seized  by the  Jews,  and  cast  into  prison. After two  years’  imprisonment he  was  sent,  at  his  own  request,  to  Rome,  to  be  judged