The life and work of St. Paul

444 THE LIFE AND WORK OF ST. PAUL.
The Epistle to the Galatians was qniclily followed by that to the Romans,
which was at once singularly like and singularly unlike iia immediate predecessor.
No violent external opposition, no deep inward sorrow was at that
particular moment absorbing the Apostle's soul. It "was a little pause in his
troubled life. The period of his winter stay at Corinth was drawing to a
close. Ho was already contemplating a yet wider circle for his nest missionary
tour. The tide of his thoughts was turning wholly towards the West. Ke
wished to see Rome, and, without making any prolonged visit, to confirm the
Gospel in the capital of the world. He did not contemplate a long stay
araong the Roman Christians, because it was his invariable principle not to
build on other men's foundations. But he wished to bo helped by them
with facilities which a great capital alone can offer
where aa yet the Gospel had been unpreached.
on his journey to Spain,
His heart was yearning
towards the shores whose vessels he saw in the ports of Lechseuni and
Cenehreae, and whose swarthy sailors he may have often met in the crowded
streets.
But before he could come to them he determined to carry out his longplanned
visit to Jerusalem. Whether the members of that church loved or
whether they hated him whether they would give to his converts the right
hand of fellowship or hold them at arin's-length ho at least would repay evil
with good; he would effectually aid their mass of struggling pauperism; he
would accompany the delegates who carried to them a proof of Gentile love
and generosity, and would himself hand over to the Apostles the sums
which must by this time have reached a considerable amount which had
been collected solely by his incessant endeavours. How earnestly and even
solemnly had he brought this duty before the Galatians, both orally and by
letter! how carefully had he recommended the Corinthians to prevent all
uncertainty in the contributions by presenting them in the form of a weekly
cliering ! how had he stimulated the Macedonians by the forwardness of the
Achaians. and the Achaiaus by the liberality of the Macedonians ! And after
all this trouble, forethought, and persistence, and all the gross insinuations
which he had braved to bring it to a successful issue, it was but natural that
one so warm-hearted should wish to reap some small earthly reward for his
exertions by witnessing the pleasure which the subscription afforded to the
mother church, and the relief which it furnished to its humbler members.
But he did not conceal from himself that this visit to Jerusalem would be
accompanied by great dangers. He was thrusting his head into the lion's den
of Judaism, and from all his past experience it was bat too clear that in such
a place, and amid the deepened fanaticism of one of the yearly feasts, perils
among his own countrymen and perils among false brethren would besot
every step of his path. Whether he would escape those perils was known to
God alone. Paul was a man who cherished no illusions. He had studied too
deeply the books of Scripture and the book of experience to be ignorant of the
manner in which God deals with His saints. He knew how Elijah, how
Isaiah, how Jeremiah, how Ezekiel, liow Daniel, how John the Baptist, how