The life and work of St. Paul

598 tfHE LIFE AND WOftK OF S. PAtTt.
mere envy and discord. The former are influenced by love to him, knowing
that he is appointed for the defence of the Gospel ; the latter announce Christ
out of partisanship with base motives, thinking to make his bonds more
galling. 1
Perhaps the day had been when Paul might have denounced them
in tones of burning rebuke ; but he is already Paul the prisoner, though not
yet Paul the aged. He had learnt, he was learning more and more, that the
wrath of man, even in a holy cause, worketh not the righteousness of God ; he
had risen, and was rising more and more, above every personal consideration.
What mattered it whether these preachers meant only to insult him, and
render his bondage yet more galling p After all, " in every way, whether with
mashed design or in sincerity, Christ is being preached, and therein I do
"
aye, and whatever angry feelings may try to rise within my heart
"
I will
rejoice."*
It is thus that the Apostle first tramples on the snake of any mere personal
annoyance that may strive to hiss in his sad heart, and crushes it yet more
vigorously with a determined effort if its hiss still tries to make itself heard.
He has attained by this time to a holy resignation.
" For I know that this trouble will turn to salvation by means of your prayer,
3 and the rich out-pouring of the spirit of Jesus Christ, in accordance with my
earnest desire 4 and hope that with all outspokenness, as always, so now "
he was
going to say, " I may magnify Christ," but with his usual sensitive shrinking from
any exaltation of 5
himself, he substitutes the third person, and "
says, So now
Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to
6
live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if life in the flesh means that I shall reap
the fruit of labour . . . well, what to choose I cannot tell; but I am hard
pressed by the alternatives. I desire to break up my earthly camp, 7 and be with
Christ, for it is very far, far better 8 but to abide ;
by this earthly life is more
necessary for your sakes. And I am confidently persuaded of this, that I shall bide
and abide 9 with you all, for the advance and joy of your faith, that by a second
stay of mine among you, you may have in me some further subject for^'your Christian
glorying." >
Only in any case he bids them play worthily the part, not only of Roman,
but of Christian citizens, 11 that, whether he camo and saw their state, or only
heard of it at a distance, he might know that they stood firm in one spirit, with
one heart, fellow-wrestlers with the Faith in the Gospel, and not scared in
anything by their adversaries conduct which would be to those adversaries a
proof of their ultimate perdition, and to themselves of salvation ; an evidence
i
Leg. y*rpK (N, A, B, D, F, G).
8
i. 1218. Perhaps the \o$wv-