thing. Nor indeed have we any need to afign any differ :5ce, it ſeemeth to be but the ſame thing amplified in three Phraſes. But others diſtinguiſh more ſubtilly, and think the Sri mav fignifie a glorying in the Ancientne)s of their Pedigree, or in their abilics to ſpeak in the Fcbrew Tongue z the ſecond, way refer to the Na- tion of which they were the third, to the promilt made ty brgs ham and his Seed. > 23 Are they miniſters of Chriſt ? I ſneak as a fool. * I am more s : * in Jabours more abuudaat #: ins, c, itripes above mealtire : 12 prifous more f equeat 2: : 15. G. in * deaths oft w. * .\cts g. s Will they glory in this, that they are Minifters of Chriſt 2 jim- 18+ and ployed as the Servants of Chriſt in preaching the Goſpel ? 1 ſhould 21+ I1- not boaft about this (in that I may ſeem to jpeak !;ke 4 tool) but 1 * 1. Cor. am much more a Minifter than they, both with reſpet to my Call 15+ 31+ to the Work, and alſo my performing, of it. 1 had a more imme- CN» 1+ 10, diate Call and Miſſion to the Work than what they can boaft of ; 374 4+ 13. and I have done more in that Work, than any of them have done. t I have travelted more to preach ir, IT have laboured more in rhe propagation of it. # I have ſuffered more for the preachins of It, I have been oftner whipped, oftner impriſoned, than any of them ever were: See Chap. 6. 4, 5- w I have been oftner in hazard of my life ; He calls dangers threatning death, 4-aths, (as 2 Core Is 10.) 24. Of the Jews five times received I forty ſtripes fave one x. | x God, to reſtrain the paſhons of his People, which might carry them out to cruelty in the puniſhments of Malefactors, forbad the Jewiſh Magiſtrates to give any MalefaQor above forty ſtripes ; (lo many they might give them by the Divine Law, Dent. 25. 3.) But they had made an Order, that none ſhould receive above thirty nine. This was among their Conftitutions which they called Sepi- menta Legis, Hedges 10 the Divine Law; which indecd was a viola- tion of the Law: For that did not oblige them to give every Ma- lefator, that had not d=ſerved dcath, fo many ſtripes; it gave them cnly a liberty to go {© far, but they were not to exc2ed. Some think, that they puniſhed every ſuch Malefattor with thirty nine ſtripes: Others more rationally think, that they did not ſa, but thirty nine was the higheſt number they laid upon apy. And it is moft probable, that out of their hatred to the Apoſtle, they laid as many ftripes upon him, as rheir Conftitution would ſuffer them to do. 25 Thrice was [1 beaten with rods y, once was [ ſtoned z: thrice I ſuffered ſhipwrack a: a night and a day I have been in the deep b. y This was by the Pagans; for the Fews whipped MalefaQors with a Whip which had three Cords. We read of one of theſe times, As 16. 22, 22. and of a ſecond, Affs 22, 24. when the Captain commanded he ſhould be ſo puniſhed, but he avoided it, by pleading he was a Citizen of Rome. #4 Of his ſtoning, read As 14. 19. it was by a popular Tumult at Zy/tra, a We read but of one
g Ye freely ſuffer others fooliſhly glorying and boaſting of them- time that Paul ſuffered Shipwracz, As 27. 18. (which was none of
20 For ye ſuffer if a man bring you into bondage þ, if a man devour you i, if a man take of yozx k, if a man
exalt himſelf /, if a man ſinite you on the face m.
ſe]ves, therefore do ye ſuffer me therein z ye judge your ſclves wile, | the three times here mentioned, for it was after the writing of his and it belongs to the Wiſe to bear with ſuch a5 are not ſo wiſe as A
Epiſtle.) But tho' many of the As and Sufferings of this Apoſtle were written, yet all were not. 5 Some by the Deep here, under- ſtand the inner Priſon, mentioned A#s 16. 24. or ſome deep Dun- geon; but more probably he means, ſome time when after a Ship- wrack he might be put twenty four hours to ſwim up and down the
Sea upon fome broken part of the Ship. It refers to ſome eminent danger Paul was in, of which the Scripture in no other place maketh
26 1z journeyings often c,- iz perils of waters d,
ia perils in the ſea, iz perils among, falſe brethren k.
c In Travellings from place to place for the Propagation of the Goſpel. 4 Gr. Rivers, which might many ways be dangerous in paſſing over. e Such as waited to rob Paſſengers by the High-way.
f The Jews, who were mortal Enemies to Pau}, whom they looked
files.) b In Wilderneſſes, through which he was torced to pals. i Storms and Shipwracks. & Falie Teachers and private Perions, who corrupted the Chriſtian Religion, and were as great Enemies
27 In wearineſs and painfulneſs, in watchings of- ten, in hunger and thirſt, in faſtings often, in cold
1 The Apoſtle reckons up ſeveral afflictve Evils, ordinarily in-
the wearineſs and painfulneſs, the hunger and thirſt, the cold and 4- kedneſs here mentioned. He alſo mentioneth watchings and fuſrings, as voluntary Ads of Diſcipline, which he uſed for the end men- tioned, 1 Cor. 9. 27. For the keeping under bis body, aad bringing it in ſubje4ion, and that he might the better attend and diſcharge the
28 Beiides thoſe things that are without m2, that
which cometh upon me daily, * the care of all the , g., agg 20.18, KCs m By the things that are without, the Apoſtle mzaneth, either
tion to the Chriſtian Church, bur were Perions without (as the Phraſe is uſed, 1 Cor. 5+ 13+) or elſe ſuch kinds of 'iroubles and Afictions as very little influenced his mind, but only attetted his outward man: Such were his I4bours, 1747015, 10urat y ings, impriſon- ment, ftrip:s, before mentioned. » bids thele (he faith) there lay upon him an inward care and ſollicitude tor all the Chriſtian Churches; and this was a daily care. For an Apontic dittered from an ordinary Paſtor, not only in his immediate Call trom Cirift,
but alſo in bis Work ; there lay an obligation upon ſuch tO g0 un all