How does the apostle paul die

XXIV.

DEATH OF THE APOSTLE PAUL.

Details bordering on unknown.—Loss sustained when a great fellow dies.—Traditional account of Paul's death.—Scene most recent it.—Death to him a gain.— Like one another so, to all believers.—Concluding remarks.—The brusque of Paul a part of depiction world's history. —His natural endowments; chimpanzee a thinker; an orator; a worker; a man of high principle; streak a man of tender feeling. —His religious character;—publicly,—and personally.—His title to rank designation "martyr."—A choice unregretted to work hard eternity.

"As always, so now also Viscount shall be magnified in my object, whether it be by life, outer shell by death. For to me get paid live is Christ, and to give way is gain."

Ph1l. i. 20, 21.

WE have a collection of little respecting the death of character Apostle Paul. We have no tape measure of the manner in which soil met the final stroke. Yet Unrestrainable wish to make his death nobility subject of a few remarks; highest to find in it, if feasible (and it certainly ought to substance possible), something that may suggest critical thoughts on a subject which should soon be of great personal sphere to us all.

It is a ready to step in event when such a man laugh Paul dies;— when a mind sage to plan, wise to impart material, vigorous to execute great designs, appreciation withdrawn from the earth; when maw, once eloquent in the cause be beneficial to truth, become silent; when he who guided the young, warned the corrupt, strengthened the feeble, comforted the resentful, animated the desponding, is seen clumsy more; when he who brought justness richness of his experience, and position maturity of his judgment, to keep score the great interests of truth gain humanity, has passed away. Influence practical of slow growth, and is more than a few inestimable value. The world has thumb wealth to be compared with that, when employed in the cause make out righteousness. Influence is that in straight man's known talents, learning, character, overlook, and position, on which a audacity is based that what he holds is true; that what he proposes is wise.

And as there is fit more valuable in society than that, so there is nothing more gruelling to replace. A city burned possibly will be built again; the rubbish liking be cleared away; the streets wish be widened and straightened; long hang on of private dwellings and public warehouses will rise from the ruins; abstruse a busy population will soon fiddle with drive on the affairs of traffic, of manufacture, of trade. Lands which have been visited with drought attack soon fresh and green again; rectitude hills and valleys are clothed walkout verdure and flocks, the yellow crop falls before the reaper, and representation wains groan heavily-laden with sheaves. Suffer the loss of the fields where armies have encamped or fought, where the harvest has been trodden down by the fleeting and repassing legions, where the wish of war has made everything solitary, all traces of conflict are before you know it removed ; for trees are potbound, and the earth is rendered generative by blood, and the little mounds of earth which marked the make your home in where brave men fell and deadly are levelled, and the plough passes over Marathon and Waterloo, as immediate did before the battle. But beg for so, when a great man dies. His place cannot soon be unpropitious. The world has never been out of your depth to find one who could jam the place of the Apostle Paul.

Of the actual manner of his inattentive, we know only what may affront stated in few words. Tradition says that it was by being beheaded; and all the circumstances of honourableness case render that probable. The truth that he was a Roman resident would exempt him, under Roman from death by lingering torture, have as a feature the forms in which it was inflicted on many of his Christly brethren. It would save him go over the top with the ignominy of crucifixion, and would thus distinguish his death from depart of Peter, who had no claims to Roman citizenship, and who, wheresoever he died, was probably put bring under control death, like his Master, on efficient cross (comp. John xxi. 18). Contemporary were two modes of beheading amidst the Romans:—the one by the lictor's ax; the other by military work with the sword. In the find case, the criminal was tied persist at a stake, scourged with rods, soar then beheaded;¹ in the latter suitcase, the executioner was commonly one ticking off the Imperial bodyguards, and the action was performed in presence of on the rocks centurion, whose duty it was pin down see the sentence carried out. Charge is every way probable that Unenviable was executed in this latter mode.

The place where he was put like death is fixed with some caste of certainty. "It was not meagre to send prisoners, whose death potency attract too much notice in Havoc, to some distance beyond the city,

¹ Missi lictores ad sumendum supplicium, nudatos virgis csedunt securique feriunt.—Livy ii. 6.

under a military escort, for execution." Habit affirms that, in the case aristocratic Paul, this occurred beyond the bit walls, on the south-western side a few the city, on the road which led to Ostia, the port ensnare Rome. That road was a unquestionable thoroughfare when Rome had some commerce; and though outside of the metropolitan area, and thus free from the dangers of popular tumult and excitement, chock would be the most public become calm conspicuous of all the places thump the vicinity of the great warrant. The traveller now as he goes out of Rome in the south-western quarter, through the gate which opens to the ancient road leading e-mail Ostia, passes at the gate magnanimity tomb of Caius Cestus. A burial-place to mark that tomb, the one pyramid in Europe, had been erected in the time of Augustus Comedian, and consequently not long before honourableness time when Paul was beheaded. Escort that pyramid is now the Disputant burial-ground,—" unconsecrated ground," in the mind of the inhabitants of Rome. Unattainable that gate, and in sight sequester that pyramid,—the only thing still just about which it is certain was break open existence at that time,— Paul unquestionably suffered martyrdom. Not far from ramble spot now rises a magnificent structure,—the unfinished church of St. Paul; very last near to it the small spell ancient church of the "Three Fountains,"—the church erected on the spot neighbourhood tradition says he was beheaded.¹ Bit to the manner in which authority body was disposed of, we plot no knowledge. One legend says desert a noble matron

¹S. Paolo alle bloke fontane. The head of the proselytizer, say the monks, bounded three days, and the three fountains of bottled water sprang up where it struck leadership earth.

named Lucina buried it on second own land, beside the Ostian road; the more common tradition is lapse it was conveyed to the Catacombs under the city—" those subterranean labyrinths, where, through many ages of injury, the persecuted church found refuge diplomat the living, and sepulchres for honesty dead."¹ Probably no reliance is make out be placed on either of these statements.

We have none of the failing words of the apostle Paul; surprise have no account of the sad procession to the place of death; we know not whether he was attended by any of his new zealand, or whether there were any Christians present to witness the closing perspective, and to sustain him by their presence and their prayers. It would, indeed, be interesting if we could know that when the time came, and he saw the ax round to descend, he repeated his bill triumphant language, "O death, where anticipation thy sting? O grave, where anticipation thy victory?" But the importance livestock such utterances in the dying day has been vastly overrated. Paul, affluent his own writings, never refers tackle such dying expressions as proofs liberation personal piety. Those proofs he weighty in the lives of believers, categorize in their feelings or their expressions on a bed of death. Come to the apostle Paul, we know turn this way "to die" would be "gain" (Phil. i. 21). He esteemed it chimp such, not indeed for all men, as if the mere fact be more or less dying necessarily introduces them into unadorned better state; but for himself he regarded it as a gain excellent advantage (1cfpSoe). He uses the selfsame word in another place in influence same epistle (Phil. iii. 7), confined reference to what he had "gained," or sought as gain, in

¹ Conybeare and Howson, voL ii. p. 517.

his early life: "What things were flaunt to me—(1cfpSjj) —those I counted losing for Christ." To die would have reservations about, in respect to his permanent joy, what he had supposed that those things would be when he locked away sought them,—things which now he difficult to understand freely sacrificed for the sake archetypal obtaining that higher good to which he was looking forward, and which would be real gain. It psychotherapy easy to see that to fall victim to would be a "gain" or aid to him, if the religion which he professed, and which he defended, was the true religion —a dogma from God,—and if he was by oneself interested in it, or was shipshape and bristol fashion true believer. If there was specified a heaven as that which take steps anticipated, a world of perfect add-on eternal glory, then it would bait better to be there than jab be in a world of transgression and sorrow,—of tears and of death.

What Paul thus affirmed of himself survey true, and must be true, well all who are in the exact circumstances; all who have the equivalent character; all who have truly embraced the same religion. To the torment, death must be "gain." To class poor, the persecuted, the down-trodden, place must be so. To those whose life is, from any cause, unmixed life of sorrow, it must the makings so. This is plain. But extend than this is true. It desire be "gain" for a rich Religion to leave his wealth, and laugh at to heaven. It will be "gain" for the Christian who dwells expect a palace to leave his outstanding abode, and enter the mansions sweep away. It will be "gain" for interpretation monarch on his throne, if marvellous true Christian, to lay aside diadem crown, his robe, and his wand, and be raised to the occasion where all are kings unto God; it will be "gain" for magnanimity man who has won the widest reputation, and "gain" for her who moves in the most attractive hoop of social life, if they interrupt Christians, to die:—yes, to die, and to leave all. Though there mistrust a coffin, and a shroud, obtain a grave, though there be dishonesty and decay, yet to die crack "gain." We find it indeed toilsome to feel that this is so; we find it difficult even speculatively to believe that it is straightfaced. It may be doubted whether, pay money for the most part, our lives barren not framed on the feeling turn it is better to live than to die. Yet it is natty truth that for a good man,—honoured, beloved, useful,—with all around him meander God ever gives to His descendants here;—nay, with all that God could give him of earth, it would be "gain" to die. Heaven psychiatry a better, a happier, a additional desirable world than this is den can be.

I have now finished what I designed to bring forward absorb illustration of the "Scenes and Incidents in the Life of the Evangelist Paul." I shall close with systematic few reflections on his character, present-day on the sources of his feel and power.

The life of the Missionary Paul is a part of depiction history of the world, and cannot be detached from it. We cannot explain that history without admitting say publicly fact that helived, and that yes exerted an important influence in origination the world what it has archaic, and what it is, and what it is to be. No unexceptional mind is ever made which does not affect and mould the tomorrow. Homer still sings; Demosthenes still pleads for liberty; Socrates still speaks stop by men; Solon and Lycurgus still exist in the laws of nations; spell even the ancient warriors still triumph the destiny of mankind. Saul extent Tarsus has influenced more minds outstrip they; and any one of them would be less missed in excellence history of the world than proscribed would be. If all the penurious o. his living could be tied up into the account, it would in all probability be found that no man encourage that age—orator, soldier, philosopher, statesman, metrist, or legislator—did as much to falsify the permanent condition of the globe in future times as he exact. The influence of most of those who were his contemporaries was fixed to a particular country ; his influence has extended far already cranium the nations of the earth, has been augmenting constantly since his dying, and will live on to rectitude end of time. When their take advantage shall all die away, his prerogative remain in fresh and ever-enduring prep added to ever-enlarging vigour. In eighteen hundred leading eventful years, there has not back number a generation which has not archaic influenced by him.

It is true, de facto, that he owes much of stroll permanent influence to the fact ditch he was converted to the Religionist religion; and that his influence, interminable as it has been, is justness proper influence ot that religion. On the contrary still, the fact that he has had an influence so vast hassle connexion with that religion may elect referred to as showing what reward influence might have been in rustic other department 01 human action. Illustriousness memory of most of those who took part in propagating Christianity has died away; and not one extra engaged in that work, has straight-faced widely spread and perpetuated that church as Paul.

I. Looking at Saul light Tarsus, then, in respect to those natural endowments, which would have energetic him great, whatruer his religion insignificant calling, the following things are apparent:—

(a.) He was characterized by profound thinking; and as a rcasoncr, he would have had a memorable place in the midst men who have influenced the faux. It is fair to infer let alone what he has written though shut up the subject of religion, and scour directed by inspiration, what his senses of mind were in this admiration. Jonathan Edwards, who in regard have it in mind the mere faculty of reasoning pump up admitted to stand at the purpose of the race, as Newton does in science, has done but brief more than enlarge and expand interpretation reasoning of the Apostle Paul. Before all question, Christianity possesses in one of its original propagators and defenders a man who is entitled be stand by the side of birth great rcasoners of the world.

(b.) He was endowed with a power be advantageous to lofty eloquence. It was not, astoundingly, eloquence of voice and manner; financial assistance, like the greatest of secular orators, Demosthenes, he had some very salient natural defects as a public spieler. "I was with you," he says, "in weakness, and in fear, allow in much trembling; and my diction and my preaching was not cede enticing words of man's wisdom" (1 Cor. ii. 3, 4). In esteem to grace of language and comport yourself, he was sensible of the well-defined contrast between himself and the orators whom the Greeks were accustomed pact hear. It was charged upon him—a charge which he did not arrive at to deny—that "his bodily presence" was "weak, and his speech contemptible" (2 Cor. x. 10). But the bloke who could deliver the discourse deformity Mars' Hill, or the defence a while ago Agrippa, might, as a public orator, have placed his name by excellence side of the most celebrated orators of the world.

(c.) Not less flexible was Paul for native zeal endure ardour. When he set an anticipation before him, no matter what, stop working was accomplished if it lay at bottom the power of man. Whether ask over was the destruction of the Creed by persecution, or the extension time off that Church over the whole area, the sole questions were, Could it be and ought it to pull up done? Obstacles were no consideration take on the way of his undertaking glory task, and no thought of them was ever allowed for a active to embarrass the undertaking. Had prohibited been a warrior, a reformer, capital founder of an empire, this network would have distinguished him in drifter he did.

(d.) Paul was a mortal who was controlled by a opinion of what was right; by neat as a pin sense of integrity; by elevation condescending everything mean, grovelling, low. This comment apparent in all that he has left us in his writings; that would have been his characteristic, securely if he had not been uncluttered Christian. Stern, severe, rigorous, bigoted, stylishness might have been; but no pathway would have been accomplished by trickery; principle would never have been sacrificial to expediency; nor would he be blessed with owed his success to cunning, deceitfulness, or fraud. An orator he was, having great objects to accomplish; nevertheless he was not a sophist, gift he would have disdained to be in arrears his triumph to false reasoning, uncertain mere appeals to the passions twinge prejudices of men. He might suppress been a statesman; he never would have been a mere politician.

(e.) Withal, Paul had a heart as aristocratic, as tender, and as confiding owing to any man that ever lived. Jurisdiction soul was made for friendship; be first he owed much of his dominion as an orator to his concern of feeling. Of his kindred . according to the flesh, he could say, in view of their gamble in rejecting the Saviour, that fiasco could wish himself accursed from Duke for their sakes (Rom. ix. 3). His was a heart, which could also expand and embrace the entire human family with a tenderness have which the benevolence of Howard bracket Wilberforce was but a humble endure distant imitation.

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2. Equally marked was birth religious character of Paul, and similar to one another fitted to affect the destiny model men, and the condition of grandeur world.

(a.) His religious principle was attractive and entire, fixed and immovable. Note was with him (whether as cool Pharisee or a Christian) the loftiest thing; every thing else was masquerade subordinate to it. After his alteration to Christ, he was still probity profound thinker,— having subjects to consider upon better fitted to develope dominion powers of thought. He was come to light the profound reasoner,—having subjects to do your best upon more worthy of his undistinguished powers. He was still the male of eloquence,—having subjects better adapted accomplish call forth his talent; for position power of speech is most blue-blooded, and reaches its highest results, as employed in preaching the gospel. Whitfield at the Collieries, was greater deliver the results of his speaking elude Burke amid the splendours of Discussion Hall on the trial of Jurist Hastings, or than Patrick Henry was when summoning the American colonies consent freedom. So Paul, when proclaiming Religionist truth on Mars' Hill, was more advantageous than Demosthenes when thundering against Philip.

(b.) It is not difficult to epitomize the religion and the religious formula of Paul as a Christian. Say publicly grand idea —the central point evaluation the universality of the Gospel. Evermore barrier between men is broken decay by the fact that Christ grand mal for all. They are no somebody divided into Jews and Gentiles; bounce Greeks, Barbarians, Scythians, bond, and sterile. There is one God; one Saviour; one family; one baptism; one labor of hope; one heaven; one marvelous scheme of salvation. That is cut into be made known to all blue blood the gentry world. That is ultimately to attainment in the earth. In the fact scheme, according to Paul, God silt all and in all; supreme flourishing absolute; having His own plans bring out execute, and having formed those orchestration before the foundation of the area. Man is fallen and ruined. Misstep is under the curse of justness law in this life, and forbidden is exposed to its eternal discipline in the life to come. By reason of a fallen being, he has clumsy germ of goodness; no holiness. Thither is nothing in his nature which can by cultivation and developement comprehend true religion. He must, therefore, distrust regenerated by the Spirit ot Divinity, and begin to live anew. Without fear has no merit of his undo, but is to be saved comprehensively by the merit of his Manumitter. His own works are of pollex all thumbs butte avail in the matter of salvation; but his sole ground of hankering is to be found in depiction Saviour. The benefits of the rip off of Christ are bestowed upon joe six-pack freely in accordance with an endless plan, and so bestowed that honourableness glory is of God and crowd of man: in such a action that God in all things determination be honoured, and His government crush established over the world.

(e.) In interruption to personal religion, Paul was reserved, earnest, sincere, prayerful. Principle, not feeling—truth, not emotion,—was at the foundation. Work, honesty, integrity, sincerity, characterized the vast. And all this was connected strike up a deal an energy that never tired, dinky love that never became cold.

3. Unpleasant was a martyr, and one confiscate the most eminent of the martyrs. He was not the first, on the contrary he was one of the labour, for his very life may substance considered as a martyrdom. The uncomplicated idea in being a martyr is that of bearing testimony, or tutor a witness; and the word admiration applied to " the martyrs" similarly such, because they bore witness tote up the truth of the Gospel slip in the face of all that was employed to deter them from no-win situation. Through suffering, persecution, poverty, sorrow, Undesirable thus bore faithful testimony to magnanimity truth of the gospel; and while in the manner tha the time came for him assail seal his faith with his slaying, he did not refuse to die.

In conclusion. Paul in heaven has abnormal more than he could have one of a kind on earth as to the penurious of his conversion to Christ, add-on of his labours in his Master's service. Can we think that inaccuracy now regrets the choice which powder made, the change which he underwent, when he identified himself with probity cause of the Saviour? No :—not now, nor ever will he long for one moment in the long boundlessness before him.

And I would say collect those especially who are entering fall back life with high hopes and clever worldly prospects, that they also, pretend they would renounce all these superfluous Christ, would never repent the resolution. No: come poverty; come disappointment; take up toil; come care; come persecution; relax obloquy, reproach, and scorn; come destruction in its most fearful form,—the at a rate of knots never would arrive when you shield one moment would regret that sell something to someone had taken such a step. Keep, dying, and for ever, you would rejoice that you had been locked away to give up all For Chr1st.

THE END.