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Thy throne is established from of old ;—
Thou art from eternity.

The floods have lifted up, O Lord!
The floods have lifted up their voice,
The floods lift up their waves.
Mighty are the breakers of the sea :—
Mighty on high is the Lord.

Thy testimonies are very faithful.
Holiness is the beauty of thy house,
O Lord! for ever.

LESSON XXVII.

Paul's sufferings in the service of Christ-His sentiments on the near approach of death.

FROM 2 COR. XI. AND 2 TIM. IV.

[The Apostle Paul sums up the sufferings which he endured in the prosecution of his Apostolical labours, as follows:]

Or 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 night and day I spent in the deep; in journeyings often; in dangers of rivers, in dangers of robbers, in dangers from my own countrymen, in dangers from the heathen, in dangers of the city, in dangers of the wilderness in dangers of the sea, in dangers among false brethren: in toil and weariness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness; besides those things which are without, my daily burden, the anxiety about all the Churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak?-who is offended,* and I am not on fire?

* Offended, literally scandalized, offended in his conscience, ensnared or betrayed into sin, and thus made to offend.

If it be necessary to boast, I shall boast of my infirmities. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed for ever, knoweth that I lie not. At Damascus the governor of the nation, under Aretas the king, guarded the city of the Damascenes, wishing to seize upon me, and through a window, in a basket, I was let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.*-2 Cor. xi.

[When the Apostle Paul was a prisoner at Rome a second time, under Nero the emperor, and expected soon to be put to death by that cruel prince; he thus described his situation in writing to his young friend Timothy :]

I am now ready to be sacrificed,+ and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight; I have finished my course; I have kept the faith. As to what remains, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the just judge, will bestow upon me in that day ;and not only upon me, but upon all who have loved his appearing.

Do thy diligence to come to me quickly. Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia; Titus to Dalmatia. Luke only is

with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee; for he is profitable to me for the ministry. But Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus. The cloak which

* From this summary of the Apostle's sufferings, it plainly appears, that many as they are which are recorded in the Acts, a large proportion of them are not noticed there. Sacrificed; literally, "I am already being poured upon;" alluding to the libation that was poured upon the animal to be sacrificed, just before the fatal blow was given.

Take Mark, &c.-This was John Mark, who had left Paul and Barnabas at Perga, when they were entering Asia Minor; and about whom Paul and Barnabas afterwards contended so sharply, that they separated from one another. Paul, however, as has already been observed, retained no dislike to Mark; but, on the contrary, expressly sent for him, as being useful to him in the ministry.

I left at Troas with Carpus, bring with thee, when thou comest, and the books, especially the parchments. Alexander the brazier did me much evil. The Lord will reward him according to his works. Do thou also beware of him; for he hath greatly withstood our words. At my first answer [to the accusation] no man stood with me, but all forsook me, (may it not be laid to their charge); but the Lord stood by me, and strengthened me, that, by me, the Gospel might be fully known, and all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work; and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: and to him be the glory for

ever and ever.

Amen.

QUESTIONS ON LESSON XXVII.

How often did Paul receive stripes from the Jews? and

how many each time?

How often was he beaten with rods?

How often stoned?

How often shipwrecked?

How long had he remained in the sea?

What other descriptions of suffering did he endure?

How did he escape out of the city of Damascus ?

What did Paul say of himself in the prospect of being sacrificed?

What did he look forward to?

What directions did he give to Timothy?

How did he say the others had acted? Demas, Crescens, Titus, Luke, Tychicus, and Alexander?

How did all behave at his first answer?

What does Paul ask for them from God?
How does he say that he was strengthened?
What was his hope for the future?

And what was his earnest desire?

End of No. II.—New Testament.

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