(16) I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little. (17) That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. (18) Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also. (19) For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise. (20) For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face. (21) I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, I (speak foolishly), I am bold also. (22) Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. (23) Are they ministers of Christ? I (speak as a fool) I am more; in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. (24) Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. (25) Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; (26) In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; (27) In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. (28) Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. (29) Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? (30) If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. (31) The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed forevermore, knoweth that I lie not.
I would pass over all personal considerations concerning Paul himself, in the catalogue of sufferings his Apostleship brought upon him, in order to make the subject more generally profitable both to myself and Reader, in gathering from the whole suitable improvement respecting the special exercises of the faithful, during the present time-state of the Church.
That the Lord hath been pleased, for wise and gracious purposes, to bring his chosen people into peculiar exercises, is a truth, too well confirmed in the scriptures of God, to need being insisted upon. That there is a needs be in them, both for the trial of those graces which the Lord gives them, and for their improvement under them, is most evident. This is spoken of in the book of the revelation twice with peculiar emphasis. Here is the patience and faith of the saints, Revelation 13:10. See also Revelation 14:12, likewise 1 Peter 1:6. And there is not only conformity to the Lord Jesus in the appointments of this nature; but among other great objects intended from them, they minister, to shew the unceasing need we have of Christ. Reader! depend upon it, so deep and deep-rooted is the plague of the heart, by reason of the fall, that no man, and in the largest discoveries, hath ever compleatly learnt the whole of it during the whole life of grace, while here below. We must enter upon our eternal state, before that we shall have suitable and perfect apprehensions; either of our own desperate circumstances, by reason of sin, or of the infinite preciousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, as alone suited to bring his people out of them. Job appears to have had ideas in exact correspondence to these things, respecting the use and appoint, rent of soul exercises. He knew that there was a depth of sin in the human heart, deeper than he himself could fathom. And he considered his exercises, as directed to help a poor sinner to this discovery, through divine teaching. Under those impressions, he cried cut, If I justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me. If I say I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse. Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul. I would despise my life. What a strength of expression is here, of a mind deeply sensible of deep-rooted sin and transgression? And with what earnestness doth the holy mourner seem to be looking for deliverance from the whole power and guilt of it, in a resource not his own. If the Reader will read to the close of this quotation from Job, he will see how vehemently the saint of God was panting for the Lord Jesus Christ, as the only Days-man, or Mediator, which could remedy the breach sin had made, sanctify all the afflictions arising out of sin, and restore perfect order among all the works of God, Job 9:20 to the end, compared with Job 19:25-27
That Paul's apprehensions were similar to those of Job, is not to be wondered at, seeing both were taught under the same divine Teacher. And what the Apostle saith, of glorying in his infirmities, does nor mean the infirmities of sin; in that a nature sunk and fallen, and the subject of sin, was exposed to the consequences of it in suffering, but that those very distresses which arose from sin, and which the Lord brought him through, had the sweet ministry to lead to the Lord Jesus. And the Apostle, in the close of the account, looks up to him who searcheth the heart, in testimony, that he spake the truth as it is in Jesus. Faithful servant of the Lord! how graciously the Lord taught thee to extract sweet from bitter, and to feel the preciousness of Jesus yet more, from having felt in sin the greater need of Jesus!