36 For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him.



Ver. 36. Away with him] Yea, but stay, Paul’s time was in God’s hand, who had told him that after he had been at Jerusalem he must see Rome too. In the mean time it might be some comfort to Paul to hear the same words (and perhaps by the same men) used of him, as had been before of his Master Christ, Away with him, &c. It is sufficient for the servant to be as his Lord. Art thou not glad to fare as Phocion? said he to one that was to suffer with him. {a} Holy Ignatius took great comfort in this, that though he suffered death for Christ, yet in the day when God should make up his jewels, he should reckon not only from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, but from the blood of Zacharias to the blood of mean Ignatius. We have mentioned before that martyr that rejoiced that she might have her foot in the hole of the stocks in which Mr Philpot had been before her. When Luther thought he should die of an apoplexy, {b} it comforted him that the apostle John had died of that disease. How much more should it do us, that we "fill up that only which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in our flesh," Col_1:24, and that suffering together, we shall also reign together!



{a} ïõê áãáðáò ìåôá Öùêéùíïò áðïèáíïõìåíïò . Plut. Apoph.



{b} A malady, very sudden in its attack, which arrests more or less completely the powers of sense and motion; it is usually caused by an effusion of blood or serum in the brain, and preceded by giddiness, partial loss of muscular power, etc. ŒD