While Paul remained a Pharisee he was the idol of his nation; but no
sooner did he become a Christian, than their love was turned to
hatred. No other was so abhorred as he. Against no other did they
unite with such determined rancor. Numbers soon leagued together, and
even "bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink till they had
slain him." But all their machinations were vain. "Obtaining help from
God, of whom he was a chosen vessel, to bear his name to the Gentiles,
and kings, and the people of Israel," he continued many years, and
did, perhaps, more than any other perform in the cause of Christ.
Jewish rancor towards him never abated, but he caught no share of
their bitter spirit? the temper of Christ governed in him? he loved
his enemies, and did them good. Like another Moses he bore Israel on
his heart before God, and made daily intercession for them, weeping at
a view of their sad state, and the evils coming upon them.

Such is the spirit of the context. "I say the truth in Christ, I lie
not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost that I
have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.--_for I could
wish that myself were accursed from Christ, for my brethren, my
kinsmen according to the flesh_".

The depressing occasion of his grief, was the infidelity and obduracy
of his nation--that they refused to hearken to reason and evidence
--were resolved to reject the only Savior; and the evils temporal and
eternal, which he foresaw their temper and conduct would bring upon
them--therefore his "great heaviness and continual sorrow."

In the text--_I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ, for
my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh_, the apostle hath been