Behold one party slain by fire from heaven ; and soon after, another party, of fifty each! What has called forth these signal acts of vengeance? They sought to lay hands on a faithful servant of the Lord. We do not indeed expect that all persecutors will be visited with the like judgments : but we know what God hath spoken respecting them ; " He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye." We know also what our blessed Saviour has said; " It were better that a mill- stone were hanged about their necks, and that they were cast into the depths of the sea, than that they should offend one of his little ones." And would it not have been better for those hundred soldiers and their captains to have been thus treated ? Verily, if they had been so treated for refusing to persecute a servant of the Lord, we would have congratulated them on the occasion, as martyrs in the cause of God. Or even if they had been so treated on other accounts, still they would at least not have perished under such a load of guilt as now lay upon them. People now make a mock at religion, and turn the very names by which God designates his people into terms of reproach; and, if they were not restrained by human laws, would proceed to all the cruelties that have been practised in former times : but let it be remembered, that Christ himself is wounded in the person of his saints : as he said once to Saul, " Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me ?" so now he regards his people's cause as his own, and will surely recompense into the bosoms of their enemies whatsoever shall be said or done against them. " Precious in his sight is the blood of his saints." Remember tliis, ye who revile and persecute the children of God: they may appear weak, and unable to avenge them- selves ; but " their Redeemer is mighty," and will in due time execute the fulness of his wrath upon his enemies, precisely as he did in the days of old '^.
On the other hand, he will protect his people, as he did this distinguished prophet. He will be " as a wall of fire round about, and the glory in the midst of them." Most unanswer- able is that question, " Who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good ?" If God be for them, who can be against them ? " Let the weak then say, I am strong:" let them say with David, " Though an host should encamp against me, yet shall not my heart be afraid." In the hands of our adorable Lord we are safe, " nor can any pluck us out of them." We should not, it is true, court persecution : but if it come for the Lord's sake, we may expect to have " strength given us according to our day," and to be made *' more than conquerors through Him that loved us."]
d 2 Chron. xxxvi. 15, 16.