and true holiness. Yet with what vehemence was it opposed at its first establishment ! Not all the wisdom and innocence of Jesus, nor all the benevolent miracles that he wi'ought, could disarm his enemies : though " it was without a cause that they hated him," they hated him unto death. In like manner they persecuted unto death his chosen messengers, and myriads of his faithful people : yet, in the review of all which was done to stop the progress of his religion, we Christians do not hesi- tate to affirm that his cause was good ; and whilst we execrate the memory of his opposers, we canonize his followers as saints and martyrs.
But what is the treatment which his cause meets with at this hour? Is there not the same hostility against it, though the exercise of that hostility is moderated by the laws under which we live ? People indeed will pretend that the cause which they oppose, is not the cause of Christ ; just as the Jews denied that they were opposing the cause of God, and even pretended to be actuated by zeal for God : but as they opposed the Holy Scriptures, so do modern persecutors; and in so doing they both fulfil the Scriptures, and unwittingly confirm the very truths they oppose. Whatever misrepre- sentations therefore men may adduce to vilify the truths and people of God, the religion of Christ is the same as it ever was ; nor does the contempt poured upon it diminish in the least degree the respect in which it should be held. We must not think the worse of the Gospel because it is despised, but must weigh it in the balance of the sanctuary, and estimate it by its own intrinsic worth.]
2. That the cause of Christ will ultimately triumph —
[The chief priests and rulers congratulated themselves on their success, when they saw the despised Nazarene entombed. But behold, the breath had scarcely departed from his body before his triumphs began ; so true is that saying of the Apostle, " He spoiled principalities and powers, and made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them on his cross V The whole multitude who attended his crucifixion, smote their breasts with penitential sorrow ; and the Centurion who presided at his execution, confessed him in the presence of his murderers ! Thus early were the first-fruits of the Gospel reaped : and speedily afterwards followed an abundant harvest. The resur- rection and ascension of Christ proved to his enemies how vain were all their efforts against him : and the descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost gathered thousands to his standard in one day. From that time his religion spread throughout Judaea and the whole Roman empire; and we, at
b Col. ii. 15.