of disapprobation, either from the judge, or from any of his attendants !
And do we not here see how the rights of God's people are trampled on by all who choose to persecute and oppress them? Yes verily, the most injurious treatment may be shewn to them, and none will stand up to vindicate their cause. They are neither judged, nor protected by the same laws as other men. Against a godly man acting for his Lord and Saviour, any one may rise, and may insult and injure him, not only with impunity, but with the approbation of many ; whilst, if the very same line of conduct were pursued by a professor of godliness against a man of this world, a fire would be kindled in every breast, and a general indignation excited against the offending person. We cannot descend to particulars ; but the observation of every man may furnish them in abundance : and, if any one be acquainted with instances of such licentious violence, we desire him only to look at the means which are used to cramp the efforts of the godly, and to arrest the progress of vital godliness ; and then to ask himself, What he would think of religious persons, if they were to adopt such measures against the opposers of the Gospel as the opposers of the Gospel adopt towards them? And we will venture to say, that a very few minutes' consideration shall convince him, that " those who are born after the flesh do still persecute those who are born after the Spirit," and that the descendants of Cain, of Ishmael, and of Doeg, are not by any means extinct.]
3. With hypocritical pretences — [This officer professed a high regard for order and decorum ; but a greater act of indecorum can scarcely be conceived than that which he himself committed at that very time ; since the taking for granted that the judge who sat there, to administer justice, would suffer all the rights of justice to be so violated in his very presence, was as severe a reflection upon the judge as could well be cast on a human being. Yet this was the man who complained of a want of order and decorum in our blessed Lord, and made that a plea for the outrage which he himself committed. What hypocrisy was here ! yet it is no other than what is practised every day by those who hate the Gospel, and labour to obstruct its progress. Need we go to Rome to hear the plea, that, from the labours of Christ's faithful servants, the Church is in danger ? With what sanctimonious zeal will many cry out against lectures on a Sabbath evening, as injurious to morality ; whilst they never lift up a voice against the theatres, in which so much iniquity abounds ! And what concern will many express about the peace of men's minds as disturbed by the Gospel, when they have never, on any
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occasion whatever, shewn any regard for the spiritual interests of others, or even for the welfare of their own souls ! I mean not to say, that the welfare of the Church, and the interests of morality, and the peace of men's minds, ought to be deemed of small importance ; for they ought, beyond a doubt, to be regarded with the utmost care and tenderness : but this I say, that they are not uncommonly made a pretext for opposing religion, by persons who on any other occasion would shew no regard for them at all. Rather than not prevail to destroy the Lord Jesus, the Jews would cry out, " If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend :" when they would not have hesitated to throw off Caesar's yoke at any moment, if they could have attempted it with any prospect of success d. Their loyalty was but a pretext ; their only object being to ensure the condemnation of one, whose innocence the very judge him- self had repeatedly proclaimed. The truth is, that the godly are a prey, which every man is at liberty to hunt down ; and in the taking of which he is at liberty to use any means which his ingenuity may devise e.]