himself too, on one occasion, was so irritated with the injustice of his judge, that he brake forth into passionate revilings against his ruler and governor, and was constrained to apologize for his conduct in the presence of his enemies1. If then these holiest of men were thus sorely wounded through their occa- sional impatience, what advantage will not Satan gain over those, whose spirit is altogether lofty and unsubdued ? Doubtless he will harass them in their march, till they turn back, and recede from the field of battle k.
But let the Gospel have its due effect ; let it ren- der us meek, patient, forbearing, and forgiving; let it transform us into the image of the meek and lowly Jesus, who when he was reviled, reviled not again ; and when he suffered, threatened not, but committed himself to him who judgeth righteously1; and the stumbling-blocks that offended us before, will appear unworthy of any serious regard. When our enemies persecute us, we shall be ready to weep over them for the evil which they bring upon themselves, rather than be incensed against them for the evil which they do to usm. We shall use no other weapons against them than "faith and patience":" " being defamed, we shall entreat ; being persecuted, we shall suffer it0." Instead of being "overcome of evil, we shall endeavour to overcome evil with goodp :" and by " letting patience have its perfect work, we shall be perfect and entire, lacking nothing q."
It may be objected, perhaps, that, while we con- duct ourselves in this way, we shall be trampled under foot of all, and be vanquished by all. But to this we answer, that, though we should be trampled under foot, we should not be vanquished : on the contrary, though " we be killed all the day long, and are as sheep appointed for the slaughter, yet in all these things shall we be more than conquerors'. We may, like Stephen, be stoned to death : yet, if
» Acts xxiii. 3 — 5. k Matt. xiii. 21. • 1 Pet. ii. 21 — 23.
m Luke xix. 41, 42. n Heb. vi. 12. ° 1 Cor. iv. 12, 13.
p Rom. xii. 21. <i Jam. i. 4. * Rom. viii. 30, 37.