a footing of equality with others ; and that, in respect to such treatment, they are as sheep in the midst of wolves ? Yes, verily, it both is so, and must be so : " The servant cannot be above his lord ; and, if they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub, much more will they those of his household."]
Let us now then consider, II. The conduct which that situation calls for —
The serpent is said to be " more subtle than all the beasts of the field :" and the dove is proverbially kind and innocent. Now the wisdom of the one and the harmlessness of the other are very desirable to be combined in the Christian character ; because it is by such an union only that the Christian will be enabled to cope successfully with his more powerful enemies.
He should unite these graces,
1 . In the avoiding of evil —
[It is lawful and proper to avoid persecution, when we can do it without violating the laws of truth. The Apostles, " when persecuted in one city, were directed to flee to another :" and that great champion of Christianity, St. Paul, when the Jews laid wait for him at the gates of Damascus, was " let down by the wall in a basket," that he might escape their fury. Our Lord himself too, when ensnaring questions were put to him, so that his answer, whatever it might be, would be made an occasion of accusation against him, repeatedly avoided the snare, sometimes by not answering at all, sometimes by a significant action, sometimes by asking a question in return : thus baffling the designs of his blood-thirsty enemies, and constraining them to say, " Never man spake like this man." In this way we may act also. We must not dissemble, like Peter, to please or satisfy any set of men whatever; but we may take advantage of the peculiar views and prejudices of our enemies, to divide their counsels, and avert from ourselves their combined malig- nity. Thus did St. Paul, when the Pharisees and Sadducees were persecuting him with united fury : by professing himself a Pharisee, he engaged one half of his enemies on his side, and disconcerted the measures which would otherwise have been executed against him. There is danger, however, when on such ground as this, of violating Christian simplicity: it is safer far to take for our model the condescending kindness of the Apostle, in " becoming all things to all men," and in con- forming ourselves to their habits and sentiments, wherever we can do it without violating the essential principles of the