Sketches from the Life of Paul (1883) — PDF Scan 309
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302 LIFE OF PAUL . scendedfrom onedepthof viceand crimeto another,until he had murdered his own mother, and thenhiswife. There was no atrocitywhich he would notperpetrate,no vileacttowhich he would not stoop. In every noble mind he inspiredabhorrenceand contempt. The detailsofiniquitypracticedinthecourtof thisprodigyofvicearetoodegrading,toohorrible,fordescription. His abandoned wickedness createddisgustand loathing,even inmany who were forcedto sharehiscrimes. They were in constantfearas towhat enormitieshe would suggestnext. Yet even such crimesasNero'sdid notshaketheallegianceof hissubjects. He was acknowledgedastheabsoluterulerof thewhole civilizedworld. And more than this, he was made the recipientof divinehonors, and worshipedas a god. From the stand-pointof human judgment, Paul'scondemnationbeforesuch a judge was certain. But the apostlefeltthathe had nothing tofear,so long as he preservedhisloyaltyand his love to God . His life was not in the hands of Nero,and ifhiswork was notyet done,the Roman emperor would be powerlessto destroy him. He who had hithertobeen his protector could shield him stillfrom the malice of the Jews,and fromthepower of Cæsar.And God did shield his servant . At Paul's examination the charges against him were not sustained,and, contraryto thegeneralexpectation, with a regardforjusticewholly at variancewithhischaracter,-Nero declaredtheprisonerguiltless. Paul'sfetterswerestruckoff,and he was again a freeman . Had histrialbeen longerdeferred,orhad he