Sketches from the Life of Paul (1883) — PDF Scan 319

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312 LIFE OF PAUL . his life. He had liveda lifeof poverty, selfdenial, and suffering. With a sensitivenature that thirstedfor love and sympathy, he had braved misrepresentation, reproach, hatred,and abuse; shrinkingwith nervousdread from pain and peril,he had fearlesslyendured both. He had been,like his Master, a homeless wanderer upon the earth; he had livedand sufferedforthe truth'ssake, seekingto relievethe burdens of humanity,and toexemplifyin hislifethelifeof Christ. How couldthe capricious, passionate, licentioustyrant,who had no conceptionof the valueof a self-denying, virtuous,noble life,be expectedtounderstandor appreciatethecharacter and motives of this son of God ? Paul and Nero face to face!- the youthful monarch bearingupon his sin-stamped countenancethe shamefulrecordof the passionsthat reignedwithin; the agedprisoner'scalm and benignantfacetellingof a heartatpeacewith Godand man . The resultsof oppositesystems of trainingand educationstoodthat day contrasted, the lifeof unbounded self-indulgence and the life of utter self-sacrifice. Here were therepresentativesof two religions, Christianity and paganism; the representativesof two theoriesof life, the simplicityof self-denying endurance,readytogiveup lifeitself,ifneedbe, for the good of others,and the luxury of allabsorbingselfishness, that counts nothing too valuableto sacrificefora momentarygratification; therepresentativesoftwo spiritualpowers, -the ambassador of Christ and the slave of Satan. Theirrelativepositionshowed to what extent the course of this world was under the rule of the prince of darkness. The wretch