Sketches from the Life of Paul (1883) — PDF Scan 323
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316 LIFE OF PAUL . For a moment ,Heaven had been openedbeforehim by thewords ofPaul,and itspeaceand purityhad appeared desirable. That moment theinvitationof mercy was extended even to the guiltyand hardened Nero. But only for a moment . The command was issued for Paul to be taken back to his dungeon ; and as the door closedupon themessengerof God ,sothedoorof repentancewas foreverclosedagainstthe emperor of Rome . Not anotherray of lightwas èvertopenetratethe densedarknessthatenvelopedhim. Thereneededonlythiscrowningact of rejectionof divinemercy tocalldown upon him theretributivejusticeof God . It was not long afterthisthat Nero sailedon hisexpeditiontoGreece,wherehe disgracedhimselfand his kingdom by the most contemptible and debasingfrivolity. He returnedto Rome with great pomp ,and inhisgoldenpalace,surrounded by the most infamous of hiscourtiers,he engaged in scenesof revoltingdebauchery. In themidstoftheirrevelry,a voiceasof a tumult in the streetswas heard, and a messenger was despatchedto learnthe cause. He hastilyreturnedwith the appallingnews that Galba,at the head of an avengingarmy , was marching rapidlyupon Rome ,thatinsurrectionhad already broken out in the city, and the streetswere filled with an enraged mob threateningdeath to the emperorand allhissupporters,andrapidlyurgingtheirway towardthepalace. The wretchedtyrant,as cowardlyas he was cruel, was completelyunmanned. He sprang fromthetableatwhichhehadbeenfeastingand drinking,overturningitinhisblindterror,and dashingthe most costlywares to fragments.