S42 CHARACTER OF A SOUND persuade them that the most godly Christians are persons of dis- loyal and unquiet minds ; and by vexing and persecuting iltèm, they do their worst to make them such as they falsely called them. Even Christ himselfwas. crucified as an enemy to Casar, and Pi- late driven to it by the noise of them that cried out, that if he let them go he was not Casar's friend ; John xix. 12. They first tempted him with the question, "Whether it were lawful to pay tribute unto Caesar ;" Matt. xxii. 17. Luke xx. 22. And though they could this way take no holdof him, yet this was the first arti- cle of his accusation: " We have found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbiddingto give tribúte to Casar ;" Luke xxüi. 2. And how loyal would those rebellious Jews seem, when they thought it the only way to engage the Romanpower against Christ !' Then they cry out, " We have no king but Casar ;" John xix. 15. And this was the common accusation against the Christians both by Jewsand Gentiles. The language of the Jews you 'may hear from Tertullus : "We, have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes;" Acts xxiv. 5. And at Thessalonica, the charge against them was, that they «turned the world upside down, and did all contrary to thedecrees of Casar;" chap. xvii. 6, 7. And thus the best Christians have by such been slandered from age to age; because the.devil' and his instruments know not how sufficiently to molest them, except they engage the rulers against them. But yet all this doth not conquer the patience and loyalty ofconfirmed Christians. They are wiser than that wise man that Solomon saith, "Oppression maketh mad ;." Eccles. vii. 7. Ifusurpers or malicious liars shall a thousand times call them rebellious and seditious, it shall not, drive them from their due subjection. They can patiently follow their Lord and the an- cient Christians, in the enduring of such slanders, and suffering as enemies to Casar, so they do but escape the sin, and be not such as malice calleth them. They had rather die as reputed enemies to government, than tobe such indeed. Theyprefer subjection befbre the reputation of it ; forthey look not fortheir reward fromprinces, but fromGod. If they can preserve their innocence, they can bear the defamationof their names, being satisfied in the hopes of thejoy- dl day of the judgment ofChrist, whichwill fully justify them and set all straight. Indeed, theyknow that a state ofsubjectionis easier and safer than places of command, and that it is easier to obey than govern. And so far are they from envying men's greatness, and from desiring dominions, that theypity the tempted, and dangerous, and troublesome state of those in power, and are thankful to God for their quieter and safer station. They heartily pray for kings and all that are in authority; not that by their favor they may rise to
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