I open the epistles of Paul, who had been a vic-
tim of tribunals, and in the letter to the Romans I
read the admonitions of the apostle for the vices
and errors of those to whom his words are ad-
dressed ; among other matters he speaks of courts
of justice : —

'■'■Who, knowing the judgment of God, that they
which commit such things are worthy of death, not



MT EELIGION. 31

only do the same, hut have pleasure in them that do
them." (Rom. i. 32.)

" Therefore thou art inexcusable, man, whosoever
thou art that judgest : for wherein thou judgest an-
other, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest
doest the same things." (Rom. ii. 1.)

" Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and
forbearance and longsuffering ; not knowing that the
goodness of God leadeth thee to repentanceV (Rom.
ii. 4.)

Sncli was the opinion of the apostles with regard
to tribunals, and we know that human justice was
among the trials and sufferings that they endured
with steadfastness and resignation to the will of
God. When we think of the situation of the early
Christians, surrounded tay unbelievers, we can under-
stand the futility of denying to tribunals the right
to judge persecuted Christians. The apostles spoke
casually of tribunals as grievous, and denied their
authority on every occasion.
