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Sketches from the Life of Paul
race, and presented before them man in his true dignity and value.
An infinite price had been paid for man’s redemption; provision had
been made that he might be exalted to share the throne of God and to
become the heir of immortal riches. By angel messengers, earth was
connected with Heaven, and all the deeds of man, good or evil, were
open before the eye of Infinite Justice.
Thus pleads the advocate of truth; faithful among the faithless,
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loyal and true among the disloyal and disobedient, he stands as God’s
representative, and his words are as a voice from Heaven. There is no
trace of fear, sadness, or discouragement in countenance or manner.
Strong in his conscious innocence, clothed with the panoply of truth,
he rejoices that he is a son of God. His words are like a shout of
victory above the roar of the battle. The cause of truth to which he has
devoted his life, he makes appear as the only cause that can never fail.
Though he may perish for the truth’s sake, the gospel will not perish.
God lives, and the truth will triumph.
His countenance glows with the light of Heaven, as though reflect-
ing the rays of the sun. Many who looked upon him in that hall of
judgment “saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.” Tears
dimmed many eyes that had never before been seen to weep. The
gospel message found its way to the minds and hearts of many who
would never have listened to it but for the imprisonment of Paul.
Never had Nero heard the truth as he heard it upon that occasion.
Never had the enormous guilt of his own life been revealed to him as it
was revealed that day. The light of Heaven had pierced the sin-polluted
chambers of his soul. He quaked with terror at the thought of a tribunal
before which he, the ruler of the world, should be arraigned, and where
his deeds should meet a just reward. He was afraid of the apostle’s
God, and he dared not pass sentence upon Paul, against whom no
accusation had been sustained. A sense of awe for a time restrained
his bloodthirsty spirit.
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For a moment, Heaven had been opened before him by the words of
Paul, and its peace and purity had appeared desirable. That moment the
invitation of mercy was extended even to the guilty and hardened Nero.
But only for a moment. The command was issued for Paul to be taken
back to his dungeon; and as the door closed upon the messenger of
God, so the door of repentance was forever closed against the emperor
of Rome. Not another ray of light was ever to penetrate the dense