of
the Gospel.

11. Of the sensual papistical dolts at Rome, cardinals, bishops,
priests and the like, it is not necessary to speak here. Their works
are manifest. All honorable secular authorities must confess they are
simply abandoned knaves, living shameless lives of open scandal,
avarice, arrogance, unchastity, vanity, robbery and wickedness of
every kind. Not only are they guilty of such living, but shamelessly
endeavor to defend their conduct. They must, then, be regarded
enemies of Christ and of all honesty and virtue. Hence every
respectable man is justly antagonistic toward them. But, as before
said, Paul is not here referring to this class, but to eminent, godly
individuals, whose lives are beyond reproach. These very ones, when
Christians are encountered, are hostile and heinous enough to be able
to forget all their own faults in the sight of God, and to magnify to
huge beams the motes we Christians have. In fact, they must style the
Gospel heresy and satanic doctrine for the purpose of exalting their
own holiness and zeal for God.

RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE LAW OPPOSES THE CROSS.

12. The thing seems incredible, and I would not have believed it
myself, nor have understood Paul's words here, had I not witnessed it
with my own eyes and experienced it. Were the apostle to repeat the
charge today, who could conceive that our first, noblest, most
respectable, godly and holy people, those whom we might expect, above
all others, to accept the Word of God--that they, I say, should be
enemies to the Christian doctrine? But the examples before us testify
very plainly that the "enemies" the apostle refers to must be the
individuals styled godly and worthy princes and noblemen, honorable
citizens, learned, wise, intelligent individuals. Yet if these could
devour at one bite the "Evangelicals," as they are now called, they
would do it.

13. If you ask, Whence such a disposition? I answer, it naturally
springs from human righteousness. For every individual who professes
human righteousness, and knows nothing of Christ, holds that
efficacious before God. He relies upon it and gratifies himself with
it, presuming thereby to present a flattering appearance in God's
sight and to render himself peculiarly acceptable to him. From being
proud and arrogant toward God, he comes to reject them who are not
righteous according to the Law; as illustrated in the instance of the
Pharisee. Lk 18, 11-12. But greater is his enmity and