represent as an unjust and cruel murder. This would not render their
office more easy, or their situation more safe.

With regard to the interference of the Roman government which was then
established in Judea, I should not expect, that, despising as it did the
religion of the country, it would, if left to itself, animadvert, either
with much vigilance or much severity, upon the schisms and controversies
which arose within it. Yet there was that in Christianity which might
easily afford a handle of accusation with a jealous government. The
Christians avowed an unqualified obedience to a new master. They avowed
also that he was the person who had been foretold to the Jews under the
suspected title of King. The spiritual nature of this kingdom, the
consistency of this obedience with civil subjection, were distinctions
too refined to be entertained by a Roman president, who viewed the
business at a great distance, or through the medium of very hostile
representations. Our histories accordingly inform us, that this was the
turn which the enemies of Jesus gave to his character and pretensions in
their remonstrances with Pontius Pilate. And Justin Martyr, about a
hundred years afterwards, complains that the same mistake prevailed in
his time: "Ye, having heard that we are waiting for a kingdom, suppose
without distinguishing that we mean a human kingdom, when in truth we
speak of that which is with God."* And it was undoubtedly a natural
source of calumny and misconstruction.

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* Ap. Ima p. 16. Ed. Thirl.
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