Page:A memoir of Granville Sharp.djvu/121

Rh emergencies! The apostle's known character as a chosen vessel for Christ's service, and as an exemplary preacher of righteousness, will by no means permit us to conceive that he was either guilty of any mistake or inadvertency with respect to the person of the high priest on this occasion; or of any illegal or unbecoming behavior to him as a ruler or judge of the people! When these several circumstances are compared with the general bad character of Ananias, as a persecuting zealot of the most virulent and intolerant sect among the Jews, it must appear that the apostle accounted that person unworthy of any esteem as a magistrate, whom he had so publicly convicted of abusing and perverting the legal authority with which he had been entrusted; and, indeed, a notorious breach of the law, by any man in the capacity of a ruler, may reasonably be esteemed a temporary disqualification for such an honorable trust; for, a judge without justice and righteousness, who openly perverts judgment, does thereby unquestionably degrade himself from the dignity of his station, and render himself unworthy, for the time being, of that respect which is otherwise due to his rank in office. The same apostle, indeed, upon another occasion, commands us to give "honor to whom honor" is due; but what honor can be due to a convicted hypocrite—a "whited wall"—a "wolf in sheep's clothing"—to an "Ananias on the seat of judgment?" Such characters must expect such treatment, as Ananias met with, from all sensible and discerning men; if the latter are also equally loyal with the apostle, I mean in the strict and proper sense of the word loyal, (which is so frequently misapplied and perverted by sycophants,) that is, if they are equally zealous with that apostle for law, justice, and righteousness,