Page:Neatby - A history of the Plymouth Brethren.djvu/165

Rh him. As I know not where to turn for a parallel to usage so cruel and unrighteous as that from which Newton suffered, so I hardly know better where to turn to match such extraordinary forbearance as he displayed. If theological animosity could still restrain me from recognising the grace of God in his conduct, I should feel that words were poor to express my admiration either of the dignity with which his path was chosen, or of the steadfastness of self-control with which it was pursued through all its bitter length. It seems to me that Newton ignored, all unwittingly, some of the most sacred principles of Holy Scripture; but the light of one text at least shone steadily on his path. When he was reviled, he reviled not again; when he was persecuted, he threatened not: but committed himself to Him that judgeth righteously.

The provocation he received cannot be summarily illustrated. An example or two, taken from the writings of the very best of his opponents, may afford some indication of its nature. The following quotation is from Trotter’s Whole Case. Let the reader judge if a more outrageous violation of every principle of justice (one is ashamed to mention charity) has been perpetrated within his experience.

“First of all, notes of a lecture appear, in which the doctrine flows out freely from the author’s lips without reserve and without disguise. Finding the indignation excited by it so very great, he publishes one tract expository of his views, more carefully worded than the lecture, but still plain enough; and another, vindicating those views against the charges of his opponents. Finding his own friends ready to desert him, he confesses his error on one point, and withdraws the tracts for re-consideration. The fruit of this re-consideration is a re-publication of the doctrine; but after months of study bestowed on the subject, who can wonder that the form in which it appears is made as unobjectionable as