No nation, and no king, was utterly divorced from the councils of God.
Palestine, as a central chamber of God's administration, stood in some
relation to all. It has been remarked, as a mysterious and significant
fact, that the founders of the great empires all had some connection, more
or less, with the temple of Jerusalem. Melancthon even observes it in his
Sketch of Universal History, as worthy of notice--that Pompey died, as it
were, within sight of that very temple which he had polluted. Let us not
suppose that Paganism, or Pagan nations, were therefore excluded from the
concern and tender interest of Heaven. They also had their place allowed.
And we may be sure that, amongst them, the Roman emperor, as the great
accountant for the happiness of more men, and men more cultivated, than
ever before were intrusted to the motions of a single will, had a special,
singular, and mysterious relation to the secret counsels of Heaven.
Even we, therefore, may lawfully attribute some sanctity to the Roman
emperor. That the Romans did so with absolute sincerity is certain. The
altars of the emperor had a twofold consecration; to violate them, was the
double crime of treason and heresy, In his appearances of state and
ceremony, the fire, the sacred fire _epompeue_ was carried in ceremonial
solemnity before him; and every other circumstance of divine worship
attended the emperor in his lifetime.
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