Great Themes of the Bible
Evil 81 and conscience, to their own souls, and to the souls of others, who misrepresent these, and put false colours upon them, who call drunkenness '"'good fellowship", and covetousness " good business", and when they persecute the people of God think they do him good service. And, on the other hand, who call seriousness ill-nature, and sober singularity ill-breeding, who say all manner of evil falsely concerning the way of godliness, and do what they can to form in men's minds prejudices against them. And this in defiance of evidence as plain and convincing as that of sense, by which we distinguish beyond contradiction between light and darkness, and that which to the taste is sweet or bitter.
Such conduct is oppressive beyond endurance when it is indulged in by rulers and princes. The prophet Micah speaks out against such men (Mic. iit. 1f.). He observed how that their principle and disposition are bad. They hate the good and love the evil. They hate good in others, and hate that it should have any influence on themselves. They hate to do good, hate to have any good done, and hate those that are good and do good. They love the evil, delight in mischief, and in those that do mischief.
4. AS WE BELIEVE, So WE Do
This being their principle, their practice was accordingly. They are very cruel and severe towards those that are under their power, and whoever are at their mercy will find that they have none. They barbarously devour those whom they should protect, and as unfaithful shepherds, fleece the flock they should feed. Nay, instead of feeding it, they feed upon it (Ezek. xxxiv. 2). It is fit indeed that he who feedeth a flock should "'eat the milk of the flock"' (x Cor. ix. 7). But that will not content them. They "eat the flesh of my people". It is fit that they should be clothed with the wool. But that will not serve, they "flay the skin from off them" by imposing heavier taxes upon them than they could bear, and exacting them with rigour, by mulcts and fines and corporal punishments for pretended crimes. They ruined the estates and families of their subjects. They took away from some their lives, from others their livelihoods, and were to their subjects as beasts of prey rather than shepherds. They break their bones to come at the marrow, and chop the flesh in pieces as for the pot.