success that was to be expected by so absolute a sovereign over an ignorant people. Both in the army and as far as his authority extended, his "new law" was received without opposition, and appeared for a time to supersede the Koran. Indeed, though he had before tolerated all religions, yet now he would tolerate none but his own. Here we behold a faithful representation of those patriots, in every age and every land, whose principles are not derived from the Bible. What could be more generous than the sentiments which Akbar expressed in his letter to his son? Most men can appear disinterested when they have no personal interest to serve. But when an idol of their own is set up, all must fall down and worship it at the sound of their cornet and dulcimer.9 Patriotism thus developed, has often proved selfishness or tyranny in disguise; freedom of action, and even of expression, being tolerated only when in accordance with the will of such dictators. A. D. 1582. on his 18. But this wicked device soon came to Reflections nothing. When Akbar calculated upon greater impiety. success than Mahomet, in consequence of his own superior power, he did not understand that the Omnipotent Jehovah, to subserve His own purpose, permitted that impostor to prevail. It was the Almighty that raised him up to chastise a rebellious world, in fulfilment of His own predictions. 1 Like the proud monarchs of Assyria, he was only the sword that the arm of the Lord wielded to execute His purposes upon the nations of the earth. Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded; they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the CHAP. IV. The mis sionary 2 house-tops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up. Sennacherib, Mahomet, and all other tyrants or impostors that have deceived and afflicted mankind, have, like those who combined to crucify the Redeemer of the world, been under the Lord's control. They have, therefore, succeeded no farther, than to do whatsoever his hand and his council determined before to be done. But where the Sovereign Lord of all has no purpose to serve from the pride and the passions of men, He blasts their impious or cruel intentions. However skilfully projected, or with whatever power it is attempted to execute them, He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure. He will break them with a rod of iron; He will dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.* For the Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever." 19. The missionary, Aquaviva, had now no leaves him. alternative but either to leave the Mogul's court, or to appear, by his presence, to sanction his daring impiety. Accordingly, he waited upon him at Lahore, and, after a fearless remonstrance, solicited permission to return to Goa. Akbar was still unwilling to part with him, but at length complied with his request, and permitted him to take away two Christian slaves, who were married, and in the service of the sultaness, Akbar's mother. This Jesuit died a few months after his departure, in the year 1583. 2 2 Kings xix. 20-37. 3 Acts iv. 27, 28. 5 Psalm xxxiii. 10, 11. A. D. 1582. of his affairs. 20. How mysterious are the dispensations of Providence! Judging after the manner of men, we should have expected the Mogul's profane Prosperity conduct to be punished with a reverse in his affairs; yet he was never more successful than at the time of his evident deviation from truth: and it will be seen, that his case presents another confirmation of the remark, that temporal blessings are sometimes tokens of the Divine displeasure. After receiving the adoration of his troops as their god, he marched them into Cashmere, where he entered as the conqueror of that kingdom almost without opposition. Akbar, in remorse of conscience, Goa for 21. But his success, which restored peace to his empire, did not bring him peace of mind. He knew too much of truth to be at ease in sends to his proudest triumphs. The adorations of his missionpeople, so far from yielding him any satisfaction, aries. were succeeded by the most painful remorse of conscience; and he could find no relief without writing again to the Jesuits, beseeching them to send some more missionaries to his court. The bearer of his letter was an Armenian deacon, named Grimon, by whom Akbar sent also a considerable sum of money to be distributed among the poor at Goa, assigning this reason for his bounty, that "he had learned from the missionaries, that he ought to make atonement for his sins, and draw upon him the favour of God, by works of charity." " If this was the kind of instruction they gave him, no wonder that his progress in the Gospel was so tardy, and his inclination to Christianity so fluctuating. 6 ward tokens 22. This application for Christian teachers Gives outwas followed by several outward demonstra- of sincerity. tions of sincerity. He dismissed all the women 6 M. Manouchi, p. 159. CHAP. Two missionaries soon leave him again; their precipitation censured at Rome. A. D. 1589. of his seraglio, distributing them in marriage among the nobility of his court, and reserving only one wife for himself. He publicly adored the image of the Virgin, commanding his children and encouraging his courtiers to follow his example. "Such was the effect," says M. Manouchi, "of that remorse, which stung Akbar incessantly. Perhaps, too, the blood of Father Aquaviva cried in favour of the prince, and obtained for him of Heaven such earnest desires of conversion." We read in Scripture of the martyrs' blood crying for vengeance against their murderers, but no where of the blood of the dead pleading in behalf of the living. The blood of Jesus can alone avail the sinner before the bar of Heaven. This is the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than the blood of Abel. For it cleanseth from all sin, and pleads for mercy on guilty man.9 23. The Jesuits were induced again to comply arrive; they with Akbar's request, and, in the year 1589, sent him two missionaries, Edward Leighton and Christopher Vega, whom he received at Lahore with many tokens of regard. But they were soon dissatisfied with the inconsistency of his conduct. Perhaps they were too sanguine in their hopes of his conversion, and accordingly began too early to despair. This, indeed, is admitted by their own people,' who do not hesitate to censure their conduct. Impatience usually accompanies a too fervid zeal. It is not surprising, therefore, that these men concluded from first appearances, that no good was likely to result from their ministry; nor that, under this impression, they should soon return to Goa. Their precipitation, however, was not approved 7 Gen. iv. 10, Rev. vi. 10. at Rome; and the general of the Jesuits gave orders that two other missionaries should be sent to the Mogul, men "capable, according to the advice of St. Paul, of advancing the work of God, by doctrine and by patience." 24. In obedience to this command, Jerome Xavier, nephew to the celebrated Francis Xavier, and Emanuel Pinnero, were sent to the court of Lahore. From the manner in which Akbar received them, they entertained no doubt that he was a Christian in judgment and conviction. But he had not yet taken the concluding step of submitting to be baptized, and they soon found that he still adhered to his own heterogeneous superstition. On one occasion his daring impiety is said to have met with a signal chastisement immediately from Heaven. 25. Upon Easter Sunday, in the year 1597, Akbar, with all his children about him, was celebrating a feast in honour of the sun, in the midst of a field, where he had ordered the richest tents to be pitched. The show was magnificent. Upon an altar raised in the form of a throne, was exhibited an image of this glorious luminary, composed of precious stones that were so disposed as to reflect a light of insupportable brilliancy. The sky was serene, and all things seemed to contribute to the grandeur of the festival, when, on a sudden, thunder burst from Heaven upon the congregation. The altar was overturned, the emperor's tent took fire, and the flame spread in an instant all over the camp. The damage done only to the throne amounted to more than a hundred thousand ducats. conflagration reached the town, and seized the imperial palace, which was almost entirely consumed. The immense treasures, which the Mogul had heaped together, became a prey to The His impiety an awful visitation. rebuked by A. D. 1597. |