gave and preserved to them life, movement, and being, and continually exercised his providence over them, instead of being confined to heaven, as the Epicureans taught; that the representations even of their own poets, showed the absurdity of pretending to represent him by statues; that though he had hitherto borne with this false worship, he now called upon all to repent, and had appointed a day in which he would judge them in righteousness, by Jesus Christ, whose divine commission he had confirmed, by his resurrection from the dead.

Hitherto they had heard him with attention; but as soon as this doctrine was mentioned, he was interrupted by the mockery and sneers of some; while others, perhaps doubting, declared that they would hear him again on these subjects. He was dismissed, however, without punishment. Few appear to have been converted; but among these few was Dionysius, a member of this august court, and Damaris, with whose history we are unacquainted.

Let us conclude this lecture, by merely hinting at a few practical inferences:

1. We see that enmity which, from the introduction of sin, ever has subsisted between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman, the ungodly, and the pious. Wherever Paul went, he was persecuted by those who were not converted. This enmity still subsists; wonder not then, believer, if you are exposed to the reproaches and insults of the enemies of religion. You tread in no new path; but in that which was traversed by all the pious. You experience no peculiar trials; but those that have been felt by patriarchs and prophets, by apostles and martyrs, by all the redeemed.

2. We see in this chapter, the different effects of

the word of God. "It will not return void :" "It will be either the savour of life unto life, or of death unto death." Like the same fire which melts the wax but hardens the clay, it will either soften the soul, or render it more obdurate. The probability of the salvation of those who were not brought to the Sa viour by the preaching of Paul, was far less than before they listened to him.

3. The situation of Athens, sunk in the grossest idolatry, notwithstanding the refinements of science, teaches us our obligations to divine revelation. The meanest and most illiterate peasant in a Christian land, has far more sublime and correct ideas of the nature and perfections of God, than the profoundest philosopher who ever existed, and who was left to the lights of unassisted reason. This is a fact which cannot be denied by any, who are only moderately acquainted with the writings of antiquity. And to what is this owing? Why are we, in these respects, so much better informed than the sublime Platos, the wise Socrateses, the acute Aristotles of antiquity? It is owing only to the gospel of the blessed Jesus. And will we not then prize and love this gospel? In vain does the infidel say, that without the scriptures he can form a correct system of religion. His doctrines are derived from those scriptures which he rejects. This is proved by the undeniable fact, which I repeat, that there never was a rational scheme of religion formed in any single nation, unenlightened by the gospel. When, therefore, rejecting the scriptures, he would substitute for them another plan," he is a dwarf mounted on the shoulders of a giant; and vaunting that he can see further than a man of ordinary stature. He is a thief, impudently pretending to rival or eclipse the splen

dour of another man, by a display of those riches which he had previously purloined from him.**

4. The self-sufficient philosophers, elated with a conceit of their talents, laughed at the doctrines-of the cross. The same spectacle we have seen in every age. For though many, of the highest intellectual powers, have esteemed it their glory to lay all their literary laurels at the feet of Jesus, many others have, with these Athenians, scoffed at the truths of religion. Neither is this wonderful; there is something in the pride of talents that as much indisposes the heart to the humble and self-abasing doctrines of the gospel, as the pride of wealth, or of office. It is hard for one, eulogized by his fellowmen, to confess that he knows nothing of divine things, and to sit as an ignorant learner at the feet of Jesus.

5. Yet do not, on this account, suppose that Christianity is inconsistent with science. Paul himself is a proof to the contrary. His is a name that the ranks of infidelity would be proud to enrol among its votaries; he every where, as well as in this address, shows his acquaintance with the literature of his age. Like him, improve your minds; but like him, bring the treasures of Egypt to adorn the tabernacle of God.

6. The philosophers looked down with supreme pity and scorn upon Paul, as one unworthy their regard. But their names have long since been swept into oblivion by the lapse of ages, and the systems which they advocated have sunk into 'merited contempt; while millions have pronounced and will ever pronounce his with joy, and nation after nation shall receive the gospel which he preached, till it be

* Dick's Essay, page 208.

adopted by the whole world. Would you have, then, permanent glory? "Seek that honour which cometh of God only" Seek to have your name enrolled in the Lamb's book of life, and it shall survive the ruins of the world.

7. But, alas! though the gospel is worthy of "honourable women," and of Areopagites, is not the Lord to many an "unknown God:" are there not thousands who have no practical, saving knowledge of him? Oh! let such at last awake; though the past years have been times "of ignorance" when God has borne with you, yet the day is coming when Jesus shall judge you in righteousness. Oh! do not, like the Athenian philosophers, dismiss these truths with a sneer, or defer the consideration of them to a future period; but, like the Bereans, examine, believe, and be saved.

SERMON LXX.

LIFE OF PAUL.

No. VI.

ACTS xviii. xix.

In our last lecture we heard the apostle addressing the Athenians. He appears to have had but little success in this city, and departed from it for Corinth, proverbially one of the most licentious and debauched cities of Greece. At such a place, it

would be supposed, he would have but few converts; that the gay, the dissipated, and the profligate, would reject the gospel with scorn; but he went forth in the strength of God, and from his two epistles, we perceive that a numerous church was here formed, and many of the most vicious reclaimed. Here he met with Aquila, a converted Jew, who originally was of Pontus, a province of Asia Minor, near the Euxine sea. To him and his wife Priscilla, who had both been lately banished from Rome for their religion, by the decree of Claudius, Paul joined himself, working with them as a tent-maker; for, among the Jews, it was the custom to instruct all, even those who devoted themselves to literature, in some trade.

Though he faithfully and warmly exhorted the Jews, especially after the return of Silas and Timothy from Macedonia, yet they, instead of submitting to the gospel, opposed him, and blasphemed the blessed Redeemer. Paul, moved with a holy indignation, shook his garments to cast from them the dust, thus showing that he would have no fellowship with them, in testimony of his grief, and as a token that God would thus cast them off for their rejection of the gospel; and exclaimed, "Your blood be upon your own heads: I am clean." There is probably here a reference to Ezekiel xxxiii. 4, 5.; and in both places to the mode of laying hands on the heads of the sacrifices for sin, in token of the transfer of guilt. It is as though the apostle had said, I have warned and exhorted you; I have seen the vengeance of God advancing to you, and have sounded the trum pet: if the sword fall upon you, on yourselves must be your blood; you reject that only sacrifice which