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unassisted reason was more excusable than an obstinate perseverance in error, after a distinct and authoritative revelation of the truth. He now commandeth all men every where to repent : because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. In this sentence, for the first time, St. Paul contradicted and surprised all his hearers. Every other part of his discourse would be assented to by some, perhaps by the greater part of his audience; but when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, there was a general outcry in the assembly, and they would hear no more. Some mocked, and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter: the former probably being the Epicureans, who derided, and the common people who did not understand, the notion of a resurrection; the latter, some of the philosophers, who were forced to acknowledge the justness of the Apostle's reasoning, but were not prepared to receive this novel doctrine of a bodily resurrection, nor to confess their ignorance in the presence of the people. But the reception, which this doctrine met with, was not owing altogether to its novelty, nor

to its supposed contradiction to common sense and experience; but to its connexion with a judgment to come. And this peculiarity of the Christian revelation has been from the first, and ever will be, the great obstacle to its reception with the children of this world. The difficulties of revealed religion offend the intellectual pride of the philosopher, who proceeds upon the principle of believing nothing which he cannot understand. But it is by its awful disclosures of the purposes of God, that it alarms and offends the more numerous class of practical unbelievers, the sensualist, the profligate, the worldly-minded, and the careless; who love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil.* They are afraid, and unwilling to admit the truth of that revelation, which pronounces sentence of condemnation upon themselves; knowing that if God has indeed appointed a day, wherein he will judge the world in righteousness, they must either forsake and abjure their dearest pleasures and pursuits, or perish everlastingly. Such unbelievers are unbelievers by choice. They wish that the Gospel may not be true; and therefore they will not inquire whether it be so, lest they should be convinced against their will: and if at any time they are *John iii. 19.

unexpectedly awakened to a perception of the truth, by a powerful discourse, or an argument pressed home to their conscience, they shrink back from its advances; and when they are afraid to mock, they are eager to procrastinate; we will hear thee again of this matter. But we do not read, that the Athenian unbelievers ever heard the Apostle again. He departed from among them.

Let us beware of wasting or rejecting the opportunities, which God affords us, of religious instruction and improvement, lest they should be altogether withdrawn. He proposes the evidences of the Gospel, and warns us by the suggestions of his Spirit; and reasons with us by his Word and his ministers; and he is longsuffering and of great goodness. But his longsuffering is abused, and his goodness set at nought by those, who treat with contempt, or indifference, a single declaration and enforcement of Gospel truth; and if that single declaration should be the last which is to be made to them, they will have no right to complain, if they are left to perish in their unbelief.

Labour then to make the best use of the spiritual opportunities which are afforded you, while God is pleased to continue them; profit by the

ministry of faithful teachers, while such are to be found; lest, if you continue unconverted and unfruitful, the Lord of the vineyard should cause them to depart from you, as Paul departed from the Athenians, and leave you to irreclaimable ignorance, and hopeless infidelity. May he impart to us a larger measure of the zeal, and boldness, and prudence of that great Apostle, and to you an inquiring and a teachable spirit; that He, who to the Jews was a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness, may be unto us who are called, Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God.*

1 Cor. i. 24.

LECTURE XI.

ACTS xviii. 9.

Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace.

WHEN Paul turned away from Athens, despairing of making any salutary impression upon that strong-hold of idolatry and false philosophy, the Holy Spirit suffered him to depart, as from a people, the time of whose conversion was not yet come. But when, after a short sojourn at Corinth, he had not only converted the chief ruler of the synagogue, but many of the Corinthians also believed and were baptized, Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace. For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city; not many people who were already believers in Christ; but many who were sincerely desirous of

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