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28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

A. D. cir. 54.

ver, or stone, graven by art and man's cir. CCVIII. device.

e

f

30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men 29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring every where to repent.

a Ch. 14. 17. Col. 1. 17. Heb. 1. 3.- - Tit. 1. 12. 40. 18.

d Isai.

e Ch. 14. 16. Rom. 3. 25. Luke 24. 47. Tit. 2. 11, 12. 1 Pet. 1. 14. & 4. 3.

and dispensed to them their habitations, and the various blessings of his providence, to the end that they should seek him in all his works.

Feel after him] Ψηλαφήσειαν αυτον, That they might grope after him, as a person does his way, who is blind or blind-folded. The Gentiles, who had not a revelation, must grope after God, as the principle of spiritual life, that they might find him to be a Spirit, and the source of all intellectual happiness: and the apostle seems to state that none need despair of finding this fountain of goodness, because he is not far from every one of us.

Verse 28. For in him we live, and move, and have our being] He is the very source of our existence: the principle of life comes from him: the principle of motion also, comes from him; one of the most difficult things in nature to be properly apprehended; and a strong proof of the continual presence and energy of the Deity.

Πασαι δ' ανθρωπων αγοραιο μεση δε θάλασσα
Και λιμενες παντα δε Διος κεχρημεία παντες
ΤΟΥ ΓΑΡ ΚΑΙ ΓΕΝΟΣ ΕΣΜΕΝ· ὁ δ' ηπιος ανθρώποισι
Δεξία σημαίνει. κ. τ. λ.

With Jove we must begin; nor from Him rove;
Him always praise, for all is full of Jove!
He fills all places where mankind resort,
The wide spread sea, with ev'ry shelt'ring port.
Jove's presence fills all space, upholds this ball;
All need his aid; his pow'r sustains us all.
For we his offspring are; and He in love
Points out to man his labour from above.
Where signs unerring, shew when best the soil,

By well-tim'd culture, shall repay our toil, &c. &c. Aratus was a Cilician, one of St. Paul's own countrymen, and with his writings St. Paul was undoubtedly well acquainted, though he had flourished about 300 years before that time.

Verse 29. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, &c.] This inference of the apostle was very strong and conclusive; and his argument runs thus: "If we are the offspring of God, he cannot be like those images of gold, sil

And have our being] Kai eoμey, and we are: we live in him, move in him, and are in him. Without him we not only can do nothing but without him we are nothing. We are, i. e. we continue to be; because of his continued present allpervading and supporting energy. There is a remarkable say-ver, and stone, which are formed by the art and device of ing in Synopsis Sohar, p. 104. "The holy blessed God never does evil to any man. He only withdraws his gracious presence from him, and then he necessarily perisheth." This is philosophical, and correct.

As certain also of your own poets] Probably he means not only Aratus in whose poem intituled Phænomena, the words quoted by St. Paul are to be found litteratim, тou yaρ xaι Yεvos μεy; but also Cleanthus, in whose Hymn to Jupiter, the same words (Εκ σου γαρ γενος εσμεν) occur. But the sentiment is found in several others, being very common among the more enlightened Philosophers. By saying your own poets, he does not mean poets born at Athens; but merely Græsian poets, Aratus and Cleanthus being

chief.

We are also his offspring.] Tov yap xai yevos εσμev. The Phænomena of Aratus, in which these words are found, begins thus :

Εκ Διος αρχωμεσθα, τον ουδέποτε άνδρες εώμεν
Αρρητον μεσαι δε Διος πασαι μεν αγυιαι,

man; for the parent must resemble his offspring. Seeing, therefore, that we are living and intelligent beings, HE, from whom we have derived that being, must be living and intelligent. It is necessary also that the object of religious worship should be much more excellent, than the worshipper; but a man is, by innumerable degrees, more excellent than an image made out of gold, silver, or stone; and yet, it would be impious to worship a man: how much more so, to worship these images as Gods! Every man in the Areopagus must have felt the power of this conclusion; and taking it for granted that they had felt it, he proceeds:

Verse 30. The times of this ignorance God winked at] He who has an indisputable right to demand the worship of all his creatures, has mercifully overlooked those acts of idolatry, which have disgraced the world and debased man; but now, as he has condescended to give a revelation of himself, he commands, as the sovereign, all men, every where, over every part of his dominions, to repent, petaVOEIV, to change their views, designs, and practices; because he hath ap

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pointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteous-time to finish his discourse, or to draw all the conclusions ness; and as justice will then be done, no sinner, no per- he had designed from the premises he had laid down. St. severing idolater, shall escape punishment. Stephen's discourse was interrupted in a similar manner. See chap. vii. 54. and the note there.

The word rapide, which we translate to wink at, signifies simply to look over; and seems to be here used in the sense of passing by, not particularly noticing it. So God overlooked or passed by the times of heathenish ignorance: as he had not given them the talent of Divine Revelation, so he did not require the improvement of that talent; but now, as he had given them that revelation, he would no longer overlook, or pass by, their ignorance or its fruits. Verse 31. He hath appointed a day] He has fixed the time in which he will judge the world, though he has not revealed this time to man.

By that man whom he hath ordained] He has also appointed the judge, by whom the inhabitants of the earth are to be tried.

Verse 33. So Paul departed from among them.] He could not be convicted of having done any thing contrary to the law; and when the assembly broke up, he was permitted to go about his own business.

Verse 34. Certain men clave unto him] Became affectionately united to him; and believed, the doctrines he had preached.

Dionysius the Areopagite] There can be no doubt that this man was one of the judges of this great court; but whether the president or otherwise, we cannot tell. Humanly speaking, his conversion must have been an acquisition of considerable importance to the Christian religion; for no person was a judge in the Areopagus, who had not borne the office of archon, or chief governor of the city; and none bore the office of judge in this court, who was not of the highest reputation among the people, for his intelligence and exemplary conduct. In some of the popish writers, we find a vast deal of groundless conjectures concerning Dionysius, who, they say, was first bishop of Athens, and raised to that dignity by Paul himself; that he was a martyr for the truth; that Damaris was his wife, &c. &c. concerning which the judicious Calmet says, Tout cela est de peu ď autorité. "All this has little foundation."

Whereof he hath given assurance] [isiv пapaσxwv пar, having given to all this indubitable proof, that Jesus Christ shall judge the world, by raising him from the dead. The sense of the argument is this: "Jesus Christ, whom we preach as the Saviour of men, has repeatedly told his followers that he would judge the world; and has described to us, at large, the whole of the proceedings of that awful time, Matt. xxv. 31, &c. John v. 25. Though he was put to death by the Jews, and thus he became a victim for sin, yet God raised him from the dead. By raising him from the dead, God has set his seal to the doctrines he has taught: 1. In addition to what has been said in the notes on this subone of these doctrines is, that he shall judge the world; his ject, I may add, the original word deloidaμovesepos, from resurrection, established by the most incontrovertible evi-daow, I fear, and dauer, a dæmon, signifies, "greatly addence, is therefore a proof, an incontestible proof, that he shall judge the world, according to his own declaration." Verse 32. When they heard of the resurrection, &c.] Paul undoubtedly had not finished his discourse: it is likely that he was about to have proclaimed salvation through Christ crucified; but on hearing of the resurrection of the body,so, doubtless, his audience understood him for it would the assembly instantly broke up; the Epicureans mocking, Eyhvatov began to laugh; and the Stoics saying they would take another opportunity to hear him on that subject. And thus the assembly became dissolved before the apostle had

dicted to the worship of the invisible powers:" for, as the word daw signifies either a good or evil spirit; and delow, I fear, signifies not only to fear in general, but also to pay religious reverence, the word must be here taken in its best sense; and so undoubtedly St. Paul intended it should; and

have been very imprudent to have charged them with superstition, which must have been extremely irritating, in the very commencement of a discourse in which he was to defend himself, and prove the truth of the Christian Religion. He

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stated a fact, acknowledged by the best Greek writers; and he reasoned from that fact. The fact was, that the Athenians were the most religious people in Greece, or, in other words, the most idolatrous: that there were in that city more altars, temples, sacrifices, and religious services, than in any other place. And, independently of the authorities which may be quoted in support of this assertion, we may at once perceive the probability of it from the consideration that Athens was the grand University of Greece. That here, philosophy, and every thing relating to the worship of the gods, was taught; and that religious services to the deities must be abundant. Look at our own universities of Oxford and Cambridge; here are more prayers, more religious acts and services, than in any other places in the nation: and very properly so. These were founded to be seminaries of learning and religion; and their very statutes suppose religion to be essential to learning: and their founders were in general religious characters; and endowed them for religious purposes. These, therefore, are not superstitious services, for as superstition signifies "unnecessary fears, or scruples in religion; observance of unnecessary and uncommanded rites or practices,"--JOHNSON-it cannot be said of those services which are founded on the positive command of God, for the more effectual help to religious feelings, or as a preventative of immoral practices. I consider the Athenians, therefore, acting in conformity to their own laws and religious institutions; and Paul grants that they were much addicted to religious performances: this he pays as a compliment, and then takes occasion to shew that their religion was defective; they had not a right object of devotion; they did not know the true God; the true God was, to them, the unknown God; and this, an altar in their own city acknowledged. He therefore began to declare that glorious Being to them whom they ignorantly worshipped. As they were greatly addicted to religious services, and acknowledged that there was a Being to them unknown, and to whom they thought it necessary to erect an altar; they must, consistently with their character as a religious people, and with their own concession in the erection of this altar, hear quietly, patiently, and candidly, a discourse on that God whose being they acknowledged, but whose nature they did not know. Thus St. Paul, by acknowledging their religious disposition, and seizing the fact of the altar being inscribed to the unknown God, assumed a right which not a philosopher, orator, or judge, in the Areopagus could dispute, of bringing the whole subject of Christianity before them, as he was now brought to his trial, and put on his defence. The whole of this fine advantage, this grand stroke of rhetorical prudence, is lost from the whole account, by our translation, ye are in all things too superstitious, thus causing the defendant to commence his discourse with a charge, which would have roused the indignation of the Greeks, and precluded the possibility of their hearing any thing he had to say in defence of his conduct.

religious disposition of the Athenians.

2. That the original word, on the right interpretation of which I have laid so much stress, is taken in a good sense, and signifies religious worship and reverence, I shall shew by several proofs; some of which may be seen in Mr. Parkhurst, under the word Arizovia, which Suidas explains by Euλabela TEPI TOV DELOV, reverence towards the Deity. And Hesychius, by poobsïa, the fear of God. "In this good sense, it is often used by Diodorus Siculus. Herodotus says of Orpheus, he led men is disziponiar to be religious; and exhorted them ETI TO EVσEbEw to picty; where it is manifest that delidaiμovia must mean religion, and not superstition. But what is more to the present purpose, the word is used by Josephus, not only where a heathen calls the pagan religion dadapovias, (Antiq. lib. xix. cap. 5. s. 3.) or where the Jewish religion is spoken of by this name, in several edicts that were made in its favour by the Romans, as in Antiq. lib. xiv. cap. 10. s. 13, 14, 16, 18, 19.) but also where the historian is expressing his own thoughts in his own words: thus of king Manasseh, after his repentance and restoration, he says, Todačev maσY TEρI AUTOY (Csov) TY DELOIDAL μovig Xprotxi, he endeavoured to behave in the MOST RELIGIOUS manner towards God.-Antiq. lib. x. cap. 3. s. 2. And speaking of a riot that happened among the Jews on occasion of a Roman soldier's burning the book of the law; he observes, that the Jews were drawn together on this occasion, Ty deloidaimovia, by their religion, as if it had been by an engine; opyaw T.-De Bell. lib. ii. cap. 12. s. 2." It would be easy to multiply examples of this use of the word; but the Reader may refer, if necessary, to Wetstein, Pearce and others.

3. That the Athenians were reputed in this respect, a devout people, the following quotations may prove. Pausanias, in Attic. cap. xvii. p. 39. Edit. Kuhn. says, that the Athenians were not only more humane, αλλα και ες θεούς ευσεβειν, but more devout towards the gods; and again, he says a εναργως όσοις πλεον τι ετέρων ευσεβείας μετεςιν, it appears plainly how much they exceed others in the worship of the gods; and in cap. xxiv. p. 56, he says Aonvalois TeploσOTEÇOV TI Y rois aλ2015, ES Tα DEIα ES1 Omoudrs, that the Athenians are τοις άλλοις, ες τα θεία εςι σπουδης, abundantly more solicitous about divine matters than others. And Josephus seals this testimony by the assertion, Contr. Apion, ii. 10. Αθηναίους ευσεβεσάτους των Ελληνων πάντες Xeyovσi; every body says that the Athenians are the most religious people of all the Greeks.-See Bp. Pearce. From all these authorities, it is palpable, that St. Paul must have used the term in the sense for which I have contended.

4. In the preceding notes, I have taken for granted that Paul was brought to the Areopagus to be tried on the charge of setting forth strange gods. Bp. Warburton denies that he was brought before the Areopagus on any charge whatever; and that he was taken there that the judges might hear him explain his doctrine, and not to defend himself against a charge, which he does not once notice in the whole of his

Observations on Paul's

CHAP. XVII.

preaching in the Areopagus.

gus, yet each sect of the philosophers would feel themselves powerfully affected by every thing in his discourse which tended to shew the emptiness or falsity of their doctrines ; and though he attempted to move no passion; yet, from these considerations, their passions would be strongly moved. And this is the idea which the inimitable Raphael took up in his celebrated Carton on this subject; and which his best copier, Mr. Thomas Holloway, has not only engraved to the life, but has also described in language only inferior to the Carton itself and as it affords no mean comment on the preceding discourse, my readers will be pleased to find it here.

discourse. But there is one circumstance that the bishop has not noticed, viz. that St. Paul was not permitted to finish his discourse, and therefore could not come to those particular parts of the charge brought against him, which the bishop thinks he must have taken up most pointedly, had he been accused, and brought there to make his defence. The truth is, we have little more than the apostle's exordium; as he was evidently interrupted in the prosecution of his defence. As to the supposition that he was brought by philosophers to the Areopagus, that they might the better hear him explain his doctrine, it appears to have little ground; for they might have heard him to as great advantage in any other place: nor By the Cartons of Raphael, we are to understand certaiu does it appear that this court was ever used, except for the Scripture pieces painted by Raphael d'Urbino, and now presolemn purposes of justice. But the question, whether Paul served in the Palace at Hampton-court. They are allowed was brought to the Areopagus that he might be tried by the to be chefs d'œuvre in their kind. They have been often judges of that court, Bishop Pearce answers with his usual engraved, but never so as to give an adequate representation judgment and discrimination. He observes: 1." We are told of the matchless originals, till Mr. Thomas Holloway, who that one effect of his preaching was, that he converted Dio- has completely seized the spirit of the artist, undertook this nysius the Areopagite, ver. 34.; and this seems to shew that most laborious work, in which he has been wholly engaged he, who was a judge of that court, was present; and if so, for several years; and in which he has, for some time past, probably other judges were present also. 2. If they who associated with himself Messrs. Slann and Webb, two exbrought Paul to Areopagus wanted only to satisfy their cu- cellent artists, who had formerly been his own pupils. The riosity, they had an opportunity of doing that in the market,|| Carton to which I have referred, has been sometime finishmentioned ver. 17. Why then did they remove him to ano-ed, and delivered to the subscribers; and with it that elegant ther place? 3. When it is said that they brought Paul to description, from which the following is a copious extract: Areopagus, it is said that they to him, emihabqueroI QUTOY, "The eye no sooner glances on this celebrated Carton, or, rather, they laid hold on him, as the Greek word is than it is immediately struck with the commanding attitude translated, Luke xxiii. 26. and chap. xx. 20, 26. and as it of the speaker, and the various emotions excited in his hearers. ought to have been here, in chap. xxi. 30, 33. and especially in this latter verse. 4. It is observable that Paul, in his whole discourse at the Areopagus, did not make the least attempt to move the passions of his audience, as he did when speaking to Felix, chap. xxiv. 25. and to Agrippa, chap. xxvi. 29. but he used plain and grave reasoning, to convince his hearers of the soundness of his doctrine.

"Now we are told by Quinctilian, in Inst. Orat. ii. 16. that Athenis actor movere affectus vetabutur : the actor was forbidden to endeavour to excite the passions. And again, in vi. 1. that Athenis movere etiam per præconem prohibebatur || orator: among the Athenians, the orator was prohibited by the public cryer to move the passions of his auditory. And this is confirmed by Philostratus in prom. lib. i. de Vit. Sophist.; and by Athenæus, in his Deipnosoph. xiii. 6. If, therefore, it was strictly forbidden at Athens to move the affections of the courts of justice, especially in that of the Areopagus, we see a good reason why Paul made no attempt || in that way; and at the same time, we learn how improperly the painters have done all they could, when they represent Paul speaking at Athens, endeavouring both by his looks and gestures to raise those several passions in his hearers, which their faces are meant to express."

"The interest which the first appearance of St. Paul at Athens had occasioned, was not calculated to subside on a sudden; his doctrines were too new, and his zeal too ardent. From the multitude it ascended to the philosophers. The Epicureans and Stoics particularly assailed him. Antecedently to the scene described in the picture, among the various characters already encountered by the apostle, many undoubtedly, in their speculations upon divine subjects, had often imagined a sublimer religion than that commonly acknowledged: such, therefore, would make it their business to hear him again. Others, to whom truth was of less value than the idle amusement of vain disquisition, felt no other motive than curiosity. By far the greater part, however, obstinately bigoted to their particular tenets, and abhorring innovation, regarded him as impious, or a mere babbler: these also wished to hear him again, but with no other than the insidious view, that, by a more regular and explicit profession of his doctrines, he might expose his own absurdities, or render himself obnoxious to the state. The drapery accords with the majesty of the figure; and the light is so managed, especially on the arms and hands, as greatly to assist the energy of the action.

"The painter has proceeded, from the warmth of full I have only to add here, that though St. Paul did not en- conviction, through various gradations, to the extremes of deavour to excite any passions in his address at the Areopa-malignant prejudice and invincible bigotry.

Observations on Paul's

THE ACTS.

preaching in the Areopagus.

his indignation. He alone would engage to confute him, or punish his temerity. His eager impatience and irritation are not discovered in his features only; he raises his heel from the ground, and leans with a firmer pressure on his crutch, which seems to bend beneath him.

"In the foreground, on the right, is Dionysius, who is recorded to have embraced the new religion. With the utmost fervour in his countenance, and with a kind of sympathetic action and unconscious eagerness, he advances a step nearer. His eye is fixed on the apostle; he longs to tell him his conversion, already perhaps preceded by conviction "Pass from him to the more polished Epicurean. This wrought in his mind by the reasonings of the sacred teacher,|| figure exhibits perfect repose of body and mind: no passions on previous occasions in the synagogue, and in the forum or agitate the one; no action discomposes the other. His hands, market-place. He appears not only touched with the doc-judiciously concealed beneath beautiful drapery, shew there trines he receives, but expresses an evident attachment to his instructor: he would become his host and protector. "This figure is altogether admirable. The gracefulness of the drapery and of the hair; the masculine beauty of the features; the perspective drawing of the arms; the life and sentiment of the hands, the right one especially, are inimitable.

"Behind is Damaris, mentioned with him as a fellow-believer. This is the only female in the composition; but the painter has fully availed himself of the character, in assisting his principle of contrast; an excellence, found in all the works of Raphael. Her discreet distance, her modest deportment, her pious and diffident eye, discovering a degree of awe, the decorum and arrangement of her train, all interest the mind in her favour.

"Next to these, but at some distance, is a Stoic. The first survey of this figure conveys the nature of his peculiar philosophy, dignity and austerity. Raphael has well understood what he meant in this instance to illustrate. His head is sunk in his breast; his arms are mechanically folded; his eyes, almost shut, glance towards the ground: he is absorbed in reflection. In spite of his stoicism, discomposure and perplexity invade his soul, mixed with a degree of haughty mortification.

||

can be no possible motion or employment for them. His feet seem to sleep upon the ground. His countenance, which is highly pleasing, and full of natural gentleness, expresses only a smile of pity at the fancied errors of the apostle, mingled with delight derived from his eloquence. He waits with an inclined head, in passive and serene expectation. If a shrewd intelligence is discovered in his eyes, it is too gentle to disturb the general expression of tranquillity.

"Behind are two other young men : the first discovers a degree of superciliousness with his vexation; his companion is more disgusted, and more morose.

"These, and the two young figures previously described, are not introduced merely to fill up the group; they may be intended as pupils to the philosophers before them, though by some considered as young Romans, who have introduced themselves from ennui or curiosity.

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Beyond is a character, in whose mind the force of truth and eloquence appears to have produced conviction; but pride, vanity, or self-interest, impel him to dissemble. His finger, placed upon the upper lip, shews that he has imposed silence upon himself.

"In the centre is seated a group from the academy. The skill of Raphael in this instance is eminent. These figures are not only thrown into shade, to prevent their interference with the principal figure; but, from their posture, they contribute to its elevation, and at the same time vary the line of the standing group.

"Sir Joshua Reynolds has observed, that the same idea is continued through the whole figure, even to the drapery, which is so closely muffled about him, that even his hands are not seen;' and that, by this happy correspondence "It seems as if the old philosopher in profile, on the left, between the expression of the countenance and the dis-had offered some observations on the apostle's address; and position of the parts, the figure appears to think from head to foot.'

"Behind the Stoic are two young men, well contrasted in expression anger in the elder, and in the other youthful pride, half abashed, are finely discriminated.

"Beyond, in the same continued half-circle with the Stoic, is perhaps exhibited the most astonishing contrast ever imagined; that of inexorable sternness and complete placidity.

"Of the two figures, the first is denominated a Cynic, who, disappointed in his expectation of the ridiculous appearance which he conceived the apostle, when confronted,|| would make among them, abandons his mind to rage. His formidable forehead concentrates its whole expression: with a fixed frown and threatening eye, he surveys the object of

that he was eagerly listening to the reply of his sage friend, in whose features we behold more of the spirit of mild philosophy. The action of his fingers denotes his habit of reasoning, and regularity of argument. The middle figure behind appears to be watching the effect which his remarks would produce.

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