STATE OF THE HEATHEN COUNTRIES. 125 enter properly into this subject; but, without attention to it, we can never duly appreciate the value of the Gospel. Universal history agrees with the oracles of God, in exhibiting the Pagan world, at the period referred to, as being in the most deplorable condition in regard to religion and morals. They were fallen from the knowledge and worship of the one true God, into a state of the most apalling idolatry and polytheism. The names, perfections, and attributes of the living and true God, were impiously and sacrilegiously applied to a multiplicity of idol deities. Instead of being led by the works of God to acknowledge and adore HIM, the glorious Author, they generally worshipped the works themselves, paying that adoration to them which was due to him alone. Temples were every where built, altars erected, prayers and sacrifices offered, to false and fictitious deities, unto many of whom the popular theology attributed the worst vices and passions of sinful mortals. So great was the general darkness which prevailed that they actually worshipped evil spirits, called dæmons, which they themselves acknowledged to be such; and many of their religious rites were so cruel, obscene, and impure, that they could only be applicable to evil and vicious beings. Some of their philosophers maintained tenets which tended to Atheism-to subvert the foundation of all religion-to sap the basis of all evidence and certainty, and introduce universal doubt and scepticism, with regard to the belief of a God and his providence. Even the sublime speculations of their most renowned and enlightened philosophers, who had the reputation of entertaining the noblest sentiments of God and religion, were mixed with dangerous errors, though happily confined, in a great measure, to the schools. And, while such was the case with their philosophers, what was to be expected from the common people, but that they should fall in with the prevailing idolatry and polytheism? for the maxim will always hold good, "like priest like people." This account of the matter is clearly demonstrated from the heathen writers themselves, and it is confirmed by all the remaining monuments of Paganism. And now if from profane history we turn our attention to the holy Scriptures, we shall find them fully justifying the representation that has been given of the state of religion in the heathen world. You all know how the apostle Paul describes the heathens in general, in Rom. i. 17, ad finem, especially those of the Roman empire, which was then the most learned and civilized part of the world. He exhibits them as having arrived at the most monstrous degree of idolatry and corruption of manners-so that notwithstanding the discoveries which God had made of himself in the works of creation, which left them without excuse, "they glorified him not as God, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like unto corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things;"—yea, “they changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator who is blessed for ever:"and, "as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, so he gave them up to a reprobate mind," and they abandoned themselves to the most unnatural impurities, together with all kinds of abominable vice and wickedness. This is an appalling picture, but it agrees with the general current of divine revelation; for thus the same apostle describes the state of the Ephesians when the Gospel came among them at the first:-They were "Gentiles in the flesh, dead in trespasses and sins-without hope and without God in the world-having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that was in them, because of the blindness of their hearts-and, being past feeling, they had given themselves over to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness," ch. iv. To the Galatians he says that, "when they knew not God, they did service unto them which by nature are no gods,” ch. iv. 8. He describes the Thessalonians, who believed the Gospel, as "turning from idols to serve the living and true God." And the same apostle tells the Corinthians that "the things which the Gentiles sacrificed they sacrificed to devils and not to God," and he adds, "I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils," ch. x. 20. These quotations depict in lively colours the state of the Gentile world, the kingdom of Satan, who is spoken of as "the god of this world," an empire of moral darkness, idolatry, immorality, superstition, and vice-and this is the state of things which the apostles were sent forth to overturn by STATE OF THE HEATHEN COUNTRIES. 127 means of the preaching of the everlasting Gospel. "For this purpose was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil"-and for this end he commissioned his apostles to preach his Gospel in all nations and to every creature. When Paul received his commission it was to go among the Gentiles in order that he might "turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they might receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among all that are sanctified by faith in Christ Jesus," Acts xxvi. 17, 18. This was a mighty enterprise to be achieved by the fishermen of Gallilee, who were unpolished and illiterate men, or the tent-maker of Tarsus, who was also ❝ rude in speech, though not in knowledge:" but so it was ordered, that the excellency of the power might appear to be of God, and not of man. The usurped empire and dominion of Satan, founded in idolatry and polytheism, had been growing and gradually accumulating strength and stability for more than two thousand years, and now seemed to be firmly established in the heathen world. It had long prescription to plead in its favour-the prejudices of the people were all on its side-and it was strengthened and upheld by the power and authority of the magistrates, by the arts and subtlety of the politicians, by the craft and influence of the idolatrous priests, and by the learning and eloquence of the philosophers and wise men of this world. It was interwoven with the civil constitution, and regarded as essential to the prosperity and happiness of the state. It was guarded with all the powers and all the terrors of the world on the one hand, and all its pomps and allurements on the other-besides which, it came recommended by every thing that was calculated to flatter the vices and passions of men, or add fuel to their sensuality and ambition. Such was the actual state of the heathen world, the established system of polytheism throughout the Roman empire, when the first publishers of the Gospel were sent forth to preach Jesus Christ and him crucified, and the result was that the empire of Satan instantaneously received a mighty shock. Never was there a more sudden and glorious change than that which Christianity wrought during the first three centuries, and before it became enlisted with the state. Thousands were every where turned from the worship of dumb idols to serve the living and true God; they were delivered from the power of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son. The old idolatrous worship, and the long adored deities, fell into contempt: the idol temples soon began to be, in a great measure, forsaken, and the boasted oracles, by means of which the nations had been so long kept under the power of delusion, were struck dumb. Instead of the "lords many, and gods many,” which were acknowledged and adored among the heathens, the latter were now brought in great numbers to acknowledge and adore "one God the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him.” Instead of the many absurd and impious rites of the Pagan worship, the Gospel taught them to worship God, who is an infinite Spirit, in spirit and in truth, that is, as he has manifested himself in the person and work of his beloved Son-to lift up holy hands without wrath and doubting, and offer up to him, through the Mediator, the spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praise. The light of the Gospel spread far and wide with wonderful rapidity, but it was the light of divine truth, making its way silently and imperceptibly, without noise or clamor, without the aid of statesmen or politicians, or a body of pensioned clergymen, but like leaven in a mass of meal, to which our Lord most aptly compared his kingdom in one of his divine parables, Matt. xiii. 35, and in perfect consistency with what he himself said upon another occasion-" the kingdom of God cometh not with observation"—that is, with worldly pomp and show, striking the senses of mankind; it is "not in word but in power"--it consists in "righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit ;" for he that in these things serveth Christ is approved of God and acceptable to man. In a word it consists in the influence of divine truth enlightening the understanding, subduing the will, and regulating the affections, and thus bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. But we now return to the history of the ministry of the great apostle of the Gentiles. ATHENS was at this time perhaps the principal city of Greece, and for its renown in science and literature was termed the "seat of the Muses." The apostle, on his arrival in it, took a survey of its moral state, and found it "wholly given up to idolatry:" a striking proof of what philosophy is competent to SUCCESS OF PAUL'S MINISTRY AT ATHENS. 129 achieve for the children of men in regard to the knowledge of God and the way of happiness. Plato and Aristotle had in this city taught philosophy and established their academies, but with what effect? The citizens, under the tuition of these great men, still thought that "the Godhead was like unto gold, and silver, and stone, graven by art and man's device"-for of such materials were the objects of worship among the enlightened Athenians composed. Well indeed might the apostle's spirit be stirred within him when he witnessed such deplorable ignorance prevailing among them, amidst all the advantages of philosophy; and he proceeded to make known unto them the one living and true God, the giver of life and breath, and all things-the Creator, Preserver, and moral governor of the human race-He in whom "we live and move, and have our being," quoting Aratus, one of their own poets. The apostle then proceeded to address them on their accountability to God, as rational and immortal beings, reminding them that he had appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness, by his Son, Christ Jesus, of the certainty of which he had given assurance unto all, by raising him from the dead. The doctrine of a resurrection from the dead, and of course a future state such as Christianity teaches, appeared to the philosophers quite ridiculous—“ some mocked, and others said we will hear thee again of this matter." The apostle's doctrine, however, gained admission into the hearts of a few, who gave credit to it, and these laid the foundation of a Christian church, of which a succession of bishops is upon record, among whom are Euodius, Ignatius, Heros, Cornelius, Eros, Theophilus, who flourished A. D. 180, nor ought I to omit Quadratus, who in the year 123 drew up an apology for the Christians, which he presented to the emperor Adrian but of this more hereafter. : From this once far-famed and much celebrated city let us now follow the apostle to CORINTH, a place scarcely less renowned at that time than Athens was, for its numerous schools and colleges, or as the seat of learning and of polished life. We have the narrative in Acts xviii., from which we learn that on his arrival he was happy enough to meet with two eminent Christians who had been driven from Rome by a decree of the emperor Claudius, the object of which was the banishment of |