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to engage in many investigations which are not communicated to the world. The results of them may be known to the community; the processes are secretly useful to him only who performed them. b) We should have more virtue than is obvious to others; for religion is, in many of its features, too modest for exposure to the crowd. c) We should have more power of influencing the world than is accredited to us; for we should possess such a character as will command the respect and love of men, and such as will exert an authority which cannot be estimated in the common scenes of life, nor fully disclosed even in those great emergencies which call for its exercise. d) We should be more actively useful than we are seen to be; for many of our good deeds must be performed in secret.

II. Having now explained our Proposition, we will prove it, although the very meaning of it may be a sufficient argument in its favor. A. It is commended to us by the example of Christ and of his followers. B. It is involved in the duty of laboring earnestly and fundamentally for our own improvement. The reason why we do not strive with more vigor for our moral reformation is, that we hope to conceal our faults and to appear better than we are. If we had no such hope, and if we were truly desirous of advancement in excellence, we should work at the foundations of our character, even if they be out of the world's sight. C. It is favored by a prudent regard to our own welfare in this world. When we seem to be better than we are, we dread to have others come near to us, lest they detect our spiritual poverty; we live an artificial life, enjoying the good opinion of the ignorant, which we are liable to lose at any moment; we are walking on the brink of mortification. But when we are better than we appear, we live in no such terror of exposure, and we enjoy a reputation with the discerning, and this reputation is more pleasing and more permanent than is the applause of the vulgar. D. It is recommended by a regard to our welfare in the world to come. That world is one of realities, not of appearances. The day of judgment will strip off all disguise. Let us, then, no longer toil for a vain show which will soon end in shame, but for those solid properties which, although escaping the notice of the multitude in this world, will be brought into light and honor before the throne of God.

The discourse preached on the eighth day after the preceding, resembles it in its fitness to awaken curiosity. Its text is John 1: 19— 28, a passage which describes the behaviour of the Baptist toward those who had formed too high an opinion of him. The object of the

1 1 Predigten, herausgegeben von Hacker, Band IV. ss. 268–283.

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sermon is, to state how Christians should conduct themselves when they are over-estimated by others.

I. But, in the first place, this over-estimate is to be explained. And here,

A. We will define the expression, "men form too high an opinion of us."

B. We will state the manner in which they express this extravagant opinion. They express it sometimes, a) in silent reverence and admiration; sometimes, b) in active zeal for our honor; thus the admirers of John were jealous for his reputation and many of them attempted to exalt him above Jesus of Nazareth; sometimes, c) in cherishing with regard to us, hopes which are too exalted for us to fulfil; sometimes, d) in calling us to perform duties which transcend our ability.

C. We will consider the causes which give rise to this over-estimate. a) The most fruitful source is the short-sightedness of men. b) Their great respect for externals, leads them to regard a man as being all which he appears to be. They are imposed upon by the personal appearance and address of those who, by nature or artifice, exhibit the outward signs of wisdom. John's austere habits caused men to over-value him. c) The fact that men agree in opinion and feeling with another, induces them to extol him beyond measure. The Pharisees, in our text, exalted John because they supposed, falsely however, that his ascetic code would harmonize with theirs. d) Selfishness induces men to entertain unreasonable esteem for one from whom they anticipate personal favors.

II. Having now explained this over-estimate in its nature, expression and causes, let us, in the second place, describe the manner in which a Christian should conduct himself when he is the object of it.

A. He should not be inveigled by it into too high an opinion of himself. It is more dangerous for us to appear to be better than we are, than to appear to be worse; for we are apt to agree with our flatterers, and to be injuriously influenced by them. John did not allow himself to coincide, for a moment, with the extravagant opinions which were expressed concerning him.

B. He should not encourage others in their over-estimate of himself. He need not assume the positive attitude, and search into the opinions of men in order to detect their truth or falsehood; but when he knows that too much confidence is placed in him, he should, as John in our text, undeceive his admirers. He may thus save the community from much painful disappointment, and gratify his own love of honesty.

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C. Least of all should he make use of the unwarranted esteem which is felt for him, as a means of injuring those who are deceived in his favor. John did not, as he might easily have done, employ his great popularity in prejudicing the Jews against him who was to be their only Saviour. How many offices are unworthily filled, because candidates encourage the unjustifiable respect which is entertained for them! How many marriages are unhappy, because at the beginning the parties do not honestly rectify those exalted expectations which they know that they cannot satisfy.

D. The Christian should be stimulated by the over-estimate of men, to become what they already think him to be.

The phraseology of Reinhard's Exordia and Propositions, often excites the fear that he will mislead his hearers. He seems to be entering on perilous ground. In the midst of our agitation, he proposes to explain his meaning. We are eager to hear his explanation. We attend to it, are instructed by it, satisfied with it; and our previous doubts as to the safety of his course, after having sharpened our attention to his explanatory remarks, give us an impulse to pursue his subsequent train of thought. In the following schedule of his sermon1 on the parable of the unjust steward, Luke 16: 1-9, we may detect his power of arresting attention, and of preparing the mind for an instructive argument.

Generally, he says, when we speak of a vicious man, we load him with opprobrious epithets. We deem it unsafe to do otherwise. When we read of the unjust steward, we instinctively expect that Christ will condemn him. The Saviour approves of some features in the steward's character. As we should imitate Christ's example, let us consider the duty of paying suitable respect to the merits of wicked men.

But no.

First, we will explain the meaning of this Proposition. a) We should accurately recognize the good which exists in wicked men, their noble talents, dispositions, etc. b) We should sincerely value it; gold does not cease to be such, because in an unclean vessel. c) We should manifest our esteem for it in our outward conduct. Wicked men should be treated with a confiding deference, in all those particulars in which they deserve to be so treated; else they may complain that we undervalue the gifts of God which are in them.

But such regard for sinners will be disapproved by some as perilous to ourselves and injurious to the community. Let us then, in the second place, consider the reasons for paying suitable respect to the

1 Predigten, herausgegeben von Hacker, Band III. ss. 167–186.

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merits of wicked men. a) Caution requires that we should qualify our condemnation of those who are accused of crime; for they may have been too hastily and harshly condemned, and we should not bring false charges against our fellow-beings, even if they be sinners. b) Love requires that we ascribe to base men, all the good qualities with which their heavenly Father has endued them. c) Prudence requires that we pay due regard to their excellences, so that we may derive profit from them. They who do much evil are capable of doing much good, are sometimes the ablest of our race. We should recognize their ability and make a prudent use of it. d.) The example of God and Christ requires that we properly appreciate the good qualities of bad men. Notwithstanding their transgressions, their Father in heaven blesses, in his providence, the mental power, the natural virtues, the industrious efforts of his enemies. Christ looked with favor upon certain characteristics of the Samaritans, the heathen, publicans and sinners.

But let us, in the third place, prescribe some rules which we must never lose sight of in paying the merited respect to the wicked. a) We must by all means guard against that indifference toward the sins of bad men which is apt to arise from an esteem for their good qualities. They are dangerous persons to associate with, for their shining accomplishments often blind our eyes to their dark faults. b) We should guard against intimate connections with them. We should esteem whatever is estimable in their characters, and at the same time cherish an abhorrence of their perverseness, and therefore refuse to admit them to a near intercourse with us. c) We should remember that no man can be a true Christian while he allows any one sin to have dominion over him. We are tempted to palliate the wickedness of some, by imagining that they atone for it by certain noble virtues. But if they habitually indulge in any single violation of the law, they cannot be disciples of Christ.

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ARTICLE VI.

THE DISCOURSE OF PAUL AT ATHENS. A COMMENTARY ON ACTS 17: 16-34.

By Professor H. B. Hackett, Newton Theological Institution.

It was in the course of his second missionary tour that the apostle Paul came to Athens. From Troas in Asia Minor, he had crossed the northern part of the Egean Sea into Europe, landing at Neapolis in Thrace, but passing on thence directly to Philippi in Macedonia where he remained and labored for some time. From there he followed the course of the great military road leading from the north of Greece to the south, as far as to Berea; whence having been driven away after a short residence by the machinations of the Jews, he set forward again, and proceeded, in all probability by sea, to Athens. It is at this point that we take up the narrative in the present Article.

The antecedent Circumstances.

Vv. 16-21. Effect of the idolatry at Athens on the mind of Paul. V. 16. ixdεzouérov avtovs, while he was waiting for them, viz. Silas and Timothy whom he had left at Berea, and to whom he had sent a message that they should rejoin him as soon as possible; see v. 15. The most natural inference from 1 Thess. 3: 1, is that Timothy, at least, soon arrived in accordance with Paul's expectation, but was immediately sent away by the apostle to Thessalonica. As Silas, however, is not mentioned in that passage, it has been supposed that he may have failed for some reason to come at this time, or if he came, that like Timothy, he may have left again at once, but for a different destination; which last circumstance would account for the omission of his name at this place in the letter. Our next notice of them in the Acts, occurs in 18: 5, where they are represented as coming down from Macedonia to Corinth, which is consistent either with the supposition just stated,—the intermediate journey having been passed over here in silence, or with the view that they went directly to Corinth from Berea without having gone to Athens at all. Still other combinations are possible. παρωξύνετο — ἐν αὐτῷ, his spirit was aroused in him, comp. 15: 39. 1 Cor. 13: 5. The verb expresses not merely a strong but specific emotion: He was deeply moved with a

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