le but the aspiration of souls made In the image of God, who cry for permanence, for holiness, for rest, for God, and "can find no rest until they find rest in him." We must seek after something new, on and on, until we find God. And Scripture inspires us to such seeking; for it assures ue that "Eye bath not seen, nor ear heard, neither bath the heart of man conceived, the things which God bath prepared for them thfl-t love him." And though, in measure, these have been revealed unto ns by the Spirit, yet again we nro led on by the Word; for "it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."-R. T. Ver. 23.-" The unlcnown God." For description of the statues and altars to various divinities with which Athens was crowded, see Conybeare and Howson, 'Life and Epistles of St. Paul,' vol. i. pp. 415-417. "Roman satirists say, ' It was easier to find a god in Athens than a man.' Athenian religion ministered to art and amuse- ment, and was entirely destitute of moral power. Taste and excitement alone were gratified. A religion which addresses itself only to the taste is as weak as one that appeals only to the intellect." In illustration of the altar to which St. Paul here alludes, Aulius Gellius says, "The ancient Romans, when alarmed by an earthquake, were accustomed to pray, not to a specified divinity, but to a god expressed in vague language, as avowedly unknown." For further illustration, see the Expository portion of this work; and' Commentary for English Readers,' in Zoe. We now fix attention on- I. THE CONFUSIONS OF POLYTHEISM. Its worshippers can never be quite sure that they have propitiated the right god, seeing that gods are supposed to be related to par- ticular places, nations, events, sins, etc. This confusion tends to create a more and more elaborate ritual, and a wearisome round of ceremonies. All gods who may possibly be related to the matter in band must be propitiated, and then the right one may be missed. II. THE RESTFULNESS OF MONOTHEISllL One God stands related to all nature, to all events, to all ages, to all sins; and if we can know him and secure right relations with him, there is no one else to fear, no one else to come on us with claims. Behind God there is nobody and nothing. Rest in him is rest for ever. III. THE FULL SATISFACTION OF THE ONE Goo KNOWN IN CHBIBT. .. Manifest in the flesh." Show how men in seeking after God want some/orm under which they may present him to their minds. This necessity is the secret cause of all idol-making. And God bas graciously met it, and fully satisfied it, by presenting to us himself, apprehended as the "Man Obrist Jesus." And this incarnation of the one and only God St. Paul preached to the Athenians. The name of the " unknown God " is Jesus, the Christ.-R. T. -
Ver. 23.-.Athenian religion. "Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you." The materials for an introduction are found in the following suggestive passage from F. D. Maurice:-" This language assumed that the Athenians were in search of God; that they were ignorantly worshipping him; that they had a sense of his being a Father; that they wanted some one living human image of him, to sup- plant those images of him which they had made for themselves . . . . 'l'his teaching was adapted to all that was true and sound in the Greek mind. The Greek asked for one who should exhibit humanity in its perfection; and he was told of the Son of man. He felt that whoever did so exhibit humanity must be Divine. 'l'he Son of man was declared to be the Son of God. He had dreamed of one from whom the highest glory man could conceive must have proceeded. He was told of the Father. He had thought of a Divine presence in every tree and flower. He heard of a presence ne!-'-rer still to himself." We may learn from St. Paul's speech how we ought to thmk of the Gentile nations of the earth, and what it lies upon us to do on their behalf. He shows us what "gospel "-what "good news of God "-has to be ta.ken to the nations; and, by his example, he indicates in what spirit the message should be taken. Speaking amidst the surroundings of idol altars, statues, and temples, St. Paul- l. RECOGNIZES THE RELIGIOUSNESS OF THE ATHENIANS. He was placed in a position of ~xceeding difficulty. To have attacked those pagan divinh.it>a in the very midst of theU' sanctuaries and altars, and before the very court wb.icu 1;uardcd the national 81 TBR AOTS OF THE .APOSTI,ES. [cu. xvn. 1--84.