of his stay at Athens he should abide at his house. The Spirit had so awakened his heart and conscience, that they responded to the things which he heard. He did not resist that feeling, and lightly dismiss the apostle till another time; but he, and Damaris, and others with them, pursued their inquiry till the seed took deep and firm root, and they believed-they became converts to the gospel of Christ.

Dionysius, we are told, was an Areopagite: a member of that council which was called after its place of meeting, Mars Hill. To be a member of that council, was to be a person of first importance. A person of such rank and station makes a greater sacrifice, if he leaves the party and the connexions to which he has belonged, than one who has fewer worldly interests to abandon. This, no doubt, was the ground of the Lord's remark, "How hardly shall they that are rich enter into the kingdom of God!" But there was no want of such persons among those who first embraced the gospel. There were enough to show that those whose education had enabled them to form a judgment upon a matter placed before them, when they were brought to attend to the apostles, found that which they could not resist: nay, which they could not be satisfied without securing it as their own. Some mocked, others postponed; but not for want of proof, but for want of will-will to inquire, or yield to conviction.

So Paul departed from among them: left the learned. Athenians. Their learning would soon be of no avail. "Man returneth to his earth, and all his thoughts perish." But he left behind him a small but a faithful

I

company, whose learning would not perish. They had been "made wise unto salvation through faith that is in Christ Jesus." And these through endless ages shall find fresh mysteries to look into, fresh wisdom to adore.

XXX.

PAUL AT CORINTH.

ACTS xviii. 9-17.

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

10. For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.

11. And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

THERE are seasons when the servants of God need especial comfort and encouragement. And there are seasons when he sees fit to communicate such consolation. It was given to Paul at Corinth. He was assured of protection. 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. He was assured, too, of what still more concerned him, that his "labour should not be in vain in the Lord." I have much people in this city. And here we observe the all-seeing eye, which is ever watchful over the interests of the soul. The Lord

knows his own; knows them while they are yet a great way off," and provides that they shall be brought nigh. Many had already believed and were baptized; and he foresaw that many more would be "added to the church daily," and it would become that large body, to which Paul afterwards addressed his letters, and from which the light of divine truth was reflected throughout a wide adjacent region.

Another remark arises from these words. They point to a bright example of the power of divine grace. Even in that luxurious and dissolute city (for this, to a proverb, was the character of Corinth) the Lord had much people. Paul might have replied, Lord, we know that "the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God." We know that the sins of adultery, and uncleanness, and idolatry, and covetousness, are abominable in the sight of "the High and Holy One which inhabiteth eternity." And such sinners were these. To these very persons he writes, after a few years,1 "Such were some of you : but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."

Here, then, were these, the much people whom the Lord foresaw, and for whose sake he favoured Paul with a special vision, so that he continued there a year and six months, preaching the kingdom of God among them. But still greater is the consolation handed down to all future ages by the fact which this example sets before us. The Lord knows every heart, and no individual escapes his notice who is disposed "towards the attainment of everlasting salvation." He beholds them

1 1 Cor. vi. 11.

from afar, while they are yet "enemies of God through wicked works:" he calls them by his word: he justifies them by his merits: he sanctifies them by his Spirit: they are those of whom he speaks, saying, "All that the Father giveth me are mine. And they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand."

12. And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia,1 the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment-seat,

13. Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.

14. And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:

15. But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters. 16. And he drave them from the judgment-seat.

17. Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment-seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things.

On former occasions, as before at Philippi and at Thessalonica, the magistrates had readily listened to the accusations made by the Jews against Paul, and had been accomplices in the ill-treatment which he received. Here the case is different. Gallio disregards

1 i. e. When Gallio was proconsul. He was the younger brother of the philosopher Seneca. It is singular that Seneca speaks of him as remarkable for courtesy; or rather, perhaps, that easiness of temper which makes men popular. "Nemo mortalium uni tam dulcis est, quam hic omnibus."

them. He perceives that there was no transgression of the public law, which it was his office to maintain; no danger of tumult, except what the enemies of Paul might excite; and therefore he would not enter into the matter, and drove them from the court. God had so willed it. He had said to "the noise of the waves, and the madness of the people," Peace, be still. had promised Paul, No man shall set on thee to hurt thee. Therefore Gallio is an exception to the other magistrates, and that which had been done elsewhere could not be done at Corinth.

He

There is no such promise made generally. No such promise was made to the apostle, except on particular occasions. The general promise is, that "all things. shall work together for good to them that love God;" that whatever is suffered, shall be repaid, repaid abundantly but certainly it is not promised that no opposition shall be encountered, or injury received. All we know is, that nothing can happen which is not overruled. "Even the hairs of your head are all num

bered."

We are glad that Paul should escape without injury. But we cannot approve the character of the magistrate Gallio, who cared for none of these things. Things were brought under his notice which might have interested him. The earnestness of Paul, regardless of the danger to which he was exposed: even the earnestness of the Jews in maintaining their ancient law: the warm and anxious feelings excited in each party, might have roused him from careless indifference. But he was alike regardless of truth and error. His concern was,