Acts 1

Chap. I. Ver. 1. Paul, &c.—It was anciently the practice to prefix the all nations, and to all classes of society, to whom he owed his utmost exertions in the propagation of the gospel: ‘‘for (adds he) I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.” And why not? “Because it is the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth.” The Jewish Rabbies, indeed, were ashamed of it, for it was to them “a stumbling-block;” and the Greeks, because it was to them “foolishness;’’ but Paul, on the contrary, gloried in it, because it is, ‘to them that believe, the wisdom of God, and the power of God;’’ that is, a way of salvation in which the wisdom and power of God, as well as his mercy, are eminently displayed, both to Jews and Gentiles.

In bringing this subject home to our own times, and to our own bosoms, it must be confessed, that there are many professing Christians who are both ashamed of, and a disgrace to the gospel: but those who are not a disgrace to it —that is, those who believe and act upon its principles—will never be ashamed of it; because, 1. It meets and satisfies all their necessities: they are sinners, such as Christ came to save. 2. It provides eis a guide in all difficulties, namely, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father has promised to all who ask him. 3. It animates and encourages them under all their fears and trials; for it is by the gospel that “life and immortality are brought to light.” 4. In its tendency and effects, it affords the brightest evidence of its own divinity.

(See Dr. Watts’ Serm. xv. xvi. xvii.—three of the best discourses ever Ver. 17—25. The necessity of faith, and awful consequences of infidelity.—In the gospel of Christ, as a divine scheme of salvation, is the righteousness of God gloriously revealed. 1. It is displayed and illustrated in the doctrine of Christ’s atonement for human guilt; and, 2. In the sanctification of believers by the influences of the Holy Spirit. Thus it is that “the righteousness of God is gradually revealed,” or (as it is here expressed) ‘‘from faith to faith;” that is, from one degree of faith to another, till it is completely revealed, and crowned with everlasting life. Thus it is that our salvation, “all through, from one end to the other,”

as Locke expresses it, is founded on faith in God through Christ; accord[ing to the promise,] believing in his word of promise, they should escape the miseries of the Babylonish captivity; so believers trusting in Christ shall be delivered from the miseries of sin, and of eternal death. And as the righteousness of God is revealed in the salvation of believers, so is it awfully displayed in the punishment of unbelievers, ‘‘For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.” The former term, [ungodliness,] when used alone, may comprehend every kind of sin; but when used with unrighteousness or lasciviousness, (which plainly relates to the second table of the law,) refers more particularly, as we conceive, to impiety, or sins against God, comprehending the opposite crimes of atheism and idolatry.

In the former, [atheism,] men were without excuse, because, even “from the creation of the world, the invisible things of him,” [God,] namely, “his eternal power and Godhead, were clearly seen; so that they [who denied his being and perfections] were utterly without excuse.” For as every work of art (a watch or clock, for instance) declares the previous existence of an artist; so, much more does the immense machinery of nature demonstrate the being and perfections of the Creator. The far greater part of the heathen world fell into the contrary error of idolatry and polytheism. “Professing themselves to be wise’—that is, to be sophists and philosophers— ‘they became fools;” and such fools, that they “charged the glory of the incorruptible God into an image [or images] made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things:”

for instance, the bull and the eagle, the beetle and the serpent. Thus they changed the truth of God into a lie, conceived of the true God as of an idol; and “served the creature more than,” or rather instead of, “the Creator.” He therefore ‘‘gave them up to uncleanness, through the lusts of their own hearts;” and thus licentiousness became connected with idolatry, and the most unnatural lusts were admitted to form part of their religious rites. It is true that the philosophers had a twofold doctrine, public and secret: in the former they encouraged the idolatries of