sions," properly signifies, subject to the same infirmities and sufferings,-or, in other words, "mortal creatures like themselves." Their being of "like passions," in the sense of evil dispositions or inordinate desires, would prove no objection in the minds of Gentiles to their being regarded as gods, for, according to the shewing of their own historians and poets, many of their deities were notoriously addicted to all the baser appetites, and all the malignant tempers of humanity. But a liability to pain and suffering, disease and death, would prove incontestably the absence of all claim to be considered divine; for the heathen deities were always regarded as immortal.

The term by which the Apostles here designate those deities-the idols by which they were represented, and the superstitious rites by which they were adored, is not uncommon in the writings of the Old Testament, and is very significant. They style them "vanities." "We preach

unto you, that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God." God." What were they, at the most, but mere creatures of the imagination, or men long before dead, whom their deluded posterity were contented to canonize as divinities?

Not so the Deity whose doctrine and worship it was the object of the Apostles to proclaim. In opposition to all pretended divinities he might be justly termed "the living, or self-existent God,"-the Creator and Preserver of all things, which "made heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein." For a season the world continued ignorant of his character and existence, and were suffered, without any special interference on his part, to walk in their own ways. Yet were they obviously without excuse; for at no period, nor under any dispensation, did he leave himself without witness. On the contrary he testified, by his constant liberality and kindness, not only that he was all-powerful to control the world, but

all-merciful and gracious to supply the wants of his creatures. He did good, he gave them rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, and filled their hearts from time to time with food and gladness.

But let it not suffice us, my brethren, to expatiate with feelings of abhorrence upon the idolatrous practices of the ancient heathen. It becomes every one of us to inquire how far we are grateful to that compassionate and unmerited goodness which hath made us to differ. We live in a land where a species of idolatry more cruel and debasing than any which distinguished the empires of Greece and Rome once flourished in all its horrors-where sacrifices not merely of sheep and oxen, but of human beings, were lavishly offered

up

to their deities. Nor is the coincidence a little remarkable, that the deity to whom those human sacrifices were specially offered, is said to have been the God Mercury. And from whom have we descended, but from ancestors who were

unto you, that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God." What were they, at the most, but mere creatures of the imagination, or men long before dead, whom their deluded posterity were contented to canonize as divinities?

Not so the Deity whose doctrine and worship it was the object of the Apostles to proclaim. In opposition to all pretended divinities he might be justly termed "the living, or self-existent God,"-the Creator and Preserver of all things, which "made heaven, and the earth, and the sea and all things that are therein." For season the world continued ignorant of hi character and existence, and were suffered without any special interference on hi part, to walk in their own ways. Ye were they obviously without excuse; fc at no period, nor under any dispensation did he leave himself without witness. O the contrary he testified, by his constar liberality and kindness, not only that h was all-powerful to control the world, bu

all-merciful and gracious to supply the wants of his creatures. He did good, he gave them rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, and filled their hearts from time to time with food and gladness.

But let it not suffice us, my brethren, to expatiate with feelings of abhorrence upon the idolatrous practices of the ancient heathen. It becomes every one of us to inquire how far we are grateful to that compassionate and unmerited goodness which hath made us to differ. We live in a land where a species of idolatry more jcruel and debasing than any which distinguished the empires of Greece and Rome once flourished in all its horrors-where sacrifices not merely of sheep and oxen, but of human beings, were lavishly offered up to their deities. Nor is the coincidence little remarkable, that the deity to whom those human sacrifices were specially offered, is said to have been the God Mercury. And from whom have we descended, but from ancestors who were