DISC. affections.

It is impoffible to continue X. cold and indifferent, while we read their

epiftles. They look around on the various fcenes of life, and the customs that prevail among those to whom they write. From these they select images calculated to convey with effect to the minds of their difciples, the doctrines which they wish to imprefs.

"The most splendid folemnities which "ancient history hath tranfmitted to us, "were the Olympic games. Hiftorians, "orators, and poets, abound with refe"rences to them; and their fublimest

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imagery is borrowed from these renown"ed exercifes. The games were folem"nized every fifth year by an infinite con

courfe of people from almost all parts of "the world. They were obferved with "the greatest pomp and magnificence: "hecatombs of victims were flain in ho"nour of the heathen deities, and Elis was "a scene of univerfal feftivity and joy. "We find that the most formidable and

" opulent fovereigns of those times were DISC.

competitors for the Olympic crown. We "fee the kings of Macedon, the tyrants of

Sicily, the princes of Afia Minor, and at "laft the lords of imperial Rome and em

perors of the world entering their names

among the candidates, and contending "for the envied palm judging their feli

city completed, and the career of all "human glory and greatnefs happily ter"minated, if they could but interweave "the Olympic garland with the laurels they had purchafed in the fields of

No fubject could be more familiar than this was to the minds of the Corinthians, who were befides fo often spectators of fimilar celebrated upon games, the Ifthmus on which their city was fituated, and from thence denominated Ifthmian. With the greatest propriety therefore the verfe, of which my text is a part, is introduced by

* Dr. HARWOOD's Introduction to the Study and Knowlege of the New Testament, vol. ïi.

the

X.

X.

DISC. the words, Know ye not-" Know ye not "that they which run in a race run all, "but one receiveth the prize? So run, "that ye may obtain." For For every citizen in Corinth was perfectly acquainted with each minute circumftance of this folemnity; a folemnity every way fo fplendid and pompous, that there was no danger left the allufions made to it in this and other parts of the apoftolical writings, should appear low and degrading. To unfold and difplay to you the truths and duties inveloped in fuch allufions, fhall be the bufinefs of the following discourse, in the prosecution of which I shall be often obliged, and therefore here make my acknowlegements, once for all, to the afore-cited ingenious writer.

Let us therefore obferve, in the first place, that the comparison evidently intimates the Chriftian life to be a state of action, of strenuous, unremitted, unwearied action.

The candidates, who were to engage in

the

X.

the ftadium, were brought to the barrier. DISC. There, duly arranged, they waited, in all the exceffes of ardour and impatience, for the fignal. When it was made, at once they sprung forward, and it is natural to imagine, with what rapidity they would urge their courfe, and stretch every nerve to reach the goal.

How finely does this circumftance illuftrate that fublime paffage in the Epiftle to the Philippians "Not as though I had

already attained, either were already per“fect; but I follow after, if I may appre"hend that for which alfo I am appre"hended of Chrift Jefus. Brethren, I "count not myself to have apprehended : "but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching "forth unto thofe things which are before, I prefs towards the mark.” μεν οπίσω επιλανθανόμενος, τοις δε εμπροσθεν επεκτεινόμενος, επι σκοπον διωκω, επι το BeaCELOV. Every term here employed by the

Ch. iii. 12-14.

Τα

apostle

DISC. apostle is agonistical; and the whole pafX. fage beautifully reprefents that ardour which fired the combatants, when engaged in the race.

Thus again, in the Epiftle to the Hebrews "Let us run with patience the « race that is fet before us, τον προκειμενον

ημιν new aywva."-Like those who ran in the Grecian stadium, let us urge our course, with unremitting ardour, towards the deftined happy goal.

Once more, in the fecond Epiftle to Timothy, ch. iv. v. 7; "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course; τον αγώνα τον καλον ηγώνισμαι, τον δρομου

Life then is a contest, a conflict, a race, a progrefs from one degree of wisdom and goodness to another; from the virtues of childhood to those of youth; from the virtues of youth to those of manhood ; from the virtues of manhood to those of

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