DR. HOWSON'S HULSEAN LECTURES.

The Hulsean Lectures for 1863. Five Lectures on the Character of St. Paul, with a Sermon preached before the University on Ascension Day 1863. By the Rev. J. S. Howson, D.D., &c. Longman & Co. 1864.

THE work on the "Life and Epistles of St. Paul," to which Dr. Howson contributed the more important share, is too widely known, and too justly prized, for his name to require any introduction to our readers. In fulfilling his task as Hulsean Lecturer, he has wisely chosen a subject in which he is thoroughly at home. The result is a series of discourses worthy of his reputation, and admirably suited for their especial object. His recent appointment, by the Bishop Elect of Ely, to be examining chaplain for the diocese to which the University belongs, must add a further interest to the volume, and increases the pleasure with which we welcome this accession to sound and wholesome Christian literature, in an hour when the sky is red and lowering in our ecclesiastical firmament.

The object of Dr. Howson has been to combine the apologetic or evidential character of Hulsean Lectures with the practical aim of sermons preached before university students. The union is difficult; but when due allowance is made for its real difficulty, the success, we think, is almost complete. The argument of the Hora Paulinæ is carried a step further; while it is shown that there are undesigned coincidences between the Acts and the Epistles, not only in the historical details, but in those moral outlines of St. Paul's character which they separately reveal. These moral outlines, also, thus doubly. revealed, form an admirable basis for practical appeals to the conscience and heart of Christian students. They are treated under these five heads-Tact and Presence of mind, Tenderness and Sympathy, Conscientiousness and Integrity, Thanksgiving and Prayer, Courage and Perseverance. The style is clear, simple, and perspicuous, and the tone thoughtful and reverent; and there is a freshness of thought, the result of loving enthusiasm, which scarcely suffers the reader to grow weary for an instant from the beginning to the close. At the same time, various questions are started, on which some difference of judgment may be expected, even among those who approve and admire the portraiture as a whole, and which may well repay a critical and friendly discussion.

The first Lecture has for its subject "St. Paul's tact and presence of mind." The reason of the prominence given to this character seems to have been the wish to proceed, in a

sort of climax, from qualities simply natural to those more directly spiritual, from the gifts of nature to those of grace. We suspect, however, from an experiment with youthful readers, that this arrangement is a mistake; and that the third subject, "Conscientiousness and Integrity," like the stem or trunk of a spreading tree, would more fitly have claimed precedence. The present order is liable to create an impression of adroitness and worldly policy on the part of the Apostle, wholly at variance with his real character, and which needs to be dispelled by the discourses that follow. The steadfastness of St. Paul, in adhering to the great laws of Christian duty, and the truths of the Gospel, ought to be first unfolded; and then the wise expediency he practised, in suiting his conduct, without sacrifice of principle, to the varying circumstances in which he was placed, and the opposite prejudices with which he had to deal. We do not think that it is an "obvious order" (p. 98) to make the Apostle's tact and presence of mind occupy the first rank, and take precedence of his "conscientiousness and integrity;" and the effect produced, when the sermons have been read aloud to intelligent children, confirms the view to which we should have been led by à priori reasons alone. The ends of this chain of graces should be firm-conscientiousness and integrity, courage and perseverance; while tact and presence of mind, tenderness and sympathy, thanksgiving and prayer, undulate more freely amidst the changeful circumstances of life, and link the whole into one living unity of wisdom, holiness, and love.

The illustrations of the tact of St. Paul, in the first Lecture, are well chosen and appropriate. After a deserved tribute of high praise to Mr. Smith's work on "The Voyage and Shipwreck of St. Paul," as "a Biblical commentary that, within its own range, will never be superseded," he selects his first example from this part of the narrative:

"The vessel is at anchor in a dark night on a lee shore in a gale of wind. Breakers are distinctly heard, the soundings show that the danger is imminent, and no one can tell if the anchors will hold; and besides, the ship is in so leaky a condition, that it is highly probable that she may go down before day break. The sailors are doing what is very selfish, but very natural. They are lowering the boat, after having given a plausible excuse to the passengers, but simply with the intention of saving themselves. If a tumult had been made, precious time would have been lost, and possibly the sailors have accomplished their purpose. St. Paul said nothing to them or to the passengers, but quietly spoke to his friend, the military officer, and the soldiers who had charge of him; and his argument was that which all men in such cases understand: Except these abide in the ship, ye, ye cannot be saved.' The soldiers before this time had found good reason to trust the Apostle's judgment, and the appeal to self-interest now was decisive. With military promptitude they cut

the ropes, and the boat fell off. Thus, the lives of nearly three hundred persons were saved by the right words being said to the right men at the right time. We may without irreverence go further, and observe that, if those ropes had not been cut, our Bibles would have been destitute of that precious group of Epistles to the Philippians, Colossians, Ephesians, and Philemon, written from the imprisonment. at Rome, and of that later and not less precious group, the pastoral letters to Timothy and Titus."

This last remark, however striking, is perhaps hardly warranted by the sacred text. St. Paul's appearance before Cæsar had been solemnly assured to him in two distinct visions; and He who rescued St. Peter by an angel, was not dependent on the prudence of the centurion for the fulfilment of His own unconditional promise. The lives of all who sailed with him were a further gift, and might well be made dependent on their obedience to his wise cautions; but not so the original promise, which could be forfeited by his unfaithfulness alone. The words of St. Paul seem to imply a secret reference in his mind to this contrast:-" Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved." His own deliverance, and his appearance before Cæsar, was doubly assured to him, by the vision at Jerusalem, and the message of the angel; and the disbelief of the centurion might have been fatal to the soldiers and the passengers, but not to the chosen witness and messenger of the Lord of heaven.

The next example of the Apostle's presence of mind is taken from his words before the Sanhedrim,-"I am a Pharisee and the son of a Pharisee; it is for the hope and resurrection of the dead that I am here on my trial." When the common ground of conscientiousness is rudely repelled, he takes up another, his common faith with the Pharisees on the doctrine of the resurrection. "It was a narrower standing ground than the other, but equally honest, and it was very adroitly chosen. For the time, too, it was successful, and possibly some hearts among the Pharisees were touched." The epithet, we think, is not happily chosen, since it is liable to create a false impression of clever finesse and subtlety in the Apostle's conduct. With this slight exception, the remark is just and appropriate. St. Paul's tact and presence of mind were never more conspicuous than on this trying occasion. But it would have been well to note, in passing, that their root was not the subtlety of the unprincipled pleader, but that clear spiritual vision, and large-hearted candour, which made him prompt to discern the ground which was still common between himself and some of his bitterest adversaries. It was the presence of mind of one whose conscience bore him witness that he had deep sorrow and continual heaviness of heart, from yearning sympathy towards his unbelieving brethren; and who was

therefore prompt to avail himself of those remnants of a purer faith, which Pharisaic pride had not been able to destroy.

We pass over the illustration drawn from the reply to Tertullus, and turn to the main topic of the Lecture, the double apology on the steps of the temple court, and in the presence of Agrippa. In the Hora Apostolicæ (Tract Soc. pp. 324-330) the differences in these two speeches and St. Luke's own narrative of St. Paul's conversion, have been unfolded more briefly, as evidence for the reality of the whole narrative. The subject is here enlarged, through twenty pages, with a distinct but kindred object, to illustrate the tact of the Apostle in dealing with a Jewish and Gentile audience. The details are unfolded, in this aspect, with singular clearness and beauty. We quote the opening remarks on the speech from the temple steps, as a specimen of the whole :

"It is just at such a time as this,-when, deafened by the uproar, confused by the crush, sickened and stunned with pain, disturbed by the instinctive fear of death, most men would lose their presence of mind, and, whatever might come afterwards, would be glad of a moment's safety and shelter,-that St. Paul gives a most signal proof of his power of dealing wisely with a difficulty. The time is as short as possible, but he promptly redeems it. Just at the top of the stairs, at the entrance to the barracks, he addresses a few rapid but respectful words to the officer. He speaks in Greek. This attracts the officer's attention. He asks for leave to speak to the people. The officer has hardly time to reflect, and in his perplexity and surprise he consents.

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Having thus obtained permission, the Apostle turns round on the instant, and speaks to the crowd below, not in Greek, which most of them would have understood, but in Hebrew. There is something in this quick and ready turn from one language to another, which deserves remark. He had good reason to expect the silence that followed. But observe how he begins. He uses the very words he had just addressed to the chief captain, but instantly gives them a new turn, a turn as sudden as the change of language in which he spoke. To him he had said in Greek, 'I am a Jew, born at Tarsus in Cilicia, and Tarsus is no contemptible city. To his countrymen he says in Hebrew, I am a Jew, born indeed at Tarsus, but nurtured and educated in this city.' It is surprising how differently the same words may sound when the emphasis is changed. Tarsus here falls into the background, and Jerusalem fills the view. So we shall observe throughout the speech, the stress is on that holy word, that holy place, Jerusalem."

The analysis of this address, and of the speech before Agrippa, with reference to the tact which they display, is continued through several pages, and well repays a careful perusal. In turning to the Epistles, Dr. Howson seems conscious that some caution is needed, lest the human aspect of their teaching should obscure their Divine authority. "When

we speak of doctrinal teaching," he observes, "we rise into a higher sphere than that within which this discourse is limited. Yet this remark may be hazarded, that Inspiration makes use of tendencies of character, as well as peculiarities of style. In the teaching of the Epistles, the same discretion is conspicuous, which we have noted in the sudden emergencies of the Acts. The character of the man is identical." The remark is not only safe, at least in the case of St. Paul, but has direct Scriptural warrant. We are expressly told that his epistles were written "according to the wisdom given unto him." But the "word of wisdom" is a higher gift than even "the word of knowledge." It must include that heavenly tact and discretion, by which Divine truths are presented in the forms best suited to the state of those to whom each message is addressed, so as to disarm their prejudices, secure their assent, and win their confidence. Such wisdom, it may be seen equally in the Epistles and the Sacred History, was given to this great Apostle in no common measure.

The transition, at the close of the Lecture, from St. Paul's words at Athens to the British Association of Science, during the week of whose meeting at Cambridge it was delivered, is abrupt, and to common readers rather obscure. Dr. Howson blames the received version of those words, "Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious;" but he forgets to tell his unlearned readers what rendering he would propose. He simply observes, in a foot-note, that delidaovía is a neutral term, and that one part of St. Paul's tact is seen in the use of such a term; and that, "just so Festus, in speaking to Agrippa of the Jewish religion (xxv. 19), uses this very word." We are not quite so certain, we confess, that our version is seriously wrong. In the latter passage, Dr. Wordsworth translates "his own superstition" on the ground that Festus, speaking to Agrippa, a Jewish proselyte, would not have applied a term of some disparagement to his religion. In the speech, Wordsworth translates" more fearful of the gods;" adding, "not in censure," which, however, in the lips of the Apostle, that expression would surely convey. Dean Alford renders, "I perceive that you carry religious reverence very far." But even this, from the words that follow, must imply that it was carried too far in a wrong direction. The Apostle, whose spirit was stirred within him when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry, certainly did not praise their worship. Is it clear that no blame whatever is expressed or implied? The rendering, "too superstitious," may be slightly too strong, but we doubt very much whether the phrase can be justly called neutral. We should venture to propose, as approaching near to the true sense, the version, "Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all respects ye are more than wisely