And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things?
&c.] That is, bring these oxen and garlands, and attempt to
offer sacrifice; this they said, not as arguing with them calmly
and mildly, but with a mixture of indignation, heat, and zeal, as
displeased with, and detesting and abhorring what they were about
to do:
we also are men of like passions with you;
men, and not gods; of the same human nature, and that as
corrupted, alike sinful men, and need a sacrifice better than
these; frail mortal men, subject to frailty, imperfection,
afflictions, troubles, diseases, and death itself; and so very
improper objects of worship:
and preach unto you that ye should turn from these
vanities;
from these deities, Jupiter and Mercury, and the rest of them;
which were vain, useless, and unprofitable, and could do their
votaries no manner of service; and from the worshipping of them,
which were so many acts of vanity, folly, and weakness, yea, of
sin and wickedness: the apostles were so far from being these
gods, that their business was to show men the sin and folly of
adhering to them; and to persuade them to relinquish the worship
of them, and turn
to the living God;
who has life in himself, and is the fountain of life to others;
whereas these deities were dead men, and the lifeless images of
them; who neither lived themselves, nor could give life to
others, or do them any service of any kind: but the living God is
he,
which hath made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all
things that
are therein;
which comprehends all created beings, the whole universe, and all
that is in it, angels, men, beasts, fowls, fish, and whatever
exists; and therefore is only deserving of religious worship.