return again to their respective callings a.

Upon the whole, if the account which is given of Christ in Scripture be a just one,-if there was really such a person, how could he be an impostor?-if there was no such person, how came the illiterate Evangelists to hit off such a character, and that without any visible design of drawing any character at all?

THE ORIGINALITY OF CHRIST'S CHARACTER.

That is, the improbability of any one, whether enthusiast or impostor, fancying or pretending himself to be such a person as Christ professed himself to be.

The Jews understood their prophecies of a temporal prince, and therefore whoever set himself up as the object of these prophecies would most naturally fall upon the sense in which they were generally understood; and this was the fact, for the false Christs, or pretended Messiahs, of which there have appeared so many, did assume that character.

Had he taken upon him the character merely of a prophet, like Isaiah, Jeremiah, &c., it would not have been unnatural, and he had examples before him.

Had he trod in the steps of the old philosophers, the rabbis or teachers of wisdom among the Jews, one would not have wondered.

But here he produces himself as a being of a different and superior nature to the rest of the species, as immediately and peculiarly connected with God himself, as invested with the government of the world, as the person who is to raise us up at the last day, and the appointed judge of all mankind, a character which there was no precedent to suggest, no example to hint, nothing to make him imagine it; besides it never would have entered into the head of a Jew either to decry the ceremonial institution of Moses, or be for setting mankind on a level with themselves, as there was not a man of them who did not stickle for the distinction and superiority of their nation.

It was about as unlikely as that a Chinese mandarin should imagine himself inspired by the Holy Ghost, or a native of Otaheite that he was possessed by the devil.

INSTANCES OF DISINTERESTEDNESS IN CHRIST AND HIS

APOSTLES.

Christ's refusing to be made a king, John vi. 15. or to interfere in their civil concerns, Luke xii. 13, 14. forbidding his disciples to make a profit of their miracles, Matt. x. 8. Peter and John accordingly refusing money with the utmost indignation, Acts viii. 20. Christ's authorizing them only to require a subsistence from their converts, Luke x. 3-7. Some of them declining even this, 2 Cor. xii. 14. 1 Thess. ii. 9. 2 Cor. xvii. 18; but especially, Acts xx. 33, 34. their invectives against those who made a gain of their con

a The like did his forerunner, John the Baptist. When the publicans and soldiers, people of the two most obnoxious professions in that age and country, asked John what they were to do, John does not require them to quit their occupations, but to beware of the vices, and perform the duties of them; which also is to be understood as the Baptist's own explanation of that μετάνοια εις άφεσιν αμαρτιών to which he called his countrymen.

verts, 2 Pet. ii. 3. The apostles declining the receipt and management of their public funds and collections, Acts vi. 2, 3.

Instances of their humility and freedom from vanity.

Peter and John disowning any power in themselves to work miracles, Acts iii. 12. Paul and Barnabas repelling the adoration of the Lycaonians, Acts xiv. 14. Paul's account of himself and apostles, 1 Cor. iii. 4, 5, 6.

Needless difficulties, Matt. xxiii. 39.

References to circumstances omitted by themselves mentioned by the other evangelists, Matt. xxvi. 61.

THE MORALITY OF THE GOSPEL.

Not beyond what might be discovered by reason, nor possibly could be, because all morality being founded in relations and consequences, which we experience and are acquainted with, must depend upon reasons intelligible to our understanding, and discoverable by us.

N.B. The case is different in points of faith, especially what relates to distant orders of beings.

Nor perhaps, except in a few instances, beyond what may be collected from the scattered precepts of different philosophers.

To put together all the wise and good precepts of all the different philosophers, to separate and lay aside all the error, immorality and superstition that is mixed with them, would have been a great work; but that a single person without any assistance from those philosophers, or any human learning whatever, in direct opposition also to the established practice and maxims of his own country, should hit off a system so unblamable on the one hand, and so perfect on the other, is extraordinary beyond belief, and yet must be believed by those who hold Christ to have been an impostor or enthusiast. I. The forgiveness of injuries and enemies,-absolutely original. "Ye have heard that it hath been said, thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy; but I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you, that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." Matt. v. 43—45.

"If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you." Matt. vi. 14, 15.

"Then came Peter unto him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee until seven times, but until seventy times seven therefore (i. e. in this respect) is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king which would take account of his servants; and when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him which owed him ten thousand talents; but, for as much as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made: the servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, which owed him an hundred pence; and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, say. ing, pay me that thou owest; and his fellow-servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all;

and he would not, but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: shouldst not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him; so likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses." Matt. xviii. 15-21, ad fin.

if

"And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any; that your Father also, which is in heaven, may forgive you your trespasses." Mark xi. 25, 26.

"Love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again, and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest, for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil." Luke vi. 27-35.

"And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left: then said Jesus, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Luke xxiii. 33, 34.

II. The universality of benevolence without distinction of country or religion.

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They went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him, and they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem; and when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou, that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, even as Elias did? But he turned and rebuked them, and said, ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of." Luke ix. 51–56.

"The Jewish lawyer, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, and who is my neighbour? And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed leaving him half dead; and by chance there came down a certain priest that way, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side; and likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side; but a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was, and when he saw him he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him; and on the morrow, when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said, take care of him, and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee: which now, of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour to him that fell among the thieves? And he said, he that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, go and do thou likewise." Luke x. 29–37. xvii. 3, 4.

III. The inferiority and subordination of the ceremonial to the moral law. "Leave thy gift before the altar; and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." Matt. v. 23.

If ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless." Matt. xii. 7-12.

"And behold there was a man which had his hand withered; and they asked him, saying, is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him. And he said unto them, what man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days." Matt. xii.

11.

“Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth the man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man-those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart, and they defile the man; for out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witnesses, blasphemies: these are the things which defile a man; but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.' Matt. xv. 11, 18-20.

"Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, justice, mercy, and faith (fidelity): these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the others undone."

"Ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also." Matt. xxiii. 23, 25, 26. Mark vii. 2-13.

"And the Scribes said unto him, well, master, thou hast said the truth, for there is one God, and there is none other but he, and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than whole burnt offerings and sacrifices: and when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, thou art not far from the kingdom of God." Mark xii. 32-34. Luke vi. 9. Matt. ix. 11.

IV. The condemning of spiritual pride and ostentation.

"Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them; otherwise ye shall have no reward of your Father which is in heaven: therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do, in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men; verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth, that thine alms may be in secret; and thy Father, which seeth in secret, himself shall reward thee openly. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are; for they love to pray, standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men; verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and, when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret ; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. Moreover when ye fast, be not as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance; for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast; verily I say unto you, they have their reward: but thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head and wash thy face, that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly." Matt. vi. 1-6. 16-18.

"All their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called of men Rabbi, rabbi." Matt. xxiii. 5—7.

"And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others. Two men went up into the temple to pray, the one a pharisee, and the other a publican; the pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican; I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." Luke xviii. 9-14.

V. Restraining the licentiousness of divorces.

"The pharisees came unto him tempting him, and saying unto him, is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning, made them male and female; and said, for this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they twain shall be one flesh? wherefore they are no more twain but one flesh; what therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. They say unto him, why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, suffered you to put away your wives, but from the beginning it was not so; and I say unto you, whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery; and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery." Matt. xix. 3—9.

N.B. These four last articles were in direct opposition to the established practice and opinions of our Saviour's own country.

VI. The separation of civil authority from authority in matters of conscience and religion-perfectly new.

"Then saith he unto them, Render unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's, and unto God the things that are God's." Matt. xxii. 21.

"And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who

made me a judge or a divider over you?" Luke xii. 13, 14.

He said unto the woman (caught in adultery), “Where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? (i. e. judicially; for the woman's answer was not true in any other sense,) she said, No man, Lord: and Jesus said unto her, neither do I condemn thee (i. e. in the same sense, or as a judge)." John viii. 11-33-36.

VII. The purity and simplicity of the worship which he prescribes.

"When ye pray, use not vain repetitions as the heathen do; for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them; for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before you ask him after this manner therefore pray ye, Our Father," &c. Matt. vi. 7-9.

"The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." John iv. 23, 24.

VIII. The acceptance of the intention.

"And Jesus sat over against the treasury (i. e. for pious uses), and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury; and many that were rich cast in much; and there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing; and he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast more in than all they which have cast into the treasury, for all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." Mark xii. 41–44.

IX. The extension of morality to the regulation of the thoughts.

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I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." Matt. v. 28. "Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, &c.—these are the things which defile a man." Matt. xv. 18, 19.

X. The demand of duty from mankind being in proportion to their ability and opportunities.

"That servant which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes; but he