Lecture IX.

CHRIST'S FIRST DISCOURSES.

JOHN 18: 36, 37.-Jesus answered, my kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews. But now is my kingdom not from hence. Pilate therefore said unto him: Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

THERE is no subject which literature approaches with such diffidence as the personal character and history of Christ. There is no theme on which language is found so inadequate and imperfect. A person in human form, with every attribute of humanity, except sin, exhibiting perfect goodness in combination with infallible wisdom, clothed with extensive power over physical nature, and a knowledge of futurity at once extensive and circumstantial; the declared end and object of a train of miraculous interpositions running back to the very foundation of the world, himself the beginning and cause of a new order of things, embracing the whole world and all

succeeding times; his doctrines destined to sway the minds of the millions of the human race, to form their opinions, to mould their characters, to shape their expectations, to reign in their minds and judge their actions, to convict and purify their consciences, to cleanse them from sin, and prepare them for his own society and the presence of God in the spiritual world,-worthily to speak of such a Being is a task before which I confess that my speech falters, and my vocabulary seems meagre and inadequate.

This difficulty remains, whatever view we adopt of his metaphysical rank in the universe. From the hoarse controversy as to the nature of Christ, so early raised in the Christian church, and which more than any other cause, has disturbed its harmony, I am most happy to escape. As the historian of Christianity, I am exempted from mingling in any such strife. The historian has only to do with facts. The facts of Christianity involve us in no controversy as to the nature of Christ. That belongs to the history of opinions, and volumes on volumes would not contain their endless diversity. What men have thought of the person of Jesus of Nazareth, and what he actually was, and did, and taught, and brought to pass, are two things entirely distinct. The former is a matter of mere speculation, the latter embraces all that is necessary to the Christian's life or hope.

We read of Jesus, that immediately after his baptism

and inauguration by John, directed by divine impulse he retired into solitude, where he passed forty days, in preparation, doubtless, for the great work in which he was about to engage. From this solitary sojourn, he returned filled with the spirit, with that measure of wisdom, and knowledge, and power, which was necessary for his mission to mankind. From that forty days' retirement he came back to the world with a scheme of religion entirely new. It differed from every thing that had gone before in being spiritual and universal. Its plan was perfect at first. It was not to grow up, and take such a form as circumstances might dictate; but with a plastic power, like that of the Divine Mind itself, it was to transform and mould all things according to its unalterable purpose. It is with reference to this fulness of knowledge, by which he was exalted not only above all the prophets which went before him, but all those whom he used as instruments in propagating and establishing his religion, that it is said of him, that "God giveth not the spirit by measure unto him." "The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." The divine plan being thus communicated to the mind of Christ, it was necessary that he should have the power of carrying it into effect. Having received this divine commission, it was necessary that it should be authenticated. The plan was divine, but such were the ignorance and

blindness of mankind, that it is not at all probable that the world would have recognised and embraced it as divine, had it not been authenticated by miracles. Mankind, particularly in rude ages, want not only truth but authority, not only truth, but the certainty that it is truth; or not being embraced with sufficient confidence, it will do them no good. Jesus returned from his forty days' seclusion, possessed of supernatural wisdom, which guarded him from all mistake, and enabled him in all circumstances to say and to do the thing which his present condition required; he came with miraculous knowledge, of the manner, for instance, and circumstances of his death, the success of his religion, and the spiritual power to which he was to be exalted. He came with supernatural control over the order of nature, such as is most striking to the unsophisticated understandings of mankind, to persuade them of the connexion of its possessor with God. His touch healed the sick, his will changed the elements, his command stilled the tempest, his voice raised the dead. But what was quite as striking to those with whom he associated, he could read men's most secret thoughts, and tell them the transactions of their past lives, and foresee what they were hereafter to do.

But the system, though perfect in itself, existed no where but in his own mind. How was it to be introduced? The human mind was not a blank on which

might be written the institutions and principles of the new religion. It was already pre-occupied. What was already there could not be annihilated or effaced. How could the new be made to supersede the old? It could not be done at once. It could only be done by degrees, by engrafting the new upon the old, where it was practicable, and by infusing into the current of language and thought, new principles, which might insensibly color the whole mass, thus superseding rather than destroying what was already in existence.

The Jewish religion was already in being, as the stock upon which to engraft his own. He himself was expected, but in another character from what he could assume. The whole phraseology was in use, which designated what he was to accomplish. What would the highest wisdom have dictated to him to do? What does the man who has a house to build, but has an old one already on the spot? Does he begin by giving it to the flames, or by throwing it all aside? No! He selects from it whatever is sound and incorporates it with the new building.

This was precisely what Jesus did with regard to the religion of the Jews, and the expectations and phraseology which were then in existence as to the Messiah and the new dispensation. To have rejected them would have made the task of introducing the new religion much more difficult. The only course