LECTURE VI.

MATTHEW XXIV. 14.

And this Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

IF the history of a life such as never had its parallel in the annals of mankind, a life derived from a virgin mother, and the spirit of the Eternal Father; ushered in by signs in heaven and in earth, by the brightness of an unknown star, and the voices of an unseen world; distinguished in its course by works of wonder, and of power no less than divine; which, passing through the portals of death unharmed, held on its imperishable way, until it ended, as it began, in miracles, and glory, and a visible departure to the realms of light;-again, if a character composed of such excellences as pass the attainment of mortal man, comprehend

ing in one every separate perfection of all the noblest examples in the world, and surpassing each in degree, as the sun buries in his flood of brightness the lesser lights of heaven; a character, albeit not exempt from passing weakness, yet untarnished by the stain of sin, representing in itself all things that "are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report; finally, if a doctrine revealing truths concerning God, more sublime than human intellect could reach; concerning man, more excellent than were ever taught in any age or school of wisdom in the world; a doctrine perfective of human nature and human happiness both for time, and for eternity to come;

If, I say, a life made up of such incidents, a character composed of such elements, a doctrine consisting of such truths as these, can be gathered and culled from the scattered predictions of ages, and if all these are and if all these are described with simplicity and without effort, in the history of One who stands alone among the children of men, may we not reasonably conclude that to be a true interpretation of prophecy, which refers all these predictions to Him, even Jesus of

Nazareth, the Son of Mary and of God, in whom the whole was combined and realized?

This is the sum of what we have attempted to prove in that portion of our task which is accomplished. We shall now turn to another chain of evidence, no less extraordinary, and even more conclusive than this; for it is the result of facts, of which our own observation will enable us to judge the truth. We affirm therefore, in the next place, that Jesus is demonstrated to be the Christ, not more certainly by these tokens of His personal identity, than by the wonderful events, which agreeably to the word of prophecy signalized His coming into the world. If nature laboured when He sank into the tomb, and physical convulsions attended His reappearance and triumph over Death, so was His life the harbinger of more astonishing revolutions, religious, political and moral. He was "set for the rise and falling of many," not in Israel only, but in all the world. Thrones the most powerful were to own His sway; sceptres the most ancient were to be overthrown when they opposed Him. The gods of the heathen were destined to stoop and totter from

their shrines, while their worshippers, afraid any longer to bow down before the work of their own hands, made haste to forsake their altars for His.

Of this nature are the facts, which will furnish the substance of what I have yet to lay before you. They embrace a period commencing from the Ascension of Jesus and continued to the passing hour; and we are able also to try them prospectively with reference to their final and predicted consummation. The spirit of prophecy foreshewed them all, as the signs of the Messiah's kingdom; the coming of Jesus fulfilled them all, and therefore they are His testimony for ever; a testimony which shall remain to confound the despiser of every future age, until that day when the light of truth shall break even upon his dark soul, and he shall "behold, and wonder, and perish."

Let us consider then, first, that this Jesus is He which planted and established the religion of the Gospel. And in affirming this, do we not affirm the most astonishing change which was ever borne upon the wings of Time? In every point of view it stands alone. No

revolution can be produced in the history of the world which may compare with it, either for extent or permanence. It was not political merely, nor moral, nor religious, but it was all of these together. It changed the face of society, and regenerated the spirits of men. It was a revolution of governments, and of thoughts; of kingdoms, and of hearts; of institutions and of manners. Its pure and holy light penetrated the cabinets of princes, and the shrines of heathen worship; banishing cruelty and impurity both from the sanctions of law, and the solemnities of religion. It saved the lives of infants, and lightened the misery of slaves. It humanised the sufferings of the captive and the criminal. It curbed the barbarous thirst for war, and fightings, and bloodshed, and disposed both rulers and ruled to cultivate the arts of peace and mutual kindness and good will. These changes, which are every where now so visible, the preaching of Jesus brought to pass. We are living witnesses of their grandeur, and their permanence. We behold the same teaching followed by the same effects, wheresoever its operation enjoys free scope: constantly and visibly