not too much to say, that they produce the deepest impressions of truth,- the news of the sickness of the distant friend, the gloom which overshadowed the house of mourning, the sorrow of the sisters, expressing itself in different ways, appropriate to the character of each, the approach to the grave, the paroxysm of grief which the sight of the spot occasions, the groans and the weeping of Jesus himself, the words by which the slumbers of the dead were broken, the wrappings with which the buried man came forth, the very prayer which Jesus uttered before he ventured to pronounce the most thrilling command that was ever uttered by man, "Lazarus, come forth!"— all these things bespeak the accuracy of an eyewitness, and, although connected with an interruption of the ordinary course of nature, produce upon us the strongest impression of truth and reality. I might go on to point out the marks of truth and reality which occur in the minute details of circumstances attending the resurrection of Jesus, — the particulars related by John as an eyewitness; the going with Peter to the sepulchre; the fact that they both went into it, and had the most ample means of ascertaining that the body of Jesus was not there; the interview in the upper chamber and at the seaside. But I forbear, and merely observe, in conclusion, that these things bring us to the margin of the supernatural, and we step over it into the miraculous without any severe shock to our faith. So interwoven and intermixed are the supernatural events with those within the ordinary laws of nature, that we find it impossible to separate them, and we are brought to debate the last question which embarrasses the full exercise of unlimited faith, the reasonableness of this especial providence by which Christianity has been introduced into the world. We are naturally and justly cautious in the reception of the supernatural. Under ordinary circumstances, it is incredible. The reasons why God established and upholds a fixed order of nature are obvious and cogent. There must be a sufficient ground of expectation for the future, and of belief for the distant and the past, or the mind, being unable to discriminate between the probable and the improbable, would fall a prey to superstition, or, being unable to count on a fixed order of nature, would sink into utter imbecility. But the moral dignity and spotless integrity of Jesus exempt him from all suspicion of having deceived the world, and his unapproachable wisdom lifts him above all liability to the delusions of enthusiasm. The objects of his religion, the spiritual enlightenment and salvation of the world, we pronounce to be worthy the special interposition of the God of nature and the Father of mankind. The time and the place at which he appeared seem opportune for the dissemination of a positive doctrine and a permanent form of administration over the world. And the history of the world from that time to this has borne witness, that Christianity, whatever may have been its origin, has been the greatest boon that Providence ever conferred on man. DISCOURSE IV. THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF CHRIST. ALL THINGS ARE DELIVERED UNTO ME OF MY FATHER: AND Matthew THE life, the words, and actions of Jesus being admitted as historical facts, they reveal and make certain another historical fact, which is situated near the very centre of the subject concerning which we are treating, the consciousness of Jesus himself of what he was. He must have known who and what he was himself, whether he had or had not supernatural communication with God, the power of working miracles, and divine authority to establish a new religion in the world, to proclaim its laws and appoint its ritual. Is there evidence that there was such a consciousness in him? In every intelligent being there is such a thing as a consciousness. The thing which is signified by this word is so simple, that it cannot be defined or made more clear by the use of any other word. Other terms may illustrate it, but they cannot make it more plain. We may say, that it is the continued and certain knowledge that we, each one of us, have, that he is one individual being, and not two or three beings, that he is the same being to-day that he was yesterday, and last year; the conviction that we have certain powers of thought and will, — that we sustain certain relations of brother, sister, son, daughter, father, — certain offices of master, servant, magistrate, teacher, - have the power to labor, suffer, and enjoy. Concerning these things, while the mind is sane, there can be no mistake. Every human being has this consciousness. He not only has it, but it becomes the basis of all his conduct. The father daily exercises the authority which he is conscious of rightfully possessing over his children. The magistrate daily goes forth and takes his seat on the bench of justice or in the chair of state. Were one to take that seat who had not been appointed to it, he could not act his part. He could not sustain himself for any length of time. He would be confused and discomfited, because there would be a continual contradiction between his position and his consciousness. The consciousness that he was acting a part would throw him into utter confusion. Or if he preserved his gravity and persevered in his pretensions, it would be certain that he was insane, that his consciousness, or rather his mind, had become diseased. So, moreover, we cannot be long with any person, without becoming aware of his consciousness, what he conceives himself to be. It is asserted or implied in every word, in every act, in every look. We need only to listen for a short time to the conversation of an utter stranger, to learn who he is, where he has lived, what relations in life he has sustained. Of these things we do not conceive it possible for him to have a false impression. The identity of another is marked by possession of a certain species of knowledge. There have been travellers who have visited regions unknown to any other individual of the community to which they belong. This knowledge distinguishes them from every other, and enables them to speak with authority on subjects upon which all others are silent. Another has pursued a science far beyond his associates. He can converse with knowledge and certainty on points on which they are in the dark. Individuals of distinguished attainments have been recognized in public conveyances by the fact that they displayed knowledge of certain subjects wholly beyond the measure of ordinary men, and known to be possessed by them alone. It is the purpose of this discourse to apply these principles to Jesus Christ. What consciousness exhibited itself in his thoughts, words, and actions, and in the position he assumed in relation to God and to mankind? In the first place, negatively, did he anywhere exhibit the consciousness that he was God? It is maintained that he was both God and man. If he was God, he must have been conscious that he was God. Nothing can be more absurd than to assert that he was God, and was not conscious that he was God. If he was ever conscious that he was God, he must at all times have been conscious that he was God; for God is an unchangeable being, and |