THE NECESSITY OF FAITH.

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attain to any light for the revealing of the nature or will of God; he shall dangerously abuse himself. It is true, that the contemplation of the creatures of God hath for end, as to the nature of the creatures themselves, knowledge; but as to the nature of God, no knowledge, but wonder which is nothing else but contemplation broken off, or losing itself. Nay further, as it was aptly said by one of Plato's school, the sense of man resembles the sun, which openeth and revealeth the terrestrial globe, but obscureth and concealeth the celestial; so doth the sense discover natural things, but darken and shut up divine. And this appeareth sufficiently in that there is no proceeding in invention of knowledge but by similitude; and God is only self-like, having nothing in common with any creature, otherwise than as in shadow and trope. Therefore attend his will as himself openeth it, and give unto faith that which unto faith belongeth; for more worthy is it to believe, than to think or know, considering that in knowledge, as we are now capable of it, the mind suffereth from inferior natures; but in all belief it suffereth from a spirit, which it holdeth superior, and more authorized than itself." (Of the Interpretation of Nature.)

[NOTE.-That the miracle of "the walking on the water” (Matt. xiv. 25-32) actually took place is not to be doubted, because it is so closely and beautifully connected with an illustration of the character of Peter. It may seem however, at first sight, to militate against the views I have advanced in this chapter. But in fact it confirms them. As soon as they who were in the vessel recognized Jesus, Peter cried, "Lord! if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water." And Jesus said "Come!" Now if his word broke the laws of nature, however great his terror? But as soon as he

could Peter have sunk,

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CHAPTER IX.

THE MIRACLES OF CHRIST ILLUSTRATIONS OF HIS

CHARACTER.

"The combination of the spirit of humanity, in its lowliest, tenderest form, with the consciousness of unrivalled and divine glories, is the most wonderful distinction of this wonderful character."-CHANNING.

In the foregoing chapter I have ventured to express, and endeavoured to support, the opinion, that the miracles of Jesus were not departures from the laws of nature, but new facts in nature, demonstrations of the sovereignty of mind over matter; that they were wrought by a mysterious force dwelling in his nature, and in various degrees in human nature, and that they vindicate the vitality and supremacy of moral power. I have affirmed that we cannot pronounce an event a violation of the natural order of things, without assuming that we know the whole order of nature, all its forces and laws. Neither, without the same groundless assumption, can we term the resurrection of a dead man to life a natural impossi

began to be afraid-as soon as his faith wavered-he began to sink. "And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" thus intimating very clearly that it was by the power of faith-by force of mind-this miracle was to be wrought. The walking upon the water was not an infraction of the laws of nature, but a demonstration of the natural sovereignty of mind-that spiritual power upon which the mighty law of gravitation is in the nature of things dependent, and to which it must of course be subordinate.]

THE MIRACLES OF CHRIST ILLUSTRATE HIM. 169

bility. We do not know what death is; nor have the secret powers of the human spirit ever yet been ascertained. How do we know but that it is in and through the human soul that the Infinite Soul reveals its highest glory, and puts forth its most awful power? No man therefore can refuse to examine the Christian miracles as if they were utterly incredible. Nay, we cannot refuse to examine any event, however strange and extraordinary, unless we know beforehand all the conditions and limits of the forces concerned in bringing it about. The miracles of Jesus have a claim upon our attention as things capable of proof, which we cannot reject without violating also the claims of candour and good sense.

The subject of the present chapter is, the miracles of Jesus considered in relation to his character. Here, if I do not greatly err, we shall find the grand test of their truth. If there is an indubitable harmony between them and the spiritual features of Jesus, I confess that, for my own part, I ask for no evidence of their reality more convincing. If they are mere fictions, the offspring of cunning or weakness, I maintain that it is impossible they should not obscure and deform palpably his spiritual beauty.

The merest glance at the extraordinary works of Jesus awakens within us a new sentiment of disinterestedness. How continually is the world's history teaching us what a dangerous, fatal gift to its possessor is any peculiar endowment of fortune or genius, though it be of quite ordinary worth! How quickly does the consciousness of the slightest advantage blind the mind to its true relations to mankind, and induce the idea

I

that its own glory should be its chief end! The rich and great and gifted, comparing themselves, as they cannot escape doing, with other men, and perceiving their own superiority in certain respects more or less striking, have almost unconsciously adopted the pleasing conclusion that they must be of more value than the rest of the world, and of course they have come to claim as a matter of right that they should be magnified and made much of. They have fancied that they were sent hither, "not to do a great kindness, but to receive a great kindness;" to be the world's idols; and so, instead of being benefactors, they have proved selfish, exacting oppressors, grinding their brethren in the dust, or drenching the earth with blood. Only a very few, at remote intervals, have shown that they interpreted any peculiar advantage of condition or any uncommon power of mind, as a peculiar and peremptory summons to every species of toil and self-sacrifice. Seldom, very seldom indeed, have those possessed of a higher wisdom, of an uncommon force of character, gloried in the possession because it enabled them to disregard all that the world most values; to do and endure with an unconquerable and evergrowing patience, for the sake of some unworldly aim; esteeming as their highest honour, their unutterable distinction, the ability given them to love man and labour and agonize and die for him, not the less willingly, but the more so, because he resisted their fraternal offices, and rejected their affectionate counsels, and would have none of their services, struggling with them even unto blood! This spirit, I repeat, the world has seldom witnessed. When it has descended and dwelt in

JESUS CONSCIOUS OF HIS GREATNESS.

171 some few bosoms, it has never for the time been to any extent appreciated. It has been denounced as madness and fanaticism. Still it has been secretly felt that there is something in it which is not of earth—' aliquid immensum, infinitumque.' And when it has wrought out its beneficent effects, then the human heart has been true to itself, and done homage to the rare generosity of those, who have flung behind them every thought of their own happiness, and been consecrated to an unselfish end. In individuals of this class, it has begun to be felt that we have the brightest manifestation of real greatness.

What an idea of this nobleness dawns upon our minds when, bearing in mind that the miracles of Jesus were acts of beneficence, we strive to conceive, as we can at best but dimly, what must have been his feelings in the consciousness of this stupendous inborn authority! He knew that he was possessed of a mighty wisdom of which the world was not aware. In comparison with all other men, he could not be insensible to his own vast superiority. And he was not. God alone, he says, knew him-knew what he was about, and he adds the all-elevating thought that he alone, in any worthy sense of the word, knew the Father. Does his bosom heave with pride at the thought? The very next language which he is recorded to have uttered is, "Come unto me all ye who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest." He declares himself a king, born to the divinest end. But under what circumstances is this declararation made? He is standing arraigned before the Roman governor, his mind made up to suffer most