our Lord usually speaking as an authoritative teacher; though sometimes justly limiting his precepts, and sometimes assigning the reasons of them. He presupposes the law of reason, and addresses men as rational creatures. From the greatness of his mind, and the greatness of his subjects, he is often sublime; and the beauties interspersed throughout his discourses are equally natural and striking. He is remarkable for an easy and graceful manner of introducing the best lessons from incidental objects and occasions. The human heart is naked and open to him; and he addresses the thoughts of men, as others do the emotions of their countenance or their bodily actions. Difficult situations, and sudden questions of the most artful and ensnaring kind, serve only to display his superior wisdom, and to confound and astonish all his adversaries. Instead of shewing his boundless knowledge on every occasion, he checks and restrains it, and prefers utility to the glare of ostentation. He teaches directly and obliquely, plainly and covertly, as wisdom points out occasions. He knows the inmost character, every prejudice and every feeling, of his hearers; and accordingly uses parables to conceal or to enforce his lessons: and he powerfully impresses them by the significant language of actions. He gives proofs of his mission from above, by his knowledge of the heart, by a chain of prophecies, and by a variety of mighty works.

a

He sets an example of the most perfect piety to God, and of the most extensive benevolence and the most tender compassion to men. He does not

merely exhibit a life of strict justice, but of overflowing benignity. His temperance has not the dark shades of austerity; his meekness does not degenerate into apathy. His humility is signal, amidst a splendour of qualities more than human. His fortitude is eminent and exemplary, in enduring the most formidable external evils and the sharpest actual sufferings: his patience is invincible; his resignation entire and absolute. Truth and sincerity shine throughout his whole conduct. Though of heavenly descent, he shews obedience and affection to his earthly parents. He approves, loves, and attaches himself to amiable qualities in the human race. He respects authority religious and civil; and he evidences his regard for his country by promoting its most essential good in a painful ministry dedicated to its service, by deploring its calamities, and by laying down his life for its benefit. Every one of his eminent virtues is regulated by consummate prudence; and he both wins the love of his friends, and extorts the approbation and wonder of his enemies.

Never was a character at the same time so commanding and natural, so resplendent and pleasing, so amiable and venerable. There is peculiar contrast in it between an awful greatness, dignity and majesty, and the most conciliating loveliness, tenderness and softness. He now converses with prophets, lawgivers and angels; and the next instant he meekly endures the dulness of his disciples, and the blasphemics and rage of the multitu de. He now calls himself greater than Solomon, one who can command

legions of angels, the Giver of life to whomsoever he pleaseth, the Son of God who shall sit on his glorious throne to judge the world. At other times we find him embracing young children, not lifting up his voice in the streets, not breaking the bruised reed nor quenching the smoking flax; calling his disciples, not servants, but friends and brethren, and comforting them with an exuberant and parental affection. Let us pause an instant, and fill our minds with the idea of one who knew all things heavenly and earthly, searched and laid open the inmost recesses of the heart, rectified every prejudice and removed every mistake of a moral and religious kind, by a word exercised a sovereignty over all nature, penetrated the hidden events of futurity, gave promises of admission into a happy immortality, had the keys of life and death, claimed an union with the Father; and yet was pious, mild, gentle, humble, affable, social, benevolent, friendly, affectionate. Such a character is fairer than the morning star. virtue is made stronger by opposition and contrast; and the union of so many virtues forms a brightness which fitly represents the glory of that God "who inhabiteth light inaccessible."

C

Each separate

Such a character must have been a real one. There is something so extraordinary, so perfect, and so godlike in it, that it could not have been thus supported throughout by the utmost stretch of human art, much less by men confessedly unlearned and obscure.

b

d

Η Κρατίση τῶν ἀρετῶν δοκεῖ εἶναι ἡ δικαιοσύνη· καὶ 26 ̓ ἔσπερος ἔθ' ἑδος ὅτα θαυμαςός. Arist. Eth. Nic. v. p. 1. 196. 8vo.

d Acts iv. 13.

1 Tim. vi. 16.

CHAPTER II.

OF THE TESTIMONY WHICH HAS BEEN BORNE TO OUR LORD'S CHARACTER BY ENEMIES.

THE last section fitly concludes the subject which I undertook to discuss. But there are some topics so nearly connected with my design in this work, that I cannot leave them untouched.

In the first place, it will be curious and useful to observe what concessions our Lord's adversaries have made in favour of the great and glorious character which I have attempted to delineate.

When the Chief Priests and Pharisees sent officers to apprehend Jesus, fear of offending their rulers did not deter them from acknowledging that "never man spake like him.”

When our Lord made an appeal to the perfect rectitude of his life, which no other man could have made at any time, "Which of you convinceth me of sin ?" The Jews had recourse to calumny instead of facts," Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a demon ?"

When he argued against the Sadducees on the subject of the resurrection, some of the Scribes said, "a Master, thou hast spoken well." And when he answered a teacher of the law, who tried his wisdom by asking him which was the first and great precept of the law, the Scribe himself made this acknowld Luke xx, 39.

2

John vii 46.

bc. viii. 46.

. 48.

edgment, "Of a truth, Master, thou hast spoken well."

f

When he questioned the Chief Priests, Scribes and Elders whether the baptism of John was of heaven or of men, they durst not assert that it was of men because they feared the people, all of whom held John to be a prophet indeed. This corroborates the signal attestations given by the Baptist to our Lord.

The testimony of Judas clearly shews that our Lord uniformly led that humble, unambitious life which the evangelists describe; and which cut off all expectations from one who, like him, entertained nothing but sordid and corrupt views. It was with a divine wisdom that our Lord, though he knew every dark purpose of the traitor's heart, yet admitted him among the number of his immediate followers. For thus an enemy became acquainted with the most private transactions of our Lord's life, and yet had no seditious or secular design to disclose, no accusation of any kind to allege which might sully the lustre of his character. On the contrary, when awakened to a sense of his guilt, his public declaration, in an hour when insincerity cannot be supposed, was this: "I have sinned, in that I have betrayed the innocent blood."

Again when the Jewish rulers were determined to compass our Lord's death, we have in effect an attestation to his upright and irreproachable life from these his most implacable enemies. After diligent

e Mark xii. 32. f Matt. xxi. 26. and p, p. ‹ See a pamphlet on the Conduct and Character of Judas Iscariot. Edinburgh. 1751. Matt. xxvii. 4. ib. xxvi. 60, 1. Luke xxiii. 2.