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864. There was much, in the class of character and station adopted by Christ, which was adapted to our case.

(1.) He might have chosen any other, and been a perfect model of virtue: he might have appeared-except, perhaps, as his character as the Savior of the world was concerned-as a prince, a teacher of human or divine science; but such a life would not have been so easily imitable by the great mass of mankind. He therefore became like one of ourselves; his life was spent in common affairs and duties. His is a most holy, but an ordinary, familiar, every day life, passed in humble scenes and 'usual occurrences. This was exactly what proud, vainglorious man needed.

(2.) Then our Lord's was a suffering character, and so yet further adapted to be our pattern in this world of suffering. Any other life might have been as pure, but it could not have been so consolatory. As a sufferer, his example is more frequently applicable, more deeply meditated on, more precisely suited to the condition and afflictions of his followers. The patient, enduring virtues are most conspicuous in him, as they are most needed by us.

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(3.) The character of Christ was calm and composed. There was a freedom from violent emotions, an abstinence from excitement and disturbance throughout it. His emotions were chiefly those of benevolence, compassion, abhorrence of sin. These overpowered, on all occasions, the inferior passions; and were most directly in contrast with any charge of insincerity or enthusiasm, which his enemies might otherwise have imputed to him. Our Lord is precisely what he should be; he appeared, and did, and acted, and spoke, in every respect, as the founder of such a religion as Christianity required.

865. The IMITATION OF JESUS CHRIST, IS A BRIEF, BUT COMPREHENSIVE DEFINITION OF THE DUTY, OF MAN: to feel and act as he would feel and act in all our various circumstances, is the utmost demand of duty. There are duties, indeed, which, from the very perfection of his character, were not exemplified formally in him-the duties of repentance, and of faith in a Redeemer; for he never sinned, and, therefore, never needed an atonement: but these are, nevertheless, to be regarded as only modifications of the genuine principle of love to God and

MORAL VALUE OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST. 417

to his law, which appeared so perfectly in Jesus. An imitation, therefore, of this genuine principle, which appeared in him, will necessarily produce penitence and faith, in those who have offended God and transgressed his law.

The grand duty of men, therefore, is to imitate Jesus Christ, in all his personal and human excellences; and, consequently, to point out in what such imitation consists, is, and ought to be, a part of a full system of Moral Philosophy. Hence it occupies so prominent a place in this treatise; and will, it is hoped, be studied with more care, and practiced with more assiduity, than any other portion of it.

866. The Christian philosophy found in the Bible, takes a still higher aim, and a more comprehensive range. By means of its doctrines and facts, its promises and admonitions, its precepts and sanctions, as well as its incomparable biographies, it not only expounds moral duties, but arrays before us the most powerful motives to be, and to do, what duty to God, to man, and to ourselves, requires. Moral Philosophy assumes the humbler province of defining the duties of man, and offering the grounds upon which they rest, and perhaps, also, the motives existing for the prompt performance of those duties.

To give their just weight to the statements made respecting the duty of imitating Jesus Christ, it is a matter of some moment TO CONTRAST THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST WITH THAT OF ALL OTHERS, who have assumed to be founders of a new religion.

867. "We assert," says Bishop Wilson, "that there never was any religion but the Christian, which exhibited, in the person of its founder, a spotless model for his disciples to follow. We assert there never was any religion but the Christian, in which its author united excellence of example with purity of precept. We assert there never was any religion but the Christian, which professed to sum up all morality in the example of its legislator, and combined in it all the purest precepts, and the most lovely sentiments of moral excellence.

"I look around for the founder of a religion with whom I may compare Jesus Christ. I see the masters of the philosophic sects; I see the orators and respected sages of Greece and Rome: all is impure and debased.

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I see Zeno, and Socrates, and Diogenes, and Epictetus, and Plato, and Aristotle; I see Cicero, and Xenophon, and the Catos, and Seneca: inconsistency, vanity, profligacy, folly, cowardice, revenge, idolatry, obscure the fame of all. I can discern no perfectly pure and unstained character; I can select no model for the imitation of mankind.

"And then, I object to all these names: not one is the founder of a religion. They were philosophers, discoursing in their petty academies; not authors of a system of religion, claiming the inspiration of heaven, and professing to effect the spiritual deliverance of mankind. What I look for, is the founder of a religious faith-independent, new, authoritative, ostensible.

"The votaries of Polytheism, with the fables entwined around their histories, come not up to my demand; and if they did, would only excite disgust, by their avowed profligacy, cruelty, and sordid covetousness. I want still the promulgator of a revelation from heaven.

"At length, I descry one arising obscurely in the eastern regions of Christendom, at a time when its primitive faith was peculiarly corrupted and debased. I SEE Mo-` HAMMED APPEAR. I obtain what I required; I compare his claims; I ask, what were his professions? what his personal character? what his promises to his followers? what the spirit he breathed? what the example he set? I have not long to wait for a reply. The case speaks for itself.

"I see him indulge in the grossest vices; I see him transgressing perpetually even the licentious rules which he had prescribed to himself; I hear him lay claim to a special commission from heaven to riot in the most unlimited sensuality. This is more than enough for my argument.

"But I look again: I see him violent, rapacious, impetuous, sanguinary; I see him pay court to the peculiar vices of the people among whom he wished to propagate his doctrine; I see him promise, as the reward of his followers, a voluptuous paradise, where the objects of their base affections were to be almost innumerable, gifted with transcendent beauty and eternal youth. I can examine no further.

"From a character so base, I turn to the holy Jesus; I contrast-but I pause. I cannot insult your feelings

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by comparing all the points of ineffable purity and loveliness in the founder of Christianity, with the compound of sensuality, pride, and cruelty, in the eastern impostor. You feel how the presumption of the truth of our religion is heightened, inconceivably heightened, by the contrast in the only case at all similar, found in the lapse of ages."

This argument has been admirably touched by Bishop Sherlock also, but we have not space to insert it; but those who would see it may consult Wilson's Evidences of Christianity, vol. ii. p. 104.

Again, we ask, must not a Moral Philosophy be very defective that leaves out of view, or makes no particular and practical use of, the pure morality of the character and life of Jesus Christ? Must not the students of this most important of all sciences, through this defect, have labored under a great disadvantage, if not in ascertaining the exact path of their duty, at least in possessing one of the most attractive and perfect guides in the pursuit of that path? And will not those who study this system of Moral Philosophy, which supplies the defect alluded to, be induced to study the morality of the inspired biography of Jesus, and extend their researches into the biography of many others, who have imbibed his spirit, have felt deeply the influence of his religion, and have done much, by a blameless and useful course, to spread that religion in the world?

As we have drawn so largely upon the sacred scriptures for rules and examples of moral duty, it seems to accord with the practical object of the work to conclude with a brief account, by Bishop Wilson, of the tendency of the Christian revelation to promote, in the highest degree, human happiness.

843. In the preceding portions of this work, from what sources have the duties of man been drawn?

844. What other source of instruction in human duty may be conveniently and profitably resorted to?

845. Where is such biography to be found?

846. In this class of writings, what characters most deserve our study and imitation?

847. What is, or should be, the great purpose of biographical works? 848. In how many prominent aspects is Christ's character presented to us in the sacred scriptures?

849. What preliminary remarks has Paley, in his Evidences, made concerning the character of Christ?

850. Wherein do we discover his piety, and devotion to his Heavenly Father?

851. Wherein do we discover his benevolence and compassion toward man?

852. What do we learn from Christ, in the practice of meekness and lowliness of spirit?

853. What aid does his example furnish, with respect to a superiority to the world?

854. What do the Scriptures inform us concerning his strict temperance and command of the inferior appetites?

855. Does the biography of Christ furnish an example of fortitude and constancy?

856. Was his conduct marked by prudence and discretion?

857. What further illustrations of his prudence may be mentioned?

858. Having now considered the separate graces of our Savior's personal character, what observation may be made respecting the union of them in his most perfect life?

859. Not only so; were not the opposite and apparently contradictory graces found in him in equal proportion?

860. What is further to be observed in the character of Jesus Christ? 861. What was the result of this combination and proportion of excellences?

862, 863. What other observations upon the example of Christ deserve our notice?

864. What was there in the class of character and station which Christ occupied, adapted to our case?

865. In view, then, of all these distinguishing peculiarities of the character of Jesus Christ, what comprehensive definition of human duty may be produced?

866. Christian, as distinguished from moral philosophy?

867. In what eloquent terms has this contrast between the character of Christ, and that of other founders of religion, been drawn by the pen of Bishop Wilson?

CHAPTER VI.

TENDENCY OF REVELATION TO PROMOTE HUMAN

HAPPINESS.

868. THERE is a genuine, strong, essential tendency in every part of Christianity to elevate man, to deliver him from intellectual and moral bondage, to fill his mind with truth, and purity, and love; to engage him in the pursuit of the highest object, and aid him in following it.

869. It is susceptible of easy proof that man wants something more than mere reason, or moral virtue, or the light of nature. He requires a way of forgiveness, a spring of new life and strength for obedience, a clear revelation of immortality. If reason and its kindred powers are allowed to have a tendency toward human happiness, how much more has Christianity that bearing,

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