secret of never contradicting themselves or one another, and of being always uniform in their testimony.

If must be supposed that the most expert Courts of Judicature could not find out a shadow of contradiction in a palpable imposture.

It must be supposed that the apostles, sensible men in other cases, chose precisely those places and those times which were most unfavourable to their views.

It must be supposed that millions madly suffered imprisonments, tortures, and crucifixion, to spread an illusion.

It must be supposed that ten thousand miracles were wrought in favour of falsehood, or all these facts must be denied.

And then it must be supposed that the apostles were idiots, that the enemies of Christianity were idiots, and that all the primitive Christians were idiots.*-Saurin.

*The order and discipline of the Apostolic churches, afford a satisfactory evidence of the real character of the primitive Christians. CLEMENT, the fellow labourer of St. PAUL, thus writes to the church of Corinth: "the APOSTLES, with the greatest care, ordained the RULERS OF THE CHURCH, and delivered a rule of succession in future, that after their decease other approved men might succeed. Those then, who, by them, or in succession by other choice, were ordained rulers with the approbation and concurrence of the whole church; and who in a blameless conduct have ministered to the flock of Christ in humility; who for a series of years have been well reported of by all men, these we think it unrighteous to deprive of the ministry." Again, "Do take up the writings of the blessed Apostle; what did he say to you in the beginning

20. THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST.*

"Nothing was done by Christ, which was not foretold; nothing was ever foretold by the Prophets of Christ, which was not done."-Bishop Hall.

"There is an independent proof of our Saviour's mission to be derived from the applicability of His example. It is impossible for one man implicitly to follow in the footsteps of another, without some unnecessary and unnatural deviations from that line which the order of providence has assigned him. But Christ is not, if I may so speak, an individual character all characters of excellence unite in Him.

of the Gospel? Truly, by divine inspiration, he gave you directions concerning himself, and Cephas, and Apollos, because even then ye were splitting into parties. But your party-spirit at that time had less evil in it, because it was exercised against Apostles of eminent holiness, and towards one much approved of by them. But now consider who they are that have subverted you, and broken the bonds of bro therly love. These are shameful things, brethren, very

shameful."

*The character of Christ is thus contrasted with that of Mahomet, by Bishop Sherlock:-"Go to your natural religion, lay before her Mahomet and his disciples arrayed in armour and in blood, riding in triumph over the spoils of thousands and ten thousands, who fell by his sword. Shew her the cities which he set in flames, the countries which he ravaged and destroyed, and the miserable distress of all the inhabitants of the earth. When she has viewed him in this scene, carry her into his retirements, shew her the prophet's chamber, his concubines and his wives, and let her see his adulteries, and hear him alledge revelation and his commission to justify his lusts and his oppressions. When she is tired with this pros

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"In imitating Christ, no man is led out of his natural sphere, or thrown into a forced or affected attitude; every movement after Him is performed with freedom, and His likeness sits easily and becomingly upon all that bear it. The high and low-the rich and poor-the talented and untalented-the contemplative and the active-all classes and all dispositions find, in the example of Jesus, the teaching which they want; and all are led, by looking unto Him, precisely in the path most suitable for them to walk in. We see at once, in that comprehensive model, the bright contrast of whatever we should shun, and the most attractive exhibition of all that we should aim at in our Christian course. Whatever our besetting sins, whether of excess or of defect, they stand equally

pect, then shew her the blessed Jesus, humble and meek, doing good to all the sons of men, patiently instructing the ignorant and the perverse. Let her see him in his most retired privacies, let her follow him to the mount, and hear his devotions and supplications to God. Carry her to his table, to view his poor fare and hear his heavenly discourse. Let her see him him injured, but not provoked; let her attend him to the tribunal, and consider the patience with which he endured the scoffs and reproaches of his enemies. Lead her to his cross, and let her view him in the agonies of death, and hear his last prayer for his persecutors. Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.' When natural religion has viewed both; ask which is the prophet of God?But her answer we have already had, when she saw part of this scene through the eyes of the centurion, who attended at the cross; by him she said, "TRULY THIS WAS THE SON OF GOD."

condemned by a comparison with Him. Thus the restless and over active spirit is calmed by the contemplation of His nights of solitary prayer; and the indolent are stimulated to exertion by His ceaseless labours of love; the high and lofty are brought low when they behold their Lord and Master washing His disciples' feet; and the poor in this world's goods, are taught contentment by Him who had not where to lay his head. This subject could indeed be endlessly pursued. Enough has, I trust, been said to prove the point assumed-namely, that a character which can thus adapt itself, in the way of example, to every possible variety of man; which can pour forth a healing virtue, equally applicable to the most opposite extremes; and can thus spread its influence over the wide extent of the whole human race; that such a character cannot be bounded within the narrow circle of our nature, but must partake of the infinitude of God."-Woodward.

21. THE CHRISTIAN DISPENSATION.

Men have outgrown the other institutions of the period in which Christianity appeared; its philosophy, its modes of warfare, its policy, its public and private economy; but Christianity has never shrunk as intellect opened, but has always kept in advance of men's faculties, and unfolded noble views in propor

tion as they have ascended. The highest powers and affections, which our nature has developed, find more than adequate objects in this religion. As men advance in civilization, they become susceptible of mental sufferings, to which ruder ages are strangers; and these Christianity is fitted to assuage.—Imagination and intellect become more restless, and Christianity brings tranquillity, by the eternal and magnificent truths, the solemn and unbounded prospects, which it unfolds. This fitness of Christianity to more advanced stages of society than that in which it was introduced, to wants of human nature not then developed, seems to me very striking. Christianity bears the marks of having come from a Being who perfectly understood the human mind, and had power to provide for its progress. This feature of Christianity is of the nature of prophecy. It was in anticipation of future and distant ages; and when we consider among whom our religion sprung, where, but in GOD, can we find an explanation of the peculiarity?— Channing.

22. EXHORTATION TO UNIVERSAL PRAISE.

"Praise ye the LORD: Praise ye the LORD from the heavens. Praise ye Him, all his angels; praise ye Him, all his hosts. Praise ye Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all ye stars of light. Praise Him, ye