former, embracing the science of criticism as a subsidiary means, to trace, in the original records of Christianity—in their varied style, in their phrases, proper to the time, country, and writers—in their incidental allusions to persons, events, and usages —in their internal agreements, and not less, in their disagreements, the infallible marks of authenticity. Nor does any thing remain to be desired in the way of proof, in this line, which may not be found in many conclusive modern works.

It is the office, moreover, of the historical logic, as applied to the Christian evidences, to show (and which may most certainly be done) that the memoirs of Christ have been derived from, at the least, three independent sources; and therefore, that the supposition, could it otherwise for a moment be entertained, of an imaginative creation of this altogether singular narrative, is totally excluded.

The same species of argument, moreover, will exhibit the manifest incompetency of the writers of the Gospels-one and all, for the task of a literary creation; and their competency for that only of furnishing an inartificial report of incidents and discourses.

So far, a strict analysis of the entire mass of the evidence, and of the minute circumstances which attach to it, excludes every doubt that the evangelic history is HISTORY.

But now, after these rigorous methods of analysis have done their part, something remains which,

in fact, if it can be satisfactorily achieved, carries conviction home to the mind in a manner not often if ever effected by a merely critical argument.

We summon then to our aid, those powers of perception which, even if they cannot clothe themselves in words, and therefore cannot be conveyed distinctly from mind to mind, are not therefore the less to be relied upon. Yet let us not be misunderstood; nor let it for a moment be supposed that we are so forgetful of the principles of Spiritual Christianity, hereafter to be affirmed, as to attempt to hale things divine to the tribunal of the perverted moral perceptions of the human mind. This we are not doing; but are only endeavouring to bring the moral sense to bear upon objects which lie altogether within its proper range; that is to say, upon human character, human conduct, and upon the well-known harmonies of the world of mind, as exposed to our view in others, or as presented by our personal conscious

ness.

Moreover we do not hesitate to ask, that such faint conceptions as the human mind may of itself entertain, of the bright excellence of a better world, should be at hand, and give their testimony, so far as they may, in support of our conclusions; for it has ever been held that, if the spotless virtue of heaven were to appear upon earth, she would be recognised and reverenced, even by the most abject, or the most perverted of mankind.

Read then the Gospels, simply as historical memoirs and by such aids as they alone supply, make

yourself acquainted with Him who is the subject of these narrations. Bring the individual conception, as distinctly as possible before the mind:-allow the moral sense to confer, in its own manner, and at leisure, with this unusual form of humanity.-" Behold the man"-even the Saviour of the world, and say whether it be not historic truth that is before the eye. The more peculiar is this form, yet withal symmetrical, the more infallible is the impression of reality we thence receive. What we have to do with in this instance, is not an undefined ideal of wisdom and goodness, conveyed in round affirmations, or in eulogies; but with a self-developed individuality, in conveying which the writers of the narrative do not appear. In this instance, if in any, the medium is transparent: nothing intervenes between the reader and the personage of the history, in whose presence we stand, as if not separated by time and space.

It may be questioned whether the entire range of ancient history presents any one character in colours of reality so fresh as those which distinguish the personage of the evangelic memoirs. The sages and heroes of antiquity-less and less nearly related, as they must be, to any living interests, are fading amid the mists of an obsolete world: but He who "is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever," is offered to the view of mankind, in the dyes of immortality, fitting a history, which, instead of losing the intensity of its import, is gathering weight by the lapse of time.

The Evangelists, by the translucency of their style,

have given a lesson in biographical composition, showing how perfectly individual character may be expressed in a method which disdains every rule but that of fidelity. It is personal humanity, in the presence of which we stand, while perusing the Gospels, and to each reader, apart, if serious and ingenuous, and yet incredulous, the Saviour of the world addresses a mild reproof" It is I.-Behold my hands and my feet-Reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side, and be not faithless but believing." And can we do otherwise than grant, all that is now demanded—namely, That the Evangelists record the actions and discourses of a real person?

It is well to consider the extraordinary contrasts that are yet perfectly harmonized in the personal character of Christ.

At a first glance, he appears always in his own garb of humility ;-lowliness of demeanour is his very characteristic. But we must not forget that this lowliness was combined with nothing less than a solemnly proclaimed, and peremptory challenge of rightful headship over the human race! Nevertheless the oneness of the character-the fair perfection of the surface, suffers no rent by this blending of elements so strangely diverse. Let us then bring before the mind, with all the distinctness we can, the conception of the Teacher, more meek than any who has ever assumed to rule the opinions of mankind, and who yet, in the tones proper to tranquil modesty, and as conscious at once of power and right, anticipates that day of wonder, when, "the KING shall sit

on the throne of his glory," with his angels attendant; and when "all nations shall be gathered before him," from his lips to receive their doom! The more these elements of personal character are disproportionate, the more convincing is the proof of reality, which arises from their harmony.

We may read the Evangelists listlessly, and not perceive this evidence; but we can never read them intelligently without yielding to it our convictions.

If the character of Christ be, as indeed it is, altogether unmatched, in the circle of history, it is even less so by the singularity of the intellectual and moral elements which it combines, than by the sweetness and perfection which result from their union. This will appear the more, if we consider those instances in which the combination was altogether of an unprecedented kind.

Nothing has been more constant in the history of the human mind, whenever the religious emotions have gained a supremacy over the sensual and sordid passions, than the breaking out of the ascetic temper in some of its forms; and most often in that which disguises virtue, now as a spectre, now as a maniac, now as a mendicant, now as a slave, but never as the bright daughter of heaven. Of the three Jewish sects, extant in our Lord's time, two of them—that is to say the two that made pretensions to any sort of piety, had assumed the ascetic garb, in its two customary species-the philosophic (the Essenes) and the fanatical (the Pharisees); and so strong and uniform is