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What a strong and cheering light does the character of Jesus, as revealed in his treatment of Peter, cast upon the character of God! It may not be denied that the Deity is frequently represented as a stern and repulsive being. But would we know how God regards the sinful, we must turn to Jesus Christ. He declares himself one with the Father. Would we learn what the Supreme Spirit is, we must study the spirit of Christ; for they are one. They who believe that this Oneness is literal and personal must feel the whole force of this argument. For the Supreme is unchangeable. And if Christ was full of consideration, then surely this must be the character of God, and we may well believe that every allowance is made for us, by him who knows our frame, and remembers we are dust. If any conduct justifies indignation, it is such conduct as Peter's. But how did Jesus treat the faithless apostle? He only turned and looked him no doubt with him! looked upon upon undiminished affection, and with a countenance beaming with pity. Here then, in the hall of the High Priest's palace, and amidst that dark and brutal throng, streams forth a sublime revelation of the unutterable mercy of God, who "hath shone into our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory In that look of God IN THE FACE OF JESUS CHRIST." which was turned upon Peter, there is a beam that, issuing from the Spirit of all light and love, illuminates the upturned features of penitence, and directs her to God as to one, of whose mercy a father's affection, and a mother's fondness, are but dim and imperfect types!

THE PRISONER AND THE JUDGE.

243 The conduct of Jesus, when he stood before the Roman Governor, is marked by the same elevation, which we have observed in so many instances. He betrayed not the slightest symptom of fear, or of any emotion inconsistent with his usual dignity of mind and manner. He calmly declared that his kingdom was not of an outward, political character; if it had been, he would have had adherents to fight for him. But as he had used no violence, it was evident enough he had not sought worldly power. "Art thou a king, then?" asked Pilate. "Yes," is the reply, "I am a king. For this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, to bear witness to the truth; and every true man is my subject." Such was his sublime definition of his regal character. After Pilate had put him to the torture of the scourge, with the probable hope, as I have already intimated, that this might satisfy the Jews, it became evident to Jesus that Pilate was too weak to save him, and of course that words were of no avail. And when Pilate began again to question him, repeating the same inquiries, he made no answer. menaced him with his power. appear to have estimated the character of Pilate! He neither weakly defers to the imbecile magistrate, nor does he utter one upbraiding word, but simply observes that Pilate had no power of his own; that he was but an instrument, and that the principal. guilt of the transaction rested with others. The injustice with which he was treated disturbed not, for a moment, the clearness and calmness of his mind. It neither intimidated, nor exasperated him.

The governor then How justly does Jesus

It cannot be that we have hearts, and that they are to remain cold and insensible to all these various and touching manifestations of the mingled tenderness and wisdom of the Man of Nazareth. Who can help feeling that he must come hither-to this, the heavenliest model of all virtue, to kindle his best sentiments, to elevate and refine his sense of truth and rectitude, to feed his imperishable soul? Who so high in rank, so gifted in intellect, as to refuse to acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Master? In all that elevates human nature, he is the master of us all. There is nothing humiliating-oh no-it must be our delight and honour—it must all-ennoble us to accord him this title. The words of the fervent old poet-have they now no music in our ears?

"How sweetly doth MY MASTER sound! MY MASTER!

As ambergris leaves a rich scent

Unto the taster:

So do these words a sweet content,

An oriental fragrancy: MY MASTER!"

The instances I have adduced in this chapter to illustrate the moral greatness of Jesus Christ, I have arranged with very little order. I knew not how to do otherwise, or better, or where to begin. And I know not now where to end. There are numerous other occasions upon which the wonderful beauty of his moral being is disclosed. I must break off with the hope that the illustrations of this great subject, which have been specified, have been stated at least with some distinctness and discrimination, not altogether from hearsay, but with some personal feeling of their truth. If this hope be not justifiable, it would be in

THE UNCONSCIOUSNESS OF THE NARRATORS.

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vain to say more. But if I have been at all successful in what I have attempted, then enough has been said to show how abundant are the materials which the Christian Records have furnished us, whereby we may construct in our minds an idea of moral greatness, to which history affords no equal. Not a trace appears in these writings of any design to work out the uniform consistency, apparent in this respect. The writers appear to be occupied with nothing but a statement of facts; of facts which, however, they do not enlarge upon, nor make the least effort to combine into a whole. They pass abruptly from one incident to another, entirely different in its details, unconscious of the beautiful and godlike spirit which they portray. Not that they were insensible to the power of the character of him, whose words and works they relate. They could not possibly have given stronger proof of their being thoroughly imbued with the spirit of Jesus, which was the spirit of truth, than they have given in their simple, unvarnished narrations.

246

CHAPTER XII.

THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS.

"Auctor nominis ejus Christus, qui, Tiberio imperitante, per procuratorem Pontium Pilatum supplicio affectus erat."-TACITUS Ann. lib. xv.

The leader of this denomination was Christ, who, in the reign of Tiberius, suffered punishment under the procurator Pontius Pilate.— Trans.

THE marks of truth and nature upon the accounts of the death of Jesus and his rising from the dead are so numerous and impressive, that I propose to make this portion of the history the subject of particular examination. It is precisely such a relation of these most interesting events as we might naturally expect, supposing them to be true. The whole style of narration, the discrepancies between the different accounts, the very errors and mistakes apparent in some subordinate particulars, all indicate precisely such a state of feeling as must have been produced in the eye and ear witnesses, if the things related actually took place. It is in this perfect truth of feeling, so abundantly disclosed, that I find an impregnable ground for my faith. The testimony of one man, giving indubitable tokens of a true spirit, is absolutely decisive in itself, admitting of no comparison with the testimony of men in whom no such spirit is discernible, even though they were numberless. It is not therefore upon the number of the witnesses in

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