420 TENDENCY OF THE BIBLE. 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 mora! 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, TENDENCY OF THE BIBLE. 421 which embraces all, and more than all, that conscience and tradition ever taught, and which superadds a peculiar method of redemption of its own, by the Son and Spirit of God? Christianity, indeed, is, REASON PURIFIED, VIRTUE EXALT ED AND RENDERED PRACTICAL, NATURAL RELIGION SUS TAINED BY REDEMPTION. When Christianity triumphs, it is the victory of the highest reason, of the loftiest virtue and religion. Christianity appears only as the minister of truth, the assuager of human woe, the teacher of good things; the enemy of all that is unjust, cruel, impure; the friend of all that is right, chaste, benevolent; the child of heaven, and the preparer for its joys. The Bearing of Christianity as to Nations. 870. What are nations but masses of individuals? What is social, but the multiplication of personal happiness? It is quite obvious, then, that if Christianity takes the direction of personal happiness, it promotes, also, national and universal. 871. It supplies the defects of human laws. It is seated in the conscience, it interposes a divine tribunal, it goes to the principle of obedience, it restrains not by fear of punishment merely, but by the desire (which it produces) to please God and benefit our fellow-creatures. What are oaths without Christianity as their basis? What are human statutes, without the authority of the Supreme Legislator? 872. Again: Christianity goes to subdue the selfishness of man, and to implant that regard for the welfare of others which is the spring of genuine patriotism and devotion to the good of our country. And what must be the beneficent working of that religion whose main object is to prevent the selfish exercise of the passions! 873. And why need we further speak of the bearings of the charity of Christianity, of its spirit of beneficence, its forgiveness of injuries, its delight in communicating good, its genuine, diffusive, heartfelt sympathy? Must not all this go to the cementing together of the society of mankind, and the rendering of nations one great and united family? And what is the tendency of all the Christian precepts ?— 422 TENDENCY OF THE BIBLE. of its relative duties, its rules for the lowest and highest stations in society-of the commands which restrain, animate, and direct every class of persons in a state ?— the injunctions which go to extinguish the causes of disunion, turbulence, sedition, war? 874. Again: how can we speak adequately of the INDIRECT TENDENCY of the Gospel to advance the temporal and spiritual welfare of nations? It indirectly works upon thousands whom it never persuades to receive its yoke. It operates by the medium of others. It raises the standard of morals. It induces large bodies of men to imitate, in various respects, the conduct of its genuine disciples. Each Christian is a center of influence, in which his example and instructions are continually operating. 875. Thus, by degrees, public opinion begins to work; and as this spreads, it reaches magistrates, it sways the minds of legislators, it opens the ears of princes, it leads them to the encouragement and support of revealed religion; and thus it brings down that blessing upon states which is the spring of real prosperity. As public opinion is elevated, and magistrates and legislators are swayed by its dictates, the spirit of improvement grows; one evil after another is detected; institutions in harmony with Christian benevolence arise; habits and practices of a contrary nature drop off; all becomes more pure in domestic life, more paternal in government, more pacific and secure in public council. In short, the tendency of Christianity is to raise up man from the depths of degradation and misery; to bless him in every relation of life as a subject of civil society, as a member of the domestic circle, as a reasonable and accountable creature, as an heir of immortality. 876. With great unanimity all competent judges, including adversaries, admit, that the result, if the Christian religion were acted upon by all mankind, would be an unexampled degree of general happiness. Men of all characters, even unbelievers themselves, if we except a few of the very grossest; statesmen and legislators of all ages since the promulgation of the Gospel; philosophers and moralists of almost every school-unite in their admissions of the excellent tendency of the Christian religion. Many of them are ignorant of its true principles, yet they allow, 1 TENDENCY OF OTHER MORAL SYSTEMS. 423 with one consent, its beneficial tendency upon states and kingdoms-they would have all men Christians from mere regard to the peace of the world; they admit that if mankind were under its practical guidance, the earth would present a scene of happiness, such as has never yet been witnessed or conceived of. 877. Of any other religion, or pretended remedy for human evils, who that understands the question would honestly wish for the universal diffusion, or would augur from that diffusion universal happiness? Who would wish all mankind Epicureans, Stoics, Jewish Pharisees? Who would desire to see any form of Polytheism universally prevalent? Who would wish the whole human race Mohammedans? Who would desire infidelity or human philosophy to establish itself everywhere as the sole guide of man? Conscience speaks plainly enough when such a supposition is made. But who that knows what Christianity is, but would most heartily, and from his inmost soul, desire that all the world were Christians? Who does not feel that Christianity is pregnant with tendencies and seeds of things, which want only a clear field, to turn the world into a second Paradise? 868. The tendency of Christianity? 869. Christianity adapted to the wants of man? 870. Such being the proper influence of the Gospel upon individuals, what is its bearing as to nations? 871. Its relation to human laws? 872. Its influence upon the selfishness of man? 873. The charity of Christianity? 874. The indirect influences of Christianity? 875. Effect upon public opinion? 876. What do all competent judges, including adversaries, admit would be the result, if the Christian religion were acted upon by mankind? 877. Of any other system of morality or religion, is the universal diffusion desirable? THE END. |