"The learned man, whose desire is toward the right way, but who is "ashamed of mean clothing and coarse food, can by no means become my "companion." 66 Beholding a wise and good man, strive to imitate him exactly; behold"ing a man void of probity, you should deliberate within yourself;" or, as the commentator adds, "Deliberate within yourself, lest you become equally wicked, therefore set a strong guard and keep constant watch over your "actions." "The upright man will not be left destitute, he will have friends ;" and, as the commentator adds, "Possessing virtues, he will be sure to draw "around him friends and imitators." "It is sorrowful I do not see any capable of discerning their own faults "and of inwardly regretting them." "If a man of moderate capacity accustom himself to superior exercises, you can converse with him as with one of superior ability; but if the man "of moderate capacity accustom himself to an inferior degree of diligence, you cannot converse with him of superior things." 66 "Knowledge produces pleasures clear and pure as water; complete "virtue produces happiness solid as a mountain; knowledge pervades all "things; virtue is tranquil and happy; knowledge is delight; virtue is long life." "If you are able to practise the more obvious duties, to seek the good "of others equally with your own, this may be termed a principal part of complete virtue.' 66 22 "Pride and extravagance are contrary to the order of society-parsimony may degenerate into sordid misery. If, however, you will go to extremes, "then choose parsimony as the least offensive of the two." "Respect, when not regulated by propriety, soon degenerates, and becomes a painful burden; prudence, when not restrained by our reason, soon degenerates into cowardice; courage, without the guidance of reason, soon "becomes insubordination; and frankness, when not controlled by judg"ment, speedily becomes folly." "I illustrate and comment upon the old books, but I do not compose 66 new ones. I have faith in the Ancients, I love them; I have the highest honour for our Laopang" [a sage of the Chang dynasty]. "To meditate in silence and to recall to one's memory the objects of " one's meditations; to devote oneself to study, and not to be discouraged; "to instruct men, and not to suffer oneself to be cast down: how shall I "attain to the possession of these virtues ?'' 66 "Virtue is not cultivated; study is not pursued manfully; if the principles of justice and equity are professed they are not followed; the "wicked and the perverse will not be corrected: that is the cause of my "sorrow." "If we are employed in public functions, then we fulfil our duty; if we are dismissed, we have the repose of a private life." "To get riches in a fair way, I would certainly engage in a low occupa"tion if it was necessary; if the means were not fair, I would rather apply myself to that which I delight in." "To feed upon a little rice, to drink water, to have nothing but one's "bent arm to lean upon, is a state which has its own satisfaction. To get "riches and honour by unfair means seems to me like a cloud driven along by the wind." "If it were granted to me to add a number of years to my life, I "would ask fifty to study the Y-king, that I might render myself free from great faults." Ye-hong questioned Tseu-leu about Khoung-fou-tsze. Tseu-leu did not answer him. The philosopher said, "Why have not you answered him? Khoung is a man who in his eagerness to acquire knowledge often forgets "to take nourishment; who in the joy which he feels at having acquired it, forgets the pains which it has cost him; and who does not disturb himself "at the approach of old age. Now you know about him." "I was not born endowed with knowledge; I am a man who loved the Ancients, and made all exertions to acquire their information." "If three of us were travelling together, I should necessarily find two "instructors; I should choose the good man for imitation, and the bad man "for correction." "Heaven has planted virtue in me, what then can Hoan-teu do to me?" "Do you fancy, my disciples, that I have any doctrines that I conceal "from you? I have none. I have done nothing that I have not commu "nicated to you, O my disciples !" "I cannot hope to see a holy man; all I can do is to see a wise one." [The exact difference of the two will be explained hereafter.] 66 દઃ I cannot hope to see a man truly virtuous; all I can do is to hope to see a man constant and settled in his views." "To want everything, and to act as if one had abundance of possessions; to be empty, and to show oneself full; to be little, and to show "oneself great-is a part very difficult to support steadily.' "How is it that there are men who act without knowing what they do? "I should not wish to behave myself so.' وو "We must hear the advice of many people, choose what is good in their counsels, and follow it see much, and reflect maturely on what one has "seen; that is the second step in knowledge." The inhabitants of Heou-hing were hard to teach; one of their young men had come to visit the disciples of the philosopher. They doubted whether they should receive him among them. The philosopher said, "I "have admitted him to come among us, I have not admitted him to go Whence comes this opposition on your parts? away. This man has purified himself, has renewed himself in order to enter my school. Praise "him for having gone so far; I am not responsible for his past or future "actions." "Is humanity so far off from us? I wish to possess humanity, and humanity comes to me." "In literature I am not equal to other men. If I think of a man who "unites holiness to the virtue of humanity, how could I dare to compare "myself to him? All that I know is, that I force myself to practise these "virtues, and to teach them to others, without being disheartened. Being very sick, Tseu-leu besought him to permit his disciples to address prayers for him to the spirits and the genii. The philosopher said, "Is that the proper thing to do?" Tseu-leu answered respectfully, It is the proper thing. It is said in the book called Leni, Address your "prayers to the spirits and the genii above and below." The philosopher said, "The prayer of Khoung-fou-tsze is constant.” "If a man is given to luxury, he is not submissive. If he is too parsimonious, he is vile and abject. However, baseness is better than disobedience." Tai-pe might be called sovereignly virtuous. I know not how any thing could be added to his virtue; thrice he refused the empire, and the people saw nothing admirable in his conduct." "We may force the people to follow the precepts of justice and reason; we cannot force it to comprehend them." "If a state is governed by the principles of reason, poverty and misery 66 are a cause of shame. If a state is not governed by the principles of reason, riches and honour are the subjects of shame." 66 P. W. P. DID THE PARENTS OF JESUS BELIEVE IN THE INCARNATION? Both It matters little to explain how the idea of the Incarnation grew up in presence of the fact that it has no historical validity. It is positively untrue in every objective sense; and yet, as all thoughtful men must be aware, it is scarcely possible to do more than indirectly demonstrate its falsity. It happens, however, that they who assert its truth are compelled to admit the impossibility of furnishing the proof; they argue about it as a doctrine to be received in faith, absolute evidence being utterly beyond their reach, and consequently stand upon the same level with those who deny it. parties are constrained to appeal to certain points which circumstantially prove or disprove the theory. Both ask assent to propositions as inferences deduced from the comparison and meaning of established facts. But in truth the position of him who repudiates the theory is the strongest, because he who demands that another shall believe in some supernatural occurrence is bound to furnish evidence strong enough to outweigh the testimony borne against it by the unvarying course of nature. We do not say the order of natural action cannot be suspended; but this, that they who declare it has been suspended are bound to furnish evidence of a very powerful and weighty nature. Were a man to protest that he had jumped from Dover to Calais, we should feel justified in denying his statement, merely citing the law of gravitation against him, and the onus of proof would lie at his door. It is thus with the Miraculous Conception." For being a violation of all experience, we say this, not that it could not be, but that evidence of a very powerful nature should be advanced in order to establish the statement of its having really happened. This, however, is not forthcoming, and hence, according to the ordinary law of evidence, it is enough to say, enough to say, " Furnish the "proof which is to win belief." It is not, however, intended to rest with that. It must be argued not only that the case for the Incarnation has not been made out, but also, that evidence is to be collected from the New Testament itself which totally disproves the assumption. In the Gospel of Matthew it is stated that Joseph, the reputed father, having discovered his betrothed wife to be likely to become a mother, was angered, and inclined to put her away, but was prevented, he being informed in a dream that he had no just cause of complaint, for "that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost."* Luke relates that it was unto Mary the annunciation was made; that the angel Gabriel appeared unto her, and after declaring she was highly favoured among women, said "she should bear a child who should have the throne "of David" and should rule over the house of Jacob, also that "The Holy * Matthew i. 20. "Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall over"shadow thee; therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee "shall be called the Son of God."* Before considering the value of these texts, it will be instructive to notice the remarks of our Christian writers upon the conduct of Mary under what they are pleased to call "these trying circumstances;" for undoubtedly their absurdity or Jesuitical special pleading almost surpasses belief. For instance, Dr. Kitto felt it necessary to maintain that Mary" doubted not the truth of "what she heard." With all the suavity of one of the gentlest divines, he observes, she said not "Can this thing be"? but "How shall this thing be"?† So that he positively represents her as assenting to the promise, fully confiding in its truth, never daring to hint a doubt, but merely asking how it is to be brought about. But what are the words put into her mouth by Luke? "Then "said Mary unto the angel, How can this be, seeing I know not a man?" And that author goes on to relate the argument used by "the angel" in order to prove it would be as he had said. Evidently this is the language of one who doubted, and it was only by omitting the latter clause that Dr. Kitto was enabled to strain her language into that of one who had no doubts. This, however, is the common mode of dealing with such questions. The national teachers see no sin in the ancients refusing their belief, even when "an angel" spake, but they are exceedingly bitter about the disbelief of modern men who have quite other than angelic teachers. Dr. Kitto, however, was not alone in his sophistry, for the great German commentator says, "The દ faithful, childlike and humble Mary confides herself in the hands of God; "she yields willingly to her destiny, in order to accomplish the Divine "decrees. The birth of our Lord in the flesh thus became likewise her act "of faith; the belief of Mary thus made amends for the unbelief of Eve." § The two already quoted are the only passages in the entire New Testament which completely divest Joseph of all share in the paternity of Jesus. The writers of the Gospels of Mark and John do not mention this peculiar circumstance, neither is it alluded to by any other authors whose works are called Canonical. There are three sentences of St. Paul's which have been tortured and explained in a non-natural sense, in order to make them bear that interpretation; but curiously enough they are incidental; they require considerable straining to make them yield such an idea, and when thus strained, they are forced into direct opposition to various other passages written by the same Apostle. Thus, so far as the doctrine of the "Divine Incarnation' is concerned, the proof of its truth rests solely upon the dream of Joseph, as reported by Matthew, and the appearance of the angel, as mentioned by Luke. There is no other testimony than that of these two writers, whom we do not know, who composed their works we know not when, and who furnish as evidence, the one a dream, the other a supernatural appearance. Evidently, to say the least, this testimony is suspicious. No such story would be believed in any court of law, or even by the bench of bishops, of a modern event; but being testimony, we must examine its worth; and we submit that the only proof any one need furnish, in order to invalidate the story, is that neither Joseph nor Mary believed it. They are the only persons who can be cited as witnesses. No one else could know anything about it; and, in fact, no one pretends to have any other evidence. Consequently, if Joseph's dream and Mary's idea of having seen an angel are * Luke i. 35. Luke i. 34, +Kitto's Daily Bible Illustrations, vol. iv. p. 28. worthy of belief, the evidence furnished by their conduct in their waking moments must be even more valuable as evidence to the truth. It is a fact that we have abundant evidence to prove they did not believe this story. We shall not look for proof behind the veil which must not now be raised, neither shall we discuss the matter merely in a philological spirit, but fasten upon those broader and more conclusive evidences which speak at once to the soul. For instance, it is related that when Jesus was taken into the temple, as a babe, by his parents, Simeon, an old man, took the infant from them, and holding the infant in his arms, he sang : "Now let thy servant depart, O Sovereign For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou preparedst before the face of all the people; A light to enlighten the Gentiles, And a glory for thy people Israel."* This was only a confirmation of what had previously occurred. The "father" who had been told in a dream that his affianced wife was to become the mother of a superior being, and the mother herself, who had been informed of all this by an angel, beside knowing of the miracle in a manner which none else could know, would only listen to this prophecy as fully confirming their previous ideas, if, indeed, confirmation were needed. Such, at least, is what would naturally be expected. Ordinary human beings would have been thus impressed; but, and here the miracle grows greater, instead of Joseph and Mary gladly hearkening and responding to Simeon, they were astonished at what they heard. Luke reports, "And Joseph and his mother wondered at "these things which were spoken of him.' Yes, they wondered just as if nothing remarkable had taken place. Had the poorest hind in Judea gone up with his babe to the temple, and had an old man sung a little hymn of prophecy over him, he would have done no more than stupidly wonder, the same as these two did, although the Angel Gabriel had been so communicative. when At Again, it is reported that when Jesus was twelve years old, his parents took him up to the Feast of the Passover, held in Jerusalem, and, "their days were completed," they turned homeward, forming part of a large company, all of whom had been up to the city on a similar errand They travelled on a day's journey from Jerusalem without seeing their son, but felt no fear, because, as they thought, he was with some of the company. length, as it is reported by Luke, they missed him, and returned back to the city to discover and bring him with them. It was not, however, until "the "third day" that they succeeded in finding him, and then, according to the report, which shall not now be critically examined, they saw him in the temple sitting in the midst of the learned doctors, both hearing them and asking "them questions." We are informed that all who heard him were astonished at his having understanding of the subjects in debate, as also at the wisdom. of his answers. But when his parents found him, they also were amazed, and asked him why he had left them; adding that, "sorrowing had they sought "him." The whole scene comes out vividly before us, for who is there that cannot picture both the mother and the father, and feel some measure of the gladness felt by them when they saw him safe whom they sought in sorrow? 66 But what was his answer to their very natural question? He asked, "How was it that ye sought me ? Know ye not that I must be about my "Father's business ?" Surely they must now have felt that he was about to * Luke ii. 28-32; Griesbach. |