homage, and commends the Apostle's faith. When the man who was born blind, had his sight restored, falling down he worshipped Jesus: and the humble Saviour offered no remonstrance, because He was conscious that He received only His due.

He exacts an absolute obedience such as only a God can claim. Earthly rulers can demand only external compliance with the law of the land. But Christ enters the sanctuary of the soul, and becomes absolute Ruler of the human conscience. He requires the submission of our intellect to the teachings of faith; the submission of our will by an interior attachment to His law, as well as an external compliance with it. He must be undisputed Master of the kingdom of our heart.

In a word, He legislates as a God, He pardons as a God, He judges as a God, He punishes as a God, He rewards as a God, He is honored and adored as a God. He exacts obedience as a God, He is to be loved more than father or mother, brother or sister, husband or wife, more than angels or archangels, principalities or powers; in short, more than all that is not God. We can be reconciled to claims so imperious only on the assumption that they are imposed by a God.

Even infidels are unanimous in extolling the moral perfection of Christ. But on due reflection they will find their position untenable, and will be compelled to the alternative of confessing His divinity, or of acknowledging that He was not even an honest man. His words evidently left the im

pression on the minds of the multitude that He claimed to be God. He was conscious of this impression, yet He said naught to remove it. On the contrary he accepted the homage of their adoration. If Christ therefore were not a divine Being, He would be guilty of an unpardonable assumption and impiety in usurping divine honors. He would be an untruthful man, nay an arch-hypocrite and impostor; or at least he would be an extravagant, self-deluded enthusiast, a character never ascribed to Him by His most relentless opponents. There is no middle ground to stand upon. We must either deny His moral excellence or declare His divinity.

The first Napoleon was not a theologian; but he was a great man, and a profound observer, whose vast experience had enabled him to judge what forces were necessary to produce a lasting effect on mankind. When chained to the rock of St. Helena, he had ample leisure to measure the greatness of men and to estimate them according to their true value. One day in a conversation with Montholon, he put this question to him: "Who was Jesus Christ?" Montholon having declined to answer, Napoleon proceeded: "I will tell you. Alexander, Cæsar, Charlemagne, and myself have founded great empires. But our empires were founded on force. Jesus alone founded His empire on love, and to this day millions would die for Him. I think I understand something of human nature, and I tell you, all these were men, and I am a man, Jesus Christ

was more than man. I have inspired multitudes with a devotion so enthusiastic that they would have died for me. But to do this it was necessary that I should be visibly present with the electric influence of my looks, my words, my voice. Who cares for me now removed as I am from the active scenes of life, and from the presence of men? Who would now die for me? Christ alone across the chasm of eighteen centuries makes a demand which is beyond all others difficult to satisfy. He asks more than a father can demand of his child, or a bride of her spouse, or a man of his brother. He asks for the human heart. He will have it entirely to Himself. He demands it unconditionally, and forthwith His demand is granted. Wonderful! In defiance of time and space, the soul of man with all its powers and faculties becomes an annexation to the empire of Christ. This phenomenon is unaccountable; it is altogether beyond the scope of man's creative powers. Time, the great destroyer, is powerless to extinguish this sacred flame. This is what strikes me most. This is what proves to me quite convincingly that Jesus Christ is God."

CHAPTER XVI.

OUR LORD'S DIVINITY CONFIRMED BY HIS MIRACLES, AND ESPECIALLY BY HIS RESURRECTION.

A miracle is an effect which transcends the power and order of all created nature. As God alone is the Author of nature's laws, He alone has power to suspend them.

God, who is truth itself, cannot sanction a lie, nor connive at deceit, nor put the seal of His omnipotence on hypocrisy. But He would be upholding falsehood, if He empowered any man to work miracles in attestation of false doctrines, or in vindication of a pseudo-Messiah.

Hence, miracles have always been justly regarded as the most luminous and convincing evidence in support of the doctrines they confirm.

A mission, therefore, which is authenticated by miracles, is not only furnished with undoubted credentials, but is stamped with the royal seal of divine approbation.

Our Saviour appeals to His miracles in confirmation of His God-head, His divine mission and doc

trines. When John sent two of his disciples to ask Jesus whether He was the true Messiah, our Lord gave them this reply: "Go and relate to John what ye have heard and seen. The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, the poor have the Gospel preached to them."1 He quotes the very words of the Prophet Isaiah descriptive of the Redeemer to come, and shows that the prophetic portrait is embodied in Himself."

Again He says: "The works themselves which I do, give testimony of Me, that the Father hath sent Me." If I do not the works of My Father, believe Me not. But if I do, though you will not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father." I perform works before you which transcend the power of man, as the most striking evidence to your senses and reason that I am one in essence with My Father.

He raises Lazarus from the dead, as He expressly declares, to convince the people who surround Him that He is the true Messiah. Before He performs the miracle, He utters these words: "Father, I give Thee thanks that Thou hast heard Me. And I know that Thou hearest Me always, but because of the people who stand about, have I said it: that they may believe that Thou hast sent Me." The disciples accepted those miracles as a proof of Christ's Mes4 Ibid. X.

1 Matt. XI.

2 Isaiah XXXV. 3 John V.

5 Ibid. XI.