Access by Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

is the visible universe itself, that they picture to their minds, when in prayer they endeavor to form an abstract conception of the Deity which pervades it. Others in imagination look upward, and form a confused and an absurd idea of a monarch on a throne of marble and gold, with crown and sceptre, and sitting in a fancied region which they call heaven. This is a delusion which we have already endeavored to dispel. Driven from this imagination, the soul roams throughout the universe. among suns and stars, or over the busy surface of the earth, seeking in vain for some conceivable image of the Deity, some form on which the thoughts can rest, and towards which the feelings can concentrate. It looks however in vain. God manifests himself indeed in the blazing sun, the fiery comet, and in the verdure and bloom of the boundless regions of the earth; but these are not the avenues through which a soul burdened with its sins, would desire to approach its Maker. The gospel solves the difficulty. "It is by Jesus Christ that we have access to the Father." This vivid exhibition of his character, this personification of his moral attributes opens to us the way. Here we see a manifestation of divinity, AN IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD which comes as it were down to us; it meets our feeble faculties with a personification exactly adapted to their wants, so that the soul when pressed by the trials and difficulties of its condition, when overwhelmed with sorrow, or bowed down by remorse, or earnestly longing for holiness, will pass by all the other outward exhibitions of the Deity, and approach the invisible supreme, through that manifestation of himself which he has made in the person of Jesus Christ, his son, our Saviour.

His last words.

Perfection.

The Savior's first words.

CHAPTER II.

THE MAN CHRIST JESUS.

"Leaving us an example that ye should walk in his steps."

THE very first words of our Savior, which have been preserved for us, contain an expression of the great leading principle, which regulated his whole life. "I must be about my Father's business." His last words, too, show, that thirty years of fatigue, and danger, and suffering, did not extinguish his zeal in this his work. "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.' He came into the world to do something, not for himself, but for his Father, and he devoted himself to it entirely. He was continually engaged in it himself, while he remained here, going from place to place, encountering hardship and danger and suffering, and all without any reference to his own selfish interests, but regarding solely the work he had to do for the salvation of men. And at last, when he left the world, his final charge to his disciples was, that they should be faithful and persevering in carrying forward this work.

In fact he was so entirely devoted to his Father's business, that half the readers of his life do not imagine, that he had any of his own. But we must not forget, that he was a man, with all the feelings, and exposed to all the temptations of men. He might have formed the scheme of being a Napoleon, if he had chosen. The world was before him. He had the opportunity, and so far as we can understand the mysterious description of his temptation, he was urged to make the attempt.

It is surprising how much the example of Christ loses its power over us, simply on account of the absolute perfection of it. If he had been partly a lover of pleasure, if he had for instance built himself a splendid man

Common illusion.

Real claims of Christianity.

Mahometanism.

But

sion, and ornamented his grounds, and devoted some portion of his time to selfish enjoyment there; or if he had entered into political life, and devoted a share of his attention to promoting his own honor, and yet if he had torn himself away from these temptations, so as finally to have devoted his chief time and attention to the glory of God and the good of men, than we should have felt, that the example was within our reach. The selfish and worldly spirit, which he would have exhibited, would, as it were, have made his case come home to us, and whatever fidelity and zeal he might have shown in his work, would have allured us to an imitation of it. as it is, since he gave himself up wholly to his duty, since he relinquished the world altogether, Christians seem to think, that his bright example is only, to a very limited extent, an example for them. But we must remember, as I said above, that Jesus Christ was a man. His powers were human powers. His feelings were human feelings, and his example is strictly and exactly an example for all the world. Still nobody considers him a fair example; at least very few do. Most Christians think, that the general principles, which regulate his conduct, ought to regulate theirs, but then the most they think of doing is to follow in his steps slowly and hesitatingly, and at a great distance behind.

And there is nothing in which the example of Christ takes less hold of men, than in this leading principle of his conduct, devotedness to his Father's business. How perfectly evident it is, that a very large proportion of professing Christians are doing their own business in this world, and not their Father's. In fact so universal is this sin, that there are great numbers of nominal Christians, who have no idea, no conception whatever, of the ground which Christianity takes in regard to a man's duty. It stands strikingly distinct from every other religion. Mahometanism leaves men to pursue

Paganism.

The worldly man.

His character and habits.

only it pre

their own objects,—to live for themselves, scribes some rules regulating the modes, by which these aims shall be pursued. So does paganism,—so did ancient philosophy, so does modern infidelity. Whatever moral rules all these prescribe, are rules to regulate pursuits, whose nature and objects remain unchanged. But Christianity does no such thing. It comes with far higher claims, it is no mere regulator of the machinery of human life. It comes to change the plan and object of that machinery altogether.

Look at the history of a man engrossed in the world. He saw when he was young, that wealth gave consideration and influence to its possessor, and he felt a feverish sort of pleasure, when he received the first hundred dollars which he earned. He resolved to become rich, and in his eagerness to go on, he gradually became less and less scrupulous about the means of advancing. He violated no laws; he exposed himself to no public disgrace, but he resorted to those means so well known to men of the world, by which he could increase his own stores at the expense of the rights or the happiness of others; and by these means he has at length acquired a fortune. He usually attends public worship on the Sabbath. It would be disreputable not to do so. But in the morning and evening, at his own private apartment, he will post his books, or look over his accounts, or plan his voyages. There is nothing disreputable in this.

He is not a profane man;—not at all, in his own opinion. It is true, that sometimes, when excited, he will make use of what he acknowledges to be an improper expression, but men will make allowances for this. He does not do it to such an extent as to injure his char

acter.

He does not worship God in his family. He has no particular objection to religion, but he has no taste for it; and then, besides, he has not time. In order to carry on

Seriousness.

He is changed.

One kind of religion

his plans, it is necessary for him to go early to his counting room, and at night he is fatigued and exhausted, and wishes to rest. As to the answer he shall make, when, at last, God shall summon him to account for the immortal soul intrusted to him, he never thinks of it. Still he is not entirely devoid of all sense of accountability. He would not for the world have a note fall due, without looking forward to the time, and being prepared for it. In fact, he plans very wisely. His object is to make a fortune, and he is taking a most judicious and successful course. It is no part of his design to please God, or to do good to man;to save his own soul, or to prepare for a happy meeting with his children in heaven. This is not his business, and of course he does not attend to it.

As, however, he advances in life, he begins to think sometimes more seriously. His minister brings to his view an approaching judgment, and explains the strictness of God's law, so that his conscience begins to trouble him. He perceives that though his mode of life has been perfectly reputable among men, still it must be considered somewhat irregular when compared with God's law. His children begin to be ungovernable and dissipated as they grow up, and one of them comes, under very melancholy circumstances, to an untimely end. He is troubled. In short he resolves to reform. He banishes all business from the Sabbath except, that when the sermon does not particularly interest him, he cannot help sometimes thinking a little of his voyages or his sales. He becomes more scrupulous about infringing upon his neighbor's rights, or taking an unfair advantage of their necessities. He establishes morning and evening prayers in his family, and though he does not always think of the Being he is addressing, he always regularly addresses him, in words, and there is generally a feeling of reverence and awe, and a sort of vague impression on his mind, that he is really speaking