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Since He thus taught us them, we think them the fittest ; and although the admitted imperfection of our knowledge as to the future life may render speculation on this point more innocently reconcilable with our faith than it would be on plainer ones, yet experience shews, that as no religion gives so tangible a pledge of immortality as the Christian, so no 542 CHRTSTIAN PHRASEOLOOT JUSTIFIED. language brings home the hope of it to mankind so definitely as the Christian, and there is at least no proof that, consisting as we do of body and soul in this life, we may not have an ana- logous duality in the life to come. Rather many speculations imply that we must. So that the Christian language of the resurrection is at least the fittest expression of immortality for time, and it may turn out the truest for eternity. We do not therefore acknowledge, that what you call imperfections in our doctrine are really so, even if they should be in some respects parables. For whatever subtleties may be thought about time and space, — nor would I deny that all such limitations seem to fall away from the purest Intelligence, and therefore from things of faith and of the soul, when clearly apprehended, — yet in such a framework our human conceptions are almost ne- cessarily cast, and we gain little for truth as applicable to life, by attempting to transcend them. Kather perhaps there may be danger to some of losing themselves by such a process in an ocean of vagueness. But here surely you should remember what you said of knowledge being Divine. God who gives us the life, has also taught us how to describe it. He best knows how to regulate our modes of thinking on earth, though it is not impossible that His gifts in heaven may exceed all we can think, as well as ask. Again, as our thankfulness for the clear glimpse He has given us of a light whose fulness transcends our present vision, teaches humility in thought and speech, so should it inspire faithfulness in act. Had you known the g^ft of God, and who Christ is that offers you redemption, and Him- self, and in Himself life, you would not fear or hesitate to enrol yourself under His banner, but rather bless and thank Him for inviting you, and throw aside whatever scruples hold you back from the truth, and the new world into which you might enter. Nor if you thought worthily of God, would any distinctions of castes of men appear to you great as in His sight ; nor if you knew His infinite love, would you despair, as you seem to do, of His giving to all the truth and the life. No scruples, then, THREE STANDING-POINTS OP CHRISTIANITY, 543 of caste or sect, and no clinging to books which have been proved contradictory, or to a system which has been unable to save your many from idolatry and your few from spiritual bar- renness, because it had not in itself the very truth of God, should prevent you from praying with us to the only true Grod, and asking Him to give you the life which He promises to all who come to Him through the Spirit of His Son. You will not then dispute about the words by which it should be called ; for as the gift is infinite, and worthy of being asked for, so the Giver is Divine, and His words worthy to be received. " If now you ask, why, after leaving to the Hindd religion only such power as the little elements of truth scattered through it may have to recommend themselves, I go on to recommend Christianity for its greater inherent goodness, and also affirm for it a worthiness of belief, as a message from God through the Son of Man to mankind, I will not weary every one by repeating all our arguments, but gather them up imder a few heads. There seem three main standing-points from which we might start, though each comprehends an immense variety of persua- sives, and by considering them under special aspects, we might add to them two more. '^ In the first place, Christianity, as it exists, seems to satisfy the spiritual consciousness of the most thoughtful men and of the most enlightened nations, and so to express their highest apprehensions of things eternal, or to be the attitude of their minds, when, with a true knowledge of what they need and are and ought to be, they turn most reverently towards the Deity. Thus much I rather understood to be admitted by Saddnanda, whose testimony, as that of a philosopher, is not to be despised. So far Christianity might be said to have the same witness of itself as the most perfect justice, or the highest harmony, or the most faultless beauty, has each in its correspondence to whatever faculty in us apprehends such excellence. But in spiritual things^ since they are spiritually discerned, I humbly conceive that such correspondence with the highest perceptions implanted 544 Christ's faith, man's highest conscience. and kept alive in us by our Maker, must be far more decisive than in things merely moral or intellectual*. Nor should I scniple here to apply the grand S6,nkhya maxim, that the nature of cau^e and effect ts the same ; but, since the faith of Christ according to our best conscience keeps alive a right sense of the Divinity, I should say its origin must be Divine. So much indeed might be admitted by a devout rationalist, who agreeing with us in ascribing all to Divine teaching, might yet assign to our mental faculties a larger share in the conveyance of Divine lessons than most Christians would concede. But then I sup- pose his idea of revelation would be chiefly internal ; or would imply the imveiling of the Truth of Grod, as Spirit, to the eyes of the mind ; and to such a person perhaps many things, ordi- narily considered proofs, might appear rather fruits, or expres- sions, and instances. But such a view of our faith might seem to come short on some points ; and many who accepted it as an important but partial view, might hasten to fill up the aide on which they thought it wanting. " But secondly, if the goodness of the faith of Christ ap- proves itself to our conscience with the same sort of evidence as makes us shrink from godlessness and crime, and hold fast a faith in God and a good conscience above all things, so it appears still more clearly when we see its efiects exemplified in history. Those indeed who start with imaginative anticipations of wliat the world ought to be, may find the reality come short But tliose who start from the hard facts of nature and of the world, will acknowledge that the greatest mitigations of evil either as sin or pain, have come from the fear and love of God. as influencing either men's conduct or their hopes. This may hold good of other religions to some extent ; but it is eminently true of Christianity. I sketched you in a few strokes a rough out- line of Cliurch history in what is considered its least favourable time. We are willing our faith should be judged, according to the * Compare Calvin's Institutes with Barclay's Apology , and in general the histoiT of devout experiences, from St Angustine downward. ABOUMENT FROM EXPERIENCE. 545 materials it has to work upon, bj its history in all times. It generates life in men, as making them feel that thej are under the eye of Grod, and work His will ; then it confirms the freedom of nations, with good order, and law as the form of justice : it gives sanctity to the home, and peace to the heart. Its imme- diate sphere is that realm of faith and thought, of which only God and ourselves are conscious; but yet, as thoughts into actions, so its fruits branch forth into the councils of nations, and the direction of armies, and the laws and dealings of the market-place. Even in its most trying periods, when for in- stance the beloved Apostle saw the city of his fathers doomed, or St Augustine amidst the wreck of the Roman world stood reasoning of the work of God in man's soul, it fixed men's eyes, with no doubtful gaze, upon that city whose foundations are not of earth, but whose builder is God. In our own time we see it persuade well-bom women to do work which money caimot buy, in schools for the young, and in hospitals for the sick. We have seen it mitigate war, and abolish (by its living spirit, rather than by its written letter,) an infamous traffic in slaves, as its voice is now lifted against every kindred abomination.