THE ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLES WHICH MUST, ACCORDING TO THE NATURE OF
THINGS, LIE AT THE FOUNDATION OF THE INSTRUCTION OF CHRIST.
The Messiah having come in the proper character, displayed the proper
credentials, and assumed the necessary condition, the question arises,
What may we learn from the character of God and the nature of man
concerning the fundamental principles which would govern the teaching
of Jesus?
God is righteous and benevolent; it therefore follows that he would
connect happiness with righteousness and goodness in his creatures.
Were he to do otherwise, it would be causing the happiness of man to
arise from a character different from its own, which, as God is good,
would be impossible, because it would be wicked.
Further, man is so constituted that, as a matter of fact, his true
happiness depends upon righteousness of life and benevolence of heart.
When his will accords with his knowledge of duty, or when he acts as
he knows is right towards God and his fellow men, there is peace and
even complacency of conscience. Peace and complacency of conscience is
the happiness which, according to man's moral constitution, arises
from righteousness, or right acting, in life. And when man exercises
benevolent feeling--has love in his heart to God and men, this
exercise of benevolent affection produces happiness. Now there can be
no such thing as happiness of spirit except it arise from these
sources. And when these sources are full and flowing, and thus unite
together--when there is perfect love and a perfect life, the soul is
rendered happy. A single unrighteous act of will or malevolent feeling
of heart will destroy this happiness; a single emotion of hatred or
ill-will, or a single evil act, known to be such, towards any of God's
creatures, will destroy the peace of the soul. Even hatred to an
enemy, or the desire of revenge, or any emotion but good-will, injures
the soul's happiness.
Thus, in constituting the human soul, God, in accordance with his own
character, has caused its happiness to depend upon righteousness and
goodness.
Now, then, a teacher sent from God must recognise these fundamental
principles, and give him instruction in view of them. The happiness of
the human soul, which is its _life_--its first, and best, and only
good, could be produced in no other way. The whole force, therefore,
of Divine instruction would be designed and adapted to accomplish this
necessary end. The legitimate development of God's nature, exercised
towards man, would produce such instructions and such an example; and
the best good of the human soul rendered it necessary that they should
be given.
It is not said that, as in the schools of philosophy, the constant
inquiry and search should be for the 'greatest good.' The very effort
to obtain happiness in this way would destroy its existence. Happiness
is not objective but subjective; no direct effort could gain it; it is
the result of the right action of the moral powers. It would not be
necessary, therefore, that those instructed should even understand the
principles which governed their instructor. It would be sufficient if
the instruction were designed and adapted to promote righteousness and
goodness: the happiness of the soul would follow as a result, whether
or not the recipient of the instruction understood the principles
which governed his teacher.
Now the whole power of Christ's instruction was directed to this
point. It was distinguished in this respect from all other instruction
ever given to mankind. I say unto you, Love your enemies. Do good to
them that despitefully use you. Be anxious about no worldly good. The
weightier matters of the law are righteousness and the love of God.
Love and obey God, and love and do good to your neighbour: this is the
law and the prophets. Seek first the kingdom of heaven and its
righteousness, and all other things will be added to you. That is,
seek first righteousness and the love of God, and the necessary result
will grow out of these exercises--happiness, or life, will be added as
a consequence.
Thus was the whole force of the Saviour's teaching and example
designed and adapted to produce righteousness and benevolence; and as
these are the only exercises from which man's true happiness can
arise, it follows that the principles involved in the instruction of
Christ, connecting happiness with holiness, are the only principles
which can, in accordance with the character of God and the
constitution of man, produce the greatest good of the human soul.
Jesus, therefore, was the Christ of God; because the Christ of God
could found his instructions on no other principles,--the principles
which are fundamental in his teaching being those which alone can
produce the happiness of the soul in accordance with its own moral
nature, and in accordance with the moral character of God.