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.
CHAPTER XIV.
FAITH, THE EXERCISE THROUGH WHICH TRUTH REACHES AND AFFECTS THE SOUL.
When Christ, man’s perfect and spiritual Instructor, had come, and introduced the great doctrines of the spiritual dispensation, the next necessary step in the process was, that those truths should be brought to impress the soul, and influence the life, and so produce their proper effects upon human nature. The inquiry then presents itself: In what way could the truths of the gospel be brought into efficient contact with the soul of man?