Plan of the Founder of Christianity

§ 22. Hence also the doctrines of the providence of God, the

reconcilableness of God, and the immortality of the soul, re-

ceived additional light and confirmation

MORALITY.

§ 23. Morality required no less improvement, as it was not what

it ought to be, either among the Jews or the heathen

§24. Now as the religion which Jesus taught, was a living faith

in God the Father of men, so his morality resolved itself into

love to the supreme Father and to men his children

§ 25. Jesus has declared in the most definite terms in what this

love must consist; namely, in a disposition to imitate God,

evinced by endeavors after pure morality and the promotion

of the general good

§ 26. By means of this principle, morality was placed in its true

relation to religion,

27. was purified,

28. was secured against fanaticism and extravagance,

29. and rendered intelligible to common intellects

. 46

30. And this love to God and man was the power by means of

which Jesus intended to ennoble mankind and render them

happy

SOCIETY.

§ 34. The civil institutions in existence, however, were not to

be violently attacked, but left to their fate, .

§ 35. and by means of religion and morality preparation was

to be made for better regulations.

§ 36. Jesus intended therefore to commence his reformation by

improving the domestic relations

§ 31. Hence, also, he directed his attention to society, which,

owing to the prevalence of a selfish spirit, was then in the

greatest disorder

§ 32. True, he did not intend directly to meddle at all with

litical affairs.

§ 33. But he was not on that account indifferent to the temporal

§ 37. He intended to improve these by animating every one

with a love to act for the state and all parts of the political

union,

§38. and by connecting mankind together as close as possible

and giving them the highest degree of cultivation and per-

fection

III. THE MANNER IN WHICH CHRIST'S PLAN WAS TO BE CARRIED INTO

EFFECT.

§39. Jesus might have employed power, a secret society, or the

gentlest means possible for this purpose

JESUS DID NOT THINK OF EMPLOYING POWER.

40. This is evident from his declarations,

41. and the whole tenor of his conduct;

42. and appeals are made in vain to his last entrance into Je-

rusalem to render the contrary probable

JESUS DID NOT THINK OF EMPLOYING A SECRET SOCIETY.

§ 43. It has of late been pretended that Christ employed a se-

cret society.

§ 44. Though it is difficult to make every thing as clear in this

respect as one could wish,

§ 45. yet it is undeniable, that we find not the least trace of the
existence of a secret society, by which Jesus apparently in-
tended to operate, either in his external connexions,

§ 46. or his institutions of instruction;

47. in his private life,

48. the language and expressions of his friends,

49. or in their enterprises after his death

101

50. Neither can what Clement and Origen have said respect-

ing higher mysteries, existing in the bosom of the church, 104

§ 51. nor any thing that is known respecting the Gnostic sects

be so interpreted as to imply the existence of such a society. 106

§ 52. We have the express declarations of Jesus however to the

purpose,

108

§ 53. and other circumstances which are altogether incompati-

ble with the supposition of the existence of such a fraternity. 110

JESUS CHOSE THE GENTLEST MEANS POSSIBLE.

§ 54. Jesus therefore intended to accomplish his object, simply

by means of convincing instruction, and such institutions as

were adapted to advance morality,

§ 55. and he commanded his apostles to do the same

112

117

PART SECOND.

NO GREAT MAN OF ANTIQUITY BEFORE JESUS, EVER DEVISED A BENEV-

OLENT PLAN FOR THE WHOLE HUMAN FAMILY.

§ 56. Fairness necessary in a critical examination of that por-

tion of antiquity before Jesus

§ 57. From general principles, however, it is probable, even

now, that we shall light upon no man in all antiquity, who

resembles Jesus in regard to that enlargement of thought

and benevolent goodness of heart which embrace all man-

121

kind in their grasp; inasmuch as all the old nations were
very destitute of humanity,

58. and people had but little connexion with each other.

59. Among the ancients, therefore, we shall doubtless seldom

meet with those views and operations which embraced many

60. and if so, shall meet with them in the spirit of conquest . 127

61. This is so much the more probable from the fact, that the

religions of antiquity were rather prejudicial to extensive

benevolence, than favorable

§ 62. Let us however carefully survey the benefactors of man-

kind to be met with in antiquity

FOUNDERS OF STATES, AND LEGISLATORS.

§ 62. Whatever the founders of states, and legislators had in

view, it is evident, that, by virtue of their office, they were

obliged to attend entirely to their own nations and exclude

others from their plans

§ 63. Nor do the legislators of Rome constitute an exception in

this respect.

§ 64. Hence, most of those who founded states, were so far re-

moved from possessing universal benevolence, that they

sought to fill their fellow citizens with a spirit of war and

aversion towards strangers

HEROES AND DEFENDERS OF THEIR COUNTRY.

§ 65. Antiquity had humane heroes and patriots, who, for their

services, undoubtedly deserved well of their fellow citizens. 140

§ 66. Their services, however, could not be performed without

injuring other nations.

WISE KINGS AND STATESMEN.

142"

§ 67. Wise kings and statesmen are frequently to be met with in

the old world who were destitute of the spirit of conquest; 143

§ 68. but they were always confined to single nations

69. The plans which antiquity attributes to Hercules and Osiris,

are mere fictions, and yet, they come far short of being wor-

thy of a comparison with that formed by the founder of

Christianity

PHILOSOPHERS AND LEARNED MEN.

§ 70. In searching among the philosophers and learned men of

antiquity for their respective plans, we have reference in

part to the influence which they actually exerted in the cul-

tivation of the age, and in part, to the systems which they

formed

§ 71. Among the Greeks, their influence before the time of

Socrates, was very insignificant, and that of the Sophists

was positively injurious

§72. The plan however which is ascribed to Pythagoras is neith-

er so wise nor so great and benevolent as is ordinarily sup-

posed

144

145

152

153

§ 73. Nor did Socrates extend his ́ views beyond his own little

country

§ 74. His pupils, who separated into numerous parties, formed

new systems indeed, but without exerting a very positive

influence in improving the nation or the vile though popu-

lar religion then prevalent

§ 75. What Evemerus wrote respecting the prevailing supersti-

tion was not intended for the destruction of its authority

§ 76. Among the Romans, the influence of philosophy was never

so great or extensive as among the Greeks, and consequent-

ly, it was very inconsiderable

§ 77. If we confine our attention to the systems of the philoso-

phers merely, we must conclude, that those who made the

chief good to consist in the perception of truth, in indolence,

or voluptuousness, could not resolve upon laborious plans

§ 78. For those who conceded to virtue, the rank of the chief

good, a way stood open indeed to the formation of such

plans, but none of them ever entered in it ; .

§ 79. and what proved particularly prejudicial to the Stoics,

was, the extravagance of their systems of morality

FOUNDERS OF RELIGIONS.

§ 80. Most of the founders of Religions are unknown to us

83. and Confucius, are the only persons who can be consider-
ed as belonging to this place, and none of these ever con-
cerned himself with a plan of universal extent

§ 84. From the priests of antiquity, nothing was to be looked for
in this respect;

§ 85. and as we search in vain among the poets for the idea of

such a plan, we may truly say, that the plan of Jesus was

entirely new and without example

183

184

FROM THE ALL COMPREHENSIVE AND BENEVOLENT PLAN, DEVISED

BY JESUS FOR THE GOOD OF THE WORLD, IT FOLLOWS, THAT HE

WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY MAN, AND A TEACHER SENT OF GOD.

§ 86. Before, from the plan of Jesus, we draw any inference

in his favor, we must, first, show that this plan was not a

chimerical one;

§ 87. second, prove that in Jesus, were united the most exalted
qualities a human mind can possess;

· 189

§ 88. and if we can show that these qualities could not have

been developed in him according to the ordinary laws of

the human mind, it necessarily follows, third, that he was

under the especial influence of God.

I. CHRIST'S PLAN NOT A CHIMERICAL ONE.

§ 89. Christ's plan looked upon by some as an impracticable

dream.

190

$90. That it is not, evident first from the fact that it is not gen-

erally speaking impossible for a man by means of a benevo-

lent plan to operate for the good of all

§ 91. Second, because the idea of establishing a universal reli-

gion, contains nothing impossible, when it is contemplated

with its appropriate definitions,

92. and this religion is moral, intelligible, and spiritual

93. And third, because the religion established by Jesus, com-

prehends every thing requisite for a universal religion,

94. can be expressed in every language,

95. and loses nothing by being divested of all secular power in

the new states that arise before us

II. JESUS THE GREATEST, MOST EXALTED OF MEN.

§ 96. If, however, the plan of Jesus is a practicable one, shall we

not thence be justified in concluding that he was the great-

est and most exalted of men?

§ 97. The ingredients of genuine human greatness, undoubtedly

are true wisdom, strength of soul, an invincible power of the

will to bring it to the performance of duty, and finally, ex-

pansive benevolence

§ 98. Jesus possessed all these qualities in great and harmoni-

ous perfection, of the like of which we find no example in

all history

§ 99. His plan affords proof that he possessed the highest human

wisdom, whether we consider the outlines of it as sketched

by Jesus in general,

§ 100. or each part of it in particular

101. This plan places his strength of soul, his bold, and fault-

less love of duty, in a clear light;

192

199

201

§ 102. and presents us with an instance of boundless benevo-
lence towards mankind, and a goodness of heart altogether
superior and without example;

§ 103. and these qualities existed in him not only in the highest
degree, but the greatest harmony

III. JESUS AN EXTRAORDINARY TEACHER SENT OF GOD.

§ 104. The question now as it were forces itself upon us, wheth-
er these qualities were or could have been developed in him,
according to the ordinary laws of human nature

§ 105. This question has been answered in the affirmative, and
an investigation instituted, to show, by what means in the
ordinary course of things, Jesus could have been made what
he became

§ 106. The meaning of this question more accurately defined

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