If man be in his nature a mixed being; if his soul exercise all its faculties by the intervention of a body; if the sensation of personality be the result of the action of certain parts of that body;* a doctrine revealed from heaven will not be content with teaching man the immortality of his soul, it will also point out to him the immortality of his being; and if this doctrine should draw its comparisons from what happens to the plants, the language spoken to the people would be familiar, but very expressive; and the philosopher would discover under this veil a pre-ordination, which would affect him so much the more as it will be more consonant to the principles of psychology. Here, as in other places, he will admire the astonishing coincidence of nature and grace, and will discover, in this celestial doctrine, the perfection, and the completion, of true philosophy. The hour is coming in the which all that are in the grave shall bear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, to the resurrection of life; they that have done evil, to the resurrection of damnation.

* Vide Part xvi. Ch. i.

Resurrection of life!-happy immortality! It is not then the soul alone which will enjoy this felicity, it will be the whole man.-I am the resurrection and the life -astonishing words! language which the ear had never heard; expressions, the majesty of which bespoke the prince of life.I am the resurrection! he commands death, and tears from the grave her victory. What might I not further add? for this subject is inexhaustible, and I have only taken a very superficial view of it. A doctrine derived from heaven ought to be in such perfect harmony with the nature of man, and his various relations, that the very experience he will have of the precepts and maxims of this doctrine will of themselves sufficiently evince the truth of it. The teacher of such a doctrine will not shrink from such a test. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. What practical truths those few words lay open to me!—The will of my Father!-the love of order, the ob-servance of those relations which bind man

.

to his fellow-creatures, and to all other beings The will of my Father.-What be wills is good, agreeable, and perfect.-Of myself! The Redeemer, who in other places appeals to his works, submits himself here to the daily experience of every individual; for the teacher of mankind knew man; he knew that conscience would speak a plain language; he knew that by following the laws of reason, man would soon learn that ETERNAL REASON had spoken. He will know whether his doctrine came from God.*

* Let the reader, whose soul is susceptible of exquisite feelings, and capable of discerning the true, the good, the beautiful, the pathetic, the sublime, read over again and again the 14th, 15th, 16th, and 17th chapters of the gospel of the beloved disiple of Christ; and, in the midst of his tender emotions, let him propose this question to himself;-Whether these admirable discourses could have proceeded from a mere mortal? I do not add an impostor; for the reader I have in view would be too much affected, too much moved and agitated, to admit for one single instant, the odious suspicion of imposture! How sincerely do I regret that my plan does not allow me to attempt an analysis of this last discourse of the best and most respected of masters; of that master who was going to give up his life for his friends, and who employed his last moments in comforting and instructing them! But my admiration carries me too far, when it suggests the idea of such a task. I feel myself unequal to it. Such discourses could be analysed by those only to whom the

master said, he no longer gave them the name of servants, &c. How siucerely do I pity that man who is so void of feeling or understanding, or so much enslaved by his prejudices, as to remain insensible to such discourses, wherein the Benefactor of mankind painted himself with a truth and simplicity so affecting and so majestic !

CHA P. III.

DOCTRINE OF THE FIRST DISCIPLES OF THE FOUNDER OF CHRISTIANITY; PARALLEL BETWEEN THESE DISCIPLES AND THE SAGES OF PAGANISM..

HAV

AVING thus far attended to the voice of divine WISDOM; if I now listen to those extraordinary men whom she inspired, I shall still believe I hear her voice, for it is still divine WISDOM that speaks. I shall not therefore inquire whence these plain, artless fishermen have been able to dictate to mankind a system of morals so far superior to what reason had till then conceived; a system in which all the duties of man are comprised; which refers them all to their true source; which forms into one family all the different societies dispersed over the earth; which binds closely together all the members of that.