Jewish high priest, with the greatest presence of mind, and the utmost propriety; having the prudence and self command, to make no answer at all to questions that were improper, and required none. This he did in a manner that astonished Pilate himself.

The readiness of Jesus to die after a hasty and most unjust condemnation, was certainly not less to be admired than that of Socrates, though the death of the latter was the easiest possible, and not in the least disreputable; being that to which the first citizens in the state, if sentenced to die, were brought whereas that to which Jesus was sentenced was at the same time the most painful and the most ignominious.

Socrates had a very humane and compassionate person to administer the poison to him, shedding tears when he delivered it; and with great propriety Socrates spoke kindly to him on the occasion. But it is most probable that the Roman soldiers who nailed Jesus to the cross did that office as they generally did, without any feeling of compassion, and perhaps with mockery, as they had treated him before. And yet it is probable that at the very time when they were putting him to the greatest

pain, he pronounced that admirable prayer in their favour, (Luke xxiii. 24.) Father forgive them, for they know not what they do, there being no particular guilt in their doing that office.

Rousseau, though an unbeliever, was struck with the great difference between the cases of Jesus and Socrates in their last moments, and describes them in the following energetic manner. The

"death of Socrates, who breathed his last in philo

sophical conversation with his friends, is the "mildest death that nature could desire; while "the death of Jesus, expiring in torment, injured,

inhumanly treated, mocked, and cursed by an "assembly of people, is the most horrible one that

a mortal could apprehend. Socrates while he "takes the poisoned cup gives his blessing to the

person who presents it to him with the tenderest "marks of sorrow, Jesus in the midst of his ago"nies prays-for whom? for his executioners. "Ah! if the life and death of Socrates carry the "marks of a sage, the life and death of Jesus pro"claim a God."

G 2.

SECTION

SECTION VIII.

Of the different Objects of the Instructions of Socrates and of Jesus.

There is a remarkable difference between the general conduct of Jesus and his apostles, and that of Socrates and the Grecian philosophers in general, with respect to the persons to whom they usually addressed their instructions. All the teaching of the latter was confined to persons of good condition, such as were likely to have influence in the important offices and concerns of the state; but this was no particular object with Jesus. Though Socrates, unlike other philosophers, took no money for his instructions, his admonitions appear to have been confined to persons of the same class with the pupils of the others. There is not one of the dialogues in which he is the speaker, either in Xenophon or Plato, in which the common people are any part of the audience; so that the great mass of citizens could not receive any benefit from his teaching.

On the other hand, the discourses of Jesus were addressed to persons of all ranks promiscuously,

and

and generally to crowds of the common people, though without excluding any, and rather selecting those of the lower classes, who were held in contempt by the learned scribes and pharisees, for his audience. He was commonly attended by great multitudes, of whom very few can be thought to have been what we call persons of condition, or who were likely to have any influence in public affairs, to which indeed his instructions had no relation whatever.

On two occasions, when crowds of this kind attended him, he fed them by a benevolent miracle; whereas had they been opulent, they would, no doubt, have come sufficiently provided with every thing. We read (Mark vi. 34.) that he was moved with compassion towards the multitude, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd. And again, (Matt. xv. 32.) he says, I have compassion on the multitude, because they have continued with me now three days, and have nothing to eat; and I am unwilling to send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.

Sometimes persons of better condition, and of a higher rank, such as Nicodemus, applied to Jesus; but we never find that he sought their society; or first, in any manner, applied to them, or to G 3,

any

any of the scribes and pharisees, who were the leading men in the country. Whereas, Socrates with the best views, no doubt, appears to have applied to no other. In this circumstance, however, we see a striking difference between these two teachers of virtue. The object of Socrates was the instruction of a few, but that of Jesus of the many, and especially those of the middle and lower classes, as standing in most need of instruction, and most likely to receive it with gratitude and without prejudice.

The apostles, in this and in every thing else, followed the example of their master, and addressed themselves to all classes of men without distinction, and without ever selecting the powerful, the rich, or the learned. To them men of all descriptions were equal, as standing in the same relation to the common parent of all mankind; equally training up by him in the same great school of moral discipline here, and alike heirs of immortality here

after.

Thus the apostle Paul says, (1 Cor. xii. 13.) We are all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free. (Gal. xiii. 27.) As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither

Jew