260 ESSAYS IN PHILOSOPHY 



remember that there has never been any appeal to 

 Authority, except for dogmas either contrary to 

 reason or else met by it with entire silence ; and 

 this is not a case where " silence means consent." 

 The undertaking, above all, to present Christ himself 

 as the incarnation of this declarative authority is the 

 complete reversal of his character, the direct contra- 

 diction of the religious idea which was the soul of 

 his work, and for which he laid down his life. It 

 is not conceivable that he who gave himself utterly 

 for a new conception of God and man which turns 

 entirely upon human mental freedom, should himself 

 adopt the method of arrogance and dictation. I 

 know well the passages in the Gospels that the advo- 

 cates of Authority, as well as the hostile critics of 

 Jesus, are in the habit of citing in proof that he 

 claimed such authority and spoke accordingly. But 

 I simply say the passages are needlessly and grossly 

 misinterpreted, by adhering to their isolated letter 

 instead of reading them in the light of a large, exact, 

 and whole view of his work and his central idea. 

 Into any detail on this question, however, there is not 

 now time to go ; nor do I feel that on this occasion 

 there is any need, 



V 



In view of all the foregoing reasons, I cannot but 

 think the case conclusive, that neither form of the 



