On the other hand, it greatly increases the difficulty of _any other_ interpretation; for twenty prophecies are far more difficult to deny than two. If one is explained as a lucky coincidence, it will not account for the next; if that is got rid of by some unnatural interpretation of the words, it will not account for the third, and so on indefinitely. The difficulties are thus not only great in themselves, but are all cumulative; and hence together they seem insuperable. Anyhow, it is clear that these Prophecies form another strong argument in favour of Christianity. CHAPTER XXI. THAT THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST CONFIRMS THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY. The character of Christ can only be deduced from the New Testament, any other Christ being purely imaginary. (_A._) THE TEACHING OF CHRIST. (1.) Its admitted excellence. (2.) Two objections. (3.) His sinlessness. (_B._) THE CLAIMS OF CHRIST. (1.) His claim to be Superhuman--declaring that He was the Ruler, Redeemer, and final Judge of the world. (2.) His claim to be Divine--declaring His Equality, Unity, and Pre-existence with God. (3.) How these claims were understood at the time, both by friends and foes. (_C._) THE GREAT ALTERNATIVE. Christ cannot, therefore, have been merely a good man; He was either _God_, as He claimed to be, or else a _bad_ man, for making such claims. But the latter view is disproved by His Moral Character. In this chapter we propose to consider the Character of Christ, and its bearing on the truth of Christianity. Now our knowledge of Christ's character can only be derived from the four Gospels; indeed, a Christ with any other character assigned to Him is a purely imaginary being, and might as well be called by some other name. Taking, then, the Gospels as our guide, what is the character of Christ? Clearly this can be best deduced from His own _teaching_ and _claims_, both of which are fortunately given at some length; so we will consider these first, and then the _great alternative_ which they force upon us. (_A._) THE TEACHING OF CHRIST. Under this head, we will first notice the admitted excellence of Christ's teaching, then some objections which are often made, and lastly His sinlessness. (1.) _Its admitted excellence._ To begin with, the excellence of Christ's moral teaching hardly needs to be insisted on at the present day, and rationalists as well as Christians have proclaimed its merits. For instance, to quote a few examples:-- 'Religion cannot be said to have made a bad choice in pitching on this man as the ideal representative and guide of humanity; nor even now would it be easy, even for an unbeliever, to find a better translation of the rule of virtue from the abstract into the concrete, than to endeavour so to live that Christ should approve our life.'--_J. S. Mill_.[402]