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proof of its truth than any other history in the world.

It is then the grossest injustice to believe either a Grecian, a Roman, or any history, and deny the truth of the Gospel: for it contains another striking proof, of which profane history cannot boast; at least, if at all, not in the same perfection; which is, that all its truths are so closely linked together that it is impossible to separate them. The facts contained in the four Gospels form a curious chain of the most perfect workmanship; and they produce demonstrations, they find grounds for arguments, which neither the sophistry nor the objections of unbelievers can weaken, destroy, or overturn. Thus, then, fair dealing obliges us to admit, that if we allow any other history to be true, we must be compelled to acknowledge the Divine authority of the Gospel.

CHAPTER X.

I

OF THE MIRACLES OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.

A MIRACLE must be allowed to be a convincing demonstration of an especial exercise of Divine authority; because that which we distinguish by the name of a miracle, is an effect beyond the operation of what we are accustomed to call natural causes. It is some extraordinary circumstance which surpasses the art or wisdom of any created being to calculate upon or produce, and must consequently take place by virtue of the immediate interference of the Creator himself, by a wonderful interposition of his almighty power, for some express purpose of his sovereign will.

We find from holy writ, that the infinite wisdom of God has seen fit to exert itself in this way repeatedly, for the confirmation of some extraordinary facts, which human reason might otherwise have been inclined to resist, or perhaps never would have paid any attention to, unassisted by such miraculous and surprising circumstances. This truth will be confirmed to us by searching in

the sacred volume for the history of the various miracles there recorded. If, on examination, we can resist these extraordinary proofs of the manifestation of the power of God; if we can, while we are obliged to admit the facts themselves, divest them of their Divine origin, and fine them down to merely some remarkable effects of causes, upon which man could calculate, and even controul with some degree of certainty; let us tremble lest we bring on ourselves the condemnation of the blaspheming Pharisees, who accused our Lord of working his miracles through the power of Beelzebub. When God sent Moses to conduct the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage, he was allowed to work miracles to establish the truth of his mission; to convince them that he acted by Divine authority; to teach the Egyptians the power of that God whose people they held in slavery; and to induce them the more readily to let them go, while they were compelled to acknowledge the Jehovah of the Israelites to be the Lord of heaven and earth.

If we attentively follow the history of the Jewish people, we shall find a succession of miracles employed at various times to bring them back to their duty, to convince them of the power of God, or to punish them for their disobedience and rebellion. It is unnecessary here for us to trace these wonderful facts; the Bible will discover to

us, that not only Moses but the Prophets were permitted to exercise a power of this kind. If, then, these holy men were allowed to work so many miracles; it was quite consistent, and only proper, that the Son of God, while dwelling amongst men, should display his Divine nature in this way, that he might be distinguished from all others, by the power, the nature, and number of his wonderful acts.

When we examine the miracles of our Lord, we find, first, That they infinitely surpassed in number all those of Moses and the Prophets put together: secondly, That they not only were more numerous, but that their nature placed them much above the others. The miracles, which were worked under the Jewish dispensation, were usually employed for the destruction of the enemies of Israel, or to punish the rebellion of these stiffnecked people themselves. Those of Jesus expanded themselves in blessings on all those, who implored his assistance. Moses acted as a severe judge, whose duty it was to punish the guilty; our Lord as a merciful Saviour, whose occupation was to comfort the afflicted.

Moses and the Prophets worked their miracles in the name and by the authority of Jehovah. Jesus performed his, in his own power, as God manifest in the flesh. All nature was obedient to his Almighty word. The whole universe listened

attentively to his voice. Devils came tremblingly forth at his command; the sea was still when he spake; and death himself let loose his prey, at the bidding of Him in whose gift is the breath of life. It is impossible to doubt the truth of these miracles, not only for reasons which we have before given, in our various arguments in this volume, on the certainty of revelation generally, but because the miracles, which the Apostles afterwards performed in the name of Jesus, were invincible attestations of the truth of those wrought by himself while on earth.

Our Lord teaches us that his miracles are to be considered as proofs of his Divine mission, such as cannot be contradicted or denied ; and such as those, who witnessed them, could not reject without criminality. He says, "If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done -among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father *."

In another place, when the Jews reproached him for bearing witness of himself, he replied, "But I have greater witness than that of John : for the works which the Father hath given me to

* John xv. 22-24.

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