attempt to deny the reality of the miracles, recorded as wrought by Jesus and his apostles ; but ascribes them unreservedly to witchcraft and enchantment: 'All by enchantment.' (P. 42.1. 6.) This is exactly the ancient solution of the difficulty given by the Pharisees; and our Lord's answer to it is worthy the consideration of moderns also who retain it.1

Having premised these things, we proceed more directly to the question,

HOW FAR, AND IN WHAT CASES, MIRACLES ARE A PROOF OF A DIVINE MISSION.

It is readily allowed, that 'bad and wicked men ' have wrought miracles;' (p. 46. 1. 16;) yea, real miracles, by the power of God: for to be a prophet, and to be a saint, or holy person, are quite distinct things. No doubt, Judas wrought miracles, as well as the other apostles: and our Lord assures us that many instances will be made known at the day of judgment of miracles wrought in his name by "the workers of iniquity." 2

It is also conceded, that wicked men, by various artifices of legerdemain imposing on the senses of the ignorant, may perform many things which appear to be miraculous; and the history of the church abounds with such " lying miracles," in which some knowledge of chemistry, or mechanics, or optics, and other sciences, combining with the tricks of a juggler, among illiterate people, and those, who were not permitted closely to investigate what they saw, gave reputation to appearances which passed for miracles; but in which neither divine power, nor diabolical operation, were at all concerned. This was clearly ascertained at the reformation from popery. It appears also to me undeniable, that, by witchcraft and enchantment, the actual operation of evil spirits has been, in many instances, obtained: and thus supernatural effects have been produced; and the magicians of Egypt seem to have wrought their miracles, at least some of them, in this way: nor is it easy to say, which of the lying miracles of the antichristian church have been wrought by human imposture, and which by Satanical influence.

In this view, however, it is worthy of notice, that the only formidable rival of Christianity on earth, Mohammedism, was established without any public miracles; and that Mohammed employs no small portion of the Koran in framing excuses for not giving signs and miracles in proof of his mission, and in intimidating those who demanded them. The only religions in the whole world, which so much as profess to have been at first introduced, and established by miracles, wrought in the presence of powerful opposers, and demanding investigation from the most learned, potent and sagacious of them, are that of Israel as contained in the Old Testament, and that of Jesus in the New. There never, in any age or place, was another religion introduced with this avowed claim. Miracles, said to have been wrought in support of a system already established, and possessed of authority; or by those, whose

rank or superiority, in any respect, precluded or discouraged free examination; are widely different from those wrought during the feeble infancy of a new religion, in the midst of opposition, by men in other respects obscure, challenging investigation, and forcing opponents to say, "This is "the finger of God;" "This man doeth many " miracles;" "That a notable miracle hath been " done by them is manifest to all, and we cannot "deny it:"1 thus driving them to persecution, and to calumniate the most undeniable miracles as the effect of magic and enchantment.

It is further granted that there may be cases, in which those events that appear to us miracles are insufficient to prove a divine mission. When the worship of the One living and true God alone had been established in Israel, by most stupendous miracles and invisible evidences, no sign or miracle was to beconsidered as any argument to authorize the worship of idols: for it could not possibly outweigh, nay it could not be worthy of comparison with, the demonstration already given to the contrary; but must be considered as a temptation.2

If therefore real miracles could be wrought in support of any doctrine, manifestly and expressly contrary to "the oracles of God;" they would not prove the truth of that doctrine. But the Lord has graciously so ordered it, that careful examination has hitherto sufficed to distinguish the miracles, by which new impostures have sprung up, almost like yearly almanacs, to have their * short notice, and the admiration of the superficial; and then, like almanacs out of date, to be neglected and forgotten; from such miracles as introduced the Mosaic dispensation, and afterwards the religion of Jesus Christ. Yet each of these successive impostures has deluded some, or many; and often they disgrace the cause of truth, and seem to weaken the credibility of scripture, through the sanction given to them by some illjudging religious characters.

Were a few apparent, or even real miracles, the only proof, which Christians can adduce, in support of their holy religion: and could it be as easily proved, as it is confidently asserted, that this religion is subversive of that contained in the Old Testament; plausibility at least would be given to the arguments of a Jew against them. But it is observable, that, amidst all the stupendous miracles wrought by Jesus and his apostles, they every where appealed to the Old Testament; alleging that " thus it was written, and thus it " must be."2

In this respect Christianity has an important advantage above the Mosaic dispensation; because prophecies, during many ages introduced it: and not only were all other particulars respecting the Messiah and his kingdom, his laborious suffering life, and his violent death as a sacrifice for our sins, and his glorious resurrection and ascension, 3 predicted even with minuteness, but

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his very miracles also were foretold. Thus Jesus, when John the Baptist sent to inquire of him, "Art thou He that cometh, or do we look for "another?" answered, Go, and shew John " again, those things which ye do see and hear: "the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, "the lepers are cleansed, the dead are raised up, " and the poor have the gospel preached unto "them." 2 Whereas Moses could appeal to no preceding prophecies, as marking out any particulars of his mission. 3

The religion of Moses, therefore, stands more singly on the demonstration of undeniable miracles, than that of Jesus does : and he who allows that Jesus wrote the miracles recorded of him, and his apostles those recorded of them, and then says, ' miracles are a poor and miserable defence,'.. &c, (p. 41. 1. 10, 11,) does what in him lieth to undermine the authority and divine mission of Moses, and to give advantage to infidel opposers of the whole scripture.

Let it be observed also, that the two miracles which Mr. C. mentions, intimating that Jesus should have wrought them, (p. 42. 1. 7,) were not performed by Moses; but by Joshua and Elijah, after the religion of Moses had been fully established. 4

If Moses had gone to Israel and to Pharaoh exactly as he did in all other respects; if they had answered, "The Lord hath not appeared unto

1

Is. xxix. 18. xxxv. 4-6.

Luke vii. 20-23.

2

Is. lxi. 1-3. Matt. xi. 4-6. * Gen. xv. 13-16. Ex. xii. 40-42. * Josh. x. 12, 13. 1 Kings xviii. 22-38. 2 Kings i. 10-15.