great figns and wonders; infomuch that, if it were poffible, they fhall deceive the very elect '? This feeming difficulty we might perhaps remove, by saying, They might poffibly ftrengthen their illufions, by fome lefs important works; but failing in the effential point, the decifive proof, as it was to be, of their miffion, the hiftorian has paffed over their inferior practices of deception, and related only what was a fufficient confutation of their haughty claims. But an argument drawn from the filence of an author, however probable, is always uncertain. Let us fee therefore whether the words of the prophecy itself, when attentively viewed, will not furnish a better answer. They fhall thew or give figns, δώσεσι σημεία, fays the evangelift; and I believe it will be found on examination, that the word, which very frequently occurs in the New Testament, and not seldom on this very subject, is never used abfolutely, where the performance of a real miracle is intended. s Matt. xxiv. 24. In the prophecy of Joel, quoted by St. Peter in his first fermon, the expreffion is indeed the fame with that before us, "I will fhew wonders in heaven above '." But here, besides that the passage, like that in question, is promiffory or predictive, God is the speaker, and the work is His; there is no visible agent, neither man nor angel, employed to effect it. When that is the cafe, or in other words, when a miracle, in the proper acceptation of the term, is wrought, the phrase is different. "The works," fays our Lord, "which the Father hath Given me to Finish, the fame works that I do, bear witness of me"." like manner, we read of Paul and Barnabas, that they spake boldly in the Lord, who "Granted figns and wonders to be Done by their hands *." In The word therefore, when used fimply, means to give out, to affign, or appoint; but whether what has thus been promised is afterwards accomplished, this must be collected from other circumstances. t Acts ii. 19. "John v. 36. Comp. xvii. 4. Rev. xiii. 5. 14, 15. xvi. 6. 8. See alfo, for the sense here given of dida, Deut. xiii. 1. in the Septuagint, and Farmer on Miracles, p. 303. &c. * Acts xiv. 3. And And left any one should suppose, that in the words of St. Matthew, which are tranflated infomuch that they fhall deceive," it was implied, that the fuccefs of thefe impoftors should arise from their doing fome extraordinary works; St. Mark, in the parallel paffage, seems purposely to have adopted a phrase of more certain and different import. They shall fhew or give figns, he says, "pos To аπодλavav, in order to feduce, or with a view to feduce. The fame, therefore, is the meaning of St. Matthew; and this is perfectly confonant to the truth of facts. For the wretched people, as the hiftorian describes them, in the midft of their calamities eagerly catching at every shadow of hope, and inattentive to those plain figns, which forefhewed their deftruction, were deluded by the promises of these audacious miscreants, till the issue, but too late, convinced them of their folly. When Joshua was the leader of the armies of Ifrael, the walls of Jericho fell down before them, and made a way for the ransomed to pass over. But, in the day of Judah's mifery, the walls of Jerufalem, for the fall = B. J. L. VỊ. c. V. ý. 2,3. G 3 y Mark xiii. 22. whereof whereof the Egyptian, at the head of thirty thousand men, folemnly pledged himself, ftood unmoved; a proof to all ages, that neither the Lord, nor the Lord's anointed, was to be found in that mighty host2. An immenfe multitude were prevailed on by Theudas, to follow him to Jordan, for he faid, that he was a prophet, and that the ftream, divided by his word, fhould open an eafy paffage for their efcape; but the river flowed on, regardless of His voice, who posseffed not the spirit, nor the mantle, of Elijah. The haughty pretender was taken and beheaded; and of his followers many were flain, and the refidue difperfed, or made captives. pre But if We do not mean to fritter away the force of an objection, because, in its more formidable shape, it may be unanfwerable. The interpretation, here given of our Lord's diction, is, I believe, juft and true. the expofition, more generally received, should be thought to stand on a better foundation; or if any one should doubt, whether the paffage does not at least imply the poffibility of certain works, apparently miraculous, being a A. J. L. XX. c. vii. §. 6. B. J. L. II. c. xiii. §. 4. A. J. L. xx. c. iv. §. 1. He was a different perfon from the Theudas mentioned Acts v. 36. performed performed by thofe, who do not derive their authority from heaven; it may be proper to confider this matter a little further; efpecially as the difficulty may seem to be increased by the words of Mofes: "If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a fign or a wonder, and the fign or the wonder cometh to pafs, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods (which thou haft not known) and let us ferve them; thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams." If the prophet of idolatry is suffered to give a fign, which must, in this cafe, have the force of a prediction; and if that fign is accomplished, which would then carry with it a miraculous appearance; it may be asked, How are miracles, or prophecy, a demonftration of the true religion, when, as it seems, they may be pleaded, sometimes at least, in fupport of the false? To remove this objection, we may first take a feparate, though concife, view of the respective cafes of prophecy and miracles; after which, if fome remarks occur applicable to both, with them it is proposed to close this discourse. c. Deut. c. xiii. 1-3. " Known |