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which pervades the whole, giving, at the fame time, a commanding dignity to the humbleft fubject, that paffes through their hands. What is imparted for man's use is communicated in a way agreeable to his nature, though fuperior to it. "The spirits of the prophets are fubject to the prophets," obedient to their controul, whether to speak, or keep filence; and when the will of GoD is revealed to feveral, at the fame time and place, they may all" however "prophecy one by one."

66

"For GOD is not the author

of confufion, but of peace "."

Such are the gifts of the Spirit of truth: what is the shape affumed by the enemy? Infpiration and madness are here, in general, only different names for one and the fame thing. The miserable patient, labouring in vain to throw off the overpowering god, is compelled to utter words, of which he is not the author, and knows not the meaning. Furious as the whirlwind, and black as the tempeft, is the appearance of Satan; bright as the day, and refreshing as the dew, is the Spirit of Jehovah. If the Lord defcend in thunder, and mount Sinai tremble; the Ifraelites hear his voice from the midst of the

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fire, and he talketh with Mofes, as a man talketh with his friend". If a great and ftrong wind rendeth the mountains, and breaketh in pieces the rocks before the Lord; it is a still small voice, that vifiteth Elijah. On the day of Pentecoft, with a found as of a rushing mighty wind, and with the appearance of fire, the Holy Ghoft came down from heaven on the apoftles; and as many as were blessed with his divine influence spake with wisdom and power, with truth and with foberness P.

There are, indeed, inftances, where the Lord hath, in a different manner, made known to his fervants what fhould come to pass. I "faw this great vifion," said Daniel," and there remained no ftrength in me; for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption "." "I knew a man in Christ," faith St. Paul, fpeaking of himself " (whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell; GOD knoweth) fuch an one caught up to the third heaven'.' And when the beloved difciple, who was wont, in facred familiarity, to lean on Jesus' bofom; when He, in the

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n See Exod. xix. 16. &c. Deut. iv. 11, 12. Exod. xxxiii. 11.

1 Kings xix. 11-13.

2 Cor. xii. 2, 3.

P Acts ii.

q Dan. x. 8.

Revelation,

Revelation, saw the fame Jefus, his countenance fhining as the fun in his ftrength, he "fell at his feet as dead."

But what are we to infer from cafes of this fort? that they were illufions, or not diftinguishable from the arts of deceivers ? God forbid. It is usually noted, on these occafions, that He, whofe prefence was too awful for feeble mortality to fuftain, ftrengthened, with his right hand, his favoured fervant; and enabled him to fee clearly what it was his gracious pleasure to difclofe. When scenes of future glory had thus been reprefented, the holy prophet, in retirement and at leisure, but his heart ftill burning, and his imagination glowing with the images pourtrayed there, under the guidance of the fame good Spirit, wrote the vifion, and made it plain for his own generation, or sealed it up for fucceeding ages.

Thus, then, it appears, that prophecy will, in every view, and in every part, bear the stricteft examination, and prove itself to be the gift of GOD. Though diftinct from the natural powers of man, it takes not away

Rev. i. 16, 17.

their exercise, or their use; like the fire in the bush, it is a flame which enlightens, without confuming. But impofture often overdoes her part, by destroying the reason, which The pretends to exalt; and the events foretold do not obey her vain predictions.

So it has ever been, and fo it must be ; for prescience is the peculiar prerogative of Jehovah. The things of GOD knoweth no one'; he is GOD, and there is none like him, declaring the end from the beginning"; and the word which he fendeth by his fervants the prophets, he himself confirmeth in its feafon, fo that age after age ftrengthens their teftimony, and bears witness to the truth.

Let us now proceed to the case of miracles ; on which, though less connected with our general plan, the particular subject of the present lecture makes a few words neceffary.

It cannot be doubted, that He, who created man, can, in a fupernatural manner, reveal his will to him; of which revelation the perfon thus honoured may be as fully

t1 Cor. ii. 11, dus.

I

u If. xlvi. 9, 10.

convinced,

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convinced, as he is of his own reafon or exiftence. Confcious, beyond a poffibility of doubting, that certain ideas are his own; he may be equally affured, that certain other ideas are not his own, but communicated to him. His private conviction, however, is no demonftration to those around him; and they may reasonably demand, in an affair of fuch moment, fome other evidence, befides his own affertion. Miracles, in fome cafes perhaps the only proof, are, at all times, a direct and cogent proof. The teacher whom we fee perform the works of God, we readily believe to speak His words; and acknowledge the divine wisdom, where we behold the divine power.

Nor need we hefitate to give our affent, because we are not able, in every instance, to fix the boundaries of human capacity; much lefs to determine the fphere of fpiritual agency. Some miracles there are, which, from the things themselves, and others which, from the manner and circumstances of the cafe, we may fafely pronounce to be the works of Omnipotence. When the maimed are made whole, and the dead restored; or when the lame and difeafed are healed in a moment; we may truly fay, with the Jewish

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