SER M. fest difference between the proofs of the

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gofpel miracles, and all others, antient or modern. Those of the gospel, are attested by witnesses, who willingly fuffered for their evidence; but all other miracles depend on the credit of the relators, who incurred no hazard, and forfeited nothing by their testimony. And therefore, those of the gofpel cannot be rejected, though all others fhould be doubted of.

To all this, it may be faid by fome, that the apostles, and other witnesses to the miracles, were Enthufiafts, who believed their own vifionary imaginations, and acted in confequence of them, as if they had been true. To which it may be answered, that they were fo far from enthusiasm, that they proceeded with the greatest deliberation and caution, examining the facts, and not trufting to the reports of others, until they faw the things, and were convinced by their own fenfes. They were rather backward in believing, and one of them especially, fhewed as much hesitation and stubbornness, as a modern Unbeliever could have done. There was nothing in their conduct that favoured of a disturbed mind ; or if we could fuppofe that they were difordered,

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difordered, they could never be fo far SER M. gone, that they could not obferve what was done in their fight, and before them. They could not be deceived in what their fenfes plainly fhewed them, any more than others, in the common occurrences of life; for enthufiafm does not take away mens plain fenfations. And if we could think any one of them to be tainted, it is impoffible to conceive this of all, when there appears so much senfible regularity in their determinations and endeavours, to promote the ends of their ministry.

But farther, the fuccefs of the gofpel, in the first ages of christianity, is a strong confirmation of the truth of those wonderful works. For can it poffibly be imagined, that all those multitudes, that embraced the gospel, in the days of the apostles, had never seen one miracle performed. Could they be drawn to a belief of it only by idle tales? Were the faculties of mankind weaker then, than at present, that they could not reason concerning the evidence given for fuch things? As this feems to be abfurd, it is equally fo, to think that men could be more ea

fily imposed on at that time, than now; especially

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SER M. especially when they were to expect nothing, but perfecution and mifery in this world, as the reward of their belief. And therefore, the many thousands of converts among all nations, in the apoftolick times, will ever be a presumption of the fure evidence which they had, that thofe mighty figns and wonders were certainly wrought.

To conclude, the probability of the miracles in the gofpel history, may be fhewn from fome plain predictions of future events, both in the Old and New Teftament, that have been fulfilled, and which could never have been foreseen by any human fagacity. Because they shew, that the books in which they are contained, must have been written by fome perfons affifted by the Spirit of God; confequently there is a probability, that the fame perfons might work miracles. For as Prophecies, when fulfilled, are really miraculous things, those who delivered them must be confidered, as having knowledge and difcernment above the fons of men. And if they were capable of fuch wonderful things, as to foretell very diftant future events, it is alfo probable, that they might be affifted by an extraor

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dinary power to perform fupernatural S ER M. works. Not that the one power necessarily infers the other, but there is a probability, that the person who has divine affistance in one cafe, may have it in another. The prophecies then, if they

can be made out to have been accomplished, which I think has been folidly done, corroborate the evidence of miracles; fo that there is an argument of their certainty in the fcriptures, independent of testimony: And upon these two, the probability of facts in the gospel history, together with the prophecies, the truth of the Christian religion is fairly and reasonably established to all generations.

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