whole Roman Army. The Relation there- SERM. I.
fore, which the Scripture gives us, of Mi-
racles, must be true: Becaufe, without a
Suppofition of Miracles actually performed,
we cannot rationally account for that great
Turn in religious Affairs, which not very
long after followed, viz. the Subverfion
of Pagan Idolatry in Part, and the Intro-
duction of the Worship of God in Spirit
and in Truth.

I

But this Argument for the Truth of Christianity falls under my next Head, and must be referved for another Difcourse.

Wayn

Preached at the

100 ...

· Nas

54

Lady MOYER's Lecture.

On the Evidences of Christianity.

JOHN III. 2.

T

Rabbi, we know, that thou art a Teacher come from God: For no Man can do these Miracles, that thou doeft, except God be with him. bal

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Have already proved in a former Dif-SERM. II. course, that Miracles may be fo circumftanced, as to be direct and decifive Evidences of a divine Power and CommiffionThat it was abfolutely impoffible the Apostles fhould be deceived themselves, as Witneffes of our Saviour's Miracles and their own,That it was morally impoffible

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SERM. II. fible they fhould attempt to deceive others. The Subject of my prefent Difcourfe is to prove, that the Apoftles could not have deceived Mankind, if they would; nor have imposed a falfe Religion upon the World, by Virtue of a pretended Commif fion from Heaven.

If the Chriftian Religion, containing Doctrines unpalatable to Flesh and Blood, void of every Advantage, befides it's own internal Excellency, to recommend it, and clogged with a great many Incumbrances, could carry Conviction with it from Eaft to Weft, by fuch incompetent Inftruments, in fo short a Time, in Spite of the most refolved Oppofition If this Plant, from a flender Appearance at firft, grew, and waxed a great Tree, when no kindly Sunshine of worldly Power yet fmiled upon it; nay, when the Inclemency of the Season beat hard against it; the Growth of it was undoubtedly marvellous.

It is granted, that in Matters of pure Speculation, the Bulk of Mankind may be, and often are, deceived; because they have not Leifure or Capacity, to unravel studied Sophiftry, and nicely to diftinguish between what is plaufible, and what is folid and fubftantial:

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fubftantial: But the Cafe is different as to SM. II.
Miracles, which are Matters of Fact, that
fall under the Cognizance of our Senfes.
Here the Vulgar and the Learned are equal-
ly competent Judges, and you can perfuade
neither of them to believe he fees a glaring
Fact which he does not actually behold.
Either then the Apostles wrought fuch
Matters of Fact or they did not. If they
did, then they were invefted with a Power
from God: For evil Spirits would not, if
they could, empower them to heat down
Idolatry: If they did not, then it is unac-
countable, how a Set of Fishermen, de-
fpifed for their Poverty, and odious upon
the Account of their Nation, fhould pro-
pagate through many Nations, not to fay
the whole known World, fuch an unlikely
Story as this, viz. That one, who was
crucified as a common Malefactor in Ju-
daa, was to be adored as a God; and that
too at fuch a Juncture of Time, when their
numerous Converts in feveral Parts of the
World, fome of whom were Men of
known Diftinction and Opulency, (fuch as
Dionyfius of the Areopagus, Jofeph of the
Jewish Sanhedrim, Sergius Paulus a Pro-
conful. Flavius Clemens a Roman Conful,
&c.)

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