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rality. Should he decline to give the requisite attention, ignorance will be the penalty of his negligence. In like manner, evidence is furnished by the numerous miracles which they wrought, and by the inherent excellency of the truths which they taught, of the inspiration and divine mission of teachers sent from God; this evidence, in its original entireness, is conveyed through the testimony of eyewitnesses to us, so that we also may have rational ground of belief; but the man who, from indolence, or prejudice, or the engrossing influence of occupations, which he feels to be more pleasing or more important, gives no attention to Christianity or to its claims, is allowed, as the award of his negligence, to remain an unbeliever.

CHAPTER VI.

ON THE QUESTION, WHAT CONSTITUTES MIRACLES CERTAIN EVIDENCE OF THE DOCTRINES THEY ARE DESIGNED TO ESTABLISH?

1. THOUGH an answer has already been given to the question which forms the subject of this chapter, its great importance, in relation to the argument furnished by miracles in support of divine revelation, claims for it a marked and full consideration. What is that which connects the miracles wrought with the person who claims to be a divine messenger? Upon what ground do we connect them with him, more than with any other person or concomitant circumstance?

2. He who announces a miracle as about to be performed in immediate subserviency to his purpose, while the annunciation is followed with a miraculous work, is one who either had himself the power of performing it, or who acted in concert with the power. When the annun

ciation has been repeatedly made, and as often as made followed by the miraculous effect, where can be the room for suspicion that the knowledge has been feigned, and that in a connexion so intimate and regular there can be any thing fortuitous ?

3. But, in order to constitute miracles proofs of a divine revelation, it is necessary to connect the power that performs them with the volition and appointment of God, so as to be warranted in considering them as the credentials of his messengers. It has been justly remarked, that the only ground on which this step can be made, must be sought for in the moral attributes of God, as the Ruler of the universe. If we can get footing here, the whole proof is completely and firmly established. If we cannot, then have we no principle whatever on which we can certainly connect miracles with his appointment, and regard them as the evidence of a divine mission. Cut off from the great truths of natural religion, that the righteous Lord loveth righteousness, and judgeth in the earth, we cannot say that such effects may not have been produced to countenance imposture. Taking this truth as a foundation, we can say, that any such collusion to impose on mankind is an impossibility; that an appeal to miracles as evidence of a divine mission, is calling the righteous Lord to witness; and that, as certainly as the Lord is righteous, the miracles, whether performed by his immediate or by delegated power, are his testimony to the asserted fact. Nor does it impeach his righteousness, that through the cunning of politicians and priests on the one hand, and the indolent credulity of mankind on the other, false pretensions to divine authority have succeeded; because the blame is attachable solely to those who would not employ the means with which God has furnished them for their safety. But in the case which supposes miracles permitted to carry on imposture, there is a change in the constitution of nature for the very purpose of supporting fraud,-a change from which no benefit

and nothing but evil can proceed,-a change which, as it certainly proclaims the interposition of more than human power, must be connected, either mediately or immediately, with the purpose of the Sovereign Ruler, by whom it might have been prevented.

4. As miracles wrought without any subject, and for no purpose, could be proof of nothing but of the power exerted in performing them; so, wrought on an unrighteous subject, or for a bad purpose, they could never prove it to be from God. Thus, as they can prove the divine origin only of a religion which has in it nothing clearly inconsistent with the divine attributes, it is more agreeable to these attributes to think that they have been reserved for this most important purpose. For, it appears equally agreeable to the attributes of God, that such changes upon the laws of nature should take place, when they can minister to a purpose itself supernatural and so gracious as the attestation of a divine revelation to the creatures who stand in need of it; and that they should not take place without any reason whatever, or for an end either insignificant, or which can be effected by ordinary means.* In regard to this subject, then, I remark,

5. (I.) We cannot admit that miracles have been, or ever will be, wrought in attestation of false doctrines; because no miracle can be wrought but by the act, or appointment, or permission of God; and we cannot conceive it possible that the righteous Lord, who loveth righteousness, would even seem to give a sanction to what is false or immoral. Whether miracles may be performed by created beings of superior order, is a question which man is incapable of solving; but whatever judgment is formed regarding it, this is most certain, that all power in the universe is God's, is under his direction and control, and that it can never be employed even by the most exalted creatures, but by his appointment or permission.

* Cook's Inquiry.

While the assertion of some divines, that no being inferior to God can work a miracle, is unsupported by evidence, and is therefore unphilosophical, we hold it as an elementary principle, that a miracle, according to the definition which we have given of it, never has been wrought but by the direct sanction of God. Holding this opinion, we must also hold that a miracle is the seal of heaven to whatever it attests; if, therefore, that seal were appended to what is false or immoral, would not the Righteous Ruler of the universe give his sanction to what is false or immoral,—a thing which his character as the God of truth and of holiness renders impossible, and which it is almost blasphemous to suppose.

6. In this view of the subject, we admit that the righteousness of God's character is assumed. Unless this be assumed, we cannot deny the possibility of miracles being wrought in attestation of false and immoral doctrines. But when we proceed on the fundamental principle of natural religion, that the only living and true God is the God of infinite goodness, and truth, and righteousness, we are entitled to maintain that a miracle never can be wrought in attestation of what is false or immoral.

7. (II.) The cases mentioned in Scripture, to which we have already alluded, which are supposed, if not to contradict, at least not to favour, this view of the subject, are in accordance with it. These cases are, the supposed miracles of false prophets, Deut. xiii. 1-3; the wonders wrought by the magicians of Egypt; the signs and mighty works of false prophets; the wonderful works which some of the wicked in the last day are represented as claiming ; and, lastly, the demoniacal possessions referred to in the New Testament. We formerly showed that the first four of these cases are not in the least subversive of our main position, that miracles are always proofs of a divine revelation. With regard to demoniacal possessions, we regard them literally as they are represented in the New Testa

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ment, the real manifestation of evil spirits. But what then? Does this concession militate against the view given above of the only design for which miracles are wrought? By no means; for that view is not affected by the admission, that evil spirits can work signs and wonders which are in their nature superhuman. This we do not deny; but we affirm that, as all power and all beings are under the control of God, and that, as his love of truth and holiness will not permit him to sanction falsehood, we have the assurance that a miracle will never be wrought to sanction what is immoral or untrue. In not one of the

five cases alluded to was there a miracle performed to support false doctrines. Whether it be allowed or not, that the works which were wrought, or which were supposed to have been wrought, were miracles, this is certain, that it was not their professed aim to establish any doctrine, at least any doctrine different from the Christian religion.

8. (III.) It is only the Jewish and Christian revelations that profess to have been attested by miracles; and in their case the morality entirely harmonizes with the evidence of miracles. The question as to the possibility of miracles being wrought in attestation of falsehood and immoral doctrine, is purely speculative; since it is certain that no such attestation has ever yet been given. The Bible alone is the only book that professes to have been accompanied by the evidence of miracles; and, infidels being judges, the morality of the Bible is admirably fitted to promote the true dignity and happiness of man. It cannot be denied that the only volume in the world which has been supported by the evidence of miracles is throughout, in its spirit, doctrines, precepts, and tendency, worthy of the God of infinite purity and goodness. The facts of the case are thus in entire accordance with the theory, that miracles, wherever and whenever they are wrought, are evidence of a revelation from God.

9. (IV.) The charge of reasoning in a circle, in the view

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