that by the merits and fatisfaction of his death, he hath reconciled God to man; and purchased, for all those who fincerely endeavour to fulfil the precepts of his doctrine, eternal life.

Our faith therefore comprehends not only (as that of Abraham's did) a distant profpect of divine mercy; but we believe that the knowledge of salvation is actually given, and that our fins are conditionally remitted by the death of Christ.

God has then dealt with us according to the riches of his mercy. His Grace, which bringeth Salvation, hath appeared to all men, that denying ungodliness, and wordly lufts, we fhould live foberly, righteously, and godly, in this prefent world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearance of the great God, and our Saviour Jefus Chrift, who gave bimJelf for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

SER

SERMON VII.

ST. JOHN,

Chapter iii. Verse 2.

We know that thou art a Teacher come from God; for no man can do thefe Miracles that thou doeft, except God be with him.

THE feveral parts of the creation, operating upon each other, and producing certain uniform effects, confpire to preserve that order in the vifible world, which we usually denominate the Course of Nature.

Imperfect as our knowledge is of the powers and qualities of things, we nevertheless discern any variation from that courfe

course which is conformable to our expe rience; and by the term Miracle is understood any action or event, which could not be supposed to have happened without the interpofition of fome fupernatural agent.

No man, who admits the existence of God, and that the world was made by him, can doubt the extent of his authority, or prefcribe bounds to his exercise of it, over the works of his own hands.

It is nevertheless still made a question, whether or no we have fufficient reafon to believe that God ever did exert his power in fuch a manner as to contradict the general tenor of past and present experience.

The advocates of Chriftianity urge in argument for its truth, that Jefus Chrift did make fuch a display of miracles, as ought still to be admitted in evidence among the other proofs of his divine miffion.

Objections have been made to this conclufion, the principal of which I shall speak to, according to the order of time in which they have occurred.

The

The first opposers were eye-witnesses of the facts, men of the highest rank and confideration among the Jews; but, convinced as they were, that God had fignally interpofed in the execution of the gracious purpose for which he had selected their fathers, they neither queftioned the poffibility of a miracle, nor the reality of those performed by Christ, but fought only to jus tify their unbelief by imputing them to the operation of an evil spirit.

Our Saviour himself effectually refuted this malicious charge, by fimply appealing to the nature of his doctrine. It was as abfurd to fuppofe that Satan would counteract his own influence, as that God should become the accomplice of falfehood; if, therefore, what Chrift taught tends by its purity and conformity to the law of nature, to promote the glory of God; if the truths which he communicated refpecting a future state, and the terms of our acceptance with the Deity, have an evident relation to the conftitution, and ultimate happiness of

our

our being, the obvious inference is, that an evil spirit could not be instrumental in furthering the reception of his Doctrines.

The nature then of the Gospel, fhews the fource from whence the miraculous power, which fupports it, is derived; and the reality of our Saviour's miracles being admitted (as it was by the Jews), the conclufion neceffarily followed, that he acted under the commiffion, and by the power of God.

An objection of more modern times was, that, the laws of nature being immutable and eternal, miracles were impoffible; but as this principle could be adopted only by those who profeffed atheism, or fuppofed matter itself to be God, it was very partially received at first, and foon came to nothing of itself.

A far more fubtle opposition to the reception of Chriftianity was reserved for the days we live in. The power of God to work miracles is no longer difputed; but we are told, that the authority of general