miracles recorded in the Old Testament, are directly applied to this point: and, being awakening inftances of terrible majesty, evidently prove that the author of them was endowed with fupreme power; could bend the course of nature to his will; and was therefore to be revered, as the Lord and Governor of the whole earth.

When we come to the times of the New Teftament, we meet with miracles of a different kind; but no lefs properly adapted to the nature of the difpenfation, which they were wrought to atteft. Here God appears in milder majefty, inftituting a religion of perfect purity, and boundlefs love. Correfpondent therefore to the genius of this religion, the miracles performed for its fupport, ate all miracles of mercy, which, at the fame time that they demonftrate the truth, breatheforth the very fpirit and temper of the Gospel. For the good wil therein revealed towards mankind, is every where exemplified by the miraculous benefits conferred upon them. And what can we conceive more rational, convincing and fatisfactory,

than,

than that fuch a difpenfation-calculated to remove the disorders of the foul, and to advance it to a ftate of perfection-should be thus illuftrated, confirmed and established, by miracles which confift in curing the analogous diseases of the body, and restoring it to perfect health?

Hence then may be difcovered the weaknefs and futility of this boafted objection, "that miracles can be no witness either for God or men; nor are any proof either of divinity or revelation "." "For though," say our adverfaries," innumerable miracles fhould affail the fenfe, and give the trembling foul no refpite; though the sky fhould fuddenly open, and all kinds of prodigies appear; voices be heard, or characters read; yet, what would this evince, but only that there were certain powers which could do all this? But what powers; whether one for more; whether fuperior or fubaltern; mortal or immortal; wife or foolifh; juft or unjuft; good or bad: this would ftill remain a mystery; as would the true intention, the y Characteristicks, vol. II. § 5. p. 331.

infallibility or certainty of whatever these powers afferted."

Now, in whatever ftate of myfteriousness or obfcurity fingle miracles, confidered apart, may leave these points involved; yet, miracles that run, as the Scripture-miracles do, in one connected chain, are completely adapted to clear them up. For by this combination, this bond of union that fubfifts between them, we may as easily trace the end and defign of thefe extraordinary effects, as we can trace thofe of the ordinary works. of nature. And if we find, as we do find, that they are all, though various, ftill coherent; that they are all fubfervient to fimilar ends of wisdom and goodness, with those that appear in the works of creation; that they all co-operate, to one common, benevolent defign, the production of human happiness; then furely, we have fufficient reafon to conclude, and to be convinced, that they are all the effects of one power-of one fuperior. and immortal power-of one, power, wife,

z Characteristics, vol. II. § 5p. 333

just

just, and good" in a word, of that power,, which firft brought nature into being; which then wifely and graciously established laws for the happiness of his creatures; and which afterwards, at times, as wifely and graciously counteracted those laws, when it became neceffary to their farther happiness.

Here therefore is a clear difplay—a full, irrefragable proof of divine power: and the intention of this power, in performing these marvellous works, is equally plain and obvious. For the nature of the miracles wrought, the relation they bear to the cir cumftances of things, and the fuitableness they discover to certain ends, are as clear, indications of what the Almighty intended in the performance of them; as the qualities and affections of natural bodies are indications of the design he had in view, when he produced those bodies into being.

With refpect to the miracles, wrought in confirmation of particular doctrines, they are fo exquifitely appropriated to the nature

a. BROWN's Effays on the Characteristics. Effay III. § IV.: P. 276.

of

of thofe doctrines, as to be often real exemplifications of them. They are, in many cafes, the very doctrines reduced into acts. And the truth of fuch doctrines is as certain and infallible, as it is unquestionable and certain that the acts were performed.

Upon the whole; the proofs of final caufes, and confequently the proofs of the intention of the Deity, are as vifible in the proceedings that concern the moral, as in those that relate to the natural world. Natural bodies neither ftand more properly ranged, nor operate more harmoniously to the ends of creation; than miracles do, to the purpofes of revelation.

We fee them fpringing up, juft at the times, and exactly in the places, we might reasonably expect: we fee them fucceeding each other in a regular, connected order: we fee them affuming various complexions, according to the various neceffities and occafions, that called for them: we fee them, completely anfwering thofe occafions and neceffities; and thereby fecuring the happinefs of the world. And feeing all this, can

we