respecting the real character of immortality; and that the doctrine exerted very little, if any, moral influence upon them. These subjects are highly important, both in respect to the present and future welfare of man; and they could not have been known, unless they had been revealed by One who is not only acquainted with all things from the beginning, but also who knows what shall be hereafter for ever; and hence we perceive the necessity of that revelation which He has given us in His holy word.

II. The external evidences that the sacred Scriptures are a divine revelation are derived from two sources, viz., miracles and prophecy : these are the most direct and convincing of any of the proofs adduced in confirmation of the divine origin and authority of the holy Scriptures. These are evidences to which God Himself appeals, and which amount to demonstration.

1. The evidence of miracles. In such a transaction as the revelation of His will to man, we cannot imagine that God would leave Himself without an indubitable witness of the reality of that revelation. And as some particular men were employed to declare this will, it was requisite that these should themselves be furnished with such credentials as to command their own attention and belief. And some convincing credential was equally requisite for the satisfaction of those who were to receive their revelations, that they might be certified of the truthfulness and authority of the messenger who came thus attested; and might receive the message, and obey it as an imperative and binding command.

1st. Miracles afforded proof to those who witnessed them, that those who wrought them were sent of God. It was requisite that the inspired men in their own day, and at the time of fulfilling their com. missions, should possess such proofs of their divine call to that work, that those with whom they were immediately concerned, and to whom they were sent, should be fully justified to recognise their position. All subsequent claims of credence would be invalid upon the consideration of miracles, had not those who witnessed them been convinced of their reality, and also that they were attestations of a divine commission; so that they were not only convinced that such things transpired, but also that they transpired by direct interposition of God, for the specific object of authenticating the commission of His servant and the declaration of His will. The evidence of miracles is so conclusive, and carries so much conviction to the understanding, that false prophets and impostors of the vilest description, have professed the power to work them, for the purpose of imposing upon their deluded votaries. It will, therefore, be requisite to define what is a miracle.

2nd. A miracle is an act whereby God, by special intervention, produces an effect either contrary or superior to the usual laws of nature; and which is wrought in proof of the divine commission of some particular person, or to establish the divine authority of some particular doctrine.

3rd. A miracle is therefore an unusual act, and one in which God

deviates from his general mode of procedure in His providence and government; and we imagine that such an act will but seldom occur, so that a greater impression might be made upon the minds of those who witness it, and that a miracle would never be performed except upon some important occasion, or to accomplish some grand and specific end in the moral government of man.

4th. Had this world possessed all its vegetable and animal creation with the exception of man, or some intelligent and immortal creature of a similar character, we cannot suppose that a miracle would have been performed from the beginning to the end of time, because the inanimate and irrational creation could not have understood the design of such an action, and because there would not have been any necessity to deviate from the original laws impressed upon all at their creation. Again, had man retained his original rectitude, we cannot reasonably suppose that any miracle would have been performed, because he would always have been in such a state that God would immediately and directly converse with him, and instruct him in all the principles of his government. Sin was that which rendered miracles necessary; through it man is cut off from direct intercourse with his Maker, and by his fallen nature is an enemy to Him; he is depraved, and alienated from his rightful Sovereign, and has lost all knowledge of Him and of divine things; but as he is placed under a mediatorial government for the purpose of being subdued to willing obedience, it is requisite for God, upon some extraordinary occasions, to demonstrate His authority in such a manner as to carry irresistible conviction to the judgments and consciences of men. The re-establishment of a forgotten law, or the introduction of new laws, would be suitable, and almost necessary, occasions for some visible and evident demonstrations of divine interference; and miracles are pre-eminently adapted to produce this effect. Such miracles as those adduced by Moses, and such as were performed by Christ, were calculated to convince the judgment that they were wrought by divine power. Every one who witnessed those miracles must have been so impressed and convinced, or guilty of great perversity; and every one who has the opportunity of having them satisfactorily established by testimony must be under equal obligations and responsibilities. None but God could overrule, control, suspend, or turn the whole course of nature by a word, or by any means inadequate to such effects; and when He does so, there is demonstration of His presence, His agency, His sanction, or displeasure.

5th. Although we cannot conceive of any more effectual method by which mankind could be convinced that a messenger was sent by God, than by a miracle wrought in confirmation of it, yet upon so momentous a subject as the revelation of the divine will, it behoves men faithfully and properly to investigate the character and claims of such a credential; so that if it will not bear the most scrutinizing investigation, it may be rejected; but, on the contrary, if, upon due examination, it is found to be real and unexceptionable, he who would disregard the revelation made by a person so attested, would incur the consequences of resisting the clearest light, and of discrediting the highest

demonstration that can be given. The miracle, however, must be evident to the senses of men, or it would fail in its design; it would not be an evidence at all; but the more closely it is investigated, the more apparent the divine agency will be. A real miracle will bear the most searching scrutiny and examination; the more it is tested, the more its reality will be evinced and confirmed.

Some of the miracles recorded in the Scripture were of such a character as to carry unquestionable and irresistible conviction to the judgments of the beholders. The occasions upon which they were performed were such as not to produce surprise that God should interfere in the general operations of His government, either to show forth His power by demonstrating that He was the Sovereign of universal nature, and that He retains a perfect supremacy over every agent and every event in the world, and that He worketh all things after the counsel of His own will. The occasions of these miracles were not foolish and ridiculous ones, such as those recorded and retailed in the Popish legends of miracles and old wives' fables, but solemn and stupendous acts connected with the universal dominion of God, and the great designs of His government in the kingdom of grace. Thousands and tens of thousands witnessed them, both friends and foes; they were of such a character that no collusion could be practised; and their commencement and conclusion were so prompt and definite that they could not have been the results of the ordinary course of physical nature; as the miracles of Moses in Egypt and in the Red Sea undoubtedly prove. That they were real miracles could not be questioned or doubted by the spectators of them; and even those whose interest it would have been to have discovered any fraud, had such been attempted, were so completely impressed with their reality by actual examination and personal testing, by every means by which external things can be assured to the mind, as to acknowledge, "This is the finger of God." And that no human power could have divided a sea, or produced darkness over an entire country, or raised the dead, is beyond doubt. The miracles of Scripture were thoroughly investigated at the time of their performance; as keen-sighted and prejudiced enemies to the persons who wrought them, and to the system of truth established by them, existed at the time they were wrought, as any writer or objector to them of ancient or modern day; and their inviolable character at the time is proof that they were supernatural actions, wrought by the immediate power of God, as indubitable evidences of His dominion, and government, and glory. And as if He had anticipated the perverse objections of future ages, in the order of His providence He so arranged that the reality of those miracles should be perpetuated by commemorative institutions and actions, which should transmit the history of them, and the circumstances for which they were wrought, uninterruptedly throughout all generations. These commemorative institutions were commenced at the time when the miracles were performed, and were perpetuated by frequently occurring observances, so as to render it impossible for such institutions to have existed unless their professed originals had occurred, or

for any such observances to have been commenced at any subsequent periods.

6th. During the time in which the Scriptures were given we expect to find many miracles recorded, especially as they were evidences universally acknowledged by men. One design of miracles was to convince uninspired men of the reality of the divine commission of those who were inspired; and throughout the period in which the holy Scriptures were written, we find that they were performed either to a greater or less degree; and we also expect, that upon the greatest and most important occasions, the most impressive authentications would be given. When a new dispensation was introduced, such as the law given by Moses, it was necessary to demonstrate the commission of him by whom that law was given by supernatural acts, or his teaching would not have been considered as imperative and obligatory upon the people; besides, the divine oracles, which up to that period had been communicated to the patriarchs, were, in general, binding only upon those to whom they were made known, and no other man was condemned for not receiving them; in many instances those revelations were designed for family or personal observation; and as they were traditionary, or unwritten, they could not have been imperative upon subsequent ages. But when the divine law was to be embodied in written characters, and made of perpetual obligation, it became necessary that he by whom that law was given should have such credentials of authority as should be manifest to others that they were of God. These observations are equally applicable to Moses and to Christ. Moses, as a servant, was employed to give the law, which was to continue in force upon all men to the end of the world; and also he by whom the Israelites were to be delivered from Egyptian bondage, and by whom public worship was to be greatly enlarged; and it is manifest that any man who came with such commissions required that his claims should be sustained by proofs beyond the power of any mere man to adduce; and such miracles were wrought by him, that not only were the whole nation of the Israelites convinced that he was acting under the direct inspiration of the Almighty, but also the whole nation of the Egyptians, and, probably, every nation of men then existing upon the earth. Christ wrought more miracles than Moses, and thus supported His claims, which included that He was God, and that He possessed authority to introduce the New Testament dispensation, which abolished and superseded all the ritual law, or external form of worship, which had been given by Moses; and which claimed to be the perfect and last revelation to -man. All the claims of the inspired men, and of Christ, are sustained by the miracles which they performed.

7th. It has been sometimes asked, "When did miracles cease?" and the assurance with which the question has been proposed indicates that the proposer of it supposes it to be of great importance, and that it cannot be answered. In reply to it, however, we say, All miracles for the purpose of establishing the inspiration of men, and to make their communications binding upon other men, ceased with the writer

of the book of Revelation. Since that period there has not been any miracle to authenticate any new doctrine, or revelation, additional to the inspired volume; and we further add, there never will be any miracle performed for such a design; all evidences of every description for this purpose have ceased for ever. All those reputed miracles by Romish and Mormon impostors are lying vanities, incapable of bearing investigation, and wholly to be repudiated; but miracles of particular providence have not ceased, and they probably will continue as long as the sun and the moon endure.

8th. We have noticed that miracles were wrought throughout the whole period of the inspiration of the holy Scriptures: an enumeration of some of them will assist us to form a more comprehensive idea of the nature of the argument drawn from them.

Moses was the first man employed as an inspired writer, that is, in such a manner as to make his writings obligatory upon all men acquainted with them; and with him miracles as proofs of a divine commission commenced. His call to this office was thereby authenticated, viz., by the burning yet unconsumed bush, by the transformation of his rod, and by his hand becoming leprous, and being cured again. These were requisite for his own belief and assurance that he was sent of God. During his public life, signs and wonders of the most amazing description were wrought: the ten plagues of Egypt were miracles of impressive solemnity; the one of dividing the Red Sea is of stupendous majesty; and the healing of the waters of Marah, the raining of manna from heaven, the pillar of cloud and fire, the flowing of water at the smiting of the rock, the destruction of Korah and his company, and many others, are convincing evidences of divine interference in providence and grace. In the days of Joshua many miracles were performed. This was requisite, that the children of Israel might have unquestionable evidence that God was still with them, and that He recognised and honoured their governor as He had his predecessor. The chief miracles in the days of Joshua were, the dividing of the river Jordan; the falling of the walls of Jericho; and the standing still of the sun and moon: all these were of the most impressive description.

About five hundred years elapsed, when the commencement of a new order of things arrived. The change of circumstances in the location and increase of the children of Israel, elicited a change of dispensation, and those who were to be employed to effect it required a divine attestation of their commission; and this produced a necessity for confirming their testimony by miracles, and such evidences were given during the prophecies of Elijah and Elisha. At the instance of Elijah, the heavens were closed, so that it rained not upon the earth for the space of three years and six months; and then in answer to his prayer the Lord brought rain upon the earth. He was supplied with food morning and evening by ravens; and by his word the barrel of meal and the cruse of oil failed not; and the widow's son was raised from the dead. The fire fell from heaven and consumed the sacrifice which he had prepared, which was the