arguments, but the ground and substratum, if it be occafionally difcerned, if it be incidentally appealed to, it is exactly so much as ought to take place, supposing the history to be true.

As a further answer to the objection, that the apoftolic epiftles do not contain fo frequent, or such direct and circumstantial recitals of miracles as might be expected, I would add, that the apoftolic epiftles resemble in this refpect the apoftolic Speeches, which fpeeches are given by a writer who diftinctly records numerous miracles wrought by these apostles themselves and by the founder of the inftitution in their prefence; that it is unwarrantable to contend, that the omiffion, or frequency, of such recitals in the fpeeches of the apoftles, negatives the existence of the miracles, when the speeches are given in immediate conjunction with the hiftory of those miracles; and that a conclufion which cannot be inferred from the fpecches, without contradicting the whole

tenor

tenor of the book which contains them, cannot be inferred from letters, which, in this respect, are fimilar only to the fpeeches.

To prove the fimilitude which we alledge, it may be remarked, that although in St. Luke's gofpel, the apoftle Peter is reprefented to have been prefent at many decifive miracles wrought by Chrift; and although the fecond part of the fame history afcribes other decifive miracles to Peter himself, particularly the cure of the lame man at the gate of the temple (Acts iii. 1.), the death of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts v. 1.), the cure of Eneas (Acts ix. 40.), the resurrection of Dorcas (Acts ix. 34.); yet out of fix fpeeches of Peter, preferved in the Acts, I know but two in which reference is made to the miracles wrought by Christ, and only one in which he refers to miraculous powers poffeffed by himself. In his speech upon the day of Pentecoft, Peter addreffes his audience with great folemnity, thus: "Ye men of Ifrael, hear thefe words; Jefus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you,

you, by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know, &c. *" In his fpeech upon the converfion of Cornelius, he delivers his teftimony to the miracles per formed by Chrift in these words: "We are witneffes of all things which he did, both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerufalem +." But in this latter speech no allufion appears to the miracles wrought by himself, notwithftanding that the miracles above enumerated all preceded the time in which it was delivered. In his fpeech upon the election of Matthias, no diftinct reference is made to any of the miracles of Chrift's history, except his refurrection. The fame alfo may be obferved of his fpeech upon the cure of the lame man at the gate of the temple §; the fame in his speech before the Sanhedrim ||; the fame in his fecond apology in the prefence of that affembly. Stephen's long speech contains no reference whatever to

miracles, though it be exprefsly related of him, in the book which preserves the speech, and almost immediately before the speech, "that he did great wonders and miracles. among the people *." Again, although miracles be expressly attributed to St. Paul in the Acts of the Apoftles, firft generally, as at Iconium (Acts xiv. 3.), during the whole tour through the Upper Afia (xiv. 27 xv. 12.), at Ephefus (xix. 11, 12.); fecondly, in fpecific inftances, as the blindness of Elymas at Paphos †, the cure of the cripple at Lyftra, of the Pythoness at Philippi§, the miraculous liberation from prifon in the fame city ||, the restoration of Eutychus, the predictions of his hipwreck **, the viper at Milita, the cure of Publius's father ‡‡ ; at all which miracles, except the two firft, the hiftorian himself was present: notwithstanding, I say, this positive ascription of miracles to St. Paul, yet in the speeches delivered by him, and given as de

livered by him, in the fame book in which the miracles are related, and the miraculous powers afferted, the appeals to his own miracles, or indeed to any miracles at all, are rare and incidental. In his fpeech at Antioch in Pifidia *, there is no allufion but to the refurrection. In his discourse at Miletus †, none to any miracle; none in his speech before Felix ; none in his speech before Feftus §; except to Chrift's refurrection, and his own converfion,

Agreeably hereunto, in thirteen letters afcribed to St. Paul, we have inceffant references to Chrift's refurrection, frequent references to his own converfion, three indubitable references to the miracles which he wrought ||, four other references to the fame, lefs direct yet highly probable ¶; but more copious or circumstantial recitals we have not. The confent, therefore, between St. Paul's fpeeches and letters, is in this respect xx. 17. xxiv. 10. § xxv. 8. Rom. xv. 18, 19. 2 Cor. xii. 12. Eph. iii. 7, Gal. ii. 8. 1 Theff. i. 5, fufficiently

*Acts xiii. 16.

Gal. iii. 5.

¶ 1 Cor. ii. 4, 5.