five thousand with a few loaves and fithes furpaffes all bounds of exaggeration. The raising of Lazarus, of the widow's fon at Nain, as well as many of the cures which Chrift wrought, come not within the compass of mifrepresentation. I mean, that it is impoffible to affign any pofition of stances however peculiar, any accidental effects however extraordinary, any natural fingularity, which could supply an origin or foundation to these accounts. circum Having thus enumerated feveral excep→ tions, which may juftly be taken to relations of miracles, it is neceffary, when we read the fcriptures, to bear in our minds this general remark, that, although there be miracles recorded in the New Teftament, which fall within fome or other of the exceptions here affigned, yet that they are united with others, to which none of the fame exceptions extend, and that their credibility ftands upon this union. Thus the vifions and revelations, which St. Paul afferts to have been imparted to him, may not, in their separate evidence, be distinguishable from the visions and and revelations which many others have alledged. But here is the difference. St. Paul's pretenfions were attefted by external · miracles wrought by himself, and by miracles wrought in the caufe to which these vifions relate; or, to speak more properly, the fame historical authority, which informs us of one, informs us of the other. This is not ordinarily true of the vifions of enthufiafts, or even of the accounts in which they are contained. Again, fome of Chrift's own miracles were momentary; as the transfiguration, the appearance and voice from Heaven at his baptifm, a voice from the clouds upon one occafion afterwards, (John xii. 30.) and some others. It is not denied, that the distinction which we have propofed concerning miracles of this fpecies, applies, in diminution of the force of the evidence, as much to these instances as to others. But this is the cafe, not with all the miracles afcribed to Chrift, nor with the greatest part, nor with many. Whatever force therefore there may be in the objection, we have numerous miracles which are free from from it; and even these to which it is appli cable, are little affected by it in their credit, because there are few, who, admitting the reft, will reject them. If there be miracles of the New Teftament, which come within any of the other heads into which we have distributed the objections, the fame remark must be repeated. And this is one way, in which the unexampled number and variety of the miracles afcribed to Chrift, ftrengthens the credibility of Chriftianity. For it precludes any folution, or conjecture about a solution, which imagination, or even which experience might fuggeft concerning fome particular miracles, if confidered independently of others. The miracles of Chrift were of various kinds *, and performed in great varieties of fituation, form and manner; at Jerufalem, the metropolis of the Jewish nation and religion; in different parts of Judea * Not only healing every species of disease, but turning water into wine (John ii.); feeding multitudes with a few loaves and fishes (Mat. xiv. 14. Mark vi. 35. Luke ix. 12. John iv. 5.); walking on the sea (Mat. Judea and Galilee; in cities, in villages; in fynagogues, in private houfes; in the ftreet, in highways; with preparation, as in the cafe of Lazarus, by accident, as in the cafe of the widow's fon at Nain; when attended by multitudes, and when alone with the patient; in the midst of his difciples, and in the presence of his enemies; with the common people around him, and before Scribes and Pharifees, and rulers of the fynagogues. I apprehend that, when we remove from the comparison, the cafes which are fairly difpofed of by the observations that have been ftated, many cafes will not remain. To those which do remain, we apply this final distinction; " that there is not fatisfactory evidence, that perfons, pretending to xiv. 23.); calming a storm (Mat. viii. 26. Luke viii. 23.); a celeftial voice at his baptifm, and miraculous appearance (Mat. iii. 17. afterwards John xii. 28.); his transfiguration (Mat. xvii. 1-8. Mark ix. 2. Luke ix. 28. 2 Ep Peter i. 16, 17.); raising the dead in three distinct inftances (Mat. ix. 18. Mark v. 22. Luke viii. 41. Luke vii. 14. John xi.). be |