miracles or tales of miracles to the growth of the religion. The active missionary historian transports us by his earnest narrative into the midst of the infant sect. We see the inward workings, the intense animation, the joyful strugglings, of one of those societies, which from time to time, by launching forth some new principles, or new forms of old principles, enliven mankind. The powers of the mind in addition to, and superior to those which suffice for the common current of human affairs, which in isolated individuals find a vent in comparatively inefficient musings or aspirations, when at last awakened simultaneously in bodies of men, impel into action with a force which no established forms, laws, or usages, can ultimately resist. If there be in the exciting ideas a preponderance of truth, or of what harmonizes with the more generous emotions, a society small in its beginning, and low in its station, possesses a tremendous power; and the Pharisees and Sadducees of the day are soon compelled to adopt the advice of some wiser Gamaliel, to let these men alone. The lower classes probably more than the higher, are the fit agents for effecting these moral revolutions, from their being less enslaved by artificial habits of action and thought. In the early church we recognize much that awakens enthusiasm in all ages; the mental enlightenment once the heritage of a few, is to be common to all; the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which aforetime were shed only on special prophets, are now poured abundantly on all flesh, and all the sons and daughters of the spiritual Israel may hope to share in some degree the inspiration of David and Isaiah. The expectations of former times are about to be fulfilled. A state of brotherhood is to prevent individual want. The farthest isles of the Gentiles are to share in the new light. And all imperfections of existing institutions are to be remedied by an approaching restitution of all things, a Messiah's

kingdom which popularizes the chief objects of desire, and acknowledges as the truly opulent those who are rich in faith and good works. The Hebrew recollections with which all this was clothed increased the force of the ideas to the church. The supernatural tales and visions with which their progress was embellished, might serve as accessory stimulants; but with or without them we can see enough to explain how numbers might be led to join those whom they had at first persecuted, and to count all things loss for the sake of the cause which was called that of Christ.

CHAPTER XI.

ON THE EVIDENCE AFFORDED TO THE MIRACLES BY THE APOSTOLIC WRITINGS.

PALEY admits (Evid., part iii. ch. v.), that the apostles appealed less frequently than he himself should have done to the miracles, and he attributes this to the want of a due appreciation of miracles in that age, owing to the general belief in magical agency. But the excuse is insufficient. The church of Rome, whilst denouncing practisers of witchcraft, has been eager enough to set forth its own miracles. The Jews who believed in the magical acts of Pharaoh's magicians, were not the less forward to celebrate the miracles of Moses; and the disciples, if not admitting the absolute conclusiveness of a miracle as a divine credential, were yet well aware of its great value. For they admit that the Jews frequently required a sign, and the fourth Evangelist makes Jesus say, "Unless ye see wonders and signs, ye will not

believe."

The four Gospels and the Acts were written at a comparatively late period, viz. forty years and upwards after the death of Christ, or a distance of time varying from ten to forty years after the events recorded. But most of the Epistles were written earlier, whilst the apostles were administering the affairs of the church, and consequently in the midst of the miraculous period. Moreover, in these writings, at least in the Epistles of Paul, John, James, and the first of Peter, we may fairly calculate upon having very nearly these apostles' own words. Let us collect all the passages in these

1

Epistles which seem to allude to the miracles of Jesus or of his disciples.

Rom. xv. 17-19: "I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ, in those things which pertain to God. For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient by word and deed, through mighty signs and wonders by the power of the spirit of God."

1 Cor. ii. 4: " And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power."

1 Cor. xii. 8-10: "For to one is given, by the spirit, the word of wisdom; to another, the word of knowledge, by the same spirit; to another faith, by the same spirit; to another, the gifts of healing, by the same spirit; to another, the working of miracles; to another, prophecy; to another, discerning of spirits; to another, divers kind of tongues; to another, the interpretation of tongues."

Ver. 28: "And God hath set some in the church; first, apostles; secondarily, prophets; thirdly, teachers; after that, miracles; then, gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues."

2 Cor. xii. 12: "Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs and wonders, and mighty deeds."

Gal. iii. 5: "He, therefore, that ministereth the spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?"

There are no allusions to miracles in the Epistles of James, John, Jude, or the first of Peter. In the second, or doubtful* Epistle of Peter, there is an allusion to the prophecy of Peter's death, and to the transfiguration. But the word of prophecy is said to be "more sure."

The above passages in Paul's Epistles show that the church, in general, valued miracles as divine credentials, but they are insufficient to prove that any had been really wrought; for

* The testimony of Eusebius seems almost enough to stamp this Epistle as spurious, since it appears incredible that the early church should have hesitated to receive any real writings of the chief apostle. Nevertheless, it may be appealed to as assisting to show the opinions of the early Christians.

1. Not one instance of a miracle is cited; which is extraordinary in such a large collection of letters to the communities amongst whom they were supposed to have been frequent; the subject of miracles being occasionally introduced, and Paul being in the habit of frequently appealing to facts within their own knowledge. For instance, he reminds Timothy of the afflictions he met with at Lystra, but never alludes to the healing of the lame man there. The ill health of Trophimus is mentioned, and also that of Timothy, but none of the miraculous cures at Ephesus or Melita. Although Epaphroditus was "sick nigh unto death," 2 Phil. ii. 27, Paul seems never to have thought of healing him by miraculous means, but uses language applying to a natural recovery. "The Lord had mercy on him." Some of these sicknesses of most faithful companions might have been expected at least to call forth some expressions of regret at the absence of the usual miraculous power, if Paul had really experienced it to be such. He cites his escape from Damascus in a basket, 2 Cor. xi. 33, thus confirming Acts ix. 24; but never alludes to any miraculous escape of himself, or of the other apostles. All this certainly amounts only to absence of a particular kind of proof; but it is that important kind, viz. incidental allusion and confirmation, which in Paley's Hora Paulina is so ably shown to support a great portion of the apostolic history.

2. The low rank in which Paul places miracles appears inconsistent with the supposition that those of which he speaks were real and indisputable ones. A manifest suspension of the laws of nature must be one of the most impressive events that could happen to men of any age or country; and persons commissioned to command or declare such suspensions from time to time could hardly fail to be regarded, in any society, with the highest degree of reverence