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being limited and confined to temporal and perithing good. But if the mind of man, employs itfelf habitually upon principles that are relative to 'religion, that is, to the doing of the will of God, and obtaining his approbation, who is an immuta- ble, eternal Spirit, and in whom man centers all his reverence, truft, hope, and joy; then, the human mind fo habituated to religious action, imbibes principles that are immortal; because the fcope and aim of his whole deportment has the favour of God, as its end. And God being in himself immutable and eternal; his favour, or an intereft in his perfections, thus obtained, muft be immutable and eternal. So that as the human mind, may, or may not habituate itself to fuch principles of action; it may, or may not have the poffeffion of life eternal.

And as to the Chriftian revelation, I underftand it, in the great defign of its doctrine, to inculcate the certainty of life eternal; it being in the above manner attainable. Nor only fo, but I take the refurrection of Jefus Chrift to be in direct evidence of that certainty. The objections made to the publicknefs of the teftimony, are, with me very trifling. For, had not the JewSanhedrim and people, together with Pilate the Roman governor,' who put our Lord to death, full evidence that he was dead, by the foldiers piercing his Side with a fpear? And did they not feal his fepulchre, and fet a watch over it? In thefe circumstances he arofe, and within the time he himfelf had foretold. Alfo his ap-, pearances to his difciples were fuch as gave them entire fatisfaction, that he was rifen. Nor could the few nation complain of any want of evidence, in that his apoftles did afterward work miracles in his name: in bis, the name of the very fame perfon whom they told the few nation, that they

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they had, by wicked bands crucified and flain; but God bad exalted him to be both Lord and Chrift! This fact fhould be refuted, before any objection can be fairly made to his not rifing publickly.

Sect. Mr. Chubb feems inclined to attempt an overXXIX. throw of it. The manner of his operation is Another this; he labours to fhew, That the principal to invali- controverfy with the apostles, was, whether Chridate mira- ftianity was a fupplement to Judaifm, or Judaism cles from was to be abolished by the introduction of Chrinity, be- Stianity. And if miracles were not proper eviing a Sup- dences of the truth and divinity of the doctrines plement to above-mentioned; then, how come they to be fo in Fudaifm. any other cafe? Vol. II. p. 243, 244.

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This Objection will vanish, when we confider, that the hiftory never once intimates that any one of the apoft les either did, or could work a miracle to determine any one controversial difference, or matter of speculative debate. The special power could only operate in evidence of Christ's being the promised Meffiah, and that the doctrine he had taught, was of God. It fupported the doctrine of remiffion of fins, without facrifice; which had not been the doctrine of the Jew ritual. Nor do any one of the apostles ever in the leaft difagree, as to the defign of the miraculous power being exerted. In the great controversy which had arifen among fome few zealots, who would have annexed circumcifion to Chriftianity, Als xv. the apostles wrought no miracle to decide the controverfy for fo far from difagreeing in their opinion, they all unite in their verdict; yea, in a full affembly they pitch upon Paul and Barnabas, who they call their beloved, to go to the Gentiles. Neither is it matter of furprize, that debates fhould arise among the first Jew.converts, who were prejudiced ftrongly in favour of circumci

fion. Or, that the Apoftles to the Jews, and those to the Gentiles, fhould take different measures with them, as the different ftate of their people's prejudices would require. But in this, miracles are never faid to be wrought in fupport of the one, or of the other measures of conduct.

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Miracles are objected to, because they were no protection to the apostles :-though this feems to me Xxx, paft belief. Vol. I. p. 208.

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But what if miracles were never intended to be no protec ufed by the apoftles to fcreen them from perfecu- apoftles. tion? what then will follow? why, that the objection has no foundation in truth or reafon. And I am afraid a greater objection would have been raised against them, if our Lord had allowed his apostles fuch use of miraculous power. Indeed during his own perfonal ministrations, the miraculous power did fecure both Chrift himself and his difciples from all violence and ftratagem, till the hour came in which he was to refign or lay afide for a season, that morphe, or form of God, which he had been invested withal, in order to take on him the form of a flave.-But the miraculous power could not be intended, after Chrift's afcenfion, to protect the apoftles, except in fome fpecial cafes, from evil; for then the predictions of their mafter would have been falfe, who had told them, that they should undergo great perfecutions.

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Mr. Chubb objects to the truth of facts recorded of the apostles, and thinks, that they have marks of incredibility upon them; fuch as the effufion of XXXI. the Spirit at pentecoft, Acts ii. beg. p. 212. And Marks of the miracles by bankerchiefs and aprons, Acts lity in mixix. 11, 12. favouring of fiction. p. 214. And to racles Matth. viii. 7, 8. p. 215. upon which he says, that themthe cafting out devils, and curing difeafes, in the felves. ufe of bandkerchiefs and aprons, look too much like juggling and cheat, &c.-He objects alfo to the Shadow

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fhadow of Peter, Acts v. 15, 16. and fays, that the people, according to this account, were healed of their respective difeafes, whether they would or not. p. 216.--And he afks this question in the run of his argument; if an honest, upright man in the church of Rome, may act otherwife than an boneft upright man, (admitting fuch a way of speaking) then, why may not an honest upright man, upon the fame grounds, act otherwife than an honest upright man, in any other church or cafe? and confequently, how will the miracles wrought by Jefus Chrift and bis apofiles be proved to be otherwife than impofilions? fuppofing them to have been much better attested than at prefent they appear to be, p. 230. And this be fuppofes applicable to St. Paul, in 1 Cor. ix. 20. 21.

There would have appeared nothing more incredible in these accounts than in any other, had it been confidered, that miraculous power could not be mistaken in its object; and moreover, that it was what could not be exerted, but in proof of Christ's being the true Meffiah.-The effufion of the spirit at pentecoft, was a measure fuited to convince, as well as qualify. Mr. Chubb feems to own, that their being taught the languages, feemed needful to their executing of their commiffion. But then, he thinks, the external appearances could ferve only to firike terror, and exeite wonder.

Grant that this was the defign, if it can be proved that it was no low defign, but every way worthy of God; the objection to its credibility, on this account, will vanifh. The history informs us, that the apostles were together in one place when the day of pentecoft was fully come, and that fuddenly there came a found from heaven, as of a mighty rubing wind, and it filled the houfe where they were fitting. And there appeared un

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to them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it fat upon each of them.-Now when this voice was made, the multitude [among whom were devout Jews out of every nation under heaven,] came together, and were in the utmoft furprize; becaufe that every man heard them speak in his own language! i. e. the language of the country where they statedly dwelt, and which they themselves fpoke. Hence it is obfervable, that the external noife, or voice, Acts ii. 6. was defigned to alarm, and bring together the multitude.—Mr. Chubb objected to the refurrection of Chrift, because he did not appear publickly: but he fhould have attended to this circumftance, and he would then have greatly approved it. Befides, the phenomenon of the heavenly voice, was very fuitable to alarm, and terrify the city, who had very lately put to death their mafter! and would at the fame time check the rage and fury of the public against them. It was an open teftimony given them from heaven; and occafioned fuch fort of Jews affembling about the apoftles, as would fpread the fame of them among all nations.

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With refpect to the fiery appearance within, hovering over the heads of each apoftle, this had its ufe; fince John the Baptift had borne his teftimony to Jefus, that he fhould baptize with the Holy Spirit, and with fire. But before this, he had not done any thing to them, which fo exactly answered that prediction of him. Fefus had only breathed on them before; i. e. when he appeared to them, as related, Job. xx. 22, 23. viz. the time that he reftored to them the power of working miracles; which had been withdrawn from them during their Lord's humiliation. At Pentecoft they have the gift of tongues, and with the folemnity of external pointed or forky flame, hovering over the heads of each of them: an appearance,

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