Sect.

pearance, very well fuited to convince each, and every of them, that they were owned, and fanctified, or feparated from heaven for the miniftrations which Jefus had appointed them. It would have an apt tendency to confirm and establish their faith in Jefus, as afcended to the right hand of power and be a proper means of uniting them in their esteem and affection for one another; forafmuch as they faw, that the fignal was the fame upon one, as it was upon another. So that the credibility of this narrative is yet unfhaken.

The other inftance mentioned about the bandkerchiefs, and aprons, might afford matter of burlefque and ridicule, to a man of the most despicable, depraved wit: but to the rational, grave and modeft, there will be found nothing that will bear ridicule. It was not poffible that any mifapplication could be made of the miraculous power: but if the people did but touch Paul with an handkerchief or apron, (either their own, or that belonged to a fick Perfon) at whatever diftance; it did fuffice for the healing of those diseased! and they who conveyed the handkerchiefs and aprons, would bear teftimony to the amazing, the beneficent power which refided with that apostle!

Miracles might have been objected to, had they given the objects of their operation any additional powers, or had it conveyed abilities to men, above what are found in a perfect ftate of the intellectual and bodily; but they only removed defects and impediments, they were conftant appeals made to the general laws, and demonftrated the operation of the univerfal law-giver. They introduced no new appearances, unknown in nature. Moreover, their honefty is not to be called in queftion.

Miracles of no kind have an easy admittance XXXII. with Mr. Chubb; for we find him objecting to rnatural the preter or fupernatural formation of Jefus Chrift,

The fu

by

by the overshadowing of the Virgin. And he formation thinks there is just ground of concluding, that be of Jefus objected was generated or begotten in the fame way, viz. by to. the co-operation of a male and a female of the fame Species as the rest of mankind are.-An't be fays, that Matthew is guided by dreams, and Luke by vifions.—But how John came to call Jefus, God's only begotten, he knows not. Vol. II. p. 271276.

But why should the term begetting, or begotten, be objected to? when Mr. Chubb has himfelf faid, as I hinted before, that it must be figurative, as Chriftians are faid to be begotten thro' the Gofpel. P. 278. So that when applied to the formation of Jefus Chrift, I fee not, why it should offend. For, as men, BEGOTTEN thro' the Gofpel, intends no other than the energy of truth, forming the temper and complexion of their fpirits to virtue and holinefs; fo the exertion of creative power in that fingular production of the man Chrift Jefus, may with equal propriety conftitute him the only begotten Son of God. Adam was the Son of God, as made by the immediate energy of his power. All the fons of Adam are faid to be God's offspring: but whoever annexed any fuch bafe, grofs, fenfual ideas to God's agency? The over-fhadowing feems to be analogous to the adumbration, or moving of the Spirit, or air of God upon the Waters, mentioned Gen. i.

2.

The fœcundity of nature admits no impure notion of the Creator. And men might as well fay, that becaufe God is fpoken of under the perfonal pronouns of be, and him, that there ore Deity is of the mafculine gender! But would not this render a man very contemptible? So with respect to the productions of omnipotence, tho' imaged under terms that are figurative; yet no man, who has formed any juft conceptions of

Deity, will admit of fenfual reprefentation. Tho' to the impure, all things will be impure.

The fact does appear to me to be well fup-. ported; and worthy of credit. He was prophefied of, Is. vii. 14. Behold a virgin fhall conceive and bear a fon, and shall call his name Immanuel. If any would fee the distinction made evident in this context, between Isaiah's fon Shearjafbub, to which he pointed, ver. 15, 16, and the fon of the virgin; he may confult Bishop Chandler's Defence of Chriftianity, from p. 316--332.

Matthew relates the fact with every proper circumstance that may remove doubt or fcruple, and make the narrative credible. And fo does Luke. Matthew refers to the above prophecy, as fulfilled in and by this event. Joseph was efpoufed to Mary, but before they came together, Mary was found with child.--The queen vase, being found with child, will by no means infer, that the underwent no examination. It is more probable, that Heli, her father, if living, who fome think, had adopted Jofeph from his infancy, and confequently, muft have had great refpect for him, it is more probable that he would himself be well fatisfied, and not suffer any such impofition from his daughter. But however this was, we are affured, that it was a matter of great weight among the Jews, as fhe was betrothed adultery being a capital crime. Joseph is at first much diffatisfied; but afterwards he is wholly reconciled to own her publickly: he is full of care about her; and looks upon the fruit with which she went, as given to him by miracle. He, at the time of the taxation, or enrolment, takes Mary along with him to Bethlehem, Luke tells us, bis efpoufed wife, being great with child, Luk. ii. 5. Such is the diftinction yet, bis efpoused wife. And Mary being delivered at Bethlehem,

2

the

;

the very city of David, and the place prophefied of, Mic. v. 2. He enrols the child under his own name; and confiders it as demanding from him a pious, paternal regard.

To the account given by the two Evangelifts, we should add the teftimony of St. Paul, who declares, Rom. i. 2, 3, 4. that Chrift was promifed afore of God, by his prophets in the holy fcriptureswho was made of the feed of David according to the flesh and determined the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by his refurrection from the dead. Made of the feed of David, is the fame word rendered, begotten: the -precife idea of the term, when applied to God's formation of him. And of the feed of David he was made, tho' only the fuppofed fon of Jofeph; because he was born of Mary, who was of the house and lineage of David, as well as her efpoufed husband, who was of the fame family. And notwithstanding what men may fay of the human animalcula, or ftamina refiding in the male; yet, as none can tell how that is conveyed into, or lodged in, the male veffels; fo it is as easy to fuppofe Almighty power tranfpofing such stamina from the body of Jofeph, into the womb of Mary, without the common conveyance, or without any bodily union, or intercourfe between them. There is no abfurdity in this fuppofition : and it would accomplish prophecy, fupport the credit of the two Evangelifts, and be a proper diftinguifhing criterion of the Meffiah in his family, and to all thofe concerned in the reputation and character of his mother. The apparatus which related to the conception of Elizabeth, and the birth of John, who was to be Chrift's harbinger, render the written accounts highly probable; and muft have confirmed Jofeph, in his efteem of Mary.

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Be

Befides, The Evangelifts could be under no temptation to infert this, as a fact, if they had not had the materials given them from undoubted teftimony for it cannot be fuppofed, that they were unconcerned about the credibility of their hiftories. And it must also be allowed, that they were as capable of feeing difficulties, and making objection to inconfiftencies, as any men for they appear to be perfect mafters of the fubjects they wrote upon; and to know that they reported nothing but the truth of things.

They knew how to form a judgment of dreams and vifions, when they faw fuch and fuch 'facts arifing from them. Nor do they difcover any thing like the wild refveries of Enthufiafts. They were affured from the hiftories of all paft ages, of the truth of the doctrine of Angels minifiring unto men: and their Mafter and Lord had confirmed it, by his own declarations. I fay unto you, that in heaven, their Angels do always behold the face of my father, which is in beaven. So Angels came and miniftred to him, after his temptation. So in his agony in the garden. And when he reproved Peter for fmiting with the sword, in his master's defence, he fays, thinkeft thou that I cannot now pray to my father, and he fall presently give me more than twelve legions of Angels? Actually made head over angels, and principalities and powers, our Lord has them employed under him, as miniftring fpirits, fent forth to minifter unto the heirs of falvation. They are the inftrument of God's providential government, executing his pleafore. The guardians and protectors of men. Jefus will fend them at the end of the world, to gather all fcandals out of his Kingdom; they will fever the wicked from among the juft. And the wife

and