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THAT such events as are recorded in the gospel, as the restoration of sight to the blind, of speech to the dumb, of life to the dead, &c. are physically possible, we cannot deny, without setting bounds to the Omnipotence of God. That they are probable, we cannot, however, affirm, unless we consider the purposes which they are intended to serve. If it is possible for God to give a revelation of his will to men: if it is probable from their condition, that he will do so; and if we are informed that he has actually done so ; there is a considerable presumption that some marks of supernatural interposition will accompany the giving of this revelation.

That universal experience is contrary to the supposition of miraculous interference, is a gratuitous and unfounded assertion. The satisfactoriness of testimony does not depend on the nature of the facts attested, unless they are physically impossible; but on the credibility of the persons, who affirm that they have witnessed them.

If then the miracles of our

Saviour are not physically impossible, the competency of the witnesses, their moral character, the object which they might have in view, and the circumstances in which they declared their convic tion of the reality of what they saw, and the truth of what they heard, must be all taken into account, in judging of the credit to which they were entitled.

These witnesses were incapable perhaps of accurate logical discussion; but men of plain common sense, some of them undoubtedly shrewder than oth ers, but all of them sufficiently, qualified to judge of the reality of any fact, that came under their observation. They were not accused of deceit, and their moral character was never impeached by their most virulent enemies. They published their testimony to the miracles of Jesus, and invariably adhered to it, in the face of the most unexampled, cruel, and persevering opposition. They opposed all their own national and educational prejudices, by supporting a religion, which was to be established on the ruins of Judaism. Their testimony was never contradicted, even by their persecutors: thousands and tens of thousands, on its evidence, embraced the faith, which it confirmed: and multitudes sealed their adherence to it with their blood. Nor let it be forgotten, that the primitive Christians, and the apostles in particular, suffered martyrdom, not for matters of opinion, but for their attestation of facts: a circumstance unparalleled in the history of the world.

On these grounds we rest the credibility of the gospel history; the certainty of our Sa

viour's miraculous power, and consequently the truth of his religion.

But besides this, the miracles of the gospel are peculiarly distinguished from all pretended miracles.

1. Christ did not, like the champions of popery, who wished to establish some monstrous opinion, or give celebrity to some particular sect, assemble the multitude to witness his miracles, and by the arts of eloquence or the aid of superstition, prepare their minds for something unexpect ed and extraordinary. He fixed no stated hour for the cures which he performed. It was in the ordinary course of his ministry, when he went about doing good, that he wrought "the works of Him that sent him" without ostentation or parade.

2. None of his miracles were unsuccessful and none of them incomplete. Every one that came to him was healed. The diseases which he rebuked, were in every instance perfectly removed.

3. The greater number of these cures evidently transcend ed the power of natural means; some of them were effected by means which in themselves were not only inadequate, but even adverse; and those of them, over which medical prescriptions might have had some influence, were supernatural, as to the manner in which they were performed: for,

4. They were always instantaneous: frequently effected without the intervention of any natural means: by a word, a look, or a touch.

5. If any of the Jews imagined them to be impostures, and ex

amined them in order to detect the supposed fraud, they totally failed in their object. Yet, it is more than incredible, that acute examinators, assisted by every passion, which could render them more acute, should have considered such a multitude of extraordinary effects, said to be supernatural, without in a single instance discovering the least appearance of fraud: unless we suppose, that these effects were indeed really produced.

6. The end for which the mir acles of Christ were performed, was worthy of them. It was not to illustrate any obscure, absurd or licentious doctrine; to confirm any foolish or fluctuating opinion; to encourage one sect and subvert another; or to sup port the prejudices, and superstition of the people; but to confirm the truth of a religion, as sublime in its conceptions of God, as benevolent in its regards to man, as interesting in its doc⚫ trines, as pure in its precepts, as solacing in its promises, as it is possible to conceive. Surely then, this was an object worthy of the greatest display of divine power, worthy in all respects of that astonishing series of mira cles, which the history of the Saviour records.

Christianity is founded on a "rock ;" and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Beware then, my brother, of attack. ing either secretly or openly, by any of the weapons of infidelity, this impregnable fortress. Canst thou resist Omnipotence? No! thy soul must perish in the attempt. D. D.

April, 1805.

SURVEY OF CHURCHES.

In the intended survey of our churches, it will be natural to begin with the character of the individuals of whom the churches are composed. They, who be long to Christ's church, ought to be his disciples. The scripture represents them, as saints; as persons born again, and entitled to a heavenly inheritance; as children of the light and of the day; as crucified to the world, and alive unto God; as the salt of the earth; as the city, and the temple of God, in which he graciously dwells. It is granted, that the visible church, in its purest state, has contained many, whose character has not, in any degree, answered this high description. But it evidently appears, what is the nature of Christ's church, and what should be the character of all its members. If the church contains those who are essentially deficient in their religious character, it is proportionably corrupt. When irreligion becomes predominant, the church loses its proper character, its influence, and its blessedness.

All the disorders, which crept into the Old Testament church, all the evils, which afflicted and wasted it, were occasioned by the general impiety of its members. Their personal unholiness led to idolatry, and all other national abominations. In the first age of Christianity, many, who had not the Spirit of Christ, united them selves to his church. Persons of such a character, after maintain ing for a time, some appearance of goodness, were gradually alienated from the cause of Christ. In the time of trial they fell away.

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That their apostasy was owing to the want of personal religion, is evident from the words of the apostle John. They went out from us, but they were not of us. For if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that they might be made manifest, that they were not of us. The fatal errors and vices, which appeared in the Asiatic churches, originated in the bosom of hypocrisy. There were a few even in Sardis, who had not defiled their garments. But the reigning character of the church was corrupt. Many of the members, probably the greater part, were destitute of saving religion. Members of that description injured the cause of Zion, not only by their own conduct directly, but also by the hurtful influence they had on the character of real saints. The holy zeal of sincere Christians was damped, their faithful exertions encumbered, and their usefulness diminished by their connexion with the unsanctified. Thus it came to passy that the church, though it had a name to live, was dead. In the same way the Laodicean church was reduced to a state of culpable lukewarmness. In the same way all the churches of Asia were corrupted, and finally ruined.

The apostles judged frequent and most solemn warnings necessary to guard the disciples against the dangerous influence of false brethren.

Neither scripture, nor attentive observation gives us liberty to suppose, that the church at the present time is any more free from a mixture of bad characters, than it was at the time of the apostles. The parables of the wheat and tares, and of the ten virgins, with other parables and

prophetic declarations of the same import, are as applicable to the church in these ages, as at any former period. Multitudes of wicked men assume the form of godliness, and join in profession with the people of Christ. Now although such a state of the church will be overruled by Hearen for wise purposes; yet the nature of things conspires with experience to show, that it is the unfailing source of numberless evils. It is as undesirable, as for noxious weeds to mingle with the fruits of a garden, or for tares to spring up and grow in a field with wheat.

With these remarks in mind,

let

us survey the churches through the Commonwealth, These churches in general consist of few members. It is no violation of the rules of candour to believe, that a considerable part of those few are destitute of Christian holiness. "Would to God," says Doddridge, "there were reason to hope, that the Christian church were so equally divided, that five of ten in it had the oil of divine grace in their hearts, to render them burning and shining lights." We may, with propriety, adopt the same pious wish respecting our New England churches.

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Christian character, as any vice whatever. Of how many may it be said, that although they cannot be charged with any particular sins, their habitual conduct towards the church and the world clearly manifests the want of grace. Of how many others must we, at best, entertain very uncomfortable doubts. In what various ways do men, without open irregularities, render their piety justly suspected. How many, whose deportment is commonly blameless, show, on discriminating occasions, that they have not the love of God in their hearts. By professing Christians in general, the holy morality of the gospel is little regarded. If we judge them by their fruits, and their fruits by the precepts of Christianity; we must conclude, that vital religion is in a very low state in our churches, and that a proportion of their members, greater than we would willingly name, have at most, the form, without the power of godliness.

We may, secondly, infer this lamentable truth from the inadequate and false opinions of religion, which many nominal Christians entertain. At present these opinions will be only hinted at, as proof of the fact under consideration. There are errors, which the inspired writers consider, as a perversion of the gospel, and as exposing every one, who embraces them, to the censure of the church and the heaviest anathema of the Bible. Such errors, without doubt, are found in our churches. Indeed, they could not have obtained such currency; they could not be avowed with such boldness, and defended with so much success,

without the concurring agency of large numbers. These prevalent errors are the fruit of an unchristian spirit, and a direct proof, that many church members are destitute of gospel faith. The inadequate opinions, which are generally held respecting the nature of saving religion and the requisite qualifications of church members, lead us in a different way to the same conclusion. It is to be presumed, that men will act according to their sentiments. When they disbelieve the scripture doctrine of regeneration, and consider no moral change necessary to prepare them for the visible kingdom of Christ; we may expect that their conduct will be agreeable to such opinions, and that they will unite themselves to the church in an unrenewed state. Multitudes, who profess religion, think it weakness, to inquire after any evidence, that they are born of God. When such principles govern men in entering into the church, and the church in receiving them, it is easy to see, of what characters the church will be composed. These observations must not be applied, without many favourable exceptions. The unadulterated faith and practice of primitive Christianity are not yet expelled from our churches. But after all the exceptions, which truth admits and candour requires, we have great reason to fear that large numbers of nominal Christians among us are not washed from their sins.

This, we apprehend, is the radical evil. Without removing or lessening this, other evils,

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which flow from it, must be expected to remain. It is often remarked by judicious writers, that civil society can never enjoy permanent tranquillity and happiness, while the civil principles and moral character of its members are corrupt. It is certainly as true, that peace and prosperity can never be enjoyed by the church, while the religious principles and moral conduct of its members are unchristian. The body cannot be in a healthy vigorous state, while its constituent parts are unsound and decaying.

As far as this radical evil extends in our churches, it prevents them from answering the great end of their Founder. While made up, in a considerable degree, of ungodly members, how can it be imagined that they will adorn the doctrine of God their Saviour, or show forth his praises, by the abounding fruits of holiness? How can they be the salt of the earth, if they lose the savour of religion, and participate in the corruptions of the world? Can churches be lights, to illuminate the surrounding multitude, when they themselves are enveloped in moral darkness? Will men contend earnestly for that faith, which they have not cordially received? Will they recommend to others that gospel, which they practically reject? Will they faithfully maintain that discipline, which is an unwelcome restraint to their own guilty passions? In short, will they uniformly support the character, while they want the temper of saints?

PASTOR.

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