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In fact, that fuch men as Jefus and the apostles fhould either form fuch a scheme as that of the regeneration of the world (for Christianity pretends to nothing less) when it required ages to effect it, and should finally fucceed in it, notwithstanding all the obftacles that lay in their way, is fomething more extraordinary, more out of the courfe of nature, and therefore more properly miraculous, than any thing recorded in the gospels, and confequently lefs

credible.

If we confider the firft difciples of Jesus as writers, their conduct will appear as unaccountable as when they are confidered as engaged in a fcheme by which they could have fo little profpect of impofing upon the world, and with a certainty, as they would foon find, of meeting with every kind of ill ufage, and frequently dying a violent death.

They were not men of education, and probably had read nothing befides the facred books of the Jews. Confequently, if they be supposed to have been perfons who formed to themfelves the idea of the cha

racter

racter and history of Jefus as a prophet, they would, no doubt, have made it to refemble that of their antient prophets, for they had no other models to follow; and if they had meant to recommend their work to Jews, no other would have appeared likely to answer their purpose. Now, all the antient prophets bore a great refemblance to each other, and John the Baptift very much resembled them, in that austerity which was common to them all; and this circumstance, no doubt, contributed to his good reception among his countrymen.

But the character of Jefus was a great original, exceedingly different from that of any former prophet. His general manners were pleasing, he cafily mixed with the world, and occafionally partook of its enjoyments. This fo much offended his countrymen, that they reproached him with it. Was this, then, a circumstance that an inventor would have adopted with a view to recommend the character to Jews?

Jefus's manner of difcourfing and working miracles were in many refpects new.

Parables

Parables are not frequent in the old Teftament; but they constitute a great part of the difcourfes of Jefus. Preceding prophets worked miracles but rarely, on particular occafions, and often with great preparation. But they occur fo frequently in the history of Jefus, though a history of little more than a year, that, with refpect to number, they were probably equal to all that had been performed before from the beginning of the world. His manner

fo of working miracles was peculiar to himself. It seemed as if they were acts fully within his own power, though it fufficiently appears, both by his declarations, and his manner occafionally, that the power by which they were performed was

not his own.

In other refpects alfo the character and manner of Jefus were fo different from thofe of any of the preceding Jewish prophets, that they who were not writers by profeffion, and had no other models to follow, cannot be fuppofed to have thought of it. Had their view been to impose on the Jews a Meffiah, and not merely a pro

phet,

phet, they were ftill more unfortunate. For certainly no Jew ever formed fuch an idea of their Meffiah as the evangelists have exhibited.

But it is evident from the bare perufal of the gospels, that the evangelists were no inventors, or capable of being fo. They merely relate what they had feen and heard, and this they do without the least ornament, or oftentation; contenting themfelves with relating facts, and leaving it to others to draw conclufions, and characters from them. No other books bear fo many unequivocal marks of being genuine narratives of facts, or carry fo much of their own evidence along with them.

DISCOURSE

DISCOURSE X.

Of the Miracles of the Apostles.

And fear came upon every foul, and many wonders and figns were done by the Apof

tles.

ACTS ii. 43.

WE have feen how the age of miracles, which ceafed at the Babylonifh captivity, was, after an interruption of fix hundred years (in which we find no pretenfion to any fuch thing) revived by Jefus, in circumftances in which it was abfolutely impoffible for him, or for any man, to have impofed upon thofe before whom they were exhibited.

We have feen how a man of no higher rank than a common carpenter, with fishermen, and other perfons of no greater eftimation, for his companions, with the jealoufy

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