PREFACE. A Short sketch of what is now contained in the following Difcourfes was drawn out, and exhibited to the public in a small tract, so long ago as the year 1755. As I heard of no objections made to the principles of that treatise, I thought it adviseable, when appointed Preacher of Mr. Boyle's Lecture, to profecute the plan laid down therein, and to extend it to its full dimenfions. And this I determined the rather to do, as fo little had been written on the subject of miracles, by any of my predeceffors in the fame office. The general doctrine of miracles having been fo fully stated by feveral authors of great note, I had no occasion to dwell much upon it. If I have been fuccessful in applying it to particular cafes; and confequently in explaining some of the most extraordinary, and therefore the most disputable, parts of Scripture; my design is completely answered-and my appointment, I truft, not wholly unfulfilled. Whatever obfervations my reading or meditation could fupply on the subject, these I have endeavoured to bring all together into one regular and confiftent scheme: the parts of which harmoniously confpire, not only to fupport and illuftrate each other, but also to form a grand whole-manifeftly expreffive of the wisdom and goodness of divine Providence, and clearly demonstrative of the truth and certainty of our holy religion. In the conftruction and conduct of this fcheme, I had, I muft own, a particular view to the benefit and improvement of young Divines; for whofe ufe I have inferted fome quotations, which are to be looked upon, not fo much in the light of proofs, as of references to the authors who have difcuffed the points more at large. The scheme itself will, however, afford them a general key to the whole Scripture; as it will shew them the grounds of the several difpenfations, and point out the reasons why each of them proceeded in the manner it is obferved to do. They will here fee a grand defign planned from the beginning-they will fee this design carried on by various means, and in various forms, through the several periods of the world-they will fee the propriety of thefe forms and methods, in their adaptation to the state and circumftances of the time in which they took place--they will see them all working together, and at last uniting in the perfect accomplishment of the end proposed; the redemption and recovery of fallen man-they will therefore, of course, fee revelation in its proper light; and be the more convinced of its reasonableness, truth, and divinity, For a more particular information of the true fcope and intent of the work, it may be, of use to observe, that it naturally divides itself into fix parts. Part the firft, comprehended in Sermon I-III. treats of "the analogy of revealed religion with the conftitution and course of nature—and of the credibility and certainty of miraculous interpofitions." 66 Part the fecond, comprehended in Sermon IV-VI. treats of the moral state of the world from the creation to the deluge; the nature of the difpenfations relative thereto; and the propriety of the miracles interwoven with them." Part the third, comprehended in Ser mon VII-X. treats of the moral ftate of the |