dent, or the effect only of a natural cause, they renewed their attempt, and opened the foundation, when fire burst out from thence, slew many of the workmen, and forced them entirely to lay aside the design. Some of the fathers of that age make mention of this extraordinary miracle, but the account of it here given, is taken from Ammianus Marcellinus, the pagan historian, a flatterer of Julian, and, if I mistake not, an officer then in his army; but certainly living and writing at that time. This, however, did not make a convert of Julian, nor of Marcellinus, for ought we read in the writings of that age; so hardened was the pride and selfsufficiency of these two infidels, of Pharaoh, and of thousands in every age.

Give me leave to shut up this historical account of prophecies and miracles with one, in each kind, more astonishing, and better known, than all I have hitherto mentioned or referred to. Our blessed Saviour said, John xii. 31-33, 'Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out; and I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die.' That he was lifted up on the cross from the earth, and there expired, is universally known; and that he drew mankind unto him, is as well known: but that he will draw the residue of men to him, we are sufficiently assured by this and other prophecies to the like effect, and particularly by the miraculous manner in which he drew the Roman empire, and many other nations so soon after his death, notwithstanding the offence of his cross. We are filled with amazement when we look at this event with eyes accustomed to the transactions of this world, wherein men only, and the natural course of things, seem to be concerned as agents or causes. A few poor men, all unlearned but two, undertake to contend with the whole world, with emperors, kings, philosophers, politicians, armies, devils, and to subdue them to the obedience of their crucified Master; to the adoration of this Master; to a contempt of all their own wisdom, policy, power, and gods, all hitherto by them equally idolized. And by what weapons? preaching, suffering, dying. Not by these alone, but the Holy Spirit, enabling them to out-reason the philosophers, to outspeak the orators, to conquer the armies, by a courage su

perior to theirs in facing every calamity, every terror, and by death on crosses and in flames, to lead captive the oppressors and tyrants of this world. All this, I say, they undertook to do, and in this they succeeded, for God was with them, and by his divine and miraculous power upheld them. You see, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called,' as you are. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world, to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world, to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence: but of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, that according as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord,' 1 Cor. i. 26–31. It is true, the first messengers of Christ preached a religion more rational, more lovely infinitely, than that which they opposed; they preached the true religion. But then they preached against a torrent of pride and love of pleasure, against inveterate prejudices, and against a rabble of gods, who countenanced their worshippers in all these, in every excess of wickedness, of unnatural lewdness, of unnatural murders, even as acts of worship and devotion to these horrible gods. It was in defence of these, that the most pure and holy religion was pursued through ten bloody persecutions for three hundred years, till, at length, mankind tired out with murder, and less able to torture, than the Christians to suffer, opened their eyes to the brightness of that light which had shone so long around them, to the excellence of a faith, which inspired a sort of heroism, infinitely superior to that of their Alexanders and Cæsars; a wisdom far more excellent than that of their philosophers and politicians, and pointed upward to a world, in comparison of which, that sought for by their conquerors through oceans of blood, was but a despicable lump of dirt.

Here is a miracle, wherein the laws of creation and nature are reversed, and those of human corruption, pride, pleasure, power, superstition, bigotry, idolatry, and prejudice, the most inveterate, are overpowered; nor wrought in a pri

vate house, or in the sight of four or five thousand persons, or before the two nations of Egyptians and Jews; but before the whole world, and continued on through three or four hundred years, whereof the sabbath, the sacraments, the Scriptures, are standing monuments, and whereof every Christian, and every Jew, now on the face of the earth, are living witnesses. For how comes any man, at this day, to be a Christian, but in consequence of this miracle? Or who is a Jew, but he who, in the character of a bitter enemy, attests the purity and antiquity of those prophecies, which predict the coming of Christ; and still, as an enemy, is forced to acknowledge that the man whom we call Christ, did appear at the time, and in the place, which we assign for his nativity; and that his church and religion did spread themselves as above related.

It is matter of astonishment to the unthinking, that while all the absurd religions in the world, one only excepted, which made its progress by the sword, stole into the world by fraud, and in the dark, without opposition, the Christian religion, breathing a spirit so amiable, so divine, and supported with irresistible proofs of its truth, should have been treated with such an obstinate and long continuance of cruelty, exercised by the world on its innocent and inoffensive professors. But he who thinks at all, must perceive, that this was caused on the one side, and permitted on the other, by Providence, for the conviction of common sense in the following ages, which clearly sees that our holy religion is not of man, but of God alone. Common sense ought also to reflect, that the opposition to the soul and spirit of real Christianity, is still, even here, among its professors, carried on, though in another guise, by pride and love of pleasure in all the slaves of these vices, from the court down to the kennel. How few among the great ones believe in Christ! How few among the lowest order of men know any thing of him! How few in the middle ranks of life prefer him or his religion to the most trifling and uncertain views of profit, which may gratify their pride or love of pleasure! How are books, written in favour of Christianity, and the Bible itself, laid aside! How are those published against it bought up and devoured! What senseless arguments, and for lack of even such, what stupid jests in the mouths of drunkards and

scoffers, are every where repeated! How the devil, formerly accustomed to employ none but men of parts in his service, now ventures out in nonsense, and in the mouths of blockheads, as if by way of contempt for an age so easily fooled! This gauze of conversation, conceitedly so called, hardly substantial enough to hamper a fly, is spread in every corner, too dark to expose its flimsy texture to the purblind.

Here now hath been laid before common sense a tenfold greater degree of evidence for our holy religion, than is necessary to the conviction of a rational mind. The gracious God, who hath afforded all this evidence, and much more, not possible to be included in so short a treatise as this, knew how many obstacles to faith arise from passion and prejudice in the corrupted minds of mankind; and hath therefore dispensed a sufficient noon of light to leave the children of darkness without a shadow of excuse for their perverse and obstinate infidelity. The common sense of a fair inquirer is satisfied with far less, and, instead of any remaining doubts, is filled with gratitude and love to him. who affords him more than he wants of the most important and precious of all possessions he stands in need of.

Having brought this one thing most needful to a conclusion, satisfactory, I hope, in your judgment, nothing more can be wanted but two or three short articles of appeal, which you will not think either superfluous or tedious.

In the first place, carefully examine yourselves, and fairly compare your wants with the provision made for them in the religion of your Redeemer. If you do this with humility, and that common sense your Maker hath endowed you with, you will quickly find, you are by nature too blind to know any thing of God and his will, in regard to a right conduct of yourselves, and too corrupt to perform his will when you do know it. You will also perceive, that his holy religion teaches you who he is, what he requires of you to believe and do, and gives you ability, if you are not greatly wanting to yourselves, both to believe and do according to his will, so as to ensure your eternal happiness. You will be fully convinced, that without virtue you cannot be happy; nor virtuous, without the true religion; that, after your best endeavours, you too often act against the religious rules of your

duty; and that, when you do, if you truly repent, and believe in Christ, his atoning blood shall obtain for you a gracious and happy forgiveness. As soon as you become acquainted with yourselves and the religion of Christ, you will rejoice in the full supply that religion affords for all your wants and defects. On rationally looking into this comparison, and closing with the means of salvation revealed to you in the gospel of your Redeemer, you will, with infinite satisfaction, feel your inquiry ending in comfort, and your faith converted into well-grounded hope of everlasting peace with the Almighty.

Secondly, on a charitable supposition, that you have carefully made the inquiry and comparison, as the single thing that can possibly lead you into the way of eternal life, I appeal to your common sense, whether it ever can suffer you to forsake that way for the broad way of this wicked world, which leads downward to everlasting destruction both of soul and body. I appeal to your common sense, whether if you had your choice of a kingdom in this world, or of a single acre, you would not choose the kingdom; or in case you were to become subject, during your life, to the government of another man, you would not wish to serve the most honest and generous of mankind, rather than the most deceitful and cruel of all tyrants; and whether you can possibly imagine God does not expect you should make use of the common sense he hath given you in choosing him rather than the devil for your master, in choosing heaven rather than hell for your eternal place of abode. Tell yourselves now, whether these appeals are made to men of common sense, or to the most desperate madman. O, that I could make this appeal to your gratitude, rather than your interest. For your worldly interest you do not want understanding, and for your much higher interest in eternity you must have But upon a nobler principle than that of even the most exalted selfishness, I wish to raise my appeal, and I do it to your heart and soul, whether as you believe Christ the Son of God died for you, that heart and soul can be insensible of such infinite goodness. Can you think he died for men void of gratitude? Do you love him? Why then keep his commandments?' This is the very proof he expressly requires of your love. He knows you too well, I

some.