5. His enemies also admitted the reality of the miHis enemies ad- racles. mitted their truth. What was said above (pages 34, 35) on the admission by enemies, of the truth of the general narrative of the New Testament, applies also to its miraculous part. But we may still add a few words on so important a subject. During the life of Christ the confession of the Jews "This man doeth many miracles." (John xi. 47.) After his death and resurrection his disciples appealed to his miracles as undeniable facts. (Acts ii. 22,) We have not the slightest reason to think that such assertions of Christ's disciples, whether oral or written, were contradicted in the early days of Christianity. was; The opinions of the Jews of later days are embodied in such writings as the Talmud. This book admits that Jesus performed many wonderful works, and attributes the power to his skill in magic. Even in the bitterest of the Jewish writings against Christ,* his power of healing lepers and raising the dead is fully admitted. Celsus and other Heathen opponents of Christianity were very much perplexed by the wonderful works of Christ. Celsus would fain have asserted that they were not real; but, very generally, he like the Jews maintains that Christ performed them by the. power of magic. Or, he has a third explanation. "Frequently," says Origen, "Celsus, being unable to deny the real occurrence of the works of Christ, accuses them of being mere juggling tricks." Still, you observe he admits that they actually took place. Julian, in like manner, admits the facts; but anxious to evade the argument which they afford in proof of Christ's divine mission, he affirms there is nothing very wonderful in "healing lame and blind people, and exorcising demoniacs." We accept this admission of the facts, made by Celsus * Such as the Toledoth Jesu. and Julian. Of the inference to be drawn from them we shall afterwards speak.* Remarkable institutions in commemora tion of them. 6. Rites and institutions were established to commemorate the most remarkable of the miracles, at the time they took place,-and these have continued from that time till now. Thus the practice of keeping holy the first day of the week, and of meeting on that day for the public worship of God, was instituted to commemorate the resurrection of Christ from the dead. The rites of Baptism and the Lord's Supper were also closely connected with his death and resurrection. Christ is represented in the New Tes tament as appointing the Lord's Supper to be celebrated from that time onwards, in memory of his death. argument, then, is short and conclusive. The rite could not have been introduced at a later period, for every man could have testified that it was new, and novelty would have been a conclusive proof against its truth. The same thing holds good of the other institutions. The I believe, my young friend, that any one of these arguments taken by itself would afford sufficient evidence for the miracles of Christ; and that the force of the whole taken together is overwhelming. Let us select one of them and dwell upon it for a moment,-and let it be the third of those mentioned above. Let us just think how we should regard any similar case of evidence happening in ordinary life. Suppose, for example, that "twelve men whose probity and good sense I have long known, seriously and circumstantially relate to me an account of a miracle wrought before their eyes, and in which it was impossible that they should be deceived; if the governor of the country, hearing a rumour of the account, should It is fair to observe that the credulity of the Jews and Heathen of those days somewhat weakens the value of their testimony in favour of the performance of miracles by Christ. Still, their admission is valuable; for it is evidently made with considerable reluctance. с call these men into his presence and offer them a short proposal either to confess the imposture, or submit to be tied up to a gibbet; if they should refuse with one voice to acknowledge that there existed any falsehood or imposture in the case; if this threat were communicated to them separately, yet with no different effect; if it was at last executed; if I myself saw them one after another consenting to be racked, burnt, or strangled, rather than give up the truth of their account,-I undertake to say that there exists not a sceptic in the world who would not believe them."* The arguments that have been now enumerated, form the great and decisive evidence for the reality of the miracles wrought by Jesus Christ. We may advert to two other considerations, which are also of great importance, although not of so manifestly conclusive a character as those that have been stated above. 7. The miracles of Christ are exceedingly different in and sublime. then, whether of ancient or modern times. The difference will be forcibly illustrated if I remind Heathen you of the nature of the miracles believed by miracles. Hindus. A sage (Agastya) swallows the ocean, which consists of fresh water, and, when it issues again from his body, it is salt. A god (Shiva) cuts off his child's head, and it is replaced by an elephant's head. To shelter his friends from a tempest, another god (Krishna) suspends a mountain over their heads on the tip of his finger. The wonders recorded by the ancient Greeks and Romans were scarcely less astounding. The traditions of the Muhammadans regarding the miracles of their prophet are of the same description: Muhammad splits the moon in two, and sends one half of it up each sleeve, and so on. Now, I am anxious not to press you too much with this * Paley's Evidences. Introduction. t LET, V. OBJECT OF CHRIST'S MIRACLES. at is mines be on tote that t particular argument ;-for, if it be not entirely satisfactory to your mind, we can easily dispense with it. But you will distinctly perceive that in stories of this kind there is something exceedingly wild, fantastic, and confounding. There is an excess-a waste of miracle. The wonders stun you with surprise. They resemble the prodigious things that you see in dreams. They are mad freaks of power. You always feel that the object sought could have been attained in some much simpler and better way. These are never nevolent. We cannot conceive that miracles would be wrought without a sufficient cause. But many of the wonderful works ascribed to the Hindu divinities were confessedly done in lilá, or sport. Many others were done without any distinct reason. On the contrary, the miracles of Christ) were done with a high object in view, viz. the exhibition of his Divine character and the demonstration of his mission. They were cogent proofs of his power and goodness. He appealed to them as irresistible evidence of his having been sent by God. Observe now the practical application of all this to the question of his Divine mission. The mira III. Since the miracles ascribed to Christ cles prove his were really performed, they prove that he is a divine mis sion. divinely-appointed messenger. The works were manifestly superhuman. It is certain that no human power could raise a man from the dead after he had been buried four days, and that no mere man could raise himself from the dead, as Jesus Christ did.. In such things, no one can doubt that the hand of Almighty God is to be recognized. We are compelled to say, as one of the Jews said to Christ: "No man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him." Objection of the Jews. But it is right to notice the objection of the unbelieving Jews. Many saw and confessed the wonderful works which Christ performed; and yet they refused to receive them as evidence that he was commissioned by God. "He works these things by the aid of the devil," said the unbelieving Jews. They saw and admitted that the works were beyond the power of man; and hence, as they were determined not to confess that they were wrought by the power of God, they had no resource but to ascribe them to the devil. Christ himself pointed out to the Jews that all his works tended to destroy Satan's empire,-were all beneficent and holy in their character and tendency, and therefore could not have been performed through the aid of a malevolent and unholy being. This argument is conclusive. All the works and words of Christ tended to the glory of God and the happiness of men. They were entirely worthy of the "God of truth," but wholly opposed to the character of the "father of lies." How great the power and knowledge of evil angels may be, we cannot tell. They may possess, and they may exercise, far greater power and knowledge than man. Therefore, when we see merely an exertion of superhuman power, we cannot with certainty infer that the action was performed by God. It surpasses human might, but angelic might may be equal to it, and the hand of Omnipotence may not have been put forth. But if angelic power performed it, |