the Evangelifts any thing contrary to nature had been advanced, it would have weakened the credibility of their narrations.

The parables and the discourses of our Lord, tranfmitted to us by the Evangelifts, muft be allowed to be incomparable specimens of concentrated wifdom, by those who may be difpofed to confider them in no higher point of view than human. But what human power has ever reached to fuch excellence? Decidedly none. is from above. It is remarkable of these, that, while they contain all the doctrines of belief, they form canons of morality, and serve tó prove, on this firft authority, the folly of thofe who confider moral topics beneath the dignity of the preacher, or the faith of the Chriftian. The fermon on the mount would alone confute the error of fuch an opinion; but we have in the Gospels repeated examples to justify thofe, whofe employment it is to inftruct in recommending the duties of life, and confirming them by the fanctions of religion. The parables delivered by our Lord are at once comprehensive and concife, instructive and intelligible; and even where the application is not immediately clear, it is fupplied by our divine Instructor himself. It ought to excite

This then is the wifdom that

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our admiration, that, though they may fometimes not be instantly obvious, yet that, when thus explained, we perceive the excellence of the plan, which is fo finely contrived as to form the most convenient vehicle for inftruction. No mode of teaching is so concise, fo comprehensive, or so useful, as parables: for these make a ready and a durable imprefsion on the memory; and as apparent outlines in vifion give shape and diftinctness to bodies, so these embody and more forcibly impress the feveral duties of life on the mind. These are fome of the evidences of the truth of the Christian revelation. When we turn our eyes to the events recorded in the New Teftament; when we read of the angelic host proclaiming, Peace on earth, and good will towards men; when we behold the Redeemer of mankind opening the eyes of the blind, the ears of the deaf, or loofing the tongue of the dumb, and even calling the dead from the grave; when we fee him nailed on the crofs; when the land is darkened; when we feel the agitation of the earth, and all nature bearing testimony to the truth of its God; and laftly, when we see the Holy One, having loofed the pains of death, because it was not possible that he Should be holden of it, and afcending into

heaven crowned with the glory and the majesty on high; ought not every knee to bow down, and every tongue to confess that Jefus was the Son of God?

LECTURE V.

ACTS ii. 22.

Jefus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you, by miracles, and wonders, and figns.

HAVING confidered the confiftency of the Mofaic and Chriftian revelations, I now propofe to offer a few remarks on the miracles and prophecies which connect the two difpenfations.

To begin with the fubject of miracles; a fpecies of evidence, in which it must be allowed that there is no analogy to a general providence; for these are deviations from that ordinary course, by which he is pleased to conduct the works of nature. This evidence is much difputed, and reluctantly received, not only by those who poffefs an evil heart of unbelief, but by those who can comprehend that only which immediately operates on the external fenfes. As St. Paul asked, when plead