And

man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the fpirit, and of power, 1 Cor. ii. 4. to the Theffalonians he fays, our gofpel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, 1 Theff. i. 5. It was to the efficacy of the divine power that he afcribed all his fuccefs in those countries, and where-ever elfe he planted the gospel of Chrift.

If that power really went with him, it would enable him to overcome all thofe difficulties that obftructed his enterprize, but then he was not an impoftor: our enquiry therefore muft be, whether (fuppofing him to have been an impoftor) he could by pretending to miracles have overcome all thofe difficulties, and carried on his work with fuccefs?

Now to give miracles, falely pretended to, any reputation, two circumftances are' principally neceffary, an apt difpofition in those whom they are defigned to impofe upon, and a powerful confederacy to carry on, and abate the cheat. Both thefe circumftances, or at least one of them, have always accompanied all the falfe miracles ancient and modern, which have obtained any credit among mankind. To both thefe was owing the general faith of the

heathen world in oracles, aufpices, auguries, and other impoftures, by which the priests combined with the magiftrates, fupported the national worship, and deluded a people prepoffeffed in their favour, and willing to be deceived. Both the fame caufes likewife co-operate in the belief that is given to popish miracles among those of their own church. But neither of thefe affifted Saint Paul. What prepoffeffion

could there have been in the minds of the Gentiles, either in favour of him, or the doctrines he taught; or rather, what prepoffeffions could be ftronger than those, which they undoubtedly had against both? If he had remained in Judea, it might have been fuggested by unbelievers that the Jews were a credulous people, apt to seek after miracles, and to afford them an eafy belief; and that the fame of those said to be done by Jefus himself, and by his apoftles, before Paul declared his converfion, had predisposed their minds, and warmed their imaginations to the admiffion of others supposed to be wrought by the fame power.

The fignal miracle of the apoftles fpeaking with tongues on the day of Pentecoft, had made three thoufand converts; that

of healing the lame man at the gate of the temple five thousand more, Acts ii. ver. 41. ch. iv. ver. 4. Nay, fuch was the faith of the multitude, that they brought forth the fick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter paffing by might overshadow fome of them, Acts v. ver. 15. Here was therefore a good foundation laid for Paul to proceed upon in pretending to fimilar miraculous works; though the priests and the rulers were hardened against them, the people were inclined to give credit to them, and there was reafon to hope for fuccefs among them both at Jerufalem, and in all the regions belonging to the Jews. But no fuch difpofitions were to be found in the Gentiles. There was among them no matter prepared for impofture to work upon, no knowledge of Chrift, no thought of his power, or of the power of those who came in his name. Thus when at Lyftra St. Paul healed the man who was a cripple from his birth, Acts xiv. fo far were the people there from fuppofing that he could be able to do such a thing as an apostle of Chrift, or by any virtue derived from him, that they took Paul and Barna

F

bas to be gods of their own come down the likenefs of men, and would have fa crificed to them as fuch.

Now I afk, did the citizens of Lyftra concur in this matter to the deceiving them felves? Were their imaginations over-he ed with any conceits of miraculous po belonging to Paul, which could dif them to think he worked fuch a min when he did not? As the contrary is dent, fo in all other places to which carried the gospel, it may be proved to c monftration, that he could find no difpo tion, no aptnefs, no bias to aid his impc ture, if the miracles, by which he ever where confirmed his preaching, had no been true.

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On the other hand let us examine, whe ther without the advantage of fuch a affiftance there was any confederacy ftrong enough to impose his falfe miracles upo the Gentiles, who were both unprepared and undifpofed to receive them. The con trary is apparent. He was in no combina tion with their priests or their magiftrates no fect or party among them gave him an help; all eyes were open and watchful to detect his impoftures, all hands ready t

D punish him as foon as detected. Had he remained in Judea, he would at least have had many confederates, all the apostles, all the difciples of Chrift, at that time m pretty numerous; but in preaching to the entiles he was often alone, never with Pore than two or three companions, or thowers. Was this a confederacy powforul enough to carry on fuch a cheat, in p many different parts of the world, arainst the united oppofition of the magif rates, priests, philofophers, people, all combined to detect and expose their frauds?

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Let it be alfo confidered, that those upon whom they practised these arts were not a grofs or ignorant people, apt to mifne take any uncommon operations of nature, or juggling tricks, for miraculous acts.The churches planted by St. Paul were in the moft enlightened parts of the world, among the Greeks of Afia and Europe, among the Romans, in the midst of fcience, philofophy, freedom of thought, and in an age more inquifitively curious into the powers of nature, and lefs inclined to credit religious frauds than any before it.-Nor were they only the loweft of the peo