On the contrary, does not it clearly appear that the faith of his followers was originally founded, not on † blind credulity, but on rational conviction; not on internal persuasion alone, but on clear and stupendous miracles-proofs submitted to their senses and approved by their reason, which enthusiasm never could have counterfeited, and never would have required? And at every step of its progress, as their faith was called to signalize itself by new exertions, or to sustain new trials, so it was fortified by new proofs. During a considerable period, (probably a whole ‡ year) had his disciples been hearers of his doctrines, and witnesses of his power, before he selected from them twelve, to become his ministers and apostles. Immediately, on this selection, he descends with them into the plain, and heals multitudes in their presence. A considerable interval, filled with the most § awful miracles, intervened between this call, and his delegation of them to visit the cities of Judah, In stating the facts which it seemed necessary to notice, I have followed the order adopted by Primate Newcome in his Harmony, and have with him supposed the ministry of our Lord to have held during three years, or more. But though I am persuaded of the truth of this hypothesis, I think it expedient to remark, that its truth is no way essential to my argument. If we adopt the opinion of Dr. Mann, and Dr. Priestly, that our Lord's ministry terminated in a year and a few months, and follow the order of events which this hypothesis requires; still the main series of facts on which my reasonings are founded remain unchanged.-The apostles had the same causes to attract their attention at first, and strengthen their conviction in every step of its progress! The only difference is, that on the latter system the events are united together more closely. They exhibit the same causes, but in somewhat a more rapid succession producing the same effects. In proof of this, I refer my reader to Dr. Priestly's Harmony, s. 10, on the order of the events; and the calendar of our Saviour's ministry annexed to the harmony; he makes a greater number of miracles precede the selection of the twelve, but fewer intervene between that selection and their first mission. + Newcome's preface to his Harmony, p. 5. Previously to the call of the four apostles, Mark i. 16-28, Andrew had been the Baptist's disciple, and had received his testimony to Jesus (probably also St. John, according to the best commentators on John i. 35), Peter had been brought to Jesus by Andrew, his brother, and Jesus had shown more than human knowledge, and more than human power, which probably had fallen within the experience of these disciples, or, at least must have gained their belief on the firmest grounds." Vide Newcome's preface to his Harmony, p. 5, "The jealousy of the Jewish rulers was not early awakened by the call of the twelve apostles to a stated attendance. This event took place after our Lord had celebrated his second passover at Jerusalem, when he was about to absent himself from that city for so long an interval as eighteen months; in like manner the seventy were not sent forth, to show throughout a wide tract of country, with what wisdom and power their Master endued them, till within six months of our Lord's crucifixion."-Vide also the notes on section 33, of Newcome's Harmony, p. 16. Matt. x. 2-4. Mark iii. 13-19. Luke vi. 12-19. § Between the selection of the twelve and their first mission, amongst many other miracles were the following distinguished ones; the servant of the centurion at that they might teach and work miracles themselves. And in that mission they received such new and signal proofs of divine assistance, that any attempt to account for them by the delusions of enthusiasm is the extreme of absurdity. "They departed and went through the towns and healed every where." After another long interval seventy disciples, with similar power, were sent forth, and with equal success; they returned with joy,"* recounting the wonders they had wrought. 66 SECTION III. Some circumstances which have afforded pretexts for imputing our Lord's miracles to the force of enthusiasm, considered and explained. It may be necessary here to remark, that the series of miracles which our blessed Lord performed, was decidedly above every possibility of being accounted for by any enthusiastic delusions, or any force of imagination in the persons on whom these miracles were wrought. This suspicion has been sometimes raised, from our Lord's appearing to require faith in those who were healed, and from its being recorded, that he could not, or would not, work many mighty works at Nazareth, because of their unbelief. But even in these cases, which have given occasion to this suspicion, from our Lord's requiring faith before he conferred his miraculous favours, one observation which has not been I think sufficiently attended to, seems to me to prove to a certainty, that it was not because the success of the miracle, in any degree, depended on this faith. We uniformly find, that our Lord required faith, only in the person at whose request the miracle was vouchsafed, not at all in the patient on whom it was wrought, Capernaum, Matt. viii. Luke vii. The Newcome's Harmony, s. 37, p. 63. widow's son at Nain is raised from the dead, Luke vii. 11. Newcome's Harmony, s. 38. A tempest is calmed by a word, Matt. viii. 23-26. Luke viii. 22. Newcome's Harmony s. 50. And the daughter of Jairus is raised to life, Matt. ix. 18. Mark v. 22. Luke vii. 41. Newcome's Harmony, s. 52. * Luke x. 17. + Vide Christianity not founded on argument, p. 49. 66 except he applied in person for the cure. Thus, when the nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum, applied to our Saviour at Cana of Galilee, "to come down and heal him, for he was at the point of death," our Lord answers him, except ye see signs and wonders ye will not believe; but go thy way, thy son liveth; and the man believed and went his way." Now could the force of imagination in the father heal the absent son? Thus also, when the † centurion at Capernaum sent the elders of the Jews to beseech him "to heal his servant, who was very dear to him, who was sick and ready to die," and proved the greatness of his faith by declaring, "Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof, but say the word only, and my servant shall be healed." Our Lord declares, "he had not found so great faith, no not in Israel;" and adds, "go thy way, and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee." Here, could the faith of the master contribute to the cure of the servant, except only as being the motive of our Lord's prompt interference? Thus the faith of the person on whose application the miracle is wrought (whether the patient himself or another) is the cause of the cure, no otherwise than as it was the cause, first of the application, and next of our Lord's complying with it. But though this faith must have preceded that particular miracle, does it therefore follow that it was not founded on any observation of our Lord's divine power, but that it must have been derived from irrational credulity and blind enthusiasm ? Surely not. In every instance, when we find such faith required, it is plain from the history, that the person of whom it was required, must have had opportunities of being fully assured of our Lord's supernatural power, and gracious mercy in exerting it. When men improved those opportunities with serious attention, when they judged from what they saw and heard with fairness and candour, they could not fail of receiving a full conviction of our Lord's divine character; and if in consequence of this conviction they applied to him with seriousness and humility, he never refused to lend a pitying ear, and extend a saving arm. • John iv. 43-54. Newcome's Harmony, s. 24. + Matt. viii. 5-13. Luke vii. 1-10. Newcome's Harmony s. 37. Thus he rewarded the sincere believer, while he displayed a proof of his power to the unconverted. But men frequently acted in a manner totally the reverse of this; they neglected or perverted the fullest opportunities of conviction. Like the Pharisees, they attributed the plainest manifestations of divine benevolence to the influence of malignant demons; or they applied to see at sign; not because they had not already seen abundant wonders, but because they resolved not to be satisfied with any evidence, except such as they pre-conceived would mark out that temporal deliverer, whom alone their worldly minds expected or desired; an expectation in which when they found themselves disappointed by the meek Jesus; they received his virtues with hatred, and were irritated almost to madness by his miracles. Some, like Herod, only hoped to see a miracle performed, from idle curiosity, without any desire for information or conviction, but rather with a fixed aversion to the purity and benevolence of that system, which the Son of God laboured to inculcate and exemplify. Others, like the Nazarenes, § beheld his mighty works, and heard his wise instructions, not with reverence, but with indignation, because their proud and worldly minds were offended with the apparent meanness of his origin; in consequence of which, they would not condescend to apply to our Lord for his interference, notwithstanding his long experienced power. In all these cases, the Son of God would not gratify the vain and unreasonable expectations of some, or waste his miracles on others, who despised both him and them; for he could not do this consistently with the dignity of his office, and the object of his mission, which was calculated to try, and to exalt the moral character of men, by supplying abundant evidence to the fair and humble inquirer, without | extorting the assent of the wilfully blind and obstinately negligent, or violently subduing to a reluctant submission the incorrigibly vicious and perverse. Thus it was that the want of faith prevented our Lord from dispensing his miraculous favours. But never did the benign Jesus, when implored, refuse to exercise his supernatural power in relieving misery. And in no instance did he ever attempt to exercise it without full success; while in the objects and the manner of the operation he constantly displayed a just selection and calm dignity, utterly inconsistent with the extravagance of fanaticism. The preceding observations will derive additional clearness and certainty from an examination of particular facts. Thus the first instance in which we find faith at all required, before our Lord performed the miracle implored of him, occurred* when he returned from the feast of the passover (at which "many believed on his name, beholding the miracles which he did") to Cana of Galilee, which had been the scene of his first miracle, and the inhabitants of which "received him, having seen all things which he had done in Jerusalem at the feast." Here a nobleman, whose son lay sick at Capernaum, applied to him "to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death." Our Lord answers, "except ye see signs and wonders ye will not believe." And the nobleman's reply proves that his application proceeded rather from an anxious hope that he, by whom he had seen or heard such miracles were wrought, might perhaps have power to rescue the object of his affections from impending death, than from such firm confidence as the experience of past miracles ought to have excited in a candid mind. His words are remarkable; he neither asserts the firmness of his faith, nor confesses or deplores his want of it, but repeats his request with increasing urgency, "Lord come down ere my child die," fearing, as it seems, that to recall him from death our Lord's power extended not. Jesus chooses that mode of performing the miracle which should most decidedly shew these doubts were not incorrigible. Instead of accompanying him to see his son, as he had desired, he says, "go thy way, thy son liveth; and the man believed and went his way, and that very hour the fever left his son." Do not these circumstances clearly point out the propriety of our Lord's noticing, with some degree of censure, his previous weakness of faith? An instance in which the want of faith was censured, was in *John, 4th chapter, 48th verse. |