stood till they were fulfilled. It seemed impossible to reconcile such discordant situations: but the stronger the inconsistency then appeared, the more convincing evidence do they now afford, that they were spoken by true prophets, and have been truly accomplished.

III. If, after an examination of both these kinds of evidence, any man should entertain a doubt, whether the miracles are fairly related, or the prophecies rightly interpreted, yet the progress and establishment of Christianity, whence our third argument was drawn, are events which cannot be contested, and which seem wholly inexplicable on any other supposition. Let those, who reject miracles and divine interpositions, attempt the solution. All history certainly cannot furnish them with a parallel for a few illiterate and despised mechanics to project the total extirpation of all the religions in the world, when they had nothing to substitute in their place, but what their own enthusiasm or hypocrisy might suggest, would surely have been an unaccountable design. Nor would their manner of executing it have appeared less extraordinary than the project itself. They not only set themselves in opposition to all the rich, and powerful, and learned; but they advanced, at the very beginning, such principles, as were directly repugnant to the professions and prejudices of those, whom they wanted to convert: they began with preaching a doctrine, which they knew would be to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolishness.' That an attempt so extravagant in its design, and so preposterous in its execution, should yet be successful; that they should presently make innumerable proselytes, and persuade them to quit, for this new religion, friends and fortunes, liberty, and sometimes even life itself; nay, what is still more difficult, to pluck up rooted prejudices, and cast away habitual vices, and to adhere to the instructions they had received with such firmness, as is never mentioned without astonishment by their unbelieving neighbors; and that these doctrines should continually prevail, in opposition to the power of the Roman emperors, till half, at least, of their subjects were converted;all this, if the miracles recorded in the New Testament were not really performed, must be confessed to be itself miraculous.

There are some differences, which deserve our notice, between these several proofs of our religion: they all depend, in some degree, on testimonies; and the testimonies, which are very strong in themselves, receive additional force from their variety. In our first proof, the witnesses are chiefly Christians: in the difficult part of the second, we have also the consent of the ancient, and of many among the modern Jews: the facts referred to in the third, were all cited from heathen authors. The first of these methods of reasoning would probably have the greatest influence; whilst the miraculous power continued, with all men, and afterwards with inquisitive and rational heathens; the second, with learned Jews; the last, after a century or two, with many of the people, both Jews and heathens, who would be rather guided by the number and character of believers, than convinced by curious arguments, or by the history of remote facts. The prophecies connect Christianity with Judaism: the miracles, and the wonderful success of its preachers, connect it with natural religion, and with our notions of a moral Governor of the world: and thus, all the revelations, which God has made of himself, first by the law of nature, then by Moses and the prophets, and, lastly, by Jesus Christ, are united, and each explains and ratifies the others.

SUMMARY OF DISCOURSE XIII.

EPHESIANS, CHAP. V.-VERSE 18.

THIS verse seems never to have been rightly explained by commentators: neither the reason of the former precept, nor the meaning of the latter, nor the connexion of them with each other, is made sufficiently clear: this explained.

The first difficulty arises from the word dooria, here rendered excess: general accuracy of St. Paul's expressions: it is therefore reasonable to believe, that the word here used has a proper meaning; its most usual acceptation of waste, riot, or extravagance, not agreeing with this passage. Signification of the word here shown to be deduced from the Roman law, importing such a mixture of wickedness and folly, as makes a man unfit to conduct himself, and requires him to be put under the guidance and authority of another. An immoderate use of wine degrades a man, and deprives him of the privilege of selfgovernment.

The second precept in the text seems also to want some explanation. The assistance of the Holy Ghost is described in Scripture as being of two kinds; one peculiar, temporary, and limited, imparted to chosen messengers of the gospel, and to them only at certain seasons and for certain purposes; the other general and perpetual, extending to all our wants, &c. Different effects of these two kinds dilated on; and the latter shown to be that which the apostle meant in the present instance.

Connexion of matters, apparently so distant and incoherent, shown to be close and pertinent, as soon as their true meaning

is discovered. Paraphrase of the whole passage, for this purpose its design fully shown.

Concerning this influence of God's Spirit, men have fallen into two mistakes, which, though founded on the same false principle, are yet opposite to each other, and equally dangerous, the one to religion, the other to morals. These two errors described also the principle from which they are derived. It is shown equally irrational to conclude, either, because we are not sensible of God's assistance, that none is given; or because we rely on his promises, that the assistance given must necessarily be perceived. Difficulties of the same kind shown to have been the occasion of similar mistakes in natural religion. It is not easy to determine, either in the doctrine of providence or of grace, which is the more arrogant, or more dangerous folly; to pretend to discover God's secret counsels, or to deny their efficacy: this enlarged on. He, who is really filled with spiritual wisdom, avoids both these errors. As we are ignorant of many things in the natural world, so must we be content to be ignorant of the nature and particular effects of the divine illuminations: it is sufficient for us to understand the means of obtaining them: these shown. Conclusion.

DISCOURSE XIII.

INTEMPERANCE IN THE GRATIFICATION OF OUR APPETITES NOT CONSISTENT WITH SPIRITUAL IMPROVEMENT.

[Preached on Whitsunday.]

EPHESIANS, CHAP. V.-VERSE 18.

Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.

THOUGH this verse seems to contain only two short precepts of morality and religion, one of which every man, and the other every Christian ought to understand and observe; yet none of the commentators have, I think, rightly explained it. Neither the reason of the former precept, nor the meaning of the latter, nor the connexion of them with each other, is made sufficiently clear. If the apostle be supposed to caution us against drunkenness, because it is excess, it must be acknowleged that he gives us, instead of a reason, one of those trifling propositions which convey no instruction; and when he enjoins us to be filled with the Spirit, it will be natural to inquire, How are we to follow this direction? Is the matter within our own power? Is not the Spirit the free, the proper gift of God? And if these difficulties be removed, and it appear that the apostle's reason is pertinent, and his advice practicable, yet it may still be demanded, What connexion is there between these two precepts? Why are matters, so different in their nature, so closely united? united in such a manner, as seems to import, that, if we transgress one of these rules, it will not be possible for us to observe the other. The answers to these