altered, than I have any man's testimony that they are."

Now for the answer. Hume says, his experience tells him the laws of nature are not altered. But his experience could tell him of nothing before he was born; nor of what happened since, except on the very limited spot where he stood. As to all that occurred prior to his existence, or as to all that was occurring, in other parts of the world, while he was speaking or writing, he could know nothing except by what? by testimony. That very testimony he was attempting to disparage. So that, after all, he knew that the laws of nature were not frequently altered, only by testimony.

Well, I suppose we must give up the attempt to make you try to work miracles; for I shall never persuade you to try this one bold stroke, that would do more execution, if it should succeed, than all the petty blows you are now aiming at religion. But, till you can venture upon this, you should hold your peace about miracles; and let Christians talk away here, as they please; while you, by your silence, tell aloud that you cannot answer them.

For, much as you hate the word mystery, you must confess that there is some mystery here, that you cannot fathom; how Jesus should satisfy people that he wrought miracles upon thousands, and you, who are so much cleverer, cannot make us believe that you can work one! Only recollect, that if you cannot meet this one argument, it remains a proof that revealed religion is true.

But now, I hear you cry, "If miracles were

ever wrought, why should they not be wrought now?" Because there are enough wrought to convince any rational candid man, who really wishes to know the truth; and when God has done enough, he is too wise to do any thing more. You might as "If the world ever were created, why is

well say, it not created again?" But even a child will tell you, that, having been once created, it neither requires nor admits a second creation. If miracles were made common, they would cease to be miracles, and to answer their end.

"Be

If you say, "Why should not miracles be wrought for me, as well as for others?" we can answer, cause others were placed in circumstances in which you are not. You live in times in which religion has been proved true, by the fulfilment of prophecies, and by many other evidences, which former generations could not enjoy. You, therefore, have as good opportunities for being convinced of the truth of religion without miracles, as others had with them."

But you say, "If we saw miracles we would believe." Not you, indeed. Nothing would convince the de-. spisers of the Scriptures; "for if they believe not Moses and the prophets, neither would they believe though one rose from the dead."

·But, stop-I will be more liberal than you expect. I will promise you miracles. Now I hear you exclaim, "This Lecturer has challenged us to work miracles, and we durst not take his challenge; but he is going to furnish one himself, and we will watch the thing narrowly, to detect the cheat." What is this miracle? You, yourselves, shall be one. I have

D

shown you, that nothing can be more convincing than that kind of wonder where the witness is him

self the subject of the mighty work. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." What a miracle! a miracle of mercy, where one might have expected a prodigy of judgment! God will forgive you, after all your impiety, unbelief, and blasphemy. That Christ will forgive you, after treating him as an impostor, should be regarded as one of the greatest of miracles. But this, like all his miracles, will be gloriously complete. There will be nothing left to wish for, to give it the stamp of divinity. For so perfect will be his forgiveness that he will never reproach you with your former infidelity, or say to you, when you cast yourselves at his feet for pardon, "But remember you once denied my name, rejected my credentials, and ridiculed my friends as the dupes of imposture." No, he reproaches none that come to him; but "receives them graciously, loves them freely, and casts all their sins behind his back, as a stone into the depths of the sea."

For if any revile and reproach you, and treat you as those who can never be forgiven, I have no sympathy with them. If any threaten and persecute you, I know they will receive no thanks for their mistaken zeal from him, who said to those who would call for fire from heaven, "ye know not what spirit ye are of, for the Son of man is not come to destroy mens' lives, but to save them."

I utterly disapprove of all persecutions for infidelity. Christianity does not need them. She

cannot approve them. When the religion of Jesus first came forth into the world, it had to sustain fiercer attacks than those which now threaten it. Deists and atheists, philosophers and literati, priests, magistrates and kings all opposed it, but it defended itself against a united world, by the strength of its evidence, and the divinity of its spirit. Strong in its foundation, firmly fixed upon a rock, benevolent in its temper, and unwearied in its patient endurance of sufferings; it fled to no human resources, asked no earthly aids; but said, "the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong holds, and bringing every thought into obedience to Christ."

In the same strength it conquered once a hostile world, and shall conquer again. Its true friends never call in the civil force to protect it from attacks, and to spread its influence through the world.

He will make you a new creature, and “turn your heart of stone to flesh." Will not that be a miracle? Then you will have a proof of the truth of religion, in your own breast; "for he that believeth hath the witness in himself." This miracle all real Christians carry about with them. How vain, then, is your attempt to shake their faith! You may make infidels of those who never were really Christians; but if you become Christians indeed, you will say to all the attacks of infidels, "Alas! poor men! if they knew what evidences of religion I carry in my bosom, they would as soon attempt to persuade me out of my existence, as to argue me out of that which is to me a new and better existence." God grant that

to say,

you may find this mercy; then may he give you grace to undo, as far as possible, all the mischief you have done, or laboured to do; and cause you "I once studied to seduce men from the path to heaven, and to plunge them into hell; and shall I not now labour, with far more zeal, to bring them to that Saviour whom I have found, and to that heaven already begun within my breast?"

Infidel, though I have rallied you, for the sake of making you feel my argument, my heart has yearned over you, longing to rescue you from the destruction you are courting, and to bring you to taste the mercy, and grace, and holiness, and happiness of the religion you now despise. Lord Jesus, thou who hast, with thy dying breath, pleaded for thy murderers, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do;" smile on this attempt to turn thine enemies into friends.

After the religious service had closed, a gentleman took the chair. A pause of about five minutes ensued, when Mr. Taylor rose and asked, Whether the Lecturer did not say that miracles were designed to introduce a new dispensation of religion?

The Lecturer answered, That he did say so; for when the Jewish dispensation was given to the world the miracles of Moses confirmed it, and proved that it came from God; and when the Christian dispensation was given, this was introduced and confirmed by the miracles of Christ and his apostles.