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Christ is one with God, and if those who honour him, honour the Father, &c., we have no difficulty in preserving the idea of unity, while we admit a plurality of persons. If Christ is not essentially God, the doctrine taught by the prophets and apostles, and by Christ himself, goes to subvert the unity of the Godhead, and elevate a mere creature to the rank, throne, and glory of the Great Eternal. For, whatever any man may say, or however the Socinian may reason, the sacred writers, and especially the apostles, do most certainly ascribe to Christ all the perfections of Deity; and that, too, in language so clear and conclusive, that no man, unless he cultivate a wilful determination to pervert the meaning of Scripture, can misunderstand their meaning.

ON THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST.

ARGUMENT FIFTH: ON THE MIRACLES OF CHRIST.

What a miracle is. The peculiar manner in which Christ performed his miracles. His miracles were displays of his benevolence. The miracles of Christ were wrought in confirmation of pure and holy doctrines. They were performed publicly. They were numerous. They were capable of investigation. The object of Christ in performing his miracles. The evidence we have of his miracles. The character of the Apostles who bare testimony to his miracles. They are entitled to our confidence.

IF Christ is God, it is reasonable to suppose that while he was upon earth he would have given demonstrative evidence of the same in the works which he did, and in actions becoming his peculiar dignity and infinite greatness; and so he did, in the numerous and glorious miracles which he performed, which were displays of his eternal power and Godhead.

The miracles of Christ should, if we would consider them properly, be arranged in different classes, designated by different names, and separately contemplated in our minds. But, as we have no intention to enter into a minute and critical investigation of the various peculiarities of each class of miracles, we shall simply consider the nature and character of our Lord's miracles, so far as they serve to illustrate his Divinity.

What are we to understand as being meant by "a

miracle?" Dr. Pye Smith says: "A miracle is a sensible effect produced by the action of the Supreme Being, in some way that is out of the ordinary course of sensible operations." And this is the view, though differently expressed, generally entertained by the learned on this subject. Chalmers says: "It is an intromission of divine power;" and Vaughan: "Such a control of natural causes as bespeaks the intervention of a cause to which they are secondary."(The " Age of Christianity," page 91.)

1. Some of Christ's miracles were of such a nature as are calculated to furnish us with the most brilliant displays of his divine and omnipotent power; as, for instance, in the case of raising the dead, expelling devils, and controlling the raging elements of nature. The manner in which the Saviour wrought these stupendous miracles, was sufficient to illustrate his almighty power and Godhead. He performed them readily and easily, and in a manner consistent with the dignity and majesty of his divine character. He employed no delusive apparatus of conjuration or necromancy to deceive the vision of spectators. There was no cumbrous and tardy machinery of falsehood and deception. His power was put forth in ready obedience to his intention, and to will was to effect. "I will, be thou clean; and immediately the leper was cleansed." "Peace, be still," and instantly the winds and waves obeyed his voice. "The sea saw him, and fled." In a moment the fury of contending elements was quelled, and the roaring waves were hushed into placid silence. To the nobleman who said, "Sir, come down ere my child die," he simply replied, "Thy son liveth;" which words operated effectually even upon the absent child. To Lazarus he simply but autho

ritatively said, "Come forth;" and although he had been dead, and lain in the grave three days, he instantly sprang into life. This miracle confirmed, in a most striking manner, what he had previously said to Martha: "I am the resurrection and the life," &c.

2. The miracles of Christ were of the most benevolent kind, which is a further proof of his Divinity. "God is love"-" Good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works." If Christ had simply displayed a supernatural power in the performance of his miracles, unassociated with benevolence, there would have been no moral proof of his Deity; or in other words, no manifestation of the moral perfections of the divine nature. But in his miracles there were manifestations of his goodness and mercy. He might have turned rivers into blood, shut up the windows of heaven, called down fire to consume his enemies and persecutors, or commanded the earth to swallow them up alive, &c. But his wonders bore the stamp of love and mercy. They conveyed health to the sick, bread to the hungry, sight to the blind, happiness to the miserable, and life to the dead. They were strong and clear expressions of the feelings of a Being who is interested in the happiness of mankind, and beautifully harmonise with the benevolent character of the new and better dispensation. The law of Moses was an economy of threats and terror, and was therefore ushered in, on Mount Sinai, amidst the awful grandeur of thunder and lightning, blackness and darkness, and the sound of a trumpet. The gospel is a system of peace and reconciliation, and was therefore ratified by deeds of compassion and mercy. St. Paul, when contrasting the law with the gospel, shews the mildness and glory of the

latter in a manner worthy of one who had been up into the third heavens. Heb. xii. 18-24.

3. The design of Christ's miracles ought not to pass unnoticed. They were wrought in confirmation of pure and holy doctrines, which tend to promote the best interests of mankind. We see not the lying wonders of the Pagan gods, or modern imposters, performed merely to induce the credulous to become votaries to a religion which degrades and deforms the moral beauty of the mind. No; the doctrines taught by the Saviour were pure, holy, . rational, and consistent with the wisdom and goodness of his divine nature. Hence our Lord, on this ground, successfully refuted the blasphemous charge of his enemies, who fain would have ascribed his miracles to the agency of Beelzebub the prince of devils. But when did the children of darkness promote the interests of light? "If Satan were divided against himself, how could his kingdom stand?" Thus the miracles of Christ derive confirmation from the beauty and sublimity of the moral system which they were intended to establish.

4. His miracles were wrought publicly, before the eyes of the multitude, and in the presence of his enemies; and they were of such a nature that they were capable of being investigated. Our blessed Saviour sought not obscurity, like the imposter who wishes to perform his dark deeds of deception in secret, in order to throw a veil of mystery around him. No; his deeds were not done in a corner. He was beheld in the city, in the fields, on the mountain top, in the temple, and on various public occasions. While he avoided ostentation, he courted publicity, and was seen performing his sublime and gracious miracles in the

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