templating the most ample arch of the firmament, the innumerable multitude of the stars, the regular rising and setting of the sun, the periodical and constant vicissitudes of day and night, and seasons of the year, and the other affections of meteors and heavenly bodies, was the principal and almost only ground and occasion that the notion of a God came first into the world; making no mention of the former proof from the frame of human nature, that in God we live, and move, and have our being. Which argument being so natural and internal* to mankind, doth nevertheless (I know not how) seem more remote and obscure to the generality of men, who are readier to fetch a reason from the immense distance of the starry heavens and the outmost walls of the world, than seek one at home, within themselves, in their own faculties and constitutions. So that hence we may perceive how prudently that was waved, and the second here insisted on by St. Paul to the rude and simple semi-barbarians of Lycaonia: he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. Which words we shall now interpret in a large and free acceptation; so that this second theme may comprehend all the brute inanimate matter of the universe, as the former comprised all visible creatures in the world, that have understanding, or sense, or vegetable life. These two arguments are the voices of nature, the unanimous suffrages of all real beings and substances created, that are naturally knowable without revela

And if, lastly, in the third place, we can evince the divine existence from the adjuncts and circumstances of human life; if we find in all ages, in all civilised nations, an universal belief and worship of a divinity; if we find many unquestionable records of supernatural and miraculous effects; if we find many faithful relations of prophecies punctually accomplished; of prophecies so well attested, above the suspicion of falsehood; so remote, and particular, and unlikely

VOL. III.

[* internal; 1st ed. "intrinsical."-D.]

R

to come to pass, beyond the possibility of good guessing, or the mere foresight of human wisdom; if we find a most warrantable tradition, that at sundry times and in divers manners God spake unto mankind by his prophets, and by his Son, and his apostles, who have delivered to us in sacred writings a clearer revelation of his divine nature and will; if, I say, this third topic from human testimony be found agreeable to the standing vote and attestation of nature, what further proofs can be demanded or desired? What fuller evidence can our adversaries require, since* all the classes of known beings are summoned to appear? Would they have us bring more witnesses than the all of the world? and will they not stand to the grand verdict and determination of the universe? They are incurable infidels that persist to deny a Deity; when all creatures in the world, as well spiritual as corporeal, all from human race to the lowest of insects, from the cedar of Libanus to the moss upon the wall, from the vast globes of the sun and planets to the smallest particles of dust, do declare their absolute dependence upon the first author and fountain of all being, and motion, and life, the only eternal and self-existent God; with whom inhabit all majesty, and wisdom, and goodness, for ever and ever.

But, before I enter upon this argument from the origin and frame of the world, it will not be amiss to premise some particulars that may serve for an illustration of the text, and be a proper introduction to the following discourses.†

As the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, were preaching the Gospel at Lystra,h a city of Lycaonia in Asia the Less, among the rest of their auditors there was a lame cripple from his birth, whom Paul commanded, with a loud voice, to stand upright on his feet; and immediately, by a miraculous energy, he leaped and walked. Let us compare the present circumstances with those of my former text, and observe the remarkable difference in the apostle's proceedings. No

[since; 1st ed. "seeing."-D.]

[t to the following discourses; 1st ed. " to our discourse thereupon."-D.] b [Acts, xiv.] ver. 8.

question but there were several cripples at Athens, so very large and populous a city; and, if that could be dubious, I might add, that the very climate disposed the inhabitants to impotency in the feet: Atthide tentantur gressus, oculique in Achæis Finibusi-are the words of Lucretius; which 'tis probable he transcribed from Epicurus, a Gargettian and native of Athens, and therefore an unquestionable evidence in a matter of this nature. Neither is it likely that all the Athenian cripples should escape the sight of St. Paul, since he disputed there in the market daily with them that met him.k How comes it to pass, then, that we do not hear of a like miracle in that city; which, one would think, might have greatly conduced to the apostle's design, and have converted, or at least confuted and put to silence, the Epicureans and Stoics? But it is not difficult to give an account of this seeming disparity, if we attend to the qualifications of the lame person at Lystra, whom Paul stedfastly beholding, and perceiving that he had FAITH to be healed, said, with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. This is the necessary condition that was always required by our Saviour and his apostles: And Jesus said unto the blind man, Receive thy sight, thy FAITH hath saved thee;m and to the woman that had the issue of blood, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy FAITH hath made thee whole: go in peace." "Twas want of FAITH in our Saviour's countrymen, which hindered him from shedding among them the salutary emanations of his divine virtue: And he did not many mighty works there, because of their unbelief. There were many diseased persons in his own country, but very few that were rightly disposed for a supernatural cure. St. Mark hath a very observable expression upon the same occasion: And he could do no mighty works there, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.P

Καὶ οὐκ ΗΔΥΝΑΤΟ ἐκεῖ

ovdeμíav Súvaμıv Tоiñσaι. We read in St. Luke, v. 17: And the POWER (dúvaμis) of the Lord was present to heal them. And chap. vi. ver. 19: And the whole multitude sought to touch him; for there went virtue (dúvaμis) out of him, and healed them all. Now, since dúvapis and dúvatO are* words of the same root and signification, shall we so interpret the evangelist, as if our Saviour had not power to work miracles among his unbelieving countrymen? This is the passage which that impious and impure Atheist Lucilio Vanino singled out for his text, in his pretended and mock apology for the Christian religion; wickedly insinuating as if the prodigies of Christ were mere impostures, and acted by confederacy; and therefore, where the spectators were incredulous, and consequently watchful and suspicious, and not easily imposed on, he COULD do no mighty work there; there his arm was shortened, and his power and virtue too feeble for such supernatural effects. But the gross absurdity of this suggestion is no less conspicuous than the villanous blasphemy of it. For,† can it be credible to any rational person, that St. Mark could have that meaning? that he should tax his Lord and Saviour, whom he knew to be God Almighty, with deficiency of power? He could do no mighty works; that is, he would do none, because of their unbelief. There's a frequent change of those words in all languages of the world. And we may appeal with St. Chrysostom to the common custom of speech, whatever country we live in. This, therefore, is the genuine sense of that expression: Christ would not heal their infirmities, because of the hardness and slowness of their hearts, in that they believed him not. And

[* Now, since dúvaμis and hdúvaтo are; 1st ed. "Seeing then that ǹdúvaro and dúvaus are."-D.]

Vanini Dial. p. 439.

[ But the gross absurdity of this suggestion is no less conspicuous than the villanous blasphemy of it. For; 1st ed. "But the gross absurdity is no less conspicuous than the villanous blasphemy of this suggestion. For.”—D.]

• Chrys. ad locum: τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἐν κοινῇ συνηθείᾳ φυλαττόμενον ίδοι τις ἄν. So, dúvapai is volo, Acts, iv. 20; John, vii. 7: and éλw is possum. Vid. Budæi Comm. Ling. Gr.

I think there is not one instance, in all the history of the New Testament, of a miracle done for any one's sake that did not believe Jesus to be a good person, and sent from God, and had not a disposition of heart fit to receive his doctrine. For, to believe he was the Messias and Son of God, was not then absolutely necessary, nor rigidly exacted; the most signal of the prophecies being not yet fulfilled by him till his passion and resurrection. But, as I said, to obtain a miracle from him, it was necessary to believe him a good person, and sent from God.* Herod therefore hoped† in vain to have seen some miracle done by him:t and when the Pharisees sought of him a sign from heaven, tempting him, they received this disappointing answer, Verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given to this generation." And we may observe in the Gospels, that where the persons themselves were incapable of actual faith, yet the friends and relations of those dead that were raised again to life, of those lunatics and demoniacs that were restored to their right minds, were such as sought after him, and believed on him. And as to the healing of Malchus's ear, it was a peculiar and extraordinary case; for, though the person was wholly unworthy of so gracious a cure, yet, in the account of the meek Lamb of God, it was a kind of injury done to him by the fervidness of St. Peter, who knew not yet what spirit he was of, and that his Master's kingdom was not of this world. But, besides this obvious meaning of the words of the evangelist, there may perhaps be a sublimer sense couched under the expression. For, in the divine nature, will and can are frequently the selfsame thing; and freedom and necessity, that are opposites here below, do in heaven above most amicably agree and join hands together. And

* See John, ch. ix. and Matt. xvi. 14.

W

[* But, as I said, to obtain a miracle from him, it was necessary to believe him a good person, and sent from God; not in 1st ed.-D.]

[ Herod therefore hoped; 1st ed. “So Herod hoped.”—D.]