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ance of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; and so must Darius, and all people in his time, the deliverance of Daniel from the lions.

With respect to the miracles of Jesus, it is evident from the nature of them, and from his manner of life, that they could not but have been known to the whole nation of the Jews. Peter, fpeaking of them to a promifcuous multitude who were affembled in Jerufalem on the report of the wonderful gift of tongues, expreffed himself in the following remarkable manner (Acts ii. 22): Ye men of Ifrael, hear my words, Jefus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you, by miracles, and wonders, and figns, which God did by him, in the midst of you, as ye your felves alfo know. Again, addreffing himself to Cornelius, a Roman centurion, and his friends, he says, concerning Jefus and the gofpel, Acts x. 36, The word which God fent unto the children of Ifrael, that word ye know, which was published. throughout all fudea. He evidently did not think it neceffary to produce witneffes of particular facts. He took it for granted that they were known to every body, how God anointed Jefus of Nazareth with the holy Spirit,

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and with power, who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him; and we are witnesses of all things which he did, both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerufalem.

Alfo, when Paul was addreffing king Agrippa, in the prefence of Feftus and the court, he fays, Acts xxvi. 20, None of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner. To the refurrection and the afcenfion of Jefus, all the country, but for the best reafons, were not witneffes. But certainly five hundred, who faw him at one time, were abundantly fufficient to ascertain the fact, as far as any number could do it.

The miracle of the gift of tongues, conferred on the apostles, and all the primitive Chriftians, could not but be known to all the country, and in every place in which it was conferred. The cure of the lame beggar at the gate of the temple was, from the circumftances of it, as public as any thing of the kind could well be; and the deliverance of Peter and John from prifon, when the court and all the people knew of their commitment, and were in expectation of their being produced, must have engaged univerfal attention. Paul

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Paul was a perfon fo well known to the chief priests, and fo active in the perfecution of the Christians, that the circumstances of his converfion were, no doubt, the fubject of much converfation, and the miracles that he performed in ftriking Elymas with blindness in the prefence of the governor of Cyprus, the cure of the lame man at Lyftra, for which 'the people would have facrificed to him as to a god, his cure of the infane woman at Theffalonica, and of the demoniacs at Ephefus, were of the most confpicuous nature.

4. The miracles recorded in the fcriptures, especially the great ones which attended the promulgation of the law of Mofes, and of Christianity, were all performed in the prefence of enemies, at least of perfons not at all predisposed to believe them, or to be convinced by them. It appears that Mofes himself, who had refided forty years in Arabia, and was married, and had fettled there, was exceedingly averse to undertake any thing in favour of his countrymen, and that they, feeing no remedy, had acquiefced in their state of fervitude; but that his reluctance was overcome by miracles, and the positive command of God.

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In his expoftulation with God on the fub-ject, he expreffed the unwillingness of his countrymen to believe his miffion. On the fight of the miracles which he was impowered to work in their prefence, they were fatisfied with respect to it, but their deliverance not being effected immediately, and their fervitude being rendered more galling, they conceived great indignation against Mofes and Aaron for attempting it. We read, Exod. v. 20, And they met Mofes and Aaron, who flood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh; and they faid unto them, The Lord look upon you, and judge, because you have made our favour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his fervants, to put a fword into their hands to flay us. Mofes himself at this time repented of his undertaking. For we read, v. 22, And Mofes returned unto the Lord, and faid, Wherefore haft thou fo evil intreated this people? Why is it that thou haft fent me? For fince I came to Pharaoh to Speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people, neither haft thou delivered thy people at all. On this Mofes received farther encouragement; but when he fpake to his countrymen again, chap. ix. they bearkened

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hearkened not unto him, for anguish of Spirit, and for cruel bondage.

When, in confequence of a feries of miracles, of the most astonishing kind, the deliverance of the Ifraelites was actually effected, and they had marched out of the country, on perceiving that they were purfued, they were exceedingly alarmed, and faid unto Mofes, Exod. xiv. 11, Because there were no graves in Egypt, haft thou taken us away to die in the wilderness. Wherefore haft thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, Saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to ferve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness. It was almoft with as much reluctance that the Ifraelites were induced to leave Egypt as the Egyptians expreffed to let them go. On every adverse event, or hardship, we find them making the fame complaints, and regretting that they had left Egypt.

Thus, when they wanted water, we read, Exod. xvii. 3, The people murmured against Mofes, and faid, Wherefore is it that thou haft brought us out of Egypt, to kill us and our

children,

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