"the Holy Ghost, and began to fpeak in other 1. Could enthusiasm perfuade them to believe that they had fuddenly acquired the knowledge of languages, which they had never learned? that they possessed the gift of healing, and exercised it upon multitudes ? Still further, could enthusiasm perfuade them, that by "prayer and laying on of hands" God enabled them to obtain for others, a portion of that fupernatural knowledge and power which they themselves poffefsed; and all this not for a short time, but for the whole remaining period of their lives ?-how wholly incredible that in this they could be mistaken. In a truth we must admit the testimony of the apostles to all the facts they relate, or deny it in all-all were inseparably connected-all equally submitted to the examination of their senses, with this difference, that the miracles which determined them to maintain the divine authority of their crucified Lord, must have excited their attention more strongly than any other parts of his life, because in these they were most interested * Acts viii. 14 to 17. xix. 6. Discourse, p. 45. * Vid. Campbell's not not to be misled; fince error here involved them in the extremest perfecution and distress. Can we then believe they were enthusiasts in asserting the miracles, the refurrection, the ascension of their Lord, when they were as fully judges of these events, and had the very same opportunities of observing them, as his life, his actions, and his death ? What enthusiasm could so compleatly blind and fubvert, not merely the reason, but every faculty, and every sense, of such a number of men, for fuch a length of time, that they should imagine that multitudes of diseased persons were instantaneously restored to health, who never were restored; that the lame were made to walk, the dumb to speak, the blind to fee, and even the dead to rise to life; nay, imagine not only that all this was done, but that they were themselves the persons at whose word, and by whose agency these things were done. To believe that any degree of enthusiasm could de lude men to fancy these things for a feries of days, and months and years, in the most public towns and places, furrounded by crowds of friends and enemies-to believe this is furely the enthusiasm of credulity-utterly inconsistent with all truth and soberness of mind. 1 On ! On this part of the argument it is, I trust, evinced that the apostles were at first attached to their Lord, not by the blind impulse of enthusiasm, but the strong attraction of reason and evidence. That they every day were more firmly united to him by perpetually accumulated proofs of his stupendous power; and that they finally were confcious of becoming themselves the agents, by whom he dispensed his mercies to mankind. When therefore they were commanded by the high priests not to "speak at all, or preach in the name of Jesus"-well did they reply, not with the heat of enthusiasm, but the calm steadiness of conscious truth." Whether it be right in the fight of " God to hearken unto you more than unto God judge 66 ye; we cannot but speak the things which we have " feen and heard." CHAP. 1 CHAPTER II. Containing arguments to prove that the apostles were not enthusiasts, from their not requiring faith in others without fupplying fufficient evidence to justify it. The apostles converted men not by enthusiastic delusions, but by working public and indisputable MIRACLES. IN the first chapter religious enthusiasm has been defcribed as perpetually difcernable by two primary and essential characters; -the ist. credulity in believing without any, or at least without fufficient evidence, that a man's own mind is enlightened by divine inspiration; -the 2d. presumptuous dogmatism in demanding the fubmiffion of others to the dictates of this supposed divine authority, without exhibiting any clear or fatisfactory proofs of its reality. That the apostles and evangelists were free from the first of these characters, I endeavoured to establish, by enumerating those striking proofs of divine wisdom and power exhibited by their Lord, which first induced his disciples to attend his instructions, and acknowledge his facred miffion; and by stating the the evidence addressed to their senses and their reason, which supplied fuch a firm conviction of his refurrection and afcenfion, that they devoted their lives to the promulgation of his gospel, and did not hesitate to die as martyrs to its truth. The very charge of enthusiasm implies sincerity; and fuch facrifices as the apostles submitted to, infallibly prove they were fincere; admitting therefore that they believed the facts which they attest, the only question as to the fource of their own conviction is, whether as to these facts they could have been deceived by any enthufiaftic delusion? and that this was impoffible, I trust, has been evinced. Let me now pass to the second character of enthusiasm, that of demanding afsent on infufficient evidence. In ascribing this character to it, I am confirmed by the authority of the fame profound reafoner on the habits of the human mind, whom I have before quoted. Speaking of enthusiasm he observes, that "the affuming an authority of dictating to others, " and a forwardness to prescribe to their opinions, " is a constant concomitant of this bias of our " judgments; for how can it be otherwise but that " he should be ready to impose on other men's be" lief, who has already imposed upon his own?" Here again he distinguishes between the delufions of b Lock on enthusiasm, § 2. enthusiasm, |