b 1 Cor. xii. 4, 7—11. ' Eph. iii. 9.
have been a slow process, if they had to bear down their adversaries with the mere force of reason ; and to convince them would have been a difficult under- taking : but the performing of miracles superseded, if not entirely, yet in great measure, these laborious efforts, and carried conviction at once to the minds of hundreds and of thousands, who would not have had leisure or ability to enter into long and deep discussions. Thus it was that Christianity was established : and those to whom these divine powers were committed, were highly honoured of God, in being made his instruments for the conversion and salvation of their fellow-men.
But these gifts are now no longer necessary : they have accomphshed the work for which they were bestowed. The record of them remains ; and to that we can appeal. That was written whilst multi- tudes were alive, and able to testify of what their eyes had seen and their ears had heard. To have had those miracles continued would have answered no good end : for they must have been wrought in every age and every place, where the doctrine needed to be confirmed : and then the common- ness of them would have destroyed their efficacy upon the mind. Even when they were wrought, they did not carry conviction to the minds of all : and how much less would they have done so at this time, if they had been continued to the present day ! We may well say, that, if men believe not the records of the Old and New Testaments, neither would they be persuaded though they saw one rise from the dead.
These supernatural gifts being withdrawn, we are now left to the use of those means which are placed within our reach. I do not intend to say, that any efforts of ours can convince those who will shut their eyes against the light : for the resurrection of Laza- rus, and of our Lord himself, did not effect that : but we have within our reach means, which will, as far as is necessary, subserve the interests of religion in the way that miracles once did. Learning is