* 5. Yet I do not know, that God hath any way precluded himself from thus exerting his sovereign power, from working miracles in any kind or degree, in any age to the end of the world. I do not recollect any scripture, wherein we are taught, that miracles were to be confined within the limits either of the _apostolic_ or the _cyprianic_ age; or of any period of time, longer or shorter, even till the restitution of all things. I have not observed, either in the Old Testament or the New, any intimation at all of this kind. St. _Paul_ says indeed once, concerning two of the miraculous gifts of the Spirit (so, I think, that text is usually understood) _whether there be prophecies, they shall fail, whether there be tongues, they shall cease_. But he does not say, either that these or any other miracles shall cease, till faith and hope shall cease also: till they all be swallowed up in the vision of God, and love be all in all.
I presume you will allow, there is one kind of miracles (loosely speaking) which are not ceased; namely, τέρατα ψεύδους, lying wonders, diabolical miracles; or works beyond the virtue of natural causes, wrought by the power of evil spirits. Nor can you easily conceive that these will cease, as long as the father of lies is the prince of this world. And why should you think, that the God of truth is less active than him, or that he will not have his miracles also? Only, not as man wills, neither when he wills; but according to his own excellent wisdom and greatness.
6. But even if it were supposed, that God does now work beyond the operation of merely natural causes, yet what impression would this make upon _you_, in the disposition your mind is now in? Suppose the trial were repeated, were made again to-morrow. One informs you the next day, “While a clergyman was preaching yesterday, where I was, a man came who had been long ill of an incurable distemper. Prayer was made for him, and he was restored to perfect health.”
Suppose now, that this were real fact, perhaps you would scarce have patience to hear the account of it: but would cut it short, in the midst, with, “Do you tell this as something _supernatural_? Then miracles are not ceased!” But if you should venture to ask, where was this? And who was the person that prayed? And it was answered, “At the Foundery near _Moorfields_; the person who prayed was Mr. _Wesley_:” What a damp comes at once! What a weight falls on your mind, at the very first setting out? ’Tis well if you have any heart or desire to move one step further. Or if you should, what a strong additional propensity do you now feel to deny the fact? And is there not a ready excuse for so doing? “O! they who tell the story, are doubtless _his own people_: most of whom, we may be sure, will _say_ any thing for him, and the rest will _believe_ any thing.”――――But if you at length allowed the fact, might you not find means to account for it by _natural_ causes? _Great crouds, violent heats, with obstructions and irregularities of the blood and spirits_, will do wonders.――――If you ♦could not but allow, it was more than _natural_, might not some plausible reason be found for ranking it among the _lying wonders_, for ascribing it to the devil rather than God? And if, after all, you was convinced it was the finger of God, must you not still bring every doctrine advanced, to the law and to the testimony, the only sure and infallible test of all?――――What then is the use of this continual demand, “Shew us a sign, and we will believe?” What will you believe? I hope no more than is written in the book of God. And thus far you might venture to believe, even without a miracle.
♦ “could” replaced with “could not” per Errata
7. Let us consider this point yet a little farther. “What is it you would have us prove by miracles? The doctrines we preach?” We prove these by scripture and reason; and, if need be, by antiquity. What else is it then we are to prove by miracles? At length we have a distinct reply――――_Wise and sober men will not otherwise be convinced_ (i. e. unless you prove this by miracles) _that God is, by the means of such teachers, and such doctrines, working a great and extraordinary work in the earth_. Preface, page 6.
So then the determinate point which you, in their name, call upon us to prove by miracles, is this, _That God is, by these teachers, working a great and extraordinary work in the earth_.
What I mean by a great and extraordinary work, is, the bringing multitudes of gross notorious sinners, in a short space, to the fear, and love, and service of God, to an entire change of heart and life.
Now then, let us take a nearer view of the proposition, and see which part of it we are to prove by miracles.
“Is it, 1. That A. B. was, for many years, without God in the world, a common swearer, a drunkard, a sabbath-breaker?
“Or, 2. That he is not so now.
“Or, 3. That he continued so, till he heard these men preach, and from that time was another man?