This the Apostle expressly affirms; " and 66 you hath he quickened who were dead in "trespasses and sins."* But many will not believe these solemn testimonies of their Saviour or of his Apostle, whether literally or figuratively expressed. They will not believe that there can be a "resurrection of "the soul, from the death of sin to the life "of righteousness,"† in any other sense than there might have been under the teaching of the heathen philosophy. And thus they imitate the unbelief of the Jews. Christ said unto the Jews, "destroy this temple, (meaning the temple of his body)" and, in three days, I will raise it up." But they disbelieved his mighty power, in either the literal or figurative sense of his words. And, when they stood by his cross, they reviled him, saying, "thou that destroyest "the temple, and buildest it in three days, ❝ come down from the cross." After the * Epb. ii. 1. † Eph. ii. 5. same manner of unbelief, many persons at this day, who profess to believe in christianity, and to teach christianity, point to the cross, reviling and saying, "Where is this "boasted efficiency of the cross? Where "is this influence of the Spirit, of which 66 many speak? Was it not confined to the "first ages?" It is said, indeed, that "when 66 66 we were dead in sins, God quickened us together with Christ, and hath raised us up together; and that, like as Christ was "raised up from the dead by the glory of "the Father, even so we also should walk "in newness of life.t But do not all "these expressions, say they, refer merely to "the heathen world; and to their resurrec"tion from death to life?" Happy were it, my brethren, for the nations of the heathen world, if men would * See collect in the burial service. + Rom. vi. 4. apply these expressions to them; and to their resurrection from death to life! For the heathens that exist now, differ not from the heathens that existed formerly; and the Gospel that is preached now, is the same that was preached then. Let every man, who thinks that he hath any duty to perform to his brother in this world, peruse, with attention, the charge which Christ himself gave to the Apostle Paul, in regard to the heathen nations. "I send thee forth," saith he, to the Gentiles, "to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto "God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance amongst them which are sanctified."* How applicable are these words to those nations of the Gentiles in India at this day, who worship the serpent and Satan by name? Let us now inquire by * Acts xxvi. 18. what means the Apostles executed this commission, and turned" the Gentiles from "Satan unto God;" for there are many persons who think that there can be no success in converting the heathens of this age, without the miracles of the first age. By what means, then, did St. Paul convert the heathen? Was it by the exhibition of miracles? Certainly not. A miracle may convince the judgment, and demonstrate the power of the present Deity; but it cannot convert the heart, and inspire the soul with the love of God, sin, and a hope of glory. with a hatred of The miracles of the first age were merely the credentials of the teachers; and were given as a solemn confirmation, once for all, of the divinity of the new dispensation. But miracles were not the ordained and common means of conversion. St. Paul performed miracles but seldom; and, when he did perform them, they had not always a salutary effect on those that beheld them. When he wrought a miracle in Lycaonia, the people first worshipped him, and afterwards proceeded to put him to death. What, then, were the ordained means of conversion? The same that are ordained now; 66 "THE PREACHING OF THE CROSS," as the scripture hath declared; "faith cometh by hear"ing." The Apostle informed the judgment with facts, and addressed the conscience with doctrines, and the Holy Spirit guided their minds into all truth." This influence of the Holy Spirit was the miracle which produced the conversion of the heathen world, and of the Jewish world. And the influence of the same spirit, though less in degree, exists at this day, agreeably to the promise, that it should "abide for ever;" and is manifest, in every case, of the conversion of a sinner, whether he 1 Cor. i. 18, |