Mary and the Saints, in favour of their worshippers.  Nay, there never were miracles better proved, as far as human testimony could prove them, than the famous miracle mentioned by Gibbon in his History of the Roman Empire, where he relates the story of the Arian Vandals cutting out the tongues of a great number of orthodox Athanasians, who, strange to tell, preached as much to the purpose, in favour of the Trinity, without their tongues, as they did with them!  Never was there a miracle better authenticated by testimony than this.  It is mentioned by all the Christian writers of that age.  It is mentioned by two contemporary Roman historians, one of whom lived in Constantinople, and who says he looked into the mouths of some of these confessors, who had in fact their tongues cut out entirely by the roots; and it is recorded in the archives of the Eastern Empire.

Is not this testimony enough; and yet, is it sufficient to prove the doctrine of the Trinity?  Is it adequate to prove, that “the ancient of days” became a little child; was born of a woman, suckled, *******, &c., &c.; and that “He who liveth for ever and ever,” was whipped, was hanged, and died upon the cross, and was buried?  Can this miracle, well attested as it is, prove for truths, such strange, such shocking things as these?

The miracles of the Abbe Paris, too, are proved to be true, as far as testimony can prove any thing of the kind.  For they happened within a hundred years, were seen by many, and were sworn to before the magistrates; by some of the most respectable inhabitants of the city of Paris.  How can men, who pretend to believe the miracles of the New Testament upon such meagre evidence as they have in their favour, consistently reject the miracles of the Abbe Paris? attested by evidence recent, respectable, and so strong, that to this day, the juggle, and the means by which so many respectable people were imposed upon, have never yet been thoroughly developed, and explained.

CHAPTER XV.

Application of the two tests, said, in
Deuteronomy, to have been given by god, as
discriminating A true prophet from A false one,
to the character and actions of Jesus.

In the 18th chapter of Deuteronomy God says,—­“The Prophet which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that Prophet shall die.  And if thou say in thine heart, how shall we know (or distinguish,) the word which the Lord hath not spoken?” Here is the criterion.  “When a Prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass; that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken.  That Prophet hath spoken presumptuously:  thou shalt not be afraid of him.”