connected with his history?  The assumption that miracles are impossible can only go with the denial of God’s personality; and this, by whatever name it is called, is atheism.  If there is a personal God, who is before nature, above nature, and the author of nature in its inmost essence, he can manifest himself within the sphere of nature in a supernatural way, whenever he chooses to do so.  If God who made us cares for us, and is indeed our Father in heaven, it is reasonable to suppose that he may reveal himself to us in supernatural forms, when the end is our deliverance from the bondage of sin, and our preparation for an eternity of holiness and happiness.  To deny this, would be to make nature the highest end of God—­to put the world of God’s intelligent creatures under nature, instead of making nature their servant and minister.

10.  The objections that have been urged against the gospel history are of two kinds.  The first class relates to its doctrines, as, for example, that of demoniacal possessions, that of eternal punishment, etc.  To enlarge on this subject would be out of place here.  It is sufficient to say that the only reasonable rule is to argue from the certainty of the record to the truth of the doctrines in question.  He who first assumes that a certain doctrine cannot be true, and then, on the ground of this assumption, sets aside a history sustained by overwhelming evidence, exalts his own finite understanding to be the supreme rule of faith; and to him an authoritative revelation becomes an impossibility.  The second class of objections relates to alleged contradictions and inconsistencies between the different writers.  The explanation and reconciliation of these is the work of the harmonist.  We need not wait, however, for the result of his labors, that we may rest confidently on the truth of the record.  These apparent disagreements do not affect a single doctrine or duty of Christianity.  They all relate to incidental matters, such as the time and order of the events recorded, the accompanying circumstances, etc.  Had we all the missing links of the evangelical history, we might reconcile all these differences; but without them, it is not in all cases possible.  Nor is it necessary; since, where different writers record the same transactions, substantial agreement, with diversity in respect to the details, is everywhere the characteristic of authentic history.

CHAPTER V.

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES AND THE ACKNOWLEDGED EPISTLES.

1.  The genuineness, uncorrupt preservation, and credibility of the gospel narratives having been shown to rest on a firm foundation, the principal part of our work is accomplished, so far as the New Testament is concerned.  We are prepared beforehand to expect some record of the labors of the apostles, like that contained in the Acts of the Apostles; and also discussions and instructions relating to the doctrines and duties