So far as these epistles are argumentative, the nature of the argument
which they handle accounts for the infrequency of these allusions. These
epistles were not written to prove the truth of Christianity. The
subject under consideration was not that which the miracles decided, the
reality of our Lord's mission; but it was that which the miracles did
not decide, the nature of his person or power, the design of his advent,
its effects, and of those effects the value, kind, and extent. Still I
maintain that miraculous evidence lies at the bottom of the argument. For
nothing could be so preposterous as for the disciples of Jesus to
dispute amongst themselves, or with others, concerning his office or
character; unless they believed that he had shown, by supernatural
proofs, that there was something extraordinary in both. Miraculous
evidence, therefore, forming not the texture of these arguments, but the
ground and substratum, if it be occasionally discerned, if it be
incidentally appealed to, it is exactly so much as ought take place,
supposing the history to be true.
As a further answer to the objection, that the apostolic epistles do not
contain so frequent, or such direct and circumstantial recitals of
miracles as might be expected, I would add, that the apostolic epistles
resemble in this respect the apostolic speeches, which speeches are
given by a writer who distinctly records numerous miracles wrought by
these apostles themselves, and by the Founder of the institution in
their presence; that it is unwarrantable to contend that the omission,
or infrequency, of such recitals in the speeches of the apostles
negatives the existence of the miracles, when the speeches are given in
immediate conjunction with the history of those miracles: and that a
conclusion which cannot be inferred from the speeches without
contradicting the whole tenour of the book which contains them cannot be
inferred from letters, which in this respect are similar only to the
speeches.
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