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 What did it signify to prove to persons of this character, that "a house divided against itself could not stand?" Had an angel from heaven descended before them, and assured them of the divine agency by which the miracles of the Lord were wrought, it is hardly assuming too much to affirm, they would have told him he was a lying spirit. Even with respect to the most stupendous of all miracles—that of the resurrection of the Lord—what said the chief priests? "His disciples stole him by night while the guards slept." The valiant Roman soldiery slept: that is, they delivered themselves to death; for a Roman soldier found asleep at his post was condemned to death. "Ah!" said the chief priests to the soldiers, "We will give you large money; we will bribe and cajole the governor; we will persuade the people, and save you." Such were the subterfuges to destroy the force of the miracle. How true, then, were the words of the Lord, "That it was an evil and adulterous generation who sought after a sign;" and how merciful was the determination of the Lord, that "no sign should be given it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas;" that is, they should receive nothing but a repetition of the instruction, "Repent, and turn from your evils, so iniquity shall not be your ruin."

Miracles are absolutely no test of truth. Unless the understanding be convinced upon rational grounds, it is vain to attempt to force conviction. If the performance of miracles could have answered the purpose of rational conviction, the Jews would have been left without excuse. Miracle after miracle was wrought before them; in Egypt there was one continued scene of the most astounding marvels. The passage through