how plaufible foever his credentials, that fhould endeavour to alienate their affections from the one true God, who with a mighty hand, and an outstretched arm, had once fo fignally redeemed them from the land of Egypt, from the house of Bondage. And we too have an Apostle of Chrift in the most folemn manner devoting himself, or any other, even an Angel from Heaven, to the extreme curfe of God; should he presume to preach another Gospel, than that which had been received, with a teftimony in no wife to be fuperfeded. Let then the Prophets of Baal, or the Priests of Rome cry aloud for, or even pretend to, a fign from Heaven in favour of their corrupt doctrines; God, who cannot set his seal to an untruth, hath given men reason and senses, by a proper application of which they may diftinguish betwixt truth and falfhood: And, be it remembered, that for the use of these they are accountable.

Proceed

Proceed we therefore in the Third and laft place to try the miracles recorded of Jefus Chrift by the foregoing Rules.

3. That the man Jefus of Nazareth did actually perform many extraordinary works, fuch as no other man did, is agreed on all hands, by his enemies as well as friends. And it is no lefs certain that they had in them all the effentials of true miracles. For what can more exceed the powers of any human or natural agency that we know of, than to give fight to one blind from his birth to cure all manner of diseases at a fingle touch, or at a word's speaking— to feed many hungry thousands with a few small loaves and fishes, a quantity much inferior to the very fragments, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten-to raise the dead, one too that had been dead four days, and interred-to command the winds and feas, and the yet more malignant VOL. I. efforts

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efforts of evil fpirits? But fuch were almoft the daily proofs of his divine authority; till all were confummated in his own astonishing refurrection.-Nor were these things done in a corner; or fo as to create any the leaft fufpicion of the truth and reality of them; but in the open streets, before great multitudes, amongst whom were many fpies and inquifitive perfons, ready to catch at a fault, and to make the most of it, could any have been found. They were difcernible by the fenfes of all; their variety was great, and their effect permanent. Nay, it seems to have been the defign of our Bleffed Lord, throughout the whole courfe of his ministry, to make choice of the most unexceptionable perfons for the fubjects of his marvellous cures, as well as the most publick places, and times of concourse, wherein to offer to the world the credentials of his heavenly miffion; in order if poffible to cut off every occafion

of

of cavil, every pretence for infidelity from his prejudiced and inveterate adversaries. Thus we are informed by the Evangelist that in Jerufalem, the Capital City, at the great Feast of the Paffover, on the very feaft-day, many believed in his name when they faw the miracles which He did. The chief Priests also and Pharifees themfelves could not but acknowledge that He did many miracles: Infomuch that they were alarmed at the confequences of them, and declared in their Council, faying, "if we let Him thus alone, all men will believe on Him, and the Romans fhall come and take away both our place and nation." What they difallowed was the divine origin of thefe mighty works; which they prepofterously attributed to the energy of Satan.-An evafive calumny, no less abfurd than blafphemous; and which our Lord himself was pleased to refute in this unanswerable manner. "Every Kingdom (faid He) divided against itself

is brought to defolation, and every City or House divided against itself shall not ftand: And if Satan caft out Satan, he iş divided against himself, how then shall his Kingdom stand? But if I by the Spirit of God caft out Devils, then the Kingdom of God is come unto you." The argument, you may obferve, is fairly drawn both from the fuperior efficacy, and the good end and defign of his miracles. 'Tis undeniable that at the coming of Chrift the dominion of the Devil was great and powerful; he had taken poffeffion of the temples, the bodies, and the fouls of mankind: But our Bleffed Saviour evidently difpoffeffed him of these his ftrong holds: He ftruck his oracles dumb; destroyed idolatrous worship; drove him out of the bodies, and fet up the kingdom of God in the hearts, of men. Now whence all this, unless from a power greater than that of his fpiritual adverfary? For, as He further argues, "How can one enter