true a miracle, and as great an one, as making real changes in the things themfelves.

6. How WE ARE TO DISTINGUISH MIRACLES WORKED BY GOD FOR THE PROOF OF ANY DOCTRINE FROM THE FRAUDS OF EVIL SPIRITS.

When therefore upon any particular occafion; for inftance, when at the will of a perfon who teaches fome new doctrine as coming from God, and in teftimony to the truth of that doctrine there is plainly and manifeftly an interpofition of fome fuperior power, producing fuch miraculous effects as have been before mentioned; the only poftible ways, by which a fpectator may certainly and infallibly diftinguifh, whether thofe miracles be indeed the works either im mediately of God himself, or (which is the very fame thing) of fome good angel employed by him; and confequently the doctrine witnenied by the miracles be infallibly true and divinely attested; or whether, on the contrary, the miracles be the works of evil fpirits, and confequently the doctrine a fraud and impofition upon men; the only poffible ways (1 fay) of diftinguifhing this matter certainly and infallibly are thefe. If the doctrine attefted by miracles be in itfelf impious, or manifeftly tending to promote vice; then without all queftion the miracles, how great foever they may appear to us, are neither worked by God himself, nor by his commiflion; because our natural knowledge of the attributes of God, and of the neceflary difference between good and evil, is greatly of more force to prove any fuch doctrine to be falfe than any miracles in the world can be to prove it true. As, for example, fuppofe a man pretending to be a prophet fhould work any miracle, or give any hign or wonder whatsoever, in order to draw men from the worship of the true God, and tempt them to idolatry, and to the practice of fuch vices as in all heathen nations have ufually attended the worship of falfe gods; nothing can be more infallibly certain, than that fuch miracles, Deut. xiii. 1, &c. ought at firit fight to be rejected as diabolical. If the doctrine attefted by miracles be in itself indifferent, that is, fuch as cannot by the light of nature and right reafon alone be certainly known whether it be true or false; and, at the fame time, in oppofition to it, and in proof of the direct contrary doctrine, there be worked other miracles, more and greater than the former, or at least attended with such circumftances as evidently fhew the power by which thefe latter are worked to be fuperior to the power that worked the former; then that doctrine which is attefted by the fuperior power muft necef'farily be believed to be divine. This was the cafe of Mofes, and the Ægyptian magicians. The magicians worked feveral miracles. to prove that Mofes was an impoftor, and not fent of God; Mofes, to prove his divine commiffion, worked miracles more and greater than theirs, or elfe (which is the very fame thing) the power by which he worked his miracles reftrained the power by which they worked theirs, from being able at that time to work all the fame miracles that he did, and fo appeared evidently the fuperior power; wherefore

wherefore it was neceffarily to be believed, that Mofes's commiffion was truly from God. If, in the last place, the doctrine attefted by miracles be fuch as in its own nature and confequences tends to promote the honour and glory of God, and the practice of univerfal righteousness amongst men; and yet neverthelefs be not in itfelf demonftrable, nor could without revelation have been difcovered to be actually true (or even if it was but only indifferent in itself, and fuch as could not be proved to be any way contrary to, or inconfiftent with thefe great ends), and there be no pretence of more or greater miracles on the oppofite fide to contradict it (which is the cafe of the doctrine and miracles of Chrift); then the miracles are unquestionably divine, and the doctrine must without all controverfy be acknowledged as an immediate and infallible revelation from God: becaufe, Matth. xii. 25. (befides that it cannot be fuppofed that evil fpirits would overthrow their own power and kingdom), fhould God in fuch cafes as these permit evil fpirits to work miracles to impofe upon men, the error would be abfolutely invincible; and that would in all refpects be the very fame thing as if God worked the miracles to deceive men himself. No man can doubt, but evil fpirits, if they have any natural powers at all, have power to destroy men's bodies and lives, and to bring upon men innumerable other calamities; which yet, in fact, it is evident God reftrains them from doing, by having fet them laws and bounds which they cannot pafs, Now, for the very fame reafon, it is infinitely certain that God reftrains them likewife from impofing upon men's minds and underftandings in all fuch cafes, where wife and honeft and virtuous men would have no poffible way left, by which they could discover the impofition,

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE WHO TEACH THAT THE IMMEDIATE POWER OF GOD IS, OR IS NOT, NECESSARILY REQUISITE TO THE WORKING OF A MIRACLE, IS NOT VERY GREAT AT BOTTOM.

And here at laft the difference between thofe who believe that all miracles neceffarily require the immediate power of God himself to effect them, and thofe who believe created fpirits able to work miracles, is not very great. They who believe all miracles to be effected only by the immediate power of God, muft do it upon this ground, that they fuppofe God by a perpetual law reftrains all fubordinate intelligent agents from interpofing at any time to alter the regular course of things in this lower world (for, to fay that created fpirits have not otherwife a natural power, when unreftrained, to do what we call miracles, is faying that thofe invifible agents have no power naturally to do any thing at all). And they who believe that fubordinate beings have power to work miracles, muft yet of neceffity fuppofe that God refrains them in all fuch cafes at least, where there would not be fufficient marks left, by which the frauds of evil fpirits could be clearly diftinguithed from the teftimony and commiffion of God.

And now, from thefe few clear and undeniable propofitions, it evidently follows:

THE

THE TRUE DEFINITION OF A MIRACLE.

Ift, That the true definition of a miracle, in the theological fenfe of the word, is this, that it is a work effected in a manner unufual, or different from the common and regular method of Providence, by the interpofition either of God himself, or of fome intelligent agent fuperior to man, for the proof or evidence of fome particular doctrine, or in atteftation to the authority of fome particular person, And if a miracle fo worked be not oppofed by fome plainly fuperior power, nor be brought to atteft a doctrine either contradictory in itfelf, or vitious in its confequences (a doctrine of which kind no miracles in the world can be fufficient to prove), then the doctrine fo attefted muft neceflarily be looked upon as divine, and the worker cf the miracle entertained as having infalli bly a commiflion from God.

2. THE STRENGTH OF THE EVIDENCE OF OUR SAVIOUR'S

MIRACLES.

From hence it appears, that the complete demonftration of our Saviour's being a teacher fent from God was, to the difciples who faw his miracles, plainly this, that the doctrine he taught, being in itfelf poffible, and in its confequences tending to promote the honour of God and true righteousness among men; and the miracles he worked, being fuch, that there neither was, nor could be, any pretence of more or greater miracles to be fet up in oppofition to them; it was as infallibly certain that he had truly a divine commiffion, as it was certain that God would not himself impofe upon men a neceffary and invincible error.

3. CONCERNING THE OBJECTION, THAT WE PROVE IN A CIRCLE THE MIRACLES BY THE DOCTRINE, AND THE DOCTRINE BY THE MIRACLES.

From hence it appears how little reafon there is to object, as some have done, that we prove in a circle the doctrine by the miracles, and the miracles by the doctrine. For the miracles, in this way of reafoning, are not at all proved by the doctrine; but only the poffibility and the good tendency, or at leaft the indifferency of the doctrine, are a neceffary condition or circumftance, without which the doctrine is not capable of being proved by any miracles. It is indeed the miracles only that prove the doctrine, and not the doctrine that prove the miracles: but then, in order to this end, that the miracles may prove the doctrine, it is always neceffarily to be first supposed that the doctrine be fuch as is in its nature capable of being proved by miracles. The doctrine must be in itself poflible and capable to be proved, and then miracles will prove it to be actually and certainly true. The doctrine is not first known or fuppofed to be true, and then the miracles proved by it; but the doctrine must be first known to be fuch as is poffible to be true, and then miracles will prove that it actually is fo. Some doctrines are in their own nature neceffarily and demonftrably true, fuch as are all thofe which concern the obligation of plain moral precepts; and thefe neither need nor can receive any ftronger proof from miracles,

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than.

than what they have already (though not perhaps fo clearly indeed to all capacities) from the evidence of right reafon. Other doctrines are in their own nature neceffarily falfe and impoffible to be true; fuch as are all abfurdities and contradictions, and all doctrines that tend to promote vice; and these can never receive any degree of proof from all the miracles in the world. Laftly, other doctrines are in their own nature indifferent, or poffible, or perhaps probable to be true; and thefe could not have been known to be pofitively true, but by the evidence of miracles, which prove them to be certain. To apply this to the doctrine and Miracles of Chrift. The moral part of our Saviour's doctrine would have appeared infallibly true, whether he had ever worked any miracles or no. The reft of his doctrine was what evidently tended to promote the honour of God, and the practice of righteoufnefs amongst men: therefore that part alfo of his doctrine was poffible and very probable to be true; but yet it could not from thence be known to be certainly true, nor ought to have been received as a revelation from God, unless it had been proved by undeniable miracles. And the miracles he worked did indeed undeniably prove it to be the doctrine of God. Nevertheless, had his doctrine in any part of it been either abfurd and contradictory in itfelf, or vicious in its tendency and confequences, no miracles could then poffibly have proved it to have been true. It is evident, therefore, that the nature of the doctrine to be proved must be taken into the confideration as a neceffary circumftance; and yet, that only the miracles are properly the proof of the doctrine, and not the doctrine of the miracles.

4. OF THE PRETENDED MIRACLES OF APOLLONIUS AND

OTHERS.

From hence it follows, that the pretended miracles of Apollonius Tyaneus, Arifteas Proconnefius, and fome few others among the Heathens, even fuppofing them to have been true miracles (which yet there is no reafon at all to believe, because they are very poorly attefted, and are in themfelves very mean and trifling, as has been fully fhewn by Eufebius in his book against Hierocles, and by many late writers; but fuppofing them, I fay, to have been true miracles), yet they will prove nothing at all to the difadvantage of Christianity; because they were worked either without any pretence of confirming any new doctrine at all, or elfe to prove abfurd and foolish things, or to eftablish idolatry and the worship of falfe gods; and confequently they could not be done by the divine power and authority, nor bear any kind of comparifon with the miracles of

* Διὰ τι ἠχὶ καὶ βεβασανισμένως τὰς ἐπαγ[ελλομένως τὰς δυνάμεις ἐξετάσομεν ἀπὸ τῶ βία καὶ τὸ ἦθος καὶ τῶν ἐπακολυθέντων ταῖς δυνάμεσιν, ἤτοι εἰς βλάβην τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἢ ■iç hôäv bæavóę0woi; Origen. adverf. Celf. lib. 11.

Μέσαν τοίνυν σαυτὸν ζήσεις τῶν περὶ τῷ ̓Αρισέα γινομένων, καὶ τῶν περὶ τῷ Ἰησῦ ἰσουμένων, ἴδε εἰ μὴ ἐκ τῶ ἀποβάνΘ, καὶ τῶν ὠφελυμένων εἰς ἠθῶν ἐπανόρθωσιν καὶ ἐυλάβειαν τὴν πρὸς τὸν ἐπὶ πᾶσι θεὸν, ἐςὶν εἰπεῖν· ὅτι πιςευλέον μὲν ὡς ἐκ αθεοὶ γενομένοις τοῖς περὶ Ἰησῶ ἰςοξυμένοις, ἐχὶ δὲ τοῖς περὶ τῆς Προκοννησίω ̓Αριςέω. Τὶ μὲν γὰρ βελομένη ἡ πρόνοια τὰ περὶ τὸν ̓Αρισέαν παράδοξα ἐπραγματεύελο, καὶ τί ὠφελῆσαι τῷ τῶν ἀνθρώπων γενει βαλομένη, τὰ τηλικαῦτα (ὡς οἴει) ἐπεδείκνυτο, ἐκ ἔχεις λέγειν. Id. lib. 11.

Christ,

Chrift, which were worked to atteft a doctrine that tended in the highest degree to promote the honour of God and the general reformation of mankind.

To return, therefore, to the argument. The miracles (I fay) which our Saviour worked were, to the difciples that faw them, fenfible demonftrations of his divine commiffion. And to thofe who have lived fince that age, they are as certain demonftrations of the fame truth, as the teftimony of thofe firft difciples who were eye-witneffes of them is certain and true; which I fhall have occafion to confider prefently.

OF THE FULFILLING THE PROPHECIES, AS AN EVIDENCE OF OUR SAVIOUR'S DIVINE COMMISSION.

Secondly, the divine authority of the Chriftian revelation is pofitively and directly proved, by the exact completion both of all those prophecies that went before concerning our Lord, and of those that he himself delivered concerning things that were to happen after. OF THE PROPHECIES THAT WENT BEFORE, CONCERNING THE

MESSIAH.

Concerning the Meffiah, it was foretold Gen. xlix. 10. that he "fhould come before the fceptre departed from Judah;" and accordingly Chrift appeared a little before the time when the Jewish government was totally deftroyed by the Romans. It was foretold that he fhould come before the deftruction of the fecond Temple, Hagg. ii. 7. "The defire of all nations fhall come, and I will fill "this houfe with glory, faith the Lord of hofts; the glory of this "latter house shall be greater than of the former;" and accordingly Chrift appeared fome time before the deftruction of the city and Temple. It was foretold that he fhould come at the end of 490 years, after the rebuilding of Jerufalem, which had been laid wafte during the captivity, Dan. ix. 24. and that he fhould "be cut off;" and that, after that," the city and fanctuary fhould be destroyed "and made defolate ;" and accordingly, at what time foever the beginning of the four hundred and ninety years can, according to any interpretation of the words, be fixed, the end of them will fall about the time of Chrift's appearing; and it is well known how entirely the city and fanctuary were deftroyed fome years after his being cut off. It was foretold that he fhould do many great and bencficial miracles; that "the eyes of the blind Ifai. xxxv. 5. "fhould be opened, and the ears of the deaf unftopped; that "the lame man fhould leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb fing;" and this was literally fulfilled in the miracles of Chrift; "the blind received their fight, Matth. xi. 5.; and the lame "walked; the deaf heard, &c." It was foretold that he should die a violent death, Ifai. liii. throughout, and that "not for himself," Dan. ix. 26. but "for our tranfgreffions," Ifai. liii. 5, 6, and 12. for the iniquity of us all," and that he might bear "the fin "of many;" all which was exactly accomplished in the fufferings of Chrift. It was foretold, Gen. xlix. 10. that "to him fhould "the gathering of the people be;" and Pfal. ii. 8. that God

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would