240~--~~~~--he __ El_a_r_m~on~ry-of __t_he__ V_iv_z~·ne~A-tt~r-ib~ut~e~s----~--- ~. ma~·y ~f~rt~~~~~~~f:.~~~;~ ~~~~re;~ree ~e!~~~en t~~~;Ja~w;; !~~!a~~~o~~~ed ~r~r;::r~;~vebd, V"V'I..! he wrought fuch and [o many, that for their greatnef•, clearne[s, and number, exceed- :~,:!~ r;);~~~~~)~~J~~ ~~~~~en~~ec~~;~~an°d~d,5~~:;u,;a~e~!t r~;}j;:~: :la~~~~ i~0~et:a~ ing him. For if he had exercifed only a Power like unto that of Mofes and the Prophets, in his Miraculous Actions, they had been obliged to have honoured him as one of their r.1~k, but not to have attributed an incomparable Dignity to him. But he did tllofe which nmher lvlofes nor the Prophets had performed; and in tho[e that had been done, Chrift excelled them in the manner of doing them. This the Jews could net contradict, and from hence their Infidelity was made culpable. Secmtdlj, Miracles were necetfary to convince the GcntileJ. 1. For the Gofpel forbids the various Religions among them, and commands all to wor!hip God alone in Jefus Chri(l; fo that without a fenfible demon{hation, that that was the way wherein He would b< ferved, their prejudices had been invincible. 2. The Gofpel propounds Threatnings and Promifes that regard a future State, where no living Eye can fee their Etft:Cls; fo rhat witho"ut an ex traordinary confirmation it was noc likely that Men iliould yield a firm alfent to them. If it be [aid, our Saviour did his Miracles only in J•de., where very few ofd1eGentileJ raw his Perfon or Works: I an[wer, His Miracles were primarily deligned for the Conviction of the JcwJ; and in a [econdary intention, to di [arm Infidelity among the Gentiles. Therefore the Teftimony of them was conveyed by thofe who were Eye-w itneffes, and mo!1 worthy of credit, and who did many great wonders in the Name of Chri!1, to verify the report of his Famous Miracles, and declare: his Power and Divinity. Of this more afterwards. Now I will briefly confider the Miracles wrought by Chrift, that were the certain Signs of God's favouring of him, and made his Commiffion a11thcntic. Before his coming, the Hand of the Synagogue was dried up, and impotent to produce Miracles. The Holy Spiri t was withdrawn, and for the fpace of four hundred years, no Prophet nor Worker of Wonders appeared. John the Bapti/1, though the A11gel deputed to fignify the coming of Chrift, yet did no Miracles. But our Saviour was invefied with Power from above, and performed many. Their quality and number is confiderab!e. 1. They were not meer Signs, as the converllon of Mofe/s Rod into a Serpent; nor deftructive and punilhing, as the Wonders in lEgypt; but advantageous aod beneficial to Men, the equal Oemonnrations of his Mercy and Power. He cured Difeafes, that were abfolutely defperate, without means, by his Omnipotent Will, as the Son of the Nobleman who was lick at CapernaMm, when Him[elf was at Cana in Galilee, Job. 4· 46. or by [uch vifible means, that the Spectators might be fully convinced, that it was not the external Application ,bm his fole Virtue and Divine Power that produced the effect. Thus by anointing with Clay and Spittle the Eyes of him that was born blind, who never had "ny nawral poffibility of feeing, he wrought an unparallel"d Gm: It was never yet he.rd tbtit tmy Mtm opened the EyeJ of one that Wtl! born bli11d, John. 9· Therefore he that was ~:e·1~~re~n[~~r~~a~~mlt~~stE~~ ;~~edsr~~~~~Je~o~~; ~~~; ~frJ;~:0but.,~f rf:~n~:~ ' fi s true, That one Angel deftroy'd in a night an hundred fourfcore and five thoufand of the AJ!jri.w Army; but "tis as true, that all the Angels together cannot raife from the d<ad one Man. 'Tis wholly the Work of the Lord of Nature, who holds the Keys of Life and Death in his Hands. 'Tis only his Light can difpel the Darknefs, his Voice can break the Glence of the Grave. And 'tis obfervable, that our Saviour who fometimes concealed his miraculous Works, and forbad the publi!hing of them, yet performed this ~~:dor~~:e;;,:;, ~~~~~d. th~!h;~~lg~t f~~l:~ ~~l:r~~ifS.~gh~~~i~~o:. c~~.cl~~ the afton ilhment of all that were pre[ent to attend her Funeral. The Widow's Son of Naim was carr ied without the Gates of the City to his Grave, Jefos frops the fad Train, anJ reftores Life to the young Man, and to his Mother fomething more dear than her life. And the more fignally to triumph over Death, he purfued it to its fort, the obfcurity of the Grave. L.•zar11s was buried four days, (L11J. 7· 15.) his Carcnfe was corrupted, l efus calls him from the bottom of his Tomb with that powerful Voice that created the ·World; rhe Dead anfwers, and comes forth to the amazement of all that faw the Glory of God [o clearly maoifefted. The Evangelifl: reportS, ( }oh11 11. 44·) that the People atlerwa rd were as defirous to fee Lazams as Jefiu. Add to thefe his carting out of Devils. Before the Fall, the unclean Spirit was incorporated with the Serpent, but now with Man himfelf. He feizes on the External Organs and Internal Faculties, and rules - · him
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