Z ;8 Jefus ofNazareth the only True andPyonsifed Mefriah, tokens of their feveral Miniftries, andbefpake the nature of them, thofeof the Lord Chrift were exceedingly more excellent then thofe ofMofes. $. 66. Furthermore, as Mofes had not a power of working miracles conftantly re-fident with him; whichhe might exert according unto his own will; fo he was very far from being able to communicate any fuchpower unto others. God indeed took of the Spirit that was onhim, and gave it -unto theElders that wereto be joynedwith him in the Government of the people, Numb. s 1.25. but yet neither was therea ['owe; of working miracles going along with that Spirit, but only ability for Rule and Government ; not yet was that communication of it any aot of Mop, at all. But now our Lord Jefoos, ashe had the Divine Power mentioned alwayes with him, fo he could give Authority andPower unto whom hepleated, to efod all.fuch miraculous works, as wereany way neceffary for the confirmation of their Dottrine. Of this nature was the Commiffion whichhe gave the 'Twelve when he Pent them forth, Mátth. to. 8. Heal the lick, cleanfi the Lepers, raifi the dead, earl- out Devils. As alto that unto the LXX. Luke to. 17, 19. yea,hepromifed them, which alto came to pats, that by his power and pretence with them, they Jbould dogreater things then thofe which they bad _teen him to do. John 14. 12. Mark 16. 17. And this difference is fo eminent that nothing can be oble&ed againft it. This more evidently con- firmed him to be theWier, thenall themighty works whichhe wrought in his own Perfon on the earth. 4, 61. . Again, allthe miracles ofMofeer endedwith his life. The Jews indeed forre ofthem tell us a company of foolifh ftories about his death, which astheir manner is, they would fixon thofe words, Dem. 34.5. and Mofes dyed mini +9 12y, by the' mouth or word of the Lord; as namely, how he contended with (ram ) the 4pgel of Death, and drove him away withhis rod, fo that he could not dye, until God laid his mouth unto his, and fo took out his foul from him. But therefigments are floater- full, and fach as become none but themfelves. Howeverthefe things extended on- ly unto his death ; therewith ended his Miniftry andMiracles. But now the greateft Miracle of our Lord Jefus, was wrought by him, after the violent and cruel death which he underwent for our fakes. For he took bis life again, and raifed hintfelf from the dead, John so. 57, 18. This being performed by him, after the diffolution ofhis humane nature in the open vifible feparation .ofhis body and foul, in which Efate it was utterly impoflible, that that nature fhould put forth any a6t toward the retrievement of its former condition, manifefted hi.§ exigence in another fuperiour nature,afting with power on the humane in the fame Paton. And this one Miracle was a fuf lcient vindication of the truth which he had taught concerning himfelf; namely, that he was the Meßiah the Son ofGod. And though any fhould queftion fiis being railed againfrom the dead by his own power, yet the evidence is uncon- trollable, that he was railed again by the power ofGod, without the application of themeans and Miniftryof anyother ; whereby the Holy and Eternal God of truth, entitledhimfelfunto all that he had taught concerning hisPerfon and Office, whileft he was alive. And this leaves no room for heeftation in this matter : For this be- ing granted, none will deny; but that he was the Meffiah; and what principles we proceed upon for the,proofof it unto the Jews, hath been before declared. ß. 68. Unto what hath been fummarily recounted, we may lattly add the continuance of the miracleswrought by his power, after his leaving of this world, and his Afeen- tivn into Heaven. And there is in them an additionalevidence unto what hath been infifled on. For whereas the miraculous works that were wrought by himfelf and his Difciples, whileft heconverted with them in the fleffi, were confined, as we obferv- edbefore, unto the Landof Canaan, thofe who afterwards receivedpòwer from above by his Grant andDonation, continued toaffert the like mighty works and miracles all the world over ; fo that within the fpace of a few,years, there was fcarcea fa- tnonsTown or City in the world, whereinfome ofhis Difeipleshad not received the Miraculous gifts of theHoly Ghoft. And this altodiflinalyconfirms him to be the promifedMeftiah : for whereas the Ißes of the Gentileswere to wait for, and toreceive his Law, it was neceffary that among them alto it fhould receive this folemn kind of atteftationfrom Heaven. 0.69. Now from what hath been fpoken it appears, not only that the Miracles wrought by Jefus, werefuffieient to confirm theTefftmony which he gave concerning himfelf; namely, that he was the promifed Meßiah, the Son ofGod t butalfo that they werefo much more eminent then thole wherewith Godwaspleated to confirm the Miniftry
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