Jefus ofNazareth theonly TrueandTromi fed Nyefriab. sap ofMoles in the giving of the Law, that the Jews have no Reafon to doubt or queftion his Authority, for the reverfing of any Inflitutions of Worfhip, which they had for- merlybeenobliged unto. To dofe this Argument, I (hall only manifeft, that the Jews of old were con- 4 7o. vinced of the truthof the Mirada wrought by the Lord Jefus, and therein a little difcover the varietyof thole pretences, whereby they attempt to fhield themfelves from the natural confequence of that convietion. L For thole who lived in his own daycs : fee Matth. £8. 1, 12, £3, 14. 3ob.7.31. Chap. 19. 16, a4. Aüs4. 16. Aas 19. 13. Neither did they at any time, difpute his works, but only the power whereby they were wrought : pf which afterwards. 2. The fame and reputation of them, was luth amongft them, that thole who made an Art and Trade of calling out ofDevils, ufed the invocation of the nameof Jefus over their poflèffed ,. which the notoriety of his exerting his Divine power in that kind ofworks,induced them unto : See As 19.13. They adjuredtheSpirits by the Nameofjefuswhom Paulpreached, obférving the miracles that he wrought in that name. For they being ignorant of the true way and means whereby theApo- file wrought his miraculous works, after, the manner ofMagicians they ufed the name of himwhomhe preached, in their Exorcifms, as it was ever the cuftom of that fort of men to intermix theircharms with thenames offuch perfons, as they knew to 'have excelled in mighty works. And that this was common among the Jewsof thole dayes , is evident from Luke 9.49. which could no otherwife arife, but from a general confent in the acknowledgement of the works wrought by him. 3. We have allo hereunto the fuffrage of the Talmudicat Itabbins themfelves, the moll malicious adverfaries that ever the LordJefus had in this world. They intend not indeed to bear witnefs unto his miracles ; but partly whilell they relate llorica that were continued amongli them by Tradition, partly whileft they endeavour to Ihield their unbelief from the Arguments taken from them, they tacitly acknowledge, that theywere indeed wrought by him. This I fay they do, whileft they labour to íï,cc : by what wayes and means thofeProdigies, andwondrous works which are re- cc:14A of him, were wrought and elfeáed. For they who fay this or that was the way, ;vhereby fucha thingwas accomplifhed, do plainly acknowledge the doingof the thin 'r felf; Greater evidence of their felf-conviáion, it is impoffible they Mould give io or need we delre. Firit,In the Talmudits felf they have traditional ftories of miracles wrought bythe gr. 7r Difciples ofJefus, and by others inhis name; whichalthough they are like the reft of their Narrations, foolifh and infipid ; yetthey evidence theTradition that was amongff them from the forementioned convifkion. Thus in Aboda Zara they have a Rory concerning fames (who lived longeft amongil them) It. happenedthey fay, that Elea- cer tbeSon of' Damawas bitten bya Serpent ; andJames of the Villageof Sechanrlah ( that isBethany) came to cure him in thename oflefts (the fonofPandira) but R. Ifhmael oppofedhim, andlaid, it is not lawfulfor thee thou SonofDama : Soowning that Miracles and Cures were wrought, byfames in the name of Jefus. And in Sabbat.Hierufal. Dillintï. Schemona Scheraticin: they tell us thatthe Son of Rah joie the Son ofLevi had fwallowed poyfon ; ,a certainman came and.communed with him in thename of kits the SonofPandira ; and he was healed ; but when he was gone out, one Paid unto him, howdidit thou advice him, he faid by fuch a word ; the other replied, that it badbeen better fin- him to have dyed, then to bave beard that word. I mention there things, only to Chew that they were never able to Mlle the Tradition that palled among themfelves;concerning the Miracles wrought by Jefus and his Dilciples. But thisconviéhion more evidentlydifcoversits fclfin theirendeavours to affign his 4. 72,' :nightywork{ unto other caufes, fo that theymaynot from them be forced to acknow- ledge hisDivine power, and the prefence of God with him. And there are two pretences Which they make oft of. The firfi is that of theirfore-fathers, Mat. I2.24. They wouldhave the Devil 'to,be the Author of them, andthat hewrought them byMagical Incantations. This they pleaded of old ; and,this fome of them pretend toadhere unto, to this clay ; the folly of which blafphemy 'both reftetks upon them- felves, and is demonllratively removable from him, whom to their eternal mine, they feek to reproach. For, s Do they not know , that their own Mofes was generally elleemed by the wifcft of the Heathen, to have been skilled and exercifed inMagick. SoPliny and Apaches'
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