JefusofNazareth tbe:onl Trueand Prom f dMefiiab. 241 Dogs barked fo horribly, 'that they(righted him, and made himforget the Name that he had learned. But JeJus ofNazareth going in, wrote theName in Parchment, and put it within the skin of his leg, and doled the skin upon it ; fo that though he loft the remembrance of it athis coming out, by the barking of the brazen Dogs, yet herecovered the knowledge of it again out ofthe Parchment in his kg and by vertu¢ thereof, he wrought miracles, walked on the Sea, cured thelame, raifed the dead, and opened. the eyes of the blind. That alone which from hence we aim to evince, 'is the conviction that the molt ftubbornof the Jews had of the miracles of our bleffed Saviour. Had they not been openly performed,and undeniably attefted, -no Creatures that ever had the fbape of men, or any thing more ofmodesty then the Brazen Dogs they talkof, wouldhave betaken themfelves to fuch monftrons foolifh figments,- for a countenance and pretenceunto the rejeésion of him and them. He that fhould contend, that the Sun did not thine all the lals year, and fhould give this reafon of his Affertion, becaufe a certain man of hisacquaintance climbed up to Heaven by a Ladder, and puthim in a Box, andkept h(m clofe in his Chamber all that while, would fpeak to the full, with as much probability and appearance of truth, as thegrandKabbins do in this Tale. Every word in their !bury is a Meer. The Jtone,the writing of thename ofGod in it, thevertue of thepronunciation of that name, theBrazen Dogs, the entrance of a privateman into the SàncîumSanlXorum ; the bark- ing of the Dogs, are Dreams becomingmen undera pcenal infatuation and blindnefs, not much diftant from thofe Chains of Dark:eß wherewith Satan himfelf is kept bound unto the Judgement of the Great Day. Fourthly, We muff not forget the Teßimonyof bis Difeiples who converfed with him, and were eye Witneffes-of his Miracles, efpeeially ofhis rifing from the dead. Thefe, withmultitudes afcertained of the Truth by their Teftimony, to witnefs it unto the world willingly forewent all temporal interdis, expofing themfelves to dangers innumerable ; and lastly, fealed their Teftimonywith their blood, find by the moltexquifite tortures that the malice ofHell could invent, all in expeófation of acceptance withhim, and a reward from him, which dependedon the truth ofthe Miracles, which they affertedhim to have wrought and performed. From all thefe confiderations, we may fafely conclude, that it is utterly impoffible, that the stature ofman fhould bemore afcertainedof any thingthat ever was in this world, then we maybeof theMiracles, wrought by. our LordJefus. Now all thefe as we have declared, were wrought by the Divine Power of God to confirm the Truth of his being the promifedMefliah. And if this were not fo, it is impoffible that God fhould ever more requirean Allent unto any Revelation of his mind or Will, none being capable of a more evidentand full confirmation fo tobe, then this hath received, of Jefus be- ing the Chrifl. The Application of this Conlìderation in particular unto his Refur- retfionfrom the dead, bath been the fpccial fubjeáof fo many Writers, that I (hall not farther infili upon it. One Argument more,taken from the fuccefs that the Doctrine of Jefus hath had in the world, thall clofe this Difcourfe. What was his outward condition in this World, we acknowledge, and the Jews triumph in. The Poverty ofit, the Contempt and Reproachthat it was expofed unto, was One of the chief pretences that they had, and have to this day for their refufal of him. The time wherein hecame, was that as bath been (hewed, wherein the Jews were in daily expel` ation of their Mel:. flab, and when the refidueofmankind wère in the full.enjoyment of all that Light, Wifdom and Knowledge; which the Principles of nature could attain unto. 'In this flare of things, a poor man, living in an obfcure Village ofGalilee, not taught by men f much as to read, beginsto Preach and to declare himfelf to be the Meab, the SonofGod, the Saviour of the World. With this Tellimony he declares a Do-. Qrine deftrudive of theReligionand Sacred Worfhip of all, and every man then liv- ing in theworld ; ofthe Jews as, to the manner of it, which they efteemed above its fubtiance, and of all others, of itsvery nature and being ; and preffeth a Courfe of Obedience unto God', decriedby them all. To encourage men to believe in him, and to accept of his Teftimony, hegives them Promifes of what he would do for them when this life thould be ended : No fooner dothhe undertake this work , but the Jews among(t whom he converfed, almoft univerfally, at leafs all the great wife learned, and éftecmedly devout amongfl them, fee themfelves to fcorn,defpife, reproach and perfecutehim. And this courfe they ceafed not, untill confpiring with thepower of theGentiles, theytook him out of the world as a Malefactor, by abit- ter, ls 75. ß. 76.
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