Serm. CLXXV. ; Confirmation of Chri ianit:>. 497 2. There is another Condition alto required co a Miracle, that it be an Effelt evident and wonderful to Senn : for if we do not fee it, it is to us as ifit werenot, and can be no Teflitnony or Proof of any thing, becaule it feif (lands in need of another Miracle to give Teftimony to it, and to prove that it was wrought ; and neither in Scripture, nor in profane Authors, nor in common ufe of Speech, is any thing call'd a Miracle, but what falls under the notice of our Senfes 5 a Miracle being nothing elfe but a thing wonderful to Senfe ; and the very End and Defign of it is to be a fenfible Proof andConvt}ion to us of fame thing which we chariot fee. And for want of this Condition, Tranfub(lantiation, if it were true, would be nel Miracle : it would indeed be very Supernatural, but for all that it would not be a Sign or Wonder ; for a Sign or Wonder is always a fenftble thing, fomething that is wonderful and aftonilhing to Senfe, otherwife it is no Sign or Wonder. That lath a Change as is pretended in Tranfubftantiation fhould really be wrought, and Yet there fhould be noSign and Appearanceof it, is a thing very wonderful ; but not to Senfe-: for our Senfes perceive no Change, the Bread and Wine to all our Senfes remaini ig juft as they were before. Now that a thing should remain toall appearance juft as it was, hath nothing at all of wonder in it. We wonderindeed when we fee a uirange thing done : but no Man wonders he fees nothing done. So that to (peak the truth, Tranfubflantiation, if they will have it a Miracle, is fuch a Miracle, as any Man may work, that bath but confidence to face Men down that he works it, and the fortune ro be- believed. And however they of the Church of Rime are wont to magnifie their Pric4s, chiefly upon the account of this Miracle, which they fay they can work every Day, and every Hour, if they pleafe ; yet I cannot underítand, how it magnifies them fo much : for when this great work (as they call it) is done, there is nothing more appears to be done, than if there were no Miracle. Now fuch a Miracle, as to all appearance is no Mira-, de, I fee no rnafon why a Proteftant Minifler may not workas often as he pleafeth, as well as they : Or if he can but have the Patience to let it alone, it will work it feif : for certainly nothing in the World is caller than to let a thing be as it is, and by !peaking a few words over it, to make it juft what it was before. In (port, a Miracle is a wonder toSenfe, and where a'Man fees nothing that is firange done, there is no Miracle : for if he will call it a Miracle, when things remain it'll as they were, and no fenfible change is made in them, everyMan may every Day work a thoufand fuck Miracles. I come now in the II. Place, To confider in what Circumfiances, and with what Cautions and-Li mitations Miracles do give Teftimony to the Truth and Divinity of any Do-. orine ; for Inflance, of theChriftian Dottrine : and for the clearing of this Mat- ter, I (hall lay down thefe Propofitions. r. That the entire Proof of the Chriftian Do&rine or Religion, conlftsof many Confiderarions, which taken together, make up a full Demonfiration of theTruth of it, when perhaps no one of them, taken fingly and by itfelf, is a convincing and undeniable Proof. The Chriftian Religion bath all the Chara lers of Divinity upon it, which any Religion can be expelled to have, whether we confider the Dottrine of ir, in which there is nothing unworthy of God ; for it makes fucha reprefentation of God ; and gives fuch dire&ions concerning his Worfhip, as is moff agreeable, to thole Appre- henfions which the wifft of Men have always had of God, and of that Service which is molt proper to be given to him. Indeed it declares fomething concerning God, which is very myfterious and pall our Comprehenfions : but this ought not to offend us, ficce natural Light always did acknowledge the Divine Nature to be Incomprehenfible. The Precepts likewife of this Religion are highly reafonable, and fuck IS plainly tend to thePerfe &ion and Happinefs of humane Nature ; and the Arguments to en- force thefe Precepts; are not only very powerful in themfelves, but very tunable to the natural -Hopes and Fears of Men. Or if we confider the Author of this Do&rine, our Blefied Saviour, he will ap- pear to be a Divine Perlon, and a Teacher fret from God,, by the clear predi &ions S f f cool
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