Serm. CLXXXII. 5 ;7 RM ON CLXXXII. The Evidences of the Truth of the Chriftian Religion. zC0R. IV. 3, q., Dut ifour Gofpel be hid, it is hid to them that are loft g in whom the God of TheThird this world hash blinded the minds of them which believe not, left the light rxt. of the glorious Gofpel of Chrif$, who is the Image of God, fhould Thine unto them. TN cny la(t Difcourfe, I was eonfidering the Third Evidencewhich thofe who liv'd I in our Saviour's time, had of his Divine Authority, viz. The Power of work- ing Miracles, with which he was endowed. And in treating on this, I propos'd briefly to run over the chief of thofe Miracles ofour Saviour, which we find record- ed in the Gofpel, and to Phew that they have all the Advantages that Miracles can have, to give fatisfa&ion to men concerning their Reality. And that I may pro- ceed in fome kind of Order and Method, I iball reduce the Miracles thatconcern our Saviour to there Three Heads. Fir/l, The Miracles of his Life. Secondly, Thole that were wrought at his Death. Thirdly, Thegreat Miracle of his Refurre&ion from theDead, and thofe Two that were confequent upon it, his Afcenfion into Heaven, and his fending the Holy Ghoft upon the Apoftles and Chriftians in miraculous Gifts and Powers. I begin with theFirst', the Miracles of his Life. And in fpeaking ofthere, I (hall chew that they had all the advantageousCircumfiances to convince Menof the re- ality of them, and to free them from all fulpicion of Impofture. They were many ; they were great, and unqueftionable Miracles ; they were frequently wrought, and for a long time together ; publickly, and in the pretence of multi- tudes; and they were beneficial, and for the good of Men. t. They were many. There might be fomething of Impoflure fufpc&ed in a few Inffances, that might be chofen out for the purpofe. But our Saviour gave Inftances of his Divine Power in feveral kinds; fo that there is Pearce any thing that is miraculous can be inflanced in, wherein he did not thew his Power. He healed all manner of Difeafes, and that in multitudes of People, as they came acciden tally without any difcrimination, Matth. 4. zl, z4. And tho' molt of his miracles were healing, yet he gave inftancesin other kinds ; as in turning of Water into Wine; commanding down the florin ; and walking upon the Waters, &c. And tho' theHiftory of the Gofpel mentions very many Miracles that he wrought, yet Sr. john tells us, that thofe that are recorded, are but very few in comparifon of what he did, john zo.-3o. Andmanyother Signs truly didyefus in the pretence of his Difciples, which arenot written in this Book. And Chap. 2e. 35. And there are alto manyother things which Jefus did, the which if they fhóuld le written every one, I fuppofe that even the World it felt could not contain the Books that fhould le written. An hyperbolical Expreflìon, to lignifie the great number of his Miracles and Alli- ons, befides what are recorded by the Evangelios. a. As they were many, fo they were great and unqueoionable, both as to the manner ofdoing them, and as to the things that he did. (t.) Many things which were not Miraculous in themfelves, yet were fo as to the manner of doing them, which was not by any magical Words, and Figures, and Z z z Charms,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=