Cross, and follow him, and prepare to endure the most grievous Sufferings and Reproaches, for the Sake of Truth and a good Confcience, looking for their Reward, not in this, but in another World. His whole Practice shewed how denied he was to all sensual Pleasures, to the Lufts and Works of the Flesh. How admirable was his Meekness in enduring the Contradiction of Sinners against himself! He was never seen to be transported by any undue Paffion or Resentment, but poffefsed his Soul in a constant Calmness and Patience. In a Word, under the greatest Sufferings and the bitterest Provocations, he was holy, harmless, undefiled; in him was to be found the whole Complexion of lovely Virtues, that can form a complete Character of moral Excellence. And this must certainly give great Weight to his Inftructions, and cause them to come with a peculiar Force upon the Minds of his Auditors. It would naturally lead them to believe the Declarations he made concerning himself; since it was no Way likely that so excellent a Person, one so remote from all worldly Interests and Views, and such a perfect Pattern of moral Goodness, should falsely pretend a Divine Mission, and be capable of carrying on so daring an Imposture as this must be, if he had not been, what he declared

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declared himself to be, the Son of God. The more extraordinary the Declarations were that he made concerning his own Divine Dignity, the more improbable it was that so holy a Person would have affumed fuch glorious Characters, and formed such high Pretenfions, if they had been false.

Thus we fee that the Purity and Holiness of Christ's Life and Character gave no fmall Weight and Credit to the Doctrines he taught, and the Declarations he made concerning his Divine Mission and Authority. On this Account his own Testimony of himself deferved great Regard. And he might justly declare as he did, Though I bear Record of myself, my Record is true. For I know whence I come, and whither I go, John viii. 14. And again, Ver. 17, 18. It is written in your Law that the Testimony of two Men (i. e. of two good and credible Witnesses) is true, (i. e. to be depended upon as true.) I am one that bear Witness of myself, and the Father that fent me beareth Witness of me. Where he speaketh of his own Testimony concerning himself, as credible on it's own Account, besides the Testimony which the Father gave him.

But, Secondly, That, which especially shewed his Authority to be well founded, was his performing so many illustrious Mi

racles,

racles, together with the other extraordinary Attestations given to him from Heaven. For, without these, his own Declarations, notwithstanding the Sanctity of his Life and Character, would scarce have been fufficient to fupport such high Pretenfions. And accordingly he frequently appealed to his wonderful Works. Having mentioned the Testimony given to him by John the Baptist, which was very remarkable and of great Weight, he adds, But I have greater Witness than that of John: For the Works which the Father hath given me to finish, the fame Works that I do bear Witness of me, that the Father hath fent me. John v. 36. It was this Confideration that convinced Nicodemus, a Ruler of the Jews, of his Divine Mission. He faid unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a Teacher fent from God: For no Man can do those Miracles, which thou doest, except God be with him. John iii. 2. We often read of the People being filled with Astonishment, when they beheld the Miracles he performed, crying out, That it was never fo done, or seen, in Israel; and that verily a great Prophet was risen among them. Luke vini. 16. And, notwithstanding all their Prejudices against him, on the Account of the seeming Meanness of his outward Condition and Circumstances, and his not affecting

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ing the least Appearance of that secular Grandeur and Dominion which they expected in the Messiah, and his coming originally, as they supposed out of Nazareth, an obscure Town of Galilee, from whence they looked for no Prophet, they could scarce resist the Evidence that he was the Christ. We are told that many of the People believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will be do more Miracles than those which this Man hath done? John vii. 31. And when John the Baptist sent fome of his Disciples, not for his own Information but theirs, to inquire of him, Art thou be that should come, (i. e. Art thou the promised Meffiah?) or do we look for another? Jesus, instead of giving a direct Answer, referred to his wonderful Works, which they had seen and heard, such as the causing the Blind to fee, and the Lame to walk, and the Deaf to hear, cleanfing the Lepers, and even Raising the Dead. Matt. xi. 2-6. The Miracles he performed were incomparably more in Number than all the Miracles that had been wrought by Mofes, and all the Prophets from the Beginning. They were also highly remarkable for their Nature and Quality; not only great and stupendous, but most kind and beneficent, far exceeding the Art or Power of any Man, or of all the

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the Men upon the Earth, and which bore the evident Signatures of a Divine Interposition. Add to this the wonderful Air of Godlike Majesty and Grandeur, with which many of them were performed. Thus when the Leper came to him, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean: Jesus put forth bis Hand and touched him, saying, I will, be thou clean. And immediately bis Leprosy was cleanfed. Matt. viii. 2, 3. He rebuked the Wind, and faid unto the Sea, Peace, be ftill; and immediately the Wind ceased, and there was a great Calm. Mark iv. 39. He only said to Jairus's Daughter, Damfel, I Jay unto thee arise. Mark v. 41. and to Lazarus, after he had been four Days in the Grave, Lazarus, come forth. John xi. 43, 44. And immediately the one and the other arose from the Dead. With Authority he commanded the unclean Spirits, and they obeyed him. And it deserves particular Remark, that he not only wrought these astonishing Miracles himself, but he gave Power and Authority toothers to perform the fame wonderful Works in his Name; first, to the twelve, and afterward to seventy of his Disciples. This shewed a Fulness of Power in him, that no other could ever pretend to. Now therefore, taking all this together, these Miracles, so great in themselves,

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