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Crofs, 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 fhewed how denied he was to all fenfual 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 tranfported by any undue Paffion or Refentment, but poffeffed his Soul in a conftant Calmnefs 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; fince it was no Way likely that fo excellent a Perfon, one fo remote from all worldly Interefts and Views, and fuch a perfect Pattern of moral Goodness, fhould falfely pretend a Divine Miffion, and be capable of carrying on fo daring an Impofture 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 fo holy a Perfon would have affumed fuch glorious Characters, and formed fuch high Pretenfions, if they had been false.

Thus we fee that the Purity and Holinefs of Chrift's Life and Character gave no fmall Weight and Credit to the Doctrines he taught, and the Declarations he made concerning his Divine Miffion and Authority. On this Account his own Testimony of himself deserved 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 Teftimony of two Men (i. e. of two good and credible Witneffes) 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 fpeaketh of his own Testimony concerning himself, as credible on it's own Account, befides the Teftimony which the Father gave him.

But, Secondly, That, which efpecially fhewed his Authority to be well founded, was his performing fo many illuftrious Mi

racles,

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racles, together with the other extraordinary Atteftations given to him from Heaven. For, without thefe, his own Declarations, notwithstanding the Sanctity of his Life and Character, would fcarce have been fufficient to fupport such high Preten- · fions. And accordingly he frequently appealed to his wonderful Works. Having mentioned the Teftimony given to him by John the Baptift, which was very remarkable and of great Weight, he adds, But I bave 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 bath fent me. John v. 36. It was this Confideration that convinced Nicodemus, a Ruler of the. Jews, of his Divine Miffion. He faid unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a Teacher fent from God: For no Man can do thofe Miracles, which thou doeft, except God be with him. John iii. 2. We often read of the People being filled with Aftonishment, when they beheld the Miracles he performed, crying out, That it was never fo done, or feen, in Ifrael; and that verily a great Prophet was rifen among them. Luke vii. 16. And, notwithstanding all their Prejudices against him, on the Account of the feeming Meannefs of his outward Condition and Circumstances, and his not affect

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ing the leaft Appearance of that fecular Grandeur and Dominion which they expected in the Meffiah, and his coming originally, as they supposed out of Nazareth, an obfcure Town of Galilee, from whence they looked for no Prophet, they could scarce refift the Evidence that he was the Chrift. We are told that many of the People believed on him, and said, When Chrift cometh, will be do more Miracles than thofe which this Man hath done? John vii. 31. And when John the Baptist sent fome of his Difciples, 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? Jefus, inftead of giving a direct Anfwer, referred to his wonderful Works, which they had feen and heard, fuch as the caufing the Blind to fee, and the Lame to walk, and the Deaf to hear, cleanfing the Lepers, and even Raifing 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 alfo highly remarkable for their Nature and Quality; not only great and ftupendous, but moft kind and beneficent, far exceeding the Art or Power of any Man, or of all

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the Men upon the Earth, and which bore the evident Signatures of a Divine Interpofition. Add to this the wonderful Air of Godlike Majefty and Grandeur, with which many of them were performed. Thus when the Leper came to him, and worshipped him, faying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean: Jefus put forth bis Hand and touched him, faying, I will, be thou clean. And immediately his Leprofy was cleanfed. Matt. viii. 2, 3. He rebuked the Wind, and faid unto the Sea, Peace, be fill; and immediately the Wind ceafed, and there was a great Calm. Mark iv. 39. He only faid to Jairus's Daughter, Damfel, I Jay unto thee arife. 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 deferves 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 Difciples. This fhewed a Fulness of Power in him, that no other could ever pretend to. Now therefore, taking all this together, these Miracles, fo great in themselves,

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