fo

many in Number, performed by him, in his own Perfon, with fuch an Air of Divine Majesty and Dominion, and wrought by others in his Name, and by Power derived from him, muft certainly give him an Authority, far fuperior to any that ever appeared before, as Prophets and Teachers fent from God. And accordingly he appealeth to these his Miracles, not only as Proofs of his being a Prophet fent of God, but, as Proofs of the Truth of the Declarations he had made concerning his own Divine Dignity and Glory. Thus after having declared, in a wonderful Strain, that be would give eternal Life to his Sheep that obeyed bis Voice and followed him, and that he and the Father were one; when the Jews took up Stones to ftone him, as a Blafphemer, he appeals to his Works, as evidencing the Truth of these his Declarations: If I do not the Works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the Works: That ye may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in him. John x. 27, 28, 30, 31, 37, 38. And he expreffeth himself to the fame Purpose, John xiv. 11. And indeed the higher the Claims were that he made to a Divine Authority and Dignity fuperior to all others, the more unlikely it was that he should have been inabled to

perform

perform fuch ftupendous Miracles in Atteftation to thofe Pretenfions, if they had not been true; fince, in that Cafe, as the Imposture would have been greater and more dangerous, and the Infolence more daring, it cannot be fuppofed that God would have employed his own Divine Power to favour fuch an Imposture, or have fuffered fuch a Series of aftonishing Miracles to be wrought by him, and by others in his Name, in Confirmation of it. And, that nothing might be wanting, there was also an exprefs Teftimony given to Jefus, by a Voice from Heaven, declaring him to be the Son of God, in whom he was well pleafed; first at his Baptism, just before his Entrance, on the public Exercife of his Ministry. Matt. iii. 16, 17. And afterwards at his glorious Transfiguration before three of his Difciples, Peter, James, and John, Matt. xvii. 5. To which St. Peter refers, when he faith, We have not followed cunningly devifed Fables, when we made known unto you the Power and Coming of our Lord Jefus Chrift, but were EyeWitnefes of his Majefty. For he received from God the Father Honour and Glory, when there came fuch a Voice to him from the excellent Glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleafed. And this Voice which came from Heaven we heard, when

we

we were with him in the holy Mount. 2 Pet. i. 16, 17, 18.

And it mightily ftrengtheneth all this, when we confider the additional illuftrious Atteftations that were given him, after his having fubmitted, for our Sakes, to the Death of the Crofs; by his Resurrection from the Dead, which, as well as his Death, he had expreffly foretold, and to which he had appealed as the great confirming Proof of his Divine Miffion; and by his Afcenfion into Heaven, and the extraordinary miraculous Effufion of the Holy Ghost upon his Difciples, which he had also promised and foretold, as a Proof of his Divine Power and Exaltation at the right Hand of God. In Confequence of which his Difciples went through all the World, performing the fame Miracles which he himself had wrought, and that profeffedly in his Name, and by Power derived from him, and in Confirmation both of the Doctrines he had taught, and of the Declarations which he had made, and which they continued to make of his Divine Dignity and Authority.

All this joined together, especially if we add to it the Evidence arifing from a wonderful Series of Prophecies, delivered through a long Succeffion of Ages, all pointing to a Saviour that was to come; and which

were

were fully accomplished in Jefus Chrift, and in him alone; together with many remarkable and exact Predictions of future Events, which he himself delivered, and which could not have been forefeen by any human Sagacity; I fay, all this together forms a Proof of his Authority, equal to the Greatness of his Claims, and vaftly fuperior to all others that ever appeared, as Teachers of Mankind; and should therefore have, proportionably, a mighty Influence upon us to engage us to yield an intire Belief to the Revelations he hath brought from Heaven, and a ready Obedience to the Laws which he hath injoined.

Having thus confidered the Divine Authority of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and the Proofs of that Authority, I would conclude with this important Reflection, which naturally arifeth from what hath been offered upon this Subject, viz. What a mighty Advantage muft it be to us to have Inftructions of the greatest Concernment to our Duty and Happiness brought us by fo wonderful, fo Divine a Perfon! No Man bath feen God at any Time; the only begotten Son, which is in the Bofom of the Father, he bath declared him. John i. 18. Though right Reason might teach us many Things relating to the Nature, to the Attributes,

and

and Providence of God, yet certainly it must be a fignal Benefit to have these Things clearly discovered to us by one that hath given fuch convincing Proofs of his being fent from Heaven to instruct Mankind. We might be apt, if left to ourfelves, to fufpect, as many have done, that God would scarce concern himself about us, or our petty Affairs, which appear to be fo much beneath the Notice of his Divine Majefty; with what a peculiar Satisfaction then fhould we receive the ftrong and exprefs Affurances which are brought us by fo glorious a Perfon, that the Care of Divine Providence extendeth even to the meanest of his Creatures, and governeth all the -Events that befall us?

In like Manner with Regard to the Laws of God, relating to the various Duties required of us, what an inestimable Advantage must it be to have them declared to us, in the Name of God himself, by one fo -near and dear to him, and whom he himfelf hath appointed our Lawgiver and our Judge! Must not this give them a quite different Power upon the Mind and Confcience, than they could have, as reprefented in the Writings of Philofophers and Moralifts? With what a fuperior Force doth his Sermon on the Mount, which containeth fuch a pure and fublime

Morality,