in the Gospel-History that gives the least Countenance to this Surmize, but our Saviour's Conduct towards the Men of Nazareth, which has been already accounted for. But if he would infinuate, that our Lord never wrought his Miracles before Unbelievers, nothing can be more falfe. It may be faid of his Miracles in general, that they were wrought in the fight of Perfons who at firft did not believe in him, but many of whom were brought to believe by thofe Miracles *. The Scribes and Pharifees were his bittereft Enemies, and these were often present when he performed his mighty Works, nor did he decline working his Miracles before them, even when he knew they had a Design to obferve and intrap him. Inftances of which fee Matt. xii. 10, 14. Mark xi. 5-12. ix. 14-27. We are exprefsly told, fpeaking of the unbelieving Jews, that Jefus did many Miracles before them; John xii. 37. And he himself frequently in his Difcourfes with his Enemies appeals to his wonderful Works, as things which they all knew and could not poffibly deny, and infifts upon them as uncontefted Proofs of his divine Miflion.

Our Author further argues from Chrift's enjoining thofe on whom he wrought his Miracles not to divulge them. See thou tell no Man (fays he) was generally the Charge. But this alfo is very unfairly reprefented. With regard to the far greater part of his Miracles, no fuch Injunc

See particularly John ii. 18, 23, 24. iii. 2,

tion

tion was given. It was only on fome particular Occafions, for which no doubt there were special Reasons. It is eafy to enumerate all the Inftances of this kind recorded in the Evangelifts. Such was the Cafe of the Leper mentioned Matt. viii. 2, 4. The two blind Men that addrefs'd to him as the Son of David, i. e. the Meffiah, Matt. ix. 27-30. The dumb and deaf Man, Mark vii. 36. And the Cafe of Jairus's Daughter, who was raised from the dead. In thefe Cafes all the Evangelifts that relate the Miracles obferve, that Chrift forbad the Perfons to divulge them. And there is another Inftance of this kind, Matt. xii. 16. where, after Chrift had reftored the Man that had the withered Hand in the fight of the Pharisees, we are told, he withdrew himself from thence, and healed those that came to him, and charged them that they should not make him known. With regard to the Case last mentioned, the Reason of the Injunction is plain; it was because the Pharifees were at that time taking counsel with the Herodians how they might destroy him, as appears from Ver. 14. As to the Cafe of the Leper whom he had cleanfed, it is to be observed, that the divulging of the Miracle brought fuch Multitudes together, that Jefus could no more openly enter into the City, but was without in defart Places for a while. And it was probably because our Saviour forefaw this Inconvenience, that he forbad him to publish it abroad. To which it may be added, that as the People F 2

bad

had on fome Occafions fhewn a forwardness to make him a King, he fometimes found it neceffary to withdraw, that he might give no occafion to Tumult or Sedition; and when he knew any particular Miracle he wrought was likely to have that Effect, he forbad it to be divulged. And this alfo probably might be one Reafon why he charged his Difciples not to make known his Transfiguration, and fometimes forbad them to publish that he was the Christ, the full Notification of which was referved till after his Sufferings and Refurrection, when there was no longer any Danger of it's producing that Effect. But though we could not at this Distance affign the precife Reasons why our Lord at fome particular times enjoined them not to divulge what he had done; yet this we are fure of, that the Reafon could not be that he did not intend his Miracles as Proofs of his divine Miffion, fince he frequently in the moft folemn manner appealed to them as Proofs.

But what this Writer feems to lay a particular Strefs upon, is that which our Saviour faid, when applied to for his extraordinary Affiftance in favour of the Nobleman's Child, Unless you fee Signs and Wonders, you will not believe. But what is this defigned to prove? Is it to prove, that Chrift in working his Miracles had no Intention that his Miracles fhould be regarded as Proofs of his divine Miffion? This indeed is what this Gentleman produces it for; but the

contrary

contrary rather follows from it. For if he knew the Jews would not believe without Miracles, and if it was his Defire and Design that they should believe in him, which will scarce be denied, this made it neceffary for him to work Miracles before them with this very View, that they might be thereby brought to believe in him. But it will be faid, that our Saviour here reproves the Jews for not believing in him without Miracles. But neither could this be his Intention; fince he himself declares, that if he had not done Works among them which no other Man did, they had not had Sin. But what he defigns here to reprove is the Temper of thofe, who though they had fufficient Evidence of his Miracles from Teftimony that might be fafely depended on, yet would not believe in him, except they themfelves faw them with their own Eyes. This feems to have been the Cafe of this Nobleman. We are told John iv. 45. that the Galileans who had been at the Feaft at Jerufalem and had feen the Miracles Christ had done there, received him upon his Return into Galilee. This Nobleman had not been there, but had been informed of all this and when he heard that Jefus was come into Galilee, he went and befought him that he would come down and heal his Son. He was in hope that Christ might heal his Son, if he came down and touched him, but not otherwife. His Faith feems. to have been very imperfect, probably because he

himfelf

himself had not seen any of the mighty Works Christ had wrought, though he had fufficient Reafon to be affured of the Truth of them. Then faid Jefus unto him, Except ye fee Signs and Wonders, ye will not believe. And he did not go down to his Houfe, as he defired, to heal his Son, but faid, Go thy way, thy Son liveth. The Nobleman feems to have been fenfible of the Reproof, and he believed the Word that Jefus had spoken, and went his way. And upon finding that his Son began to recover the very Hour that Jefus faid unto him, thy Son liveth, he himSelf believed, with his whole Houfe. He then fully believed Chrift's divine Miffion, of which he had doubted before.

As this Gentleman does what he can to make it appear, that Chrift himself never intended his Miracles as Proofs of his divine Million, fo he endeavours to shew, that in themselves they are no way fitted to be fuch Proofs or Evidences.

And first, he thinks he may "not unplaufibly fuggeft, what has been fo often urged upon "this occafion, that Miracles have, time out of

mind, been undoubtedly performed, as well "in favour of falfe Doctrines, and therefore they "can never be fingly, and of themselves alone,

any certain Marks of a true, p. 46." He fpeaks of it here as paft all doubt, that Miracles have been done in favour of falfe Doctrines, tho' very probably he believes nothing of the For he fcruples not to call the Popish Miracles, which he afterwards mentions, falfe

matter.

and