h f testimony of John the Baptist; "Ye sent unto John and he bare witness unto the truth; but I have greater witness than that of John :" to the purity of his doctrine; "If I speak the truth, why do ye not believe me?" to the sacred records; "Search the 1 scriptures; they testify of me :" to his unspotted life ; "Which of you convinceth me of sin ?" to his prophetic spirit; "I tell you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he:" and to the effusion of the Spirit ; "When the Advocate is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me." On these several proofs, as on a rock, our Lord rests his heavenly authority. I cannot close this chapter without subjoining some general remarks on miracles, and on the nature of the proof afforded by them. Miracles were never wrought but by the immediate agency of God; or by a superior being whom he appointed for the special purpose of supernaturally interfering in this lower world. "Angels may work what to men appears a miracle, by their own proper power: but I am persuaded that on these occasions they have been always ministering spirits, fulfilling God's word. When men work a miracle, it is plain that they are only visible instruments in the hand of f John v. 33, 36. Luke xxiv. 27, 44. *ib. xiii. 19. hib. v. 39. See also iib. viii. 46. See also ib. xvi. 10. m Matt. xxviii. 2. 8 ib. viii. 46. the Great Invisible Cause. There have been suprising effects among men, not immediately or mediately produced by the Deity, which have carried the appearance of miracles; but these are resolvable into natural causes, and have been deemed supernatural through mistake, or delusion. Undoubted miracles are therefore the seal of heaven; and are immediate and striking proofs of the divine co-operation. It is likewise evident that they indirectly and ultimately prove the truth of the doctrines delivered by a prophet who thus demonstrates his commission from above. It is only taking another step in the argument, and saying; The miracles wrought by the prophet shew that he is sent from God but God is a God of truth; and therefore the words spoken by his messenger, as such, must be And there is almost as little reason to question the fidelity of the messenger as the veracity of God. It cannot be supposed that God, who knows his instruments, would impart miraculous powers to a founder of a religion capable of perverting the truths which he was commissioned to deliver: and such as were delegated by the Great Author of our religion, were chosen by the infallible Spirit of God to answer the several ends for which they were called, and would instantly have been deprived of the supernatural true. We may see what were the natural effects of miracles, John ii. 23. iii. 2. Mark i. 27. Luke vii. 16. viii. 25. and p. p. Mark vi. 51. Matt. xv. 31. Luke ix. 43. John ix. 30. x. 21. xii. 11. Matt. xii. 23. Acts viii. 6, 13. The emperor of China said to the missionaries, Do some miracle that may warrant the truth of your religion, and I will pass my word for the sincerity of our faith. Le Compte, p. 419, 8vo. Engl. Trans. • See Mr. Farmer's most excellent Dissertation on Miracles, particularly c. v. power communicated to them, if they had attempted an undue use of it. They could do nothing against the truth; but for the truth. This was a general maxim in the age of miracles; and we must likewise observe, that if any, who partook of the spirit during that period, had attempted to propagate a falsehood as a revealed truth, they would have extinguished the heavenly light, and, in cases of sufficient importance, a prophet, assisted by the spirit and power of God, would have refuted, and, perhaps, judicially punished them. It must also be further suggested on this subject, that doctrines advanced by a heavenly teacher will always prove themselves to be worthy of God, and suitable to the nature or peculiar circumstances of those who are required to admit them as a divine law. The most probable account of the duration of miracles after our Lord's time is, that, as the apostles alone had the high privilege of conferring spiritual gifts, among which was the power of working miracles, these gradually ceased, as that generation became extinct to which the apostles had communicated this power. Miracles are as capable of being supported by proper testimony as any other actions of which men are eye witnesses. To say that we will not believe them, because we have not seen them ourselves, is making our own personal experience the test of all possible facts: it is saying that, because there is an ? 2 Cor. xiii. 8. 1 See Benson's Life of Christ, c. vi. sect. vi. ordinary and established course of nature, this cannot be set aside by the Omnipotent Being who first arranged it, though for moral and religious purposes, the greatest and the most worthy of his benevolent interposition which can be conceived. The miracles of Christ were publicly appealed to by his Apostles a few days after his ascension; they are transmitted down to us by eye witnesses, and contemporary writers, in well authenticated books; and they are supported by the most credible testimony, that of a number of plain honest men, who sacrificed all worldly advantages, and life itself, in attestation of what they advanced. And we are to consider in these witnesses their competency to judge of the facts, their integrity, and their benevolence to mankind; not their learning, station, or opulence. Upon the whole, the miracles of Jesus prove St. John's conclusion, THAT HE WAS THE CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD. SECTION III. WHY OUR LORD SOMETIMES CONCEALED HIS MESSIAHSHIP, AND THE MIGHTY WORKS WHICH PROVED IT. A CANDID and attentive reader of the gospels will be convinced that our Lord's Messiahship was sufficiently promulged to the Jews; and that the display of his miracles, one great proof of his prophetic character, was sufficiently illustrious to create attention and conviction. When the angel Gabriel announced the birth of John the Baptist, he foretold to Zacharias that his son should be "great before the Lord; and should go before him in the power and spirit of Elias." b a When the same angel was sent to Mary, he described her promised son in the following terms: "He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." "The Holy Spirit power of the Most therefore also the holy shall come upon thee, and the High shall overshadow thee: Luke i. 15, 17. bib. 32, 3. His spiritual kingdom on earth shall last as long as the world itself, and for ever in heaven. Prophecy seems to point out a very glorious manifestation of this kingdom here below. Dan. ii. 44. vii. 14, 27. Rom. xi. 12, 15, 25, 26. Rev. xi. 15. xx. 4. xxi. 10, 23, 24. |