The Text with our Saviour's Anfwer implies and contains this Truth, which I fhall endeavour to illuftrate ;---that Miracles are the Credentials of our Saviour's Miffion," and give clear and illuftrious Evidence of his being a Teacher fent from God.---In the Progrefs of my Discourse I shall therefore

Shew, that a Series of wonderful uncontefted Operations, manifeftly above and beyond the Powers of Nature, do plainly démonftrate a Perfon to be divinely commiffioned and a Teacher fent from God: And

2.---Enquire into the Ufe and Neceffity of this kind of Evidence.

Now the Force of the Argument confifts in this; that Miracles being above, and beyond the Powers of Nature, a Series of fuch fupernatural Events is a Proof of fome fupernatural Interpofition, which muft immediately or ultimately be referred to God. For though there are, doubtlefs, many

D

Be

ings

ings invested with natural Powers far above

what we fee belonging to Man yet the Manyet

Powers of thefe Beings are certainly limited, as well as thofe of Man, neither have they a lawlefs Exercife of thefe Powers, but are certainly reftrained within the Limits which the great Creator has enacted, and which are defigned by what we call the Laws of Nature. To imagine that thefe Beings are enabled with a difcretionary Ufe of natural Powers to over-rule and trample upon the Laws of Nature, and to difturb that Order which the Wisdom of God has planted, fhocks and contradicts our Notions of Subferviency and Subjection, in which all Orders and Ranks of Beings, both good and bad, muft be fuppofed to be placed by the great

Author and Fountain of all Order and Ex

ftence. From hence we are warranted to

conclude, that fupernatural and miraculous

The first Verfe of the thirteenth Chapter of Deuteronomy feems to intend a Sign or Wonder of Prophecy, fomething brewd

ly conjectured, or adventurously foretold, where the Event cafually

verifies the Prediction.

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Operations manifeftly fhew the Finger of God: And we may as justly infer, that our blessed Saviour acted by a divine Appointment from the mighty Wonders which he performed, as that God was the Creator of the World may be deduced from the stupendous Beauty, Order, and Magnificence of the Univerfe. The mighty. Works which our Saviour performed were above all the Powers of Nature. Bad Angels could not work them without God's Permiffion, and would not exert them in a Caufe, that most evidently oppofed every Intereft and Inclination of evil Angels. Good Angels, if they acted in this Cafe, muft act by the fpecial Direction of that God, who can neither deceive nor be deceived. In either View therefore we gather this fure Conclufion, that a Series of miraculous and uncontefted Operations, manifeftly above and beyond the Powers of Nature, do plainly fhew a Perfon to be divinely commiffioned, and a Teacher fent from God.

But what fhall we fay then of Miracles that have been wrought by Perfons, who either were Aliens from the Chriftian Caufe, or of doubtful Character, or for Purposes unbecoming and unworthy of God's Interpofition? As to fuch Miracles, most of them are generally acknowledged to be fabulous and groundfefs; and the reft are not fupported by reafonable Authority, being done in Corners, without proper Witnesses to prove the Facts, and were none of them profeffedly wrought in Atteftation of any Doctrines, or to prove a Revelation that claimed to be received as coming from God. Fabulous Miracles deferve no Confideration; and fuch as pretend to the Authority of hiftorical Evidence it will be Time enough to confider, when that Evidence is produced. "Suppose", fays a learned Prelate, “there were "the like hiftorical Evidence for Miracles which are on all Hands acknowledged to be fabulous, to what there is for thofe alledged in Proof of Chriftianity, which yet "is in no wife allowed, but fuppofe this, the "Confe

Confequence would not be, that the Evi "dence of the latter is not to be admitted, "Nor is there, a Man in the World who in "common Cafes would conclude thus. For "what would fuch Conclufion really amount

to, but this, that Evidence confuted by "contrary Evidence, or any Way overba"lanced, deftroys the Credibility of other "Evidence, neither confuted, nor overba"lanced. To argue, that because there is, "if there were, like Evidence from Teftifor Miracles acknowledged falfe, as mony "for those in Atteftation of Chriftianity, "therefore the Evidence in the latter Cafe "is not to be credited; this is the fame as "to argue, that if two Men of equally

good Reputation had given Evidence in "different Cafes noWay connected, and one “of them had been convicted of Perjury,

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this confuted the Teftimony of the "other." +

It may therefore be reasonably believed, as it is fufficiently proved, that miraculous

Bishop Butler's Analogy, &c. Part 2. Chap. vii. Page 247 & 248, Qto. Edit.

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