heavenly Discourse. Let her fee him injured, but not provoked; Let her attend him to the Tribunal, and confider the Patience with which he endured the Scoffs and Reproaches of his Enemies. Lead her to his Crofs; and let her view him in the Agony of Death, and hear his last Prayer for his Perfecutors; Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.

When Natural Religion has viewed both, afk, Which is the Prophet of God? But her Answer we have already had; when fhe faw Part of this Scene through the Eyes of the Centurion who attended at the Cross; by him she spoke and faid, Truly this Man was the Son of God,

DISCOURSE

Jefus of Nazareth, a Man approved of God among you by Miracles and Wonders and Signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know.

HE great Evidence of Chriftianity, to which our Saviour and his Apoftles conftantly appeal, are the Miracles, Wonders, and Signs, which God did by the Hand of Jefus to confirm the Authority and Commiffion he gave him to publish and declare his Will to the World. This being the only reasonable Evidence that he could give of his coming from God, our Saviour fays exprefly, If I had not done among them

the Works which none other Man did, they had not had Sin, John xv. 24. If he had not given these undeniable Proofs of his being a Teacher fent from God, they would have been acquitted, not only in Reason, but even out of his own Mouth. If I do not the Works of my Father, says he, believe me not, John x. 37: If I bear witness of myself, my Witness is not true, John v. 31: And he adds, Verse 36, The Works which the Father hath given me to finish, the fame Works that I do, bear witness of me that the Father fent me. Thus, when St. John fent to him to inquire exprefly whether he were the Christ, or no, he shewed the Meffengers his Works, and bade them relate to John what they had feen; refering it to him to judge by his Works, which were the only proper Evidence, whether he were the Chrift, or no.

The Truth then of Chriftianity refting upon the Authority of Miracles, I fhall endeavour in the following Discourse to shew,

First, Wherein the true Force of this Argument from Miracles confifts, and what it is that they prove.

Secondly, What fort of Works are to be admitted for Miracles in proving the Truth of any Religion.

First, I fhall endeavour to fhew wherein the true Force of this Argument from Miracles confifts, or what it is that they prove.

Miracles are not intended to prove the Being of God, nor the Doctrines of Morality: For Natural Religion is fupported by Natural Reafon, and has for its Evidence the Works of Nature. Thus St. Paul argues in his first Chapter to the Romans, declaring that what was to be known of God was manifeft to Men, God having fhewed it unto them: For the invifible Things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly feen, being understood by the Things that are made, even his eternal Power and Godhead. And in the most corrupt and degenerate Times God did not leave himself without Witness, continuing to do Good, to give Rain from Heaven and fruitful Seafons, filling the Hearts of Men with Joy and Gladness. These are the ftanding Proofs of the Being and Goodnefs of God: And Men need but open their Eyes, and look round them, to see the wonderful and ftupendous Works of Nature, which lead directly to the Knowledge of God. And what greater Evidence can Man have than this? For, if the making one World will not prove the Being of a God, the making of ten thousand will not. And therefore

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