Mofes had no Succeffor as a Lawgiver: Prophets and righteous Men were often fent by God to reprove and admonish the People for their manifold Tranfgreffions of the Law given by Mofes, but without any Authority to add to, or diminish from it. And fo the Cafe ftood, till the Great Prophet, like unto Mofes, came in the full Power and Authority of God to make a new Covenant, not with one People, but with all the Nations of the Earth, Jefus of Nazareth, a Man approved of God by Miracles, and Wonders, and Signs.

It has been before obferved, that the great Doctrines of Natural Religion have for their Evidence the Works of Nature, and want not the Support of Miracles. But, when any new Doctrine is published to the World, or any new Command, of which Nature has given no Notice, it is of Neceffity that fuch new Doctrines fhould be established by new Proofs. One Thing indeed we learn from natural Reason, That God is to be trufted and obeyed in whatever he promises or commands: But still a Proof is required, that fuch new Doctrine or Command does really proceed from God. And this fhews how neceffary Miracles are to the Introduction of a new Revelation: Not that Miracles can prove the Truth of any Doctrine;

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Doctrine; but they directly prove the Commiffion of the Perfon who does them to proceed from Him by whofe Power alone they could be performed. This Diftinction between Miracles confidered as a Proof of the Doctrine, and as confirming the Authority and Commiffion of the Perfon who reveals it, will plainly appear, upon confidering what the Cafe would be, fhould any Man openly perform unquestionable Miracles, and then retire in Silence, without declaring any Purpofe he had: The great Works might aftonish and confound us; but we could not poffibly make any use of them: We might indeed conclude, that fome great and invifible Power affifted and enabled the Man to perform the Works; but what that invifible Power had to do with us, or we with it, we could by no juft Inference conclude. But, fhould fuch a Man declare himself to be a Meffenger from God commiffioned to publish his Will to the World, and appeal to the great Works which he did as a Proof of the Authority he had received; the Miracles, though, confidered in themselves, they do not directly prove his Doctrine, yet do they eftablish his Authority, and give the Force of a divine Command to what he publishes in God's Name.

The

The Law of Mofes then requiring Submiffion and Obedience to Commands and Doctrines which have no Establishment in the Light of Reafon and Nature, it was neceffary to found them upon the Authority of God, to which no Submiffion could be due, till fufficient Evidence was given of it, to guard Men against Impofition and Deceit either from wicked Men or wicked Spirits: And this made Miracles to be a neceffary Proof in the Establishment of a new Reve-} lation.

We fee then to what Purposes Miracles were originally introduced, and in what Manner applied, by Mofes: And, whoever confiders of what Confequence it was to the Happiness of Mankind to have a standing Evidence always before their Eyes of the Unity and Supremacy of God manifested in his Government of the Jewish Nation, and how far the Mofaic Difpenfation prepared the Way, and laid the Foundation, for the Accomplishment of his great Work in the Salvation of the World by Christ Jefus, will fee Reafon to think that the End propofed was worthy of God, and fully accounts for his Interpofition by Signs and Wonders, which were Acts not only of great Power, but of U 2 great

great Goodnefs and Benevolence towards Mankind.

If we confider the Miracles of the Gofpel, we shall find that they had the fame Ends in View. If Mofes withstood the Magicians of Egypt, and manifested a Superiority of Power 'over them, and the falfe Gods whom they ferved, our Saviour did much more in Oppofition to the Power of Satan, and the wicked Spirits who had taken poffeffion of Men, and tormented them in divers Manners: In fubduing them he fhewed fuch an uncontroulable Power, that they were obedient to his Command; and, when he faid Go, they were forced to go, yielding a ready, though unwilling, Obedience. And, as the Gospel spread, Idolatry fled before it, the Heathen Deities became dumb, and their Oracles were filenced. And, if we look abroad into the World, and take a View of the Nations where Idolatry and Superftition once prevailed, and where the Knowledge of the Unity and Supremacy of God is now eftablifhed, which happy Change can only be afcribed to the Propagation of the Gospel, we shall fee how fully and perfectly this great End was anfwered by the Miracles wrought by Christ.

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If Mofes had a Commiffion from God to publish his Will to the People of the Jews, Jefus had a far more ample Commiffion to publish the Terms of God's Salvation to all Mankind: And, as thefe Terms were of God's Appointment, and not fuch as human Wisdom could fuggeft, they ftood in need of the Evidence of Miracles to fupport them.

It has been observed before, That no Miracles can alter the clear Dictates of natural Religion. The fame may be faid with respect to any former divine Revelation: For to fuppofe a Revelation to come from God, and to be fully established by Miracles, and that a later Revelation upon the like Proof and Authority should abrogate and render the former void, would be fetting up Miracle against Miracle, and destroy the Authority of both: And therefore admitting the Mofaic Revelation and the Chriftian to be both of divine Original, they must neceffarily be con-fiftent, and each be in its proper Place to carry on the great and ultimate Views of · Providence. This evidently was the Cafe of Mofes, who came to prepare the Way for the full and perfect Declaration of God's Will, referved till He fhould come who was the End of the Law: And to this Purpose