ftored to Life; when Diseases, inveterate and incurable, are recovered; When natural Defects are fupplied, by a Touch, or a Word, or at a Distance, and in an Instant, without any Application or Medicine; No doubt can remain, whether a Principle above Nature do not bring these marvellous things to pafs. And, fince Men are a part of the Creation thus limited and reftrained by Natural Laws and Powers; if They fhall at any time over-rule and tranfcend thefe; What can we think, but that this is by the extraordinary affiftance of the Common Creator and Lord; who referves to himself that incommunicable Character of Sovereignty, by which his ftated Methods are fet afide? This then proves the Miracles of our Bleffed Saviour, the Prophets, and Apostles, and other holy Men, to be the Works of God, in and by Them; that they were Inftances far out of the reach of Human Strength or Wisdom; and befide, above, or contrary to, the established Rules of Natural Causes, and ordinary Providence. 2. Secondly, The conftant Apprehenfions, which both Reafon and Revelation hath given us of God, forbid us to imagine, that he will employ his Power to deceive his Creatures. Of all the divine Perfections, none shine brighter, or are more amiable in our Eyes, than Truth and Goodness. The Former cannot atteft to a Lye, nor the Latter feduce Men into dangerous and destructive Mistakes. To these we are beholden for our Certainty in things of common ufe; and that, though Men differ fometimes about the report of their Senfes, in matters of Speculation; yet all the World agrees in it, fo far as is neceffary, for the fupport and convenience of Human Life. And, if fo good care be taken, in cafes common, and of lefs importance; much more fecure of it may we be, where God immediately interpofes, and where a right or wrong Judgment is fure to E 2 prove prove of the laft confequence to us. For, What Idea can we have of a Cruelty more monftrous, more perfidious, than to leave Men bewildred and loft in their Eternal Concerns? Men, that have proceeded with all poffible Prudence and Caution, that have fufpended their Belief till a Miracle took off the Scruple? To fufpect, I fay, that Almighty God is capable of employing Infinite Power, and difturbing the course of Nature, with a defign to mislead and delude fuch wary, and honeft, and teachable Men, is to deftroy and fubvert his Attributes, and leave our felves no Notion at all of fuch a Being. Nay, for Him to permit the fame Evidences to be produced for Errors, as for Truth, is in effect to cancel his own Credentials, and make Miracles of no fignificance at all. Thus much may serve to justify Men in embracing that Doctrine, which comes confirmed by Miracles; that these are extraordinary Demonftrations of God's Power: and, that God, as Being perfectly True and Good, could not fet his Seal to a forged Inftrument, nor will he suffer it to be fo nicely counterfeited, as fhould lead wary and well-intending Men into Deceit and Damnation. For this were to fet Truth and Error upon the fame foot, by allowing both to produce the fame Evidence, the fame Signatures of His Direction and Approbation, in their own behalf; and confequently, to perplex the most important matters, and introduce Scepticism and eternal Confufion. 3. Thirdly, Miracles have this peculiar Advantage, that they come home to the Mind prefently, and put Men upon Confideration more powerfully, than any other Motive whatfoever. The comparing things, and the weight of the Reafons produced for them together, is a work, that all People are not fitted for. And even They, who think themselves most so, have yet often been impofed upon, by falfe Colours, and thofe deceitful Arts of Arguing, which Men of Skill make make ufe of, to caft a Mift before the plaineft Truths, and to give the greatest Falfhoods an air of Probability. But at the best, this is a Work of long and cool Thought, an Improvement, acquired by very flow degrees. A Miracle, on the other hand, pierces quite through the Soul, ftrikes all our Faculties at once, and, by offering it felf to our bodily Senfes, becomes an Argument for the meaneft Capacities to judge of. It is not loft in idle Aftonishment, and unprofitable Gazing, but carries the Beholders to a fpeedy Enquiry, and fo furprises and inftructs together. Men immediately recollect, that this must be the Hand of God; from whence it is, that cxxxvi. 4. John x. 37. we find him ftiled not only He that doth, Pf. Ixxvii. 14. but He who alone doth, great Wonders: and therefore Chrift does moft emphatically file these the Works of his Father. They know that fo wife a Ruler does not use to go out of the common way, nor break in upon his own Laws, except upon weighty Occafions. They are agreed, that the general reafon of his doing fo is the giving Credit to fome Meffenger and Meffage fent by him. Hence the Sareptan Widow, upon receiving her Son brought to life again by Elijah, prefently breaks out into that natural Inference, Now by this I know that thou art a Man of God, and that the Word of God in thy Mouth is Truth. Hence the Multitudes, upon our Lord's difpoffeffing an unclean Devil, cry out, What thing is this? What new Doctrine is this? for with Authority be commandeth even the unclean Spirits, and they do obey him. Then they feel themselves excited to Attention and Reverence, and look for other collateral Motives of Perfuafion. But 'tis the Miracle, that firft turns the Scale, and feothe Mind at large from Infidelity or Suspense. 1 Kings xvii. 24. Mark i. 27. This ANIM This fhews the Force of Miracles, to rouze Men out of their unthinking Indifference to holy things, and to determine their Judgments, when they apply themselves to think in good earneft. And it fhews the Neceffity of them alfo to plant new Articles of Faith. Because no Man is bound to receive any Revelation as God's, from thofe Publishers, who are not able to produce His Atteftation of it. So good reafon had the Jews to require Miracles of our Lord; So good had He, upon all Occafions, to appeal to them: So inexcufable was their Perverfenefs, when refufing an Affent to his Doctrine, which he fo frequently, fo rightfully challenged, upon this account. Let this fuffice to be spoken of Miracles in general; The Usefulness, the End of them, the Senfe of Mankind concerning them, the Accceptation and Effect they found with impartial and confidering People; and Their natural Tendency to difpofe Men for Confideration and Conviction. I now proceed to the Particular Miracle, fet before us in the Gospel for this Day. Wherein the following Circumftances more efpecially call for our Obfervation. 1. First, The not working it till after fome Delay. 2. Secondly, The prudent Manner of doing it. And 3. Thirdly, The Efficacy of it, when done. Ver. 3. 1. First, The not working it till after fome Delay. To take this matter right, it is requifite to obferve, that the Virgin, in fome pain, as it fhould feem, for the Trouble her Friends would be under, for an Entertainment too fhort for their Company, acquaints Jefus with their want of Wine. To this he replies, in Terms fo feemingly rough, that Interpreters have been at fome trouble about their Meaning. Woman, what have I to do with thee? My hour is not yet come. The Complaint implied a defire of Help from him in this Exigence; But, in cafes, where a Heavenly Father's Honour Ver. 4. Honour is to be the governing Principle, an earthly Mother's Authority is quite fufpended. And though He, who made all Times, could not be under Subjection to any, nor restrained in his Power, at one Hour more than another; yet there was an Order to be obferved, which would give a Gracefulness and Efficacy to all his Works. And Miracles were not to be wrought at all Adventures, for gratifying the Curiofity of Standers-by, or the Importunity of Friends and Relations; but had their proper Seafons, of which his own Divine Wisdom could beft Judge, and was not to be directed in. This feems the most probable Senfe of thefe Words. In which, as we muft. not suspect any thing of disrespect or indecent heat; fo neither can we discover a pofitive Denial. For the next thing his Mother does, (after receiving that Rebuke, due for interpofing, farther than her Character could bear her out) is to order the Servants, that whatsoever Jesus fhould fay to them, they should be careful to do it. Here then we have Two things to enquire into, Why our Lord deferred this Miracle at all, and, Why, that feeming Refufal notwithstanding, he did it afterwards. Ver. 5. 1. His deferring it at firft was highly prudent, to prevent all Sufpicion of Oftentation and Vanity. For, though, in the following part of his Miniftry, we find him often complying with Peoples firft Requefts, yet his Circumftances then, and now, were very different. When his Fame had been fpread abroad throughout all the Regions round about, and every Tongue fet forth his noble Acts; it better became him, as occafions offered, readily to exert his Power. But at prefent he was not known to the World; His Difciples were but few, and fresh Comers, and even his moft intimate Acquaintance had not yet any due Apprehenfions concerning him. Now E 4 He, |