difcredit the matter of Fact. Let it be fo; the Miracles were wrought; what then? Is the Religion of the Country therefore of God? if fo, apply it to the Heathens, who have, without all queftion, had many great and true Miracles, wrought among and by them. If this do not fol low there, neither will it follow here. Let not Christians build any part of their Faith upon fuch Providential, accidental Miracles: But let them reft on the Foundation of Mofes and the Prophets, confirm'd by certain, plain, foreknown, and foretold Miracles; and on the Superftructure rais'd thereon by Chrift

the

the Lord, who knew he had the Power of Miracles, and foretold what he would do, and to what end and purpose he would do them, namely, to gain belief by them. God may restore Sight to the Blind, by the hands of a Man, who knoweth not that he fhall be the Inftrument of conveying fo great a Bleffing; and People will love, efteem, and honour this Man; but it will not follow from hence, that all this Man fhall fay, fhall be believ'd as Revelation. But if a Man shall fay he comes from God, and is to declare his Will, and be believ'd; and to fhew he does fo, tells them he has Power from God,

to

to restore Sight to the Blind, and actually performes his word, and works that Miracle; the People will then be oblig'd to believe what he delivers them from God, not on ly for the fake of his miraculous Work, but for the fake of his fore-knowing and fore-telling he should work it. The Rea fon of this, is, that the Mira cle is not accidental, but fore-feen. Had it been accidental, it had had no neceffa ry Confequence, the Inftrument might have been honoured: but being fore-feen, the Inftrument had been alfo a Prophet, and therefore deferv'd the belief he wanted, and wrought that Miracle to

ob

obtain. This fore-knowledg of Christ (let me here ob ferve, fince I forgot to mention it in its place) differed from that of his Apoftles, Moses, and all other Meffengers of God, very much. Chrift knew he could at all times, work what Miracles he pleas'd; and that his Power was under no restraint or limitation; and tho' he did not all the Miracles he could, yet he did all he would, and his Will was govern'd by his Reafon. Mofes and Chrift's Difciples (even after all Power was committed to them by Chrift juft ready to afcend) could not work what Miracles they pleas'd; but ftill they always knew T what

what they fhould be able to do, and therefore never attempted any thing in vain : The fore-knowledg of what they intended to do, was common to both. For tho' it is faid Matth. xvii. and Mark ix. that the Disciples could not difpoffefs the Lunatick, yet you know, that when they ask'd our Lord privately why they could not caft dut that Devil, he ubraided them with want of Faith, and faid it was because of their Unbelief. Now Unbelief fignifies here, the not believing that they should, by the power of Chrift intrufted with them, be able to do that work (as might be prov'd at large, if it

were