: : : CCXXIX. what might they expect would be the fate of those SERM. who should flight and reject the gospel? "If the : "word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every "tranfgreffion and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; how shall we escape, if we "neglect so great salvation, which at first began to "be spoken bp the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him? God also bearing "them witness, with signs and wonders, and with " divers miracles, and gifts of the holy Ghost, ac"cording to his own will. Συνεπιμαρθυρένιος τῶ Θεῖ, God adjoining this farther testimony of signs " and wonders." The apostles testified what they had heard from our Lord; and to give credit and confirmation to their testimony, God was pleased to endow them with miraculous gifts; "he bare them " witness with signs, and wonders, and miracles." So likewise, Acts xiv. 3. it is said, that "God gave " testimony to the word of his grace, granting signs " and wonders to be done by the apostles." Sometimes there are more words put together, to express the giving of this miraculous power. Acts ii. 22. "JESUS of Nazareth, approved of God by miracles, " and wonders, and signs." 2 Cor. xii. 12. St. Paul, speaking of himself, says, "the signs of an "apostle were wrought among you, in all patience, " in signs, and wonders, and miracles." These were the marks of an extraordinary and immediate commission, fuch as was that of the apostles. It is to no purpose nicely to enquire into the difference of these words, σημεῖα, τέραλα, δυνάμεις, "signs, wonders, and miracles," because in all probability there is no difference intended, it being the manner of the Hebrews, when they would express a great thing, or a great degree of any thing, to heap VOL. XI. feveral Y SERM-several words together, signifying the same thing. CeXXIX. So we find, Deut. v. 6. "Thou shalt love the LORD "thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy foul, "and with all thy might," that is, greatly, with a very ardent and intense degree of affection. So likewife in the text, God is said to " bear witness to the "apostles with signs, and wonders, and miracles," that is, in a very eminent and extraordinary manner, by great and wonderful miracles. From these words three things offer themselves to our confideration. First, that miracles are a divine testimony given to a perfon or doctrine. "God bearing them tefti." mony by figns, and wonders, and miracles." Secondly, that God gave this teftimony to the apofstles and first preachers of christianity, in a very eminent manner: for so the phrafe signifies; so many words being multiplied to express the greatness of the thing. Thirdly, we will confider the reason why miracles are now ceased in the church, and have been for several ages, so that there have been no footsteps of them for a long time. First, that miracles are a divine teftimony given to a person or doctrine. God is here faid to "bear " witness to the apostles with signs, and wonders, ." and divers miracles;" that is, the miracles which GOD enabled them to work, were an evidence that their doctrine was from GOD. And because there is some difficulty in this argument, therefore that we may the more distinctly un-derstand of what force this argument or teftimony of -miracles is, to prove the divinity of any perfon or doctrine, it will be requisite clearly to state these two things. I. What a miracle is. II. In : II. In what circumstances, and with what limita-SERM, tions, miracles are a sufficient teftimony to the truth and divinity of any doctrine. The clearing of these two things shall be my work at this time. I. What a miracle is. The shortest and plainest description I can give of it is this, that it is a fupernatural effect, evident and wonderful to sense. So that there are two things necessary to a miracle. 1. That it be a fupernatural effect. 2. that it be evident and wonderful to fenfe. 1. That it be a supernatural effect. By a supernatural effect, I mean such an effect, as either in itself and in it's own nature, or in the manner and circumstances of it, exceeds any natural power that we know of to produce it. For there are some things that are miraculous in themselves; others that are only miraculous in the manner and circumstances of their operation. For instance, the refurrection of one from the dead, is a thing which in itself is supernatural, and an effect above any power that we know of in nature to produce; but the healing of feveral diseases, and the speaking of languages, are not things wich are in themfelves and in their nature fupernatural, for we fee that they may be acquired by natural skill and industry: but to heal all forts of diseases in an inftant, and by a word, and without the application of natural means; and on a sudden to speak languages which a man never learned; these are things, which though they be not in their nature, yet in such circumstances as these, they are fupernatural. 1 say, that a fupernatural effect is that which is above any natural power that we know of to produce; by which I do not mean, that miracles are always an immediate effect of the divine power, and confequently that God alone can work them. For angels, good Y 2 CCXXIX. ER M.good or bad, may do such things, as exceed any natural power known to us, and such as we cannot distinguish by any certain marks and characters from those effects which are wrought by the immediate power of God; and if we cannot diftinguish them, they are equally miracles to us. When the angel flew 185000 in the camp of the Assyrians in one night, this ought in all reason to be reckoned a miracle; and yet this, though done by the command of God, an angel might do by his own power and strength; for "they excel in strength :" but what limitations to set to their power, we cannot tell, only it is finite; so that excepting those things, which the scripture hath peculiarly appropriated to God, we cannot say what it is that an angel cannot do. The fame may be faid concerning evil angels. The devil may work wonders, or assist his instruments to work them. So Pharaoh's magicians wrought feveral miracles by the power of the devil, and did fome of the very same things that Mofes and Aaron did, either really or in appearance, and it is all one whether. For he, who, to men's fenfes, turns a rod into a ferpent, works as great a miracle to me, as he who really does it; and if I am not to believe a thing to be a miracle, when to my fenfes it appears to be wrought, I am never to believe any, unless I could make some difference between those miracles which are real, and those that only appear to be wrought; for if we know not how to diftinguish them, they are to us all one as if they were real : but if they may be distinguished, then there will be need of another miracle, to shew which are real and which not; and the fame question and doubt will arife about that miracle, and fo without end. So CCXXIX. 1 So that I do not see what is gained by saying, that SERM. Pharaoh's magicians did only delude men's senses, but did not turn their rods really into ferpents, as Aaron did his; because this may be said on one fide, as well as on the other: for to the standers by there was no difference, but the one seemed to the senses of the beholders, to be as real as the other; and the text makes no difference, but says, " the magicians did " in like manner, for they cast down every man his "rod, and they became ferpents," only Aaron's had this advantage, that "his rod swallowed up their "rods:" but the main difference was here, Mofes and Aaron wrought 'such miracles, as the magicians could not work, neither really, nor in appearance: for when Aaron by smiting the dust with his rod, had turned it into lice, it is said that the magicians attempted to do so with their enchantments, but could not, and then they yielded, and acknowledged that it was "the finger of God." And if they had not been thus plainly overcome, but could, to all appearance of sense, have done all those things which Mofes and Aaron did, it might justly have been difputed which had been the true prophets. So that the devil and his instruments may work miracles. Moses plainly supposeth that a false prophet, who comes to seduce the people to idolatry, may work a true sign or wonder, Deut. xiii. 1, 2. " If there arife among you a prophet, or a dreamer " of dreams, and giveth thee a fign or a wonder; " and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof " he spake unto thee, saying, let us go after other " gods." And our blessed SAVIOUR exprefly foretels, Matth. xxiv. that "false chrifts, and false pro" phets shall arise after his death, and shew great "signs and wonders." |