55. Agreeably unto these testimonies, the Jews themselves have a tradition about the sufferings of the Messiah, which sometimes breaks forth amongst them, In Midrash Tehillim on Ps. ii, “ Rabbi Hana, in the name of Rabbi Idi, says that the Messiah must bear the third part of all the afflictions that shall ever be in the world.” And R. Machir, in Abkath Rochel, affirms that “God inquired of the soul of the Messiah, at the beginning of the creation, whether he would endure sufferings and afflictions for the purging away the sins of his people; to which he answered, that he would bear them with joy.” And that these sufferings of the Messiah are such, as that without the consideration of them no rational account can be given of any of their services or sacrifices, shall in our Exposition be fully declared. Now, upon these testimonies, it is evident that the great argument used by the Jews to disprove Jesus of Nazareth from being the true Messiah,—namely, his meanness, poverty, persecutions, and suffer- ings in this world,—doth strongly confirm the truth of our faith that he only was so indeed.
56. Unto these characters given of the Messiah we may also sub- join sundry invincible arguments proving our Lord Jesus Christ to be him that was promised. I shall add only some few of them, and that very briefly, because they have been by others in an especial manner at large insisted on.
First, then, He testified of himself that he was the Messiah, and that those who believed not that he was so should perish in their sins. Now because, according unto a general rule, he granted that although the testimony which he gave concerning himself, being the testimony of the Son of God, was true, yet it might be justly liable to exception amongst them, for the confirmation of his asser- tion he appeals to the works that he wrought, issuing the difference and question about his testimony in this, that if his works were not such as never any other man had wrought, or ever could work, but the Messiah only, they should be at liberty as to their believing in him. ‘The works,” saith he, “that my Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father
SECT. 54-59.] THE ONLY TRUE AND PROMISED MESSIAH. 411
hath sent me,” John v. 36; that is, to be the Messiah. His own record he asserts to be true, appeals also to the testimony of John, but shows it withal to be inferior to those other witnesses which he had, namely, the Scripture and his own works. And s0 also, chap. x. 37, “If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.”
57. Many things might be insisted on for the confirmation of this argument. I shall only point at the heads of them; nor is there more necessary unto our present purpose.
First, All true, real miracles are effects of divine power. Many things prodigious, marvellous, or monstrous, beside the common and ordinary productions of nature, may be asserted and brought forth by an extraordinary concurrence of causes not usually falling in such a juncture and coincidence; many may be wrought by the great, hidden, and to us unknown power of wicked spirits; many things may have an appearance of prodigy and wonder, by the force of some deceit, pretence, or delusion, that attends the manner of their declaration. But real miracles are effects so above, beside, or con- trary to, the nature and efficacy of any or all natural causes, that by no application or disposition of them, though never so uncouth or un- usual, can they be produced ; and therefore they must of necessity be the effects of an almighty creating power, causing somewhat to exist in matter or manner out of nothing, or out of that which is more ad- verse unto the being or manner of existence given unto it than nothing itself. Such are the works of raising the dead, opening the eyes of men born blind, ete. And this position the Jews will not deny, seeing they make it the foundation of their adherence unto the law of Moses.
58. Secondly, When God puts forth his mdracle-working power in the confirmation of any word or doctrine, he avows it to be of and from himself, to be absolutely and infallibly true, setting the fullest and openest seal unto it which men, who cannot discern his essence or being, are capable of receiving or discerning. And therefore when any doctrine, which in itself is such as becometh the holiness and righteousness of God, is confirmed by the emanation of his divine power in the working of miracles, there can no greater assurance, even by God himself, be given of the truth of it.
59. Thirdly, The Lord Jesus, in the days of his flesh, wrought many great, real miracles, in the confirmation of the testimony that he gave concerning himself, that he was the Christ, the Son of God. So John vy. 20, vii. 31, x. 25, xii. 37. Greater confirmation it could not have. Now, that the Lord Jesus wrought the miracles recorded by the evangelists, with others innumerable that are not recorded, John xx. 30, xxi. 25, we have in general all the testimony, evidence, and certainty, that any man can possibly have of things which he saw not done with his own eyes. And to suppose that a man can have no assurance of any thing but what he sees or feels himself, as