when wrought in confirmation of any point, they are justly considered as authenticating that which they are intended to support; because they prove a divine concurrence; and we cannot suppose that God should enable any man to work miracles merely to establish falsehood, and to deceive his people.
There have indeed been sorceries and enchantments prac- tised, perhaps also miracles, in support of error0. But, in the case alluded to, God suffered Satan to exercise extraordinary powers in order to harden him who obstinately opposed his will, and to confirm him in the delusions which he had chosen for himself*1. Yet in those instances did he give abundant proof of his own superiority, and leave the confounded monarch without excuse e.
That the miracles which Jesus did, were intended to con- vince the Jews of his Divine mission, and that they were suf- ficient for that end, is manifest from the appeal which he himself repeatedly made to them in this very viewf. The completion of prophecy was indeed a decisive proof of his Mes- siahship to those who could compare the prophecies with the events ; but that was a long and arduous process ; a work which but few were competent to undertake : whereas the working of miracles afforded a short, compendious, and incontestible evidence to the eyes of all who beheld them.]
For the conviction of future ages these miracles were recorded —
[If there had been no written documents of the things that were transacted, we could not have been sure that our infor- mation respecting them was correct; seeing that many variations must inevitably happen in traditions handed down through so many succeeding ages. But when the miracles of our Lord were recorded by persons who were eye-witnesses of the same, and these records were speedily circulated amongst myriads who also had been spectators of them ; and when in these very writings an appeal was made to the bitterest enemies of our Lord, who would have been glad enough to contradict the assertions of the Evangelists on a supposition that they could have been disproved; these records come down to us with an
c Exod. vii. 10, 11.
'i Isai. lxvi. 4. Ps. ix. 16. Exod. vii. .'5, 13, 14.
e Aaron's rod swallowed up all the rods of the sorcerers, Exod. vii. 12. The sorcerers were permitted to bring calamities on the land, but not to remove them, Exod. vii. 21, 22. and viii. 6, 7. And they themselves were constrained to acknowledge a divine power working by Moses and Aaron, when they could no longer imitate the miracles wrought by them, Exod. viii. 18, 19.
f John v. .'JG. and xiv. 11.
1733. J THE USE OF OUR lord's miracles. 225
evidence not at all inferior to ocular demonstration : and if any man reject the testimony which is thus sanctioned both by friends and enemies, he is wilfully blind, and would reject any other evidence that could be given hims.]
But though this was the immediate intent of these written memorials, the salvation of our souls was, II. The ultimate end —
Merely to prove to us that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, would have been a fruitless task, unless our believing of that record would conduce to our benefit. But the Apostle knew, that our whole sal- vation depends upon it; and therefore, in transmitting an account of our Saviour's miracles, he sought to bring us to the enjoyment of life ;
1. Of spiritual life —
[The unbeliever is " dead in trespasses and sins'1 :" he is as incapable of spiritual exertion, as dry bones, that have been entombed for many years, are of exercising the functions be- longing to the body '. Nor is it by working, that he is to obtain life (for he must have life before he can work aright) but by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. By believing, he becomes united to Christ, as a scion that is grafted into a new stock ; and he derives life from him, as a branch does from the tree, or as a member from the headk. No sooner is that union formed, than he becomes a new creature1 ; " he is passed from death unto life1";" and is " purged from dead works to serve the living God." For the sake of Christ he is made " a par- taker of the Divine nature":" " Christ himself lives in him," and " is that very life °," whereby he is enabled to live to God.]