Another Inftance: Jefus having faid to the Paralytic, thy fins are forgiven thee: Some Scribes cried out, Why doth this Man thus fpeak Blafphemies? Jesus faid unto them, why have you fuch thoughts? Which is moft eafy, to fay to a Paralytic, Thy fins are forgiven thee; or to Jay unto him, Arife, and take up thy Bed, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of Man hath power to forgive fins, He faith to the fick of the Pally, I fay unto thee, Arife; and he went forth before all the People *.

Laftly, the Refurrection of Lazarus followed in fome Measure the Request of a Miracle. The Jews were informed of the Cure of the Man born blind. When they faw Jefus approach Lazarus's Sepulchre, they faid, could not this Man, who opened the Eyes of the blind, have caufed that this Man fhould not have died? The Cure of the Man born blind not having produced in their Souls a full perfuafion of the divine Authority of Christ, they inftigated him to work this new Miracle. fus upon this addreffes himself to his Father. Lord, I thank thee, that thou hast heard me ;-and

* Matt. ix, 2, &c. Mark ii, 1, &c.

John xi, 37.

this

this I fay becaufe of the people which ftand by, that they may believe that thou hast fent

"But, adds our Author, whenever the Jews infifted upon this kind of Proof, he always fent them back with Con"tempt, without ever deigning to fatisfy

It is true, the Person who befought him to cure his Son is quoted for this Purpose: Except ye fee Signs and Wonders ye will not believe ‡. But without going very far in Search for Proofs of the Condefcenfion of the Son of GOD in this Respect, the Paffage of his History here produced is a most striking Inftance. A nobleman, whose Son was fick at Capernaum ||, having heard that Jefus was come from Judea into Galilee, met him, and intreated that he would be pleased to cure his Son, who was at the Point of Death. Jefus faid unto him, Except you fee Signs and Wonders, you will not believe. He answered, Sir, come down ere my Child die! Jefus replied to him, Go thy Way; thy Son liveth. He believed what Jefus toldhim,

our LORD's anfwer to

* Ver. 41, 42. John iv. 48

+ P. 79.
IV. 46, 47.

and

and went away. On his Return he met fome of his Servants coming to him, to inform him that his Son was well. He enquired of them at what Hour the Patient grew better? They answered that it was Yesterday about the feventh Hour. Then he knew that it was the Hour in which Jefus had faid to him, thy Son liveth. This Example proves that we are not to admit without Exception what our Author advances; "that whenever the Jews infifted

upon this kind of Proof, he always fent "them away with Contempt, without ever deigning to fatisfy them." If any one will cut the Matter fhort by faying that Jefus performed this Miracle as a Work of Charity, and not in Proof of his Miffion; why did Jefus Chrift vent that Reproach, except you fee Signs and Wonders you will not believe? So that we must allow, the effect greatly exceeded Expectation; fince after this Miracle, the Man believed in Jefus, and his whole Houfe .

But here we have the refufal of a Miracle upon a very folemn Occafion. "His Course "was now far advannced, when the Doctors seeing him at the Prophet very well * John xi. 50.

" took

"took it into their Heads to afk of him a Sign. To this, according to you, Sirs, what ought our LORD to have anfwered?

you ask a Sign, you have a hundred : "Cana, the Centurion, the Lepers, &c. witness for me: Behold my Signs; why "do you pretend not to fee them *?"

This is Mr.Rouleau's favourite argument; he repeats it with Relifh, and fancies it invincible: "The Invincible argument, fay he, returns again." Nothing however is more easy than to answer it.

Without reproaching Mr. Rouffeau for that Expreffion of acting the Prophet; it is enough for me to conclude that, according to him, Jefus had declared himself a Prophet, and produced his Title as fuch: For it was not sufficient to fay, "I am a Prophet," to engage the Jews to hear him: Had he defired to be believed upon his bare Word, nothing was more natural than the Request of the Jews; unless it be said that Jefus had already done a Number of Miracles ; for then it was a little late in the Pharifees to think of demanding from him a Proof, which he had before fully given.

"To this demand of a Sign, what should Jefus have anfwered ?-You demand a Sign; you have had an hundred.”

This Anfwer which, upon our System according to Mr. Rouffeau, Jefus ought to have given, is indeed fo natural, that he really did give it upon a nearly fimilar Occafion, after the Cure of the Man born blind. As Jefus was walking in the Temple, in Solomon's Porch, the Jews came round him, and faid to him." How long wilt thou keep us in Sufpence? If thou art the Christ, tell us plainly *." To this what is his Reply? Does he fay "You demand a Miracle;

you have had a hundred?" This, according to Mr. Rouleau would have been to evade the Question. Besides, this Proof was equivocal, and there needed one more ftriking. But let us hear our LORD, and we shall fee that his anfwer differs but little from that. I have told you, and you believe me not; the Works which I do in my Father's Name, the fame bear Witness of me; Many good Works have I fhewn you from my Father. If I do not the Works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, and you will not believe me, at least believe my Works; that ye may know and believe that my Father is in me, and I in him +.

* John x, 24.

+ Ver. 25, 32, 37, 38.

Was