SAVIOUR’s doctrine and pretension; seriously set themselves to reform every evil habit; and to improve daily in virtue and goodness.
It was necessary that the Apostles, who were, after our SAVIOUR’s ascension, to preach and promulgate his doctrine, should have an extra-<21>ordinary assistance;† the gift of tongues; the power of healing diseases;
[print edition page 117]
and of raising from the dead. And accordingly we have already seen that all necessary power and assistance was actually given to them. So that the effusion of gifts upon them at Pentecoste; their bold and undaunted perseverance in spight of all opposition; their heroic sufferings; and all the extraordinary works they performed; were an infringible proof and confirmation of our SAVIOUR’s ability to bestow every virtue, every quality, every degree of power: and at the same time of his veracity and faithfulness, that he would not fail to fulfil all that he had promised. And consequently were an indisputable argument of the truth of all his doctrines; of his whole claim. A proper proof in particular of his being able to give the assistance he hath promised to Christians.
He proffers his spirit to them who ask it.* He hath said that if Christians are not remiss and slothful, but give all due pains on their part; that their endeavours shall be successful; that they should feel their irregular appetites and passions weaken apace; and the good ones gain new life and vigour every day. And more especially that they should find proper aid in time of trial; an extraordinary assistance to counterbalance the extraordinary attacks their virtue might suffer in certain circumstances from the side of pleasure and its enchantments; or distress and its terrors. And seeing he accom-<22>plished to the full, what he promised to his Apostles; why should we doubt of his ability, or good-will to do all he undertook? He who did the greater, can he not, will he not, do the less? In short, all the courage, wisdom, sincerity, and steadiness of the Apostles; all their gifts, talents, and works, are, in the nature of things, the fittest Specimens that can possibly be imagined, of our SAVIOUR’s capacity to make good all he promised. And that no distance of time or place could make any difference, or alteration, with regard to his will or power. Samples of power to bestow a certain quality, or blessing, are certainly a proof of power to bestow it.
SECTION VII
I have not time to give you an exact history or detail of the works of our SAVIOUR recorded in the gospels; nor is it necessary: after these hints it
[print edition page 118]
will be easy, in reading over the gospels, to refer the works narrated there, to these doctrines.
But, says a noble author,* “Signs of power may prove power, but cannot prove honesty, or create trust.”
And to say the Truth, it was this way of speaking about miracles, that first gave me the hint of considering the miracles of our SAVIOUR as samples of his pretended power. But in answer <23> to this, let us consider how honesty and good intention can only be ascertained. To be sure it must shew itself by an uniform untainted conduct and behaviour; by a continued course of honest and benevolent deeds; by a series uninterrupted of samples of goodness and sincerity. And was not the whole of our SAVIOUR’s conduct the fittest that can be imagined to gain him credit in this way? what ground did he ever give to suspect his fidelity, or call his truth and honesty in question? Were not these very works,† that proved his power at the same time, so many irrefragable evidences of his goodness, sincerity, and benevolent honest intention? It was necessary to give some examples of his power to curse as well as to bless. For such is the nature of the common herd of mankind, that one instance of suffering makes more impression upon their weak and fearful minds, than a thousand examples of happiness. But he chose to shew his power to inflict pains and miseries to blast and curse by such examples as might serve the purpose sufficiently, and yet do very little mischief: as in cursing the fig-tree,‡ and sending the Devils into the swine.§ He delighted not in cursing, but in blessing; he rejoiced in works of mercy and benevolence; and went about continually doing good. But there is the less reason to insist upon this article, that even those who have called him an impostor never adventured to <24> charge him with malice, or any bad mischievous design: but on the contrary, have been obliged to acknowledge,
[print edition page 119]
that he gave all the possible marks of a good, generous, and well-disposed Teacher of the soundest morals.6
In judging however of our SAVIOUR’s pretension; his conduct, and the evidences that he gave of his honesty, and sincere good disposition, must certainly be taken into the account. He himself tells his disciples, that they were not to trust to miracles only; because not only might false teachers work miracles, but there should actually come after him false Christs,* false prophets, working miracles; but that, together with the miracles they were to consider the doctrine and the conduct of pretended extraordinary Teachers: to judge of the tree by its fruit.†
SECTION VIII
But having considered the samples JESUS CHRIST gave of the power he claimed by his doctrines: it must be observed next, that he pretended to a divine commission to teach these doctrines: and by them to encourage and excite to the practice of virtue, and to discourage sin and vice.
And with regard to his pretended mission: it is evident, that if the particular doctrines, that is, the particular assertions of power, are sufficiently justified and proved by proper samples; the truth of the mission follows in course. <25> For what reason can there possibly be to doubt of the mission, when the particular power the missionary claims, as missionary, is sufficiently ascertained by proper samples?
But besides, the whole series of the miracles of JESUS CHRIST may be
[print edition page 120]
justly considered as one continued proof of the general pretension to a mission: as one continued proof that, as he asserted, all power was given unto him of GOD who sent him.* For by his works he shewed, that he had an universal command of nature: a power that nothing could controul.† The seas, the winds, all the elements, every thing above or below obeyed his all-commanding voice. His works therefore in this case are still proper adequate samples.
In fine, a divine mission can be nothing else, but a certain degree of power or knowledge given of GOD; or ordered by GOD to be exerted for a certain end: such as the “ascertaining the truth of certain doctrines.” And therefore samples or experiments of power and knowledge analogous to the doctrines preached: or to the power and knowledge claimed; and proportioned likewise in quantity or number; are a proper proof of a divine mission; if power or knowledge can in any case be evidenced by samples, or experiments. And sure, as has been said, there can be no other way of shewing power, or knowledge, but by giving certain specimens of it.
But to leave no room for doubt or scepticism, let us enquire yet more particularly what is necessary to prove a mission. <26>
And when one pretends to a mission, there are three things requisite to compleat his credentials. “The doctrines he teaches must be of importance; such as it concerns mankind much to be assured of; and have an evident connexion with our peace and happiness, and tendency to promote virtue and piety.”
And such certainly are the doctrines which JESUS CHRIST taught: they are such as the wise in all ages have earnestly wished to be assured of by a proper evidence. They are, in one word, the only doctrines that have any connexion with virtue and piety;‡ or the happiness of mankind, which natural reason is in the dark about, and cannot ascertain beyond all doubt.
“Next the missionary must behave himself in such a manner, as that we may have sufficient reason, from his conduct, to trust and put
