best way of fatisfying them, by fending SERM. them on this Meffage to Jefus himself, II. and giving them by that means an Opportunity of being Eye and Ear-Witneffes of his Works, and of his Doctrine, which, he knew, would effectually con vince them.

Thus much concerning the Enquiry: We are now to confider the Reply which our Saviour made to it.

In which Reply there are Two things obfervable; the Manner, and the Matter of it.

1. As to the Manner of it, we fee, it is not Direct and Pofitive; but fo ordered only, as to give them an Occasion of answering that Queftion themselves, which they had proposed to our blessed Saviour. This Method, as it was agreeable to his Conduct in Other Cafes, and requifite to fecure him from the Accufations of those who watched his Words, whenever he taught in publick; fo had it this further Use in it, that it imprinted a Conviction on the Enquirers, after the moft gentle, reasonable, and winning way;

SERM. way; without commanding and extortII. ing their Affent by an Authoritative De

claration of the Truth, which he thus invited them to receive. The Proper Motives and Evidences only were laid before them; and They afterwards were left to frame the Conclufion from thence; that so their Faith, which was to entitle them to fuch Glorious Privileges, might be a Free and Voluntary A&, and the Teft of an Ingenuous and Well-difpofed

Mind.

2. As to the Matter of our Saviour's Answer, Three things there are which deferve to be weighed by us. The remarkable Gradation and Rife there is in the Particulars there mentioned: The Appofiteness of it, in relation to the Enquirers: And the General Force and Evidence of the Argument contained in it.

1. To begin with the first of these: Go and fhew John again, fays our Saviour, thofe things which Te do hear and fee; and then he particularly mentions the Bodily Cures he wrought on the Deaf,

and

and Blind,the Lame and the Lepers. He SERM. adds beyond this a yet plainer Inftance II. of a Miraculous and Divine Power,the Dead are raised up; and he seems to advance still somewhat farther, when he says, that even the Poor have the GoSpel preached unto them. An Inftance of Goodness and Condefcenfion, with which the Jews had before been but little acquainted! The Prophets of that Nation had been fent always to great and mighty Perfons, to reclaim their Princes and Rulers, and to reprove Exemplary Wickedness in high Places; and, to manifeft the Authority of their Commiffion to them, were fometimes armed with the Power of Miracles. But nothing could be more wonderful, than to see a Prophet in Jewry preaching to the Poor and Meek; addreffing himself to the Lowest and Meaneft of Men; exhorting them to Vertue, removing their Prejudices, and rectifying their Errors! Such Applications amidst that People were so unusual, and exceeding rare, that our Saviour thought fit to conclude the Enu

meration

SERM. meration of the feveral Proofs of his MifII. fion with these two Particulars, The Dead are raised up, fays he, and the Poor have the Gospel preached unto them.

2. The Appofiteness of our Saviour's Anfwer, in relation to the Persons who made the Enquiry, is what we are next to confider. And here,

First, we may observe, what a Natural Occasion he takes of resolving their Doubts, from what he was even then faying and doing in their Presence. Go, and fhew John again, thofe things which Ye do bear and fee! That is, you come to learn of Me, whether I am the Meffiah: Your Mafter hath often told you, that I am; but ye will not believe him. To Him you fhould have given Ear, who is my profeffed Harbinger and Herald; to Me it belongs

not fo properly to proclaim my Own Titles, and affert my Own Authority. For Joh. v. if I bear witness of myself, my Witness is not true. It is liable to Sufpicion, and likely to be of little Weight and Authority with You. If Ye fufpect your Ma

31.

fter's

fter's Teftimony of me, much more will SERM ye suspect that which I give of myself. II! Behold therefore the Teftimony of God! for the Works which I do (which ye now h fee done before your Eyes, they) bear 35. Witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. If ye ftill doubt, who I am, why ask Ye Me? ask the Works, which you cannot doubt whether I do, or not; and they fhall tell you.

Secondly, Nothing could be better contrived to fatisfy thefe Enquirers, of our Saviour's Præeminence over the Baptift, than these Wonders which they saw him perform, and heard him now appeal to; fince they knew very well, that their Mafter had not the Gift of Miracles, nor pretended to the Power of doing them; and could not therefore but fee, that his Ministrywas inferior to that of Chrift,and fubordinate to it; especially fince from the Baptift's own Mouth they had learnt, that the doing of Miracles fhould be one illuftrious and difcriminating Mark of the Meffiah; for fo much, I think, that Paffage in the Gospel of St. John