that they were expected as proofs of this high character from every one who affumed it. Thus the Jews are reprefented, as feeking after a fign from Jesus; not as a proof of his being the Meffiah; but of his be ing, what he declared himself to be, sent from Go! his heavenly Father. And the fame they would have expected from every one pretending to come in his name. And hence, both Chriftians and Jews, look on the preten ficus of Mahomet to be a prophet of God, as all impofture and cheat; because by declaring he was not fent to work miracles, in answer to thofe who demanded miracles from him, he refufed to give that demonftration of his divine miffion, which they, amongft whom he came, had a certain right to demand from him. So that the miracles prophecied of in the Old Teftament, to be done by the Meffiah, were not fpoken of as fomewhat peculiar to his character, and whereby he might be known, and distinguished from all other pro. phets; but as proofs to be expected in common from all, who pretended to a prophetick inspiration and autho

rity. And tho' the Jews were inclined, many of them, to believe in Christ, as the Messiah, when they heard of his extraordinary works; yet were not these, in themselves, the fole inducement to their owning him as fuch. But, as he manifeftly proved himself to be an extraordinary prophet of God, by the numerous miracles he wrought, his excellent doctrines, and method of teaching; so they were ready to conclude farther, that he muft be the Meffiah, because they faw many circumstances, relating to the Meffiah, concur in him; and efpecially, as these miracles were wrought at that particular time and season, when they univerfally expected the Meffiah's appearance. And therefore the miracles of Christ are not to be urged as abfolute proofs of his being the Meffiah, i. e. of the accomplishment of the Old Testament prophecies relating to the Meffiah ; nor are they produced, that I know of, by any one, thus to render a foundation valid, which is in itself invalid; or to make a falfe

true;

or a prophecy fulfilled,

inference

that is

not

not fulfilled.

This is the meer fig

ment and imagination of our author; who seems to think, that every body writes with as little confiftency, and regard to truth, as he doth himself. But doth it therefore follow, as he would feign perfwade us, that the miracles faid to be wrought by Chrift and his apoftles, (for he feems to queftion the truth of them,) are of no avail ? p. 31. Or that because they do not prove what they were never intended to prove, therefore they prove nothing at all? Or that because they were not in themselves fufficient to distinguish and point out the Meffiah, therefore they are of no use to eftablish his character as a prophet The characters of a prophet and Meffiah carry very different ideas, and are to be fupported by as different proofs. Many particular circumstances, no ways implied in the notion of a prophet, fuch as the place, and manner of birth and life, &c. muft concur to point out the Meffiah; whilft the confirming good doctrines, and holy precepts, by real miracles, are certain and fufficient proofs of a prophetick miffion, in him,

who

who thus confirms his pretenfions to it. These things concurred in Jefus Chrift; who never applied to himself any of the Old Teftament prophecies, to prove himfelf the Meffiah, 'till he had abundantly manifefted his miffion from God; and hereby his power and right to explain the writings, and apply the prophecies of the prophets who were before him.

CHA P.

CHA P. III.

Of the Dependance that CHRISTIANITY hath on Judaism.

T must be acknowledged that the truth of Chriftianity doth now depend,' not only on Chrift's being a real prophet, but on his being the true Meffiah; because he himself claimed this double honour, and his apostles, after him, applied to him the ancient prophecies relating to the Meffiah. And therefore I think our author would have talked much more to the purpose, if he had endeavoured to prove, that fome of the Jewish prophecies, which referred to the Meffiah, were not accomplished in our Jefus, than O

he