ah; the time will shortly come, when others fhall arife, and call themselves Chrift, and to prove they are fo, fhall work great and truc Miracles: But I give you warning beforehand, not to mind them, or believe them, for I only am the true Christ, and have fo prov'd my self, by great and true Miracles. Would you have me believe that Chrift meant thus, and that he fo plainly beg'd the Question in hand and yet I know not how to avoid this, if by great Signs and Wonders, we must understand great and true Miracles. This it is that sticks with me; and therefore pray tell me, what I must do? B. Why,

B. Why, you must still maintain, that by great Signs and Wonders, we are not to understand great and true Miracles; for if Miracles will prove one Man to be Christ, the like Miracles will prove another Man to be fo too, i. e. they will prove neither of them the Chrift. Nor is there any great matter in foretelling that false Chrifts and false Pro phets would arise, and work Wonders, this is not enough to keep us from regarding, or believing them, if they truly work Miracles; because it is so easy a matter for any one that fets up a new Doctrine, to bid his Followers beware of any one that should

op

oppose it, tho' with never fo fpecious Doctrines; and to tell beforehand that fome would certainly rife up, and contradict fuch Doctrines, would be but a very reaso nable and likely Guefs, because we fee it has been, and continually is, the fate of all Philofophy and Doctrine, to find Adverfaries that would fupplant and overthrow that of another, to fubftitute their own Opinions. Let us therefore fee how such an Argument would operate, where Reafon only, and not Miracles, fupports the Doctrine. One Man establishes a Sect upon Principles that appear to him exceeding fine, and N

reasonable and useful, and bids his Followers be fure to adhere to them, even unto Death; and never to depart from them, altho' (as he cafily forefees) there may arife a Set of Men, that will oppose them with equal Reafon. Every body fees that this Defire, is only to continue to himself, the Honour of a Sect; for if Men follow him only, because his Principles appear reasonable, why are not others Principles to be attended to, if they also then appear as reasonable, or more fo? I look upon our Lord to be as well the Wisdom as the Power of God, and therefore, out of Reverence, dare not

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think he argues on this manner. Let us put out the word Reason, and put in its place the word Miracles, and fee how it will do then. Here is a Man that fays he comes from God, to teach the World his Will, which to follow is the only way to Happiness: The World is fufficiently defirous of being happy, but, it may be, diflikes the Way and Method propos'd, and thereupon diftrufts the Messenger, and calls upon him to prove the truth of his Miffion. Meffenger hereupon exercises a Power plainly Divine, and works fuch mighty Miracles, as none can do excepting N 2

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God