Wesley Corpus

I do not read that either our Lord, or any of his Apostles, wrought any miracle on such an occasion. Nay, how sharply does our Lord rebuke those who made a demand of this kind ' When “certain of the Scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee;” (observe, this was their method of answering the strong reasons whereby he had just proved the works in question to be of God!) “he answered and said to them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; but there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the Pro phet Jonas.” (Matt. xii. 38, 39.) “An evil and adulterous generation l’” else they would not have needed such a kind of proof. Had they been willing to do his will, they would, without this, have known that the doctrine was of God. Miracles, therefore, are quite needless in such a case. Nor are they so conclusive a proof as you imagine. If a man could and did work them in defence of any doctrine, yet this would not supersede other proof; for there may be tepata \revôovs, “lying wonders,” miracles wrought in support of falsehood. Still, therefore, his doctrine would remain to be proved from the proper topics of Scripture and reason: And these even without miracles are sufficient; but miracles without these are not. Accordingly, our Saviour and all his Apostles, in the midst of their greatest miracles, never failed to prove every doctrine they taught by clear Scripture and cogent reason. 30. I presume, by this time you may perceive the gross absurdity of demanding miracles in the present case; seeing one of the propositions in question, (over and above our gene ral doctrines) viz., “That sinners are reformed,” can only be proved by testimony; and the other, “This cannot be done but by the power of God,” necds no proof, being self-evident. “Why, I did once myself rejoice to hear,” says a grave citi zen, with an air of great importance, “that so many sinners were reformed, till I found they were only turned from one wickedness to another; that they were turned from cursing or swearing, or drunkenness, into a mo less damnable sin, that of schism.” Do you know what you say?