But if a man could work _miracles when he pleased_, yet is there no scripture authority, nor even example for doing it in order to satisfy such a demand as this. 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 prophet_ Jonas, _Matthew_ xii. 38, 39. _An evil and adulterous generation!_ 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 τερατα Ψευδους _lying wonders_, miracles wrought in support of falshood. Still therefore his doctrine would remain to be proved, from the proper topicks 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 general 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,” needs no proof, being self-evident. “Why, I did once myself rejoice to hear, (says a grave citizen, 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 no less _damnable_ sin ♣that of _schism_.” ♦ insert “a” per Errata ♣ delete “than” per Errata Do you know what you say? You have, I am afraid, a confused huddle of ideas in your head. And I doubt, you have not _capacity_ to clear them up yourself; nor _coolness_ enough, to receive help from others. However I will try. What is _schism_? Have you any determinate idea of it? I ask ♦the rather, because I have found, by repeated experiments, that a common _English_ tradesman receives no more light, when he hears or reads, “This is schism,” than if he heard or read _Bombalio, stridor, clangor, taratantara, murmur._‏ ♦ “thee” replaced with “the” per Errata