It matters little whether Jefus Chrift performed Miracles before he preached, or whether he preached before he perform ed any Miracle. The Gofpels leave us undetermined upon the Subject; or rather they inform us that our Lord preached and performed Miracles at the fame Time. St. Matthew in his fourth Chapter tells us, that Jesus began to preach in Galilee the Kingdom of Heaven, and fix Verses after he thus unfolds the Manner in which Jefus Chrift preached the Gofpel: And Jefus went about all Galilee, teaching in their fynagogues, preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, and healing all Manner of Sickness, and all Manner of Difeafe among the People *. When St. John in the fecond Chapter and eleventh Verse of his Gospel says, that this beginning of Miracles did Jefus in Cana of Galilee, the meaning may be that it was the first Miracle performed at Cana; in oppofition to the fecond Miracle, related in Chap. iv. 47, &c. which by no means excludes the other Miracles wrought in Galilee, fome of which might precede the Miracle of Cana. See the End of the fourth * Matt. iv. 23. Chap. € 4 Chapter of St. Matthew, which we have already quoted. But tho' it should be true that Jefus did his firft Miracle in Galilee, is it not in Galilee that Jefus began the Functions of his Miniftry? Was not Cana a Town of Galilee? and from all this may I not draw a Conclufion quite different from our Author's, and fay that Jefus did Miracles from the beginning of his Minifterial Functions? a Conclufion fo much the better founded, as the date of the Miracle performed at Cana is known. It was three. Days after the arrival of Jesus in Galilee *, or the third Day of his coming into that Country +. Jefus being inclined to fupport his preaching by Miracles, it was neceffary that his firft Miracle fhould do fome part; and though it might be true that he did not perform it, till the third Day after his arrival, was this a long delaying to give a Proof of his Miffion? "But, continues the Author, Jefus "without authorifing himself by any Mi John ii. 3. + Thus the Jews reckoned. Jefus iffued from the Sepulchre three Days after he had been placed there that is to fay, the third Day of his Burial. Of this we might give various Inftances. racles, "racles, had already affembled 66 ciples about him *" Now, what is Mr. Rouffeau's Foundation for affirming that Jefus had already affembled many Disciples before he performed any Miracle? It, is evidently, the Calling of Andrew and Peter, of James the Son of Zebedee, and John his Brother, who followed our Lord as foon as he faid to them, Follow me. But Andrew the Disciple of John the Baptist, had heard what John faid; I faw the Spirit defcend from Heaven like a Dove, &c. and befides, he had just been a Witness, as well as the other three, of a Miracle which Jefus had performed before his commanding them to follow him . I add, that whatever was the perfuafion of his Difciples, it was not fuch as that the Miracle of Cana was entirely fuperfluous. This is proved by the latter End of that Verfe of which Mr. Rouffeau has quoted the beginning. This beginning of Miracles did Jefus in Cana of Galilee, and manifefted forth his Glory; and his Difciples believed on him. At least the whole fignifies that this Lettres p. 76. + Matt. iv. 18, 21, and 19. Luke v. 1-1!, Miracle 1 Miracles contributed to fortify the Disciples' Faith, who then faw the glory of their Divine Mafter fhine forth with a renewed Splendor CHA P. IV. Concerning our Lord's Refufal fometimes to work Miracles. ERE we have a new affertion, which is HER not better founded than the former. "The Design of our Lord's Miracles was so "little to manifeft his Power, that they. "were never afked of him for this End "but he refused them +." We fhall foon fee whether it be true that Jefus always fent back with a refusal thofe who demanded Miracles from him in order to their Conviction. But is he then who proves his divine Miffion by Mi * Whoever will read the firft Chapter of St. John's Gofpel muft fee that the calling of the Apoftles there mentioned, which was immediately confequent upon Chrift's Baptifm, was miraculous; as was alfo his Converfation with Nathanael: So that the beginning of His Miniftry was literally and ftrictly Miraculous. EDITOR, + Lett. P. 76. racles racles obliged to perform all that Imagination may require, and which poffibly might not have all the Characters conftituting true Miracle? What then fhall we conclude from the Refusal, but that the particular Miracle required might be improper for manifefting a fupernatural power? But let us follow Mr. Rouffeau's Advice, and in order to know clearly the design of the Miracles of Jefus Chrift, let us run over the Hiftory of his Life. A remarkable Paffage in his Life was the Cure of the Man born blind. On feeing this Man, the Disciples asked their Master this Question, Is it the fin of this Man, or of his Parents, which occafioned his being born blind? Jefus anfwered them, Neither the fin of this Man, nor of his Parents; but that the Works of GOD might be made manifest in him. I must work the Works of him that fent me while it is Day ;As long as 1am in the World I am the light of the World *. After which he anointed the Eyes of the blind, and cured him. We may fee that Jefus prepared the Minds of his Difciples with regard to the Miracle which he was about to perform as a Proof of the Truth of his Miffion. * John ix, 1-6. 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