This is clearly intimated
by various passages of the Gospel history. It appears that, in the
apprehension of the writers of the New Testament, the miracles did not
irresistibly carry even those who saw them to the conclusion intended to
be drawn from them; or so compel assent, as to leave no room for
suspense, for the exercise of candour, or the effects of prejudice. And
to this point, at least, the evangelists may he allowed to be good
witnesses; because it is a point in which exaggeration or disguise would
have been the other way. Their accounts, if they could he suspected of
falsehood, would rather have magnified than diminished the effects of
the miracles.
John vii. 21--31. "Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one
work, and ye all marvel.--If a man on the Sabbath-day receive
circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry
at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the Sabbath-day?
Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he whom they seek to
kill? But lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing to him: do the
rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ? Howbeit we know this
man, whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is.
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