Messiah should convert the nations. No other but one authorized from above could do it. Jesus Christ has done it, therefore he is the Messiah. And consequently they are either blind with prejudice, or maliciously deny the known truth. To profane infidels it may be urged, none but the divine providence could foretel so great and marvellous a change of the world, none but the divine power could effect it, therefore it was the true God that made the project and event so exactly to correspond in all things. Add further, that by comparing the prophecies of Christ and his kingdom with their accomplishment, the two sorts of enemies against the gospel, are made useful to convince one another. The Pagans by the Jews, that these things were foretold, the Jews by the Pagans, that these things were fulfilled. * St. Austin relates that the heathens seeing the exact agreement between the prophecies in the Old Testament so clear in words, and their accomplishment in the New so clear in the effects, had nothing to reply, but that they were written after the things were done, and feigned to be predictions of ancient date. † As Virgil weaving fables of Æneas, feigned him to be in the Elisian fields, and to receive from Anchises a prediction of his descendants in a long succession and order of men and times; which was the story of what was actually passed when he wrote it, In answer to this pretence, he breaks out with wonder and joy, O gloria regis nostri! the cause is gained, and the victory of truth could not be more glorious. For whereas the many nations in Europe, Asia, Africa, subdued by the arms of the Romans, were compelled to observe the rites of their religion: the Jews only were permitted to enjoy their sacred books, and their own worship, and were dispersed into all countries. And thus by the admirable counsel of God, they give credit to the gospel among the Gentiles. For if we consider the reverence they bore to the writings of the prophets, that with the greatest care they have * Aliquando Pagani faciunt nobis hujusmodi quæstionem, cum vident quæ scripta sunt sic impleri, ut negari omnino non possint. Audent, ut dicant videstis ita fieri, & tanquam prædicta sint, conscripsistis. Serm. 67. Di vers. + Sparsi sunt ubique Judæi, portantes codices, quibus Christus prædicatur. Si enim in uno loco essent terrarum, non adjuvarent testimonio prædicationem Evangelii quæ fructificat toto orbe terrarum. Serm. 67. Div. preserved them as the most precious inheritance left by their fathers, and their mortal hatred of Jesus Christ and his gospel, that willingly they would spend their blood to deface the memorials of it, it is an invincible argument that the predictions concerning the state of the christian church recorded in their scriptures, are sincerely delivered, and of divine authority. This their malice is an advantage to the faith of the gospel, and by constraint they are the great confirmers of it. This is sufficient to reduce the heathens to silence and confusion. And the Pagan being convinced by the books of the Jews, the Jew may be convinced by the testimony of the Pagans: for if the records so jealously kept by that nation were from divine inspiration, if they contain ancient prophecies which the heathens see verified in the gospel and the christian church, why do not the Jews acknowledge Jesus Christ to be the promised Messiah? If the veil were not taken from Moses' face, and laid on their hearts, they must clearly see that the "light of the Gentiles is the glory of Israel." It is equally unreasonable to doubt with the atheist that the Messiah was ever promised, or to believe with the Jews he is yet to come. → Ambos inde convinco: Judæum, quia id prophetatum, & impletum ego cognovi: Paganum, quia ego hac non convici. CHAP. V. The testimony produced by St. John for the proof of Christianity, briefly considered. The witness from heaven, the Father, Word and Spirit; the witnesses on earth, the Spirit, Water and Blood, conspire in declaring JESUS CHRIST to be the Son of God, and Saviour of men. An answer to objections against the doctrines of the Trinity, the divine incarnation, and the mean state and sufferings of the Son of God in the world, The conclusion. The gospel so proved, deserves our firmest assent and adherence to its doctrines. Carnal or spiritual lusts hinder the belief of it. It sets before us the most powerful motives to love God, We are obliged by the strongest reasons to obey its precepts. All THE sum of all that has been said, is comprised in the testimony that St. John produces to prove that "Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and the Redeemer of the world." This I will briefly open: "There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood, and these three agree in one." the divinity gave testimony of this important truth. The Father not only by the miracles wrought by his power to confirm the mission of Christ, but (which is here principally intended) by a voice from heaven: first at his baptism, "This is my well-beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." And at his transfiguration before some of his disciples, a shining cloud, the sign of the divine presence, encompassed them, and a voice came forth of the cloud, "This is my well-beloved Son, hear him." Upon this glorious voice they were struck with such an impression of fear that they fell on their faces. And when our Saviour near his passion prayed, "Father, glorify thy name, a voice came from heaven, I have glorified it, and will glorify it." Now can there remain any doubt after such an high attestation from the most sovereign authority? The Son also, besides the perfect holiness of his life, the exquisite wisdom of his doctrine, the wonders of his works, his resurrection from the dead, that were authentic proofs of his celestial person and calling, after his ascension gloriously appeared from heaven in divers visions to the preachers of his gospel. To Saul in his journey to Damascus, calling to him, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks." This is an unexceptionable testimony that he is the Son of God, being risen from the dead, and returned to heaven from whence he thus discovered himself. Now that this was real and no fantastic illusion is evident by the marvellous effects of it. Those who were companions in the journey were seized with great terror, and himself struck blind by the overpowering splendour of the apparition. But especially the effects of it upon his soul are convincing, who it was that spake to him. For Saul was by sect a pharisee, that of all others most passionately adhered to the Jewish religion: by temper hot and violent, by profession a persecutor of the christians. One that breathed forth threatening and slaughter, that excited the fury of the highpriests, solicited their cruelty. In short, a fierce spirit that envied Nero the title of the first persecutor of the church. Yet this man by this vision and voice from heaven, of a furious persecutor in an instant became a zealous apostle, of a wolf became a pastor. He presently expressed his entire submission, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" There is nothing so hard to do, nothing so dreadful to suffer, but I will readily undertake for thine honour, and the propagating thy truth. Now from whence came this change so strange, so new, in a person confirmed in the opposite party? From whence this resignation of will so entire and perfect, so unexpected and sudden? What gave him courage to contradict to their faces the highpriests, whose instrument he was, and declare that Jesus whom they called a deceiver, was the Son of God, and their judge? What animated him to appear before kings and emperors, to testify this dangerous truth? What made him with unparalleled activity, with the most ardent affections, propagate the gospel, and after a thousand perils by sea and land, a thousand disgraces and injuries, at last to confirm the faith of Christ with his blood? It is therefore past all contradiction that he had the greatest assu→ rance that the Son of God spake to him. Another vision of the WORD from heaven was to St. John, when he was pleased to reveal to him the future state of his church, its combats and victories: he then appeared in a form expressive of his majesty, power, and providence, requisite for the ordering all the great events that should befal it: and said, "I am the first and the last; I am he that liveth, and was dead, and behold, I live for ever, and have the keys of hell, and of death" wherein he appropriates to himself the incommunicable titles of the Deity; and then declares those two astonishing miracles, that the Prince of Life that had an eternal principle of it in himself, was dead; and that one who had been dead, was alive. This riddle the gospel unfolds; the Son of God was made man, and by that admirable union allied eternity and time, life and death together. As it is a common form of speech, that a man dies when the body is deprived of life, though the soul be immortal so it was true, the Son of God died when his body was crucified, though he was incapable of the least diminution of his divine life. And after three days he rose by the divine power to enjoy an immortal life; " and have the keys of hell, and death." The irresistible force of death all men must yield to, and from the grave there's no redemption by finite power. But Jesus Christ has sovereign authority and power to open the grave, and raise the dead to an happy immortality. This glorious appearance made St. John to fall as dead at his feet, and could not recover himself, till assured by the reviving words of his favour. The Spirit also appeared from heaven to give testimony concerning the divine person and office of Christ: first, by descending as a dove on him when he was baptized. This was the completion of the prophecy; "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, to publish deliverance to the captives." And in the second of the Acts the Spirit descended in the form of fiery tongues upon the apostles, to qualify them for preaching the gospel to the world and it is worthy of observation, that the apostles were before this very defective in wisdom and courage, so that their divine master, though goodness itself, yet taxed them for their stupidity, and in his sufferings they all forsook him. But after the effusion of the Spirit upon them, they were endued with that admirable wisdom and resolution, that nothing could gainsay and overcome. They presently spake in various languages the things concerning Jesus Christ, that the world was astonished, and many converted by this testimony from God, for the honour of our Saviour, and others confounded in their obstinacy. Now |