Jesus and the Resurrection Justified by Witnesses in Heaven and Earth, Part 1 · Chapter 8

Jesus and the Resurrection Justified by Witnesses in Heaven and Earth · Part 1 · Chapter 8

p. 479CHAP. VIII. Concerning the Witneſs of the Holy APOSTLES of our Lord.

I Know not what remains to be done for the full explication of theſe words of the Apoſtle, unleſs it be ſit to note that our Saviour is ſaid to COME not only in his own Perſon, but likewiſe in his Apoſtles and Evangeliſts. I need name but one place to prove this, ii. Epheſ. 17. And CAME, and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. It is well known that Jeſus (of whom he there ſpeaks) was not SENT ſave to the lost ſheep of the houſe of Iſrael: and therefore in his own Perſon was not to go to thoſe who were afar off (ſuch Gentiles as theſe Epheſians were) to whom notwithſtanding he is ſaid here to COME. p. 480He came unto his own (ſaith this very Diſciple) and though his own received him not, yet he kept himſelf within the confines of their Country; and charged his Diſciples, during his life, not to go into any City of the Samaritans: to whom he never went, but only in his paſſage from one part of the Jews Country to another. We can give no account then of his COMING to them that were afar off, as well as unto the Jews who were nigh, but only this; that by the Apoſtles whom he ſent, and who were his Embaſſadors to preach the glad tidings of Salvation, he was made known to the Gentiles; even as the Father is ſaid to come to the Jews and to ſpeak to them, when he ſent him, his Son, to declare his mind and will among them.

Now it is poſſible that S. John might have ſome reſpect to his ſending them (as the Father ſent him) to prove him to be the Son of God; when he ſaith that Jeſus CAME by WATER and by BLOUD and by the SPIRIT, and that theſe three were his WITNESSES on Earth. For firſt the Apoſtles were his WITNESSES; as they are called in many places, both by him and by themſelves. Ye ſhall be WITNESSES p. 481unto me, both in Jeruſalem and in Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermoſt parts of the Earth, ſays our Saviour, juſt before his Aſcenſion, i. Act. 8. The ſame he ſaid to S. Paul, to whom he appeared afterward, xxvi. 16. xxii. 15. And in the ſame ſtile S. Peter ſpeaks of himſelf, I exhort you, who am an Elder, and a WITNESS of the ſufferings of Chriſt, i. Pet. v. 1. And as they were witneſſes of his ſufferings; ſo they were of all that he did (as you ſhall hear preſently) and of all that was done for him to prove that he was the Son of God, and the King of Glory. That is, they were witneſſes that there appeared ſuch witneſſes both in Heaven and Earth for him, as we have examined. And (2.) witneſſes they were of very great credit, worthy of all belief. For they were WITNESSES choſen of God, x. Act. 41. ſelect Men, pickt out by Heaven, ſome of them in an extraordinary manner, for this purpoſe. And they ſpake nothing by hear-ſay, but upon their own certain knowledge; being eye-witneſſes of his Majeſty, as ye have heard before from S. Peter, 2. i. 16. And S. John ſays the ſame in this Epiſtle, iv. 14. We have ſeen, and do teſtifie, that the Father ſent the Son to be the Saviour of the World. Firſt they ſaw, and then p. 482bare witneſs: Or as he expreſſes himſelf more largely in the beginning of the Epiſtle, That which they had heard, and ſeen with their eyes, and looked upon, and which their hands had handled of the Word of life (for it was manifeſt, and they ſaw it and bare WITNESS) that (he repeats it again) which they had ſeen and heard, they declared unto the World. Why ſhould not ſuch witneſſes be believed; who ſpake nothing but what all their ſenſes, that could be imployed in this caſe, gave them full aſſurance was undoubtedly true? They were Men ſure of common capacity; and they had opportunity alſo to ſee and hear and feel and examine every thing, which Jeſus did, or was done in honour of him. For therefore our Saviour choſe them to be his witneſſes, becauſe they were thus qualified. xv. Joh. 26, 27. When the Comforter is come, even the Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He ſhall teſtify of me: And ye alſo ſhall bear WITNESS, becauſe ye have been with me from the BEGINNING. That is, becauſe you are abundantly informed, how all things have paſſed, from my very firſt entring into the World to preach the Goſpel; therefore you ſhall be imployed to teſtifie all things that you have ſeen and heard and felt, as p. 483the fitteſt perſons to be believed. For which reaſon, when they wanted one of their Number, by the apoſtaſie of Judas, they were very careful, according to this Rule of their Maſter, to chuſe ſuch an one to ſucceed him, as had been a conſtant follower of Jeſus, and had taken notice of every thing they were to witneſs. i. Act. 21, 22. Wherefore ſaith S. Peter, of thoſe men which have companied with us, all the time that the Lord Jeſus went in and out among us, beginning from the Baptiſm of John unto that ſame day that he was taken up from us, muſt one be ordained to be a WITNESS with us of his Reſurrection. See here how exact they were in their choice, that there might be no exception taken againſt their teſtimony, if any one ſhould ask them; Did you your ſelf ſee, or did you hear this, which you report? They would have none to take a part with them in this chief Miniſtry of the Goſpel, but ſuch an one as had been with them from firſt to laſt, and was able to anſwer to ſuch a queſtion upon his own certain knowledge, that all was true which he preached. From them the Evangelists received their Leſſon; who could ſay that they had theſe things which they reported, from thoſe very Men who were preſent p. 484when they were ſpoken or done: And ſome of the Evangeliſts who were of the LXX. Diſciples choſen by our Saviour (x. Luke 1.) could affirm all upon the credit of their own ſight or hearing. But the other was ſufficient, as S. Luke thought; who undertaking to write the Hiſtory of our Saviour's Life and Death and Reſurrection (though he was none of the XII. Apoſtles) ſays, that he intended to declare thoſe things which were moſt ſurely believed among them, even as they were delivered to him, by thoſe Perſons, who from the beginning, were EYE-WITNESSES and Miniſters of the Word. i. 1, 2. Where it is obſervable, that as he would truſt only ſuch perſons as had been eye-witneſſes, ſo none but thoſe who had been ſuch witneſſes from the beginning. And (3.) what it was that they witneſſed (which is to be next conſidered) I have already told you in their own words, all that Jeſus did from the beginning, and particularly his Reſurrection which concluded all. This you may obſerve they teſtified to the Jewes, ii. Act. 22.32. how God had honoured him by Miracles, wonders and ſigns which he wrought by him in the very midst of them, as they could not deny: and this Jeſus, ſaith S. Peter, hath God raiſed up, p. 485whereof we are all WITNESSES. And ſo he preached to the Gentiles, as I have noted before, x. 39.41. We are WITNESSES of all things which he did, &c. whom they ſlew and hanged on a Tree: Him God raiſed up the third day and ſhewed him openly unto WITNESSES choſen before of God, even unto us, who did eat and drink with him after he roſe from the dead. And ſo does S. Paul, xiii. 30, 31. But God raiſed him from the dead, and he was ſeen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jeruſalem, who are his WITNESSES unto the People. He alledges their teſtimony, I ſuppoſe, rather than his own (though he alſo had ſeen the Lord, 1 Cor. xv. 8.) becauſe they had been with him from the beginning, which he had not: but was born out of due time, or was an abortive, as the word is well rendred in the Margin of that place now quoted. He was not formed, that is, and faſhioned as the reſt of the Apoſtles were under our Saviour's diſcipline, nor grew by leiſurely inſtruction in the Chriſtian Religion to the dignity of an Apoſtle; as Children come by degrees to perfection and maturity in their Mothers womb: but was thruſt into the Church on a ſudden, and by an heavenly violence, not in a regular way, made p. 486an Apoſtle when he was not at all diſpoſed for it. Being born an Apoſtle therefore thus late (after Chriſt's aſcenſion) and thus haſtily (before he was informed by any Teacher of Chriſtianity) he could not ſay that he had ſeen all the wonderful works of Chriſt when he was alive, or heard his Sermons, or received the hiſtory of them from eye and ear witneſſes. But all this was ſupplied by this one wonderful work of his converſion, in ſuch a manner as I formerly deſcribed, and by thoſe inſtructions which he received immediately from Jeſus himſelf. This was ſo ſtrange a thing that it made him one of his prime Miniſters; becauſe the Goſpel which he preached, He neither received it of man, neither was he taught it, but by the revelation of Jeſus Christ. Who ſo fully ſatisfied and inform'd him; that there was no need to conſult any mortal Creature, nor to go for inſtructions or authority to thoſe who were Apoſtles before him: but immediately he went about his buſineſs, and became his WHNESS to all men, of what he had ſeen and heard: as you may read, i. Gal. 12.16, 17. xxii. Act. 15. And both He and the reſt (which is the chief thing to be conſidered) aſſerted that which they preached, that is, proved Jeſus to be the Son of p. 487God with Power, all theſe ways by which S. John ſays our Saviour came, by WATER, by BLOUD, and by the SPIRIT: as will be evident, if I give you but a brief account of every one of theſe.

1. And as for the Holineſs and purity of their Doctrine, I have given you an abſtract of it before. By which it is apparent, they taught nothing but ſuch a love of God, as made thoſe that learnt it the greateſt and moſt vertuous lovers of all Mankind. Whom they purſued with kindneſſes, even when they hated them; and prayed for and bleſt, when they perſecuted them and drove them away, and would no longer receive any of their other kindneſſes. For they were inſtructed by the Apoſtles to bear all injuries with perfect patience; to be contented with the preſent, and truſt God for the future; to live peaceably with the worſt natur'd people, and to exerciſe the divineſt Friendſhip with thoſe who were good. Whom they taught to be all of one mind, as much as the beſt Husbands and Wives are, to have compaſſion one of another, to be loving, pittiful and courteous; as you may read in 1. Pet. iii. 7, 8.

p. 488The reſt of their Precepts were like theſe; and their Lives were correſpondent: as all the World knew, who could never charge them with any fault but this (as they accounted it) that they preached Jeſus. There was nothing appeared that could give the ſmalleſt ſuſpicion of any baſe or unworthy deſign, which they hid under pious and holy words. But their converſation had been very innocent and unblameable in the places where they lived, when they were private men. None could charge them with forgery, theft, covetouſneſs, or any other crime. But S. Paul, for inſtance, a moſt eminent Perſon among them, was of ſuch ſtrictneſs, during the time he was a Jew, that he was blameleſs, as to the righteouſneſs which their Law required. And when they were drawn out of their obſcure privacy, and ſent as publick perſons, to preach and act in the Name of Jeſus, they were ſo far from ſerving any worldly ends, that they took nothing for all their pains, nor demanded one farthing for any of their Cures. They were able not only to challenge all the world, as that great Prophet Samuel had done his Nation, that the man would come forth and witneſs againſt p. 489them, and ſay, if he could, whom they had wronged; but of whom they had expected any gratuity for all their kindneſs to them. That was all that Samuel ſaid, Whoſe Oxe or Aſs have I taken? whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppreſſed? or of whoſe hand have I received any bribe? and I will reſtore it you: 1. xii. 3. And Moſes, in that great rebellion againſt him, xvi. Num. 15. thinks it ſufficient to purge himſelf in the ſame manner, ſaying, I have not taken one Aſſe from them, nor hurt one of them. But S. Paul makes a more noble proteſtation, ſaying, I have COVETED no mans ſilver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, you your ſelves know, that theſe hands have miniſtred unto my neceſſities, and to them that were with me, xx. Act. 33, 34. Here was Vertue; which made him ſo far even from deſiring any thing of others, that he choſe by his own hard labour to be both his own benefactor, and his Families. And what he affirms of himſelf, he alſo tells us was the pious inclination of ſeveral of his Companions; ſuch as Silvanus, and Timotheus. Whoſe exhortation, the Theſſalonians knew, was not of deceit, nor of uncleanneſs, nor of guile; for they studied not to pleaſe men, but God. Unto whom they appeal as their Witneſs, that they never p. 490uſed any flattering words, nor ſought to inrich themſelves, or to advance their own glory, as you read, 1 Theſſ. ii. 3, 4, 5. And they were witneſſes, he adds, verſ. 10. as well as God, how holily, and juſtly and unblameably, yea, how lovingly (as it follows verſ. 11.) they behaved themſelves among them.

Now what ſhould tempt ſuch pious Men, who ſo much deſpiſed worldly goods, and ſought not to get any credit to themſelves, to preach that Jeſus was the Son of God; if they had not been very ſure of this truth, which was the conſtant matter of their Sermons, throughout the World? Is it likely that ſuch Men ſhould feign a ſtory of things, which they never heard nor ſaw? that all their talk of voices from Heaven, and Miracles, and appearances of Jeſus to them after he was dead, were only devices and contrivances of their own brain? For what end, I beſeech you, ſhould they invent them? If their tongues were ſo well hung, and they were ſo eloquent as to hope to perſwade the world to be of their mind, it had been wiſdome to have imployed them more for their own gain and advantage; and not to have preached ſuch a ſtrange and unprofitable Doctrine p. 491as this of the crucified Jeſus. There were far eaſier tasks to undertake than this, and which would have turn'd to a better account here on earth: and therefore they who had ſo much with as to invent, would have let this alone; had they not known it to be both ſure and undoubted, and alſo worthy of all their pains to reveal it, that this crucified Jeſus was the Son of God.

But beſides this it ought to be conſidered, that from the very beginning our Saviour had taught them to be content with a mean and poor kind of life, when he ſent them forth to preach in Judaea. Go, ſays he, x. Matth. 7.9, 10. preach and ſay, the Kingdom of God is at hand. Freely you have received, freely give. Provide neither gold, nor ſilver, nor ſo much as a braſs token in your purſes; nor ſcrip for your Journey; neither two Coats; neither ſhoes, nor yet ſtaves. For the Workman is worthy of his Meat: and eat ſuch things as they ſet before you. That is, be not curious; and, doubt not of it, God will provide for you. Was it likely that men thus bred, to ſo great plainneſs, ſimplicity, contentedneſs, and dependence on God, ſhould go about to abuſe the world with falſe ſtories? p. 492Nay, before they came to him, their education and way of life was ſo low and poor; that they were the unfitteſt men in the world to deviſe and make Romances, if they ſhould have had a mind to it. This was the very thing, the Heathens objected to them, that they were illiterate, not trained up in ſtudy, but got their living many of them, Piſcatorio artificio, as they ſpeak in Lactantius, by the trade and labour of fiſhing. Of which He makes this advantage very juſtly, in his reply to them, Abfuit ergo ab his fingendi voluntas **Lib. 3. Inſlit. c. 3., &c. You muſt needs confeſs therefore that theſe Men had not the inclination, nor the craft to contrive and feign ſuch a ſtory as this; becauſe they were ſo rude. Or what unlearned Man is there, that can deviſe things ſo coherent, and that ſute ſo well one with another? ſince even the moſt excellent of all your Philoſophers, as we ſee plainly, have involved themſelves in many contradictions; and ſpoken things contrary and repugnant to what they have elſewhere delivered. For this is the nature of lies, that they never hang well together. One end of the tale, is wont to diſcover the falſeneſs of the other. But what they deliver, undique quadrat, perfectly agrees p. 493with it ſelf from top to bottom, becauſe it is true, and no device of their own. And then he adds (which is the greateſt evidence that can be of their honeſty) they could not invent this for the ſake of any thing in this world, (and without ſome ſuch reſpect what ſhould incline them to invent it) for as much as they both taught and followed that courſe of life which regarded not ſenſual pleaſures, and undervalued thoſe things, which the world admires and cries up for goods; and likewiſe they dyed for the Faith, which was not the effect of a raſh and ſudden fit of zeal, for they knew very well and foretold they ſhould dye upon this account; and they alſo reſolvedly ſuffered the moſt cruel and ſharpeſt torments that could be deviſed before they dyed; and they took it all patiently, nay gave God thanks that they were counted worthy to ſuffer for the Name of Jeſus.

But this belongs to the Teſtimony of their BLOUD. To which before I proceed, let me obſerve that the Apoſtles were not only men of great knowledge in the things of God, and very innocent and holy in their lives; but they were men extraordinarily p. 494qualified in both thoſe regards: and therefore are the more to be believed, in what they ſay they ſaw or heard. For what Philoſopher ever ſpake ſo plainly and clearly of all things that concern the amendment of Mankind, or gave them ſuch hopes in the World to come, without which it was not likely they ſhould amend, as theſe poor Fiſhermen did? They wanted nothing but their eloquence, which they purpoſely avoided; becauſe they would have naked truth prevail by its own force and by the power of God; and not by thoſe ornaments and dreſſings, which had been ſo often imployed to commend falſhood to the World. Setting this aſide, there was no compariſon between the Doctrine of the Apoſtles, and that which had been formerly publiſhed. They comprehended in a few plain and ſimple words, more than all that could be found here and there ſcattered in the vaſt Volumes of the Philoſophers. Nay, they advanced the ſence of the Law of Moſes. They called Men to the nobleſt degree of purity. For they cleanſed and ſcowred them from all filthineſs, not only of the fleſh, but alſo of the ſpirit. They advanced the buſineſs of holy living to ſuch a pitch, that ſome ſaid it was impoſſible p. 495to be ſo good. And what did they do now? How did they overcome this objection? This is the greateſt marvel of all, and gave their teſtimony a mighty force: they ſhow'd by their own example that it was poſſible. This, ſays Lactantius, made the Philoſophers miſcarry in their deſign, that though they ſpake well, yet they did not live as they taught. For men had rather have examples than words: Becauſe it is eaſie to talk, and hard to do. Our Saviour therefore and his Apoſtles convinced men by their actions; that if they would not follow one that taught them, they might follow one that went before them. They guided them by their feet and not only by their tongues; they led their hearers the way, in all manner of vertuous and godly living. Nay, they refuſed ſometimes, to do thoſe things which they might lawfully, that all men might ſee their upright meaning, and that they had no worldly deſign in their head. So S. Paul tells the Corinthians, that whereas he might have lived upon the Goſpel and expected maintenance from them; yet he choſe to preach freely, and make the Goſpel without charge, that it might have an eaſier paſſage into their hearts, 1 Cor. ix. 12.18. And thus he did at Theſſalonica alſo, where he wrought p. 496with labour and travel Night and Day, that he might not be chargeable to any of them: Not becauſe he had not power to do otherwiſe, but to make himſelf an example unto them to follow him, 2 Theſſ. iii. 8, 9. And ſuch was his practice, you heard before, at Epheſus, xx. Act. 34. So that one would think he had taken up this generous reſolution, at the very firſt, which he continued every where, not to make the ſmalleſt advantage by the Goſpel of which he was a Miniſter. It might have been ſufficient, one would think that he laboured in the Goſpel, and took pains to convert ſouls: He needed not have laboured alſo for his living, but expected food from thoſe whom he fed with the bread of life. But to make his Miniſtry unexceptionable, and to ſhow he intended nothing in the World, but to bring men to this belief in Jeſus; he would not ſo much as ſupport himſelf by their contributions, but by the labour of his own hands provided both for himſelf and for others too, as he tells the Epheſian Elders, who were inſtruments with him of their Salvation. Can there be any ſuſpicion of the ſincerity of ſuch a Man as this? What could he have in his mind but this one thing, to win Diſciples to his Maſter? And could he doubt, think you, of his p. 497power to reward him for all his labour? He was no fool it is plain, but underſtood himſelf as well as the wiſeſt of us all. What ſhould make him then neglect all other intereſts, and bend his mind wholly to ſerve Jeſus? Such noble ſpirits as his were the unlikelieſt of all other to cheat and deceive, whoſe only buſineſs it was to take pains, that they might give to others. And men of ſuch wiſdom would not have taken all that pains, for no other end, but merely to perſwade others to believe in Jeſus, if they had not been as ſure that he was the Son of God, as it was that they ſhould get nothing by preaching it, but ſtripes, impriſonments, infamy, reproaches, and perhaps loſe their lives to the bargain. And what ſhould make men ſo prodigal of their bloud think you?

II. That's now fit to be conſidered in the next place; their ſharp ſufferings, the BLOUD whereby our Saviour CAME, (that is, was proved to be the Chriſt) when he was preached by their Miniſtery. No ſooner did they appear, but all the world with its whole power armed it ſelf againſt them. As the Jews under pretence of Religion oppoſed and perſecuted them; ſo when they fled into other Countries, p. 498the Philoſophers upon the ſame ſcore, ſet their wits againſt them, and ſummoned all their Learning and their Arts of reaſoning to diſpute this new Doctrine out of doors. To whoſe aſſiſtance came the Sophiſters and Rhetoricians, who imployed all their quirks and their eloquence to make it ſeem ridiculous. Nor did the Magicians and Juglers, with all the Daemons, the then Lords of the world, forget to oppoſe it with all their might. But excited Kings, and Preſidents, and Magiſtrates to exerciſe all kind of cruelties, not only againſt the preachers of this Religion, but againſt their followers. The Edicts of Princes thundred out nothing but confiſcations, proſcriptions, baniſhments, impriſonments, rods, axes, ſtrapadoes, croſſes, fire, wild-Beaſts: ſo that we may ſay of them all, as it was ſaid of S. Paul and Barnabas, who were men that hazarded their lives for the name of the Lord Jeſus, xv. Acts. 26. Men ſet forth, appointed unto death (as thoſe that fought with wild-Beaſts) and made a ſpectacle unto the World, and to Angels and Men, 1 Cor. iv. 9. Even unto this preſent hour (ſays S. Paul in the following verſes) we both hunger and thirſt, and are naked, and are buffetted, and have no certain dwelling p. 499place; and labour working with our own hands: being reviled we bleſs: being perſecuted, we ſuffer it: being defamed, we intreat (God for them:) we are made as the filth of the World, and are the off-ſcouring of all things unto this day. And as they were long thus vilely uſed and deſtined to death, ſo at laſt every one of them, together with other great ſervants of Jeſus Chriſt, actually ſuffered death in juſtification of this truth, that he was the Son of God. S. Steven led the way, who is called the Martyr of Jeſus, having ſhed his Bloud for him, xxii. Acts 20. And he that calls him ſo, proteſts that he was ready not only to be bound, but alſo to die at Jeruſalem for his name, xxi. 13. Nay, when he ſpeaks of the Martyrdom of S. Steven, he was in the hands of his enraged enemies, who were ready to ſtone him too, and began to prepare themſelves for it, as you may read there xxii. 23. And both before and after this he was perſecuted with ſuch violent and bitter zeal, that his whole life was a kind of death, which he ſuffered over and over again for his Maſters cauſe. Which makes him ſay, when he gives a large catalogue of his ſufferings, that he was in deaths often, 2 Cor. xi. 23, 25. and proteſt, in another place, that he died daily, 1 Cor. p. 500xv. 31. and in another, that he was alway delivered unto death for Jeſus's ſake, and that death wrought in him, that he might make others live, 2 Cor. iv. 11, 12. More than this you find in xvii. Rev. 5, 6. that the mother of harlots, that one City Babylon, was even drunk with the BLOUD of the Saints, and with the BLOUD of the MARTYRS of Jeſus. A Sea of BLOUD flowed from their veins, to cover the Earth with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord; for whoſe cauſe they ſuffered themſelves to be ſlain, as ſo many innocent ſheep that make no reſiſtance. This gave them the name of MARTYRS, in Engliſh WITNESSES, becauſe they were beheaded for the WITNESS of Jeſus, and for the Word of God, xx. Rev. 4. that is, they conſtantly affirmed him to be the LORD, and choſe rather to die and ſeal it with their BLOUD, than not preach this Truth; for which S. John alſo was now an Exile in a deſolate place, 1 Rev. 9.

What was it, think you, that made them thus hot and eager to be the moſt miſerable of all mankind? to deſpoil themſelves of all the comforts of life, and to endure perpetually the pains of death? p. 501From what cauſe was it, that their bloud thus boiled in their veins, and they were ſo zealouſly forward to have it let out? It could be nothing but only this, that they loved Jeſus ardently, and were extremely deſirous, if he th…ught it beſt to die in his ſervice: knowing that he would hear the cry of their bloud, and reward them abundantly for all their ſufferings. S John beheld the Souls of thoſe who were ſlain for the Word of …od, and the TESTIMONY which they held, under the Al…ar, vi. Rev. 9. which ſignifies that they were ſacrifices to God, when they witneſſed thus unto Jeſus. For by Souls in the language of the old Scriptures, is often meant the Bloud, i. e. the life, which here was repreſented at the foo… of the Altar where the bloud of the acrifice uſed to be poured out. They died in an holy cauſe, they were very well aſſured, and ſhould be an offering well pleaſing, and of a ſweet ſavour unto God; elſe they would never have thus willingly offered their throats to the ſacrificing knife of their bloudy perſecutors. No, when it came to that, they would have confeſt the truth ſure, if they had not preached it before. A few of their ſufferings would have taught them more wit than to loſe their heads for the teſtimony of p. 502Jeſus; if they had not been verily perſwaded they were in the right, and ought to be his WITNESSES even with their bloud. The ſcoffs of the Heathen would have been very reaſonable, if they had not dealt ſincerely, and been certain their Teſtimony was the Truth. Who were wont to ſay, as we read in Minutius, Nec reſurgitis miſeri, nec interim vivitis, Miſerable wretches! you do but fancy you ſhall riſe again, and in the mean time you do not live. You are hungry, and pale, and enjoy none of the pleaſures of life; and have no hope of being better you are dead. To which, he replies, after a long demonſtration of the evidence they had of what they believed, Ita beati reſurgimus, & futuri contemplatione jam vivimus, So you ſee we ſhall riſe again to bleſſedneſs, and we live now in the bliſsful contemplation of it. Yea, they not only lived, but they rejoyced: and more than that, they gloried in tribulations. Which they could not have done, had not their integrity been as great as this confidence, and their ſincere intentions upheld and ſupported their boldneſs. Which was the greater, you may be ſure, becauſe as they bare witneſs to Jeſus, ſo God bare WITNESS to them, as you read expreſly, ii. Heb. 4. p. 503both with ſigns and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghoſt, according to his will: whereby he teſtified to them that they were honeſt men, and did not cunningly follow deviſed fables, when they made known to men the power and coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, but were, as the profeſſed, eye-witneſſes of his Majeſty. Which is the next thing to be conſidered.

III. Hitherto I have only proved that they had all things neceſſary to make them credible witneſſes, being void of guile, and ſuch as could not be reaſonably ſuppoſed to be mere inventors of what they preached. Men who both knew what they ſaid, and did not ſpeak contrary to their knowledge. Nay, men of eminent knowledge, ſanctity and zeal, which made them more than common witneſſes. But ſtill they were only humane Witneſſes, not divine: nor could all this put it quite out of doubt, and give a full aſſurance, that what they ſaid was true; but only that they thought it to be true, and were not likely to be deceived. And therefore that they and thoſe who heard their teſtimony, might be ſure, and have infallible proofs (as S. Lukes words are) that they were p. 504not deceived; and that the faith which relied upon their teſtimony might be Divine: there followed the Witneſs of the SPIRIT, which accompanied them, as it had done our Saviour; together with the Witneſs of the HOLY GHOST, which he had promiſed to ſend them, that they might be his Witneſſes in all the world. This was an undoubted evidence that they were men ſent of God upon this meſſage, to preach Jeſus, and teſtifie that he was the Lord of all. This made the faith of thoſe who heard and believed them, to be more than an humane perſwaſion, becauſe it relied not only on the word of men, but upon the teſtimony of the Spirit of God. It might have been a very ſtrong faith without this, becauſe the men who reported it were perſons of great vertue, void of all fraud, or worldly deſign: but it could not have been Divine, had not this Witneſs come and joyned its teſtimony with theirs. For they would but have received the teſtimony of very pious and good men: it was no more, till the teſtimony of God himſelf came, in ſuch ſigns, wonders, miracles and various gifts, as you have heard already, and as you read of in many other places. They went forth (ſaith S. Mark, ſpeaking of all the p. 505Apoſtles) and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the Word (which they preached) with ſigns following, xvi. 20. All places were filled with wonder, as they were with the HOLY GHOST. At Jeruſalem, for inſtance, S. Steven as well as the Apoſtles, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people, vi. Acts 8. In Samaria S. Philip preached Chriſt, and the people with one accord gave heed to the things which he ſpake, hearing and ſeeing the miracles which he did; for unclean Spirits crying with a loud voice, came out of many that were poſſeſſed with them, and many taken with palſies, and that were lame were healed, viii. 6, 7. And at Theſſalonica S. Paul tells them that his Goſpel came not in word only, but alſo in power, and in the Holy Ghoſt, and in much aſſurance. And at Iconium both he and Barnabas ſtai'd a long time, ſpeaking boldly in the Lord, who gave teſtimony unto the Word of his grace, and granted ſigns and wonders to be done by their hands, xiv. 3. And in the ſame manner, at Corinth, Coloſſe, Philippi, and all other places, the Divine power wrought in them mightily, i. Coloſ. 29. upon which account they call themſelves, with great reaſon, Witneſſes OF GOD, 1 Cor. xv. p. 50614, 15. If Chriſt be not riſen, our preaching is vain, yea, and we are found falſe witneſſes of God (which had been a moſt horrible thing) becauſe we have teſtified OF GOD, that he raiſed up Chriſt. They teſtified every where what God had done by Jeſus and for him; particularly that he had raiſed him from the dead. Now that they did not take upon them to be Gods Witneſſes, when they had received no authority from him, nor were guilty of belying God (as the phraſe foreign imports) the Spirit that wrought in them evidently proved, by the gifts of Languages, of Prophecy, of Wiſdom and Knowledge, of Miracles, and healing all manner of Diſeaſes. Which made the Angel ſay, when S. John was going to worſhip him, by no means, ſee thou do it not: I am but thy fellow ſervant, one of thy Brethren that bears witneſs to Jeſus as thou doſt: For the teſtimony of Jeſus is the ſpirit of prophecy, xix. Rev. 10. that is, thoſe gifts which the Apoſtles were endued withal, ſhowed whoſe miniſters they were, and that being the ſervants of the moſt High God, as well as the Angels, they owed no ſuch reſpect to them as S. John was about to give: and by thoſe Divine gifts they gave a teſtimony to Jeſus, and proved he was the p. 507Son of God; wherein they were equal to the Angels, who could no more than teſtifie to him, and be his miniſters to report the glory wherein he was. Upon which errand not only this, but many other Angels appeared to S. John, who, together with the reſt of the Apoſtles, bare record of the Word of God, as I have noted before, and of the teſtimony of Jeſus, and of all things that he ſaw, i. Rev. 3. And herein they were labourers together with God, (1 Cor. iii. 9.) who teſtified the ſame, and wrought as effectually in S. Peter among the Jews, as he was mighty in S. Paul towards the Gentiles, ii. Gal. 8. For God wrought ſpecial miracles by his hands, xix. Acts 11. and made the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, through mighty ſigns and wonders, by the power of the SPIRIT of God, xv. Rom. 18, 19. So that the Faith of that Age, it is plain, did not stand in the wiſdom of men (as S. Paul ſpeaks, 1 Cor. ii. 5.) but in the power of God. They that believed ſaw evidently that God was with the Apoſtles: nay, they felt, many of them, the power of God in themſelves, as you have heard before; when the Apoſtles communicated this vertue to others, which they had received from Jeſus Chriſt. Which was ſuch a Teſtimony to p. 508him, as no counterfeit or falſe witneſs could ever imitate.

For it hath been a conſtant obſervation, that they who by Magick aſtoniſhed the People by wonderful feats, not only did them for their own gain and reputation, rather than for any benefit to the World; but alſo kept this ſecret to themſelves, and would not communicate their power to others. That would have ſpoiled their trade, and made them leſs admired, or at leaſt, leſs rich than they deſigned. But our Lord, on the contrary, had promiſed his Diſciples, that what he did when he was in the world, they ſhould do alſo, after he was gone. Nay, more than that, he tells them, Greater things ſhall ye do. And which is ſtill more, he promiſes that not only they, but others alſo ſhould do thoſe works, if they believed on him. xiv. Joh. 11, 12. Believe me for the very works ſake. Verily, verily, I ſay unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do, ſhall he do alſo, and greater works than theſe ſhall he do; becauſe I go to my Father. Now thus it came to paſs, as our Saviour foretold. Not only the Apoſtles, but others alſo who believed through their word, received the Holy Ghoſt. For as S. Peter confidently p. 509invited his Crucifiers, to come and repent of what they had done, and be baptized every one of them in his Name, and they ſhould receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, ii. Act. 38. So it proved, that they who gladly received his word, were baptized, (ver. 41.) and were all filled with the Holy Ghoſt: iv. 31. This was the thing that amazed that famous Sorcerer Simon Magus, whom the Samaritans admired as the great power of God, till S. Philip came thither, and perſwaded even him, by the miracles and ſigns which he did, to believe in Jeſus, as a greater power of God than himſelf. But when the Apoſtles alſo came, and by laying on of their hands the Holy Ghoſt was given to ſeveral perſons; He plainly ſaw that he was no body, and would have given any Money for ſuch a power, as he had not the leaſt ſhadow of. viii. Act. 10, 11, &c.

But all that I ſhall ſay of this matter, ſhall be out of one of the ancient defenders of the Chriſtian cauſe: who thought he might challenge all the world to ſhow him any thing like that which our Saviour did; or give an account how it might be done, if he was not the Son of God moſt high. It is Arnobius I mean, who in his firſt Book p. 510againſt the Gentiles, having delivered in a Catalogue of our Saviour's miracles, and ſhown they could not be the effect of Magick; at laſt concludes with this great demonſtration, the ſubſtance of which I ſhall briefly relate. All theſe wonders which I have ſummed up, though not as the greatneſs of them required, Jeſus not only performed himſelf; but, which is a greater miracle, gave many others power to do them in his Name. For he fore-ſeeing there would be indeavours to detract from the glory of his famous actions, that he might leave no ſuſpicion in the minds of thoſe that heard of him, as if he were a Sorcerer, choſe out of that vaſt multitude of People that followed him with no ſmall admiration, certain Fiſhermen, poor Labourers, and other Country People; who going through all Nations might, without any tricks, falſe colours, or invoking the aſſiſtance of Spirits, work all thoſe miracles over again, which they ſaid he had wrought himſelf. As He commanded Devils to come out with a word of his mouth; in the ſame manner did they lay their commands upon them, and they obeyed. As He did but put forth his hand and touch a Leper, or bid him be clean, and his fleſh was reſtored like a little Childs; in the p. 511ſame manner did they ſmooth the skins of ſuch loathſome perſons, and reſtore them to the welcome ſociety of their friends and neighbours. It would be too tedious to number all things particularly that they did; and which is more (I may add) gave power to other Chriſtians to do in their Maſter's Name. They ſtopt the progreſs of cruel eating Cancers; they cloſed up Ulcera oris immenſi, wide and very gaping Ulcers; they gave feet to the lame, eyes to the blind, and life to the dead. Nor was there any thing, that aſtoniſhed all beholders, done by him; which he did not ſubject to the power of theſe infants, theſe ruſticks, and gave them authority to do it. What ſay you now, O ye incredulous, ye hard, ye obſtinate hearts? Did your Jupiter himſelf ever give any mortal man ſuch power? Did he ever ſo much as beſtow upon his High-Prieſt, upon the moſt ſacred of all his High-Prieſts, I will not ſay the power to raiſe a dead man, or make a blind man ſee; but ſo much as to make a wheal or a pimple ſink down and lye even with the skin, by ſpeaking a word; or cure a little cleft, which a looſe skin ſometimes makes in the fingers end, only by touching it, or bidding it be angry no longer? And was it an humane power then p. 512from which ſuch great things as I have told you of, proceeded? Sure it was ſacred, ſure it was Divine: or if you will admit any more ſuperlative expreſſion, it was more than Divine, more than Sacred. For when thou doſt that which thou art able to do, and which is proportionable to thy power and ſtrength, there is no ſuch reaſon that admiration ſhould cry out: thou didſt that which thou hadſt ſtrength to do, and which one might expect from ſuch a power. But now to be able to transfer thy right and power to another, and to make a frail weak creature do that, which is proportionable to thy might alone; this is the effect of a power which is above all, and which contains in it the cauſes of all things, and the natures of all faculties. Go then and fetch us Zoroaſtres, that great Magician you brag of, through the torrid zone; or go and bring hither the Armenian that Cteſias writ of; nay ſummon Apollonius, Damigero, Dardanus, and all the reſt of your moſt eminent wonder-workers that ever were; let them be gathered together and joyn their forces, and let us ſee them give but one of the common people power to command by a plain word, a dumb man to ſpeak, or a man whoſe arms and leggs are withered to work and walk. Or if this p. 513be too difficult a thing, to make another do this, and do it with a ſimple command, let us ſee any of them do it themſelves. And let them call in the aſſiſtance of all their Daemons, let them gather all the magical herbs which they can find in the boſome of the Earth, and come with the whole power of their murmuring words, and with all their charms (we will except none of them, we forbid them nothing that they can get to aid them) and let them try, if with the help of all their gods to boot, they can do any ſuch thing as theſe poor ruſtick Chriſtians effected, nudis juſſionibus, by their naked and bare command. Ceaſe, O ye ignorant ſouls, therefore to ſcoff and to curſe when ye hear of theſe things: which cannot hurt him at all, but will bring no ſmall prejudice to your ſelves. For the Soul is a precious thing; nothing ought to be ſo dear to a Man as that: which is in hazard by blaſpheming Chriſt. Who is no ſuch contemptible perſon that you may laugh at him, but, as appears by theſe things, Deus ille ſublimis, &c. That High God, God of God, God from unknown Kingdomes, God ſent by the most High to be the Saviour; whom neither the Sun himſelf, nor the brighteſt Stars, (if they have any ſenſe) nor the Principalities and Rulers p. 514of the World, no, nor your great Gods, or thoſe who feigning themſelves to be Gods terrifie all mankind with their formidable power, could ſo much as know or ſuſpect whence, or what he was, he is ſo great. But now that it is known, and he hath demonſtrated it to the World by his Divine works; you had beſt ſubmit to him, and not imagine he is but one of us.

And that truly is good counſel for us all; to acknowledge Jeſus to be the Lord, and, ſubmitting our ſelves to his authority, to be governed by his Laws: which God from Heaven confirmed by the moſt miraculous operations of the Spirit, and of the Holy Ghoſt. It is true we do not ſee and hear thoſe things, of which the Apoſtles and they that lived in their days were ſpectators and auditors: but we have the faithful records of thoſe miraculous works and of their Sermons left by themſelves. Regiſters were delivered under the unqueſtionable hands of thoſe divine men, of what they had ſeen and heard, and of what they themſelves ſaid and did. That is, the Teſtimony of the Apoſtles, and the Teſtimony of God was preſerved and kept in the Holy Books; which ſpake the ſame to the next Age, which their Fathers had p. 515ſeen with their eyes and heard with their ears in the Age foregoing. And moreover, for a further confirmation, that theſe were the lively Oracles of God (his word tranſmitted unto them, on which they might rely) they had a continuance of the gifts of the Holy Ghoſt for ſome Ages following. As Justin Martyr and Tertullian witneſs for the ſecond Age after our Saviour: And Origen, Minutius, Arnobius and Lactantius (to name no more in ſucceeding times) witneſs for the third and part of the fourth. How could they doubt of the truth of the reports which they had received, when they beheld them ſtill verified, as much as was neceſſary, in their own days; by the teſtimony of God himſelf? And as for the incredulous Gentiles who ſtopt their ears to theſe reports, they preſſed them very ſtrongly in this manner (to uſe the words that follow in Arnobius) as we may do thoſe who queſtion or disbelieve the Evangelical Hiſtory in our own Age. Will you not believe good witneſſes of things that were done, unleſs you ſee them done your ſelves? Shall Authors of certain credit be rejected; who received ſuch things themſelves and delivered them to their poſterity to be belived, with no ſmall approbation? You p. 516will ſay, who are thoſe? I anſwer, whole Countries, People, Nations, all that incredulous race of mankind, are our Witneſſes and the Authors we produce. Who would never have entertained theſe things, unleſs they had been clearer, as we ſay, than the light. Do you think that the men of that time were ſuch vain lying fools, ſuch ſots, ſuch brutes, that they feigned and imagined they ſaw ſuch things as they never ſaw? and that they childiſhly affirmed ſuch things were done, when there was nothing like it? and when they might have lived with you in good eſteem, and contracted alliances and kindred among you, would chuſe to become the publick hatred, and to make their very name execrable, without any reaſon for it? If this ſtory be falſe, whence comes all the world to be filled ſo ſoon with this Religion? Or how was it brought about that ſo many people, in ſuch diſtant Countries, and of ſuch different humours, ſhould all conſpire and agree together to believe it? Were they drawn away with mere words? And with the danger of their lives followed a poor deſpicable Preacher, when they ſaw nothing that was wonderful for p. 517ſtrange, to perſwade them to this worſhip? What vain, ſenſeleſs imaginations are theſe? Therefore they believed, and ſuffered themſelves to be torn in pieces rather than deny it; becauſe they ſaw all theſe things done by him, and by his Preachers: who were ſent through the whole world to carry the benefits of our Father to mankind, and to beſtow the gifts of healing both on their Souls and Bodies.

But our Writers have not ſet theſe things down faithfully. They have extolled ſmall matters, and ambitiouſly magnified them beyond their juſt proportions. Why ſo, I beſeech you? By what reaſon ſhall we believe any of your writings, if this Hiſtory of ours muſt be rejected? In which but a few things, of the many that were done, are recorded by men of truth and honeſty. Did any God come down from Heaven, and write with his own hand, the ſtories that you believe? Or is there any thing of that nature writ againſt ours? Then you believe men, and ſo do we. Your Books were writ by men, and ſo were ours. And whatſoever you will ſay of p. 518ours, look for the ſame to be retorted upon your own. Will you have all things contained in your writings to be true? ſo are all contained in ours. Do you ſay ours are falſe? the ſame we ſay of yours. And how will you help your ſelves? You cannot ſay that you ſaw the things that you believe, no more than we: But others ſaw them, and therefore you believe them, and ſo do we. But ours were writ by rude and unlearned men, and therefore not to be believed? Conſider if this be not an advantage to our cauſe, and a ſtronger reaſon to conclude that theſe writings are ſtained with no lies, but delivered with a ſimple mind, ignorant how to amplifie things, and ſo ſet them off with deceitful dreſſes. As for that which follows concerning the trivial ſordid ſtile, wherein they ſaid the Apoſtles writ, it does not in the leaſt render the faithfulneſs of their relations ſuſpected: and therefore I paſs it over and omit his reply to it; though I cannot well neglect this pertinent obſervation of Eraſmus in his Preface to his Paraphraſe upon S. Lukes Goſpel. The language, ſays he, of the Goſpel is ſo ſimple and rude, that if any body compare it with the Hiſtory of Thucydides or Livy, p. 519he will want abundance of things, and be offended at as many. How many things do the Evangeliſts paſs by? How many do they but juſt touch in two or three words? In how many places do they diſagree in the order of their Narration; and in how many others do they ſeem to thwart one another? Theſe things might make a Reader leſs like them, and not give ſuch credit to what he reads. For on the contrary, they that wrote humane Hiſtories, how ſolicitous were they about their entrance upon their work? How ſcrupulouſly did they weigh their words? What care did they imploy to obſerve a decent order, to ſet down nothing but what was plauſible and exactly deſcribed? And with what art do they endeavour to ſet things lively before our eyes? With what pleaſures do they intice and detain the minds of the Readers, that they may not at all grow weary of them? And yet theſe elaborate Monuments, for the greateſt part, are loſt; and thoſe that remain are not read with any aſſurance that they report nothing but the truth. For who is ſo credulous, as to believe that Titus Livius tells never a tale in his Hiſtory? But there are millions of men p. 520found, who had rather die ten times, than think there is one ſentence falſe in the Evangelical ſtory? Is it not plain by this, that it is not a buſineſs of humane power and prudence, but conducted by a Divine vertue? What Philoſopher is there that ever had the confidence to propound ſuch Paradoxes as theſe, with hope to be believed? That one Jeſus was crucified, and by his death ſaved mankind; that he was God and Man, born of a Virgin; that he roſe again from the dead, and ſits at the right hand of God the Father; that he taught, they were bleſſed men who mourned, hungred and thirſted, were afflicted, ill-ſpoken of, and killed for the profeſſion of his name; and that one day they ſhould live again, and ſee him ſit in judgment to give immortality to the pious, and endleſs pains to the ungodly. What is there plauſible and taking in all this? And yet the humble low ſtile of the Goſpel perſwaded men of this, ſo that thouſands, millions, will rather forſake their lives than this plain truth; which a few private, unknown, poor, mean diſciples of his delivered to the World.

p. 521What ſhould move us then to diſtruſt theſe records of the faithful WITNESSES of Chriſt, which are come down to us, through the hands of all Ages ſince, ſo as they were delivered to them? What do we ſee now, more than our Forefathers did in Arnobius his days, or thoſe which ſucceeded, that gives us any cauſe to ſuſpect their truth? Are they altered from what they were? If any company of men had been ſo bold as to venture at ſuch a change, they would firſt have mended the ſtile no doubt, and placed things in greater order and method, according to the exacteſt rules of art. But that they are untained an uncorrupted, and, in no material paſſage, vary from what they were in former Ages, appears by what all Chriſtian Writers have tranſcribed out of them into their Books, which agrees with that which we now read. They are the ſame now that ever they were. They contain a relation of thoſe things, which converted, as Arnobius ſays, the incredulous world: who did not want wit nor learning no more than we; but ſaw great reaſon to renounce all the fables which had been told of their Gods, and to believe what they read here concerning Jeſus. p. 522For it is the teſtimony of God Almighty, they evidently perceived, that is recorded in thoſe Books. Which when we receive, our faith will not be leſs divine than theirs in the firſt Age: becauſe we both receive the Witneſs of God, only they ſaw or heard it, and we read the record of what they ſaw and heard. Which makes no conſiderable difference … the nature of the teſtimony. For the … … ny of any man ſtanding upon a…ed record, is as good an evidence, … he were alive in perſon to give it. No man loſes his cauſe when his Witneſſes die, if they have already given their evidence in any Court of Record. And therefore there is no reaſon that our Lord Jeſus ſhould loſe his authority among us, becauſe the Apoſtles his WITNESSES have left the world, and ſo has the WITNESS of the Spirit and the Holy Ghoſt: ſince that which they teſtified to mankind ſtands upon authentick record, in the holy Goſpel, which cannot with any ſhow of reaſon be queſtioned: For if we do not allow this way of conveying down a teſtimony to future times, we can know nothing of what was done before us. And by denying all credit to theſe writings, we ſhall only teach poſterity how little credit is p. 523due to any of ours. Nay, we ſhall ſhake all mens titles to their eſtates: and Kings will not be able to keep their Crowns faſt upon their heads. Nothing will be certain, but it may be queſtioned whether all the Records in the Tower, and the publick Acts of former Kings and Parliaments be not mere Forgeries.

Beſides, no body in thoſe days ever went about to diſprove what theſe Witneſſes of Chriſt preached and have writ. Neither Jew nor Gentile undertook to ſhow that theſe things were only deviſed for his credit. There were too great Teſtimonies from Heaven ſtill remaining in the Church for ſeveral Ages, to confute ſuch a ſlander. And therefore all that the Devil himſelf could think of to ſhake mens belief, was to ſet up ſome wonder-workers of his own, to confront Jeſus: and as it were to vie miracles with him and his Diſciples. But all were ſo ſoon ſcattered, like miſts before the Sun, that they appeared to be but thin ſhadows in compariſon with the living SPIRIT of God, that was in the Church, which baffled and overcame them all. Inſomuch that Origen aſſures the Heathen, and they never went about to confute him, that there p. 524were not above thirty of Simon Magus his followers then to be found in the world; though he had made diligent enquiry after them, by travel into all parts. They were all vaniſhed, though he made a great noiſe for a time, whileſt the followers of Jeſus multiplied and increaſed, even by their perſecutions. Nor could Apollonius afterward gain any Proſelytes, that continued; but his fame ſoon died together with himſelf. Whereas the authority of Jeſus bare up it ſelf againſt all the oppoſition of the Roman Empire, and not only was ſupported, but advanced, and prevailed more and more: their barbarous cruelties only making it grow the faſter. For herein, as Lactantius obſerves, the faith and conſtancy of Chriſtians was bravely diſplayed. Men thought they did not without cauſe abhor the Heatheniſh ſuperſtition, when they ſaw them rather die than do that, which others doing, lived and enjoyed the greateſt worldly proſperity. It made them enquire what that good was, which they defended even unto death: which was dearer than all the pleaſures and glory of this world. The people heard them in the midſt of torments, glory in Chriſt Jeſus. And whileſt they enquired who he was, the p. 525truth of the Goſpel was divulged and ſpread abroad among them. Their ſufferings brought many to ſee their Martyrdom; and there they ſaw that which moved their enquiry; and by their enquiry they were ſatisfied, and learnt to believe in Jeſus as thoſe Martyrs did.

But it is time to put an end to this Chapter, which I ſhall conclude with a few remarks upon ſome places of the holy Books, relating to the teſtimony of the Apoſtles, or thoſe that followed them. The firſt is in the 2 Cor. vi. 4, 5, 6, &c. where you read how the Apoſtles approved themſelves as the miniſters of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in neceſſities, in distreſſes, in stripes, in impriſonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in faſtings, by pureneſs, by knowledge, by long-ſuffering, by kindneſs, by the Holy Ghoſt, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, &c. In which words, if they be well conſidered, you will find every one of theſe three WITNESSES, which S. John ſays, gave teſtimony to our Saviour on Earth: ſo that he might be ſaid to come in the miniſtry of the Apoſtles, by Water, and Bloud, and the Spirit. They expreſſed the Holineſs of his life, by their pureneſs, by their p. 526long-ſuffering, by their kindneſs, by love unfeigned, by the armour of righteouſneſs on the right hand and on the left; that is, they were every way appointed and armed with integrity againſt all calumnies; there was none that could touch their reputation, and ſay that theſe men had any worldly deſign. And as they witneſſed to him thus in their holy lives, ſo they did in their holy doctrine, by knowledge, and by the word of truth, preaching the Goſpel ſincerely, as thoſe that ſtudied not to pleaſe men, but God who trieth the hearts. And they were made conformable alſo to his death, and thereby continued the witneſs of the BLOUD, in much patience, in afflictions, in neceſſities, in diſtreſſes, in impriſonments, and all the reſt of the hardſhips here mentioned, which I need not tranſcribe again. And laſtly, He forgets not to remember them of the Witneſs of the SPIRIT which they brought along with them: For he ſays they approved themſelves as miniſters of God, by the Holy Ghoſt, and by the power of God. That is, beſide all the other Divine gifts wherewith they appeared, they confirmed their doctrine by many miraculous works, which could not be done but by the power of God. Thus they became p. 527not only his witneſſes, as our Saviour ſaid they ſhould, xxiv. Luke 48. but they witneſſed to him after the very ſame manner, that he had taught in his example; by Water, by Bloud, and by the Spirit. And therefore when he exhorts Timothy to preach the Goſpel, and to be ſtrong in the grace of Jeſus Chriſt, and to commit the charge of preaching alſo to other faithful perſons, He enforces his perſwaſion by this argument; that the things he was to deliver were only ſuch as he had heard of him among or by MANY WITNESSES, 2 Tim. ii. 2. He learnt them by ſo many good evidences which S. Paul had given him, that he need not fear to ſpeak them to any man, much leſs doubt to commend them to other faithful preachers (upon the ſame account that he had received them) that they might be able to inſtruct poſterity.

Such, one would think from what hath been ſaid, were thoſe TWO WITNESSES mentioned in xi. Rev. 3. men of an Apoſtolical ſpirit, whom Jeſus raiſed up, after his prime Witneſſes had left the world, to juſtifie ſtill by all manner of arguments that great Truth, which they had preached and ſealed with their Bloud, and God p. 528had ſealed by the teſtimony of the Spirit. The next words indeed ſeem to import that the whole body of Chriſtians, whom they inſtructed, joyned with them in this teſtimony: But ſtill theſe great miniſters of Jeſus Chriſt, the guides and leaders of thoſe Chriſtians (whoſoever they were, and in what times ſoever they lived, I meddle not with ſuch difficulties) were his moſt eminent Witneſſes. Who preached the Goſpel with ſuch power, that it excited againſt them the fury of unbelievers, who could not endure that ſuch Witneſſes ſhould ſpeak for Jeſus. For they teſtified to him theſe three ways here mentioned (which is all that I alledge this place for, not taking upon me to interpoſe in the controverſies there are about the explanation of this Viſion) by Water, Bloud and the Spirit. Firſt by Water, if we underſtand thereby, their holy preaching and living. For it is ſaid, ver. 3. that they had power to propheſie: which ſignifies that they were endowed with extraordinary gifts (for Prophets were next to Apoſtles in the Church) to interpret and expound the holy writings; and prove out of Moſes and the Prophets (as our Saviour did, xxiv. Luke 27.) all things that concerned him, both his ſufferings and his glory. And p. 529this they did cloathed in ſackcloth; that is, in the habit of mourners: for the abominations, I ſuppoſe, which they ſaw committed, and the provoking infidelity of thoſe to whom they preached. Which was a notable mark of their great piety and charity, as you may learn from ix. Ezek. 4. and v. Matth. 4. They are ſaid alſo to be the two Olive-trees, ver. 4. that is, like Zerubbabel and Joſhua, (two famous perſons among the Jews after the captivity, who were repreſented by this Emblem, iv. Zach. 3.) King and Prieſts unto God; men endowed with great authority and illumination from above, and with as great purity. For they had ſo much of the oil of gladneſs, that they imparted it to others: to the Candleſticks; that is, the Churches wherein they ſhined. For ſo S. John teaches us, in the beginning of this Book, to interpret Candleſticks: which is a great argument of the excellency of theſe men, who by the witneſs of their life and doctrine, made all thoſe who were under their care, to teſtifie, ſome way or other, to the ſame truth that they did. At leaſt by their lives; for they are ſaid to stand before the God of the Earth. Which is an Hebrew phraſe, ſignifying to miniſter unto God, to be imployed p. 530in his worſhip and ſervice, as the Prieſts and People were at the Temple: and therefore ſets forth the piety and devotion of theſe perſons, whoſe buſineſs it was to ſerve God, even then when it was moſt dangerous ſo to do.

And as by Water, ſo by Bloud alſo they bare witneſs of him. For they had war made againſt them, and in the fight, ſince they would not yield, they were killed, ver. 7. Nay, it was notorious to all, that their perſecutors had not only drawn the ſword againſt them, but that they had reſiſted unto bloud: for their dead bodies lay in the street of the great City, ver. 8. and they would not ſuffer them to be put in graves, ver. 9. which ſhows the enraged malice which they bare to theſe zealous WITNESSES: who had tormented them (ver. 10.) by the ſharpneſs of their arguments, and by their conſtant reproofs of their infidelity and wickedneſs.

Nor was the Witneſs of the SPIRIT wanting: for they approved themſelves as Miniſters of God, to ſpeak in S. Paul's language, and Witneſſes of Chriſt by wonders and miracles ſo great, that they might be compared to the two great Prophets p. 531Moſes and Elias, who appeared with our Saviour on the holy Mount. For they ſent fire out of their mouths (ver. 5.) and had power to ſhut up Heaven that it ſhould not rain, (ver. 6.) both which were the known works of Elias. They had power likewiſe over the Waters, to turn them to bloud, and to ſmite the Earth with all plagues, as often as they pleaſed, ver. 6. which is the plain deſcription of men like to Moſes: who brought ſuch plagues on the Egyptians as theſe had power to do upon thoſe who were like them; both in hardneſs of heart and in oppreſſion of the faithful ſervants of God. And therefore I ſuppoſe they are deſcribed with a power to hurt and deſtroy, rather than with that healing and ſaving vertue wherewith the firſt Witneſſes of Chriſt principally came, to ſignifie that their rebellious enemies ſhould be puniſhed for their rejecting Jeſus, and doing deſpight to the SPIRIT of grace: which once came to them in a more healthful and ſalutary manner, caſting out Devils, turning Water into Wine, healing all manner of Plagues and Diſeaſes, and that as often as they themſelves pleaſed to deſire. And more than this you read (ver. 11.) that after the time appointed by God for it, he reſtored theſe p. 532Prophets to life again: and thereby made their teſtimony ſomething like that of his Son's. That is, men animated with the very ſame ſpirit ſtood up in their place, to the amazement of all their oppoſers. Who were ſo far from being able to hurt them, that they were as ſafe as if they had been in Heaven. The preſence of God was with them, as in the cloud which preſerved the Iſraelites from all danger: And he advanced them to great honour, by the Heavenly gifts wherewith they were adorned. As Elias is ſaid to come though he did not appear in perſon, but another in his ſpirit and power; and David is ſaid to be raiſed up to reign over the Jews (xxx. Jer. 9.) becauſe his Son, that is, Chriſt was ſet upon his Throne: ſo did the Spirit of life from God enter into theſe witneſſes, and they stood upon their feet, when he raiſed up other Apoſtolical perſons in their ſtead, who were not leſs eminent than thoſe who were dead, but full of the ſame ſpirit of wiſdom, holineſs, burning zeal, and might and power alſo from God. This frighted all their enemies, as well it might, when they ſaw the Chriſtian Cauſe would not die, do what they could. But if they killed ſome, others ſtarted up in their room to witneſs p. 533unto Jeſus, and aſſert the ſame truth; by wonders, by their admirable preaching, by their holy life, and by death it ſelf; if nothing elſe would ſatisfie them.

For thus all the MARTYRS teſtified to him. Whoſe BLOUD witneſſed not only that they believed his Religion, and that they valued the favour of Jeſus more than their lives; but that they had very good reaſon ſo to do: or elſe men of ſuch wiſdom would not have endured ſuch torments as they freely expoſed themſelves unto, with ſo much chearfulneſs, as we find they did. For as S. Hilary tells us, Some gloried in the chains which they wore in priſon; others being beaten till they died, did nothing but give thanks; others readily laid down their necks to be cut off: and more ran to thoſe piles, which they ſaw built to burn them; and, with a devout haſte, leapt into thoſe fires, at which the miniſters of their torments trembled; and there were thoſe who were thrown into the Sea, not as if they were to be drown'd, but went to partake of the refreſhment of eternal bliſs. So he writes upon thoſe words of the Pſalmiſt, lxv. 10, 12. Thou haſt tried us, as ſilver is tried: we went through fire and water, &c. The fruit of which was, that thereby many p. 534were converted unto Chriſt. Their death gave life to others, who ſeeing their zeal, their conſtancy, their meekneſs, their patience, and their charity, became Proſelytes to that faith for which they ſuffered. A new race of illuſtrious Martyrs roſe up in their ſtead, in whom they yet lived. For there was no other cauſe (as that Father adds upon the following Verſe) why they gave themſelves as whole burnt offerings to Chriſt, but that by the example of their Faith and Martyrdom, they might inſtruct many more to be Martyrs. Nay, their BLOUD did not only water many young plants, and made them grow to their perfection; but He tells us a little after, in his expoſition of the ſame Pſalm, Plures ſcimus, &c. We know many who were wholly ignorant of the Divine Sacraments (i. e. the Chriſtian Religion) that by the example of the Martyrs run to Martyrdom. No wonder then, that theſe above all others have been called the WITNESSES of Jeſus (for that's the interpretation of the word MARTYR) and that Chriſtians were forward even to kiſs their wounds, and to embrace their dead bodies, as the remains of thoſe who had done moſt eminent ſervice to our Lord. Who himſelf therefore witneſſed to them p. 535after they were dead, and declared that their bloud was very dear and precious in his ſight, and that it had ſealed nothing but the truth. For there can no other reaſon be given but this, why at the Monuments of theſe MARTYRS or WITNESSES our Saviour was pleaſed to have ſo many miracles wrought afterward, and before ſuch a number of people, that Porphyry himſelf (as we learn both from S. Cyril and S. Hierom) though an avowed enemy of our Religion, could not but acknowledge them. They ſtill ſpake and bare Witneſs to Jeſus by theſe wonderful works, when they were dead; or rather Jeſus ſpake for them, as I ſaid, and declared from Heaven that theſe were his faithful Witneſſes, whoſe word ought to be believed, whereby they had declared him to be the Lord.

A PRAYER.

WHO would not believe on thee, O Lord? who would not magnifie thy Name? For great and marvellous are thy p. 536works, juſt and true are thy ways, thou King of Saints. All Nations ought to come and worſhip before thee, whoſe Majeſty and Glory is ſo many ways made manifeſt. Thou haſt raiſed poor and ignorant men to be mighty Miniſters of thy Grace, and Witneſſes of thy Reſurrection, and co-workers with thee for the illumination and converſion of the world. Bleſſed be thy name, for all the glorious Lights which have been in thy Church in every Age; by whom thy holy Faith hath been preſerved and propagated to our days. Bleſſed be thy name, for all the Martyrs who ſealed it with their Bloud: and for all the Confeſſors who freely acknowledged thee, with the danger of their lives. Great was thy glory which ſhone in their moſt exemplary holineſs, fortitude, patience, love unſeigned both to friends and enemies; and in that mighty power whereby they approved themſelves as the Miniſters of God.

Thanks be to thee, O God, the Lord of Heaven and Earth, for the comfort of thy holy Scriptures, wherein we read the story of our Saviours wondrous love; and of that moſt miraculous power which appeared in him, to teſtifie unto him, and at last raiſed him from the dead, and advanced him to the throne of Glory. From whence he ſent the Holy Ghoſt, p. 537to endue his Apoſtles, Prophets, Evangeliſts, Paſtors and Teachers, with power from on high; that they might be his Witneſſes, and commit that which they had received to faithful men, who ſhould be able to teach others alſo. O God, I cannot but again adore thy incomprehenſible love, which can never be ſufficiently praiſed. Who can underſtand the exceeding riches of thy grace, that thou whoſe naked glory is too bright for our weak minds to fix their eyes upon, wouldest be pleaſed in moſt admirable condeſcending love, to manifeſt thy ſelf and viſit us in our fleſh? Thou art infinitely above the greateſt of us; who are far leſs worthy to approach thee than the lowest creature in this world is fit for our friendſhip and ſociety. So much the more marvellous is thy unheard of love, that thou wouldest admit us to ſuch a near relation unto thee. So much the greater is our happineſs, that in Christ Jeſus thou hast made thy ſelf our portion, and deſigned us to be eternally bleſſed with thee. Great was his care and kindneſs all the days of his fleſh, towards the most miſerable wretches: who received the greatest tokens of his love. I rejoyce now to think with what tenderneſs he received the poor, fed the hungry, viſited the ſick, cured the diſeaſed; and when he had left the world, communicated the ſame power p. 538unto others, that they might exerciſe the ſame charity that he had done. I ſee both the power and goodneſs of our Lord, in all thoſe works of wonder which he did. I ſee that his mercy endureth for ever, which hath preſerved a faithful record of theſe things, that we through patience and comfort of the holy Scriptures might have hope.

Now the God of all grace inſpire me and all other Christian Souls, with the ſame faith, love and ardent zeal, which was in thoſe burning and ſhining Lights, the Witneſſes of Christ. That we may be followers of them, as they were of him: and acknowledging the ſame Lord, being members of the ſame body, partaking of the ſame Sacraments, and living upon the ſame Heavenly food; we may lead the ſame holy lives, in hope to ſhine one day with them in the ſame celestial glory. Help us to continue in the things which we have learnt, and have been aſſured of, knowing of whom we have learnt them; that we may not at any time let them ſlip. For how ſhall we eſcape if we neglect ſo great ſalvation, which at the firſt began to be ſpoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; thou, O God, alſo bearing them witneſs both with ſigns and wonders, and with divers p. 539miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghoſt, according to thine own will? May we always carefully lay up and preſerve theſe ſacred truths in our heart, which were in ſo glorious a manner delivered to us! May they work there perpetually with great power, and be reverenced as the holy Oracles of God! May they be the ſpring of all our motions, throughout the whole courſe of our life! That with an even steddy pace, whatſoever dangers come in our way, we may walk on towards that happy place, where thoſe holy ones rejoyce for ever with our Lord. To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be given by us, and by thoſe glorified Spirits, and by all the Angels in Heaven, everlasting Praiſes. Amen.