Jesus and the resurrection justified by witnesses in heaven and in earth in two parts : the first shewing that Jesus is the Son of God, the second that in him we have eternall life / by Symon Patrick ...

I.

As for the purity of their Doctrine, which is one part of the Testimony of Water, I have given an account of it in the first part of this Discourse. Which demonstrates it was of that nature, that it had been an idle attempt to preach it, and endeavour to plant it in the World, had they not believed, and been able to prove, that their Master, who employed them, would give them, and all those who obeyed their word, the reward of Eternall Life. To which if you adde the holiness of their Life, which is ano∣ther part of this Testimony, you cannot think that men of such sincerity in all o∣ther things would have affirmed so con∣fidently as they did that which they did not take to be true; nor have protested they saw and heard and felt such things as they never had any notice of. But if you will needs suppose they might be so vile, (which is very unreasonable;) yet who can think they would have denied themselves so much as they did for their Master's sake, in which a great part of their piety consisted, if they had not been sure that he would lead them by

such means to everlasting life? This ex∣traordinary contempt of all present things, even of life it self, as you shall hear, plain∣ly shewed they were not merely big words which they spake, of being with God and our Saviour, to see the Glory which the Father had given him; but things which they heartily expected. For does any man find such inclinations in himself, as should make him imagine they would have left their trades, their houses, their possessions, their wives, kindred, friends, all that is desirable in this world, and perswade those who were the dearest to them to doe so too; if they had not had an assurance, upon such grounds as were apt to convince others as well as them, of the recompence they should meet withall hereafter in a better life? Who can believe that St. Paul would have quitted all his Dignities, his hopes of greater preferment, his esteem and reputation with the wisest and chie∣fest persons in the Nation, his ease and quiet, and every thing else, and betaken himself to the troublesome service of a despicable Master; if he had not known and seen it as clearly as the Sun in the firmament, that Jesus, whom he served, was raised from the dead, and made the

King of Glory, and would prefer all those that proved faithfull to him unto the greatest honour in the heavens? For what reason should those good men live as having nothing, and all the time be as chearfull as if they possessed all things? Did they not look upon themselves, think you, as heirs of a Kingdom which could not be taken away from them? Reade St. Paul's description of himself to Timo∣thy, (2. iii. 10, 11.) who he says

had fully known his doctrine and manner of life, (not onely what he had been wont to teach, but how he had followed his own instructions,) what his purpose and aim had ever been, his fidelity, his le∣nity towards offenders, his charity to all Christians, his patience under trou∣bles of all sorts: for he was persecuted and endured great afflictions by that means at Antioch, (where they thrust him out of the city,) at Iconium, (where an assault was made upon him to stone him,) at Lystra, (where they actually stoned him.) And in how many other places he had been vilely used, Timothy, he says, could not be ignorant, having been a companion with him in his tra∣vels. xvi. Act. 3.

Now what think you of such a person as this? Do you take

him for a dolt and an ignorant sot? Was this great Apostle a mere lump of clay, who was sensible of nothing; and ima∣gined others so senseless, as that he might without any reason propound this exam∣ple to Timothy for his imitation? How came they to be so stupefied, as to chuse rods, and whips, and stones, and all other miseries, when they might have lived in ease and peace? Nay, to glory in these things alone, as if there had been nothing that could have done them such honour, 2 Cor. xii. 5? They did both hunger and thirst, (as I noted from the same Apostle in my former Book, 2 Cor. iv. 11.) they were naked and buffetted, they had no cer∣tain dwelling-place, they laboured working with their own hands, being reviled they blessed, being persecuted they suffered it, they were made as the filth of the world, and the off-scouring of all things. Which things no body in his wits can think men of their understanding would have en∣dured, if they had not been provided of meat which the world knew not of, and been nourished and sustained with the hope of glory, and assured of eternall mansions in the heavens, and known that they should inherit a blessing, and be made more honourable and glorious with

Jesus for ever, then the World for the present could make them vile and con∣temptible.

These things are so clear, that the bare recitall of them is sufficient to satisfie us they were no deceivers, nor men of light belief, who took things upon trust with∣out good evidence; but had the greatest reason to endeavour to baptize all Nati∣ons into this belief, as they did by an indefatigable diligence: which was no small testimony of the power and glory of the Lord Jesus.