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.

And at our entrance upon the first of these, let us, before we go any farther,

weigh those words of this Apostle St. John in his Gospell, xx. 30, 31. where he tells us that he wrote the signs which Jesus did (suppose after his Resurrection) in the presence of his disciples, for this very purpose, that they might believe that he was the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing they might have LIFE through his Name. They were wrought by Him, and recorded by his Disciples, for these two ends: that the World might be con∣vinced He was the great Lord of all; and that they might, by faithfull subject∣tion to him, look for Eternall Life from his omnipotent love. It was the design of all his wonderfull works throughout his whole life, (to which the Apostle may have respect as well as to those after his Resurrection,) to perswade men to be∣lieve that he would make his followers so happy. For by these he manifested forth his glory, (as I observed before of the be∣ginning of his Miracles in Cana of Galilee, ii. Joh. 11.) and declared to the world, he could work as great a change upon our mortall bodies as he did then upon the Water; making them as much nobler then they are now, as the Water excelled it self when it was become Wine. They were mighty instances of his Power; and

of his Goodness too: they made him ap∣pear to be the King of Israel, who was to deliver and bring Salvation to them; though much greater then they expected.

That our Lord did work Miracles, is a truth which they that crucified him can no more deny, then that he died. The wisest of them could never find any co∣lour to affirm that the Gospel-story was but a fabulous Legend, which related Wonders that were never done. For if they had been able to say this, Maimoni∣des, the very best of them, would not have been put to such distress, as to let fall these words, which we reade in his Treatise of Kings: Do not imagine that the King Messiah shall have any need to work wonders, or alter the course of Na∣ture, or restore the dead to life again, with such like things, that fools talk of. Had he not known as well, that these things could not be denied which are related of Jesus, as he did that, their force to prove any thing being granted, they would be an unanswerable testimony to him, he would never have thus slighted (as he doth in many other Books) things of this nature; which brought the grea∣test reputation to Moses among their an∣cestours,

and were the cause why they believed on him, though he attempted no such wonder as the raising dead men to life again. Our Saviour, he was not ignorant, very often appealed to his works, as the testimony of God to him; and thought it sufficient to tell John's disci∣ples, when they came to inquire who he was, that he opened blind mens eyes, clean∣sed lepers, and raised up the dead; by which they might answer their own que∣stion. And therefore something was to be said by this Jew to disparage these, up∣on which he saw the credit of our Savi∣our in great part relied. Now had it not been the readiest way to deny that there were such Miracles wrought? Nothing but the notoriousness of the facts made him wave that course; which drove him upon this wretched shift, of denying ut∣terly that Miracles are credible witnesses to him that works them. By this means he thought to rob our Saviour of the glo∣ry they brought him; and was so blind as not to see that, at the same time, he took away from his own Master the greatest support he had of his Authority. And therefore herein he is deserted by his own Country-men, particularly by A∣barbinel; who, as I observed before,

makes the power of working Miracles one of the principall gifts of the Messiah. In which our Lord, it is apparent to his very enemies, was so eminent, that one cannot imagine why he did not believe on him; unless, with the spitefull Phari∣sees, he imputed all his Works to the Devill. Which blasphemy, I have shewn in the former Book, is so manifestly con∣futed by his holy Doctrine and Life, that they must be no less foolish then malici∣ous who regard it. We ask no more, but to allow such things were done as the Gospell reports: (which they dare not deny us:) and then their great uncer∣tainty what to say against them, shews how forcible they are to convince all in∣different men that he came from God; whose finger they were, pointing them to him as the Person whom they should hear and obey.

And that they were a plain demonstra∣tion of his power to give Eternall Life to all his followers, will appear from these following considerations.

I. If they confirmed all his Doctrine to be the Will of God, then we ought to look upon this as firmly establisht by

them; for it was a known part of his Doctrine, that God sent him to proclaim his purpose of giving everlasting life by him, to all those who should believe on him. vi. Joh. 38, 39, 40. iii. 16. There is nothing in this assertion needs proof, but that they confirmed his Doctrine, (this being, it is apparent to all, a con∣stant part of it;) in which the Blind man thought he could presently satisfy any reasonable person, when he said, If this man were not of God, he could doe nothing. ix. Joh. 33. That is, no such Miracle as that was, of opening the eyes of one born blind; a thing the world had never heard of, since it was first created, till that time. He preached nothing but pi∣ety and holiness; He lived as he preached: both his Sermons and his Conversation were above all that ever had been for Sanctity: And his Works being so also, much beyond the most famed Prodigies the world had ever boasted of; it was an unanswerable argument that God was in him; who was never known to have let such things be done before, in the compass of so many Ages; and therefore would not let them now doe their first Service to the countenancing of a lie. And therefore to these our Lord often

refers them, as there was reason, for a proof of his Divine Authority. For if a false prophet could doe such wonders, how should there be any possibility of e∣ver knowing a true? Reade x. Joh. 37, 38. xiv. 10. xv. 24.

That which is most proper for me to note is, that in that xiv. of St. John, when he bids them look upon his Works, as the best glass (that then was) wherein to see his Divinity, he was discoursing on this very subject, that He was the Life, ver. 6. and that He was going to the Father to live with him, and to prepare a place for them, &c. ver. 2, 3. Of this he could not give them a better evidence then the Wonders he had wrought, untill his Re∣surrection. After which indeed (he saith ver. 12.) they should doe greater works then these; which would more plainly tell them that he was with the Father. It will not be unprofitable if I open the whole discourse, from vers. 2. where he tells them, with a solemn profession he would not abuse them, that in his Fa∣ther's house are many Mansions; and that he was going away indeed from them, but it was in order to prepare a place for them. He departed, he would have them

believe, not merely to go to rest himself after all his labours; but to take up lod∣gings, as one may say, for them in that blessed Rest prepared for the people of God. Now the consequence of this he tells them in the next words, ver. 3. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto my self; that where I am, there ye may be also. He assures them, that is, he would not lose the pains he had taken to procure such a happiness for them; but see them safe there, where they should have their share with him in that very bliss which he was about to receive. And where I go, ye know, and the way ye know: ver. 4. As if he should have said, You understand well enough what I mean: (for I have often spoke of these things:) I go to Heaven, to live with God, and to give life to those that believe on me; which that you may not miss of, I have shewn you both by my doctrine and my example the way that leads to it. Alas! replies one of his Apostles, who seems to be the slowest of all other to apprehend his meaning, or give credit to him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we find the way? ver. 5. No? saith our Saviour to him again, that is strange. I my self

am the Way, from whom you might have learnt how to arrive at this happiness. And that this is the true way, which I have described, you need not doubt; for I am the Truth; that is, the teacher of truth, who have demonstrated severall ways, that what I declare is the very mind and will of God. And the same arguments which prove me to be the Truth, evidently shew also that I am the Life; who will conduct you to that bliss unto which I am now going. And no man cometh to the Father, (and that Eternall life which is with him,) but by me; that is, by believing my words, and follow∣ing my steps: ver. 6. And therefore if you had minded me and my words, (as it follows ver. 7. If ye had known me, ye would have known my Father also,) you would have known it is my Father's pur∣pose to give you Eternall life: And from henceforth sure you will not doubt of it, now that I have revealed it so plainly, that I may say you know him, and have seen him. Upon this Answer of our Sa∣viour, another of his Apostles wisht they might but see the Father, and that would be sufficient: ver. 8. He desired, that is, there might be some such Divine appearance to them, as there was to Abra∣ham

and others of the Patriarchs in old time, and they would trouble him with no farther questions about this matter. How? saith our Saviour, have I been so long with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? that is, understood what kind of person I am? Dost thou not see that I am the onely-begotten of the Fa∣ther, full of grace and truth? the express image of his person, and the brightness of his glory? Was there ever such an appea∣rance of God in the world, as thou seest in me? All the Fathers enjoyed was but a little glimpse of the Divine glory, in comparison with that which now shines upon you in my face. And therefore why dost thou ask to see the Father, as if there was nothing of him in me? I tell thee, He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father. And so it follows ver. 10. Be∣lievest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of my self; but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. The properties of God are known by the works that he doeth; and there are such wonderfull evidences of a Divine power as well as wisedom in me, that all the Visions the Prophets had, to∣gether with all the Miracles they did,

were not such a testimony of a Divine Presence with them, as these are that the Father dwelleth in me. Therefore be∣lieve that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; ver. 11. (that is, take my word for it, that you See the Father, as you desire, by seeing me;) or else believe me for the very works sake. Let these, at least, convince you that I am as nearly related to him as I pretend; for they are such as can come from none but from God alone. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as St. Greg. Nazianzen speaks; The Son is a brief and easie demonstration of the Nature of the Father: who appea∣red in him, and spake by him, and de∣clared both how good and how power∣full he is, not onely by all that our Sa∣viour said, but by the Works that he did. Which were most manifest tokens that God was in him; and that his words were the words of God; and, conse∣quently, that in him we have life; and that he went to heaven, as he said, to prepare a place for us; and that he will come again, and receive us unto himself, if we walk in that way which he hath chalked out to us by his most holy Life.

This our Saviour asserts also in other places, where he alledges his Works as an e∣vidence of this very Doctrine. I shall men∣tion onely two more, and so dismiss this Argument. In the v. Joh. 28, 29. he tells the obstinate Jews, it was no such marvell that a dead man should be raised up by him; if they considered, which was far more wonderfull, that he was the Person who would one day call all mankind out of their graves, and give unto the good Everlasting Life. For proof of which he puts them in mind presently after of his miraculous Works, (ver. 36.) which te∣stified God had sent him, and would ve∣rify all that he said. And thereupon he exhorts them to search the Scriptures, for in them you think ye have eternall Life; and they are they which testify of me. But you will not come to me, that you may have life: ver. 39, 40. Which was as much as to say, You all look for ETERNALL LIFE, and you hope in the Holy Scrip∣tures to find it: I wish you would be more diligent in perusing them; for they shew plainly that I am He who must bring you to it. But this is the misery of your condition, that neither my Works, (spoken of before) nor the Scriptures, nor the

testimony of John Baptist, (which he first alledged ver. 32, &c.) will perswade you to believe on me; without which I cannot bestow Life upon you.

The same he tells them x. Joh. 25. Where he saith, The works that I doe in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. They made it so apparent, that is, he ought with all readiness to have been re∣ceived, that he could not judge, as you reade in the next verse, their infidelity came from any thing but improbity. Now what it was his works witnessed, he tells us ver. 27, 28, 29, 30. viz. that to his sheep, who were obedient to him, he would give Eternall Life: of which they should have such a sure possession, that they should never lose it; because none should be able to wrest them from him, with whom God himself had intrusted them; who would maintain and defend them, and their right to it, without any possibility of plucking them out of his hands. His Father, he means, had ap∣pointed him to bestow this Life on all his followers, who was able to make good his own purpose and promises. And there∣fore as the Works he did made it appear that He and the Father were one; so He

would certainly make good the Doctrine which he preached, (and thus by Mira∣cles confirmed,) that they should have Eternall Life, and never perish.

II. This we may reasonably think his Miracles declared, if we consider the na∣ture and quality of every one of them; which, in generall, was the doing of some good or other to mankind. What did this speak, but that He was come to be the Authour of the greatest happiness to them? They could not well pick less sense out of his Works then this, when they saw him bestow such benefits, that He was of GOD, who is Good, and doeth good, and would never cease his loving∣kindness to the World. For the multi∣tude and the constancy of his Miraculous acts of bounty, in so many places, to all sorts of men, throughout his whole life, declared the largeness, the universality, and unchangeable perpetuity of his Good∣ness; which would withhold no good thing from upright persons. And therefore in his Answer to the Question which John's disciples proposed, you find his opening the eyes of the blind, cleansing the lepers, making the lame to walk, and such like miraculous works, in conjunction with

his preaching the Gospell to the poorest peo∣ple; which was nothing else but this glad tidings of Eternall Life. xi. Matth. 5. This he published so plainly as none before him had done; and that they might be disposed to believe him to be the person in whom all nations should be blessed, He did such Miracles as none before him had done: which were all blessings, the greatest favours and kindnesses to man∣kind; but no hurt to any one man in the world. This was a greater Argument to receive him as the Authour of Eternall Life, which he promised, then the won∣ders in Egypt were to perswade the Israe∣lites that Moses should redeem them, and bring them to temporall felicity: inas∣much as the constant doing innumerable benefits to men renders one far more ac∣ceptable, then the killing and destroying them.

III. But then, if you more particu∣larly consider, that a great many of his Miracles were the restoring men to their primitive state of integrity and soundness of body, by removing the sicknesses and diseases which Sin had brought upon them it was a notable sign•••••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 He was the Healer of Nature, the Restorer of the

World, the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Saviour of mankind; who could bring them back to that bles∣sed immortality which they had lost. Whence it was that, when he cured the man sick of the palsy, in stead of saying, Be well, he said, Son, thy sins are forgi∣ven thee: to shew that He had power to remove the punishment of sin, and so make them immortall.

VI. The like another sort of Miracles seems to suggest to us; which was his feeding so many thousands at a time with a small quantity of provisions. Of which you reade (as in other places, so) in vi. Joh. 5, 6, &c. where you find, that with five barley loaves and two small fishes he en∣tertained about five thousand people so plentifully, that every one of them had as much as he desired: and when they had done, there were twelve baskets of frag∣ments, which remained over and above to them that had eaten. This Miracle made the multitude conclude that certain∣ly He was the Prophet who should come into the world: and therefore they pur∣posed, whether he would or no, to come and make him their King: ver. 14, 15. And when he avoided it by crossing the sea privately, (ver. 16, 17, &c.) they also

took shipping to follow after him, and never rested till they had found him: ver. 24, 25. Whereupon our Lord takes occasion to tell them, how sorry he was to see them so industriously pursue the food of their bodies, and not mind the food of their Souls, to which his late Mi∣racle led them: and in plain terms tell them, that Spirituall food was himself; who was the Bread of life they should hunger after, more then for the loaves wherewith they had been filled: and that if they did eat of him, they should have everlasting life, and he would raise them up at the last day, ver. 26, 27. and 35, &c. This they might easily have believed, if they had considered the Miracle of the loaves; which was a token from God that he could support them eternally. For why should not he be able to give life, who so strangely preserved it? and out of a little dust make a body, as he had out of a few crums made so many loaves? If their desires had been fixed upon this Eternall Life which he preached, as much as upon the present, they would as natu∣rally have taken this Miracle for the Seal whereby God noted him to be the giver of it, as they took it to be a mark that he could thus fill their bellies every day,

and save them the labour of seeking food; after the manner that Moses fed their Fathers with Manna in the Wilder∣ness.

V. And next to this, if you consider how he dispossessed Devils, which was a Wonder as frequent as any, if told the world plainly that He was come to destroy the works of the Devil, to overthrow his kingdom, and devest him of his power, unless they would still uphold him in it. By Sin he held his Throne; this gave him all the power he had over men, and made them his vassals and slaves. Who being so often rescued out of his hands, and he so openly foiled; it was a sign that Jesus was come to take away the sins of the world, and thereby disarm him of the power of death, and restore men a∣gain to that everlasting Life, out of which the Devil had before thrown mankind, as our Saviour now threw him out of them. All this the Jews themselves confess shall be the work of the Messiah. According to what we reade in the Authour of the Book concerning the Service of the Sanc∣tuary, who saith,

that the King Messiah shall restore all things to their first e∣state, so that the intention of God shall

be fulfilled which he had in the Crea∣tion of the World; for the World shall return to that naturall perfection which it had before rebellious Adam sinned. The Prophets are faithfull witnesses of this, as it is written lxv. Isa. 19. I will rejoyce in Jerusalem, and joy in my peo∣ple; and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. And so he speaks also in ano∣ther place of that Book, xxv. 8. He will swallow up death in victory, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces.

The Authour also of Baal Hat∣turim, as I find him cited by Hackspan , confesses as much in his Notes upon xix. Num. where he saith, In the times of Sal∣vation (or the days of Christ) there shall be no use of the Ashes of the red heifer, ac∣cording to that, He will swallow up death in victory. Which words are cited by St. Paul 1 Cor. xv. 54. (as the other part of that verse is by the voice St. John heard from heaven, xxi. Rev. 4.) when he is treating of the Resurrection of the dead, as the great comfort of Chri∣stian people. Who may well expect it, and all the blessings that attend upon it, from our Lord Jesus, the true Mes∣siah, if to all that hath been said we

adde the consideration of what follows;

VI. That he raised even dead men to life again: which was the greatest Mi∣racle of all, and at that time the greatest witness of the SPIRIT to him. This shew'd that indeed he had Life in himself, and would bestow it upon us, as I have already noted; for he raised them on purpose to declare what he was, and what they might expect from him, viz. a perfect victory over death and the grave. Which appeared most remarkably in the resurrection of Lazarus; who was the most famous instance of this power resi∣ding in him. For the Miracle wrought on him was not so little as the recovering one who drew his last breath, (which was the case of the Centurion's Servant;) nor the restoring one to life who was newly dead, (as in the case of the Ruler of the Synagogue's daughter;) nor the rai∣sing a young man who was carried out towards his grave, (as the Widow's son was:) but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as Greg. Nyssen speaks , his Wonder-working proceeds to some∣thing more sublime. A man of grown years, not onely dead, but musty, alrea∣dy putrid, and in a dissolution, (as he

describes his condition,) so far gone to∣ward corruption, that his own friends thought it not fit our Lord should go to uncover his tomb, because of the ill smell which might be expected; this man, I say, with one word of our Lord's, was resto∣red again to life, firm and compacted: and though he was bound hand and foot with grave-cloaths, it did not hinder his coming out of his grave; which, as Theo∣phanes thinks, was a Miracle little less then his Resurrection. Who can chuse but look on this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to use the same St. Gregory's words, as the beginning (the little Mysteries, as I may call them,) of the Ʋniversall Resurrection, into which Christ now initiated his Disciples? For it is apparent by this, He is the Lord of Life, who can raise a putrid rotten car∣kass, as well as those who are but newly departed the world.

And this was no private business trans∣acted onely between him and his Disci∣ples, but a thing so notorious, that the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the multitude who were there pre∣sent bare record of it. xii. Joh. 17. That is, they affirmed it to be no vain report, but told those of Jerusalem (whither our

Saviour was then going) who had not seen the Miracle done, that it was a cer∣tain Truth upon their knowledge. Which they might affirm with the greater assu∣rance, because, as Theophanes observes, they were confirmed in this belief by the testimony of all their senses.

By their own voice, which shewed him the Tomb, saying, Come and see: and his loud voice, which they heard saying, Laza∣rus, come forth. xi. Joh. 34, 43. By their sight, when they beheld him, whom they knew very well to be dead, obeying his word. By their smell, when they perceived the ill sent, as they rol∣led away the stone. By their touch, when they loosed his hands and his feet, as our Lord bad them, and let him go.

By all these they were so well satisfied, that there was no room left for their infidelity; nor much for the Phari∣sees: who knew neither how to confute this Testimony, nor how to avoid the consequence of it. They began now to despair of prevailing against him any o∣ther way, then by taking away his life; which their malice made them design a∣gainst the clearest light. Though that also proved, as you shall see presently, but a farther confirmation of the truth

they sought to obscure, by his rising a∣gain from the dead. And they could have found in their hearts to have killed Lazarus too; because, as long as he li∣ved, he would proclaim this Miracle to the honour of Jesus: who hereby gave such an illustrious testimony that he was the Authour of Eternall Life, that just when he was going to raise up Lazarus, he inculcates this Doctrine, as the fittest season to impress it upon them. xi. Joh. 25, 26. I am the Resurrection and the Life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever li∣veth, and believeth in me, shall never die. Martha, it seems, believed this before, upon a perswasion that he was the Christ, the Son of God, that should come into the world: ver. 27. But when she saw La∣zarus come out of his grave, then sure she believed it more strongly; both be∣cause it was a farther argument that he was the Christ, and likewise included in it that very thing which he propounded to her belief, viz. that He was the Life, and would give life unto those who were dead, if they believed on him.

I shall conclude this part of the SPI∣RIT's Testimony with those words of

our Lord himself, viii. Joh. 50. where he protests that he sought not his own glo∣ry; that is, assumed not to himself this great power, to be the Life of the world: but God the Father sought it; i. e. per∣swaded the world of it, by the illustrious Miracles which he wrought; whereby the Father honoured him, (as he says ver. 54.) and passed such a judgment on him, that we may all conclude, as he doth ver. 51. Verily, verily, if a man keep his words, he shall not see death.

Notes

• Cap. xi.
• Orat. xxxvi. p. 590.
• Cabala Judaica Sect. 72.
• De Ho∣minis opi∣fici•• cap. xxv.
• Archiepis. Taurom. Hom. xxv.