2. Knowabflity of Revelation...-Granted Alt poesibility of revelation, can man be certain of the fact that God has spoken? Time. honored: criteria are given, by which one may be at least morally certain that in revealed eeligion God has entrusted truths of faith.and morals to the human race. These criteria are Miracles, prophecies fulfilled, the heavenlirtess both. of the truth communicated and of the eh feats of that communication in the souls of men. No prudent man has any right to deny that a Bode' of faith and is revealed that , code does not contradict right reason, instills 'the practice of virtue even in an heroic degree, effects lives of virtue 'among men in eitury dime and down through many centitries, has been given to the world by one who claimed to have receivedit from God and made good his claim by miracles and by true prophecies, and has hem banded down to the world by a never. foiling -body of teachers instituted by the founder as a part of his revealed religion.
• 3. .Fact. of Revelation.—The Old Testa ment is clear witness to the fact of God's clun suunication• with the human race. Such 'cola:. intruication is frankly admitted, and logically defended, by those who accept this collection of saceed books•s. God's own word. The Old Testament is an history of the human race from lestinception, and of God's revelation of Him self to that rate. This history is not chronology nor; critical. work, but fact-earrative in prinu. five and popular -form. It begins as a primitive tradition, and gradually approaches nearer and nearer to the form of popular history. Herein are taught the beginnings of revealed religion by God's to Adam; the evolution thereof by the Messianic prophecies to Abraham, hue and Jacob; the still further development of 'true 'religion by frequent revelations to Moses; carrying on of 'these revelations throush the -prophets of Israel and Judah; Heron also.the miracles of the Exodus, and the thebcratie rule of Jahweh over the flock of hie-pasture are clearly attested. One has to deny the divine authoritr of these books, if vise admit not the fact of revelation in the Old Law.
• wale New Testament is replete with just such proofs-' of God's revelation to the human race in His • ' ;Fiert,,Jesue made claim to a divine ambas sailor. According- to the witness of John the claim was made 32 times. This divine. ambassador again and again insisted; •My teaching is' not mine, but His 'who sent mep• (John vii, 16) ; *As the Father bath seat ineoo..1:send 'pout (John xx, 21).
Setotwily, jesur appealed to ills Future res urrection' in proof of the truth of His claim, that He was the ambassador of God the Father, and that He had from God the Father a message for the world. Witness the sign of Jonas: Just as Jonas was in the belly of the sea-monster three days and three nights, 'so shall the Son 'of Man be in the earth three days and three nights* (Matthew xii, 39-41). Witness the •sign 'of the Temple: 'Destroy temple, and in three days I will raise it He was speaking of the temple of kiss 'body* (John ii, 18-22). Witness the re peated and detailed• prophecy of the oncoming death and resurrectien of Jesus: *He shall be delivered tb the Gentiles; and shall be mocked, scourged, and spat upon. And after they shalt have scourged Him, they shall kill Him. And the third day He shall rise again.* This prophecy is given three times by Mark (viii, 31; ix, 11-13 and 30; x, 33-34), three times 'by Matthew (xvi, 21; xvii, 12 and 22-23; xx, 18 119), and Mick by. Luke (ix, 22; xviii, 31-34). There can be no doubt about the fact. Jesus dearly' appealed to 'His future resurrection in proof of the truth of His claim that He had front the Father a message for the world, Thirdly, Jesus arose from the dead to fut.
His prophecy in proof of the truth of His claim• to the divine ambassadorship, to the message from the Father, to the right to give that message to the world. This clear fact is denied only by those who start by -throwing not of court miracles, prophecies and all the supert. natural elements of religion.
Lady, Jesus consigned to a teaching body the same message which' Ile had' from God the Father, and conveyed to that teach• ing body the.right to have and to hold and to hand down that message to the world. Just before His ascension; He appeared to the 11 apostles in Galilee and said to them: *All power bath been given me in heaven and upon earth. Therefore go ye, make dis ciples pf all nations, baptise them the dame of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, teach them to observe all things what soever I have commanded vou. And, lo, I am• with you. all days, even to the end of the world* (Matthew xxviii, 18-20). 2. 013 the vegy .point of ascending into heaven front Mount Olivet, Jesus once again gave this solemn message to the same body of teachers t *Go ye to. all the world, preach the Gospel to all creation. 'He that believeth and is baptised; shall be saved. He that believeth not, shell be damned* (Mark xvi, 15-16).