p189 It is a great mistake to think that nothing can give testimony to itself. Supposing a man, noble, generous, forbearing in his ways, do I want a testimony to him? He is his own testimony. The character of the Lord's miracles there is nothing like, not merely in false or devilish miracles, but not even in the Old Testament. God's character as love, power and light is in them. They are not mere wonders. Who ever took a candle to see if he could see the sun? And if a man cannot see it, what do I conclude of him?

As to the fact, there are testimonies not only in the famous passage in Josephus, but Celsus does not attempt to deny them, but attributes them to magic learned in Egypt, and the Jews said He got into the temple and stole the Shem hammaphoresh, the ineffable name, hiding it in his thigh, and wrought them by it. But all this is nothing compared to God's revelation of Himself.

The responsibility is connected with full adequate evidence, suited to man, being given. (John 5:33-40.) But man's will and lusts are such that he loves darkness rather than light. And thus God's power quickens sovereignly. (John 5:21. See John 3:11; 3:32; 8:45.) Conscience as to the faculty is the inlet to light, and none else, save that love draws; for God is love as well as light, and reveals Himself in Christ. If we see Him we see what we are, but we see goodness before us - where but in Him save dimly in those whose life He is? (See John 3:19.)

[Date unknown.]

[51097E]