lously succoured.--2
Macc. xv.

1 Kings xvii. The widow to Elijah, who had restored her son, "By this I
know that thy words are true."

1 Kings xviii. Elijah with the prophets of Baal.

In the dispute concerning the true God and the truth of religion, there
has never happened any miracle on the side of error, and not of truth.

827

_Opposition._--Abel, Cain; Moses, the Magicians; Elijah, the false
prophets: Jeremiah, Hananiah; Micaiah, the false prophets; Jesus Christ,
the Pharisees; St. Paul, Bar-jesus; the Apostles, the Exorcists;
Christians, unbelievers; Catholics, heretics; Elijah, Enoch, Antichrist.

828

Jesus Christ says that the Scriptures testify of Him. But He does not
point out in what respect.

Even the prophecies could not prove Jesus Christ during His life; and
so, men would not have been culpable for not believing in Him before His
death, had the miracles not sufficed without doctrine. Now those who did
not believe in Him, when He was still alive, were sinners, as He said
Himself, and without excuse. Therefore they must have had proof beyond
doubt, which they resisted. Now, they had not the prophecies, but only
the miracles. Therefore the latter suffice, when the doctrine is not
inconsistent with them; and they ought to be believed.

John vii, 40. _Dispute among the Jews as among the Christians of
to-day._ Some believed in Jesus Christ; others believed Him not, because
of the prophecies which said that He should be born in Bethlehem. They
should have considered more carefully whether He was not. For His
miracles being convincing, they should have been quite sure of these
supposed contradictions of His teaching to Scripture; and this obscurity
did not excuse, but blinded them. Thus those who refuse to believe in
the miracles in the present day on account of a supposed contradiction,
which is unreal, are not excused.

The Pharisees said to the people, who believed in Him, because of His
miracles: "This people who knoweth not the law are cursed. But have any
of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? For we know that out
of Galilee ariseth no prophet." Nicodemus answered: "Doth our law judge
any man before it hear him, [and specially, such a man who works such
miracles]?"

829

The prophecies were ambiguous; they are no longer so.

830

The five propositions were ambiguous; they are no longer so.

831

Miracles are no longer necessary, because we have had them already