Quesnel: Moral Reflections on the Gospels Vol 1

378 ST. MATTHEW.
Sect. IV. False Christs. The Elect almost de-
ceived. The Eagles gathered together,
" 23. Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo,
here is Christ, or there; believe it not."
There is but one Christ or Saviour, to whom
alone we must steadfastly adhere- The way of faith,
as well as that of virtue, is a single and narrow way
let us take great care not to leave it, to seek new
paths. When we have once been ascertained of the
mission of our blessed Saviour, by the completion of
prophecies, and the seal of miracles, all that which
comes afterwards is but temptation and illusion.
" 24. For there shall arise false Christs, and false
prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders
insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive
the very elect.'*
No miracle, how astonishing soever it may appear,
should induce us to change our faith : there is but
one Mediator, one gospel, one church, and one faith.
The devil himself knows, that an extraordinary mis-
sion without miracles, deserves not to be regarded or
examined, since he endeavours to support seducers
by the shadow of this sort of evidence. Prophecy
and miracles are two proofs which strengthen and
confirm each other : prophecies foretell miracles, and
miracles show the accomplishment of prophecies.
False proofs compared with those of Christ, make
the truth of the latter more evident and illustrious.
Since the elect belong to God, and are peculiarly
his who has undertaken to save them, there is not
the least x)ccasion to fear that even one of them shall
be lost. No man is certain that he is of this num-