Witness

WITNESS, he that gives Testimony to any thing. Thus it is said, you are Witness, a faithful Witness, a false Witness, God is Witness, &c.

Witness, in Greek is Martys, or Martyr,¹ and signifies a Martyr, or he that gives Testimony to the Truth at the expence of his Blood, his Life, his Estate, &c. Jesus Christ is the faithful Witness, the Martyr of Truth Rev. i. 15.and Justice. God promises to give to his two Witnesses, which are thought to be Enoch Rev. xi. 3.and Elijah, the Spirit of Prophecy; after which (says he) they shall be put to Death, and their Bodies shall be cast into the Street of the great City, called in a spiritual Sense Sodom and Egypt. See also TESTIMONY.

The Law appoints, that Two or Three Witnesses should be credited in Matters of Judicature; but one Witness only is not to be believed: At the mouth of two witnesses, Deut. xvii. 6, 7.or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the Mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death. When any one was condemned to die, the Witnesses were the first that began the Execution. They threw the first Stone for example, Ibid. 7.if the Party was to be stoned. The Law condemned a false Witness to undergo the same Punishment that he would have Deut. xix. 16, 17, 18, 19. Jerem. xxvii. 23.subjected his Neighbour to. Jeremiah says, that God is a Judge, and Witness; that is to say, that he does not stay for any one to accuse the Wicked to him, that he has no need of the Testimony or Accusation of Men, to know the Demerits of the Guilty. He accuses them himself, he punishes them, he condemns them, he knows all their Misdemeanours, by his Wisdom, his Justice, his infinite Penetration.

Isaiah gives the Name of Witness to the Isai. lv. 4.Messiah: Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. God sent him to Men to give Testimony to the Truth, and to bring them back into the Ways of Justice and Salvation. Hosea says, that when Ephraim Hos. xi. 12.deceived the Lord, and forsook his Worship for that of the Golden Calf, Judah walked with his God as a faithful Witness. Judas testis descendit cum Apud Hieron. in Osee xii.Deo. The Jews tell us, that the Tribe of Judah signalized their Fidelity and Courage, by entring first into the Red Sea, while the rest of the Tribes made an Hesitation, and durst not venture themselves, tho’ Moses assured them of the Protection and Assistance of God. ‘Twas this Action of Judah that God intended to recompence, by settling the Royal Power in their Tribe. Mal. xii. 6.Malachi threatens perjured Persons, Calumniators, Adulterers, and other wicked Men with the Vengeance of the Lord, and says, that the Lord shall be a ready Witness against them: Ero testis velox maleficis: He is both Judge and Witness, as is observed before. This is explained of the Coming of the Messiah, or of the Last Judgment. Jesus Christ was Judge and Witness against the hardened and incredulous Jews. See John xvi. 8.

The Prophets are the Witnesses of our Belief, and of the Truth of our Religion. Heb. xii. 1.St. Paul calls them a Cloud of Witnesses. The Apostles also are still more Witnesses of the Coming, the Mission, and the Doctrine of Christ. If Jesus Christ is not risen, says St. 1 Cor. xv. 15.Paul, then are we false Witnesses. We are Witnesses, says St. Peter, of all he did in Judea. He has chosen a small number of Acts x. 39, 41.Persons to be Witnesses to him; and when they took upon them to put another Apostle in the Place of Judas, they thought fit to Acts i. 22.appoint one that had been a Witness of the Resurrection along with them.

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