Chapter XL.—Advent of the True Prophet.

“These things therefore having been fore-arranged, He who was expected comes, bringing signs and miracles as His credentials by which He should be made manifest.  But not even so did the people believe, though they had been trained during so many ages to the belief of these things.  And not only did they not believe, but they added blasphemy to unbelief, saying that He was a gluttonous man and a belly-slave, and that He was actuated by a demon,⁵⁶⁴⁵⁶⁴    Matt. ix.; John vii. even He who had come for their salvation.  To such an extent does wickedness prevail by the agency of evil ones; so that, but for the Wisdom of God assisting those who love the truth, almost all would have been involved in impious delusion.  Therefore He chose us twelve,⁵⁶⁵⁵⁶⁵    Matt. x. the first who believed in Him, whom He named apostles; and afterwards other seventy-two most approved disciples,⁵⁶⁶⁵⁶⁶    Luke x. that, at least in this way recognising the pattern of Moses,⁵⁶⁷⁵⁶⁷    Num. xi. 16. the multitude might believe that this is He of whom Moses foretold, the Prophet that was to come.”⁵⁶⁸⁵⁶⁸    Deut. xviii. 15.