Sherlock, Thomas
The tryal of the witnesses of the resur-
ection of Jesus.
; London, 1729

YALE
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

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T H B

(f ^ THE
WITNESSES

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THE
TRYAL OFTHE
Witfiejfes of the RefurreBion
of JE su S.
¦ E were, not long fince, fome Geii-«
tlemen of the Inns of Court, toge-^
ther, each to other fo well knowoj
that no Man's Prefence was a Con
finement to any other from fpeak-
ing his Mind on aiiySabjeft that
happened to arife in Converfation. The Meeting
was without Defign, and the Difcourfe, as in like
Cafes, various. Among other Things we fell tip-
on the Subject o? PFoolfton's'TryA and C6nvi61:ion,
which had happened fome few Days before: That,
led to a Debate how the Law Itands in fuch Cafesj
whatPunifhment it inflifts j and, in general, whe
ther the Law ought at all to interpofe in Contro-
verfies of this kind. We were not agreed in thefe
Points. One, who maintained the favourable fide
to Woolflon., difcovered a great Liking and Appro
bation of his Difcourfes againft the Miracles of
A 4 Chriftj

[4]
Chrift, and feemed to think his Arguments unan-
fwerable. To which another reply 'd, I wonder
that one of your Abilities, and bred to the Profef-
fion ofthe Law, which teaches us to confiderthe
Nature of Evidence, and its proper Weight, can
be of that Opinion ; I am fure you wou'd be un
willing to determine a Property of Five Shillings
upon fuch Evidence, as you now think material
enough to overthrow the Miracles of Chrirt.
It may eafily be imagined that this opened a
Door to much Difpute, and determined the Con
verfation for the Remainder of the Evening to this
Subjeft. The Difpute ran thro' almoft all the Par
ticulars mentioned in Woolflon\ Pieces ; but the
Thread of it was broken by feveral Digreflions,
and thePurfuit of Things which were brought ac
cidentally into the Difcourfe. At length one ofthe
Company faid pleafantly, Gentlemen, you don't
argue like Lawyers ; if I were Judge in this Caufe,
I would hold you better to the Point. The Com
pany took the Hint, and cry'd they fhou'd be glad
to have the Caufe re-heard, and him to be the
Judge. The Gentlemen who had engaged with
Mettle and Spirit in a Difpute which arofe acci
dentally, feem'd very unwilling to be drawn into
a formal Controverfy > and efpecially the Gentle
man who argued againft /FooT/Zow, thought the Mat
ter grew too ferious for him, and excufed himfelf
from undertalcing a Controverfy in Religion, of all
others the moft momentous : But he was told, that
the Argument Ihould be confined merely to the
Nature of the Evidence, and that might be con-
fidered without entring into any fuch Controverfy as

en

as he wou'd avoid; and to bring the Matter with
in Bounds, and under one View, the Evidence of
Chrift's Refurreftion, and the Exceptions taken
to it, fhould be the only Sabjeft of the Confe
rence. With much Perfuafion he fuflfered himfelf
to be perfuaded, and promifed to give the Com
pany, and their new-made Judge, a Meeting that
Day fortnight. The Judge and - the reft of the
Company were for bringing on the Caufe a Week
fooner; but the Council for Woolflon took the
Matter up, and faid, Confider, Sir, the Gentle
man is not to argue out of Littleton.^ Plotaden.y or
CoL', Authors to' him well known j but he muft
have his Authorities from Matthew., Mark,^ Lukc^
and John; and a Fortnight is time little enough of
all confcience to gain a Familiarity with a new Ac
quaintance; and, turning to the Gentleman, he
faid, I'll call upon you before the Fortnight is out,
to fee how reverend an Appearance you make be
hind Hammond on the New Teftament, a Concor
dance on one hand, and a Folio Bible with Refe
rences on the other. You fnall be welcome, Sir,
reply'd the Gentleman, and perhaps you may find
fome Company more to your own Taftej he is
but a poor Council who ftudies on one fide of the
Queftion only, and therefore I will have your
Friend JVoolJlon, T—l, and C — j-, to entertain you
when you do me the Favour of the Vifit. Upon
this we parted in good Humour,^:fidr all pleafed
with the Appointment made, Except the two
Gentlemen who were to provide the Entertain
ment.
The

The Second Day.
TH E Company met at the Time appointed :
But it happened in this, as in like Cafes it
often does, that fome Friends to fome of the Com
pany, who were not of the Party the firft Day,
had got Notice of the Meeting; and the Gentle
men who were to debate the Queftion, found they
had a more numerous Audience than they expefted
or defired. He efpecially who was to maintain
the Evidence of the Refurreftion, began to excufe
the Neceflity he was under of difappointing their
Expeftation, alledging that he ^was not prepared ;
and he had perfifted in excufing himfelf, but that
the Strangers, who perceived what the Cafe was,
offered to withdraw, which the Gentleman wou'd
by no means confent to : They infifting to go, he
faid, he would much rather fubmit himfelf to their
Candor, unprepared as he was, than be guilty of
fo much Rudenefs , as to force them to leave the
Company. Upon which one of the Company,
fmiling, faid, It happens luckily that our Number
is increafed ; when we were laft' together, we ap
pointed a Judge, but we quite forgot a Jury, and
now, I think, we are good Men and true, fufiici-
ent to make one. This Thought was purfued in
feveral Allufions to legal Proceedings, which cre
ated fome Mirth, and had this good Efftft, that
it difperfed the folemn Air which the mutual Com
pliments upon the Difficulty before-mentioned had
introduced) and reftored the Eafe and Good-Hu
mour natural to the Converfation of Gentlemen.
a The

[

7""

The Judge perceiving the Difpofition of the
Company, thought it a proper Time to begin, and
CAlled out. Gentlemen of the Jury take your Pla
ces ; and immediately feated himfelf at the upper
End of the Table : The Company fat round him,
and the Judge called upon the Council for Wool-
flon to begin.
Mr. A. C50««7 /or Woolfton, addrefling him
felf to the Judge, faid,
May it pleafe your Lordfhip; I conceive the
Gentleman on the other Side ought to begin, and
lay his Evidence, which he intends to maintain,
before the Court; till that is done, it is to no pur-
pofe for me to object. I may perhaps obje6t to
fomething which he will not admit to be any part
of his Evidence, and therefore, I apprehend, the
Evidence ought in the firft Place to be diftinftly
ftated. Jn'dge. Mr. B. What fay you to that ?
Mx-^- Cov.ncilon the other Side :
My Lord, If the Evidence I am to maintain,
were to fupport any new Claim, if I were to gain
any thing which I am not already poflefled of, the
Gentleman woaid be in the right ; but the Evi
dence is oldj,.p^: is Matter of Record, and I have
been long in pbflefiion of all that I claim under it.
If the Gentleman has any thing to fay to difpofiefs
me, let him produce it ; otherwife I have no rea-
fon to bring my own Title into queftion. And
this I take to be the known Method of proceeding
in fuch Cafes; no Man is obliged to produce his
Title to his Pofleffion ; it is fufficient if he main
tains it when it is called in queftion.
¦ ' ¦ Mr. A.

Mr. 4. Surely, my Lord, the Gentleman mi-
ftakes the Cafe; I can never admit myfelf to be
out of Poffeffion of my Underftanding andRcafon;
and fince he would put me out of this Poffcflion,
and compel me to admit Things incredible, in ver
tue of the Evidence he maintains, he ought to fet
forth his Claim, or leave the World to be direded
by common Senfe.
Judge. Sir, you fay right; upon Suppofition
that the Truth ofthe Chriftian Religion were the
Point in Judgment . In that Cafe it would be ne-
ceflary to produce the Evidence for the Chriftian
Religion; but the Matter now before the Court
is. Whether the Objeaions produced byMr.^oo/-
/o«, are of weight to overthrow the Evidence of
Chrift's Refurreftion. You fee then the Evidence
of the Refurreftion is fuppofed to be what it is on
both Sides, and the Thing immediately in Judg
ment, is the Value of the Objeaions, and there
fore they muft be fet forth. The Court will be
bound to take notice of the Evidence, which is
admitted as a Fad on both Parts. Go on Mr. A,
Mr. A. My Lord, I fubmit to the Direftion of
the Court. I cannot but obferve that the Gen^
tleman qp the other fide, unwilling as he feems to
be to ftate his Evidence, did not forget to lay in
his Claim to Prefcriptlon, which is, perhaps, in
Tmth, tho' he has too much Skill to own it, the
very Strength of his Caufe. I do allow that the
Gentleman maintains nothing but what his Father
and Grandfather, and his Anceftors, beyond time
of Man's Memory, maintain'd before him : I allow
too, that Prefcription in many Cafe? palces a good
Ti^lei

[9]
Title; but it muft always be with this Condi
tion, that the thing is capable of being prefcri-
bed for: And I infift, that Prefcription cannot
run againft Reafon and Coramon Senfe. Cuftoms
may be pleaded by Prefcription ; but if upon
fhcwing the Cuftom, any thing unreafonable ap
pears in it, the Prefcription fails, for Length of
Time works nothing towards the eftablifhing any
thing that cou'd never have a Legal Commence
ment. And if this Objeflion will overthrow all
Prefcriptions for Cuftoms ; the Mifcbief of which
extends perhaps to one poor Village only, and
affefts them in no greater a Concern, than their
Right of Common upon a ragged Mountain ; fhall
it not much more prevail, when the Intereft of
Mankind is concern'd, and in no lefs a Point than
his Happinefs in this Life, and in all his Hopes for
Futurity? Befides, if Prefcription muft be allowed
in this Cafe, how will you deal with it in others?
What will you fay to the Ancient Perjians^ and
their Fire- Altars } Nay, what to the Turks, who
have been long enough in Poffeffion of their Faith
to plead 
Mr. B. I beg Pardon for interrupting the Gen
tleman. But it is to fave him Trouble. He is
.going into his favourite Common-Place, and has
brought us from Perjla to Turkey already; and if
he goes on, I know we muft follow him round
the Globe. ' To fave us from this long Journey,
I'll wave all Advantage from the Antiquity of the
Refurreclion , and the general Reception the Be
lief of it has found in the World ; and am content
to confider it as a Fa6t which happened but laft
B Year,

Year, and was never heard of cither by the Gen
tleman's Grandfather, or by mine.
Mr. A. I fhould not have taken quite fo. long a
Journey as the Gentleman imagines, nor, indeed,
need any Man go far from home to find Inftances
to the Purpofe I was upon: But fince this Advan
tage is quitted, I am as willing to fpare my Pains,
as the Gentleman is defirous that I fhould. And
yet I fufpeft fome Art even in this Conceffion, fair
and candid as it feems to be. For I am perfuaded
that one Reafon, perhaps the main Reafon, why
Men believe this Hiftory of Jefus, is, that they
cannot conceive that any one fhould attempt,
much lefs fucceed in fuch an Attempt as this, upon
the Foundation of meer human Cunning and Poll.
cy ; and 'tis worth the while to go round the
Globe, as the Gentleman exprefs'd himfelf, to fee
various Inftances of the like Kind, in order to're-
move this Prejudice. But I ftand corre£i:ed, and
will go direftly to the Point now in Judgment.
Mr. B. My Lord, The Gentleman in Juftifica-
tion of his firft Argument, has entred upon ano
ther of a very different Kind. I think he is fenfi-
ble of it, and feeming to yield up one of his popu
lar Topicks, is indeed, artfully getting rid of ano
ther; which has made a very good Figure in ma
ny late Writings, but will not bear in any Place,
where he who maintains it may be asked Quefti-
ons. The mere Antiquity of the Refurreftion I
gave up ; for if the Evidence was not good at firft,
it can't be good now. The Gentleman is willing,
he fays, to fpare us his Hiftory of Antient Errore,
and intimates, that upon this account he pafTes over
I

[II]
over many Inftances of Fraud, that were like in
Circumftances to the Cafe before us. By no
means, my Lord, let them be paffed over. I
wou'd not have the main Strength of his Caufe
betrayed in Complaifance to me. Nothing can ;
be more material, than to fliew a Fraud of this
Kind, that prevailed univerfally in the WotM:
Chrift Jefus declared himfelf a Prophet, and put
the Proof of his Miflion on this; that he fhou'd
dye openly and publickly, and rife again the third
Day. This furely was the hardeft Plot in the
World to be managed : And if there be one In-
ftance of this Kind, or in any degree like it, by
all means let it be produced.
Mr. ^. My Lord , There has hardly been an"
Inftance of a falfe Religion in the World, but it:
ha^alfo afforded a Uke Inftance to this before us.
Have they not all pretended to Infpiration? Upon
what Foot did Pythagoras, Numa, and others fe^
up ? did they not all converfe with the Gods, and
pretend to deliver Oracles ?
Mr. B. This only fhews that Revelation is by
the common Confent of Mankind, the very beft
Foundation of Religion, and therefore every Ira-
poftor pretends to it. But is a Man's hiding him
felf in a Cave for fome Years, and then coming
out into the World, to be compared to a Man's
dying and rifing to Life again? So far from it, that
you and I and every Man may do the one, but no
Man can do the other.
Mr. A. Sir, I fuppofe it will be allowed to be
as great a thing to go to Heaven and converfe with
Angels, and with God, and to come down to the
B i Earth

C '= ]
Earth again, as it is to dye and rife again. NoW
this very thing Mahomet pretended to do, and all
his Difciples believe it. Can you deny this Fad; ?
M.X.B. Deny it. Sir? No. But tell us who
went with Mahomet 7 vho were his Witneffcs?
I expefl before we have done, to hearof the Guards
fet over the Sepulchre of Chrift, and the Seal of
the Stone: V/hat Guard watched Mahomet in his
going or returning? What Seals and Credentials
had he? He himfelf pretends to none. His Follow
ers pretend to nothing but his ovn Word. We
are now to confider the Evidence of Chrift's Re-
furreftion, and you think to parallel it by produ
cing a Cafe, for which no one ever pretended there
was any Evidence. You have Mahomefs Word ;
and no Man ever told a Lye, but you had ^/j Word
for the Truth of what he faid; and therefore you
need not go round the Globe to find fuch Inftances
as thefe. But this Story, 'tis fiiid, has gained great
Credit, and is receiv'd by many Nations: Very
well : And how was it receiv'd ? Was not every
Man converted to this Faith with the Sword at
his Throat? In our Cafe, every Witnefs to theRc-
furredtion, and every Behever of it was hourly ex-
pofed to Death : In the other Cafe, whoever refu-
fed to believe, died, or what v/as as bad, lived a
wretched conquered Slave: And will you pretend
thefe Cafes to be alike? One Cafe indeed there was
within our own Memory, which in fome Circum
ftances came near to the Cafe now before us. The
French Prophets put the Credit of their Miffion
upon the Pvefurreftion of Dr. Emmcs, and gave
publick Noticp of it. If the Gentleman pleafes to

[ «3]
to make ufe of this Inftance, it is at his Ser
vice. Mr. A. The Inftance of Dr. Emmes is fo far ta
the Purpofe, that it fhews to what Lengths En-
thufiafm will carry Men. And why might not
the farae thing happen at Jerufalem, which hap-
pen'd but a few Years ago in our own Country?
Matthew, and John, and the reft of them, ma-
nag'd that Affair with more Dexterity than the
Trench Prophets; fo that the Refurreftion of Je
fus gained Credit in the World, and the French
Prophets funk under their ridiculous Pretenfions.
That's all the Difference.
Mr. B. Is it fo ? And a very wide Difference, I
promife you. In one Cafe, every thing happen'd
that was proper to convince the World of the
Truth of the Refurreftion ; in the other, the E-
vent manifefted the Cheat ; and upon the View of
thefe Circumftances, you think it fufficient to fiiy,
with great Coolnefs, That's all the Difference.
Why, what Difference do you expedl: between
Truth and Falftiood? What Diftinftion 
Judge. Gentlemen, you forget that you are in a
Court, and are falling into Dialogue. Courts
don't allow of Chit-chat. Look ye, the Evidence
of the Refurreaion of Jefus is before the Court,
recorded by Matthew, Mark, and others. You
muft take it as it is ; you can neither make it bet
ter nor worfe. Thefe Witnefles are accufed of
giving falfe Evidence. Come to the Point; and
let us hear what you have to pffer, to prove the
Accufation. Mr..B.

[ 14]
Mr. B. Is it your Meaning, Sir, that the Ob
jeaions fhould be ftated and argued all together,
and that the Anfwer fhould be to the whole at
once? Or would you have the Objedions argued
fingly, and anfwered feparatcly by themfelves ?
Judge. I think this Court may difpenfe with the
ftria Forms of legal Proceedings, and therefore I
leave this to the Choice of the Jury.
After the Jury had confulted together y the Foreman
rofe up.
The Foreman of the Jury. We defire to hear
the Objeaions argued and anfwered feparately.
We fhall be better able to form a Judgment by
hearing the Anfwer, while the Objeaion is fiefh
in our Minds.
Judge. Gentlemen, You hear the Opinion of
the Jury. Go on.
Mr. A. I am now to difclofe to you a Scene, of
all others the moft furprizing. * " The Refurre-
" aion has been long talked of, and to the Amaze-
*' ment of every one who can think freely, has
*' been beUeved thro' all Ages of the Church".
This general and conftant BeUef creates in moft
Minds a Prefumption that it was founded on good
Evidence. In other Cafes the Evidence fupports
the Credit of the Hiftory; but here the Evidence
itfelf is prefum'd only upon the Credit which the
Story has gain'd. \ I wifti the Books difperfed
• Sixth Difcourfe, p. 17.
¦}• Ibid. />.4. againft

[ >?]
againftjefusbythe ancient Jews had not been loft;
for they would have given us a clear Infight into
this Contrivance. But 'tis happy for us, that the
very Account given by the pretended Witneffes
of this Fad is fufficient to defb-oy the Credit of
it. The Refurreaion was not a thing contrived for
its own Sake. No ! It was undertaken to fupport
great Views, and for the Sake of great Confequen-
ces that were to attend it. It will be neceffary
therefore to lay before you thofe Views, that you
may the better judge of this Part of the Contri
vance, when you have the whole Scene before
you. The Jews were a weak fuperftitious People,
and, as is common among fuch People, gave great
Credit to fome traditionary Prophecies about their
own Country. They had befides, fome old Books
among 'em, which they efteemed to be Writings
of certain Prophets, who had formeriy lived among
them, and whofe Memory they had in great V^e-
neration. From fuch old Books and Traditions
they formed many Extravagant Expeaations ; and
among the reft one was^ That fome time or other
a great viaorious Prince fhould rife among them,
and fubdue all their Enemies, and make 'em Lords of
the World. * In Augu^as'^ Time they were in a
low State, reduced under the Roman Yoke; and
as they never wanted a Deliverer more, fo theEa-
gcrnefs of this Hope, as it happens to weak Minds,
turned into a firm Expeaation that he would fbon
come. This proved a Temptation to fome bold,
* See Scheme of Literal Prophecy, p. 26. and

[ .6 ]
find to fome cunning Men, to perfonate thePnnce
fo much expeaed; and t " nothing is more natu-
" ral and common to promote Rebellions, than to
*' ground them on new Prophecies, or new Intei-
" prctationsof oldones: Prophecies being fuited
« to the vulgar Superftition, and operating with
« the Force of Religion." Accordingly many
fuch Impoftors rofe, pretending to be the viaori
ous Prince cxpeacd; and they and the People who
followed them periftied in the Folly of their At
tempt. But Jefus, knowing thatViaories and Triumphs
are not things to be counterfeited ; that the Peo
ple were not to be delivered from the RomanYoke.
by Sleight of hand; and having no Hope of being
able to cope with the Emperor of Rome in good
earnell:, took another and more fuccefsful Method
to carry on his Defign. He took upon him to be
the Prince foretold in the ancient Prophets; but
then he infifted that the true Senfe of the Prophe
cies had been miftaken; that they related not to
the Kingdoms of this Worid, but to the King
dom of Heaven ; that the Meffias was not to be a
conquering Prince, but a fuftering one ; that he
was not to come with Horfcs of War, and Cha
riots of War, but was to be meek and lowly, and
riding on an Afs. By this means he got the com
mon and neceffary Foundation for a new Revela
tion, which is to be built and founded on a prece
dent Revelation. *

•|- Scheme of Literal Prophecy, p. 27.
• See Difcourfe of the Grounds, &c. Ch. iv.

To

C '7 3
To carry on this Defign, he made choice of
Twelve Men of nd Fortunes or Education, and of
fuch Underftandings as gave no Jealoufy that they
would difcover the Plot. And what is moft won
derful, and fhews their Ability ; whilft the Maftei'
was preaching the Kingdom of Heaven, thefe
poor Men, not weaned from the Prejudices of their
Country, expeaed every Day that he would der'
clare himfelf a King, and were quarrelling who
fliould be his firft Minifter. This Expeaation had'
a good Effea on the Service, for it kept them con*
ftant to their Mafter.
I muft obferve farther, that the Jews were Uri"«
der ftrange Apprehenfions of fupernatural Powers }
and as their own Religion was founded on the Be
lief of certain Miracles, faid to be wrought by their
Lawgiver Mofes; fo were they ever running after
Wonders and Miracles, and ready to take up with.
any Stories of this Kind. Now as fomething ex
traordinary was necefHiry to fupport the Pretenfi-*
ons of Jefus, he dextroufly laid hold on this Weak-*
nefs of the People; and fet up to be a Wonder
worker. His Difciples were well qualified to re--
ceive this Impreffion ; they fav/, or thought they
faw, many ftrange thing,s, and were able to fpread
the Fame and Report of them abroad.
This Condua had the defired Succefs. The
whble Countiy was alarmed, and full of the News
of a great Prophet's being come among them^
They were too full of their own Imagination, to
attend to the Notion of a Kingdom of Heaven ;
Here was o"he mighty in Deed and in Word ; and
they concluded, he was the very Prince their Na-
C tiotj

[ >8 ]
tion expeaed. Accordingly they once attempted
to fet him up for a King; and at another time at
tended him in Triumph to Jerufalem. This natu
ral Confequence opens the natural Defign of the
Attempt. If things had gone on fuccefsfully to
the End, 'tis probable the Kingdom of Heaven
would have been changed into a Kingdom of this
World. The Defign indeed filled, by the Impa
tience and Over-haftinefs ofthe Multitude, which
alarmed not only the Chief of the Jews, but the
Roman Governor alfo.
The Cafe being come to this Point, and Jefus
feeing that he could not efcape being put to Death;
he declared, that the ancient Prophets had fore
told that the Mcffias fhould dye upon a Crofs, and
that he fiiould rife again on the third Day. Here
was the Foundation laid for tbe continuing thi&
Plot; which otherwife had died with its Author.,
This was his Legacy to his Followers ; which ha
ving been well managed by them and their Suc-
ceffors, has at laft produced a Kingdom indeed ; a
Kingdom of Priefts, who have governed the World.
for many Ages, and have been ftrong enough to
fet Kings and Emperors at Defiance. But fo it
happens^ the ancient Prophets appealed to are ftill
extant; and there being no fuch Prophecies ofthe
Death and Refurreaion of the Meffias, they are a
ilanding Evidence againft this Stoiy. As he ex-.
peaed, fo it happen'd, that he died on a Crofs.
And the profecuting of this Contrivance was left
to the Management of his Difciples and Followers.
Their Part is next to be confider'd— —
Mr. 5.

C '9]
Mr. 5. My Lord, Since it is your Opinion
that the Objeaions fhould be confidered fingly,
and the Gentleman has carried his Scheme down
to the Death of Chrift, I think he is come to a
proper Refl ; and that it is agreeable to your Inten
tion, that I fhould be admitted to anfwer.
Judge. You fliy right. Sir. Let us hear what
you anfwer to this Charge.
Mr. B. My Lord, I was unwilling to difturb
the Gentleman by breaking in upon his Scheme j
otherwife I fhould have reminded hini, that this
Court fits to examine Evidence, and not to be en
tertained with fine Imaginations. You have had
a Scheme laid before you, but not one bit of Evi
dence to fupport any Part of it; no, not fo much
as a Pretence to any Evidence. The Gentleman,
I remember, was very forry that the old Books of
the Jews were loft, which wou'd, as he fuppofes,
have fet forth all this Matter; and I agree with
him, that he has much Reafon to be forry, confi-
dering his great Scarcity of Proof And fince I
have mention'd this, that I may not be to return
to it again, I would ask the Gentleman now. How
he knows there ever were fuch Books ? And fince
if ever there were any, they are loft. How he
knows what they contained ? I doubt I fhall have
frequent Occafion to ask fuch Queftions. It:
wou'd indeed be a fufficient Anfwer to the whole,
to repeat the feveral Suppofitions that have been
made, and to call for the Evidence upon which
they ftand. This wou'd plainly difcover every
Part of the Story to be mere Fidion. But fince
the Gentleman feems to have endeavour'd to bring
C z, uodet'

[20]
under one View, the many Infinuations which
have of late been fpread abroad by different Hands,
and to work the whole into a confiftent Scheme ;
I will, if your Patience fhall permit, examine this
PJot, and Cce to whom the Honour of the Con-
frivanee belongs.
The Gentleman begins withexpreffing his « A-
*« mazement, that the Refurreaion has been bp-
*' lieved in all Ages of the Church". If you ask
liim. Why? he muft anfwer, Becaufe the Account
of it is a Forgery : For 'tis no Amazement to him
furely, that a true Account fiiould be generally
well received. So that this Remark proceeds in
deed from Confidence rather than Amazement ;
and comes only to this, that he is fure there was no
Refurreaion: And I am fure this is no Evidence/
that there was none. Whether he is miftaken in
his Confidenpe, or I in mine, the Court muft
judge. The Gentleman's Obfcrvation, That the gene*
ral Belief of the Refurreaion creates a Prefumpti
on that it ftands upon good Evidence, and there
fore People look no farther, but follow their Fa--
thers, as their Fathers did their Grandfathers be-?
fore them, is in great meafure true ; but it is a
Truth nothing to his Purpofe. He allows that
the Refurreaion has been believed in all Ages of
the Church; that is, from the very Time of the
Refurreaion : What then prevailed with thoie
who firft i-GGciv'd it? They certainly did not foK
low the Example of their Fathers. Here then i^
the Point, How did this Faa gain Credit in the
World at firft? Credit it has gained, without: doubt.

[ ^' ]
doubt. If the Mukitude at prefent go into thi
Belief thro' Prejudice, Example, and for Compa^
ny fake, they do in this Cafe no more, nor other-
wife, than they do in all Cafes. And it cannot -be.
denied, but that Truth may be receiv'd thro' Pre
judice (as it is call'd) i. e. without examining the
Proof pr Merits of the Caufe, as well as Falfhood-
What general Truth is thercj the Merits of which all
the World, or the hundredth Part, has examin'd ?
It is fmartly fjiid fomewhere. That the Prkfi only
continues what the Nurfi began: But the Life of
the Remark confifts in the Quaintnefs of the An-
tithefis between theNurfeTind thePriefi ; and owes
its Support much more to Sound than to Senfe.
For is it poffible that Children fhould not hear
fomething of the common and popular Opinions
of their Country, whether thofe Opinions be true
or falfe? Do they not learn the comraon Maxims
of Reafon this way? Perhaps every Man f^-?i
learnt from his Nurfe, that two and two make
four; and whenever fhe divides an Apple among
her Children, fhe inftils into them this Prejudice,
That the Whole is equal to its Parts, and all the
Parts equal to the Whole; and yet Sir IfaacNew-^-
ton, (fhame on him) what Work has he made,
what a Building has he creaed upon the Founda
tion of this Nurfery-Learning ? As to Religion,
there never was a Religion, there never will be
Qne, whether true or falfe, publickly owned in
any Country, but Children have heard, and ever
will hear, more or lefs of it from thofe who are
placed about them. And if this is, and ever muft
|e ph? Cafe, whether the Religion be true or falfe j.

[ a. ]
*tis highly abfurd to lay Strcfs on this Obfcrvation,
when the Queftion is about the Truth of any Re
ligion; for the Obfcrvation is indifferent to both
fides of the Queftion.
We are now, I think, got thro' the Common
place Learning, which muft for ever, it feems, at
tend upon Queftions of this Nature; and are co
ming to the veiy Merits of the Caufe.
And here,theGentleman on the other fide thought
proper to begin with an Account of the People of
the Jews: The People in whofe Country the Fad
is laid, and who were originally, and in fome re-"
fpeds principally concerned in its Confequences.
They were, he fiiys, a weak fuperftitious Peo
ple, and lived under the Influence cf certain
pretended Prophecies and Prediaions; that upon
this Ground they had, fome time before the Appear
ance of Chrift Jefus, conceived great Expeaati
ons of the coraing of a viaorious Prince, who
fhould deliver thera from the Roman Yoke, and
make them all Kings and Princes. He goes on
then to obferve, how liable the People were, in
this State of Things, to be impofed on, and led in
to Rebellion, by any one who was bold enough to
take upon him to perfonate the Prince expeaed.
Hc obfervcs further, that in Faa many fuch Im
poftors did arife, and deceived Multitudes to their
Ruin and Deftruaion.
I have laid thefe things together, becaufe I do
not intend to difpute thefe Matters with the Gen
tleman. Whether the Jews were a weak and
fuperftitious People, and influenc'd by falfe Pro
phecies, or whether they had true Prophecies among

[^3]
among them, is not material to the prefent Quefti
on. It is enough for the Gentleman's Argument,
if I allow the Fad to be as he has ftated it; that
they did exped a vidorious Prince , that they
were upon this Account expofed to be pradifed
on by Pretenders ; and in Fad were often fo delu
ded. This Foundation being laid, it was natural to
exped, and I believe your Lordfhip, and every
one prefent did exped, that the Gentleman would
go on to fhew, that Jefus laid hold of this Oppor
tunity, ftruck in with the Opinion of the People,
and profefs'd himfelf to be the Prince who was to
work their Deliverance. But fo fai", it feems, is
this from being the Cafe, that the Charge upon
Jefus is, that he took the contrary Part, and fet
up in Oppofition to all the poptflar Notions and
Prejudices of his Countiy : That he interpreted
the Prophecies to another Senfe and Meaning than
his Countrymen did ; and by his Expofitions took
away all Hopes of their ever feeing the vidorious
Deliverer fo much wanted and expeded.
I know not how to bring the Gentleman's Pre-
mifes and his Conclufion to any Agreement ; they
feem to be at a great variance at prefent. If ic
be the likelieft Method for an Impoftor to fucceed,
to build on the popular Opinions, Prejudices and
Prophecies of the People; then furely an Impoftor
cannot poffibly take a worfe Method than to fet
up in Oppofition to all the Prejudices and Prophe
cies of the Countiy. Where was the Art and
Cunning then of taking this Method ? Cou'd any
thing be expeded from if, but Hatred, Contempt, and

C^4]
and Peri*ecution? And did Chrift in Fad meet with
any other Treatment from the Jews? And yet when
he found, as the Gentleman allows he did, that he
muft perifti in this Attempt, did he change his
Note? Did he come about, and drop any Inrimati-
ons agreeable to the Notions of the People? It is
not pretended. This, which in any other Cafe,
which ever happened, would be taken to be a
plain Mark of great Honefty, or great Stupidity,
or of both, is in the prefent Cafe, Art, Policy,
and Contrivance.
But it feems, Jefus dared not fet up to be the
viaorious Prince expeaed, for Viaories are not
to be counterfeited. I hope it was no Crime in
him that he did not affume this falfe Charader,
and try to abufe the Credulity of the People : If
he had done fo, it certainly wou'd have been a
Crime; and therefore in this Point at leaft he is
innocent. I do not fuppofe, the Gentleman ima
gines that the Jews were well founded in their Ex^
pedation of a Temporal Prince ; and therefore
when Chrift oppofed this Conceit at the manifeft
hazai'd of his Life; as he certainly had Truth on
his fide, fo the Prefumption is, that it was for the
fake of Truth that he expofed himfelf.
No ; he wanted, we are told, the Common and
Neceffary Foundation for a new Revelation, the
Authority of an old one, to build on. Very well j
I will not enquire how common or how neceffary
this Foundation is to a new Revelation; for be that
Cafe as it will, it is evident that in the Method
Chrift took, he had not, nor*cou'd have the fuppofed
Advantage of fuch Foundation. For why is this
^ Fouu-.

1^^ ]
Foqndation neceffary?' A Friend of the Gentle
man's fhall tell you. " Becaufe * it muft be diffi-
" cult, if not impoffible, to introduce among Meil
*' (who in aU civihzed Countries are bred up in
*' the Belief of fome revealed Religion) a revealed
'^ Religion wholly new, or fuch as has no Refe^
*' rence to a preceding one ; for that would be to
" combat all Men on too many Refpeds, and not
*' to proceed on a fufficient number of Principles
" neceffary to be affentedto by thofe, on whom the
" firft Impreffions of a new Religion arc propofed
" to be made. " Yoii fee now the Reafon of the
Neceffity of this Foundation ; it is that the new
Teacher may have the Advantage of old popular
Opinions, and fix himfelf upon the Prejudices of
the People. Had Chrift any fuch Advantages, or
did he feek any fuch ? The People expeded a vido
rious Prince ; he told them they were miftaken i
They held as facred the Traditions of the Elders j
he told them thofe Traditions made the Law of
God of none Effed: They valued themfelves for
being the peculiar People of God ; he told them,
that People from all Quarters of the World fhould
be the People of God, and fit down with Abra
ham, Ifaac, and Jacobs in the Kingdom: They
thought God could be worfhipped only at Jerufa*
lem; he told them God might and ihould be vvor-
fhipped every where : Tbey were fuperftitious in
the Obfervance of the Sabbath j he, according to
their Reckoning, broke it frequently : In a Word^
their Wafiiings of Hands and Pots, their fuperfti-
* Pifcourfe af the Grounds, p. 24.
D tious

tious Diftindions of Meats, their Prayers in pub-
lick, their Villanies in fecret, were all reproved,
expofed, and condemned by him ; and the Cry ran
ftrongly againfl him, that he came to defb-oy the
Law and the Prophets. And now. Sir, what Ad
vantage had Chrift of your common and neceflary
Foundation ? WhKt fufficient Number of PrineipUs
owned by the People, did he build on? If he ad
hered to the old Revekition in tbe true Senfe, or
(which is fufficient to the prefent Argument) in a
Senfe not received by the People, it was, in truth,
the greateft Difficulty he had to ftruggle with.
And therefore what could tempt him, but purely
a Regard to Truth, to take upon himfelf fo many
Difficulties which might have been avoided, could
he have been but filent as to the old Revelation,
and left the People to their Imaginations ?
To carry on this Plot, we are told, that the
next thing which Jefus did, was to make Choice
of proper Perfons to be his Difciples. The Gen
tleman has given us their Chai-ader; but, as I fup
pofe he has more Employment for them before he
has done, I defire to defer the Confideration of
their Abilities and Condud, till I hear what Work
he has for thera to do. I would only obferve, that
thus far this Plot differs from all that ever I heard
of Impoftors generally take Advantage of the
Prejudices ofthe People; generally too they make
choice of cunning dextrous Fellows to manage un
der them: But in this Cafe, Jefus oppofed all the.
Notions of the People, and made choice of Sim
pletons, it feems, to condud his Contrivances. But

C V]
But what Defign, what real End was carrying
on all this while? Why, the Gentleman tells us,
that the veiy thing difclaimed, the Temporal King
dom, was the real thing aimed at under this Dil-
guife. He told the People there was no Founda
tion to expea a temporal Deliverer, warned thera
againft all who fhould fet up thofe Pretenfions:
He declai'ed there was no Ground from the ancient
Prophecies, to exped fuch a Prince ; and yet by
thefe very Means he was working his way to an
Opportunity of declaring himfelf to be the very
Prince the People wanted. We are ftill upon the
marvellous; every Step opens new Wonders. I
blame not the Gentleman ; for what but this can
be imagined, to "give any Account of thefe Mea-
fures imputed to Chrift? Be this never fo unlikely,
yet this is the only thing that can be faid. Had
Chrift been charged with Enthufiafm, it would
not have been iieceffaiy to affign a Reafon for his
Condua: Madnefs is unaccountable : Ratione mo-
doque traSlari mn "vult. But when Defign, Cun
ning, and Fraud, are made the Charge, and car-
ry'd to fuch an Height, as to fuppofe him to be a
Party to the Contrivance of a fham Refurreaion
for himfelf; it is neceffary to fay, to what End
this Cunning tended. It was, we are told, to a
Kingdom; and indeed the Temptation was little
enough, confidering that the chief Conduaor of
the Plot was to be crucify'd for his Pains. But
were the Means made ufe of at all probable to at
tain the End? Yes, fays the Gentleman, that can't
be difputed ; for they had really this EfFed. The
|>poplff would h^ve made him King. Very well ;
P I Why

C *8]
Why was he not King then? Why, it happened
unluckily that he would not accept the Offer, but
withdrew himfelf from the Multitude, and lay con
cealed till they were difperfed. It wift be, faidj
perhaps, that Jefus was a better Jiidge of Affairs
than the People, and faw that it was not yet' time
to accept the Offer. Be it fo : Let us fee then
what follows.
The Government vras alarmed, and Jefuis was
looked on as a Perfon dangerous to the State; arid
he had Difcernment enough to fee, that his Death
was determined arid inevitable. What does he dp
then? Why, to make the beft of a bad Cafe, and
to fave the Benefit of his Undertaking to thofe who
were to fucceed him, he pretends to prophefy of
his Death, which he knew could not be avoided;
And further, that he fhould rife again the Third
Day. — Men do not ufe to play Tricks in articuU
mortis; but this Plot had nothing common j no
thing in the ordinary way. But what if it fhould
appear, that after the foretelling of his Death;|
(thro' Defpair of his Fortunes, 'tis faid) he had" it
in his Power to fet up for King once more, and
once raore refufed the Opportrirtity ? Men in De
fpair lay hold on the leaft Help, and never refufe
the greateft. Now the Cafe was really fo; after
he had foretold his Crucifixion, he came to Jeru
falem in the triumphant manner the Gentlemart
mentioned; The People ftrew'd his Way with
Boughs and Flowers, and were all at his Devotion ;
the Jewifh Governors lay ftill for fear of the Peo
ple. Why was riot this Opportunity laid hold on
to feize the Kingdom, or at leaft to fecure himfelf from

L'9 3
ftom the ignominious Death he expeded ? For
whofe Sake was he contented to die? For whofe
Sake did he contrive this Plot of his Rcfurredion?
Wife and Children he had none; his neareft Re
lations gave little Credit to him ; his Difciples
were riot fit even to be trufted with the Secret
nor capable to manage any Advantage that, cou'd
arife from it. However, the Gentleman tells us, a
Kingdom has arifen out of this Plot, a Kingdonj
of Priefts. But when did it arife ? Some hundred
Years after the Death of Chrift, in Oppofition to
his Will, and almoft to the Subverfion of his Re
ligion. And yet, we are told, this Kingdom was
the thing he had in view. I am apt to , think the
Gentleman is perfuaded, that the Dominion he
complains of is contrary to the Spirit pf the Got
fpel; I am fure fome of his Friends have taken great
Pains to prove it fo. How then can it be charged
as the Intention of the Gofpel to introduce it ?
Whatever the Cafe was, it cannot furely be fuf^
peded, that Chrift died to make Popes and Car
dinals. The Alterations which have happened in
the Dodrines and Pradices of Churches, fince the
Chriftian Religion was fettled by thofe who had an
.authentick Commiffion to fettle it, are quite out
of the Queftion, when the Enquiry is about the
Truth of the Chriftian Religion. Chrift and his
Apoftles did not vouch for the Truth of all that
fhou'd be taught in the Church in future Times.
Nay, they foretold and forewarned the World
againft fuch corrupt Teachers. 'Tis therefore
abfurd to challenge the Religion of Chrift, be-
<p^i;fe of the Corruptiofls which have fpread a?
mons

C 30]
mong Chriftians. The Gofpel has no more Con
cern with them, and ought no more to be charged
with them, than with the Dodrines of the Alco
ran.
There is but one Obfcrvation more , I think,
which the Gentleman made under this Head. Je
fus, he fays, referred to the Authority of Ancient
Prophecies to prove that the Meffias was to die
and rife again ; The ancient Books referred to are
extant, and no fuch Prophecies, hc fays, are to
be found. Now whether the Gentleman can find
thefe Prophecies , or no , is not material to the
prefent Queftion. It is allowed, that Chrift fore
told his own Death and Refuiredion ; if the Rc
furredion was managed by Fraud, Chrift was cer
tainly in the Fraud himfelf, by foretelling the
Fraud that was to happen : Difprove therefore the
Rcfurredion, and we fiiall have no further Occa
fion for Prophecy. On the other fide; by fore
telling the Rcfurredion, he ceitainly put the
Proof of his Miflion on the Truth of the Event.
Whether it be the Charader of the Meffias , in
the ancient Prophets or no, that he fhould die and
rife again; without doubt Jefus is not the Meffi
as, if he did not rife again. For by his own Pro
phecy he made it part of the Charader of the
Meffias. If the Event juftified the Predidion, it
is fuch an Evidence as no Man of Senfe and Rea
fon can rejed. One would naturally think, that
the foretelling his Rcfurredion, and giving fuch
publick Notice to exped it, that his keeneft Engt.
mies were fully apprized of it, carried with it the
greateft IMark of fincere dealing. It ftands thus
i far

[ 31 ]
far clear of the Sufpicion'of Fraud; and had it pro
ceeded from Enthufiafm , and an heated Imagina
tion, the dead Body at leaft would have refted
in the Grave, and without further Evidence have
confuted fuch Pretenfions. And fince the dead
Body w^as not only carried openly to the Grave,
but there watched and guarded, and yet could ne
ver afterwards be found, never heard of more, as
a dead Body; there muft of neceffity have been
either a real Miracle, or a great Fraud in this
Cafe. Enthufiafm dies with the Man, and has no
Operation on his dead Body. There is therefore
here no Medium ; you muft either admit the Mi
racle, or prove the Fraud.
Judge. Mr. A. You are at Liberty either to
reply to what has been faid under this Head, or to
go on with your Caufe.
Mr. A. My Lord, the Obfervations I laid be
fore you, were but introdudory to the main Evi
dences on which the Merits of the Caufe muft
reft. The Gentleman concluded, that here muft
be a real Miracle, or a great Fraud ; a Fraud, he
means, to which Jeflis in hisLife-tirae v;-as aParty.
There is, he fays, no Medium : I beg his Pardon :
Why might it not be an Enthufiafm in the Mafter
which occafioned the Predidion, and Fraud in the
Servants who put it in Execution ?
Mr. .S. My Lord, This is new Matter, and
not a Reply : The Gentleman opened this Tranf-
adion as a Fraud from one end to the other. Now
he fuppofes Chrift to have been an honeft, poor
hnthuftap, and the Dicifples only to be Cheats. Judge.

C30
Judge. Sir, If you go to new Matter, the
Council on the other fide muft be admitted to
anfwer. Mr. A. My Lord, I have no fuch Intention.
I was obfcrving, that the Account I gave of Je
fus was only to introduce the Evidence that is to
be laid before the Court. It cannot be expeded
that I fiiould know all the fecret Defigns of this
Contrivance; efpecially confidering that we have
but fhort Accounts of this Affair, and thofe too
conveyed to us thro' Hands of Friends and Parties
to the Plot. In fuch a Cafe, it is enough if we
can imagine what the Views probably were. And
in fuch Cafe too, it muft be veiy eafy for a Gen-'
tleman of Parts to raife contrary Imaginations, and
to argue plaufibly from them. But the Gentle
man has rightly obferved, that if the Rcfurredion
be a Fraud, there is an End of all Pretenfions,
good or bad, that were to be fupported by it.
Therefore I fhall go on to prove this Fraud, which
is one main Part of the Caufe now to be deter
mined. I beg Leave to remind you, that Jefus, in his
Life-time, foretold his Death, and that' he fhould
rife again the third Day. The firft Part of his
Predidion was accompUfhed ; he died upon the
Crofs, and was buried. I will not trouble you
with the Particulars of his Crucifixion, Death,
and Burial. 'Tis a well known Story.
Mr. B. My Lord, I defire to know whether
the Gentleman charges any Fraud upon this Part
of the Hiftory ; perhaps he may be of Opinion
by and by, that there was a Sleight of Hand in
the

[33 J
the Gfucifixioo, and that Chrift only tounteffettl
cd Death.
Mr. A. No, nO; have no fuch Fears: he wa^
not crucify'd by his Difciples, but by the Romani
and the^^wj ; and they were in very good e'arneft:
I Will prove beyond Contradidion, that the dead
Body was fairly laid in the Tomb, and the Tomb
feated iip ; and it will be well for you^ if you eat?
get it as fairly out again.
Judge. Go on with your Evidence;
Mr. A. My Lord,- thd Crucifixion bein^ over^
the dead Body was conveyed to a Sepulchre; and,^
in the general Opinion, there feem'd to be an End
of the wholej Defign. But the Governors of the'
Jews^ watchful for the Safety of the People^ cal
led to mind, that Jefus in his Life-time had faidj
that he would rile again on the third Day. It may
at firft fight feem ftrange, tliat they fhould give'
any Attention to fuch a Prophecy ; a Prophecy big
with Confidence and Prefumptionj- and which,- tc^
the common Senfe of Mankind, cari'ied its Con
futation along with it. And " there's no other
*' Nation in the World, which Would not have
*' flighted fuch a vain Progriofticatiori of a knowrt
*' Impoftor;" But they had warning to be
watchful. It was not long before that the People
'' had like to have been fatally deluded,<^ and im-
*' pofed on by him, in the pretended Refufcitati-
*' on of Lazarus.'''' They had fully difcovered the
Cheat in the C'i.^t a? Lazarus^ arid had narrowly
efcaped the dangerous Confequences of it- And
tho' Jefus was dead^ yCt he had raany DifcipleS ania
Followers ahvcj wbo were ready enough to CoUi-

C 34 I
bine in any Fraud to verify the Predidion of their
Mafter. Should they fucceed, the Rulers fore-
faw the Confequences in this Cafe would be more
fatal, than thofe which before they had narrowly
efcaped. Upon this Account they addreffed them
felves to the Roman Governor ; told him how the
Cafe was j and defired that he would grant them a
Guard to watch the Sepulchre ; that the Service
would not be. long, for the Predidion limited the
Rcfurredion to the third Day ; and when that was
over, the Soldiers might be rcleafed from the Du
ty. Pilate granted the Requeft; and aGuai-d was
fet to watch the Sepulchre.
This was not all. The Chief Priefts took
another Method to prevent all Frauds, and it was
the beft that could poffibly be taken; which was
to feal up the Door of the Sepulchre. To under-
ftand to what Purpofe this Caution was ufed, you
need only confider what is intended by fealing up
Doors, and Boxes, or Writings. Is it not for the
Satisfadion of all Parties concerned, that they may
be fure things are in the State they left them^ when
they come and find their Seals not injured ? This
was the Method ufed by Darius, when Da
niel vj^s caft into the Lion's Den; he fealed the
Door of the Den. And for what Purpofe ? Was
it not to fatisfy himfelf and his Court, that no Art
had been ufed to preferve Daniel? And when he
came and faw Daniel fafe, and his own Seal un-
touch'd, he was fatisfy'd. And indeed if we con
fider the thing rightly, a Seal thus ufed imports a
Covenant: If you deliver Writings to a Perfon
fealed, and he accepts them fo, your DeUvery arid his

C 35 ]
his Acceptance, implies a Covcriant between you,
that the Writings fhall be deliver'd, and the Sed
whole. And fhould the Seal be broken, it would
be a manifeft Fraud and Breach of Tnift. Nay,
fo ftrongly is this Covenant impUed, that there
needs no fpecial Agreement in the Cafe. 'Tis a
Compad which Men are put under by the Law of
Nations, and the common Confent of Mankind-
When you fend a I.,etter fealed to the Poft-houfe,
you have not indeed a fpecial Agreement with all
Perfons thro' whofe Hands it paffes, that it fhall
not be opened by any Hand, but his only to whom
it is direded: Yet Men know themfelves to be
under this Reftraint, and that it is unlawful and dif-
honourable to tranfgrefs it.
Since then the Sepulchre was fealed ; fince the
Seal imported a Covenant, confider who were the
Parties to this Covenant. They could be no other
than the chief Priefls on one Side, the Apoftles
on the other. To prove this, no fpecial Agreement
need be fhewn. On one fide, there was a Con
cern to fee the Predidion fiilfilled ; on the other,
to prevent Fraud in fulfilUng it. The Sum of their
Agreeraent was naturally this: That the Seals
fhould be opened at the time appointed for the Rc
furredion, that aU Parties might fee and be fatif^
fied, whether the dead Body was come to Life, or
no. What now would any reafonable Man exped
from thefe Circumftances? Don't you exped to
hear that the chief Priefls and the Apoftles met at
the time appointed, opened the Seals, and that
the Matter in difpute was fettled beyond all Con»
E i trovprfy

[3*3
troverfy one way or other? But fee how it hap
pen'd. The Seals were broken, the Body ftolen
away in the Night by the Difciples; none of the
chief Priefts prefent, or fummon'd to fee the Seals
.open'd. The Guards, when examin'd, were forc'd
to confefs the Truth, tho' joined with an Acknowr
Jedgment of their Guilt, which made them hable
to be punifh'd by Pilate; they confefled that they
were afleep, and in the raean tirae that the Body
was ftolen away by the Difciples.
This Evidence of the Roman Soldiers, and the
far flronger Evidence arifing from the clandeftine
Manner of breaking up the Seals, are fufficient
proofs of Fraud.
But there is another Circumftance in the Cafe of
equal Weight. Tho' the Seals did not prevent
the Cheat entirely, yet they effedually falfifiedthe
Predidion. According to the Predidion, Jefus was
to rife on the third Day, or after the third Day.
At this Time the chief Priefts intended to be pre
fent, and probably would have been attended by a
great Multitude. This made it impoffible to play
^ny Tricks at that time, and therefore the ApOftles
were forced to haften the Plot ; and accordingly
the Rcfurredion happened a Day before its time-
For the Body was buried on the Friday, and was
gone early in the Morning on Sunday.
Thefe are plain Fads; Fads drawn from the
Accounts given us by thofe who are Friends to the
BeUef of the Refurredion. The Gentleman won't
fall thefe Imaginations, or complain that I have
given him Schemes inftead of Evidence.
Mr. B.

[37]
Mr. B. My Lord, I am now to confider that
Part of the Argument upon which the Gentleman
lays the greateft Strefs. He has given us his Evi
dence ; mere Evidence, he fays, unmixed and clear
of all Schemes and Imaginations. In one thing
indeed he has been as good as his word ; he has
proved beyond Contradidion, that Chrift died,
and was laid in the Sepulchre; for without doubt
when the Jews fealed the Stone, they took care to
fee that the Body was there ; otherwife their Pre
caution was ufelefs. He has proved tooj that the
Predidion of Chrift concerning his own Rcfurre
dion, was a thing publickly known in all Jerufa
lem ; for he owns that this gave Occafion for all
the Care that was takcri to prevent Fraud. If this
open Predidion implies a fraudulent Defign, the
Evidence is ftrong with the Gentleman; but if it
fiiall appear to be, what it really was, the greateft
Mark that could be given of Sincerity and plain
Dealing in the whole Affair, the Evidence will be
ftill as ftrong, but the Weight of it will fall on
the wrong fide for the Gentleman's Purpofe.
In the next place, the Gentleman feems to be
at a great Lofs to account for the Credit which
the chief Priefts gave to the Predidion of the Rc
¬furredion, by the Care they took to prevent it.
He thinks the Thing in itfelf was too extravagant
and abfurd to deferve any Regard; and that no one
would have regarded fuch a Predidion in any other
Time or Place. I agree with the Gentleman en-
'tirely; But then I demand of him a Reafon why
the chief Priefts were under any Concern about this
Predidion ; Wfis it becaufe they had plainly difco- yere4

[38]
vered him to be a Cheat and an Impoftor? 'Tis
impoffible. This Reafon wou'd have convinced
them of the Folly and Prefumption of the Pre
didion. It mufi therefore neceffarily be, that
they had difcovered fomething in the Life and
Adions of Chrift, which raifed this Jealoufy, and
made them liften to a Prophecy in his Cafe, which
in any other Cafe they wou'd have defpifed. And
what could this be but the fecret Conviaion they
were under by his many Miracles of his extraor
dinary Powers ? This Care therefore of the chief
Priefts over his dead, helplcls Body, is a lafting
Teftimony of the mighty Works which Jefus did
i;i his Life-time. For had the Jews been perfua*-
ded that he performed no Wonders in his Life, I
think they wou'd not have been afraid of feeing
any done by him after his Death.
But the Gentleman is of another mind. He fays
they had difcovered a plain Cheat in the Cafe of
Lazarus, whom Chrift had pretended to raife from
the Dead; and therefore they took all this Care to
guard againft a like Cheat.
I begin now to want Evidence; I am forbid to
call this Imagination ; what elfe to call it, I know
not. There is not the leaft Intimation given from
Hiftory, that there was any Cheat in the Cafe of
Lazarus, or that any one fufpeaed a Cheat. La
zarus lived in the Country after he was raifed from
the Dead ; and tho' his Life was fecretly and bafe-
ly fought after, yet no body had the Courage to
call him to a Tryal for his parr of the Cheat. It
may be faid perhaps the Rulers were tertify'd.
Very well : But they were not temfy'd when they
Z had

[39]
had Chrift in their Poffeffion, when they brought
him to a Tryal ; why did they not then objed
this Cheat to Chrift? It would h.ave been much to
their Purpofe. Inftead of that, they accufe him
of a Defign to pull down their Temple, to deftroy
their Law, and of Blafphemy ; but not one word
of any Fraud in the Cafe oi Lazarus, or any other
Cafe. But not to enter into the Merits of this Caufe,
which has in it too many Circumftances for your
prefent Confideration ; let us take the Cafe to be
as the Gentleman ftatcs it, That the Cheat, in the
Cafe of Lazarus, was deteacd. What Confe
quence is to be expeaed ? In all other Cafes, Im
poftors, once difcovered, grow odious and con
temptible, and quite incapable of doing further
Mifchief : So Uttle are they regarded , that even
when they tell the Truth, they are negleded. Was
it fo in this Cafe ? No, fays the Gentleman, the
Jews were the more careful that Chrift fiiou'd not
cheat them in his own RefuiTedion. Surely this
is a moft fingularCafe: ¥/hen the People thought
him a Prophet, the chief Priefts fought to kill
him, and thought Iiis Death wou'd put an End to
his Pretenfions : When they and the People had
difcovered him to be a Cheat, then they thought
him not fafe, even when he was dead, but were
afraid he fhould prove a true Prophet, and, accord
ing to his own Predidion, rife again. A needlefs,
a prepofterous Fear !
In the next place, the Gentleman tells us how
proper the Care was that the chief Priefls took. I
agree perfedly with him. Human Policy cou'd not
invent

C 4° ]
invent a more proper Method to guard againft and
prevent all Fraud. They delivered the Sepulchre^
with the dead Body in it, to a Company o't Roman
Soldiers, who had Orders from their Officer to
watch the Sepulchre. Their Care went fiirther
ftill, they fealed the Door of the Sepulchre.
Upon this Occafion, the Gentleman has ex
plained the ufe of Seals when applied to fuch Pur-
pofes. They imply, he fays, a Covenant that the
Things fealed up fhall reraain in the Condition-
they are, till the Parties to the fealing ai'e agreed
to open them. I fee no Reafon to enter into the
Learning about Seals : Let it be as the Gentleman
has opened it. What then?
Why then,- it feems, the Apoftles and chief
Priefts were in a Covenant that there fhould be nb
Refurredion-, at leaft no opening of the Door, till
they met together at an appointed Time to view
and unfeal the Door.
Your Lordfhip and the Court will now confider
the Probabihty of this Suppofition. When Chrift
was feized and carried to his Tryal , his Difciples
fled, and hid themfelves for fear of the Jews, out
of a juft Apprehenfion that they fhou'dj if appre
hended, be facrificcd with their Mafter. Peter
indeed followed him, but his Courage foon failed,.,
and 'tis weU known in- what manner he denied-
him. After the Death of Chrift, his Difciples
were fo far from being, ready to engage for his Re
furredion, or to enter into Terms and Agreements
for the Manner in which it fiiould be done, that'
they themfelves did not beUeve it ever wou'd be.
They gave over aU Hopes and Thoughts of it 5

[ 41 ]
and &r from entring into Engagements with the
Chief Priefts, their whole Concern was to keep
.themfelves concealed from them. This is a well
known Cafe, and I will not trouble you with par
ticular Authorities to prove this Truth., Can any
Man now in his right Senfes, think that the Dif^
ciples, under thefe Circumftances, entred into thjs
Covenant with the y^w^? I believe the Gentle
man don't think it, and for that Reafon fays, that
Seals fo ufed import a Covenant without a fpecial
Agreement. Be it fo ; and it muft then be allow
ed, that the Apoftles were no more concerned .in
thefe Seals, than every other Man in the Cguiitiy,
and no more anfwerable for them ; for the Cove
nant reached to every body as well as to theig,
fince they were under no fpecial Contrad.
But I beg Pardon for fpending your time uti-
neceflarily ; when the fimple plain Account of
this -Matter, will beft anfwer all thefe Jealoufies
and Sufpicions. The Jews, 'tis plain, were ex
ceedingly foUicitous about this Event, For this
Reafon they obtain'd a Guard from Pilate; and
when they had, they were ftill fufpicious left then*
Guards fhould deceive them, and enter into Com^
bination againft them. To fecure this Point, they
fealed the Door, and required of the Guards to
deliver up the Sepulchre to them fealed as it was.
Tliis is the natural and true Account of the Mat
ter. Do but confider it in a parallel Cafe; fuppofe
a Prince fhould fet a Guard at the Door of his
Treafury; and, the Officer who placed the Guard
fiiould feal the Door, and fay to the Soldiers, you
.fhaJl be anfwerable for the Seal if I find it brqkeni
F Wou'd

[4» ]
Wou'd not all the World underftand the Seal to
be fixed to guard againft the Soldiers, who might,
tho' employed to keep off others, be ready enough
to pilfer themfelves? This is in all flach Cafes but
a neceffary Care; you may place Guards, and when
you do, aU is in their Power; Et quis cuflodes cufto-
diat ipfos?
But it feems, that notwithftanding all this Care,
the Seals were broken, and the Body gone : If
you complain of this. Sir, demand Satisfadion of
your Guards, they only are refponfible for it. The
Difciples had no more to do in it, than you or I.
The Guards, the Gentleman fays, have confeffed
the Truth, and owned that they were afleep,
and that the Difciples in the mean Time ftolc
away the Body. I wifh the Guards were in Court,
I wou'd ask them, how they came to be fo pun-
dual in relating what happen'd when they were
afleep; what induced them to believe that the
Body was ftolen at aU; what, that it was ftolen
by the Difciples ; fince by their own Confeffion
they were afleep, and faw nothing, faw nobody.
But fince they are not to be had, I wou'd defire
to ask the Gentleman the fame Queftions; and
whether he has any Authorities in Point, to fhew
that ever any Man was admitted as an Evidence in
any Court to prove a Fad which happen'd when
he was afleep. I fee the Gentleman is uneafy;
I'll pi-efs the Matter no further.
As this Story has no Evidence to fupport ir,
fo neither has it any Probabihty. The Gentleman
has given you the Charader of the Difciples, that
they were weak ignorant Men, full of the popu lar

C 43 ]
lar Prejudicesj and Superftitions of their Country^
which ftuck clofe to them, notwithftanding their
long acquaintance with their Mafter. The Apo«
ftles are not much wronged in this Account. And
is it likely that fuch Men fhou'd engage in fo def-
perate a Defign as to fteal away the Body^ in Op-*
pofition to the combined Power of the Jews and
Romans ? W hat cou'd tempt them to it ? What good
cou'd the dead Body do them? or if it cou'd h^ve
done thera any, what Hope had they to fucceed m
their Attempt ? A dead Body is not to be removed
by fleight of Hand; it requires many Hands to
move it. Befides^ the great Stone at the Mouth of
the Sepulchre was to be removed ; which could
not be done filently,- or by Men walking on tip
toes to prevent difcovery ; fo that if the Guards
had really been afleep^ yet there was no Encou
ragement to go on this Enterprize : for it is hardly
poffible to fuppofe, but that rolling away the
Stone, moving the Body, the Hurry and Con-
fufion in canying it off, muft awaken them.
But fuppofing the thing pradicable, yet thef
Attempt was fuch as the Difciples confiftentiy with-
their own Notions cou'd not undertake. The
Gentleman fays, they continued all their Matter's -
Life-time to exped to fee him a tem.poral Princej
and a Friend of the Gentleman's * has obfer
ved, what is equally true, that they had the
fame Expedation after his Death. Confider
now their Cafe. Their Mafter was Dead; and
they are to contrive to fteal awaj' his Body»
* Grounds, pag. 33.
F * Fof

C 44 3
For what? Did they exped to make a King of
the dead Body, if they oou'd get it into thbir
Power? Or did they think, if they had it, they
cou'd raife it to Life again? If they trufted fo far
to their Mafter's Predidion, as to exped his Re
fuiTedion, (which I think is evident they did not)
cou'd they yet think the Refurredion depended ori
their having the dead Body ? It is in all Views ab
furd. But the Gentlemaa fuppofes, that they meant
fO Carry on the Defign for themfelves in their Ma
ker's Name, if they cou'd but have perfuaded the
People to believe him rifen from the Dead. But"
he does not confider that by this Suppofition he
fbips the Difciples of every part of their Chara
der at once, and prefents to us a new Set of Men
in every refped different fi'om the former. The
former Difciples were plain weak Men ; but thefe
al-e bold, hardy, cunning, and contriving. The
former were full of the Superftition of their Coun
try, and expeded a Prince from the Authority of
their Prophets ; but thefe are Defpifers of the Pro-*
phets, and of the Notions of their Countrymen,
arid are defigning to turn thefe Fables to their own
Advantage .• For it cannot be fuppofed that they
believed the Propliets,and at thefame time thought
tb accomplifh, or defeat them, by fo manifeft a'
Cheat, to which they themfelves, at leaft, were
coiifcious. ~ But let us take leave of thefe Suppofitions, and
fee how the true Evidence in this Cafe ftands.
Griards were 'placed, and they did their Dtity. But
what are Guards and Centinels againft the Power
dC' God ! An Angel of the Lord opened the Se
pulchre,

[45]
pulchre, the Guards fiwhim,and became like dead
Men. This Account they gave to the chief Priefts;
•¦vrho ftiU perfilling in their Obftinacy, bribed the
Guards to tell the contradidoiy Story, of their
being afleep, and the Body ftolen.
I cannot but obferve to your Lordfhip, that all
thefe Circumftances, fo much queftioned and fii-
fpeded, were neceffary Circumftances, fuppofing
the Refinredion to be true. The Seal was bro
ken, ^ the Body came out of the Sepulchre, the
Guai-ds were placed in vain to prevent it. Be it
fo : I defire to know whether the Gentleman thinks
that the Seal put God under Covenant ; or cou'd
prefcribe to him a Method of performing this great
Work? Or whether bethinks the Guards were
placed to maintain the Seal, in Oppofition to th^
Power of God? If he will maintain neither of
thefe Points, then the opening the Seals, notwith
ftanding the Guard fet upon them, v/ill be an Evi
dence, not of the Fraud, but of the Power of the
Refurredion ; and the Guards will have nothing
to anfwer for, but only this, that they were not
ftronger than God. The Seal was a proper Check
upon the Guards; the Jetvs had no other Mean
ing in it; they cou'd not be fo ftupid, as to ima
gine that they could by this Contrivance difappoint
the Defigns of Providence. And it is furprizing to
hear thefe Circumftances made ufe of to. prove the
Refurredion to be a Fraud, which yet cou'd not
but happen, fuppofing the Refiirredion to be true.
But there is another Circumftance ftill, which
the Gentleman reckons very material, and upon
which, I find, great Stfefs is laid. The Refur-
2 redion

[4^]
redion happened, we are told, a Day fooner than
the Predidion imported. The Reafon affigned for
it is, that the Execurion of the Plot at the Time
appointed, was rendred impradicable, becaufe the
Chief Priefts, and probably great Numbers ofthe
People, were prepared to vifit the Sepulchre at
that Time; and therefore the Difciples were un
der a Neceffity of haftening their Plot.
This Obfervation is entirely inconfiftcnt with
the Suppofition upon which the Reafoning ftands.
The Gentleman has all along fuppofed tbe Refur
redion to have been managed by Fraud, and not
by Violence ; and indeed Violence, if there had
been an Opportunity of ufing it, wou'd have been
infignificant. Beating the Guards, and removing
the dead Body by Force, wou'd have defh-oyed all
Pretences to a Refurredion. Now furely the
Guards, fuppofing them not to be enow in
Number to withftand all Violence, were at leaft
fufficient to prevent, or to difcover Fraud. What
Occafion then to haften the Plot for fear of Num
bers meeting at the Tomb, fince there were Num
bers always prefent fufficient to difcover any Fraud j
the only Method that cou'd be ufed in the Cafe?
Suppofe then that we cou'd not give a fatisfa-
dory Account of the way of reckoning the Time
frora the Crucifixion to the Refurredion ; yet this'
we can fay. That the Refurredion happened du
ring the Tirae that the Guards had the Sepulchre
in keeping; and 'tis impoffible to iraagine what-
Opportunity this cou'd give to Fraud. Had the"
Time been delayed, the Guards reraoved, and then
a Refurredion pretended, it might with fome co
lour-

[47]
lour of Reafon have been faid. Why did he not
come within his Time? Why did he chufe to come
after his Time, when all Witneffes, who had pa
tiently expeded the appointed Hour, were with
drawn? But now what is to be objeded? You
thinlc he came too foon. But were not your
Guards at the Door when he carae? Did they not
fee what happened ? And what other Satisfadion
cou'd you have had, fuppofing he had come a Day
later? By laying of this, I do not mean to decline the
Gentleman's Objedion, which is founded upon a
Miftake of a way of fpeaking, common to the
Jews and other People; who, when they name
any Number of Days and Years, include the firft
and the laft of the Days or Years to make up
the Sum. Chrift, alluding to his own Refur
redion, fays, Ln three Days Lwill raife it up. The
Angels report his Predidion thus. The Son of Man
fhall he crucify'd, and the third Day rife again. Elfe-
where it is faid, after three Days; and again, that
he was to be in the Bowels of the Earth three
Days and three Nights. Thefe Expreffions are
equivalent to each other, for we always reckon
the Night into the Day, when we reckon by
fo many Days. If you agree to do a thing ten
Days hence, you ftipulate for Forbearance for
the Nights as well as Days; and therefore in
Reckoning, two Days, and two Days and two
Nights, are the fame thing. That the Expref^
fion, after three Days, means inclufive Days, is
proved by Grotius on Matt, xxvii. 63. and by
©thers. The Predidion therefore was, that hc
¦yvou'cj

[48]
wou'd rife on the third Day. Now, he was cru
cify'd on Friday, and buried ; he lay in the Grave
all Saturday, and rofe early on Sunday Morning.
But the Gentleman thinks he ought not to have
rifen till Monday. Pray try what the Ufe of com
mon Language requires to 'be underftood in a hke
Cafe. Suppofe you were told, that your Friend
fickned on Friday, was let blood on Saturday,, and
the third Day he died; what Day wou'd you think
he died on? If you have any Doubt about it, puf
the Queftion to the firft plain Man you meet, and
he v/ill refolve it. The Jews cou'd have no Doubt
in this Cafe ; for fo they pradifed in one of the
higheft Points of their Law. Every Male Child
was to be circumcifed on the eighth Day, How
did they reckon the Days? Why, the Day of the
Birth was one, and the Day of the Circumcifio^
another; and tho' a Child was born towards the
very End of the firft Day, he was capable of Cir-
curacifion on any time of the eighth Day. And
therefore it is not new nor ftrange, that the thir^
Day, in our Cafe, fhou'd be reckoned into, the
Number, tho' Chrift rofe at the very beginning of
it. It is more ftrange to reckon whole Years in
this raanner; and yet this is the conftant Method
obferved in Ptolemf?, Canon, the moft valuable
Piece of ancient Chronology, next to the Bible,
now extant. If a King lived over the firft Day
of a Year, and died the Week after, that whole
Year is reckoned to his Reign.
I have now gone through the feveral Objedions
upon this Head ; what Credit they may gain in
this Age, I know not ; but 'tis |)lain they had no
Credit

C 49 ]
Creait when they were firft fpread abroad ; nay
^tis evident that the very Perfons who fet abroad
this Story of the feody being ftolen, did not be
lieve it themfelves. And not to irifift here Upon
the plain Fad, which Was, that the Guards were
hired to tell this Lye by the chief Priefts, it will
appear from the After- Cotidiid ofthe chief Priefts
themfelves, that they were confcious that the Story
was falfe. Not long after the Refurredion of
Chrift, the Difciples having receiv'ed new Power
from above, appeared publickly 'm Jeriifalem, ind
in the very Tfemple, arid teftified the Refurredidii
of Chrift, everi before thofe" wh6 had 'i^iurdered
him. What now do the chief Priefts do? I'hey
feize upon the Apoftles, they threaten them, they
beat them, they fcorirge them, arid all to flop their
Mouths, infifting that they fhould fay no more of
the Matter. But why did they not, when they
had the Difciples in their PoVer, charge them di-
I'edly with their notorious Cheat in fleaUng the
Body, and Cxpofe them to the People as Impoftors?
This had been much more to their Purpofe, than
all their Menaces and ill Ufage, and would more
cffeduaUy have GrideCeived the People. But of
this not one Word is faid. They tiy to murder
them, enter iflto Combinations toaffaffiriafe them,
prevail with JLerod to ptft Orid of them to D^ath -
but not fo mtich aS a Chargd againfl them of any
Fraud in the Rrfbrredion. Thdif Ovazot Tertullus,
who could not have miffed fo fine a Topick oi
Declamation, had there befn bht a Sufpicion to
fupport it^ is quite filent on this Head,ana is con-
tei^j^o flourifti on the Commpn-Place of Sedition
G and

[ 50 ]
and Herefy, profaning the Temple, and the Uke j
very Trifles to his Caufe, in comparifon to the
other Accuflition, had. there been any Ground to
make ufe of it. And yet as it happens, we are
fure the very Queftion of the Refurredion carae
under Debate; for Feflus tells K'mg Agrippa, that
the Jews had certain Queftions againft Paul, of
one Jefus whkh was dead, whom Paul affirmed to
be alive. After this, Agrippa hears Paul hirafelf;
and had he fufpeded, much lefs had he been con
vinced that there was a Cheat in the Refurredion,
he would hardly have faid to Paul at the End of
the Conference, Almofl thou perfuadefl me to be a
Chriftian. But let us fee what the Council and Senate of the
Children of Jfrael thought of this Matter, in the
moft folemn and ferious Deliberation they ever had
about it. * Not long after the Refurredion, the
Apoftles were taken; the High Prieft thought
the Matter of that Weight, that he furamon-
ed the Council and Senate of the Children
of Lfrael. The Apoftles are brought before
them, and make their Defence. P&rt of their
Defence is in thefe Words ; The God of our Fa
thers raifed up Jefus, whom ye flew and hanged on ct
Tree. The Defence was indeed a heavy Charge
upon the Senate, and in the Warmth of their An
ger, theh firft Refolution was to flay them all.
But Gamaliel., one of the Council,, ftood up, and
told them, that the Matter deferved more Confide
ration. He recounted to them the Hiftory of fe-
Veral

C 51 3
veral Impoftors who had perifhed, and concluded
with refped to the Cafe of the Apoftles then be--
fore them ; Lf this Work be of Men, it will come
to nought ; But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow
it, left haply ye be found to fight againft God. The
Council agreed' to this Advice, and after fome ill
Treatment, the Apoftles were difcharged. I ask
now, and let any Man of common Senfe anfwer;
Could Gamaliel poffibly have given this Advice,
and fuppofed that the Hand of God might be with
the Apoftles, if he had known that there was a Cheat
difcovered inthe Refurredion of Jefus? Could the
whole Senate have foUowed this Advice, had they
believed the Difcovery of the Cheat ? Was there
not among them one Man wife enough to fay. How
can you fuppofe God to have any thing to do in
this Affair, when the Refurredion of Jefus^ upon
¦vvhich all depends, was a notorious Cheat, and ma-
nifeftly proved to be fo ? I fhould but leffen the
Weight of this Authority by faying more, and
therefore I will reft here, and give way to the
Gentleman to go on with his Accufation.
Mr. v^. My Lord, Before I proceed any fui>
ther, I beg leave to fay a few Words in Reply to
what the Gentleman has offered on this Head.
The Gentleman thinks that the Detedion in
the Cafe of Lazarus ought to have made the Jewi
quite unconcerned in the Cafe of Jefus, and fecure
as to the Event of his own Refurredion. He fays
very true, fuppofing their Care had been for them
felves: But Governors have another Care upon
their Hands, the Care of their People; and 'tis
riot enough for them %o guard againft being im-
G i pofed

C50
pofed on themfelves, they muft be watchful tQ
guard the Multityde againft Frauds and Deceits,
The chief Priefts were fatisfied indeed of the Fraud
in the Cafe of Lazarus, yet they faw the People
deceived by it; and fpr this Reafon, and not
for their own Sadsfadion, they ufed the Cau
tion in the Cafe of the Refurredion of Jefus,
which I before laid before you. In fo doing, they
are well juftified, and the Ineonfiftency charged
on the other fide, between their Opinion of ]e-.
fus, and their Fear of being impofed on by his pre--
-tended Refurredion, is fully anfwered.
The next Obfervation relates to the Sea} of
the Sepulchre. The Gentleman thinks the Seal
was ufed as a Check upon the Roman Soldiers.
But what Reafon had the Jews to fufpea them ?
They were not Difciples of Jeftis ; they were Ser-j
vants of the Roman Governor, and employed iq
the Service of the Jews: And I leave it to the
Court to judge, whether the Jews fet the Seal
to guard againft their Friends, or their Enemies,
But if the Seals were really ufed againft the Guards,
then the breaking of the Seals is a Proof that the
Gtiards were corrupted : And if fo, 'tis eafy to
conceive how the Body was removed.
As to tbe Difciples, the Gentleman obferves,
that the Part aUotted them in the Management of
the Refurreaion fuppofes an unaccountable Change
in their Charader. It wiU not be long before the
Gentleman wiU have Occafion for as great a Change
in their Charader; for thefe weak Men you will
find foon employed in converting the Worid, and •
fcnt to appear before Kings and Princes in the
Name

[53]
Nape of their Mafler ; foon y9u will fee them
grow wife and powerful, and every way qualified
for their extenfive and important Bufinefs. The
only difference between me and the Gentleman on
the other fide will be found to be this, that I date
this Change a little earlier than he does. A fmall
Raatter furely, to determine the Right of this Con
troverfy. The laft Obfervation relates to King Agrip-
pa''s Complaifance to Paul, and GamaliePs Ad
vice. I cannot anfwer for Agrippa\ Meaning,
but certainly he meant but little ; and if this mat
ter is to be tryed by his Opinion, we know that
he never did turn Chriftian. As for Gamaliel, 'tis
probable that he faw great numbers of the People
engaged zealoufly in favour of the Apoftles, and
might think it prudent to pafs the Matter over in
filence, and not to come to Extremities. This is
a common Cafe in all Governments; the Multitude
and their Leaders often efcape Punifhraent, not
becaufe they do not deferve if, but becaufe it is not .
in fome Circumftances, prudent to exad it.
I pafs over thefe things lightly, becaufe the next
Article contains the great, to us indeed, who live
at this diftance, the only great Queftion; for
whatever Reafon the Jews had to believe the Re
furredion, it is nothing to us, unlefs the Story has
been conveyed to us npon- fuch Evidence as is fuffi
cient to fupport the Weight laid on it. ,
My Lord, we are now to enter upon the laft
and main Article of this Cafe ;, the Nature of the
Evidence upon which the Credit of the Refurre
dion ftands. Before I enquire into the Qualifica-* .
tipns of the particular Witneffes whofe Words
' I w,e

[54]
we are defired to take in this Cafe ; I would ask,
why this Evidence, which manifeftly relates to
the moft effential Point of Chriftianity, was not
put beyond all exception? Many of the Miracles'
of Chrift are faid to be done in the Streets, nay
even the Temple, under the Obfervation of all'
the Worid; but the hke is not fo much as pre
tended as to this; nay, we have it upon the Con
feffion of Peter, the Ringleader of the Apoftles,
that Chrift appeared * Not to all the People , but
unto witneffes chofen before of God. Why picking
and culling of Witneffes in this Cafe more than in
any other? Does it not import fome Sufpicion,
raife fome Jealoufy that this Cafe wou'd not bear
the publick Light? ^
I would ask more particularly, Why did not
Jefus after his Refurredion appear openly to the
chief Priefts and Rulers of the Jews ? Since his
Commiffion related to them in an efpecial manner,
why were not his Credentials laid before them?
The Refun'edion is acknowledged to be the chief
Proof of his Miffion, why then was it concealed
from thofe who were raore than all others concern
ed in the Event of his Miffion? Suppofe an Am-
baffador from fome foreign Prince, fhou'd come
into England, make his publick Entry thro' the
City, pay and receive Vifits, and at laft refufe to
fhew any Letters of Credence, or to wait on the
King, what wou'd you think of him ? Whatever
you wou'd think in that Cafe, you muft think in
this, for there is no Difference between them.
But"' we muft take the Evidence as it is; it was
thought proper in this Cafe, to have feled chofen
Witneffes i
* Aftsx. 41.

[ 55]
Witneffes 5 and we muft now confider who' they
were, and what reafon we have to take their
Word. The firft Witnefs was an Angel, or Angels:
They appeared like Men to fome Women who
went early to the Sepulchre. If they appeared
like Men, upon what ground are we to take them
for Angels ? The Women faw Men, and therefore
they can witnefs only to the feeing of Men : But
I fuppofe it is the Woraens Judgment, and not their
Evidence that we are to follow in this Cafe. Here
then we have a Story of one Apparition to fupport
the Credit of another Apparition; and the firft
Apparition hath not fo much as the Evidence of
the Woraen to fupport it, but is grounded on their
Superftition, Ignorance, and Fear. Every Coun
try can afford an hundred Inftances of this Kind ;
and there is this comraon to thera aU, that as
Learning and Coramon Senfe prevail in any Coun
try, they die away and are no more heard of
The next Witneffes are the Women thera-
felves: The wifeft Men can hardly guard them
felves againft the Fears of Superftition; poor filly
Women therefore in this Cafe muft needs be un
exceptionable Witneffes; and fit to be admitted
into the number of the chofen Witneffes to atteft
this Fad. One part of the Account given of them
is very rational, that they were furprized and
frightned beyond Meafure ; and I leave it to your
Lordfhip and the Court to judge, how well quali
fied they were to give a juft Relation of v.^hat paf
fed. After

[ 5«]
After this, Jefus appears to two of his Difci
ples as they were upon a Journey; he joins them,-
and introduces a Difcourfe about himfelf; and
fpent much rime, till it began to grow dark, in
expounding the Prophecies relating to the Death
and Reiurredion of the Meffias. All this while
the Difciples knew him not. But then going in^'
to an Houfe to lodge together, at Supper hd
broke Bread, and gave it to them j immediately
they knew him, immediately he vanifh'd. Here
then are two Witneffes more : But what will yoU
call them ? Eye-Witneffes ? Why their Eyes were
open, and they had their Senfes, when he reafoned
with them and they knew him not. So far there-*
fore they are Witneffes that it was not he. TeU
us therefore upon what Account you rejed the E-
vidence of their Senfe, before the breaking of the
Bread, and infift on it afterwards? And why did
Jefus vanifh as foon as known ; which has more of
the Air of an Apparition, than of the Appearance
of a real Man reftored to Life?
Cleepas, who was one of thefe two Difciples,
finds out the Apoftles, to make the Report of what
had paffed to them. No fooner was the Story told,
but Jefus appears araong them. They were all
frighten'd and confounded, and thought they faw
a Spedre. He rebukes them for InfideUty, and
their Slownefs in believing the Prophecies of his
Refurredion; and tho' he refufed before to let the
Women touch him , ( a Circum ft.ince which I
ought not to have omitted ; ) yet now he invites'
the Apoftles to handle him, to examine his Hands
and Feet, and fearch the Wpunds of the Crofs. But

157]
BVit what Body was it they examined? The fame
that came in when the Doors were fhut; the fame
that vanifli'd from the two Difciples; the fame
that the Women might not touch : In a word, a
Body quite different from an human Body, which
we know cannot pafs thro' Walls, or appear or
difappear at pleafure. What then cou'd their
Hands or Eyes inform them of in this Cafe ? Be
fides; is it credible that God fhou'd raife a Body
imperfedly, with the very Wounds in it of which
it died ? Or if the Wounds were fuch as deftroy'd
the Body before, how cou'd a natural Body fubfift
with them afterwards?
There are more Appearances of Jefus recorded,
but fo much of the fame kind, fo liable to the
fame Difficulties and Objedions, that I will not
trouble your Lordfhip and the Court with adiftind
Enumeration of them. If the Gentleman on the
other fide finds any Advantage in any of them
more than in thefe mention'd, I fhall have an Op
portunity to confider them in my Reply,
It may feem furprizing to you perhaps, that a
Matter of this Moraent was trufted upon fuch E-
vidence as this : But it will be ftill raore furprizing
to confider, that the feveral Nations who receiv'd
the Gofpel, and fubmitted to the Faith of this Ar
ticle, had not even this Evidence : For what Peo
ple or Nation had the Evidence of the Angels, the
Women, or even of aU the Apoftles ? So far from
it, that every Country had its fingls Apoftle, and
receiv'd the Faith upon the Credit of his finglc
Evidence. We have follow'd our Anceftors with
out Enquiry j and if you examine the thing to th?
|t bottonj

[58]
bottom, our Belief was originaUy built upon the
Word of one Man.
I fiiall trouble you. Sir, but with one Obfcrva
tion more, which is this : That altho' in common
Life we ad in a thoufand Inftances upon the Faith
and Credit of human Teftimony ; yet the Reafon
for fo doing is not the fame in the Cafe before us.
In common Affairs, where nothing is afferted but
what is probable, and poffible, and according to
the ufual Courfe of Nature, a reafonable Degree
of Evidence ought to determine every Man. For
the very Probability, or Poffibility of the thing,
is a Support to the Evidence j and in fuch Cafes
we have no Doubt but a Man's Senfes qualify him
to be a Witnefs. But when the thing teftified is
contrary to the Order of Nature, and, at firft fight
at leaft, impoffible, what Evidence can be fuffici
ent to overturn the conftant Evidence of Nature,
which fhe gives us in the uniform and regular Me
thod of her Operations ? If a Man tells me he has
been in France, I ought to give a Reafon for not
believing him ; but if he tells me he comes from
the Grave, what Reafon can he give why I fhou'd
believe him ? In the Cafe before us, fince the Bo
dy raifed from the Grave differed from common
natural Bodies, as we have before feen j how can
I be affured that the Apoftles Senfes qualified them
to judge at aU of this Body, whether it was thd
lame, or not the fame which was buried? They
handled the Body, which yet cou'd pafs through
Doors and Walls; they faw it, and fometimes
knew it, at other times knew it not. In a word,
it feems to be a Cafe exempt from huraan Evidence. IV^n

[ 5P ] ,
Men have Umited Senfes, and a limited Reafon j
when they ad within their Limits, we may give
Credit to them ; but when they talk of things re
moved beyond the Reach of their Senfes and Rea
fon, we muft quit our own, if we believe theirs.,
Mr. B. My Lord, In anfwering the Objedi'
ons under this Head, I fhall find my felf obUged to
change the Order in which the Gentleman thought
proper to place them. He began with complain
ing, that Chrift did not appear publickly to the
Jews after his Refurredion, and efpecially to the
chief Priefb and Rulers ; and feem'd to argue, as
if fuch Evidence wou'd have put the Matter in
queftion out of all doubt ; but he concluded with
an Obfervation, to prove that no Evidence in this
Cafe can be fufficient | that a Refurredion is a
thing in Nature impoffible, at leaft impoffible to
be proved to the Satisfadion of a rational Enqui
rer. If this be the Cafe, why does he require
more Evidence, fince none can be fufficient? Or
to what Purpofe is it to vindicate the particular E-
vidence of the Refurredion of Chrift, fo long as
this general Prejudice, that a Refurredion is inca
pable of being proved, remains unremoved? lam
under a Neceffity therefore to confider this Obfer
vation in the firft place, that it may not lie as a
.dead Weight upon all I have to offer in Support
of the Evidence of Chrift's Refurredion.
The Gentleman allows it to be reafonable in ma««
ny Cafes to ad upon the Teftimony and Credit of
others ; but he thinks this fhould be confined to
fuch Cafes, where the Thing teftified is probable,
poffible, and according to the ufual Courfe of Nature.
H % The

[«o]
The Gentleman docs not, I fuppofe, pretend to
know the Extent of all natural Poffibilities, much
lefs will he fuppofe them to be generally known ;
and therefore his Meaning muft be, that the Tefti
mony of Witneffes is to be receiv'd only in Cafes
which appear to us to be poffible. In any other
Senfe we can have no Difpute; for mere Impoffi-
bilities which can never exift, can never be proved-
Taking the Obfervation therefore in this Senfe,
the Propofition is this : That the Teftimony of
others ought not to be admitted, but in fuch Mat
ters as appear probable, or at leaft poffible to our
Conceptions. For Inftance : A Man who lives in
a warm Climate, and never faw Ice, ought upon no
Evidence to believe that Rivers freeze and grow hard
in cold Countries; for this is improbable, contraiy
to the ufual Courfe of Nature ; and impoffible ac
cording to his Notion of Things. And yet we
all know that this is a plain manifeft Cafe, difcer-
nible by the Senfes of Men, of which therefore
they are qualified to be good Witneffes. An hun
dred fuch Inftances might be named, but 'tis need
lefs ; for furely nothing is more apparently abfurd,
than to make one Man's Ability in difcerning, an^
his Veracity in reporting plain Fads, depend up
on the Skill or Ignorance of the Hearer. And
what has the Gentleman faid, upon this Occafion,
againft the Refurredion, more than any Man,
who never faw Ice, might fay againft an hundred
honeft Witneffes, who affert that Water turns to
Ice in cold Climates ?
'Tis very true, that Men do not fo eafily be
lieve upon Teftimony of others, things which to
them

t«. ]
them feem improbable or impoffible; but the Rea
fon is not, becaufe the Thing itfelf admits no Evi
dence, but becaufe the Hearer's preconceived Opi
nion outweighs the Credit of the Reporter and
. makes his Veracity to be called in queftion. For
Inftance; 'Tis natural for a Stone to roll down
HiU, 'tis unnatural for it to roll up Hill.- but a
Stone moving up Hill is as much the Objed of
Senfe, as a Stone moving down HiU; and all Men
in their Senfes are as capable of feeing and judging
and reporting the Fad in one Cafe, as in the other.
Shou'd a Man then tell you, that he fiiw a Stone
go up Hill of its own accord, you might queftion
his Veracity, but you cou'd not fay the thing ad
mitted no Evidence, becaufe it was contrary to the
Law and ufual Courfe of Nature ; For the Law of
Nature formed to yourfelf from your own Expe
rience and Reafoning, is quite independent of the
Matter of FadwhichtheManteftifies; and when
ever you fee Fadsyotirfelf, which contradid your
Notions of the Uivr of Nature, you admit the
Fads, becaufe you believe yourfelf; when you do
not admit like Fads upon the Evidence of others
it is becaufe you do not beUeve them ; and not be
caufe the Fads in their own Nature exclude all E-
vidence. Suppofe a Man fhou'd teU you, that he was come
from the Dead ; You wou'd be apt to fufped his
Evidence. But what wou'd you fufped ? That he
was not alive, when you heard him, faw him, felt
him, and converfed with him? You cou'd not
fufped this, without giving up all your Senfes, and
ading in this Cafe as you ad in no other. Here then

[62 ]
then you Wou'd queftion, whether the Man had
ever been dead. But wou'd you fay, that it is in
capable of being made plain by huraan Teftimo
ny, that this or that Man died a Year ago? It can't
be faid. Evidence in this Cafe is adraitted in all
Courts perpetually.
Confider it the other way. Suppofe you faw
a Man pubUckly executed, his Body afterwards
wounded by the Executioner, and carry'd and
laid in the Grave ; that after this you fhou'd be
told, that the Man was come to Life again;
What wou'd you fufped in this Cafe ? Not that
the Man had never been dead; for that you
faw your felf; But you w^ou'd fufped whether
he was now alive. But wou'd you fay, this
Cafe excluded aU human Teftimony; and that
Men cou'd not poffibly difcern, whether one
with whom they convers'd familiarly, was alive
or no ? Upon what Ground cou'd you fay this ?
A Man rifing from the Grave is an Objed of
Senfe, and can give the fame Evidence of his be
ing alive, as any other Man in the World can give.
So that a Refurredion confider'd only as a Fad to
be proved by Evidence, is a plain Cafe ; it requires
no greater AbiUty in the Witneffes, than that they
be able to diftinguifli between a Man dead, and a
Man alive: A Point, in which I believe eveiy Man
living thinks himfelf a Judge.
I do allow that this Cafe, and others of like na
ture, require more Evidence to give them Credit
than ordinary Cafes do. You may therefore re
quire more Evidence in thefe, than in other Cafes j
but it is abfurd to fay, that fuch Cafes admit no
Evi-

[ ^3 ]
Evidence, when the Things in queftion are mani
feftly Objeds of Senfe.
I aUow further, that the Gentleman has rightly
fluted the Difficulty upon the Foot of common
Prejudice ; and that it arifes from hence, that fuch
Cafes appear to be contraiy to the Courfe of Na
ture. But I defire him to confider what this
Courfe of Nature is. Every Man, from the loweft
Countryman to the higheftJPhilofopher, frames to
himfelf from his Experience and Obfervation a
Notion of a Courfe of Nature ; and is ready to fay
of eveiy thing reported to him that contradids
his Experience, that it is contrary to Nature.
But will the Gentleman fay that every thing is
impoflible, or even improbable, that contradids
the Notion which Men frarae to themfelves ofthe
Courfe of Nature? I think he will not fay it.
And if he will, he muft fay that Water can never
fi-eeze, for it is abfolutely inconfiftcnt with the
Notion which Men have ofthe Courfe of Nature,
who Uve in the warm Climates. And hence it
appears, that when Men talk of the Courfe of Na
ture, they really talk of their own Prejudices and
Imaginations, and that Senfe and Reafon are not
fo much concerned in the Cafe as the Gentleman
imagines. For I ask. Is it from the Evidence of
Senfe, or the Evidence of Reafon, that People of
warra Climates think it contrary to Nature, that
Water fhould grow folid and becom.e Ice ? As for
Senfe, they fee indeed that Water with them is
always Liquid, but none of their Senfes tell them
that it can never grow Solid ; -as for Reafon it can
never fo inform theni^ for right Reafon can never
1 contradid

[«4]
contradid the Trath of things. Our Senfes thefl
inform us rightly what the ufual Courfe of Things
is ; but when we conclude that things cannot be
otherwife, we outrun the Information of our Sen
fes, and the Conclufion ftands upon Prejudice, and
not upon Reafon. And yet fuch Conclufions form
what is generally called the Courfe of Nature.
And when Men upon proper Evidence and Infor
mations admit things contraiy to this prefuppofed
Courfe of Nature, they do not, as the Gentleman
expreffes it, quit their own Senfe and Reafon, bur,
in truth, they quit their own Miftakes and Preju
dices. In the Cafe before us, the Cafe of the Refur
redion ; the great Difficulty arifes from the like
Prejudice: We all know by Experience that all
Men die, and rife no more. Therefore we con
clude, that for a dead Man to rife to Life again,
is contrary to the Courfe of Nature : and certain
ly it is contrary to the uniforra and fettled Courfe
of Things. But if we argue from hence, that it is
contrary and repugnant to the real Laws of Na
ture, and abfolutely impoffible on that Account
we argue without any Foundation to fupport us
either from our Senfes or our Reafon. We can
not learn fiom our Eyes, or Feeling, or any other
Senfe, that it is impoffible for a dead Body to live
again: If we learn it at all, it muft be from our
Reafon; and yet what one Maxim of Reafon is
contradided by the Suppofition of a Refurredion?
For my own part, when I confider how I live;
that all the Animal Motions neceffary to my Life
are independent of my WiU ; that my Heart beats
>vithout

[ 65 ]
without my Confent,. and without my Diredion ;
that Digeftion and Nutrition are performed by
Methods to which I ara not confcious ; that my
Blood moves in a perpetual round ; which is con
trary to all known Laws of Motion ; I cannot but
think that the Prefervation of my Life, in every
Moment of it, is as great an Ad of Power, as is
neceffary to raife a dead Man to Life. And who
ever fo far refleds upon his own Being, as to ac
knowledge that he owes it to a fuperior Power,
muft needs think that the fame Power which gave
Life to fenfelefs Matter at firft, and fet all the
Springs and Movements a going at the beginning,
can reftore Life to a dead Body. For furely it is
not a greater thing to give Life to ,a Body once-
dead, than to a Body that never was alive.
In the next Place muft be confidered the Diffi
culties which the Gentleman has laid before you,
with regard to the Nature of Chrift's Body after
the Refurredion. He has produced fomePaffages
which, he thinks, imply, that the Body v/as not
a real natural Body, but a mere Phantom, or Apr
parition; and thence concludes, that there being
no real Objed of Senfe, there can be no Evidence
in the Cafe.
Prefumptions are of no Weight againft pofitive
Evidence; and every Account ofthe Refurredion
affures us, that the Body of Chrift was feen, felr,
and handled by many Perfons; who were called
upon by Chrift fo to do, that they might bj2 aflus
red that he had Fiefh and Bones, ari,d was not a
mere Spedre, as they, in their firft Surprize, ima*
gii;ied him fo be,- 'Tis impoffiblg that they, wh?

166 ]
give this Account, fhou'd mean by any thing they
report, to imply that he had no real Body. 'Tis
certain then, that when the Gentleman makes ufe
of what they fay to this purpofe, he ufes their Say
ings contrary to their Meaning. For 'tis not pre
tended that they fay, that Chrift had not a real hu--
manBody after the RefuiTedion; nor is it pre
tended they had any fuch Thought, except only
upon the firft Surprize of feeing him, and before
they had examined him with their Eyes and Hands.
But fomething they have faid, which, the Gentle
man, according to his Notions of Philofophy,
think* , implies that the Body was not real. To
clear this Point therefore, I muft lay before you
the Paffages referred to, and confider how juftly
the Gentleman reafons from them.
The firft Paffage relates to Mary Magdalen,vfho,
the firft time fhe faw Chrifl^ was going to em
brace his Feet, as the Cuftom ofthe Countiy was;
Chrift f«ys to her, * Touch me mt, for I am not yet
afcended to my Father; but go to my Brethren, and tell
them, 8cc. Hence the Gentleman concludes, that
Chrift's Body was not fuch an one as wou'd bear
the Touch. But how does he infer this? Is it
from thefe Words, Touch me not ? It cannot be ;
For Thoufands fay it every Day, without giving
the leaft Sufpicion that their Bodies are not capa
ble of being touched. TheConclufion then muft
be built on thofe other Words, For I am not yet
afcended to my Father. But what have thefe Words
to do with the Reality of his Body ? It might be
real or not real, for any thing that is here faid.
There is a Difficulty in thefe Words, and it may
* John XX. 17.

[ ^7 ]
be hard to give the true Senfe of them ; but therjS
is no Difficulty in feeing that they have no relation
to the Nature of Chrift's Body j for of his Body
nothing is faid. The natural Senfe of the Place^
as I colled by comparing this Paffage with Matt.
xxviii. p. is this: Mary Magdalen, upon feeing Je
fus^ fell at his Feet, and laid hold of them, and
held them as if fhe meant never to let them go %
Chrift faid to her, " Touch me not, or hang not
*' about me now, you will have other Opportuni-
*' ties of feeing me, for I go not yet to my Father j
" lofe no time then, but go quickly with my Mef-
" fage to my Brethren." I am not concerned to
fupport this particular Interpretation of the Paf^
lage ; it is filfficicnt to my Purpofe, to fheW that
the Words cannot poffibly relate to the ;^^ature of
Chrift^s Body one way or other.
The next Paflage relates to Chrift's joining twd
of his Difciples upon the Road, arid converfmg
with them without being known by thera: Jc
grew dark, they prcffed him to ftay tsrith them
that Night J he went in with them, broke Bread,
and bleffed it, and gave it them, and then they
knew him j and immediately he difappeared.
The Circumftance of difappearing, fhall be cofii-"
iidered under the next Head, with other Objedi
ons of the like kind : At prefent I fhall only exa
mine the other Parts of this Story^ and enquire
whether they afford any Gtound to coBfclndC that
the Body of Chrift was not a real one. Had this
Piece of Hiftory been related of any other Perfon,
1 think no fuch Sufpicion coa*d have arifen : For
Isrhat is there unnaturfli or uncommon in this Ac-
I t, coimt?

[^8]
count? Two Men meet an Acquaintance whom
they thought dead; they converfe with him for
fome time without fufpeaing who he was ; the
Very Perfuafion they were unda- that he was dead,
contributed greatly to their not knowing him ;
befides, he appeared in an Habit and Form diffe
rent from what he ufed when he convers'd with
them ; appeared to them on a Journey, and walk
ed with them fide by fide ; in which Situation no
one of the Company has a fuU View of another.
Afterwards, when they were at Supper together,
and Lights brought in, they plainly difcerned who
he was. Upon this Occafion, the Gentleman asks
what fort of Witneffes thefe are; Eye-Witneffes?
No ; before Supper they were Eye-Witneffes, fays
the Gentleman, that the Perfon whora they faw
was not Chrift: And then he demands aReafon for
our rejeaing the Evidence of their Senfe when
they did not know Chrift, and infifting on it when
they did.
It is no uncommon thing for Men to catch
themfelves and others by fuch notable acute Que
ftions, and to be led by the SprightUnefs of their
Imagination out of the Road of Truth and com
mon Senfe. I beg leave to tell the Gentleman a
fhort Story, and then to ask him his own Queftion.
A certain Gentleman who had been fome Years
abroad, hapiied in his Return to England through
Paris to raeet his own Sifter there. She not ex-
peaing to fee him there, nor he to fee her, they
conveifed together with other Company, at a pub
lick Houfe, for great part of a Day, without know
ing each other. At laft the Lady began to fhew great

[69]
great Signs of Diforder -, her Colom* came and
went, and the Eyes of the Company were drawn
towards her; and then fhe cryed out. Oh my
Brother ! and was hardly held from fainting. Sup
pofe now this Lady were to depofe upon Oath in
a Court of Juftice, that fhe faw her Brother at
Paris; I would ask the Gentleman, Whether he
would objed to the Evidence, and fay that fhe
was as good an Eye-witnefs that her Brother was
not there, as that he was ; and demand of the
Court, why they rejeded the Evidence of her
Senfes when fhe did not know her Brother, and
were ready to believe it when fhe did ? When the
Queftion is anfwered in this Cafe, I defire only to
have the Benefit of it in the Cafe now before you.
But if you fhall be of Opinion that there was forae
extraordinary Power ufed on this Occafion, and
incUne to think that the Expreffion, ( their Eyes
were holden) imports as much; then the Cafe will
fall under the next Article. In which
We are to confider Chrift's vanifhing out of
Sight ; his coming in and going out when the
Doors were fhut ; and fuch like Paffages; which,
as they fall under one Confideration, fo I fhall
fpeak to them together.
But 'tis neceffaiy firft to fee what the Apoftles af
firm diftindly in their Accounts of thefe Fads;
for I think more has been faid for them, than ever
they faid, or intended to fay for themfelves. In
one Place * it is faid, he vanifhed out of their fight.
.Which Tranflation is correded in the Margin of
* Luke xxiv. 31, our

[70]
our Bibles thus, he ceafed to be feen of them. And
the Original f imports no more.
It is fiid in another Place, that the Difciples be
ing together, and the doors fhut, Jefus came and
ftood in the midft of them. How he came is not
faid : Much lefs is it faid that he came through the
Door, or the Key-hole; and for any thing that
is faid to the contrary, he might come in at the
Door, tho' the Difciples faw not the Door open,
nor him, till hc was in the midft of them. But
the Gentleman thinks thefe Paffages prove that the
Difciples faw no real Body, but an Apparition.
I am afraid that the Gentleman after all his Con
tempt of Apparitions, and the Superftition on
which they are founded, is fallen into the Snare
himfelf, and is arguing upon no better Principles
than the common Notions which the Vulgar have
of Apparitions. Why elfe does hc imagine thefe
Paffages to be inconfiftcnt with the Reality of
Chrift's Body? Is there no way for a real Body
to difappear? Try the Experiment now; do but
put out the Candles, we fhaU all difappear : If a
Man falls afleep in the Day-time, aU things difap
pear to him ; his Senfes are all lock'd up j and yet
all things about him continue to be real, and his
Senfes continue perfed. As fhutting out aU Rays
of Light would make aU things difappear; fo in_
tercepting the Rays of Light from any particular
Body would make that difappear. Perhaps fome
thing like this was the Cafe; or perhaps fomething
eUe, of which we know nothing. But be the
Cafe

[71 ]
Cafe what it will, the Gentleman's Conclufion is
founded on no Principle of true Philofophy : For
it does not follow that a Body is not real, becaufe
I lofe fight of it fuddenly. I fhall be told perhaps,
that this way of accounting for the Paffiiges, is as
wonderful, and as much out ofthe common Courfe
of Things as the other. Perhaps it is fo; and what
then ? Surely the Gentleman does not exped, that
in order to prove the Reality of the greateft Mi
racle that ever was, I fhould fhew that tliere was
nothing miraculous in it, but that eveiy thing hap
pen'd according to the ordinary Courfe of things ?
My only Concern is to fl.iew, that thefe Paffages
do not infer that the Body of Chrift after the Re
furredion was no real Body. I wonder the Gen
tleman did not carry his Argument a little fui>
ther, and prove that Chrift, before his Death,
bad no real Body; for we read, that when the
Multitude would have thrown him down a Precis
pice, he went through the midft of them un-
feen. Now nothing happen'd after his Refurre^
dion more unaccountable than this that happen'd
b^re it; and if the Argument be good at all, it
will be good to prove that there never was fuch a
Man as Jefus in the World. Perhaps the Gentle*
man may think this a little too much to prove j
and if he does, I hope he will quit the Argument
in one Cafe, as well as in the other; for Diffe
rence there is none.
Hitherto we have been called upon to prove th«
Reahty of Chrift's Body, and that it was the fame
after the Refurredion that it was before ; but the
jngxp Qbjedion complains, that the Body was too
7 much

[ 7= ]
much the flime with that which was buried; for the
Gentleman thinks that it had the fame mortal
Wounds open and uncured, of which it died. His
Obfei-vation is grounded upon the Words which
Chrift ufes to Thomas, * Reach hither thy finger,
and behold my hands, and reach hither thy hand, and
thruft it into my fdc. Is it here affirmed that
Thomas did adually put his hand into his Side, or
fo much as fee his Wounds fi'efh and bleeding?
Nothing Uke it. But 'tis fuppofed from the
words of Chrift ; for if he had no Wounds, he
would not have invited Thomas to probe them.
Now the Meaning of Chrift will beft appear by
an Account of the Occafion he had to ufe this
Speech. He had appeared to his Difciples, in
the Abfence of Thomas, and ftiewn them his
Hands and Feet, which ftiU had the Marks of his
Crucifixion: The Difciples report this to Thomas:
He thought the Thing impoffible, and expreffed
his Unbelief, as Men are apt to do when they are
pofitive, in a very extravagant manner : You talk,
fays hc, of the Prints of the Nails in his Hands
and Feet; for my part, I'll never beUeve this
thing, except f fiiall fee in his Hands the Print of the
Nails, and put my Finger into the Print of the
Nails, and thruft my Fland into his Side. Now in
the firft place, here is nothing faid of open Wounds j
Thomas talks only of putting his Finger into the
Print, that is, the Scar ofthe Nails, and of thruft-
ing his Hand into his Side. And in common
Speech, to thruft an Hand into any one's Side,
* John XX. 27. 4oe«

[73]
does not fignify to thruft it through the Side into
the Bowels. Upon this Interpretation of the
Words, which is a plain and natural one, the Gen
tleman's Objedion is quite gone. But fuppofe
Thomas to mean what the Gentleman i means; in
that Cafe the Words of Chrift are manifeftly a
fevere Reproach to him for his Infidelity: Here,
fays Chrift, are my Hands and my Side ; take the
Satisfadion you require ; thruft your Fingers into
my Hands, your Hand into my Side ; repeating to
him his own Words, and calling him to his own
Conditions; v/hich, to a Man beginning to fee
his Extravagance, is of all Rebukes the fevereft..
Such Foi'ms of Speech are ufed on many Occa-
fions, and are never underftood to import that the
thing propofed is proper, or always pradicable.
When the Grecian Women reproached their Sons
with Cowardice, and called to them as they were
flying frora the Enemy, to come and hide them
felves once more, like Children as they were, in
their Mothers Wombs ; he would have been ridi
culous who had asked the Queftion, Whether the
Women really thought that they cou'd take their
Sons into their Wombs again ?
I have now gone through the Objedions which
were neceffarily to be removed before I could ftate
the Evidence in this Cafe. I am fenfible I have
taken up too much of your Time;; but I have
this to fay in my Excufe ; That Objedions built
¦on popular Notions and, Prejudices, are eafily con
veyed to the Mind in few Words; and fo
conveyed, make ftrong Impreffioris: Put who
ever atjfwers the Objedions, nluft encounter all

[74]
the Notions to which they are alUed, and to
which they owe their Strength; and 'tis well
if with many Words he can find Admittance.
I come now to confider the Evidence on
which lur Belief of the Refurredion ftands. And
here I am ftopped again. A general Exception
is taken to the Evidence, that it is imperfcd,
unfair; and a Queftion is asked. Why did not
Chrifl appear publickly to aU the People, efpe
cially to the Magiftrates ? Why were fome Witnef
fes culled and chofen out, and others excluded ?
It may be fufficient perhaps to fay, that where
there are Witneffes enow, no Judge, no Jury
complains for want of more; and therefore, if
the Witneffes we have are fufficient, 'tis no Ob
jedion that we have not others, and more. If
three credible Men atteft a Will, which are as
ma y as the Law requires, would any Body ask,
W hy all the Town were not caUed to fet their
Hands? But why were thefe Witneffes culled
and chofen out? Why? For this Reafon, that
they might be good ones. Does not every wife
Man chufe proper Witneffes to his Deed and to
his Will ? And does not a good Choice of Wit
neffes give Strength to every Deed ? How comes
it to pafs then, that the very thing which fhuts
out all Sufpicion in other Cafes, fhould in this
Cafe only, be of all others, the moft fufpicious
thing it felf?
What reafon there is to make any Complaints
on the behalf of the Jews, may be judged, in
part, from what has already appeared, Chrift
fuffercd openly in their fight; and they were fo
well

[75]
well apprized of his Predidion, that he fhould
rife again, that they fet a Guard on his Sepulchre}
and from their Guards they learnt the Truth.
Every Soldier was to them a Witnefs of the Re
furredion of their own chufing. After this, they
had not one Apoftle, ( which the Gentleman ob
ferves was the Cafe of other People) but all the
Apoftles, and many other Witneffes with them,
and in their Power. The Apoftles teftified the
Refunedion to them; not only to the People^
but to the Elders of Lfrael affembled in Senate :
To fupport their Evidence, they were enabled to
work, and did work Miracles openly in the Name
of Chrift. Thefe People therefore have the leaft
Reafon to complain; and had of all others the
fuUeft Evidence ; and in fome refpeds fuch as none
but themfelves cou'd have, for they only were
Keepers of the Sepulchre. I beUeve, if the Gen
tleman was to chufe an Evidence to his own Satif^
fadion in a like Cafe, he wou'd defire no more
than to keep the Sepulchre, with a fufficient num
ber of Guards.
But the Argument goes further. It is faid that
Jefus was fent with a fjjecial Commiffion to the
Jews, that he was their Meffias ; and as his Refur
redion was his main Credential, he ought to have
appeared publickly to the Rulers of the Jews af
ter his Reiurredion : that in doing otherwife, he
aded Uke an Ambaffador pretending Authority from
his Prince, but refufing to fhew his Letters of Cre
dence. I was afraid, when I fuffered myfelf to be drawn
into this Argument, that I fhou'd be led into Mat-
-K z ters

[7«]
ters fitter to be decided by Men of another Pro-
feffion, than by Lawyers. But fince there is no
Help now, I will lay before you what appears to
me to be the natural and plain Account of this
Matter; leaviftg it to others, who are better qua
lified, to give a fuller Anfwer to the Objedion.
It appears to me, by the Accounts we have of
Jefus, that he had two diftind Offices : One, as
the Meffias particularly promifed to the Jews; a-
nother, as he was to be the great High Prieft of
the World. With refped to the firft Office, he
is called * the Apoftle of the Hebrews; the -[ Mini-
fier of the Circumcifion ; and fays himfelf, j] / am
not fent, but unto the loft fijeep of the houfe of Lfrael.
Accordingly when he fent out his Apoftles in his
Life-time to preach, he exprefsly forbids them to
go to the Gentiles or Samaritans ; but go, t fays he,
to the loft fioeep of the houfe of Lfrael. Chrift con
tinued in the Difcharge of this Office during the
Time of his natural Life, till he was finally rejed
ed by the Jews. And it is obfervable, that the
laft tirae he fpoke to the People, according to
St. Matthew''?, Account, he folemnly took leave of
them, and clofed his Commiffion. He had been
long among them publifhing glad Tidings; but
when all his Preaching, all his Miracles, had pro
ved to be in vain, the laft thing he did was to de
nounce the Woes they had brought on themfelves.
The zif Chapter of St. Matthew recites thefe
Woes; and at the End of them Chrift takes this
paffionate leave of Jerufalem: " O Jerufalem, Je-
* Heb. iii. i. .|- Rom. xv. 8.
I Match. XV. 24. J Matth. x. j, 6. *' rufalem^

<c

[ 77 1
rufalent, thou that kiUeft the Prophets, and flo-
" neft them which are fent unto thee; how oft6n
" wou'd I have gathered thy Children together,
." even as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her
*' Wings, and ye would not! Behold, yourHoui!^
*' is left unto you defolate. For I fay unto you,
*' Ye fhall not fee me henceforth, till ye fhall fay,
*' Bleffed is he that cometh in the Name of the
*' Lord ". 'Tis remarkable, that this Paffage, as
recorded by St. Matthew, and St. Luke twice over,
is determin'd, by the Circumftances, to refer to
the near Approach of his own Death, and the ex
treme Hatred of the Jews to him: And therefore
thofe Words, Te fiiall not fee me henceforth , •a.xe
to be dated from the Time of his Death, and ma
nifeftly point out the End of his particular Miffion
to them. From the making this Declaration, as
it ftands in St. Matthew, his Difcourfes are to his
Difciples; and they chiefly relate to the miferable
iand wretched Condition of the Jews, which was
now decreed, and foon to be accomplifh'd. Let
me now ask. Whether, in this ftate of things, any
farther Credentials of Chrift's Commiffion to the
Jews cou'd be demanded or expeded ? He was re
jeded, his Commiffion was determin'd, and with
it the Fate of the Nation was determin'd alfo:
What Ufe then of more Credentials? As to ap
pearing to them after his Refurredion, he cou'd
not do it confiftentiy with his own Predidion ; Te
fhall fee me no more, till ye fiall fay, Bleffed is he
'that cometh in the name of the Lord. The Jews
were not in this Difpofition after the Refurredion,
nor are they in it yet. The

[78]
TheRefun-edionwas the Foundation of Chrift's
new Commiffion, which extended to all the World.
Then it was he declared, that all Power was given
unto him in heaven and in earth. Then he gave a
new Commiffion to his Difciples, not reftrained to
the Houfe of Lfrael, but to go and teach all Na
tions. This Prerogative the Jews had under this
Commiffion, that the Gofpel was every- where firft
offered to them; but in no other Terras than it was
offered to the reft of the World. Since then this
Comraiffion, of which the Refurredion was the
Foundation, extended to all the World alike;
What Ground is there to demand fpecial and par
ticular Evidence to the Jews ? The Emperor and
the Senate of Rome were a much more confidera-
ble Part of the Worid, than the chief Priefts and
the Synagogue; Why does not the Gentleman ob
jed then, that Chrifi did not fhew himfelf to Ti
berius and his Senate? And fince all Men have an
equal Right in this Cafe, Why may not the fame
Demand be made for every Country ; nay , for
every Age ? And then the Gentleman may bring
the Queftion nearer home; and ask. Why Chrift
did not appear in England in King George''s Reign ?
There is, to my Apprehenfion, nothing more un
reafonable, than to negled and defpife plain and
fufficient Evidence before us, and to fit down to
imagine what Kind of Evidence wou'd have plea-
fed us; and then to make the Want of fuch Evi
dence an Objedion to the Truth ; which yet, if
well confider'd, wou'd be found to be weU efta.-
bUfli'd. ^ Th<t

[ 79]
The Obfervation I have made upon the Refur
redion of Chrift, naturally leads to another; which
will help to account for the Nature of the Evi
dence we have in this great Point. As the Refur
redion was the opening a new Commiffion, in
which all the World had an Intereft; fo the Con
cern naturally was, to have a proper Evidence to
eftablifh this Truth, and which fhou'd be of equal
Weight to all. This did not depend upon the
Satisfadion given to private Perfons, whether they
were Magiftrates or not Magiftrates; but upon the
Convidion of thofe, whofe Office it was to be,
to bear Teftimony to this Truth in the World.
In this Senfe the Apoftles were chofen to be Wit
neffes ofthe Refurredion, becatife they were cho
fen to bear Teftimony to it in the World ; and not
becaufe they only were admitted to fee Chrift after
his Refurredion : For the Fad is otherwife. The
Gofpel indeed, concerned to fhew the Evidence on
which the Faith of the World was to reft, is very
particular in fetting forth the ocular Demonftrati-
on which the Apoflles had of the Refurredion j
and mentions others, who faw Chrift after his Re
furredion, only accidentally, and as the Thread of
the Hiftory led to it. But yet 'tis certain, there
were many others, who had this Satisfadion, as
well as the Apoftles. St. Luke tells us, that when
Chrift appeared to the eleven Apoftles, there were
others with them *; who they \yere, or how ma
ny they were, he fays not. But it appears in the
ASls, when an Apoftle was to be chofen in the
room of Judas; and the chief Quahfication requi-
* Luke xxiv. 33, fed

[ 8o ]
red was, that he fhou'd be one capable of being a
Witnefs ofthe Refurredion ; that there were pre
fent an hundred and twenty fo qualified *. And
St. Paul fays, that Chrift after his Rifing was feevi
by foo at once, many of whom were living when
he appealed to their Evidence. So that the Gen
tleman is miftaken, when he imagines that a few
only were chofen to fee Chrift after he came from
the Grave. The Truth of the Cafe is, that out of
thofe who faw him, fome were chofen to bear Te
ftimony to the World, and for that Reafon had
the fuUeft Demonftration of the Truth, that they
might be the better able to give Satisfadion to o-
thers. And what was there in this Condud to
complain of? What to raife any Joaloufy or Suf
picion ?
As to the Witneffes themfelves; the firft the
Gentleman takes notice of, are the Angels and the
Women. The Mention of Angels led naturally
to Apparitions; and the Women were called poor
filly Women; and there is an End of their Evi
dence. But to fpeak ferioufly : WiU the Gentle
man pretend to prove, that there are no intelligent
Beings between God and Man; or that they are
not Minifters of God ; or that they were impro
perly employed in this great and wonderful Work,
the Refurredion of Chrift ? Till fome of thefe
Points are difproved, we may be at reft ; for the
Angels were Minifters, and not Witneffes of the
Refurredion. And it is not upon the Credit of
the poor filly Women that we believe Angels werq
* _Afts i. Compare Verfes 15, zj, 22 together. con*

[8x]
concerned, but upon the Report of thofe whd
wrote the Gofpels, who deliver it as a Truth
known to themfelves, and not merely as a Re
port taken from the Woraen.
But for the Women, what fliall 1 fay ? Silly as(
they were, I hope at leaft they had Eyes and Ears,
and cou'd tell what they heai-d and faw. In this
Cafe they tell no more; they report that the Body
was not in the Sepulchre ; but fo far from report
ing the Refurredion, that they did not believe it,
and were very anxious to find to what Place the
Body was removed. Further, they were not em
ployed. For, I think, the Gentleman in another
Part obfei-ves rightly, that they were not fent to
bear Teftimony to any People, But fuppofe them
to be Witneffes; fuppofe them to be improper
ones ; yet the Evidence of the Men furely is not
the worfe, becaufe fome Women happened to fee
the fame thing which they faw. And if Men on
ly muft be admitted, of them we have enow to
eftablifti this Truth.
I will not fpend your Time in enumerating thefe
Witnefles, or in fetting forth the Demonftration
they had ofthe Truth which they report. Thefe
Things are well known. If you queftion their
Sincerity, they lived miferably, and died miferably,
for the fake of this Truth. And what greater Evi
dence of Sincerity can Man give or require ? And
what is ftUl more, they were not deceived in their
Expedation by being iU treated; for he who em
ployed them, told them before-hand, that the
World would hate them, and treat them with
Contempt and Cruelty.
L But

[8. ]
But leaving thefe weighty and well-known Cir
cumftances to your own Reflexion, I beg leave to
lay before you another Evidence , paffed over in
Silence by the Gentleman on the other Side. He
took notice that a Refurredion was fo extraordi
nary a Thing, that no human Evidence cou'd fup
port it. I am not fure that he is not in the right.
If twenty Men were to come into England with
fuch a Report from a diftapt Country, perhaps
they might not find twenty more here to beUeve
their Story. And I rather think the Gentleman
may be in the right, becaufe in the prefent Cafe I
fee clearly, that the Credit of the Refurredion of
Chrift was not trufted to mere hiiman Evidence.
To what Evidence it was trufted, we find by his
own Declaration : The Spirit of Truth which pro
ceedeth from the Father, he fhall tefiify of me ; and
p alfo (fpeaking to his A^oQXes). fhall bear witnefs,
becaufe yc have been with me from the beginning * .
And therefore tho' the Apoftles had convers'd with
him forty Days after his Refurredion, and had re
ceived his Commiffion to go teach all Nations,
yet he exprefly forbids them entring upon the
Work , till they fhou'd receive Powers from A--
bove -f. And St. Peter explains the Evidence of
the Refurredion in this manner: /^ (the Apoftles)
are his Witneffes of thefe Things, and fo is alfo the
Holy Ghofi, whom God hath given to them who obey
him II .
Now, What were the Powers received by the
Apoftles? Were they not the Powers of Wifdom
• John XV. 26, 27. f Afts i. 14. \ Afts v. 32. and

C 83 ]
and Courage, by which they were enabled to ap
pear before Rulers and Princes in the Name ot
Chrift ; the Power of Miracles, even of raifing the
Dead toLife, by which they convinc'd the World,
that God was with them in what they faid and
did ? With refped to this Evidence, St. John fays,
If we receive the Witnefs of Men^ the Witnefs of God,
is greater*. Add to this, that the Apoftles had a
Power to communicate thefe Gifts to Believers.
Can you wonder that Men beUeved the Reality of
thofe Powers of which they were Partakers, and
became confcious to themfelves ? With refped to
thefe coraraunicated Powers, I fuppofe St. John
fpeaks, v^fhen he fays. He that believeth on the Son
of God, hath the Witnefs in himfelf^. Appealing
not to an inward Teftimony of the Spirit, in the
Senfe of fome modern Enthufiafts, but to the Pow
ers of the Spirit, which Believers received, and
which were feen in the Effeds that followed.
It was objeded, that the Apoftles feparated
themfelves to the Work of the Miniftiy, and
one went into one Country, another to another;
and confequently, that the Belief of the Refiirre-^
dion was originally receiv'd every where upon the
Teftimony of one Witnefs. I wiU not examine
this Fad ; Suppofe it to be fo. But did this one
Witnefs go alone, when he was attended with th^
Powers of Heaven ? Was not every bUnd Man re
ftored to Sight, and every lame Man to his Fe^,
a new Witnefs to the Truth reported by the firft?
Befides, when the People of different Countries
* I John V. 9. t Ibid. ver. 10.
L 2 came

[84]
came to compare Notes, and found that they had
all received the fame Account of Chrift, and of his
Dodrine; then furely the Evidence of thefe diftant
Witneffes thus united, became ftronger than if
they had told their Story together: For twelve
Men feparately examined, form a much ftronger
Proof for the Truth of any Fad, than twelve Men
agreeing together in one Story.
If the fame Thing were to happen in our own
Time : If one or two were tb come into England,
and report that a Man was raifed from the Dead ;
and in confequence of it, teach nothing but that
we ought to love God and our Neighbours : If to
confirm their Report, they fhou'd, before our Eyes,
cure the Blind, the Deaf, the Lame, and even raife
the Dead to Life; if endow'd with all thefe Pow
ers, they fiiould live in Poverty and Diftrefs, and
patiently fubmit to all that Scorn, Contempt, and
Malice cou'd contrive to diftrefs them ; and at
laft facrifice even their Lives in Juftificadon ofthe
Truth of their Report : If upon Enquiry we fiiould
find, that all the Countries in Europe had received
the fame Account, fupported by the fame miracu
lous Powers, attefted in like manner by the Suf
ferings, and confirmed by the Blood of the Wit
neffes : I would fain know what any reafonable
Man would do in this Cafe? Wou'd he defpife fuch
Evidence? I think he wou'd not; and whoever
thinlcs otherwife, muft fay. That a Refurredion,
tho' in Its own Nature poffible, is yet fuch a Thing
Xn which we ought not to believe either God
prMan.
L Judge. Have you done, Sir?
Mr. B,

[85]
Mr. S. Yes, My Lord,
Judge. Go on Mr, A. if you have any Thing!
to fay in Reply.
Mr. A. My Lord, I fhall trouble you with ve
ry little. The Objedions and Anfwers under this
Head, I fhall leave to the Judgment of tlie Court ;
and beg leave only to make an Obfervation or two
upon the laft part of the Gentleman's Argument.
And firft, with refped to the Sufferings of the
Apoftles and Difciples of Jefus; and the Argument
drawn from thence for the Truth of their Do-
6fa"ines and Affertions ; I beg leave to obferve to
you, That there is not a falfe Religion or Pretence
in the World, but can produce the fame Autho
rity, and fhew many Inftances of Men, who have
fuffered even to Death for the Truth of their feve
ral Profeffions. If we confult only modern Story,
we fhaU find Papifts fuffering for Popery, Prote-
ftants fax their Religion j and araong Proteftants,
every Sed has had its Martyrs ; Puritans, Quakers,
Fifth-Monarchy Men. In Henry Vlllth's Time,
England faw both Popifh and Proteftant Martyrs ;
in Queen Marfs Reign the Rage fell upon Prote
ftants , in Queen Elizabeth^ Papifts and Puritans
were called fometimes, tho' rarely, to this Tryal.
In later Times, fometimes Churchmen, fometimes
Diffenters, were perfecuted. What muft we fay
then ? All thefe Sufferers had not Truth with thera ;
and yeti if there be any Weight in this Argument
from Suffering, they have all a Right to plead it.
But I may be told, perhaps, that Men by their
Sufferings, tho' they do not prove their Dodrines
tp be true, yet prove at leaft their own Sincerity:

[85]
As if it were a thing irapoffible for Men to diffem-
ble at the Point of Death ! Alas ! How many In-
fta'aces are there of Men's denying Fads plainly
proved, afferring Fads plainly difproved, even with
-the Rope about their Necks ? Muft aU fuch pafs
for innocent Sufferers, fincere Men? If not, it muft
be allowed, that a Man's Word at the Point of
Death is not always to be relied on.
Another Obfervation I wou'd make, is with re
fped to the Evidence of the Spirit, on which fo
much Strefs is laid. It has been hitherto infifted
on, that the Refurredion was a Matter of Fad,
and fuch a Fad, as was capable and proper to be
fupported by the Evidence of Senfe. How comes
it about, that this Evidence, this which is the pro
per Evidence, is given up as infufficient, and a
new improper Evidence introduced ? Is it not fur
prizing, that one great Miracle fiiou'd want an
hundred more to prove it? Every Miracle is itfelf
an Appeal to Senfe, and therefore admits no Evi
dence but that of Senfe. And there is no Conne-
dion between a Miracle done this Year and laft
Year. It does not follow therefore, becaufe Pe
ter cured a lame Man (aUowing the Fad) that
therefore Chrift rofe from the Dead.
But allowing the Gentleman all he demandsj
what is it to us? They who had the Witnefs
within them, did perhaps very well to confult him,
and to take his Word ; but how ara I, or others,
who have not this Witnefs in us, the better for it?
If the firft Ages of the Church faw aU the Won
ders related by the Gentleraan, and believed, it
fhews at leaft, in his Opinion, that this ftrong Evi
dence

[87]
dence was neceffary to create the Belief he requires j
why then does he require this Belief of us, who
have not this ftrong Evidence ?
Judge. Very well. Gentlemen of the Jury,
you have heard the Proofs and Arguments on both
Sides, and it is now your Part to give a Ver-
did. Here the Gentlemen whifpered together, and
the Foreman ftood up.
Foreman. My Lord, The Caufe has been long,
and confifts of feveral Articles, therefore the Jury
hope you wiU give them your Diredions.
Judge. No, no; you are very able to judge
without my Help.
Mr. A. My Lord, Pray confider, you appoint
ed this Meeting, and chofe your Office, Mr.
B. and I have gone through our PartSj and
have fome Right to infift on your doing your
Part. Mr. B. I muft join. Sir, in that Requeft,
Judge. I have often heard, that aU Honour has
a Burden attending it ; But I did not fufped it in
this Office, which I conferred upon myfelf But
fince it muft be fo, I wiU recoiled, and lay before
you, as well as I can, the Subftance of the De
bate. Gentlemen of the Jury; The Queftion before
you, is. Whether the Witneffes of the Refur
redion of Chrift are guilty of giving falfe Evi
dence, or no.
Two forts of Objedions, or Accufations are
brought againft them. One charges Fraud and
Deceit

[88]
Deceit on the Tranfadion itfelf; the other charges
the Evidence as forged, and infufficient to fupport
the Credit of fo extraordinary an Event.
There are alfo three Periods of Time to be
confidered. The firft takes in the Miniftry of Chrift, aud
ends at his Death. During this Period the Fraud
is fuppofed to be qontrived-
The fecoiid reaches from his Death to his Re
furredion. During this Period the Fraud is fup
pofed to be executed.
The third begins from the Refurredion, and
takes in the whole Miniftiy of the Apoftles. And
here the Evidence they gave the World for this
Fad is the main Confideration.
As to the firft Period of Time, and the Fraud
charged upon Jefus, I muft obferve to you, that
this Charge had no Evidence to fupport it 5 all the
Fads reported of Jefus ftand in full Contradidion
to it. To fuppofe, as the Coimcil did, that this
Fraud might poffibly appear, if we had any Jewifh
Books written at the Time, is not to bring Proof^
but to wifh for Proof; for as it was rightly ob
ferved on the other fide, how does Mr. A. know
there were any fuch Books ? And fince they are
loft, how does he know what was in them ? Were
fuch Books extant, they might probably prove be
yond Difpute the Fads recorded in the Gofpels.
You were told that the Jews were a very fu
perftitious People, mtich addided to Prophecy,
and particularly that they had a ftrong Expeda
tion about the Time that Chrift appeared, to have
a vidorious Prince rife among them. This is laid as

as the Ground of Sufpicion; and in fad, rflaiiy
Impoftors you are told, fet up upon thefe NotioHS
bf the People ; and thence it is inferred that
Chrift built his Scheme Upon the Strength of thefe
popular Prejildices. But wheiAhis Fad came to
be examined on the other Sidj^ it appeared that
Chrift was fo far from fallings 'in with thefe No
tions, and abufing the Credulity of the People^
that it was his mairi Poirit to corred thefe Prejii*-
dices, to oppofe thefe Superftitions; and by thefe
very Means, he feU into DifgraCe with his Country
men, arid fuffered as One, who in their Opinion^
deftroyed the Law and the Prophets. With re
fped to temporal Power, fo far was he from aim
ing at it, that he refufed it when offered : So fair
from giving any Hopes of it to his Difciples, that
he invited Men upon quite different Terms; Tb
take up the Crofs, and follow him. And it is ob
fervable, that after, he had foretold his Death arid
Refiirrediori, he continued to admoriifh his Dlfs^
ciples of the Evils they were to fuffer ; to tell
them that the Worid would hate them, and abufe
them; which furely to common Senfe has nO Ap
pearance that he was then contriving a Cheat, or
encouraging his Difciples to execute it;
But as ill fupported as this Charge is, there waS
ho avoiding it ; it was Neceffity, and not Choicdj
which drove the Gentleman to it : For fince Chrift
had foretold his Refurredion;, if the whole was
a Cheat, he certainly was confcious to it, and Cjan^
fequently the Plot was laid in his own Time; And
ybt the fuppofing Chrift confcious to fdch a Fraud
jtl thefe Gir^UhiMlces, is contrary to all Probabi-
M lity.

[90]
lity. It is very improbable, that He, or any Man,
fiiould without any Temptation, contrive a Cheat
to take place after his Death. And if this could be
fuppofed, 'tis highly improbable that he fhould
give publick No^ce of it, and thereby put all
Men on their guald; efpecially confidering there
were only a few "V^men, and twelve Men of low
Fortunes, and mean Education, to condud the
Plot; and the whole Power of the Jews and iJo-
mans to oppofe it.
Mr. A. feemed fenfible of thefe Difficulties, and
therefore would have varied the Charge, and have
made Chrift an Enthufiaft, and his Difciples only
Cheats. This was not properly moved, and there
fore not debated; for which Reafon I fhall pafs it
over with this fhort Obfervation; that Enthufiafm
is as contrary to the whole Charader and Condud
ofChrift, as even Fraud is. Befides, this Imagina
tion, if allowed, goes only to Chrift's own part;
and leaves the Charge of Fraud, in its full extent,
upon the Management from the time of his Death,
and therefore is of no ufe, unlefs the Fraud af
terwards be apparent. For if there really was a
Refurredion, it wiU Efficiently anfwer the Charge
of Enthufiafm,
I pafs on then to the fecond Period, to confider
what happen'd between the Death and Refiirredi
on of Chrift, And here it is agreed that Chrift
died, and was buried. So for then there was no
Fraud, For the better underflanding the Charge here,
we muft recoiled a material Circumftance re
ported by one of the EvangeUftsj which is this:
After

[9« ]
After Chrift was buried, the chief Priefts and
Phdrifees came to Pilate the Roman Governor, and
informed him that this Deceiver, ( meaning
Jefus) had in his Life-time foretold, that he
would rife again after three Days; that they fuf
peded his Difciples would fteal away the Body,
and pretend a Refurredion j and then the lafi
Error would be •worfe than the firft. They there
fore defire a Guard to watch the Sepulchre, to
prevent all Fraud. They had one granted; ac
cordingly they placed a Watch on the Sepul
chre, and fealed up the Stone at the Mouth of
it. What the Event of this Cafe was, the fame
Writer tells us. The Guards faw the Stone re
moved by Angels, and for Fear they became
as dead Men : When they came to the City,
they reported to the chief Priefts what had hap
pen'd : A Council is called, and a Refolution ta
ken to bribe the Soldiers to fay, that the Body
was ftolen while they were afleep j and the
Council undertook to excufe the Soldiers to Pi
late, for their Negligence in falUng afleep when
they were on Duty.
Thus the Fad ftands in the original Record.
Now the Council for Woolfton maintains, that the
Story reported by the Soldiers, after they had been
bribed by the chief Priefts, contains the true Ac
count of this pretended Refurredion.
The Gentleman was fenfible of a Difficulty
in his way , to account for the Credit which
the Jews gave to the Predidion of Chrift ; for
if, as hc pretends, they knew him to be an Im-
M z poftor,

[9=]
poftor, what Reafon had they to take any No
tice of his Predidion ? And therefore, that very
Caution in this Cafe betrayed their Concern^
and fhe'wed that they were not fatisfied that his
Pretenfions were groundlefs. To obviate this,
he fays, that they had difcovered before, one great
Cheat in the Cafe of Lazarus, and therefore
were fufpicious of another in this Cafe. He
was anfwered. That the Difcovery of a Cheat
in the Cafe before-mentioned, ought rather to
have fet them at eafe, and made them quite fe
cure as to the Event of the Predidion. In Re
ply he fays, that the chief Priefts, however fatif^
fied of the Cheat themfelves , had found that it
prevailed among the People ; and to fecure the
People from being farther impofed on, they ufed
the Caution they did.
This is the Subftance ofthe Argument on both
Sides, I muft obferve to you, that this Reafoning from
fhe Cafe of Lazarus has no Foundation in Hiftory j
there is no Pretence for faying, that the Jews in
this whole Affair had any particular Regard to the
raifing of Lazarus: And if they had any fuch juft
Sufpicion, why was it not mention'd at the Trial of
Chrift? There was then an Opportunity of opening
the whole Fraud, and undeceiving the People.
'The Jews had a plain Law for punifhing a falfe
Prophet; and what cou'd be a ftronger Convidi
on, than fuch a Cheat made manifeft? Why then
was this Advantage loft?
The Gentleman builds this Obfervation on thefe
Words, So the lafi Error fijall be worfe than the firft. But
4

C 93 ]
IBut is there here any thing faid about LazaruS'?
No; the Words are a proverbial Form of Speech,
and probably were ufed without relation to any
particular Cafe, But if a particular Meaning muft
be affigned, it is more probable, that the Words
being ufed to Pilate, contained a Reafon applica
ble to him. Now Pilate had been drawn in to
confent to the Crucifixion, for fear the J^wj fhou'd
fet up Jefus to be their King in Oppofition to Ca~
far; therefore fay the chief Priefts to him. If once
the People beUeve him to be rifen from the dead,
the laft Error wUl be worfe than the firft; i. ^.they
will be more inchned and encourag'd to rebel a-
gainft the Romans than ever. This is a natural
Senfe of the Words, as they are ufed to move the
Roman Governor to aUow them a Guard, 'W^he-
ther Z^z«r».f were dead or alive; whether Chrift
came to deftroy the Law and the Prophets, or to
cftabUfh or confirm them, was of little moment to
Pilate. It is plain, he was touched by none of
thefe Confiderations; and refus'd to be concern'd
in the Affair of Chrift, till he was alarm'd with
the Suggeftions of Danger to the Roman State.
This was the firfi Fear that moved him; muft not
therefore the fecond now fuggefted to hira be of
the fame Kind ?
The next Circumftance to be confider'd, isthat
of the Seal upon the Stone ofthe Sepulchre. The
Council for Woolfton fuppofes an Agreement ber
tween the Jews and Difciples about fetting this
Seal. But for this Agreement there is no Evi
dence; nay, to fuppofe it, contradids the whole
Series of the Hiftory, as the Gentleman on th^
other

[94]
Other Side obferv'd. I wiU not enter into the Par
ticulars of this Debate; for it is needlefs. The
plain natural Account given of this Matter, fhuts
out all other Suppofitions. Mr. B. obferv'd to
you, that the Jews having a Guard, fet the Seal
to prevent any Combination among the Guards to
deceive them ; which feems a plain and fatisfadory
Account. The Council for W. replies, Let the
Ufe ofthe Seals be what they will, it is plain they
Were broken ; and if they were ufed as a Check
upon the Reman Soldiers, then probably they con-
fented to the Fraud ; and then 'tis eafily underftood
how the Body was removed.
I muft obferve to you here, that this Sufpicion
agrees neither with the Account given by the E-
vangeliftj nor with the Story fet about by the
jews^ fo that it is utterly unfupported by any Evi
dence. Nor has it any Probability in it. For what
cou'd move Pilate, and the Roman Soldiers, to
propagate fuch a Cheat ? He had crucify'd Chrift
for no other Reafon, but for fear the People fhou'd
revolt from the Romans ^ perhaps too he confented
to place a Guard upon the Sepulchre, to put an
end to the People's Hope in Jefus ; and is it likely
at laft that he was confenting to a Cheat, to make
the People beUeve him rifen from the dead? The
thing, of all others, which he was oblig'd, as hii
Apprehenfions were, to prevent.
The next Circumftance infifted on as a Proof of
the Fraud, is, that Jefus rofe before the Time he
had appointed. Mr. A. fuppofes that the Difci
ples haftfcn'a the Plot, for fear of falUng in with
Multi-

[95 ]
Multitudes, who waited only for the appointed
Time to be at the Sepulchre, and to fee with their
own Eyes. He was anfwer'd, that the Difciples
were not, cou'd not be concern'd, or be prefent at
moving the Body ; that they were difpers'd, and
lay concealed for fear of the Jews: that haflning
the Plot was of no Ufe, for the Refurredion hap
pen'd whilft the Guards were at the Sepulchre;
who were probably enow to prevent Violence;
certainly enow to difcover it, if any were ufed.
This Difficulty then refts merely upon the rec
koning of the Time. Chrift died on Friday, rofe
early on Sunday. The Queftion is. Whether this
was rifing the third Day according to the Predidi
on? I will refer the Authorities made ufe of in this
Cafe to your Memory, and add only one Obferva
tion, to fhew that it was indeec^ the third Day ac
cording as the People of the Country reckon'd.
When Chrift talked with the two Difciples who
knew him not, they gave him an Account of his
own Crucifixion, and their Difappointment; and
tell him. To day is the third Day fince thefe things
were done *. Now this Converfation was on the ve
ry Day of the Refurredion. And the Difciples
thought of nothing lefs than anfwering an Objedi
on againft the Refurredion, which as yet they did
not believe. They recount only a Matter of Fad,
and reckon the Time according to the Ufage of
their Country, and call the Day of the Refurre
dion the third Day from the Crucifixion ; which
is a plain Evidence, in what manner the.fjews rec-
Jion'd in this and like Cafes,
* Luke xxiv. 8i.
^ A$

[9«]
As the Objedions in this Cafe are founded upon
the Story reported by the Jews, and the Roman
Soldiers ; Mr. B. in his Anfwer, endeavour'd to
fhew from fome hiftorical Paffages, that the JeiiUs
themfelves did not beUeve the Story.
His firft Argument was. That the Jews nevet
queftion'd the Difciples for this Cheat, and the
Share they had in it, when they had them in their
Power. And yet who fees not that it was very
much to their Purpofe fo to do? To this there is no
Reply. The fecond Argument was from the Treatment
St. Paul had from King Agrippa, and his faying to
St. Paul, Almoft thouperfuadefi me to be aChrifiian.
A Speech, which he reckons cou'd not be made
by a Prince, to one concern'd in carrying on a
known Cheat. To this the Gentleman replies.
That Agrippa never did become a Chriftian, and
that no great Strefs is to be laid upon his Complai
fance to his Prifoner. But allowing that there
was fomething of Humanity and Civility in the
Expreffion, yet fuch Civility could hardly be paid
to a known Impoftor. There is a Propriety everi
in Civility ; a Prince may be civil to a Rebel, but
he will hardly compliment him for his Loyalty j
he may be civil to a poor Sedary, but if he
knows him to be a Cheat, he will fcarcely compli^
ment him with Hopes that he will be of his
Party. The third Argument was from theAdvIce given by
Gamaliel to the Council of the Jews, to let the Apo-*
ftles "Aone, far fear they themfelves fiiould he found tb
fight againftQod: ASuppofition which theGentleman thinks

I 97 1
thinks abfolutely inconfiftcnt with his or the Coun
cil's being perfuaded, that the Apoftles were guil
ty of any Fraud in managing the Refurredion of
Chrift. The Gentleman replies. That GamaliePs Advice
refpeded only the Numbers of People deceived,
and was a Declaration of his Opinion, that it was
not prudent to come to Extremities till the People
were in a better Temper. This deferves Confidera
tion. Firfi, I obferve, that Gamaliel's Words are ex-
prefs, left ye be found to fight againft God, which
Reafon refpeds God, and not the People. And the
Suppofition is, that the Hand of God might poffi
bly be in this Work : A Saying which cou'd not
have come from him, or have been received by the
Council, if they had believed the Refurredion to
have been a Cheat.
Secondly, It is remarkable, that the Miracles
wrought by the Apoftles after the Death of Chrift,
thofe efpecially which occafioned the calling this
Council, had a much greater Effed upon the Jews,
than even the Miracles of Chrift himfelf They
held out againft all the Wonders of Chrift, and
were perpetually plotting his Death, not doubting
but that wou'd put an End to their Trouble : But
when after his Death, they faw the fame Powers
continue with the Apoftles, they faw no End of
the Affair, but began to think in earneft there
might be more in it than they were wiUing to be-»
lieve. And upon the Report made to them of
the Apoftles Works, they make ferious Reflexion,
md doubted whereunto this wou'd grow. And tho'
N in

[98]
in their Anger and Vexation of Heart they thought'
of defperate Remedies, and were for killing the
Apoftles alfo, yet they hearkened willingly to Ga-
ma'OcT'i Advice, which at another Time might
have been dangerous to the Advifer. So that it
appears from the Hiftory, that the whole Council
had the fame Doubt that Gamaliel had, that poffi
bly the Hand of God might be in this Thing. And
cou'd the 'Jews, if they had manifeftly difcovered
the Cheat of the Refurredion a Uttle time before,
have entertained fuch a Sufpicion?
The laft Period commences at the Refurredion,
and akes in the Evidence upon which the Credit
ci- his Fad ftands.
The Council for Woolfton, among other Diffi
culties, ftartcd one, which, if well grounded, ex
cludes all Evidence out of this Cafe. The Refur
redion being a Thing out of the Courfe of Na
ture, he thinks the Teftimony of Nature, held
forth to us in her conftant Method of working, a
ftronger Evidence againft the Poffibility of a Re-
fuiTeaion, than any human Evidence can be for
the Reality of one.
In anfwer to this, it is faid, on the other Side,
Firft, That a Refurredion is a Thing to be judged
of by Men's Senfes; and this cannot be doubted.
We aU know when a Man is dead ; and fhou'd he
come to Life again, we might judge whether he
was alive or no, by the very fame Means by which
we judge thofe about us to be Uving Men.
Secondly,Th-!it the Notion of a Refurreaion con-
tradias no one Principle of right Reafon, interferes
with no Law of Nature. And that whoever ad
mits

C 99 ]
mits that God gave Man Life at firft, caririot pof*
fibly doubt of his Power to reftore it when lolt.
Thirdly, That appealing to the fettled Courfe
of Nature, is referring the Matter in Difpute, not
to Rules or Maxims of Reafon and true Philofo-*
phy, but to the Prejudices and Miftakes of Men;
which are various and infinite, and differ fome
times according to the Climate Men live in ;
becaufe Men form a Notion of Nature from
what they fee; and therefore in cold Countries all
Men judge it to be according to the Courfe of
Nature for Water to freeze , in warm Countries
they judge it to be unnatural. Confequently, that
it is not enough to prove any Thing to be con
trary to the Laws of Nature, to fay that it is ufu-
ally, or conftantly, to our Obfervation, otherwife.
And therefore, tho' Men in the ordinary Courfe
die, and do not rife again, (which is certainly a
Prejudice againft the Belief of a Refurreaion ) yet
is it not an Argument againft the Poffibility of a
Refurredion. Another Objedion was againft the Reality of
the Body of Chrift after it came from the Grave.
Thefe Objedions are founded upon fuch Paffages
as report his appearing or difappearing to the Eyes
of his Difciples at pleafiire; his coming in among
them when the Doors were fhut; his forbidding
fome to touch him, his inviting others to do it ;
his having the very Wounds whereof he died, frcib
and open in his Body, and the like. Hence the
Council concluded that it was no real Body, which
was fometimes vifible, fometim.es invifible; fome-
N 2. times

[ lOO ]
times capable of being, touched, fometimes inca:-
pable. On the other Side, it was anfwered. That many
of thefe Objeaions are founded on a miftaken Senfe
ofthe Piiffages referred to; parricularly of the Paf
fage in which Chrift is thought to forbid Mary
Magdalen to touch him ; of another, in which he
calls to Thomas to examine his Wounds; and pro
bably of a third, relating to Chrift's Converfation
with his Difciples on the Road, without being
known by them.
As to other Paffages, which relate his appearing
and difappearing, and coming in when the Doors
were fhut, it is faid, that no Conclufion can be
drawn frora thera againft the Reality of Chrift's
Body: That thefe Things might happen many
Ways, and yet the Body be real ; which is the
only Point to which the prefent Objeaion ex
tends : That there might be in this, and probably
was, fomething miraculous; but nothing more
wonderful than what happened on another Occa
fion in his Life-time ; where the Gentleman who
makes the Objeaion, allows him to have had a
real Body.
I mention thefe Things but briefly, juft to bring
the Courfe of the Arguraent to your Remem
brance. The next Objedion is taken from hence, That
Chrift did not appear publickly to the People, and
particularly to the Chief Priefts and Rulers of the
Jews. It is faid, that his Coraraiflion related to
them in an efpecial manner; and that it appears
ftrange, that the main Proof of his Miffion, the
Refur-

[ lOI ]
RefuiTedion, fiioti'd not be laid before them ; but
that Witneffes fhou'd be picked and culled to fee
this mighty Wonder. This is the Force of the
Objeaion. To which it is anfwer'd, /Vr/?, That the particu
lar Commiffion to the Jews expired at the Death
ofChrift, and therefore the Jews had, on this Ac
count, no Claim for any particular Evidence. And
it is infiftedj that Chrift, before his Death, decla
red the Jews fhou'd not fee hira, till they were
better difpofed to receive him.
Secondly, That as the whole World had a Con
cern in the Refiirreaion of Chrift, it was neceffary
to prepare a proper Evidence for the whole World ;
which was not to be done by any particular Satif-
fadion given to the People of the Jews, or their
Rulers i
Thirdly, That as to the chofen Witneffes, it is a
Miftake to think that they were chofen as the only
Perfons to fee Chrift after the Refurredion; and
that in truth many others did fee hira ; but that
the Witneffes were chofen as proper Perfons to
bear Teftimony to all People ; an Office to which
many others who did fee Chrift, were not particu
larly commiffioned. That making Choice of pro
per and credible Witneffes, was fo far from being
a Ground of juft Sufpicion, that it is in aU Cafes
the moft proper way to exclude Sufpicion.
The next Objeaion is pointed againft the Evi
dence of the Angels, and the Women. It is faid,
that Hiftory reports that the Women law young
Men at the Sepulchre ; that they were advanced
into Angels merely thro' the Fear and Superftition
•Ji' of

[ I02 ]
of the Women: That at the beft, this is but a Story
of an Apparition ; a Thing in Times of Ignorance
much talked of, but in the Days of Knowledge
never heard of.
In anfwer to this, it is faid. That the Angels are
not properly reckoned among the Witneffes ofthe
Refurreaion; they were not in the Number of
the chofen Witneffes, or fent to bear Teftimony
in the World : That they were indeed Minifters
of God appointed to attend the Refurreaion : That
God has fuch Minifters, cannot be reafonably
doubted; nor can it be objeaed that they were
improperly employed, or below their Dignity, in
attending on the Refurreaion of Chrift : That we
believe thera to be Angels, not on the Report of
the Women, but upon the Credit of the Evange-
lift who affirms it. That what is faid of Appari
tions on this Occafion, may pafs for Wit and Ri
dicule, but yields no Reafon or Argument.
The Objeaion to the Women was, I think,
only that they were Women ; which was ftrength-
ned by calling thera filly Women.
It was anfwered, that Women have Eyes and
Ears as well as Men, and can tell what they fee
and hear. And it happened in this Cafe, that the
Women were fo far from being credulous, that
they believed not the Angels, and hardly believed
their own Report. However that the Women
are none of the chofen Witneffes ; and if they
were, the Evidence of the Men cannot be fet
afide,. becaufe Women faw what they faw.
This is the Subftance of the Objedions and
Anfwers.
The

C ^03 ]
The Council for the Apoftles infifted further.
That they gave the greateft Affurance to the
World, that poffibly cou'd be given, of their
fincere Dealing, by fuffering all Kinds of Hard-
fhip, and at laft Death itfelf, in Confirmation of
the Truth of their Evidence.
The Council fox Woolftonfm. Reply to this, told
you. That all Religions, whether true or falfe,
have had their Martyrs ; that no Opinion, how
ever abfurd, can be named, but fome have been
content to die for it ; and then concluded, that
Suffering is no Evidence of the Truth of the Opi
nions for which Men fuffer.
To clear this Matter to you, I muft obferve
how this Cafe ftands. You have heard often, in
the Courfe of this Argument, that the Apoftles
were Witneffes chofen to bear Teftimony to the
Rcfurredion; and, for' that Reafon, had the fulleft
Evidence themfelves of the Truth of it ; not mere
ly by feeing Chrift once or twice after his Death,
but by frequent Converfations with him for forty
Days together, before his Afcenfion. That this
was their proper Bufinefs, appears plainly from
Hiftory, where we find, that to ordain an Apo-^
ftle, was the fame thing as ordaining one to be a
Witnefs of the Refurreaion *. If you look further
to the preaching of the Apoftles, you will find
this was the great Article infifted onf. And St.
Paul knew the Weight of this Article, and the
Neceffity of teaching it, when he faid. If Chrifi be
* Afts I 22. t Aftsii. 2, 22, i^c. iii. 15.
iv. 10. v. 30. not

C '04 ]
not rifen, our Faith is vain. You fee then, that the
thing which the Apoftles teftified, and the thing
for which they fuffered, was the Truth of the Re
furreaion ; which is a mere Matter of Fad.
Confider now how the Objedion ftands. The
Council for Woolfton tells you, that 'tis common
for Men to die for falfe Opinions ; and he tells you
nothing but the Truth. But even in thofe Cafes
their fuffering is an Evidence of their Sincerity ;
and it wou'd be veiy hard to charge Men who die
for the Dodrine they profefs, with Infincerity in
the Profcffion. Miftaken they may be; but every
miftaken Man is not a Cheat. Now if you will
allow the Suffering of the Apoftles to prove their
Sincerity, which you cannot well difallow 5 and
confider that they died for the Trath of a Matter
of Fad which they had feen themfelves, you will
perceive how ftrong the Evidence is in this Cafe.
In Dodrines and Matters of Opinion, Men miftake
perpetually ; and it is no Reafon for me to take up
with another Man's Opinion, becaufe I am per
fuaded he is fincere in it. But when a Man reports
to me an uncommon Fad, yet fuch an one, as in
its own Nature is a plain Objed of Senfe ; if I
believe hira not, it is not becaufe I fufped his Eyes,
or his Senfe of Feeling, but raerely becaufe I fu
fped his Sincerity. For if I was to fee the
lame thing myfelf, I fhould believe myfelf; and
therefore my Sufpicion does not arife from the In
ability of human Senfes to judge in the Cafe, but
from a Doubt of the Sincerity of the Reporter.
In iuch Cafes therefore there wants nothing to be
proved.

[ 10 5 ]
proved, but only the Sincerity of the Reporter^:
and fince voluntaiy Suffering for the Truth, is at
leaft a Proof of Sincerity j the Sufferings of the
Apoftles for the Truth of the Refurreaion, is ^
fuU and unexceptionable Proof
The Council for Woolfton was fenfible of this
Difference, and therefore he added, that there are ,
many Inftances of Mens fuffering and dying in an
pbftinate Denial of the Truth of Fads plainly
proved. This Obferyation is alfo true, I remem-'
ber a Story of a Man who endured with great Con-
ftancy aU the Tortures pf the Rack, denying the
Fad with which he was charged. When he was
^ked afterw^ards, how he could hold out againft
all the Tortures? He anfwered, I had painted a
pallows upon the Toe of my Shoe, and when the
Rack ftretched me, I looked on the Gallows, and
bore the Pain, to fave my Life, This Man denied
a plain Fad, under great Torture, but you fe?
a Reafon for it. In other Cafes, when Criminals
perfift in denying their Crimes, they often do it,
and there is Reafon to fufped they do it always^,
in Hopes of a Pardon or Reprieve. But what are
thefe Inftances to the prefent purpofe ? All thefe
Menfuffer againft their Will, and for their Crimes;
and their Obftinacy is built on the Hope of efcaping,
by moving the Compaffion of the Government.
Can the Gentletpan give any Inftances of Perfons
who died willingly hiAtteftation qf a falfe Fad?
We have had in England fome weak enough to
die for the Pope's Supremacy; but do you think
O .. -^ a Man

[ .0(5 3
a Man couldbc found to die in Proof of the Popc'^'
being adually on the Throne of England.
Now the Apoftles died in afferting the Tmth
of Chrift's Refurredion. It was always in their
Power to quit their Evidence, and fave their Lives.
Even their bittereft Enemies, the Jews, required
no more of them than to be filent.* Others have
deniedFads, or affertedFads, in hopes of faving their
Lives, when they were under Sentence of Death :
But thefe Men attefted a Fad at the expence
of their Lives, which they might have faved by
denying the Truth. So that between Criminals
dying and denying plain Fads, and the Apoftles
dying for their Teftimony, there is this material
Difference : Criminals deny the Truth in hopes of
faving their Lives; the Apoftles willingly parted
with their Lives, rather than deny the Truth.
We are come now to the laft, and indeed the
moft weighty Confideration,
The Council for the Apoftles having in the
Courfe of the Argument allowed, that more Evi-;
dence is required to fupport the Credit of the Re-
furtcdion, it being a veiy extraordinary Event,
than is neceffary in common Cafes ; in the latter
Part of his Defence fets forth the extraordinary E-
vidence upon which this Fad ftands. This is the
Evidence of the Spirit; the Spirit of Wifdom
and Power, which was given to the Apoftles, to
enable them to confirm their Teftimony by Signs
and Wonders, and mighty Works. This Part of
J Adlsiv. 17, v,zS, the

C '07 ]
the Argument was well argued by the Gentleman^
and I need not repeat all he faid,
, .The Council for /^oo//?<?» in his Reply, made two
Objedions tO this Evidence.
The firft was this ; That the Refurredion ha
ving all along been pleaded to be a Matter of Fad
and an Objed of Senfe; to recur to Miracles for
the Proof of it, is to take it out of its proper
Evidence, the Evidence of Senfe; and to reft it
lipon a Proof which cannot be applied to it ; for
,»feeing one Miracle, he fays, is no Evidence that
another Miracle was wrought before it; as healing
a fick Mantis no Evidence that a dead Man was
raifed to Ufe.
To clear this Difficulty, you muft confider by
what Train of Reafoning Miracles come to be
Proofs in any Cafe. A Miracle of itfelf proves
nothing, unlefs this only, that there is a Caufe
equal to the producing the Effed we fee. Sup
pofe you fhou'd fee a Man raife one from the dead,
and he fhou'd go away and fay nothing to you,
you wou'd not find that any Fad, or any Propo
fition, was prov'd or difprov'd by this Miracle.
But fhou'd he declare to you, in the Name of him,
by whofe Power the Miracle was wrought, that
Image-Worfhip was unlawfiil, yon \vou'd then
be poffefs'd of a Proof againft Image-Worfhip.
But how? Not becaufe the Miracle proves any
thing, as to the Point itfelf; but becaufe the Man's
Declaration is authorized by him who wrought
the Miracle in Confirmation of his Dodrine.
And. therefore Miracles are diredly a^ Proof of the
O 1 \ Autho-

T'o8]
rAuihority of Perfons, and not of the Truth of
Things.
<¦ To apply this to the prefent Cafe : If the Apo
ftles had wrought Miracles, arid faid riothing of
the Refurredion, the Miracles wou'd have proved
nothing about the Refurredion, one way or other.
But when as Eye- witneffes they attefted the Truth
of the Refurrediori, and Wrought Miracles to
Confirm their Authority; the Miracles did not di-
reaiy prove the Refurreaion ; but they confirmed
and eftablifh'd beyond all Sufpicion the proper E-
Vidence, the Evidence of Eye-witneffes. So that
here is no Change ofthe Evidence from proper to
improper; the Faa ftill refts upon the Evidence of
Senfe, confirmed and ftrengthen'd by the Autho-
'rity of the Spirit. If a Witnefs calls in his Neigh
bours to atteft his Veracity, they j5rove nothing as
to the Fad in queftion, but only confirm theEvi-
•dence of the Witnefs; The Cafe here is the fame;
.tho' betv/een the Authorities brought in Confir
mation ofthe Evidence, there is no Comparifon.
The fecond Objeaion was. That this Evidence,
however good it may be in its kind, is yet nothing
-to us; It was well, the Gentleman fays, for thofe
¦who had it ; but what is that to us, who have it
not? To adjuft this Difficulty, I muft obferve to you,
that the Evidence, now under Confideration, was
hot a private Evidence of the Spirit, or any in
ward Light, Uke to that which the Quakers in our
Time pretend to ; but an Evidence appearing in
the manifeft and vifible Worla of the-Spirit: And this

r[ I op 3
this Evideace was caf^ible of being tranfmitted,
and adually has been tranfmitted to us upon un*
queftionable Authority : And to aUow the Evidence
to haye been good jn the firft Ages, an4 not in
this, feems to me to be a Contradidion to the
Rules of Reafoning. For if we fee enough to
jud^e that the firft Ages had Reafon to believe,
we muft needs fee at the fame time, that it is rea
fonable for us alfo to believe. As the prefent Que?
ftion only relates to the Nature of the Evidence^
it was not neceffary to produce from Hiftory the
XriftanCes to fheW in how plentiful a manner this
lEvideri'ce was grarited to the Church, Whoever
wants this Satisfedion, may eafily have it;
Gentlemenof the Jury, I have laid before you
the Subftance of what has been faid. on both Sides.
You are now to confider of it, and to give your
Verdid. *
The Jury confiiJted .together, and the Foreman rofe up.,
¦ Forefnan. My Lord, We are ready t-o give our
Verdid. -^^-f
Judge. Are you' all agreed? .'>
Jury. Yes.
Judge. Who fliall fpeak for you ?
Jury. Ojir Foreman. ^ , .
Judge. What f^y yoti? Are thd.^poftles guil
ty of giving falfe Evidence in the Cafe ofthe Re
fiirredion of Jefus, or not guilty ? ¦
Foreman. Not guilty. I Judgi

¦ ¦ Judff. Veiy weU; and "now. Gentlemen,' I rd-i
fign my Commiffion, and am your humble Ser
vant. The Company rofe up, and were beginning to
pay their Compliments to the Judge and the Coun
cil; but were interrupted by a Gentleman, who
went up to the Judge, and ofier'd him a Fee.
What's this? fays the Judge. A Fee, Sir, faid the
Gentleman. A Fee to a Judge is a Bribe, faid the
Judge. True, Sir, faid the Gentleman ; but you
have refign'd your Commiffion, and will not be
the firft Judge who has come from the Bench to
the Bar without any Diminution of Honour. Now
Lazarus's Cafe is to come on next, and this Fee is
to retain you on his Side. There follow'd a con-
fus'd Noife of all fpeaking together, to perfuade
the Judge to take the Fee : But as the Trial had
lafted longer than I expeded, and I had lapfed the
time of an Appointment for Bufinefs, I was forc'd
to flip away ; and whether the Judge was prevail
ed on to undertake the Caufe of Lazarus., or no,
I cannot fay, ^

FINIS.

N. B. Not only Mr. Woolfton'j ObJeSiions in his
Sixth Difcourfe, but thofe alfo which he and others
have publifhed in other Books, are here confidered j

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