this Head I fhall leave to the Judgment of the Court, and beg Leave only to make an Obfervation or two upon the last Part of the Gentleman's Argument.

And firft, with Refpect to the Sufferings of the Apostles and Difciples of Jefus, and the Argument drawn from thence for the Truth of their Doctrines 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 Authority, and fhew many Inftances of Men who have fuffer'd even to Death for the Truth of their feveral Profeffions. If we confult only modern Story, we shall find Papists fuffering for Popery; Proteftants for their Religion; and among Proteftants every Sect has had its Martyrs; Puritans, Quakers, Fifth-Monarchymen. In Henry the VIIIth's Time England faw both Popish and Proteftant Martyrs; in Queen Mary's Reign the Rage fell upon Proteftants; in Queen Elizabeth's Papifts and Puritans were call'd fometimes, tho' rarely, to this Trial. In latter Times, fometimes Churchmen, fometimes Diffenters were perfecuted; what muft we fay then? All these Sufferers had not Truth with them, and yet 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 Doctrines to be true, yet prove at least their own Sincerity; as if it were a Thing impoffible for Men to difsemble at the Point of Death! Alas! How many Inftances,

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Inftances are there of Mens denying Facts plainly prov'd, afferting Facts plainly difprov'd, even with the Rope about their Necks; Muft all fuch pafs for innocent Sufferers, fincere Men? If not, it must be allow'd that a Man's Word at the Point of Death is not always to be rely'd on.

Another Obfervation I would make, is with refpect to the Evidence of the Spirit, on which fo much Stress is laid. It has hitherto been infifted on that the Refurrection was a Matter of Fact, and fuch a Fact as was capable and proper to be fupported by the Evidence of Senfe; how comes it about that this Evidence, this which is the proper Evidence, is given up as infufficient, and a new improper Evidence introduc'd? Is it not furprising that one great Miracle fhould want an Hundred more to prove it? Every Miracle is itself an Appeal to Senfe, and therefore admits no Evidence but that of Sense; and there is no Connection between a Miracle done this Year and laft Year; it. does not follow therefore because Peter cur'd a lame Man (allowing the Fact) that therefore Chrift rofe from the Dead'

But allowing the Gentleman all he demands, what is it to us? They who had the Witness within them did perhaps very well to confult him, and to take his Word; but how am I, or others, who have not this Witness in us, the better for it? If the first Ages of the Church faw all the Wonders related by the Gentleman, and believed, it fhews, at least in his Opinion, that this ftrong Evidence was neceffary to create the Belief he requires ;

requires; 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 Verdict.

Here the Gentlemen whisper'd together, and the
Foreman ftood up.

Foreman, My Lord, the Caufe has been long, and confifts of feveral Articles, therefore the Jury hope you will give them your Directions.

Judge. No, no; you are very able to judge without my Help.

Mr. A. My Lord, Pray confider, you appointed this Meeting, and chofe your Office; Mr. B. and I have gone thro' our Parts, and have fome Right to infift on your doing your Part.

Mr. B. I muft join, Sir, in that Request. Judge. I have often heard that all Honour has a Burden attending it, but I did not fufpect it in this Office, which I conferr'd upon myself; but $fince it must be so, I will recollect and lay before you as well as I can the Subftance of the Debate.

Gentlemen of the Jury, the Question before you is, whether the Witneffes of the Refurrection of Christ are guilty of giving false Evidence or no?

Two forts of Objections or Accufations are brought against them; one charges Fraud and Deceit on the Transaction itself; the other charges the Evidence as forg'd, and infufficient to fupport the Credit of fo extraordinary an Event.

There

There are alfo three Periods of Time to be confider'd.

The firft takes in the Miniftry of Chrift, and ends at his Death; during this Period the Fraud is fuppos'd to be contriv'd.

The fecond reaches from his Death to his Refurrection; during this Period the Fraud is fuppos'd to be executed.

The third begins from the Refurrection, and takes in the whole Miniftry of the Apoftles; and here the Evidence they gave the World for this Fact is the main Confideration.

As to the firft Period of Time, and the Fraud charg'd upon Jefus, I must observe to you, that this Charge had no Evidence to fupport it, all the Facts reported of Jefus ftand in full Contradiction to it. To fuppofe, as the Council did, that this Fraud might poffibly appear if we had any Jewish Books written at the Time, is not to bring Proof, but to wish for Proof; for, as it was rightly obferv'd on the other Side, 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 beyond Dispute the Facts recorded in the Gospels.

You were told that the Jews were a very fuperftitious People, much addicted to Prophecy, and particularly that they had a long Expectation about the Time that Chrift appear'd, to have a victorious Prince rife among them. This is laid as to the Ground of Sufpicion, and in Fact many Impoftors you are told fet up upon these Notions

of

of the People, and thence it is inferr'd that Chrift built his Scheme upon the Strength of these popular Prejudices; but when this Fact came to be examin'd on the other Side, it appeared that Christ was fo far from falling in with these Notions, and abufing the Credulity of the People, that it was his main Point to correct thefe Prejudices, to oppose these Superftitions, and by thefe very Means he fell into Difgrace with his Countrymen, and fuffer'd as one who in their Opinion destroy'd the Law and the Prophets; with Refpect to temporal Power, fo far was he from aiming at it, that he refus'd it when offered; fo far from giving any Hopes of it to his Difciples, that he invited them upon quite different Terms, to take up the Crofs and follow him; and it is obfervable, that after he had foretold his Death and Refurrection, he continued to admonish his Disciples of the Evils they were to fuffer, to tell them that the World would hate them and abuse them; which furely to common Senfe has no Appearance that he was then contriving a Cheat, or encouraging his Difciples to execute it

But as ill fupported as this Charge is, there was no avoiding it; it was Neceffity and not Choiee, which drove the Gentleman to it; for fince Chrift had foretold his Refurrection, if the whole was a Cheat, he certainly was confcious to it, and confequently the Plot was laid in his own Time; and yet the fuppofing Chrift conscious to fuch a Fraud in these Circumstances is contrary to all Probability; it is very improbable that he or any Man fhould without any Temptation contrive a Cheat to take Place after his Death; and if this could be fuppos'd,