Seventhly, That they had as much time and opportunity as could ever be desired, in order to the discovery of the Imposture, if there had been any.

Eighthly, That they had likewife power in their hands, by which they were enabled to examine all perfons and things which might any way conduce to the giving them Light into the matter.

As for the truth of thefe particulars, the Chriftians believe their adverfaries themfelves are fo thorowly apprized of it, or at leaft are fenfible that there are no objections to be made in the cafe but what would be plainly fcandalous for men that pretend to Reason to make, that they have little apprehenfion of any difpute arifing from that fcore. And indeed, I think, those Gentlemen with all their heat against Christianity, have hitherto been fo prudent, and fo juft to themfelves, as never to venture folemnly to call any of thefe matters, into queftion: Nor do I believe that any of them will ever think it worth their while fo to do; efpecially fince there is fo profound a filence as to thefe points amongst all the more antient enemies of the Chriftian Religion; none of whom, that I could ever hear of, made the leaft doubt whether the circumftances were really fo or no.

N

SECT XLIII.

OW the Question which arises here is this, viz. Whether fome teftimony concerning matter of fact may not be attended with fuch circumstances, that if that teftimony be falfe it should be morally impoffible but the falfbood bould be difcovered?

If it be denied that any teftimony of matter of fact may be attended with fuch circumftances, then it is asked, What there is in the nature of things, according to the prefent conftitution and establishment of the World, that

R 2

Should

Part III. fhould be a reafon why fome cafes of humane teftimony may not be thus circumftantiated?

Those that affirm there are fuch reafons, are obliged to fhew them: The Chriftians fay there can be no fuch.

If it be granted that fome teftimony concerning matter of fact may be attended with fuch circumftances, That if that teftimony be false, it should be morally impossible but the falfhood should be detected; then here are these two questions farther, to which a distinct answer is required.

First, What are the qualifications or conditions necessary to render a teftimony fuch as is here spoken of?

Secondly, What does this particular teftimony concerning the Refurrection of Jefus Chrift want of those necessary conditions or qualifications? If it wants any, fhew what they are; if it does not, then affign some reasons why you believe, That there were all the conditions requifite to render the difcovery of the fraud morally neceffary and certain, and yet that it was not actually difcovered.

I

SECT. XLIV.

N the mean time, depending upon the force of the circumstances mentioned, we lay down this conclufion, viz. That there was in this cafe a concurrence of all fuch circumstances as are in the nature of the thing necessary and conducible to the laying of a cheat open to the world, and not only fo, but they were fuch as would have rendred the difcovery of the fraud unavoidable, if there had been any to be difcovered. And we are the more confirmed in this conclufion upon these two accounts.

First, Because the common and conftant experience of the world fhews, That fraudulent intrigues and cheats are actually difcovered in cafes, where the advantages for laying them open bear no proportion to what we find in the cafe of our Saviour's Refurrection.

Se

245 Secondly, Becaufe the Deifts cannot give an inftance of an Imposture, fet afoot in any age of the World, and attended with circumstances of equal moment to thefe, which ever yet efcaped being difcovered.

So that the result of the argument amounts to thus much.

First, That there is the highest degree of moral Impoffibility that the teftimony given by the Apostles concerning the Refurrection of Chrift fhould have been a falfe one.

Now what grounds we have for fecurity in all cafes of this nature, where we argue, for Example, that it is morally impoffible that fuch or fuch a Thing should ever be, or come to pass, has been abundantly fhewn at PROP. II. PART II. to which I refer. And therefore, the ftrefs of the argument refting mainly there, I am under no doubt at all of the intrinfic goodness and fufficiency of it. Nor, indeed, is there room left for any other dispute in the case, than, Whether Mankind be led by fuch and fuch Principles, or be governed by fuch and fuch Laws, when they act as reasonable and fociable creatures, yea or no? Which is a queftion that, I hope, may easily be decided.

Secondly, That fince the reafons, why we affert it was morally impoffible in the highest degree that this testimony fhould be falfe, are plainly deduced from the very nature of the Cafe itself, and, moreover, backed with experience and evident Matter of Fatt; the Deifts will be obliged to coin a fet of new Principles, in order to give a fair and diftinct anfwer to what the Christians urge upon this head.

For to do it upon any principles hitherto received amongst mankind, they will find not only Morally, but Phyfically impoffible: And I guess the difficulty will not be lefs for them to invent and introduce new Principles in their ftead, fuch as the World will think fit to fubmit to. However, what remains for them to do, is either to invent new Principles, or elfe to folve R 3

the

the business by thofe hithertò received amongst mankind; which are tasks pretty nearly equal to one another,

Thirdly, A

SECT XLV.

Third Topick which the Chriftians argue upon is, The demonftrable Conviction which the Jewish nation lay under at that Time that Jefus Christ was really rifen again.

The Confequence of this Argument lies here, viz. That if a body of people, who were the Murderers of Jefus Chrift, and the avowed enemies of his Religion; who had fo many reafons to wish he might not rise again, fo many interests concerned to engage them to hinder mankind from believing that he was rifen again; and laftly, who had all advantages in their hands that could be defired to inform and affure themselves whether he was rifen again or no: If thefe perfons gave plain proofs of their being convicted of the truth of Chrift's Refurrection, the reft of mankind can have no rational pretence for the leaft doubt or fcruple about it. And the reason is, because no part of mankind befides can ever poffibly have either the Motives or the Advantages for enquiring into the matter that the Jewish nation had. Therefore their conviction is a juft argument to us.

SECT XLVI.

OW it is eafy to fhew, upon plain and obvious

NOW principles, That the Jews were infallibly convinced

of the Refurrection of Christ.

In order to this, I fuppofe it will be granted, That when two parties of men stand at the highest degree of

oppofition

oppofition to each other, if the one afferts and publishes a matter of fact, which is of the highest moment, and abfolutely deftructive of the interefts of the other, and is not fo palpably falfe as to carry the plain marks of spite and revenge, or studied flander and scandal along with it; that then, if that other party, upon whom this charge is made, does not in as folemn and publick manner refute that charge, or do fomething in their own vindication, which, in the judgments of Perfons not biaffed or prejudiced either way, fhall bear fome proportion to the attack made upon them: That then, I fay, they tacitly acknowledge the truth of what the accufing party alledge against them, and fo by confequence give up the cause.

For the reason of this, I refer to what is difcourfed at the latter end of PROP. II.

Now the cafe lies here: The writers of the gospelhistory did, in exprefs terms, publish to the world, That the Jews bribed the Soilders to report, that the body of Jefus Chrift was stolen away by his Difciples.

This was a home charge; and fuch as, if true, shewed the Jews to be the most degenerate wretches under Heaven.

For here they trampled upon all the obligations of confcience and religion, and fet themselves to fight againft Truth, and even against God himself, that they might carry on their prejudices against Jefus Christ, and the new Religion inftituted by him.

Now for the Evangelifts to record it in their history, and that but a very little time too after Christ's death, that the Jews were guilty of this horrid and abominable piece of Forgery and Bribery; to tell the world that they acted fo foul and fo horrid a part as to tamper with the Soldiers, and put them upon fpreading about a thing which they knew in their own hearts to be a notorious lye: This was to paint them out to the world in the very worst colours that men could be painted in, and would R 4

expofe