Mankind which are Tasks pretty nearly equal

to one another.

SECT. XLV.

Thirdly, A Third Topick which the Chriftians

argue upon, is, The Demonftrable Conviction, which the Jewish Nation lay under at that time, that Jefus Chrift 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 avow'd Enemies of his Religion; who had fo many Reafons to wish he might not rise again; fo many Interests concern'd to engage them to hinder Mankind, from believing that he was rifen again: And lastly, Who had all Advantages in their hands, that could be defir'd, to inform and affure themfelves, whether he was risen again or no: If thefe Perfons gave plain proofs, of their being convicted of the Truth of Chrift's Refurrection; the rest of Mankind can have no rational pretence, for the leaft Doubt or Scruple about it. And the Reafon is, because no part of Mankind besides, can ever poffibly have either the Motives or the Advantages, for inquring into the matter, that the Jewish Nation had. Therefore, their Conviction, is a juft Argument to us.

N°

OW 'tis easy to fhew, upon plain and obvious Principles, That the Jews were infallibly convinc'd of the Refurrection of Christ.

In order to this, I fuppofe it will be granted, That when two Parties of Men ftand at the highest degree of Oppofition to each other, if the one afferts and publishes a Matter of Fact, which is of the highest Moment, and abfolutely destructive of the Interests of the other, and is not fo palpably falfe, as to carry the plain Marks of Spite and Revenge, or ftudy'd Slander 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 biafs'd or prejudic'd either way, shall bear fome proportion to the Attack made upon them: That then (I fay) they tacitly acknowledg the Truth of what the accufing Party alledg against them, and so by Confequence give up the Caufe.

For the reafon of this, I refer to what is difcours'd at the latter end of PROP. II.

Now the Cafe lies here: The Writers of the Gospel-Hiftory, did in exprefs Terms publish to the World, That the Jews brib'd the Soldiers to report, that the Body of Jefus Christ was stolen away by his Difciples.

This was a home Charge; and fuch as, if true, fhew'd the Jews to be the most degenerate Wretches under Heaven.

For here they trampled upon all the Obligations of Confcience and Religion, and fet them

felves to fight against Truth, and even against God himself, that they might carry on their Prejudices against Jefus Chrift, 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 Chrift'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 fordid 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 expos'd the Caufe they maintain'd, as defperate and forlorn to the laft degree.

Now that this Charge was neither fo evidently falfe, as to carry its own refutation along with it, nor yet the Effect of Spleen and Revenge, because the Jews had crucify'd Jefus Chrift; will be apparent to all People, that will but ufe their Understandings as they ought to do, in looking over the Circumftances of the Cafe, and the Jews, Management upon this Occafion.

『

The thing, as recorded by the Hiftorian Matthem, was thus.

The Watch who were fet to guard the Sepulcher of Christ, being terrify'd by the awful Appearance of an Angel of God, and the Earthquake which attended his Defcent from Heaven; come into the City, and tell the Chief Priests, what things had pafs'd. Upon this, a Council was immediately call'd, and finding themselves under a preffing Neceffity of stopping these Soldiers Mouths, they refolv'd to try the Power of Mony for that purpose; the

U 4

reafon

reafon of which, in all probability, was because thofe Men were Romans: For otherwife, 'tis no Breach of Charity to fuppofe, that that Affembly could have made bold with the Law of Mofes, in a Cafe of Extremity, and found other ways to difpofe of Men, that were like to tell dangerous Truth, if they could have ventur'd the Civil Confequences of fo doing.

However, they propos'd the Reward to them, and told them what they were to do for it: Say ye, his Difciples came by Night, and stole him away, while we fept. Very odd Directions to be given, by a Council of Doctors, and Heads of the People! Sure they must be under fome terrible Confternation, and their Wits perfectly confus'd, to put a parcel of Men upon giving the World a formal Account, of what was done, while they were faft afleep! But if this Advice of theirs was wife, that which follow'd next was every whit as honeft and pious: And if this come to the Governour's Ears, we will perfuade him, and fecure you That is, do you tell the Lye roundly, and we will juftify you in it, and back what you fay; fo that the Governour, if he should enquire, fhall be effectually cheated and abus'd, and you come to no manner of Damage. And this (as the Hiftorian tells us) did the Business. The Men thus tempted, and thus fecur'd from Danger, yielded not only to conceal the Truth, but alfo to fet about a contrary Story: They took the Mony, and did as they were taught. Nor was it any wonder, that People of their Profeffion fhould be charm'd with a large Bribe, especially being wheedled by an Affembly of grave and learned Men; who would fay a thousand things to them (and it being in their own Defence, to be fure they did) to work off the Apprehenfions they

297 they had conceiv'd, upon the furprizing things they faw at the Sepulcher.

This is the Account of the Matter: And therefore the next thing to be enquir'd into, is, What Defence the Jews made, against this heavy Charge.

Any indifferent Perfon, that should hear the Cafe, would conclude no lefs, than that the whole Nation (a People that prided themselves in Character, so much as they did) fhould have been in a Tumult upon it: At leaft, that the Chief Priefts and Fathers of Ifrael, fhould have exerted themfelves after fome very extraordinary manner, to clear themfelves of this Afperfion; being the Perfons who fuffer'd moft deeply. by it.

And certainly, there were very valuable Reasons for their fo doing. For, befides that their Caufe and Religion lay at ftake, and this Account of their Proceedings was fure to be publish'd thro the World, and tranfmitted even to the latest Pofterity, the Party which made this Affault upon them, was too confiderable to be defpis'd, and not counted worthy of an Answer; tho at the fame time, neither their Principles, nor their Circumstances in the World, were fuch, as could ftrike their Adverfaries with any dread or fear of them; fo that they fhould forbear doing themselves Juftice upon that score.

One would expect therefore to have heard, that the Chriftians were folemnly call'd to an Account, for this provoking piece of Hiftory: That they were challeng'd to make it good, with all that Zeal and Concern, which injur'd Innocence, in a People of fuch Refentments as the Jews were, would naturally have infpir'd: That Perfons and Records were appeal'd to and examin'd,