Part III. examin'd, and the matter prefs'd so close, that the Chriftians fhould have been oblig❜d to make out to the World, what Grounds they had for affirming fuch a thing. Such ftirring, and fuch endeavours as thefe, would have been but what the Cafe well deferv'd, to have had bestow'd upon it. But instead of this, alas! what do we find? The Jews contented themselves with private tattle, and thought it enough to fet that Story about, which the Council had before extorted from the Soldiers. This Saying (fays the Hiftorian) is commonly reported amongst the Jews until this Day. It went about from one to another amongst themselves; but they never offer'd to make the leaft ftep, towards bringing the Caufe in question, upon the publick Stage. And what fignifies tatling to the Conviction of Mankind, where examining and proving are the things requir'd? To what purpose is spreading a Report, and teaching People privately what they fhould believe; when a Caufe lies at stake, and must fink for ever, without fome very extraordinary Defence? Men don't ufe to take up with fuch Methods as thefe, when they have evident Truth of their fide; nor they don't use to fuffer such Attacks, in Matters of fuch Confequence, without making another fort of Oppofition, than ever the Jews thought fit to do in this Affair.

And therefore, we conclude, That they were confcious to themselves, of the Truth of the Charge, and knew that they had brib'd the Soldiers to make that Report.

And confequently, That they were fully fatisfy'd, that Jefus Chrift was indeed rifen; otherwife they bad not offer'd Bribes to conceal it...

Nor indeed can any Man (that does but allow himself to think, what Motives and Principles

Man

Mankind are govern'd by, and how things are always manag'd in Cafes of the like nature) ever bring himself to believe, but that the Jews would in fome fignal manner have vindicated themfelves in a Point of this Importance, upon which the whole ftrefs of the Controverfy lay; if they had not procur'd that egregious piece of Forgery, and known it very easy to be prov'd upon them.

UT then there is another thing, which plainly fhews likewife, that they were Self-condemn'd; and that is, the way in which they always manag'd the Controversy with the Christians.

And he that fhall but take the Pains, to compare their way of oppofing Chriftianity, with the Apostles Method of propagating it; will furely fee the Signs of a very bad Caufe in all their Proceedings, if he has any Eyes at all.

The Apoftles deliver'd their Meffage in very plain and fimple Terms; they told the World what Authority they had to deliver that Meffage, and put every body upon fearching and enquiring into the Grounds and Reafons of what they faid. The Jews (who had the Writings of Mofes and the Prophets in their hands, which they firmly believ'd to be all of Divine Inspiration) they exhorted, to a careful and ferious perufal of thofe Writings; that they might affure themselves, whether thofe things which they testify'd of Jefus Chrift, were agreeable to the Scope and Tenour of them or no. As for the rest of the World, who pretended to no written or pofitive Revelation, of God's Mind and

Part III. Will; they put them upon ufing their Reafon and their Senfes, as Men ought to do, in order to their being convinc'd of the Truth of any Doctrine. And for that end, they inform'd them of all Circumftances that were any way neceflary for their Conviction, in this particular Cafe; giving fuch exact and punctual Accounts of things, as could not be imagin'd to be given by any, but Men who were fure they had Truth on their fide. And all this they did, in fo candid, meek, and good-natur'd a way, with fo much Tendernefs and Forbearance towards their Enemies, temper'd with a juft Zeal and Concern for the Caufe which they maintain'd; that their Management, the without the leaft Sheres of Art and Affectation, could not but be very agreeable to all Perfons, who propos'd to themfelves, to confider things, with fober and unprejudic'd Judg

ment.

The Jews took a Courfe, which was just the Reverse of this. They run out into Heat and Paffion, and instead of Argument, threw dirt at the Apostles. For all the good and mild Treatment which they had from them, they could never find in their hearts to make any other return, than Slander and Reproach. They ftigmatiz'd them with the infamous Names of pefti lent Fellows, Ringleaders of Sedition, Men that turn'd the World up-fide-down, and were Enemies to Cæfar and his Government. And these Notions they buzz'd into the Ears of the Magiftrates, and great Men; nay, and into the Ears of the common People too, in all Places where the Apostles came to preach the Gofpel. So that fometimes whole Cities were up in Arms against them, and Mobbs (confifting of the leudeft and most profligate Wretches, that could be got together)

were

were rais'd upon them, and inflam'd to the highest Degree; even to the aflaulting the Houses where the Apostles had taken fhelter, and lying in wait for them, in order to execute the Revenge of thofe, who had fet them a-work. And as the Jews labour'd hard, to get their very Lives (which they would have been glad to have purchas'd at any rate whatsoever) fo they many times did prevail fo far, as to get them thruft into Stocks and Prifons, and fent out of Towns with Disgrace; with many other fuch little effects of Spleen and Malice, as they had Power to bring about.

Now what was all this a fign of, but, That they were conscious to themselves, that the Apostles were not to be born down in their Teftimony, by any other Methods, than thofe of Fury and Violence? For do fuch Proceedings as thefe, fo void of all common Justice and Humanity, look with any face of Truth or Innocence? Was that the right way to confute the Chriftian Religion, to arm the Rabble against it; to provide Whips and Shackles for the Preachers of it, and represent them as Traitors and Enemies to the State? To fet up a loud Cry, Thefe Men are Rebels against Cæfar, and the Roman Government is in Danger by them; and then lafh and perfecute them upon that imaginary Hypothefis? Who would ever think, that this fhould be a proper Course, to stop the Progrefs of a Doctrine, that came with fuch good Testimonials into the World? That Railing and Scolding, that Outrage and Tumult, fhould ever perfuade any thoughtful Man, that the Jews were in the Right, and the Apostles in the Wrong, in what they maintain'd? Certainly, as Perfecution can never convince any By-ftander, of the Merits a Caufe, except it be

an

302 an abfolute Bigot (that is one, who having quitted all Pretenfions to fee and understand for himfelf, has left it to other People to do both for him) fo neither can it ever ferve instead of Reafon, to those Persons themselves, who fuffer under it. For Flesh and Mind are two very different things; and tho Blows will make Impreffions on the former, yet no Man can be beaten into a new Scheme of Thoughts.

The Understanding is not temper'd to be wrought on by Arguments of Wood and Steel; nor will Fire melt down an Opinion, which challenges a Trial by fair and rational Methods. And therefore, thofe who go that way to work, don't fo much as pretend to treat Mankind as reasonable Creatures; but deal with them as mere Machines, that are to be govern'd only by rude Force and Impulse.

And what Credit this is to a Caufe, all the World will eafily judg. 'Tis fo irrational and abfurd, in the nature of the thing, and fo contrary to all the ufual procedures of Mankind, that have Truth and right Reason of their fide; that unless a Man be ftrangely biafs'd, he cannot forbear fufpecting Falfhood and Imposture, where he fees fuch Courses taken. And for this Reason, we fay, that the Jews, who carry'd matters to fuch an extravagant height, fometimes by open, and fometimes by clandeftine Management, and under all the Opportunities and Provocations they had to the contrary, would never bring the great Point in Dispute to any other Iffue; gave evident Proofs of a bad Caufe, and fhew'd there was fome grand Truth fpoken by the Apostles, which they were afraid the World should believe.

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