368 for the Truth of the Fact be strictly just, and in all respects fufficient to oblige us, as reasonable Creatures, to yield the Affent of our Minds thereto. And this is the Enquiry, that now lies before us. And as 'tis that which crowns and concludes all; fo I fhall endeavour to bestow an anfwerable Degree of Care in the Management of it, that the way to our great Conclufion may lie fair and open to us.

I

Come now therefore, to the fourth and laft general Head, of the Method propos'd, viz.

to fhew

That there is actually fuch an Evidence, for the Refurrection of Jefus Chrift, as does fully come up to all the Characters and Conditions of an Evidence, which obliges Human Understanding: Or that it is fuch, as lays an indifpenfable Obligation on every capable Subject, to whom that Doctrine is fairly reprefented, with its proper Evidences; to receive it as a certain Truth.

Two things therefore are here to be done.

First, We will state in order, the feveral Conditions of the Evidence we speak of; as what directly obliges the Understanding of Mankind.

Secondly, We will demonftrate, that the Evidence we have, for the Refurrection of Jefus Chrift, does fully come up to thofe Conditions.

And, I fuppofe, this is all that can be demanded reafonably, in order to a Conclufion.

In order to the First of thefe, I must refer to what has been faid, concerning the Nature of the Evidence here intended; at SECT. III. Part II.

I have there given fuch an account of it, as contains all that is either needful to the prefent Purpose, or to make any Perfon of tolerable Understanding know what I mean.

So that there is nothing remaining for me to do, with respect to that matter; but only to branch out, what lies there fumm'd up together, into proper Heads for our prefent Defign.

And this I fhall do, in the following Particulars.

First, This Evidence is fuch, as being impartially weigh'd and confider'd, by the free Ufe of a Man's Reafon, in all the common and allow'd ways of ufing it; would more powerfully incline him to the Belief of a thing propos'd, than any Objections to the contrary, when duly stated, and fet in a juft Light, would diffuade him from the Belief of that thing.

Secondly, Not only fo: but 'tis fuch likewife, That if a Man Should reject it, he must necessarily be forc'd upon fuch fort of Confequences, as the genuine and difinterested Senfe of all Mankind, would condemn as abfurd and wrong; and which even he himself, without making use of fome bad Arts for managing his Understanding, contrary to its native Biafs and Tendency, would not be able to digeft; but muft difown as irrational and abfurd, when he came to reflect upon them, in a cool and ferious Temper.

Thirdly, 'Tis fuch, as furnishes a Man with all thofe Media, which according to the Nature of the Cafe propos'd, are necessary to the making a perfpicuous natural Conclufion; and by the help of which, he may Bb

likewife

likewife folve whatever Difficulties occur, upon fuch Principles, as Mankind in all refembling Cafes, uni verfally agree to argue themselves into a juft Satiffaction and Affurance of the Truth of things by.

This is, in fhort, the Substance of that Account. So that the Conditions requir'd therein, and which therefore we muft fhew exactly to agree, to the Evidence we have for the Refurrec tion of Chrift; are these :

The Arguments alledg'd, must weigh down whatever Objections are started on the contrary fide.

Thofe Arguments ought to be of fuch a kind and fuch only, as is proper and futable to the Nature of the Cafe propos'd.

They should be fuch, that a Man may be made as fure of the truth of a thing, by them; as he ever is or can be, in any Cafe of the like Nature.

Abfurd and irrational Confequences, must be the Refult of the Denial of them.

Whatever Difficulties are propos'd, may be folv'd upon fuch Principles as the common Practice and Confent of Mankind has establish'd, and to which refort is always had in Cafes of a fimilar Nature.

And in judging of all this, 'tis requir'd alfo, That a Man fhould ufe his Reafon in the most free and difinterested manner, and let his Understanding conclude, what by the Laws and Conftitution of Human Nature, ought to be concluded from fuch and fuch Circumftances of things propos'd to it.

This Point thus ftated and fettled, I fhall now demonftrate

Secondly, That the Evidence we have, for the Re furrection of Jefus Chrift, does fully come up to thefe Conditions.

In order to this, let the following steps be well confider'd.

I have demonftrated at large, in Part II. the Validity and Obligatory Nature of Moral Evidence, together with the abfolute Neceffity we lie under, of admitting fuch kind of Evidence as this; and that not from uncertain Gueffes and Surmifes, but from what is plain Matter of Fact, in Hu man Nature, and of Experience in the World.

I have fhewn, that according to the Nature of things, this fort of Proof is to be apply'd and made ufe of, for evincing the Truth of things, in Cafes of the highest and greatest Importance, all one, as in thofe that are of lefs Moment, at PROP. IX. And therefore, that as there can be no Ground nor Pretence, for requiring any other fort of Proof, in this particular Cafe of the Refurrection of Jefus Chrift; fo 'tis ftrictly Juft and Rational, fully to acquiefce therein; provided it be fuch as carries every thing along with it, that the Laws and Constitution of the World, and the Circumftances of Human Nature in it, have made neceflary, in order to our full Satisfaction and free Affent, in Cafes of this kind.

I have farther made it appear, that the Teftimony for the Fact of Chrift's Refurrection, is fo circumftantiated; that if it may be rejected, no Evidence of that nature is ever to be admitted amongst Mankind; but all Moral Proof must at once be thrown out of doors, and either SenfiBb 2

ble

Part III. ble Proof or Mathematical Demonftration be de-. manded and given, for every thing that is propos'd as a matter of Belief.

That it was as impoffible, as any thing which is not phyfically and fimply impoffible, can be; that there fhould have been any Fraud committed by the Friends and Difciples of Jefus Chrift: and that by all the Rules and Measures known in the World, for judging of Events of this kind; if there had been any fraudulent Management on the part of the Disciples, it must infallibly have been discover'd and laid open.

That all the plain and allow'd Marks of egregious Falfhood and Imposture, appear'd thro the whole Behaviour and Conduct of the Enemies of Jefus Chrift.

That they did, what guilty and felf-condemn'd Men ought to have done, muft neceffarily do, and always actually do, in fuch Cafes, to skreen Malice and Wickednefs from Discovery, and to run down Truth that would expofe them to the World.

Moreover, I have fhewn, that the Suppofition of Cheat and Impofture, in the matter of Chrift's Refurrection, is attended with the groffeft Abfurdities, with fuch plain and manifeft Contradictions, to all the known Experience, the stated Principles of Action, and Methods of procedure amongst Mankind; that a Man that fhould feriously advance, or ftand by any fuch Notions as thofe, in any of the Affairs and Concerns of Human Life, would be given up, as loft to all common Senfe and Understanding, and thought incapable of any rational intercourfe with, or treatment from the rest of his FellowCreatures.

And