is, confeffedly, of the highest concern to them; and therefore, if the refurrection of Chrift was intended to be a proper ground of faith in this refpect, then the reason of the thing moft obviously requires, that that refurrection should have been as publick and notorious, as evident and certain as it could poffibly be, or as the nature of things would admit, that so the forementioned belief might be procured by it, and be rendered general to mankind. And, as Christ, at his crucifixion, was expofed to a multitude of spectators, who were witnesses of his death; fo the nature of the thing seems to require, that upon his refurrection he should as publickly have exposed himself, and made thofe fpectators the witnesses of his refurrection alfo. And, when the ftory was published that Christ's Disciples came by night and ftole him away, the cafe plainly required that he should publickly have appeared, and confronted the story by his living presence among them; and thereby have given publick fatisfaction that the story was false; not but the story itself feems greatly to exceed the bounds of credit. That the chief Priefts fhould invent, and the foldiers publish the ridiculous story of the Disciples of Christ Z Steal ftealing the dead body of their master, out of the fepulchre, whilft thofe foldiers flept, feems greatly improbable; because they could have nothing to ground a fuppofition upon, that the ftory would answer the end proposed to be obtained by it, viz. the fitifling, as it were in the birth, the knowledge of the fact of Chrift's refurrection, and thereby prevent it's paffing into the world; which fuppofition of concealing that fact, must have been the Spring of action to the chief Priests in inventing, and endeavouring to propagate this ftory. For, as the chief Priefts knew, according to their own account, Matthew xxvii. 63. that Chrift had publickly declared he would rife from the dead, which declaration gave occafion for fealing the stone and setting a watch; fo, if Christ was rifen, which they were fatisfied he was from the report of the foldiers, then they could expect nothing less than that he would publickly appear, and that foon, and thereby fatisfy the world of his having made good the above declaration; which publick appearance, as nothing lefs could be expected, so it would have rendered the ftory, with all it's abettors, greatly ridiculous and contemptible. I fay, that nothing less than Chrift's publick publick appearance could have been expected by the chief Priests: And therefore, as nothing but the fuppofition of the non-publick appearance of Chrift, after his refurrection, could render this ftory paffable, even upon the minds of the chief Priests themselves, and which it seems next to impoffible they fhould fuppofe, efpecially confidering the terrible circumstances of an earthquake, &c. that attended Chrift's refurrection, according to the account given them by the foldiers; fo it is much more likely that this ftory was not coined till after the event had fhewn that Christ made no fuch publick appearance at all, than that this ftory was made by the chief Priests, and put into the mouths of the foldiers by them, at the time when Christ was faid to have rifen from the dead; the former of thefe, I fay, appears from the Story itself to be much more likely, than the latter. BUT farther, the publick appearance of Chrift, after his refurrection, feems to have been made neceffary by Chrift himself; viz. by his publickly declaring (fuppofing he made fuch declaration) to the people, that he would rife from the dead, by which he raifed the people's expectations, and in fome Z 2 meafure measure made them parties in the cause and therefore, seemed in honour obliged to make good his declaration, to publick fatisfaction. Not but Chrift's declaring or foretelling that he would rife from the dead, or rather the ground of fuch his declarations, feems to be attended with fome difficulties, which render those declarations greatly improbable. The probability or improbability of any relation or fact does, from the nature of the thing, strengthen or weaken the credit of fuch relation, or fact. But, before I come to confider the declarations referred to, I shall make two obfervations, as previous to it. First, the character Chrift affumed was that of a divine messenger, one who was fent by the Deity to be a Saviour to the vicious or loft part of mankind; and accordingly, it is faid of him, that he came to seek and to fave that which was lost; and that he was fent particularly to the lost sheep of the house of Ifrael. So that the most dis folute, stubborn, and faithlefs people of that time, or that wicked and adulterous generation, were the people Chrift was particularly and fpecially fent to; and these were the perfons he came on purpose to seek and fave. And it was under the pretext of this cha character of a fpiritual Phyfician, at Chrift juftified his own conduct, in keeping company with Publicans and Sinners "The "whole (faid he) have no need of the Phyfi : cian, but they that are fick; I came, not to call the righteous, but finners to repen"tance." And as Chrift affumed the character of a messenger sent from God; so, secondly, he represented his working of miracles as a proper evidence of that character; and as a proper means of conviction, to those they were wrought before. Thus, in Luke vii. when John the Baptift fent to Chrift, to enquire whether he was the perfon expected, or were they to look for another? Chrift faid, by way of answer to John's query,verfe22. go your way, and tell John what things you have Seen and beard, how that the blind fee, &c. John x. 25. The works that I do (faid Chrift) in my father's name, they bear witnefs of me, verfe 38. Tho' ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know and believe that the father is in me, and I in him. These two points being premifed, I observe, that in Matthew xii. 38, 39, 40. Christ is represented as expreffing himself in the following words. Then certain of the Scribes and of the Pharifees answered, faying, master, we would fee a fign from thee. But be Z 3 an |